Data processing: generic control systems or specific application – Specific application – apparatus or process – Article handling
Reexamination Certificate
2001-03-09
2004-01-06
Crawford, Gene O (Department: 3651)
Data processing: generic control systems or specific application
Specific application, apparatus or process
Article handling
C700S236000, C700S241000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06675067
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to monitoring coin-operated machines, and, more specifically, to monitoring a number of coin-operated machines from a remote location via a computer network and/or the internet.
Owners/operators of coin-operated machines, typically vending machines and the like, are constantly plagued by the problem of providing adequate service to the machine, tracking the profitability of a machine or group of machines, determining the buying/usage habits of patrons of a particular machine, etc. By having up-to-date information about their machines, operators can optimize their service schedules and product offerings, detect problems or tampering attempts, detect machine malfunctions such as coin or bill jams, determine the quantities of products remaining and log purchases by date and time. The list of possibilities is seemingly endless, but the bottom line is that the operator, with current machine data, can probably keep his or her machines “on line” a high percentage of the time, thereby potentially maximizing profits. However, typically, vending or other coin-operated machines are visited on a periodic, routine basis by a service person who conducts an inventory of the products sold, replenishes the stock, checks the machines for malfunctions, and collects the deposited money. Because every machine will have a different history, some machines could have been devoid of product for a period of time before the scheduled visit by a service person while other machines may have been utilized only sporadically and need less frequent attention. In addition, malfunctions in the machine, such as coin or bill jams, create a loss of goodwill as well as revenue, and may increase the risk of vandalism to the machine by an angry customer. Ideally, the service frequency for each machine will occur just prior to the machine having vended all of its stock, regardless of the frequency of use.
With up-to-date information for each machine, malfunctions my be corrected sooner than if a route service person simply finds the problem on his next routine visit to the machine, possibly several days after the problem occurred. A service person could also be prepared with the correct amount of inventory with which to replenish the machine. High activity machines could receive the attention they deserve while low activity machine could receive less frequent attention.
In gaming (i.e., slot machines or the like) or arcade-type coin operated machines, change machines, coin laundry machines as well as other types of coin-operated machine, keeping the machines up and running is also important to maintain profitability and good will.
Having a system whereby a coin-operated machine operator can remotely determine the operating status, inventory level, etc., of one or more machines becomes highly desirable. The widespread availability of the internet has made this more practical than has heretofore been possible. In addition, a system which can, under certain predetermined circumstances, notify the operator via e-mail, fax, beeper, or the like of a problem demanding immediate attention would be highly attractive.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The problem of remotely monitoring vending or other coin operated machines is not new. To date, many solutions have been proposed. However, none of the solutions provided heretofore are seen to have the inherent advantages of the system of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,091,713 for INVENTORY, CASH, SECURITY, AND MAINTENANCE CONTROL APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR A PLURALITY OF REMOTE VENDING MACHINES, issued Feb. 25, 1992, to Arthur H. Horne, et al., provides one such solution. HORNE, et al. equip a vending machine with several sensing systems to monitor inventory level, sense machine malfunctions and detect vandalism. Each machine is configured to communicate via a standard dial-up telephone connection. The HORNE, et al. apparatus also includes a credit card verification mechanism. Two-way voice communication is possible between a patron of the remote vending machine and a central monitoring site. Telephone communication is maintained constantly and personnel are required to be on duty in the central monitoring facility to interact with the machines or users thereof.
In contradistinction, the inventive system utilizes a highly automated central monitoring system. Both individual coin-operated machines and/or groups of coin-operated machines linked to one another and/or a group controller may contact the central monitoring site on an as needed basis (i.e., may dial in when there is data to be transmitted). In addition, the inventive system may be polled from a central computer and periodically transmit stored data to the central computer system upon command. The inventive system also includes a database system wherein data from individual and related groups of machines is analyzed and provided via a web page to authorized users. Authorized users may determine the status of any or all of their machines and may, in interactive mode, modify the data or even reprogram operation of the data collection system. Finally, the inventive system provides an alert sub-system whereby as certain predetermined events are reported by a machine, an e-mail message, a page, fax, or similar real-time alert may be sent to an appropriate person. If a response is not received from the notified person within a predetermined time, the alert may be repeated or the transmission mechanism may be switched. The alert function is particularly useful for machine events that involve malfunction or vandalism.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,003,070 for E-MAIL SYSTEM AND INTERFACE FOR EQUIPMENT MONITORING AND CONTROL, issued Dec. 14, 1999, to Robert H. Frantz, teaches a system wherein individual coin-operated machines may generate e-mail messages. Each e-mail message is specific to a particular event or condition in the individual machine. In addition, the FRANTZ system allows e-mail responses to be received by the coin-operated machines which translate the messages and perform an operation in response to a message.
The inventive system, on the other hand, utilizes e-mail messages as one potential alert vehicle. Unlike the FRANTZ system, the messages in the inventive system are generated by the central monitoring site in response to data representative of certain remote machine conditions or events. There is no communication to an individual machine by e-mail message in the inventive system.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,766,548 for TELELINK MONITORING AND REPORTING SYSTEM, issued Aug. 23, 1988 to Louis A. Cedrone, et al., teaches another telephone-based reporting system. CEDRONE, et al., rely on a non-dedicated telephone connection whereby their microprocessor-based machines may periodically report stored status information to a remote site by use of built-in modems.
The inventive system is designed for retrofitting into existing mechanical and/or electronic coin-operated machines. While the inventive data collection unit may be utilized with a microprocessor-based coin-operated machine, it is also readily adapted for use in older, mechanical coin-operated machines by providing analog input for monitoring devices within the machine, such as triggers, switches, counters, etc. It may also have digital input ports for connection to digital or electrical signal lines in electronic and/or hybrid coin-operated machines. CEDRONE, et al. teach none of the sophistication of the central monitoring portion of the invention. No web page server is present whereby a customer's service person or other authorized person may access individual or group machine data via the internet from anywhere in the world where the internet may be accessed.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,167,358 for SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR REMOTELY MONITORING A PLURALITY OF COMPUTER-BASED SYSTEMS, issued Dec. 26, 2000, to Konstantin Othmer, et al., teaches a system for remotely monitoring the operation of computer-based systems connected to a central server. The system is particularly useful for monitoring the operation
Crawford Gene O
Siemens Patent Services LC
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