Telelink monitoring and reporting system
First Claim
1. A telelink system particularly designed for interface with a vending machine, without interrupting or disturbing the existing vending machine electrical circuits or affecting the normal operation of the vending machine, comprising:
- a. a microprocessor, having a memory associated therewith, for controlling operation of the telelink system, and also for storing in said memory data related to the overall status of the vending machine, including total vends of each of several vended products, inventory of each of several vended products, cash taken in by the machine, and data related to the status of the vending machine;
b. a plurality of machine status sensors, for reporting on the vending machine status without interrupting normal vending machine functions, said vending machine status sensors comprising sensors which are installed as add-on attachments to the vending machine without interrupting the existing vending machine electrical circuits or affecting the normal operation of the vending machine, such that operation or a malfunction of the telelink system does not adversely affect operation of the vending machine;
c. a telephone interface circuit connecting the telelink system to a telephone line to enable the microprocessor to periodically and on a nondedicated basis establish a connection to and use the telephone line, to establish a telephone connection to enable the microprocessor to call a central computer; and
d. a modem for enabling data messages to be transferred through said telephone interface circuit to the central computer.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A microprocessor controlled system for monitoring, storing and periodically reporting on data pertinent to the commercial operation of a reporting system, such as a soft drink vending machine, to a central data collection and monitoring computer, and which periodically reports such data over a telephone line which it accesses on a nondedicated basis. The microprocessor controls operations of the telelink system, and stores in memory data related to the overall status of the commercial operation of the reporting system, such as totals, inventory, etc. Reporting system status sensors are provided for reporting on the status of the reporting system without interrupting normal operation thereof, such that a problem with the operation of or a malfunction of the telelink system does not adversely affect operation of the reporting system. Communication with the data collection processor system is provided by a telephone interface circuit which enables the microprocessor to periodically and on a nondedicated basis use an existing telephone line, which is otherwise used in normal service for telephones coupled thereto. A modem is also provided for enabling data messages to be transferred through the telephone interface circuit to the data collection system.
508 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A telelink system particularly designed for interface with a vending machine, without interrupting or disturbing the existing vending machine electrical circuits or affecting the normal operation of the vending machine, comprising:
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a. a microprocessor, having a memory associated therewith, for controlling operation of the telelink system, and also for storing in said memory data related to the overall status of the vending machine, including total vends of each of several vended products, inventory of each of several vended products, cash taken in by the machine, and data related to the status of the vending machine; b. a plurality of machine status sensors, for reporting on the vending machine status without interrupting normal vending machine functions, said vending machine status sensors comprising sensors which are installed as add-on attachments to the vending machine without interrupting the existing vending machine electrical circuits or affecting the normal operation of the vending machine, such that operation or a malfunction of the telelink system does not adversely affect operation of the vending machine; c. a telephone interface circuit connecting the telelink system to a telephone line to enable the microprocessor to periodically and on a nondedicated basis establish a connection to and use the telephone line, to establish a telephone connection to enable the microprocessor to call a central computer; and d. a modem for enabling data messages to be transferred through said telephone interface circuit to the central computer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A telelink system designed to report data pertinent to the commercial operation of a reporting system to a data collection processor system without interrupting or disturbing the existing reporting system electrical circuits or affecting the normal operation of the reporting system, comprising:
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a. a microprocessor, having a memory associated therewith, for controlling operation of the telelink system, and for storing in said memory data related to the overall status of the commercial operation of the reporting system including totals, inventory, and data relating to the status of the reporting system; b. a plurality of reporting system status sensors, for reporting on the reporting system status without interrupting normal operation thereof, said status sensors comprising sensors which are installed as add-on attachments to the reporting system without interrupting the existing reporting system electrical circuits or affecting the normal operation of the reporting system, such that operation or a malfunction of the telelink system does not adversely affect operation of the reporting system. c. a telephone interface circuit connecting the telelink system to a telephone line to enable the microprocessor to periodically and on a nondedicated basis establish a connection to and use the telephone line, to establish a telephone connection to enable the microprocessor to call the data collection processor system; and d. a modem for enabling data messages to be transferred through said telephone interface circuit and the telephone line to the data collection processor system. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification