Payphone electronic coin validator

• US 6,370,242 B1
• Filed: 01/24/2000
• Issued: 04/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mars Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Mars Incorporated
• Inventors: Speers, Robert, Allen, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): Barnie, Rexford N
• Application Number:
  US09/490,216
• Time in Patent Office: 806 Days
• Field of Search: 379/143, 379/145, 379/147, 379/148, 379/149, 379/154, 379/155, 379/150, 379/146, 379/144.03, 194/217, 194/319, 194/335, 194/344, 194/348, 194/350, 194/334
• US Class Current: 379/145
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/02 Coin-freed or check-freed systems , e.g. mobile- or card-operated phones, public telephones or booths
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/023 Circuit arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/026 Constructional features

Abstract

An electronic coin validator for connection to a payphone chassis is described. The validator includes a coin passageway having at least one coin sensor, power circuitry for connection to payphone chassis power lines and connected to the coin sensor, a validator line balance circuit connected to the power circuitry, at least one coin signal line for connection to the payphone chassis, at least one coin value buffer, and a control means. The control means processes signals from the sensor to validate coins, adjusts the count in the coin value buffer when a coin is validated, and readjusts the count when corresponding coin credit signals are generated for transmission. The validator line balance circuit has an output for connection to the payphone chassis, and equalizes the loading on the telephone lines to minimize impedance fluctuations. Consequently, coins may be validated and accepted by the electronic coin validator as coin tones are being generated and transmitted by circuitry of the payphone chassis to a central office.

Claims

1. An electronic coin validator for connection to a payphone chassis wherein the validator is capable of validating coins even as coin tones are generated and transmitted, comprising:

a coin passageway including at least one coin sensor;

power circuitry for connection to payphone chassis power lines and connected to the coin sensor;

a bypass circuit connected to the power circuitry and having an output for regulating a payphone chassis line balance circuit;

a validator line balance circuit connected to the power circuitry and having an output for connection to the payphone chassis, for equalizing the loading on the telephone lines to minimize impedance fluctuations;

at least one coin signal line for connection to the payphone chassis;

at least one coin value buffer; and

a control means connected to the coin sensor, to the power circuitry, to the coin signal line and to the coin value buffer, the control means processing signals from the sensor to validate coins, adjusting a count in the coin value buffer when a coin is validated, and readjusting the count when corresponding coin credit signals are generated for transmission on the coin line.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the coin signal line comprises at least one of nickel, dime and quarter signal lines.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the bypass circuit enables the validator line balance circuit to operate in parallel with the payphone chassis line balance circuit.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the bypass circuit enables the validator line balance circuit to operate independently of the payphone chassis line balance circuit.

5. A method for validating coins in a payphone, comprising:

connecting an electronic coin validator including a validator line balance circuit and a bypass circuit to a payphone chassis;

minimizing line impedance fluctuations due to electronic coin validator current consumption variations with the validator line balance circuit;

validating coins even if coin tones are being generated and transmitted;

buffering coin credits; and

releasing coin credit signals to the payphone chassis.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising releasing coin value signals of low denomination coins in priority over higher denomination coins.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the impedance fluctuations are minimized by enhancing the operation of a chassis line balance circuit.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the bypass circuit configures the validator line balance circuit for operating in parallel with the chassis line balance circuit.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the bypass circuit configures the validator line balance circuit for operating independently of the chassis line balance circuit.

10. The method of claim 5, wherein the validator line balance circuit returns current to the payphone chassis to reduce the apparent power consumption of the electronic coin validator.

11. The method of claim 5, wherein the electronic coin validator line balance circuit minimizes coin tone distortion during coin tone signaling to enable the coin validator to simultaneously validate coins.

12. A method in a payphone electronic coin validator for generating coin credit signals, comprising:

initializing a plurality of coin value buffers when an off-hook condition occurs;

detecting item arrival;

discriminating the inserted item;

returning the inserted item if it is invalid;

adjusting a buffer to represent the coin value if the inserted item is valid;

introducing a delay before transmitting a credit signal to a payphone chassis;

transmitting the credit signal representative of coin value to the payphone chassis and readjusting the selected buffer; and

permitting adequate current to flow in the payphone chassis to minimize coin tone distortion during coin tone generation to permit simultaneous coin validator functions.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising transmitting credit signals of low denomination coins in priority to credit signals of higher denomination coins.

14. An article comprising a computer-readable medium which stores computer executable instructions for operating a payphone electronic coin validator for generating coin credit signals, the instructions causing a computer to:

initialize at least one coin value buffer when an off-hook condition occurs;

detect item arrival when an item is inserted;

discriminate the inserted item;

return the inserted item if it is invalid;

adjust a coin value buffer to represent the coin value if the inserted item is valid;

introduce a delay before transmitting a credit signal to a payphone chassis;

transmit the credit signal representative of coin value to the payphone chassis and readjust the coin value buffer; and

permit adequate current to flow in the payphone chassis to minimize coin tone distortion during coin tone generation to enable the coin validator to simultaneously validate coins.

15. The article of claim 14, the instructions further causing the computer to transmit credit signals of low denomination coins in priority to credit signals of higher denomination coins.