Vending machine with electronic payment media

• US 7,108,180 B2
• Filed: 02/18/2004
• Issued: 09/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Henri J.A. Charmasson, Peter C. Brusso
• Original Assignee: Henri J.A. Charmasson, Peter C. Brusso
• Inventors: Charmasson, Henri J. A., Brusso, Peter C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Thien M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Labaze, Edwyn
• Application Number:
  US10/782,661
• Publication Number:
  US 20050035197A1
• Time in Patent Office: 944 Days
• Field of Search: 235/451, 235/375, 235378-381, 235485-487, 902/8, 902/26, 700232-236, 705/39, 705/41, 705/42
• US Class Current: 235/451
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/363 with the personal data of a user
• 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 7/04 by paper currency
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0866 by active credit-cards adapted therefor G07F7/1008 takes precedence

Abstract

One of a number of automatic vending machines run by one or more operators accepts payment for the goods it dispenses by creditable and debitable cash card, also called smart card. The machine includes a currency acceptor that writes on the card the sum in bank notes received by the currency acceptor. With each purchase, the given price of selected and dispensed goods is deducted from the card. The amount of payment received by the currency acceptor and the price charged are recorded by the machine and communicated to an account clearing house that debits the operator'"'"'s account with the sum received and credits it by the charged price. A large number of goods and service providers using this type of automatic vending machines can accept the same universal card for the convenience of their customers.

Claims

1. A point-of-sale system comprising:

a service-computer at a central clearing house and

a plurality of vendor installations operated by a plurality of vendors wherein each one of said installations comprises;

a device, for accepting payment for goods or services provided by a vendor operating said one of said installations, which comprises;

means for accepting and for processing creditable and debitable smart cards;

electromechanical means for accepting currency;

means, responsive to said means for accepting, for writing on said smart card an amount accepted in currency by said electromechanical means;

means for debiting said smart card by an amount in payment for at least one good or service provided by said vendor;

means for communicating to said computer a record of currency amounts accepted by said electromechanical means and amounts of payment debited from said cards along with an identification of said vendor and excluding any information about any money account related to said card or to a holder thereof; and

means, associated with said computer, for crediting each of said vendors with debited amounts of payment, and for debiting each of said vendors by amounts accepted in currency by said electromechanical means at each of said vendors'"'"' installation.

2. The system of claim wherein said smart cards need not be processed in connection with a vendor'"'"'s or user'"'"'s account.

3. A point-of-sale system comprising:

a service-computer at a central clearing house and

a plurality of vendor installations operated by a plurality of good and service providers wherein each one of said installations comprises;

a device, for accepting payment for goods or services provided by a vendor operating said one of said installations, which comprises;

means for accepting and for processing creditable and debitable smart cards;

electromechanical means for accepting currency;

means, responsive to said means for accepting, for writing on said smart card an amount accepted in currency by said electromechanical means;

means for debiting said smart card by an amount in payment for at least one good or service provided by said vendor;

means for communicating to said computer a record of currency amounts accepted by said electromechanical means and amounts of payment debited from said cards along with an identification of said vendor and excluding any information about any money account related to said card or to a holder thereof.