Vending machine audit monitoring system with matrix interface
First Claim
1. An audit monitor for retrofit into a coin operated vending system, the vending system having means for receiving and dispensing funds in the form of a coin changer and a bill validator electrically coupled to a controller by a data link, said audit system comprising:
- interface means coupled to the data link for monitoring electrical signals exchanged between the funds receiving and dispensing means and the controller to establish funds transaction data;
microprocessor means having a first input coupled to an output of said interface means for (1) interpreting said monitored electrical signals responsive to a pre-selected portion of a set of predetermined parameters, and (2) discriminating and accumulating both said funds transaction data and product dispensing transaction data for the coin operated vending system;
memory means coupled to said microprocessor means for storing said set of predetermined parameters and said accumulated funds transaction data and said product dispensing transaction data, said memory means including means for reading said pre-selected portion of said set of stored predetermined parameters and providing an output thereof to said microprocessor means;
power supply means coupled to said interface means, said microprocessor means, and said memory means for supplying an operating voltage thereto; and
input/output means removably coupled to said microprocessor means for output of said accumulated funds transaction data and said product dispensing transaction data therefrom.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An audit monitoring system (10) is provided for use with any of a multiplicity of different coin operated vending machines (300). The audit monitoring system includes an interface assembly (102) for use in replacing an existing data link (330) within vending machine (300) and interfacing with row and column conductors (306) of vending machine (300). The interface assembly (102) is coupled to an audit monitoring assembly (100) which interprets the communications transferred between a controller (310), coin changer (322), bill validator (324), and motor matrix (304) of vending machine (300). Audit monitoring assembly (100) is powered from a power supply (302) of vending machine (300) and includes interface circuitry (110, 120, 130, 180, 190) for receipt of digital logic level signals, serial data or relay logic signals from vending machine (300). Additionally, the data retrieval terminal (20) may be removably coupled to the audit monitoring assembly (100) through either a hard wired coupling (254) through a serial interface (250) or alternately by means of infrared optical signals (12, 22) through an infrared interface circuit (260).
-
Citations
21 Claims
-
1. An audit monitor for retrofit into a coin operated vending system, the vending system having means for receiving and dispensing funds in the form of a coin changer and a bill validator electrically coupled to a controller by a data link, said audit system comprising:
-
interface means coupled to the data link for monitoring electrical signals exchanged between the funds receiving and dispensing means and the controller to establish funds transaction data; microprocessor means having a first input coupled to an output of said interface means for (1) interpreting said monitored electrical signals responsive to a pre-selected portion of a set of predetermined parameters, and (2) discriminating and accumulating both said funds transaction data and product dispensing transaction data for the coin operated vending system; memory means coupled to said microprocessor means for storing said set of predetermined parameters and said accumulated funds transaction data and said product dispensing transaction data, said memory means including means for reading said pre-selected portion of said set of stored predetermined parameters and providing an output thereof to said microprocessor means; power supply means coupled to said interface means, said microprocessor means, and said memory means for supplying an operating voltage thereto; and input/output means removably coupled to said microprocessor means for output of said accumulated funds transaction data and said product dispensing transaction data therefrom.
-
-
2. An audit monitor for retrofit into a coin operated vending system, the vending system having means for receiving and dispensing funds electrically coupled to a controller by a data link, said audit system comprising:
-
interface means coupled to the data link for monitoring electrical signals exchanged between the funds receiving and dispensing means and the controller to establish funds transaction data, said interface means including means coupled to the controller for monitoring electrical signals transmitted on a respective pair of a plurality of row and column conductors coupling the controller to a plurality of product dispensing mechanisms of the vending system to establish product dispensing transaction data; microprocessor means having a first input coupled to an output of said interface means for (1) interpreting said monitored electrical signals responsive to predetermined parameters, and (2) discriminating and accumulating both said funds transaction data and said product dispensing transaction data for the coin operated vending system, said microprocessor means having a second input coupled to an output of said means for monitoring the row and column conductors, said microprocessor means including means for detecting which one of the plurality of product dispensing mechanisms is energized; memory means coupled to said microprocessor means for storing said predetermined parameters and said accumulated funds transaction data and said product dispensing transaction data, said memory means including means for reading said stored predetermined parameters and providing an output thereof to said microprocessor means; power supply means coupled to said interface means, said microprocessor means, and said memory means for supplying an operating voltage thereto; and input/output means removably coupled to said microprocessor means for output of said accumulated funds transaction data and said product dispensing transaction data therefrom. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. An audit monitoring system for addition to any of a plurality of different types of existing coin operated vending systems, at least one of the types of vending systems having a currency validator and a coin changer electrically coupled to a controller by a data link, said audit monitoring system comprising:
-
first adapter means coupled to the currency validator, coin changer and controller of the vending system in place of the data link for monitoring electrical signals communicated therebetween representing funds transaction data; first interface means coupled to said first adapter means for buffering said monitored signals; microprocessor means coupled to an output of said first interface means for monitoring said buffered signals to discriminate and accumulate said funds transaction data therefrom, said microprocessor means including (1) means for interpreting said buffered accessed signals responsive to parameters selected from a plurality of predetermined parameters, and (2) means for receiving input of an identification code; memory means coupled to said microprocessor means for storing said plurality of predetermined parameters and said funds transaction data, said memory means including means for reading said selected parameters from said stored plurality of predetermined parameters and providing an output thereof to said microprocessor means responsive to said identification code input to said microprocessor means; power supply means coupled to said first interface means, said microprocessor means, and said memory means for supplying an operating voltage thereto; and input/output means removably coupled to said microprocessor means for output of said funds transaction data therefrom. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. An audit monitoring system for retrofit into a vending machine, the vending machine having means for receiving and dispensing funds electrically coupled to a controller by a data link and a plurality of product dispensing mechanisms electrically coupled to the controller by a plurality of conductors arranged as an array of rows and columns, said audit system comprising:
-
interface means coupled to the controller for monitoring signals received and transmitted thereby, said interface means including means coupled to the data link for monitoring communication between the funds receiving and dispensing means and the controller and means coupled to the controller for monitoring electrical signals carried by the row and column conductors; microprocessor means having a first input coupled to an output of said means for monitoring communication and a second input coupled to said means for monitoring the row and column conductors for (1) interpreting said monitored communications responsive to a pre-selected set of predetermined parameters, (2) detecting which one of the plurality of product dispensing mechanisms is energized, and (3) discriminating and accumulating transaction data for the coin operated vending machine, said transaction data including accumulation of vend operations for each of the product dispensing mechanisms; memory means coupled to said microprocessor means for storing said set of predetermined parameters and said transaction data, said memory means including means for reading said stored pre-selected set of predetermined parameters and providing an output thereof to said microprocessor means; power supply means coupled to said interface means, said microprocessor means, and said memory means for supplying an operating voltage thereto; and input/output means removably coupled to said microprocessor means for output of said transaction data therefrom. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
-
21. An audit monitor for a coin operated vending system, the vending system having a plurality of product dispensing mechanisms coupled to a controller by a plurality of row and column conductors, said audit system comprising:
-
interface means connected to the plurality of row and column conductors for monitoring electrical signals carried thereby; processor means having an input coupled to an output of said interface means for discriminating and accumulating transaction data for the coin operated vending system; memory means coupled to said processor means for storing said accumulated transaction data, said memory means including means for reading said stored predetermined parameters and providing an output thereof to said processor means; power supply means coupled to said interface means, said processor means, and said memory means for supplying an operating voltage thereto; and input/output means coupled to said processor means for output of said accumulated transaction data therefrom.
-
Specification