Method and apparatus for exchanging information with subscriber cards used in article vending machines
First Claim
1. A method of exchanging information with a memory on a subscriber card used by a customer to pay for articles to be vended from a vending machine comprising the steps of:
- a. reading information stored in a memory on a subscriber card, the memory having first and second storage sectors;
b. generating transaction data representing a purchase of an article from a vending machine utilizing the information read from the memory;
c. storing the transaction data in the second storage sector;
d. checking whether the transaction dam stored in the second storage sector is coherent;
e. copying the coherent transaction data from the second storage sector into the first storage sector;
f. checking whether the transaction data stored in the first storage sector is coherent; and
g. generating a release signal for vending the article from the vending machine when the transaction data stored in the first storage sector is coherent.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A coin checker and card reader for use with a vending machine includes a housing having a coin slot and a separate card slot which merge into a chute that communicates with a first coin channel and a card channel. A coin inserted into the coin slot rolls through the chute into the first coin channel and passes sensors which determine whether the coin is accepted or rejected. A door is actuated to direct an accepted coin into a coin container through a second coin channel. A rejected coin is directed to a return tray through a third coin channel. A subscriber card with a memory inserted into the card slot is guided into the card channel to actuate a switch to activate a microprocessor for exchanging information with the subscriber card memory and processing a transaction. The microprocessor checks the data being exchanged to prevent loss of data should the card be removed before the transaction is completed and to vend an article only after valid data has been exchanged.
87 Citations
12 Claims
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1. A method of exchanging information with a memory on a subscriber card used by a customer to pay for articles to be vended from a vending machine comprising the steps of:
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a. reading information stored in a memory on a subscriber card, the memory having first and second storage sectors; b. generating transaction data representing a purchase of an article from a vending machine utilizing the information read from the memory; c. storing the transaction data in the second storage sector; d. checking whether the transaction dam stored in the second storage sector is coherent; e. copying the coherent transaction data from the second storage sector into the first storage sector; f. checking whether the transaction data stored in the first storage sector is coherent; and g. generating a release signal for vending the article from the vending machine when the transaction data stored in the first storage sector is coherent. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An apparatus for exchanging information with subscriber cards offered by purchasers in payment for articles to be vended from a vending machine comprising:
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a housing having spaced apart top and bottom walls attached to a pair of spaced apart side walls with a card slot for inserting a subscriber card formed therein and a card channel formed inside said housing and being in communication with said card slot for receiving a portion of the subscriber card inserted into said card slot; a switch mounted in said housing in said card channel for generating a signal upon sensing the subscriber card inserted into said card channel through said card slot; a card reader including a plurality of contact fingers mounted in said housing adjacent said card channel, said contact fingers engaging a conductive surface on the subscriber card; a control circuit having inputs connected to said switch and to said contact fingers and being responsive to said signal generated by said switch for exchanging information with a memory on the subscriber card and for enabling the vending machine to vend the article, the memory having first and second storage sectors for storing data; and a microprocessor in said control circuit for reading the information stored in the memory on the subscriber card and for generating transaction data representing a purchase of an article from a vending machine utilizing the information read from the memory, said microprocessor storing said transaction data in said second storage sector, checking said stored transaction data for coherence, copying said stored transaction data into said first storage sector when coherent, checking said transaction data stored in said first storage sector for coherence and generating a release signal for vending the article from the vending machine when said transaction data stored in said first and second storage sectors is coherent. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of exchanging information with a memory on a subscriber card used by a customer to pay for articles to be vended from a vending machine comprising the steps of:
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a. reading information stored in a memory of a subscriber card, the memory having first and second storage sectors; b. generating transaction data representing a purchase of an article from a vending machine utilizing the information read from the memory; c. storing the transaction data in the second storage sector of the memory; d. checking the transaction data in the second storage sector for coherence; e. generating an error report when the transaction data in the second storage sector is incoherent; f. copying transaction data from the second storage sector into the first storage sector when the transaction data in the second storage sector is coherent; g. checking the transaction data in the first storage sector for coherence; h. generating an error report when the transaction data in the first storage sector is incoherent; and i. generating a release signal for vending the article from the vending machine when the transaction data in the first storage sector is coherent.
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Specification