Control device for an automatic vending machine
First Claim
1. A control device for automatically resetting an automatic vending machine comprising:
- trigger signal generating means for periodically providing a trigger signal;
data processing means for executing a control program to control the vending machine, said data processing means comprising interrupt means responsive to the trigger signal for determining whether a parameter of the control program is within a predetermined range and thereby determining whether a vending machine malfunction has occurred, said processing means further comprising means for providing a port signal when a vending machine malfunction has occurred; and
means responsive to the port signal for generating a reset signal to reset mechanical and electronic devices of the vending machine.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Control apparatus and method is disclosed for a processor controlled vending machine. The control device includes a trigger signal generating circuit for periodically generating a trigger signal. The processor is responsive to the trigger signal to compare the value of the program counter and stack pointer to predetermined limits. If the value of the program counter and stack pointer is within a predetermined range (i.e., the values of the program counter and stack pointer is within the predetermined limits) then the processor does not determine that a vending machine malfunction has occurred. If, however, the value of the stack pointer or the program counter is not within the predetermined range, then the processor determines that a malfunction has occurred and provides a port signal. A reset signal generating circuit is responsive to the port signal to provide a reset signal, which reset signal is used to reset the mechanical and electronic systems of the vending machine.
-
Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A control device for automatically resetting an automatic vending machine comprising:
-
trigger signal generating means for periodically providing a trigger signal; data processing means for executing a control program to control the vending machine, said data processing means comprising interrupt means responsive to the trigger signal for determining whether a parameter of the control program is within a predetermined range and thereby determining whether a vending machine malfunction has occurred, said processing means further comprising means for providing a port signal when a vending machine malfunction has occurred; and means responsive to the port signal for generating a reset signal to reset mechanical and electronic devices of the vending machine. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. A method for resetting a processor controlled vending machine when a malfunction has occurred comprising the steps of:
-
(a) periodically providing a trigger signal; (b) responding to the trigger signal by determining whether a parameter of a control program is within a predetermined range and, if so, determining that no vending machine malfunction has occurred and, if not, determining that a vending machine malfunction has occurred; (c) providing a reset signal when a malfunction has been determined to have occurred; and (d) responding to the reset signal to reset mechanical and electronic systems of the vending machine. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification