Method and apparatus for counting events in a vending machine and the like

• US 4,907,250 A
• Filed: 01/15/1988
• Issued: 03/06/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jeffery D. Ricks
• Original Assignee: Jeffery D. Ricks
• Inventors: Ricks, Jeffery D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Miller, Stanley D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Duong, Tai V.
• Application Number:
  US07/144,871
• Time in Patent Office: 781 Days
• Field of Search: 377/7, 377/13-16, 377/53, 377/54, 377/37, 340/825.54, 340/825.55, 340/825.35, 340/825.34, 364/479, 235/375, 235/379, 235/381, 194/217, 194/218
• US Class Current: 377/7
• 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, coin-operated self-service machine, utility meter etc., is provided with a counting mechanism which is inexpensive and simple in construction and easy to operate. The device comprises a binary counting device capable of storing cumulative counts of transaction information. The binary counts are converted in a parallel to serial converter and ultimately pulsed in a series of long and short pulses to an LED. The vending machine, self-service machine, etc., is provided with a bar code serial number, and a bar code reader reads and stores both the serial number and the transaction information delivered through the LED. Software is provided to permit the storage of transaction count information based upon the serial number of a particular machine.

Claims

1. Apparatus for storing, converting, retrieving and transmitting stored transaction count information generated by counting means, said apparatus comprising:

a. at least one switch for producing binary count information responsive to input stimuli said switch selected from the group consisting essentially of normally open and normally-closed mechanical and magnetic switches, which is activated by a periodic transaction;

b. a plurality of counting means for receiving and storing binary count information generated by said at least one switch of step a.;

c. parallel to serial converting means to convert parallel binary count information stored in the counting means of step b. to serial binary count information, said parallel to serial converting means being activated upon manual actuation of an enable switch and an oscillator means;

d. means to convert the serial binary count information of step c. to electrically-generated optical pulses for display in an LED;

e. optical retrieval means for reading the optical pulses displayed in the LED of step d.; and

f. transmitting means for transmitting optical pulses retrieved in step e. to a computer, such that the stored transaction count information is stored according to the identifying indicia of each counting means.

2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said counting means is incorporated with said at least one switch into an integrated circuit.

3. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the parallel to serial converting means sets a pulse width based upon the binary count, such that a binary bit value of "0" is converted to a short electrical pulse of one unit width and a binary bit value of "1" is converted to a long electrical pulse of two unit widths.

4. Apparatus for storing, converting, retrieving and transmitting stored transaction count information generated by counting means in the form of a mechanical coin counter affixed to a coin-operated self-service machine and correlating said information with identifying indicia of said counting means, comprising the steps of:

a. producing a binary count running total responsive to input stimuli, and storing the binary count;

b. converting the binary count of step a. from parallel to serial binary count;

c. setting a pulse width based upon the binary count, such that a binary bit value of "0" is converted to a short electrical pulse of one unit width and a binary bit value of "1" is converted to long electrical pulse of two unit widths.

d. converting the serial binary count of step b. to electrically generated optical pulses for display in an LED;

e. retrieving the stored transaction count information from the LED of step c. in the form of optical pulses; and

f. transmitting the optical pulses of step d. and identifying indicia to a computer, such that the transaction count information is stored according to the identifying indicia of each counting means.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising charging the LED with said short and long electrical pulses, to produce short and long optical pulses.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising transferring information from the electronic light sensor to a computer, said computer enabling the sensor to alternately read bar code labels and optical pulses from the LED.

7. Apparatus for storing, converting, retrieving and transmitting stored transaction count information generated by counting means, said apparatus comprising:

a. at least one switch for producing binary count information responsive to input stimuli said switch selected from the group consisting essentially of normally open and normally-closed mechanical and magnetic switches, which is activated by a periodic transaction;

b. a plurality of counting means for receiving and storing binary count information generated by said at least one switch of step a.;

c. parallel to serial converting means to convert parallel binary count information stored in the counting means of step b. to serial binary count information, said parallel to serial converting means being activated upon manual actuation of an enable switch and an oscillator means;

d. means to convert the serial binary count information of step c. to electrically-generated optical pulses for display in an LED;

e. optical retrieval means for reading the optical pulses displayed in the LED of step d.;

f. transmitting means for transmitting optical pulses retrieved in step e. to a computer, such that the stored transaction count information is stored according to the identifying indicia of each counting means; and

g. optical retrieval means being provided in the form of an electronic light sensor adapted to read and assimilate identifying indicia of the counting means and to read optical pulses from the LED, and to communicate with a computer program associated therewith which permits the sensor to alternately read identifying indicia of the counting means and optical pulses from the LED.

8. The apparatus as recited in claim 7, wherein the information transferred from the electronic light sensor to the computer program is scrambled to prevent unauthorized entry thereinto.

9. A method of storing, converting, retrieving and transmitting stored transaction count information generated by counting means in the form of a mechanical coin counter affixed to a coin-operated self-service machine and correlating said information with identifying indicia of said counting means, comprising the steps of:

a. producing a binary count running total responsive to input stimuli, and storing the binary count;

b. converting the binary count of step a. from parallel to serial binary count;

c. converting the serial binary count of step b. to electrically generated optical pulses for display in an LED;

d. retrieving the stored transaction count information from the LED of step c. in the form of optical pulses;

e. transmitting the optical pulses of step d. and identifying indicia to a computer, such that the transaction count information is stored according to the identifying indicia of each counting means;

f. retrieving the optical pulse information and identifying indicia with an electronic light sensor, in the form of a bar code reader, and transferring information from the electronic light sensor to a computer, said computer enabling the sensor to alternately read bar code labels and optical pulses from the LED.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising scrambling the information transferred from the electronic light sensor to the computer to prevent unauthorized entry thereinto.