Check-actuated control mechanisms – Including value accumulator for plural checks – Having solid state circuitry
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-09
2001-06-26
Bartuska, F. J. (Department: 3652)
Check-actuated control mechanisms
Including value accumulator for plural checks
Having solid state circuitry
C221S006000, C700S236000, C700S241000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06250452
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention deals with remote monitoring. More specifically, the present invention deals with remotely monitoring and collecting vend data from a plurality of vending systems.
Vending machines are currently in wide use, and typically involve a remote machine holding a plurality of products or items to be dispensed after receiving money from a purchaser. Most such machines are electromechanically controlled. Such electromechanical machines typically include devices referred to as a coin changer and a bill validator for receiving money from a customer. The machines also typically include a plurality of bins for holding different products to be sold. A plurality of customer inputs are provided (such as buttons) through which the customer can indicate a desired product. Vend motors are located proximate the various bins to dispense a product from one of the bins upon actuation. Upon receiving adequate monetary input, the coin changer provides a credit output which energizes a credit relay. The credit relay provides power to a circuit which powers both a product out light and the vend motor. Once the credit relay is energized, and if the purchaser actuates one of the purchaser input buttons, the appropriate vend motor is energized so that it rotates to dispense a product.
Prior vending machine monitoring systems have also been attempted. Such systems have been put in place in hopes of gathering vend data from vending machines. However, such prior systems have proven to be highly inaccurate and ineffective. For example, hand held computers are currently available which can be coupled to some vending machines to receive some items of information about previous vending transactions. The information received includes, for instance, the level of coins in the coin changer. However, no information regarding the number of vends in any particular bin within the machine is transmitted. Further, such hand held computers require a service person to travel to the machine to find out whether a service call is needed. Thus, such a system is economically wasteful.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention arises, in part, from the realization that simply monitoring the vend motor circuits to determine whether a vend has occurred produces results which are highly inaccurate. For example, conventional wisdom teaches that by monitoring the vend motor circuit, and determining when the motor circuit is energized correlates to a vend. However, it has been determined that in most currently available vending machines, the vend motor can be energized for different time periods for many different reasons. In different vending machines, the vend motor can require a different degree of rotation to accomplish a vend. Also, if the operator actuates the product selector button for an inadequate duration, the vend motor starts but stops before a vend has occurred. This is referred to as a “quick hit” and can occur many times before the vend actually occurs. Systems which count a vend with each energization of the motor circuit count all quick hits as vends and are erroneous.
In addition, in most currently used vending machines, the product out light which indicates that a bin is out of a certain product is also coupled into the power circuit which powers the vend motor. When a product is depleted from a bin, the motor circuit is energized and a relay downstream of the product out light cuts out the motor so that it does not continuously turn. However, the motor circuit still appears to be energized. Thus, simply monitoring the vend motor circuit, and the time during which it is activated, can lead to inaccurate results.
Applicants' invention also arises, in part, from the realization that once accurate vend data is obtained, it would be desirable to use the data in determining an improved service schedule for servicing the machine.
A monitoring system monitors a plurality of remote product dispensers. Vends are detected indicating that products have been dispensed from the dispenser during a given time period. Vend data indicative of the products dispensed is stored. The vend data is communicated to a base unit and a base unit provides a display indicative of products dispensed and a service schedule based on the vend data received.
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Cochran Michell H.
Gannon Michael L.
Partyka Kenneth M.
Pogoff David J.
Bartuska F. J.
Brown, Pinnisi & Michaels P.C.
Cimetrics, Inc.
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