Multiple service vending machine with unitized pricing and proportionalized analog display

• US 20070225860A1
• Filed: 03/21/2006
• Published: 09/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fragramatics Manufacturing Company Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Fragramatics Manufacturing Company Incorporated
• Inventors: Ingram, James, Goodwin, Tony, Sheppard, Clinton, Fundyler, Yefim
• Granted Patent: US 7,765,026 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/236
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 3/008 for interiors of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 3/044 Hand-held cleaning arrangements with liquid or gas distributing means B60S3/045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/20 for washing or drying articles, e.g. clothes, motor cars

Abstract

Coin operated vending machines and vending methods for self service car washes that vend different commodities or services at a united price. The machines vend vacuum at different speeds, and spot remover or fragrance. Each machine has a computer-controlled, multi-segmented bar graph providing an analog indication of the amount of a vend that remains, and a dot matrix system for displaying text messages. The bar graph has multiple adjacent segments each having multiple cells that contain separate LEDS of different colors. The bar graph provides a relative, analog indication of the amount of a particular commodity remaining to be vended. When a vend starts, all of the bar graph segments are illuminated and as vending continues, bar graph segments and individually cells are sequentially decremented. Different products are associated with different colors. The customer may switch selections while a credit balance remains, and bar graph illumination is reset to 100%.

Claims

1. A vending machine comprising:

means for enabling a customer of the machine to select an initial commodity or service to be vended at a given price;

means for accepting payment from customers;

a controller for operating the vending machine, the controller comprising;

means for recognizing said payment and establishing customer credit in response to the payment;

means for initiating a vend of the initial selected product or service;

means for determining the amount of the initial selected product or service that remains as the vend is completed; and

,

bar graph means operated by said controller for providing a visual analog display varying between zero and one hundred percent illumination that corresponds to the amount of a selected product or service that remains to be vended.

2. The machine as defined in claim 1 wherein the bar graph means comprises a plurality of separate segments arranged serially in a line that can be individually illuminated.

3. The machine as defined in claim 2 wherein all of the illuminated segments in the bar graph means are illuminated any time a vend is initiated, and as the vend completes, the number of illuminated segments decreases to indicate the proportion of the selected product or service that remains to be vended.

4. The machine as defined in claim 2 wherein each bar graph segment comprises a plurality of cells, each cell housing differently colored light emitting means for generating and displaying different colors in response to the selection of different products or services.

5. The machine as defined in claim 2 wherein each bar graph segment comprises a plurality of sequential cells, and as the vend completes, the number of illuminated cells in a given segment decreases to indicate the proportion of the selected product or service that remains to be vended.

6. The machine as defined in claim 1 further comprising:

means for recognizing when a subsequent product or service is selected by the customer while credit still remains for the vend of the initial product or service;

means for initiating a vend of the subsequently selected product or service;

means for recognizing the customer credit remaining after the vend of the initial product or service;

means for determining how much of said subsequent product or service may be vended in response to said customer credit remaining; and

,

means for resetting the bar graph means to one hundred percent illumination and decreasing illumination in response to the vending of said subsequent product or service.

7. The machine as defined in claim 6 wherein the bar graph means comprises different color light emitting means for displaying different colors in response to the selection of different products or services.

8. The machine as defined in claim 6 wherein the number of illuminated segments in the bar graph means is set to One hundred percent any time a vend selection is changed, any time that additional payment is made, and any time that an alternate selection of products or services is made.

9. The machine as defined in claim 6 wherein each bar graph segment comprises a plurality of cells, each cell housing differently colored light emitting means for generating and displaying different colors in response to the selection of different products or services.

10. The machine as defined in claim 6 wherein each bar graph segment comprises a plurality of sequential cells, and as the vend completes, the number of illuminated cells in a given segment decreases to indicate the proportion of the selected product or service that remains to be vended.

11. The machine as defined in claim 10 wherein each of said cells comprises a first light emitting means and a second light emitting means, said first and second light emitting means being of different colors.

12. The vending machine as defined in claim 10 wherein said commodities and services are selected from the group consisting of vacuum suction, fragrance, and spot remover.

