Vending machine control circuit

• US 4,481,590 A
• Filed: 09/30/1982
• Issued: 11/06/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/1980
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: PepsiCo Incorporated
• Original Assignee: PepsiCo Incorporated
• Inventors: Otten, David M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ruggiero, Joseph F.
• Application Number:
  US06/431,613
• Time in Patent Office: 768 Days
• Field of Search: 364/479, 194/1 N, 194/2, 194/10, 221/6, 221/14, 221/123, 221/125, 221/129, 340/825.35
• US Class Current: 700/244
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 5/22 electrically actuated
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/026 for alarm, monitoring and auditing in vending machines or means for indication, e.g. when empty

Abstract

A vending machine control circuit having a plurality of capacitively coupled switches for enabling a customer to indicate his choice of a product to be vended. A logic circuit is responsive thereto for controlling the vending of products by the generation of vend signals directed to a plurality of vend solenoids. Out-of-product switches are wired in series with the vend solenoids such that if a solenoid is activated, but no current flows therethrough, a current sensing circuit is utilized to detect that the product is out-of-stock. This is a significant improvement over prior art control circuits, particularly from the standpoint of decreased wiring requirements in the vending machine.

The control circuit has an early power failure detecting circuit which allows critical tasks within the machine to be finished prior to removal of the power. This feature allows the machine to shut down in an orderly manner, and enables the totalizer to maintain track of sales even in the event of a power failure. Software within the processor directs the overall operations of the control circuit, including the vend operations, the coin receipt and dispensing functions, and also the cash and product totalizing functions.

Claims

1. A vending machine including a control circuit, comprising:

(a) a plurality of switch means for enabling a customer to indicate his choice of a product to be vended;

(b) logic means, coupled to said plurality of switch means and being responsive thereto, for controlling the vending of products;

(c) said logic means including a memory means for storing therein totals representative of the total number of vends of each type of product and totals representative of the cash received by the vending machine;

(d) said logic means also including a processor for controlling the operation of the vending machine;

(e) a power supply for the vending machine including an AC power supply, and means for converting the AC power to a DC power supply for said logic means, said DC power supply further including a battery power supply for said memory means to enable the storage therein of said totals during an interruption in the power supply for the logic means;

(f) means, coupled to said processor, for detecting an interruption in the power supply for said logic means, said detecting means including a capacitor coupled across the AC power supply which is almost discharged below a threshold level on each half cycle of the AC power supply, and a threshold detector for detecting a discharge of said capacitor below said threshold level; and

(g) said processor being responsive to said detecting means to interrupt its processing of signals to prevent an erroneous entry of one of said totals into said memory means.