System and method employing portable cards to monitor a commercial system

• US 6,317,650 B1
• Filed: 04/29/1999
• Issued: 11/13/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Softcard Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Softcard Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Hartley, Kevin W., Hintz, Thomas M., Powell, Ken R., Snook, Corey C., Maxwell, Eleanor B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Stamber, Eric W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Myhre, James W.
• Application Number:
  US09/301,748
• Time in Patent Office: 929 Days
• Field of Search: 705/41, 705/14, 705/16, 705/20, 705/21, 705/22, 709/218-220, 709/219, 235/381, 235/380, 702/187, 702/188, 700/231, 700/236
• US Class Current: 700/236
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/00 Mechanisms actuated by objects other than coins to free or to actuate vending, hiring, coin or paper currency dispensing or refunding apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/026 for alarm, monitoring and auditing in vending machines or means for indication, e.g. when empty

Abstract

A system and method employing portable cards, carried by consumers, to monitor a commercial system. In one exemplary embodiment, when a consumer uses a card at a vending machine, the vending machine may write data, reflecting a condition of the vending machine, onto the card. Subsequently, when the consumer uses the card at another machine, the other machine may read the condition data from the card.

Claims

1. A method for a system including a first person, a second person, a card transported by the second person, and a first system, the method comprising the steps, performed by the first system, of:

performing a first transaction, the first transaction being for transferring title to a first item to the first person;

subsequently, beginning a second transaction and communicating a first signal with the card, the second transaction being for transferring title to a second item to the second person; and

writing a second signal onto the card, the second signal corresponding to a condition of the first system, the condition resulting from the first transaction.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the system further includes a second system, and the method further includes the steps, performed by the second system, of:

subsequently, reading second signal from the card; and

sending the second signal, read in the previous step, over a wide area communication link.

3. The method of claim 1 further including sending the second item from the first system to the second person.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the second item includes a third signal, and the sending step includes sending the third signal to the card.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the second item includes merchandise, and the sending step includes sending the merchandise to the second person.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the system further includes a second system, and the method further includes the steps, performed by the second system, of:

subsequently, reading the second signal from the card; and

conditionally maintaining a stored signal depending on a content of the second signal.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein writing the second signal includes writing a time signal.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the system further includes a second system, and the method further includes the steps, performed by the second system, of:

subsequently, reading the second signal and the time signal from the card; and

conditionally maintaining a stored signal depending on a content of the time signal.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the system further includes a second system, and a processor, and the method further includes the step, performed by the second system, of

reading the second signal from the card, and the step of

sending the second signal, read in the reading step, to the processor.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein writing includes writing a count of previous transactions.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein writing includes writing a quantity of signals dispensed in previous transactions.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein writing includes writing a quantity of merchandise dispensed in previous transactions.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein writing includes writing a quantity of tangible currency dispensed in previous transactions.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein writing includes writing an amount of payment received in previous transactions.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein writing includes writing a quantity of currency received in previous transactions.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein performing the first transaction includes sending the first item from the first system to the first person.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the item includes a third signal, and the sending step includes sending the third signal to the card.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the item includes merchandise, and the sending step includes sending the merchandise to the first person.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein the condition also results from the second transaction.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein communicating includes sending a reset signal to the card.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein communicating includes receiving a value tender from the card.

22. The method of claim 1 wherein the second item includes currency.

23. The method of claim 1 wherein the second item is tangible.

24. The method of claim 1 wherein the second item includes tangible currency.

25. A method for a system including a first person, a second person, a card transported by the second person, a first system, and a second system, the method comprising the steps, performed by the second system, of:

beginning a transaction for the second person by communicating a first signal with the card, the transaction being for transferring title to an item to the second person; and

reading a second signal from the card, the second signal corresponding to a condition of the first system, the condition resulting from a previous transaction between the first system and the first person.

26. The method of claim 25 further including sending the second signal over a wide area communication link.

27. The method of claim 25 further including sending the item from the second system to the second person.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein the item includes merchandise, and the sending step includes sending the merchandise to the second person.

29. The method of claim 25 wherein the system further includes a stored signal, and the method further includes conditionally maintaining the stored signal depending on a content of the second signal.

30. The method of claim 25 wherein the system further includes a stored signal, and the method further includes using the second signal to conditionally maintain the stored signal depending on a content of a time signal.