13. A vending machine comprising:

means for enabling a customer of the machine to select an initial commodity or service to be vended;

means for accepting payment from customers;

a controller for operating the vending machine, the controller comprising;

means for recognizing said payment and establishing customer credit in response to the payment;

means for initiating a vend of the initial selected product or service;

means for determining the amount of the initial selected product or service that remains as the vend is completed;

bar graph means operated by said controller for providing a visual analog display corresponding to the amount of a selected product or service that remains to be vended; and

,

scrolling text means for displaying selected text messages from said machine.

14. The machine as defined in claim 13 wherein the controller comprises memory means for storing and running programs and text to be displayed by said scrolling text means, and the machine comprises a smart card reader for reading new programming information and text to be displayed by said scrolling text means from a smart card.

15. The machine as defined in claim 14 wherein the bar graph means comprises a plurality of separate segments arranged serially that can be individually illuminated and wherein all of the illuminated segments in the bar graph means are illuminated any time a vend is initiated, and as the vend completes, the number of illuminated segments decreases to indicate the proportion of the selected product or service that remains to be vended.

16. The machine as defined in claim 15 wherein each bar graph segment comprises a plurality of cells, each cell housing differently colored light emitting means for generating and displaying different colors in response to the selection of different products or services.

17. The machine as defined in claim 14 wherein each bar graph segment comprises a plurality of sequential cells, and as the vend completes, the number of illuminated cells in a given segment decreases to indicate the proportion of the selected product or service that remains to be vended.

18. The machine as defined in claim 17 wherein each of said cells comprises a first light emitting means and a second light emitting means, said first and second light emitting means being of different colors.

19. The machine as defined in claim 13 further comprising:

means for recognizing when a subsequent product or service is selected by the customer while credit still remains for the vend of the initial product or service;

means for initiating a vend of the subsequently selected product or service;

means for determining how much of said subsequent product or service may be vended in response to said customer credit remaining; and

,

means for resetting the bar graph means to one hundred percent illumination and decreasing illumination in response to the vending of said subsequent product or service.

20. The machine as defined in claim 19 wherein the controller comprises memory means for storing and running programs and text to be displayed by said scrolling text means, and the machine comprises a smart card reader for reading new programming information and text to be displayed by said scrolling text means from a smart card.

21. The machine as defined in claim 19 wherein the bar graph means comprises different color light emitting means for displaying different colors in response to the selection of different products or services.

22. The machine as defined in claim 19 wherein the number of illuminated segments in the bar graph means is set to One hundred percent any time a vend selection is changed, any time that additional payment is made, and any time that an alternate selection of products or services is made.

23. The machine as defined in claim 22 wherein each bar graph segment comprises a plurality of cells, and as the vend completes, the number of illuminated cells in a given segment decreases to indicate the proportion of the selected product or service that remains to be vended, and wherein each cell houses differently colored light emitting means for generating and displaying different colors in response to the selection of different products or services.

24. The machine as defined in claim 23 wherein the controller comprises memory means for storing and running programs and text to be displayed by said scrolling text means.

25. The machine as defined in claim 23 wherein the controller comprises a smart card reader for reading new programming information and text to be displayed by said scrolling text means from a smart card.

26. A vending machine for selectively dispensing a plurality of commodities and/or services at predetermined prices, said machine comprising:

means for enabling a customer to select a desired commodity or service to be vended;

means for initiating a vend of said desired commodity or service in response to customer payment;

a bar graph for providing a visual analog display of the amount of a given vend that remains, the bar graph comprising a plurality of segments that can be separately illuminated; and

,

circuit means for initially illuminating 100 percent of the bar graph segments in response to initiation of a vend, and for thereafter decrementing the number of illuminated bar graph segments to zero percent in proportion to the amount of a vend that remains to be completed.

27. The vending machine as defined in claim 26 further comprising a computer program, and wherein said circuit means comprises computer processing means for running said program, said machine comprises a smart card reader for reading programming and data on a smart card and for transmitting said programming and data stored on a said smart card to said computer processing means to thereby update said computer program.

28. The vending machine as defined in claim 27 wherein, during a vend, said program recognizes when additional payment has been made and/or if an alternative selection of a product or commodity has been made, and causes said circuit means to reset the bar graph to a 100% display.

29. The vending machine as defined in claim 27 wherein, during a vend, as the user'"'"'s cash balance decreases, the number of illuminated segments in the bar graph will be reduced in proportion to the remaining customer balance.

