Apparatus and method for securely monitoring the sales transactions of bulk vending machines

• US 20040056085A1
• Filed: 06/09/2003
• Published: 03/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Optical Entertainment Network, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Folz Vending Company (Coinstar Asset Holdings, LLC)
• Inventors: Adams, Christopher
• Granted Patent: US 7,083,036 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/379
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 5/22 electrically actuated

Abstract

An apparatus for securely monitoring the sales transactions in bulk vending machines, said apparatus comprising at least one bulk vending machine having a coin mechanism. The coin mechanism includes a coin plate; a selectively rotatable shaft extending radially therefrom; a coin shuttle, a cam-bearing lobe and a coin mechanism adapter plate co-axially and collectively located around the selectively rotatable shaft; and a first switch and a second switch. The first and second switches are fixedly mounted and oriented on the coin mechanism adapter plate so that the maximum amount of backlash in the coin mechanism is less than the angular spread of the switches. The coin mechanism further includes a microprocessor having a sales counter; and means for communicatingly connecting the first and second switches to said microprocessor, whereby the microprocessor will advance the sales counter one numeric count and record a single vend only after the cam-borne lobe contacts and completely closes both first and second switches, when it is rotated as a result of a coin deposited in the coin mechanism.

Claims

35. A method for securely monitoring sales transactions in bulk vending machines, comprising the steps of:

providing at least one bulk vending machine with product to be dispensed at the end of a sales transaction;

outfitting said bulk vending machine with a coin mechanism having a coin plate, a selectively rotatable shaft extending radially therefrom, a coin shuttle, a cam-bearing lobe and a coin mechanism adapter plate co-axially and collectively located around said selectively rotatable shaft; and

a first switch and a second switch, said first and second switches being fixedly mounted and oriented on said coin mechanism adapter plate so that the maximum amount of backlash in said coin mechanism is less than the angular spread of said switches;

communicatingly connecting said first and second switches to a microprocessor comprising a sales counter;

inserting a coin into said coin mechanism of said bulk vending machine;

rotating said lobe-bearing cam counterclockwise, whereby said cam-borne lobe contacts and closes said first switch and places said microprocessor on alert;

continuing the counterclockwise rotation of the lobe-bearing cam while simultaneously using said microprocessor to check the closed status of said first switch for a first, fixed period of time;

while confirming said closed status of said first switch at the end of said first, fixed period of time, continuing the counterclockwise rotation of said lobe-bearing cam off said first switch, causing the release and opening of said first switch, alerting said microprocessor that said cam-borne lobe is in between said first switch and said second switch and notifying said microprocessor to await for the possible closure of said second switch;

thereafter continuing the counterclockwise rotation of said lobe-bearing cam whereby said cam-borne lobe contacts and closes said second switch for a second, fixed period of time;

continuing the counterclockwise rotation of said lobe-bearing cam while simultaneously using said microprocessor to monitor the closed status of said second switch for said second, fixed period of time;

while confirming said closed status of said second switch at the end of said second, fixed period of time, continuing the counterclockwise rotation of said lobe-bearing cam off said second switch, causing the release and opening of said second switch, and notifying said microprocessor to acknowledge a valid vend event and increment said microprocessor sales counter by one

upon acknowledgment of said valid vend event and the incrementing of said sales counter by one, continuing the counterclockwise rotation of said lobe-bearing cam back to the coin mechanism'"'"'s starting position;

dispensing a product; and

readying said bulk vending machine for another vend sequence.

37. The method of claim 35, further comprising the steps of providing said microprocessor with a tamper circuit, using said tamper circuit to detect any unauthorized operations on either said microprocessor or said bulk vending machine, and upon the detection of said unauthorized operations to shut down said microprocessor and prevent the further sales of product.

39. The method of claim 37, further comprising the steps of providing said microprocessor with a tamper circuit, using said tamper circuit to detect any unauthorized operations on either said microprocessor or said bulk vending machine, and upon the detection of said unauthorized operations to shut down said microprocessor, prevent the further sales of product, and allow said microprocessor to transmit its vend data and said bulk vending machine to resume normal operation, only after an unlock code is properly entered into said microprocessor via said portable reader.

41. The method of claim 37, wherein said portable reader can be used to enter initialization data and transmission commands only.

42. The method of claim 39, wherein said portable reader can be used to enter initialization data, transmission commands, and the unlock code only.

36-1. The method of claim 36, further comprising the steps of:

communicatingly connecting printing means to said portable reader; and

printing said downloaded and stored vend data from said microprocessor.