Telephonic communications – Telephone line or system combined with diverse electrical... – Remote indication over telephone line
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-25
2003-09-30
Woo, Stella (Department: 2743)
Telephonic communications
Telephone line or system combined with diverse electrical...
Remote indication over telephone line
C379S093120, C700S236000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06628764
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention generally relates to transceivers, and more particularly to a general purpose bi-directional radio frequency (RF) transceiver integrated in a vending machine for communicating information to a remote location.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
As is known, there are a wide variety of vending machines, including those that dispense soft drinks, juices, snacks, cigarettes, candy, etc. In accordance with the general operation of these devices, a patron inserts money into a machine and the machine dispenses some sort of product. In addition to the items listed above, additional products may include ice cream, tickets, tokens, money (e.g., money changers), etc. For purposes of this application, the term “vending machine” is to be accorded a broad definition. In this regard, vending machines include, but are not limited to, machines that typically accept currency (either in the form of cash, credit, bank, or debit cards) and dispense some sort of product. Vending machines, however, within the scope of the term as used herein, need not require direct payment into the machine, but may simply be a machine that dispenses an article of inventory.
A variety of problems are known to cause vending machines to become inoperable (at least temporarily). For example, the machine may run out of one or more products, it may run out of change, or other problems may arise. Typically, these problems are addressed by sending a person to periodically restock the machines, or check them for proper functionality. However, this method of maintenance and/or repair is inefficient, since the machines may not need restocking or servicing. At other times, the machines may have been out of order or out of stock for some period of time before the condition is observed in the periodic restock or service run. Indeed, it is relatively expensive to employ an individual to make these periodic status checks. Also, a machine may be disabled or otherwise in need of service for an undesirably lengthy period of time between service checks, before the service condition is noted and reported.
There are systems known in the prior art that address this general shortcoming. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,207,784 discloses an inventory control system for a vending machine. That patent discloses a system that maintains an accurate running count of products maintained with a vending machine, at any given time. This count, or inventory status, may be communicated to an inventory control center at any given time, via phone lines. As specifically disclosed in that patent, various vending machines are connected to an inventory control center by way of telephone lines. The '784 patent does not specify whether the telephone lines of that system are leased lines or whether they communicate to the control center through the public switched telephone network (PSTN). Nevertheless, the patent does teach that the phone lines are directly connected to the vending machines (see FIG. 1 and related discussion), and that the communication is performed by a modem disposed within each vending machine.
While the system of the '784 patent eliminates the need for a person to periodically check the machine(s) to determine whether they need to be restocked, it nevertheless suffers from other shortcomings. Most notably, the system of the '784 patent requires a phone line to be run directly to the vending machine(s). This limits the placement/location of such machines to locations where phone lines (and taps) presently exist, or requires the added expense of paying a telephone service provider to run and maintain a phone line for each machine. Furthermore, the system of the '784 patent does not address the problem of system failures. When machines malfunction (for any of a variety of reasons), the problem must be manually detected and reported to the vending machine owner (or management company) so that an appropriate repair technician may be dispatched to service the machine. Valuable time and sales may be lost before the condition is discovered and reported.
Another inventory control system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,708,223. Specifically, the system disclosed in the '223 patent is a system for monitoring the inventory of ice in an ice dispensing machine (another type of vending machine—even though it may not require direct payment into the machine). The system detects a low threshold of product inventory and reports the condition to the ice supplier. The patent specifically teaches that the manner of reporting may “be by phone over either ground lines or cellular telephony, or by satellite, by radio transmission, or by local network.” The method of communication, however, is directly to the supplier. Furthermore, the system, like that disclosed in the '784 patent does not address equipment failure. Thus, a mechanical failure must be manually detected and reported.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Certain objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description that follows and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned with the practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
To achieve the advantages and novel features, the present invention is generally directed to a vending machine that utilizes a multi-function bi-directional transceiver for use in an automated system for monitoring and servicing remotely located vending machines. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the system includes a transmitter disposed at a first location and configured to transmit a signal containing an instruction code to a bi-directional transceiver. The instruction code uniquely identifies an instruction to be carried out. Preferably, the transmitter transmits a relatively low-power radio-frequency electromagnetic signal. The system further includes a bi-directional transceiver disposed remotely from the transmitter (but within range of the transmitted signal) configured to receive the transmitted signal. The bi-directional transceiver circuit includes a line interface circuit configured to interface with a telephone line that is part of the public-switched telephone network (PSTN) to initiate a phone call over the telephone line. In this regard, the bi-directional transceiver further includes a controller configured to control both the reception of the transmitted signal and to control the communication of information over the telephone line. Finally, the system includes a central station remotely located from said bi-directional transceiver but being in communication with the bi-directional transceiver via the PSTN. The central station further includes a decoder configured to decode the instruction code.
As will be appreciated, the system summarized above provides an extremely robust and flexible platform for providing general purpose communications to a central location. In this regard, the term “general purpose” may also be referred to as an “open ended” platform that may be readily adapted for a wide variety of uses. The instruction code is a relatively small data value that may be decoded to define a wide variety of functions. For example, an instruction code a single byte (eight bits) in size may define up to two hundred fifty six different functions or instructions. Similarly, an instruction code two bytes in size may define over sixty-five thousand (2
16
) functions or instructions.
In operation, the transmitter transmits the instruction code, perhaps along with other information, to a bi-directional transceiver located remotely, but generally nearby. The bi-directional transceiver, which will preferably be integrated into a pay-type public telephone (but which can be integrated into virtually any telephone or other device having access to the PSTN), receives the transmitted information including the instruction code, and communicates th
Statsignal Systems, Inc.
Thomas Kayden Horstemeyer & Risley
Woo Stella
LandOfFree
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