30. A vending machine for selectively dispensing a plurality of commodities and/or services at predetermined prices, said machine comprising:

means for enabling a customer to select a desired commodity or service to be vended;

means for initiating a vend of said desired commodity or service in response to customer payment;

a bar graph for providing a visual analog display for each vend;

a scrolling dot matrix display for displaying text messages to said customers;

a computer program;

circuit means for operating the bar graph and said dot matrix display, said circuit means comprising computer processing means for running said computer program; and

,

a smart card reader for reading programming and data on a smart card and for transmitting said programming and data stored on a said smart card to said computer processing means to thereby update said computer program and said text messages.

31. The vending machine as defined in claim 30 wherein, during a vend, said program recognizes when additional payment has been made and/or if an alternative selection of a product or commodity has been made, and causes said circuit means to reset the bar graph to a 100% display.

32. The vending machine as defined in claim 31 wherein:

the bar graph comprises a plurality of separate segments that can be successively illuminated; and

,

as the user'"'"'s cash balance decreases, the number of illuminated segments in the bar graph is reduced in proportion to the remaining customer balance.

33. The vending machine as defined in claim 30 wherein said dot matrix display comprises a plurality of aligned dominoes, each domino comprising a plurality of rows and columns of protected, recessed light sockets in which means for producing light are disposed.

34. The vending machine as defined in claim 33 wherein there are five rows and seven columns of sockets on each domino, and there are six dominoes aligned to form said dot matrix display.

35. The vending machine as defined in claim 33 wherein each socket houses at least one LED.

36. The vending machine as defined in claim 33 wherein said circuit means provides a plurality of column and row outputs for each domino.

37. The vending machine as defined in claim 36 wherein said commodities and services are selected from the group consisting of vacuum suction, fragrance, and spot remover.

38. The vending machine as defined in claim 37 wherein there are five rows and seven columns of sockets on each domino, and there are six dominoes aligned to form said dot matrix display.

39. The vending machine as defined in claim 38 wherein each socket houses at least one LED.

40. A vending machine for selectively dispensing a selected one of a plurality of fragrances and at least one other commodity and/or service at predetermined prices, said machine comprising:

means for enabling a customer to select a desired one of a plurality of fragrances and/or at least one other commodity or service to be vended;

means for initiating a vend of said desired fragrance or commodity or service in response to customer payment;

a scrolling dot matrix display for displaying text messages to said customers;

a computer program;

circuit means for operating the dot matrix display, said circuit means comprising computer processing means for running said computer program.

41. The vending machine as defined in claim 40 further comprising a smart card reader for reading programming and data on a smart card and for transmitting said programming and data stored on a said smart card to said computer processing means to thereby update said computer program and said text messages.

42. The vending machine as defined in claim 41 further comprising a bar graph responsive to said circuit means for providing a gradually decreasing visual analog display of the amount of a given vend that remains, the bar graph comprising a plurality of segments that can be separately illuminated.

43. The vending machine as defined in claim 42 wherein, during a vend, said program recognizes when additional payment has been made and/or if an alternative selection of a product or commodity has been made, and causes said circuit means to reset the bar graph to a 100% display.

44. The vending machine as defined in claim 42 wherein:

the bar graph comprises a plurality of separate segments that can be successively illuminated; and

,

as the user'"'"'s cash balance decreases, the number of illuminated segments in the bar graph is reduced in proportion to the remaining customer balance.

45. The vending machine as defined in claim 40 wherein said dot matrix display comprises a plurality of aligned dominoes, each domino comprising a plurality of rows and columns of protected, recessed light sockets in which means for producing light are disposed.

46. The vending machine as defined in claim 45 wherein there are five rows and seven columns of sockets on each domino, and there are six dominoes aligned to form said dot matrix display and wherein each socket houses at least one LED.

47. The vending machine as defined in claim 46 wherein said circuit means provides a plurality of column and row outputs for each domino.

48. The vending machine as defined in claim 47 wherein said commodities and services are selected from the group consisting of vacuum suction, fragrance, and spot remover.

49. The vending machine as defined in claim 47 further comprising a smart card reader for reading programming and data on a smart card and for transmitting said programming and data stored on a said smart card to said computer processing means to thereby update said computer program and said text messages.

