System for requesting service of a vending machine

• US 6,628,764 B1
• Filed: 04/25/2000
• Issued: 09/30/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Statsignal IPC LLC (Statsignal)
• Original Assignee: Statsignal Systems Incorporated (Statsignal)
• Inventors: Petite, Thomas D.
• Primary Examiner(s): WOO, STELLA L
• Application Number:
  US09/558,030
• Time in Patent Office: 1,253 Days
• Field of Search: 379/93.12, 379/106.01, 379/39, 379/40, 700/231, 700/236, 700/244
• US Class Current: 379/106.01
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/02 involving a neutral party, e.g. certification authority, notary or trusted third party [TTP]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0014 for vending, access and use of specific services not covered anywhere else in G07F17/00 meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity G07F15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 5/18 specially adapted for controlling several coin-freed apparatus from one place
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/001 Interfacing with vending machines using mobile or wearable devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/002 Vending machines being part of a centrally controlled network of vending machines
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/02 Devices for alarm or indication, e.g. when empty; Advertising arrangements in coin-freed apparatus alarms or warning devices indicating the interruption of flow to be metered G07F15/10
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/026 for alarm, monitoring and auditing in vending machines or means for indication, e.g. when empty

Abstract

The present invention is generally directed to an automated system for monitoring and supplying a vending machine. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the system includes a set of sensors configured to detect a variety of service conditions, including products being low or out of stock, as well as, out of order conditions. The sensors generate output signals that are input to a transmitter or transceiver disposed at (typically within) the vending machine. The transmitter includes circuitry that encodes the signals received from the sensors into a message that includes an instruction code. The transmitter further includes circuitry for transmitting the encoded message, preferably via radio frequency transmission (although other forms of transmission are consistent with the invention). The system further includes a transceiver located remotely (but nearby) from the transmitter, and configured to receive the transmitted signal. The transceiver includes circuitry for transmitting the encoded message until the message is received by a transceiver integrated with a device that can access the public switched telephone network. The transceiver may be configured to dial a defined telephone number associated with a central station. The transceiver further includes circuitry that, after the connection is established, controls the transmission of the encoded message to the central station. Accordingly, the central station includes an interface to the PSTN and circuitry configured to receive the encoded message transmitted from the transceiver. The central station further includes circuitry (which may be programmable—e.g., in the form of a computer) that evaluates the encoded message, and from that evaluation, determines the state of the vending machine sensors and dispatches appropriate personnel to service the machine.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring a vending machine comprising:

a plurality of sensors configured to create status signals;

a controller configured to create a first encoded signal in response to the status signals, wherein the first encoded signal includes an instruction code corresponding to a service request, the service request responsive to a status condition provided by at least one of the sensors;

a transmitter configured to transmit a first transmitted signal containing a second encoded signal responsive to the first encoded signal and a transmitter identifier; and

a first transceiver located remotely from a vending machine and configured to receive the first transmitted signal, generate a third encoded signal responsive to the second encoded signal, and transmit a second transmitted signal, wherein the second transmitted signal contains information from third encoded signal, the information comprising additional instruction codes and associated data fields corresponding to additional status conditions when signals received at the first transceiver each include a same destination identifier and a same telephone number, and a burst transmission length identifier that identifies the number of individual instruction codes and associated data fields.

2. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensors comprises at least one product sensor.

3. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensors comprises at least one operational status sensor.

4. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein the transmitter is a radio-frequency transmitter.

5. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein the first transceiver is a radio-frequency transceiver.

6. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein the first transmitted signal further includes a transmitter identifier.

7. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein the second transmitted signal further includes a transceiver identification code associated with the first transceiver.

8. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein the first transceiver further includes a look-up table.

9. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensors are implemented in compliance with the International Multi-Drop Bus Interface Standard as adopted by the National Automatic Merchandising Association.

10. The system as defined in claim 9, further comprising a second transceiver located remotely from the vending machine configured to receive the second transmitted signal, said second transceiver including means to encode and communicate a third transmitted signal, the third transmitted signal containing information from the third encoded signal.

11. The system as defined in claim 10, further comprising a central station located remote from the second transceiver and in communication with the second transceiver via the telephone number, said central station having an interface to the PSTN configured to receive the third transmitted signal, said central station further having an apparatus configured to evaluate the third transmitted signal.

12. The system as defined in claim 11, wherein the central station further includes means for notifying service personnel of a service condition in response to the second transmitted signal.

13. The system as defined in claim 11, wherein the central station further includes means for notifying supply personnel of a need for product supply in response to the second transmitted signal.

14. The system as defined in claim 10, wherein the second transceiver is configured to communicate with a central station located remote from the second transceiver via a cellular communication system.

15. The system as defined in claim 14, wherein said central station includes an interface to receive the third transmitted signal, said central station further configured to evaluate the encoded message and identify appropriate service personnel responsive to the predetermined status condition.

16. A method for encoding a signal comprising:

encoding the signal to include a source identifier associated with a first transceiver;

encoding the signal to include a destination identifier associated with a second transceiver;

encoding the signal to include a telephone number;

encoding the signal to include at least one instruction code corresponding to a service request associated with a point-of-service apparatus in response to a first status condition;

encoding the signal to include a data field associated with the at least one instruction code;

concatenating the signal with additional instruction codes corresponding to additional status conditions when radio-frequency signals received at the first transceiver include the destination identifier and the telephone number; and

encoding the signal to include a burst transmission length identifier that identifies the number of concatenated instruction codes and data fields.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the telephone number is assigned to a cellular transceiver used to couple the point-of-service apparatus with a central station configured to dispatch appropriate personnel responsive to the instruction codes.

18. The method as defined in claim 16, further comprising encoding the signal to include a field adaptively configured for data transmission error correction.

19. The method as defined in claim 16, further comprising a field configured to indicate to a destination device that a subsequent message is to follow.

20. A method for monitoring and performing an automated service request comprising the steps of:

disposing sensors within a vending machine to sense a service condition;

sensing the service condition;

disposing sensors within a vending machine to sense a product quantity condition;

sensing the product quantity condition;

transmitting a first signal to a remotely-located transceiver, the first signal including an encoded message that specifies both the service condition and product quantity condition, the first signal including at least one instruction code corresponding to a service request associated with the vending machine in response to the service condition and a data field associated with the at least one instruction code;

receiving the first signal at the remotely-located transceiver;

concatenating the first signal with additional instruction codes and associated data fields corresponding to additional status conditions when radio-frequency signals received at the remotely-located transceiver include a same destination identifier and a same telephone number;

encoding the first signal to include a burst transmission length identifier that identifies the number of concatenated instruction codes and data fields; and

communicating at least the first signal from the remotely-located transceiver to a central station via a telecommunications network, at least a portion of the telecommunications network comprising a cellular communications system.

21. The method as defined in claim 20, further including:

communicating a transceiver identification code to the central station.

22. The method as defined in claim 20, further including:

evaluating the transceiver identification code at the central station to determine a geographic location of the transceiver.

23. The method as defined in claim 22, wherein evaluating the transceiver identification code at the central station includes decoding both the encoded message and the transceiver identification code to identify the service request.

24. The method as defined in claim 23, further including:

initiating a service call in response to the decoding.