Apparatus and Method to Provide Multiple Wireless Communication Paths to and from Remotely Located Equipment

• US 20070072548A1
• Filed: 10/06/2006
• Published: 03/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Crane Payment Innovations, Inc. (Crane Company)
• Original Assignee: Crane Merchandising Systems Incorporated (Crane Company)
• Inventors: Godwin, Bryan, Canter, James
• Granted Patent: US 7,778,600 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.100
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/32 using wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/327 Short range or proximity payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/10 Services
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/005 Details or accessories
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/001 Interfacing with vending machines using mobile or wearable devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/026 for alarm, monitoring and auditing in vending machines or means for indication, e.g. when empty
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A controller may be provided to monitor and record various activities associated with remotely located equipment, e.g. a vending machine or a service vehicle. The controller may also be operable to communicate over multiple wireless communication paths with remotely located equipment, handheld devices and/or a network operations center over multiple wireless networks.

Claims

1. A system for interfacing a controller with a plurality of wireless networks comprising:

a wireless antenna coupled to a wireless interface module operable to send and receive wireless signals;

the wireless interface module in communication with the controller;

the wireless interface module having an interface operable to communicate with a plurality of wireless transceivers;

the wireless interface module operable to communicate wireless signals between each wireless transceiver and the antenna;

each of the wireless transceivers associated with at least one of the plurality of wireless networks;

each wireless transceiver operable to be remotely coupled to the wireless interface module; and

each wireless transceiver operable to send and receive wireless signals associated with one or more of the wireless networks.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the controller comprises an audit device disposed in a service vehicle.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the controller comprises a general purpose computer disposed in a service vehicle.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising an interface operable to communicate wireless signals between each wireless transceiver and the wireless interface module.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the interface comprises a respective coaxial cable coupled between the wireless interface module and at least one of the wireless transceivers.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a first wireless transceiver operable to communicate with a primary wide area network;

the first wireless transceiver removably coupled to the wireless interface module;

a second wireless transceiver operable to be removably coupled to the wireless interface module; and

the second wireless interface transceiver providing a local area network interface.

7. The system of claim 1 further comprising a multidrop interface associated with the wireless interface module.

8. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

the wireless interface module having at least one serial port; and

the system of claim 1 further comprising the wireless interface module having at least one USB port.

9. The system of claim 8 further comprising the USB port providing an interface for a BLUETOOTH wireless transceiver.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the wireless interface module further comprising a port operable with an IEEE 802.11 wireless transceiver.

11. The system of claim 1 further comprising the wireless interface module operable to receive power from the controller.

12. The system of claim 1 further comprising the wireless interface module operable to supply power to an associated wireless transceiver.

13. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

an addressable switch securely engaged with a panel; and

the addressable switch operably engaged with the controller to monitor possible tampering with the panel.

14. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a door operable to be locked in a closed position to prevent unauthorized access to the panel disposed within the container; and

the controller operable to monitor and record each time the door of the container is locked and unlocked.

15. The system of claim 14 further comprising at least one electrical cable extending between the container and the controller to allow the controller to monitor and control access to the container.

16. A system for monitoring and controlling access to a service vehicle comprising:

a service vehicle and a controller;

a first wireless transceiver associated with a first wireless network;

a second wireless transceiver associated with a second wireless network and not operable to communicate over the first wireless network;

a wireless interface module coupled to the service vehicle controller and capable of being used with the first and second wireless transceivers; and

a selected wireless transceiver removably coupled to the wireless interface module, wherein the selected wireless transceiver is selected from the first and second wireless transceivers based on available wireless networks in a geographical location in which the system is to be located.

17. The system of claim 16 further comprising;

an antenna coupled to the wireless interface module; and

the wireless interface module communicating wireless signals between the selected wireless transceiver and the antenna.

18. The system of claim 17 further comprising a coaxial cable operable to communicate wireless signals between the selected wireless transceiver and the wireless interface module.

