PROGRAM MANAGEMENT CONTROLLER

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To test a new program in the operation of an actual machine by providing a run area for a program which stores a program used up to a specific period and a program to be used after the specific period in a new and an old program area and downloads them and performing arithmetic processing by the stored programs. SOLUTION: A memory M is provided with the old program storage area M1, new program storage area M2, and program run area M0. In this old program storage area M1, the old program which is currently used by an automatic ticket examining machine is stored together with data on the expiration date of the use. In the new program storage area M2, the new program accompanying a system change is stored with data on the date of its use. Further, the run program used by an arithmetic processing part C for its actual arithmetic processing is stored in the program run area M0. The new program in the new program storage area M2 is generated by a host computer H. Then the program is stored in the new program storage area M2 through a communication line.