31. The method of claim 25 wherein the system further includes a processor, and the method further includes the step of sending the second signal to the processor.

32. The method of claim 25 wherein reading includes reading a count of previous transactions.

33. The method of claim 25 wherein reading includes reading a quantity of signals dispensed in previous transactions.

34. The method of claim 25 wherein reading includes reading a quantity of merchandise dispensed in previous transactions.

35. The method of claim 25 wherein reading includes reading a quantity of tangible currency dispensed in previous transactions.

36. The method of claim 25 wherein reading includes reading an amount of payment received in previous transactions.

37. The method of claim 25 wherein reading includes reading a quantity of currency received in previous transactions.

38. The method claim 25 wherein the item includes currency.

39. The method of claim 25 wherein the item is tangible.

40. The method of claim 25 wherein the item includes tangible currency.

41. A system for operating with first and second persons, and a card transported by the second person, the system comprising:

logic that performs a first transaction, the first transaction being for transferring title to a first item to the first person, and subsequently begins a second transaction and communicates a first signal with the card, the second transaction being for transferring title to a second item to the second person; and

a writer for writing a second signal onto the card, the second signal corresponding to a condition of the system, the condition resulting from the first transaction.

42. The system of claim 41 further including a detector that detects whether a person is using a card.

43. The system of claim 41 further including

a reader that reads the second signal from the card; and

a sender that sends the read second signal over a wide area communication link.

44. The system of claim 41 further including a sender that sends an item from the system to a person.

45. The system of claim 44 wherein the item includes a third signal.

46. The system of claim 44 wherein the item includes merchandise.

47. The system of claim 44 further including

a stored signal;

a reader that reads the second signal from the card; and

logic conditionally maintaining the stored signal depending on a content of the second signal.

48. The system of claim 41 further including a time signal, wherein the writer writes the time signal.

49. The system of claim 48 further including

a stored signal;

a reader that reads the second signal and the time signal from the card; and

logic that conditionally maintains the stored signal depending on a content of the time signal.

50. The system of claim 41 further including

a reader that reads the second signal from the card;

a sender that sends the read second signal to a processor, via a wide area communications path.

51. The system of claim 41 wherein the second signal includes a count of previous transactions.

52. The system of claim 41 wherein the second signal includes a quantity of signals dispensed to previous persons.

53. The system of claim 41 wherein the second signal includes a quantity of merchandise dispensed to previous persons.

54. The system of claim 41 wherein the second signal includes a quantity of tangible currency dispensed to previous persons.

55. The system of claim 41 wherein the second signal includes an amount of payment received from previous persons.

56. The system of claim 41 wherein the second signal includes a quantity of currency received from previous persons.

57. The system of claim 41 wherein the second item includes currency.

58. The system of claim 41 wherein the second item is tangible.

59. The system of claim 41 wherein the second item includes tangible currency.

60. A system for operating with first and second persons, and a card transported by the second person, the system comprising:

logic that begins a transaction for the second person by communicating a first signal with the card, the transaction being for transferring title to an item to the second person; and

a reader that reads a second signal from the card, the second signal corresponding to a condition of another system, the condition resulting from a previous transaction between the other system and the first person.

61. The system of claim 60 further including a sender that sends the read second signal over a wide area communication link.

62. The system of claim 60 further the logic includes logic that sends an item to the second person.

63. The system of claim 62 wherein the item includes merchandise.

64. The system of claim 60 further including

a stored signal; and

logic for conditionally maintaining the stored signal depending on a content of the second signal.

65. The system of claim 60 wherein the system further includes a stored signal, and the system further includes

a time signal;

a stored signal; and

logic for conditionally maintaining the stored signal depending on a content of a time signal.

66. The system of claim 60 further including a sender that sends the second signal over a wide area communication path.

67. The system of claim 60 further including a processor that processes the second signal and displays a count of previous transactions.

68. The system of claim 60 further including a processor that processes the second signal and displays a quantity of signals dispensed.

69. The system of claim 60 further including a processor that processes the second signal and displays a quantity of merchandise dispensed.

70. The system of claim 60 further including a processor that processes the second signal and displays a quantity of tangible currency dispensed.

71. The system of claim 60 further including a processor that processes the second signal and displays an amount of payment received.

72. The system of claim 60 further including a processor that processes the second signal and displays a quantity of currency received.