19. The system of claim 16 further comprising an antenna coupled to the wireless transceiver to communicate wireless signals between the wireless network associated with the selected wireless transceiver.

20. The system of claim 16 further comprising:

the first and second wireless transceivers removably coupled to the wireless interface module;

the first wireless transceiver providing a primary wide area network interface; and

the second wireless transceiver providing a local or personal area network interface.

21. The system of claim 16 further comprising:

a first wireless transceiver disposed within the storage container and a second wireless transceiver disposed within the controller; and

the first wireless transceiver and the second wireless transceiver operable to communicate information between the storage container and the controller.

22. The system of claim 16 further comprising a local area network (LAN) transceiver disposed within the controller and operable to transmit data concerning the storage container to a handheld device.

23. The system of claim 16 further comprising:

a wide are network (WAN) transceiver disposed within the controller; and

the WAN transceiver operable to transmit data between the controller and a network operations center.

24. The system of claim 16 wherein each controller further comprises an addressable switch.

25. The system of claim 16 further comprising the controller operable to unlock a door associated with the service vehicle.

26. The system of claim 16 further comprising a multi-drop bus interface associated with the wireless interface module.

27. The system of claim 16 wherein the multi-drop bus comprises a serial port.

28. The system of claim 27 wherein the serial port comprises a USB port providing an interface for the wireless interface module.

29. The system of claim 27 further comprising the serial port providing an interface for the wireless interface module.

30. The system of claim 16 further comprising an IEEE 802.11 compliant wireless device interfaced with the multi-drop bus.

31. The system of claim 16 further comprising the wireless interface module adapted to accept power from the controller.

32. A system for controlling and monitoring access to a service vehicle and objects disposed within the service vehicle comprising:

an electronic enclosure disposed within the service vehicle;

the electronic enclosure operably coupled with a mobile storage container;

a controller disposed within the electronic enclosure;

the mobile storage container having a plurality of receptacles operable to be releasably engaged with respective inserts;

each insert having a respective unique, electronic identifier;

each receptacle operable to communicate a signal to the controller when one of the inserts is engaged with the receptacle and when the one insert is removed from the receptacle; and

the controller operable to identify the respective insert disposed in the receptacle.

33. A method for interfacing a controller disposed in a service vehicle with a plurality of wireless networks distributed over a geographic area, the method comprising:

integrating a wireless interface module with the controller;

the wireless interface module having a wireless transceiver port capable of interfacing with a plurality of wireless transceivers;

each wireless transceiver associated with at least one of the plurality of wireless networks;

deploying the service vehicle to a first geographic location;

determining one of the plurality of wireless networks as preferred for use at the first geographic location;

selecting a wireless transceiver associated with the preferred wireless network from the plurality of wireless transceivers; and

removably coupling the selected wireless transceiver associated with the preferred wireless network at the first geographic location to the wireless transceiver port.

34. The method of claim 33 further comprising:

relocating the service vehicle to a second geographic location;

determining one of the plurality of wireless networks as preferred for use at the second geographic location; and

if the preferred wireless network at the second geographic location is different from the preferred wireless network at the first geographic location, removing the previously selected wireless transceiver removably coupled to the wireless transceiver port and removably coupling a different wireless transceiver associated with the preferred wireless network for the second geographic location to the wireless transceiver port.

35. The method of claim 33 further comprising interfacing a wireless device with a multi-drop bus associated with the wireless interface module.

36. The method of claim 33 further comprising interfacing a BLUETOOTH device with a USB bus associated with the wireless interface module.

37. The method of claim 33 further comprising interfacing a wireless device with an IEEE 802.11 compliant bus associated with the wireless interface module.