50. A display for computerized vending machines that vend a user-selectable commodity or service, the display comprising:

a computer-operated bar graph for providing a visual analog display varying between zero and one hundred percent illumination that corresponds to the amount of a selected product or service that remains to be vended;

the bar graph comprising a plurality of separate segments arranged serially in a line that can be individually illuminated;

whereby, as the vend completes, the number of illuminated segments decreases to indicate the proportion of the selected product or service that remains to be vended.

51. The display as defined in claim 50 wherein each bar graph segment comprises a plurality of cells, each cell housing differently colored light emitting means for generating and displaying different colors in response to the selection of different products or services.

52. The display as defined in claim 50 wherein each bar graph segment comprises a plurality of sequential cells, and as the vend completes, the number of illuminated cells in a given segment decreases to indicate the proportion of the selected product or service that remains to be vended.

53. The machine as defined in claim 52 wherein each cell comprises different color light emitting means for displaying different colors in response to the selection of different products or services.

54. The machine as defined in claim 52 wherein each cell comprises a first light emitting means and a second light emitting means, said first and second light emitting means being of different colors.

55. A vending method comprising the steps of:

enabling a customer of the machine to select an initial commodity or service to be vended at a given price;

accepting and recognizing payment from customers;

establishing customer credit in response to the payment;

initiating a vend of the initial selected product or service;

determining the amount of the initial selected product or service that remains as the vend is completed; and

,

as a vend completes, providing a visual analog display varying between zero and one hundred percent illumination that corresponds to the amount of a selected product or service that remains to be vended.

56. The method as defined in claim 55 wherein said step of providing a visual analog display includes the steps of providing a multi-segment bar graph, initially illuminating all segments when a vend is initiated, and, as a vend completes, decrementing the number of illuminated segments.

57. The method as defined in claim 56 including the further steps of providing each bar graph segment with a plurality of cells, and initially illuminating all cells after that segment is activated, and, as a vend completes, decrementing the number of illuminated cells within that segment.

58. The method as defined in claim 56 including the further steps of providing said segments with differently colored light emitting means, and generating and displaying different colors in response to the selection of different products or services.

59. The method as defined in claim 55 wherein said visual analog display step includes the further step of displaying different colors in response to the selection of different products or services.

60. The method as defined in claim 55 including the further steps of:

recognizing when a subsequent product or service is selected by the customer while credit still remains for the vend of the initial product or service;

initiating a vend of the subsequently selected product or service;

recognizing the customer credit remaining after the vend of the initial product or service;

determining how much of said subsequent product or service may be vended in response to said customer credit remaining;

resetting the bar graph to one hundred percent illumination; and

,

decreasing bar graph illumination in response to the vending of said subsequent product or service.

61. The method as defined in claim 60 wherein said visual analog display step includes the further step of displaying different colors in response to the selection of said subsequent product or service.

62. A vending method comprising the steps of:

enabling a customer of the machine to select an initial commodity or service to be vended at a given price;

accepting and recognizing payment from customers;

establishing customer credit in response to the payment;

initiating a vend of the initial selected product or service;

determining the amount of the initial selected product or service that remains as the vend is completed;

providing a visual display as the vend continues;

displaying text messages to said customers;

controlling said text message display step with a computer program; and

,

modifying said computer program with a smart card reader by reading programming and data on a smart card.

63. The method as defined in claim 62 wherein said visual display step includes the steps of providing a multi-segment bar graph, initially illuminating all segments when a vend is initiated, and, as a vend completes, decrementing the number of illuminated segments.

64. The method as defined in claim 63 including the further steps of providing each bar graph segment with a plurality of cells, and initially illuminating all cells after that segment is activated, and, as a vend completes, decrementing the number of illuminated cells within that segment.

65. The method as defined in claim 63 wherein said visual analog display step includes the further step of displaying different colors in response to the selection of different products or services.

66. The method as defined in claim 63 including the further steps of:

recognizing when a subsequent product or service is selected by the customer while credit still remains for the vend of the initial product or service;

initiating a vend of the subsequently selected product or service;

recognizing the customer credit remaining after the vend of the initial product or service;

determining how much of said subsequent product or service may be vended in response to said customer credit remaining;

resetting the bar graph to one hundred percent illumination; and

,

decreasing bar graph illumination in response to the vending of said subsequent product or service.

67. The method as defined in claim 62 wherein said visual analog display step includes the further step of displaying different colors in response to the selection of said subsequent product or service.