73. The system of claim 60 wherein the item includes currency.

74. The system of claim 60 wherein the item is tangible.

75. The system of claim 60 wherein the item includes tangible currency.

76. A method for a system including a first person, a second person, a card transported by the second person, and a first system, the method comprising the steps, performed by the first system, of:

performing a first purchase transaction for the first person;

subsequently, beginning a second purchase transaction for the second person and communicating a first signal with the card; and

writing a second signal onto the card, the second signal corresponding to a condition of the first system, the condition resulting from the first purchase transaction.

77. The method of claim 76 wherein the system further includes a second system, and the method further includes the steps, performed by the second system, of:

subsequently, reading the second signal from the card; and

sending the second signal, read in the previous step, over a wide area communication link.

78. The method of claim 76 wherein the first purchase transaction includes transferring a tangible item to the first person.

79. The method of claim 76 wherein the system further includes a second system, and the method further includes the steps, performed by the second system, of:

subsequently, reading the second signal from the card; and

conditionally maintaining a stored signal depending on a content of the second signal.

80. The method of claim 76 wherein writing the second signal includes writing a time signal.

81. The method of claim 80 wherein the system further includes a second system, and the method further includes the steps, performed by the second system, of:

subsequently, reading the second signal and the time signal from the card; and

conditionally maintaining a stored signal depending on a content of the time signal.

82. The method of claim 76 wherein writing includes writing a count of previous purchase transactions.

83. The method of claim 76 wherein writing includes writing an amount of payment received in previous purchase transactions.

84. The method of claim 76 wherein writing includes writing a quantity of currency received in previous purchase transactions.

85. A method for a system including a first person, a second person, a card transported by the second person, a first system, and a second system, the method comprising the steps, performed by the second system, of:

beginning a purchase transaction for the second person by communicating a first signal with the card; and

reading a second signal from the card, the second signal corresponding to a condition of the first system, the condition resulting from a previous purchase transaction between the first system and the first person.

86. The method of claim 85 further including sending the second signal over a wide area communication link.

87. The method of claim 85 further including sending an item from the second system to the second person.

88. The method of claim 87 wherein the item includes merchandise, and the sending step includes sending the merchandise to the second person.

89. The method of claim 85 wherein the system further includes a stored signal, and the method further includes conditionally maintaining the stored signal depending on a content of the second signal.

90. The method of claim 85 wherein the system further includes a stored signal, and the method further includes using the second signal to conditionally maintain the stored signal depending on a content of a time signal.

91. The method of claim 85 wherein reading includes reading a count of previous purchase transactions.

92. The method of claim 85 wherein reading includes reading an amount of payment received in previous purchase transactions.

93. The method of claim 85 wherein reading includes reading a quantity of currency received in previous purchase transactions.

94. A system for operating with first and second persons, and a card transported by the second person, the system comprising:

logic that performs a first purchase transaction for the first person, and subsequently begins a second purchase transaction for the second person and communicates a first signal with the card; and

a writer for writing a second signal onto the card, the second signal corresponding to a condition of the system, the condition resulting from the first purchase transaction.

95. The system of claim 94 further including a detector that detects whether a person is using a card.

96. The system of claim 94 further including

a reader that reads the second signal from the card; and

a sender that sends the read second signal over a wide area communication link.

97. The system of claim 94 further including a time signal, wherein the writer writes the time signal.

98. The system of claim 94 wherein the second signal includes a count of previous purchase transactions.

99. The system of claim 94 wherein the second signal includes an amount of payment received from the previous persons.

100. The system of claim 94 wherein the second signal includes a quantity of currency received from previous persons.

101. A system for operating with first and second persons, and a card transported by the second person, the system comprising:

logic that begins a purchase transaction for the second person by communicating a first signal with the card; and

a reader that reads a second signal from the card, the second signal corresponding to a condition of another system, the condition resulting from a previous purchase transaction between the other system and the first person.

102. The system of claim 101 further including a sender that sends the read second signal over a wide area communication link.

103. The system of claim 101 further including

a stored signal; and

logic for conditionally maintaining the stored signal depending on a content of the second signal.

104. The system of claim 101 wherein the system further includes a stored signal, and the system further includes

a time signal;

a stored signal; and

logic for conditionally maintaining the stored signal depending on a content of a time signal.