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CREDIT CARD ACTUATED VENDING MACHINE SYSTEM

  • US 3,691,527 A
  • Filed: 04/06/1970
  • Issued: 09/12/1972
  • Est. Priority Date: 07/10/1965
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. In an article vending system of the type that includes a plurality of remote vending machines operable by the insertion of a credit card therein, each vending machine being connected to a central recording station for recording the identity of the purchaser and the amount of the purchase made from each machine the improvement which comprises circuitry to inhibit the simultaneous connection of more than one remote vending machine to the recording means in said central recording station, said circuitry including:

  • a. at each remote vending machine;

    means, responsive to the presence of specific indicia on said credit card, for checking the validity of said card and for generating a first signal if said card is valid;

    a pulse generator;

    a first bi-stable device, having a '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'set'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' input, a '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'reset'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' input and an output, said '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'set'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' input being connected to said checking means to receive said first signal; and

    gating means, actuated by the output of said first bistable device, for gating the output of said pulse generator to said central recording station as a calling signal; and

    b. at the central recording station;

    a second bistable device, for each one of said plurality of remote vending machines, each device having a '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'set'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' input of the associated bistable device;

    an OR-gate for each one of said plurality of remote vending machines, said OR-gate having an output, and as many inputs as there are remote vending machines connected to the system, said second bistable devices and said OR-gates being grouped in pairs, the output of each second bistable device being connected to the inputs of all of said OR-gates other than the OR-gate associated therewith in the same pair, the output of each OR-gate being connected to the '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'reset'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' input of the second bistable device associated therewith in the same pair, the output of each second bistable device being transmitted back as a second signal to the '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'reset'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' input of the first bistable device in the associated remote vending machine to reset same and terminate transmission of said first signal, the calling signal from the remote vending machine which first arrives changing the state of its associated second bistable device and inhibiting a change of state in all other second bistable devices, and even in the presence of calling signals from other remote vending machines; and

    a plurality oF AND-gates, arranged in groups, one group for each remote vending machine, having their inputs connected to the signal outputs from the associated remote vending machines and to the output of the associated second bistable device so that only that group of AND-gates associated with the second bistable device receiving the first-arriving calling signal is operable to gate the output of the corresponding vending machine to said recording means, whereby simultaneous connection of more than one vending machine to said recording means is inhibited.

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