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System for managing multiple dispensing units and method of operation

  • US 5,608,643 A
  • Filed: 09/01/1994
  • Issued: 03/04/1997
  • Est. Priority Date: 09/01/1994
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A system for managing multiple dispensing units by communicating information through a communications network, the system comprising:

  • a plurality of dispensing units operable to transmit and receive information through the communications network, each dispensing unit comprising;

    a plurality of bins each operable to hold a quantity of product;

    a plurality of reference level sensors, each reference level sensor coupled to an associated bin, and each reference level sensor operable to determine when the quantity of product in the associated bin drops below a reference level that is higher than an out of stock level of the associated bin; and

    a controller subsystem coupled to the plurality of bins, to the plurality of reference level sensors and to the communications network, the controller subsystem operable to monitor conditions of the dispensing unit, to transmit status messages responsive to an occurrence of one of a plurality of defined events, and to receive command messages; and

    a dispensing unit controller system operable to communicate through the communications network, the dispensing unit controller system operable to receive status messages from each of the plurality of dispensing units, to process the status messages, and to transmit command messages to each of the plurality of dispensing units, wherein one command message comprises an instruction to a dispensing unit to download a software module to update an existing software module in the controller subsystem of the dispensing unit.

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