Apparatus and methods for monitoring and communicating with a plurality of networked remote vending machines
First Claim
1. A method for monitoring a distributed system for supplying goods or services and generating messages concerning the state of the system and the supplied goods and services, wherein the system comprises a plurality of local units, particularly vending machines for supplying goods and services, wherein each local unit comprises sensors for detection of specified events in the local unit, wherein each local unit comprises a microcontroller with a memory, and wherein each microcontroller is connected to the sensors and via a communication system with a host computer in a control center, characterized in defining in each local unit the events which are to be monitored, the messages which are to be generated, when the messages are to be generated and when the messages are to be transferred from the local unit to the host computer, said definitions being stored in the microcontroller of each local unit in the form of a message matrix which may be accessed from the host computer, assigning at least one sensor for monitoring and recording of a defined event, assigning an absolute or relative threshold value for each defined event, storing the assigned threshold values in the microcontroller in each local unit, comparing the numerical value of a detection signal output by a sensor with the assigned threshold value, stating on the basis of the comparison and according to a predetermined execution routine if the value of the detection signal respectively is larger, equal or less than the assigned threshold value, generating a message on the basis of the comparison, transferring the message from the microcontroller to the host computer in the control center via the communication system, updating a database stored in the host computer on the basis of the content of the message, said data base being part of an information system for the local units and their operation, and initiating measures directed to the operation of the local units on the basis of the received message and with regard to predefined conditions stored in the host computer, the method being characterized in that the message matrix in the microcontroller can be modified via the host computer, the modified message matrix after the modification routinely being updated with data which are to be transmitted, whereupon times and conditions for generating and transmitting messages are determined.
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Abstract
Devices and methods to monitor a distributed system for supplying goods or services and to generate messages concerning the state of the system and the supplied goods or services, Two-way communication within the system occurs between remote local units and a host computer in a control and information processing center. The local units are equipped with a microcontroller with a memory coupled to a plurality of sensors that detect the occurrence of and provide information regarding specified events, such as sales of goods, unauthorized entry into the local unit, and notification of low inventory stock.
437 Citations
31 Claims
- 1. A method for monitoring a distributed system for supplying goods or services and generating messages concerning the state of the system and the supplied goods and services, wherein the system comprises a plurality of local units, particularly vending machines for supplying goods and services, wherein each local unit comprises sensors for detection of specified events in the local unit, wherein each local unit comprises a microcontroller with a memory, and wherein each microcontroller is connected to the sensors and via a communication system with a host computer in a control center, characterized in defining in each local unit the events which are to be monitored, the messages which are to be generated, when the messages are to be generated and when the messages are to be transferred from the local unit to the host computer, said definitions being stored in the microcontroller of each local unit in the form of a message matrix which may be accessed from the host computer, assigning at least one sensor for monitoring and recording of a defined event, assigning an absolute or relative threshold value for each defined event, storing the assigned threshold values in the microcontroller in each local unit, comparing the numerical value of a detection signal output by a sensor with the assigned threshold value, stating on the basis of the comparison and according to a predetermined execution routine if the value of the detection signal respectively is larger, equal or less than the assigned threshold value, generating a message on the basis of the comparison, transferring the message from the microcontroller to the host computer in the control center via the communication system, updating a database stored in the host computer on the basis of the content of the message, said data base being part of an information system for the local units and their operation, and initiating measures directed to the operation of the local units on the basis of the received message and with regard to predefined conditions stored in the host computer, the method being characterized in that the message matrix in the microcontroller can be modified via the host computer, the modified message matrix after the modification routinely being updated with data which are to be transmitted, whereupon times and conditions for generating and transmitting messages are determined.
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29. A method for recording and generating an alarm message in case of an unauthorized intrusion in at least one of a plurality of local units, particularly a vending machine, which is included in a distributed system for supplying goods and services, wherein the distributed system is monitored and messages generated about the condition of the system and the supplied goods and services, characterized in defining in each local unit events which are to be monitored, the messages which are to be generated, when the messages are to be generated, and when the messages are to be transferred from the local unit to a host computer, said definitions being stored in a microcontroller of each local unit in the form of a message matrix which may be accessed from the host computer, assigning at least one sensor for monitoring and recording of a defined event, assigning an absolute or relative threshold value for each defined event, storing the assigned threshold values in the microcontroller in each local unit, comparing the numerical value of a detection signal output by a sensor with the assigned threshold value, stating on the basis of the comparison and according to a predetermined execution routine if the value of the detection signal respectively is larger, equal, or less than the assigned threshold value, generating a message on the basis of the comparison, transferring the message from the microcontroller to the host computer in a control center via a communication system, updating a database stored in the host computer on the basis of the content of the message, said data base being part of an information system for the local units and their operation, and initiating measures directed to the operation of the local units on the basis of the received message and with regard to predefined conditions stored in the host computer, wherein the local unit comprises a sensor for detection of specified events in the local unit, wherein the local unit comprises the microcontroller with a memory, wherein the microcontroller is connected to the sensors via the communication system with the host computer in the control center, and wherein the microcontroller further is connected with an electronic coin unit via an interface which includes a control means for changing the operating mode of the microcontroller and a reader means for reading identification codes or commodity codes from an identification unit with a code reader, characterized in that the method comprises the following successive steps:
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registering the time of an interruption of power supply to the local unit, an interruption of the power supply being effected by opening the local unit while the power supply to the microcontroller simultaneously is maintained, activating the control means, the activation of the control means placing the microcontroller in a service mode, effecting the emission of an optical and/or acoustic signal in the local unit, recording the time of the activation of the control means and generating an alarm message if the activation does not take place within a predetermined time interval from the time of the recording of the power interruption, reading the identification unit in the reader means and generating an alarm message if the identification unit has not been read within a predetermined time interval from the time of the activation of the control means, whereupon measures in connection with the operation of the local unit and its maintenance may be initiated on-the-spot, said measures being concluded by once more activating the control means for placing the microcontroller in an operating mode and generating an alarm message if the microcontroller has not been reset to the operating mode within a predetermined time interval from the time when it was placed in the service mode.
