Method and apparatus for remote control of electronically activated tasks

• US 20030182243A1
• Filed: 03/20/2002
• Published: 09/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Wirca Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Wirca Incorporated
• Inventors: Tooley, Chuck, Davis, Michael M., Price, Jon E., Gerson, Howard J.
• Application Number:
  US10/103,587
• Publication Number:
  US 20030182243A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/73
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/363 with the personal data of a user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0866 by active credit-cards adapted therefor G07F7/1008 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/001 Interfacing with vending machines using mobile or wearable devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/002 Vending machines being part of a centrally controlled network of vending machines
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/026 for alarm, monitoring and auditing in vending machines or means for indication, e.g. when empty

Abstract

The present invention is directed to an apparatus and method for conducting delegated tasks in response to a remote signal. The apparatus includes terminals, such as coin-operated electronic apparatus or consumer electronic apparatus, that are equipped with a module having a controller component configured to transfer and receive telephonic and data commands to activate a function of the terminal remotely and monitor certain conditions within the terminal. The method comprises the steps of accessing an electronic communication device of the terminal through a communication device of the user (i.e. mobile phone, PDA, etc.), a module receiving, authenticating and executing the command inputted at the user'"'"'s communication device in response to the command and, optionally, monitoring the functions of the terminal and communicating a related signal to an associated data network.

Claims

1. An apparatus for conducting electronically activated tasks in response to a remote signal from a personal communication device of a user, the apparatus comprising:

a communication component for transferring and receiving data commands;

a controller component in communication with the communication component and having processing means responsive to the data commands received by the communication component and memory means for storing multiple functions for the terminal; and

a selector component responsive to the controller component for initiating a function of the terminal in response to the data commands wherein the remote signal is generated from the personal communication device to remotely activate the electronically activated task.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the terminal is a payment-activated electronic apparatus.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising an interface with a multi-drop bus for communicating data to the terminal.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the apparatus further includes a remote network, the network receiving data commands from the personal communication device and communicating the data commands to the communication component.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the apparatus further comprises an interface with a DEX/UCS component, the DEX/UCS component being a repository of stored terminal data, the DEX/UCS component being in communication with the controller component for relaying the stored data of the transaction to the network.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the communication component transmits and receives remote transaction specific data from the remote network in real time.

7. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the personal communication device is a mobile telephone.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the personal communication device is a personal digital assistant, and wherein the apparatus further comprises a local access component for transferring and receiving data commands from the personal digital assistant.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the apparatus further includes a network, the communication component transmits and receives data from the network.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the local access component and the communication component operate in real-time.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is a vending machine and wherein vending machine further includes an inventory service component, the inventory service component communicating with the controller component to identify the inventory status of the terminal.

12. An apparatus for conducting electronically activated tasks in response to a remote signal from a personal communication device of a user, the apparatus comprising:

a communication component for transferring and receiving data commands; and

a controller and selector component in communication with the communication component, the controller and selector component being firmware and having processing means responsive to the data commands received by the communication component, and memory means for storing multiple functions for the terminal, the controller and selector component being operably configured to initiate a function of the terminal in response to the data commands wherein the remote signal is generated from the personal communication device to remotely activate the electronically activated task.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the terminal is a payment-activated electronic apparatus.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 further comprising an interface with a multi-drop bus for communicating data to the terminal.

15. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the apparatus further includes a remote network, the network receiving data commands from the personal communication device and communicating the data commands to the communication component.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the apparatus is a vending machine and wherein the apparatus further comprises an interface with a DEX/UCS component, the DEX/UCS component being a repository of stored terminal data, the DEX/UCS component being in communication with the controller component for relaying the stored data of the transaction to the network.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the communication component transmits and receives remote transaction specific data from the remote network in real time.

18. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the personal communication device is a mobile telephone.

19. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the personal communication device is a personal digital assistant, and wherein the apparatus further comprises a local access component for transferring and receiving data commands from the personal digital assistant.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the apparatus further includes a network, the communication component transmits and receives data from the network.

21. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the local access component and the communication component operate in real-time.

22. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the apparatus is a vending machine and wherein vending machine further includes an inventory service component, the inventory service component communicating with the controller component to identify the inventory status of the terminal.

23. A method for remotely initiating a response from a terminal through a remote communication device, the method comprises the steps of:

accessing a communication of the terminal through a personal communication device;

providing menu options on the personal communication device corresponding to options for the terminal;

receiving signals from the personal communication device responsive to the provided options;

executing the commands in a controller component corresponding to the signal received from the personal communication device; and

actuating a function of the terminal in response to the command received from the personal communication device.

24. The method of claim 23 further comprising the steps of:

accessing a remote network have a money account stored therein corresponding to a particular user; and

effectuating a payment from the money account through the personal communication device.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of receiving signals from the personal communication device further includes the steps of:

authentication that the user is a valid user of the money account; and

sending a signal from the network to the communication component of the terminal, the signal including data regarding authorization to effectuate the task.

26. The method of claim 23 further including the step of:

monitoring the history of the terminal by polling an interface of the terminal.

27. The method of claim 23 wherein the personal communication device is a personal digital assistant, and wherein the step of accessing an electronic communication device of the terminal through a personal communication device comprises using a personal digital assistant to access a local access component of the terminal.

28. The method of claim 26 wherein the terminal is a payment-activated electronic apparatus and the step of monitoring the function of the terminal comprises monitoring the function of the terminal by the network communicating with a DEX/UCS component of the terminal.