Control apparatus for dispensing machines

• US 6,580,968 B1
• Filed: 11/21/2000
• Issued: 06/17/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Yuyama Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Yuyama Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: Fukumoto, Eiichi, Yuyama, Hiroyuki, Yasuoka, Keita
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Khoi H.
• Application Number:
  US09/716,436
• Time in Patent Office: 938 Days
• Field of Search: 700/231, 700/236, 700/241, 700/244, 700/216
• US Class Current: 700/241
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 5/18 specially adapted for controlling several coin-freed apparatus from one place
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/002 Vending machines being part of a centrally controlled network of vending machines

Abstract

The present invention provides a control apparatus for use in dispensing machines which can easily set up a plural kinds or a plural numbers of dispensing machines in the same manner. To do this end, the control apparatus for dispensing machines operates and controls a plural kinds or a plural numbers of dispensing machines in accordance with a prescription data. Use conditions of each dispensing machines are stored in an use condition setting file. A dispensing machine to be used for dispensing is selected in accordance with both the prescription data and the use condition setting file.

Claims

1. A control apparatus operable to control a plurality of dispensing machines in accordance with prescription data, said control apparatus comprising:

a hard disc unit operable to store a use condition setting file comprising a use condition of each dispensing machine said use condition includes prescription classification and a limitation on time zone; and

a central processing unit operable to select a usable dispensing machine in accordance with both the prescription data and the use condition of each dispensing machine stored in the use condition setting file.

2. The control apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the use condition setting file stored in said hard disc unit includes a prescription classification showing any one of a prescription to outpatient, a prescription to inpatient and an undesignated prescription.

3. The control apparatus as in claim 1, further comprising:

a monitor screen,

wherein said central processing unit is further operable to display the use situation of each dispensing machine on said monitor screen.

4. The control apparatus as in claim 1, further comprising:

a monitor screen,

wherein said central processing unit is operable to judge whether there is no usable dispensing machine in accordance with the prescription data and the use condition setting file, and

wherein said central processing unit, when judging that there is no usable dispensing machine in accordance with the prescription data and the use condition setting file, is further operable to temporarily store the prescription data and to display an error situation on said monitor screen.

5. The control apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said hard disc unit is further operable to store a serious error setting file comprising serious errors among errors which occur in the dispensing machines, the serious errors being possible to arbitrarily set, and

wherein said central processing unit is further operable to judge whether an error sign inputted from any of the dispensing machines corresponds to any of the serious errors in the serious error setting file.

6. The control apparatus as in claim 5, further comprising:

a monitor screen,

wherein said central processing unit is further operable to display the situation of one of the serious errors on said monitor screen if an error signal inputted from any of the dispensing machines corresponds to the one of the serious errors in the serious error setting file.

7. The control apparatus as in claim 5, further comprising:

a monitor screen,

wherein said central processing unit is further operable to display the countermeasure of one of the serious errors on said monitor screen if an error signal inputted from any of the dispensing machines corresponds to the one of the serious errors in the serious error setting file.

8. The control apparatus as in claim 5, wherein said central processing unit is further operable to set the dispensing machine unusable and to stop assigning the prescription data to the dispensing machine if an error signal inputted from any of the dispensing machines corresponds to any of the serious errors in the serious error setting file.

9. The control apparatus as in claim 5, wherein said central processing unit is further operable to record the situation of one of the serious errors in a serious error recording file if an error signal inputted from any of the dispensing machines corresponds to the one of the serious errors in the serious error setting file.