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30. A method for recording and generating an alarm message in case of an unauthorized intrusion in a local unit, particularly a vending machine, which is included in a distributed system for supplying goods and services, wherein the distributed system is monitored and messages generated about the condition of the system and the supplied goods and services, wherein the local unit comprises a sensor for detection of specified events in the local unit, wherein the local unit comprises a microcontroller with a memory, wherein the microcontroller is connected to the sensors via a communication system with a host computer in a control center, and wherein the microcontroller further is connected with an electronic coin unit via an interface which includes a control means for changing the operating mode of the microcontroller and a reader means for reading identification codes or commodity codes from an identification unit with a code reader, characterized in that the method comprises the following successive steps:
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registering the time of an interruption of the power supply to the local unit, an interruption of the power supply being effected by opening the local unit while the power supply to the microcontroller simultaneously is maintained, activating the control means, the activation of the control means placing the microcontroller in a service mode, effecting the emission of an optical and/or acoustic signal in the local unit, recording the time of the activation of the control means and generating an alarm message if the activation does not take place within a predetermined time interval from the time of the recording of the power interruption, reading the identification unit in the reader means and generating an alarm message if the identification unit has not been read within a predetermined time interval from the time of the activation of the control means, whereupon measures in connection with the operation of the local unit and its maintenance may be initiated on-the-spot, said measures being concluded by once more activating the control means for placing the microcontroller in an operating mode and generating an alarm message if the microcontroller has not been reset to the operating mode within a predetermined time interval from the time when it was placed in the service mode.
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31. A method for filling/refilling of commodities in a vending machine, wherein the vending machine is included in a distributed system for supplying goods and services, wherein the distributed system is monitored and messages generated about the state of the system and the supplied goods and services, wherein the vending machine comprises a sensor for detection of specified events in the vending machine, wherein the vending machine comprises a microcontroller with a memory, wherein the microcontroller is connected to the sensors and via a communication system with a host computer in a control center, wherein the vending machine comprises a customer-accessible sales store for each commodity to be sold and a spare store not being customer-accessible for the same commodities and wherein the sales store comprises a storage room for each of the commodities to be sold, characterized in that the method comprises steps for specifying the total commodity capacity of the spare store, assigning a commodity a given priority, the priority according to predetermined conditions determining which commodity should be refilled in the spare store if the capacity of said spare store is not sufficient to contain a predetermined number of every commodity found in the vending machine, specifying the maximum inventory in each storage space in the sales store and transferring the specification to the microcontroller for storing in the memory, specifying the type of commodity which is contained in each storage space in the sales store and transferring the specification to the microcontroller for storing in the memory, defining a minimum unit used for filling a commodity and transferring the definition to the microcontroller for storing in the memory, estimating the expected sales of a commodity in the period of time from a message about inventory of said commodity being transferred from the microcontroller and up to the succeeding filling of the commodity, said estimate forming the basis of a decision about the number of units of the commodity which are to be refilled, estimating the expected sales of a commodity in a predetermined period of operation, being counted from the time of the last filling of the commodity, said estimate forming the basis for a decision about the number of units of the commodity which are to be filled, and further in connection with filling of commodities to record a number of filled units of a commodity in the sales store and the spare store by means of the microcontroller and transferring the number of units filled in the storage spaces from the microcontroller to the host computer, recording the sales of a unit of the commodity and transferring the number of units of the commodity being present after the sales to the host computer and storing the number of sales per type of commodity in the memory of the microcontroller, a first register of the microcontroller being updated with sales data for each commodity between the filling of the commodity and a second register in the microcontroller being updated with sales data for each commodity between each time sales data are transmitted to the host computer.
Specification