38. A service vehicle operable to communicate with a plurality of wireless networks, the service vehicle comprising:

a controller operable to monitor, control and record operation of the service vehicle and to monitor and record information associated with selected functions of the service vehicle;

the controller having a bus interface adapted to communicate such information using a wireless interface module;

the wireless interface module removably coupled into the controller bus interface;

the wireless interface module in electrical communication with the controller to receive the information;

the wireless interface module having a wireless transceiver port capable of interfacing with a plurality of wireless transceivers respectively associated with one of the plurality of wireless networks;

a wireless transceiver removably coupled to the wireless transceiver port, the wireless transceiver operable to communicate information with the associated wireless network; and

the wireless transceiver selected from a plurality of wireless transceivers based on each geographic location of the service vehicle and increased reliability of communications with the associated wireless network.

39. The service vehicle of claim 38 further comprising:

an antenna operable to send and receive signals with the wireless network;

the antenna coupled to the wireless interface module; and

an antenna cable interfacing the wireless interface module and the wireless transceiver.

40. The service vehicle of claim 38 further comprising:

first and second wireless transceivers removably coupled to the wireless interface module;

the first wireless transceiver compatible with a wide area wireless network; and

the second wireless transceiver compatible with a local area wireless network.

41. A system operable to provide more than one wireless communication path comprising:

a service vehicle having at least one controller disposed therein;

a first wireless transceiver associated with a first wireless network;

a second wireless transceiver associated with a second wireless network and not operable to communicate over the first wireless network;

a wireless interface module coupled to the controller and capable of being used with the first and second wireless transceivers;

a selected wireless transceiver removably coupled to the wireless interface module; and

the selected wireless transceiver selected from the first and second wireless transceivers based on available wireless networks in a geographical location in which the service vehicle is to be located.

42. The system of claim 41 further comprising;

an antenna coupled to the wireless interface module; and

the wireless interface module communicating wireless signals between the selected wireless transceiver and the antenna.

43. The system of claim 41 further comprising a coaxial cable operable to communicate wireless signals between the selected wireless transceiver and the wireless interface module.

44. The system of claim 41 further comprising an antenna coupled to the wireless transceiver to communicate wireless signals between the wireless network associated with the selected wireless transceiver.

45. The system of claim 41 further comprising:

the first and second wireless transceivers removably coupled to the wireless interface module;

the first wireless transceiver providing a primary wide area network interface; and

the second wireless transceiver providing a local or personal area network interface.

46. The system of claim 41 further comprising a multi-drop bus interface associated with the wireless interface module.

47. The system of claim 41 wherein the multi-drop bus comprises a serial port.

48. The system of claim 41 wherein the serial port comprises a USB port providing an interface for the wireless interface module.

49. The system of claim 41 further comprising the serial port providing an interface for the wireless interface module.

50. The system of claim 41 further comprising an IEEE 802.11 compliant wireless device interfaced with the multi-drop bus.

51. The system of claim 41 further comprising the wireless interface module adapted to accept power from the vending controller.

52. A method for interfacing a controller with a plurality of wireless networks distributed over a geographic area, the method comprising:

installing a wireless interface module into a standardized connector of the controller;

supplying data and power to the wireless interface module from the controller;

preparing the data for transmission across a plurality of wireless networks by the wireless interface module;

deploying the controller in a service vehicle to a geographic location;

selecting one of the plurality of wireless networks for testing as a preferred wireless network for the geographic location;

selecting a wireless transceiver associated with the selected wireless network from a plurality of wireless transceivers respectively associated with the plurality of wireless networks;

removably coupling the selected wireless transceiver to a standardized port associated with the wireless interface module to test the compatibility of the geographic location and the selected wireless network; and

removably coupling additional wireless transceivers with the wireless interface module to determine which transceiver and associated wireless network establishes the best performance at the geographic location.

53. A system operable to provide more than one wireless communication path comprising:

a wireless interface module configured to be coupled to a controller;

one or more wireless transceivers removably coupled to the wireless interface module, each wireless transceiver associated with a respective wireless network;

a selected wireless transceiver removably coupled to the wireless interface module; and

the selected wireless transceiver selected from the one or more wireless transceivers based on available wireless networks in a geographical location in which the service vehicle is to be located.