Remote diagnosis and repair of vending machine communication failures

• US 7,325,728 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2005
• Issued: 02/05/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cantaloupe, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Cantaloupe Systems Incorporated (Cantaloupe, Inc.)
• Inventors: Beaudoin, A. Louis, Chu, Eric M., Arora, Mandeep S., Cheng, Fred, Agrawal, Anant
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim; Ahshik
• Application Number:
  US11/096,985
• Publication Number:
  US 20060219777A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,041 Days
• Field of Search: 235/381, 235/383, 340/5.9, 340/545.1, 700/231, 700/236
• US Class Current: 235/381
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/026 for alarm, monitoring and auditing in vending machines or means for indication, e.g. when empty

Abstract

An audit system for a vending machine system is provided. This audit system is configured to retrieve operational data, such as a DEX file, from a vending machine controller in the vending machine system. The audit system is further configured to store a communications log of the data transmitted between the vending machine controller and the audit system. This communications log can be used by an operator at a host system to assist in debugging communication errors between the audit system and the vending machine controller.

Claims

1. A method of operating a vending machine system comprising a vending machine controller (VMC) and an audit system, comprising:

storing a communications log of communications between the VMC and the audit system, wherein said communications log comprises a plurality of messages exchanged between the VMC and the audit system, each message including handshake data and payload data; and

transmitting the communications log to a host system via a wide area network (WAN).

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said communications log comprises all data transmitted between the VMC and the audit system for a period of time.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said communications log comprises a Data Exchange (DEX) file transmitted by the VMC to the audit system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said communications log comprises data corresponding to a failed communication attempt between the VMC and the audit system.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said storing the communications log is performed in response to detection of a communication failure between the VMC and the audit system.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said storing the communications log is performed in response to receipt of a command from the host system to store the communications log.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving code via the WAN for execution by the audit system.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

executing the code to effectuate communication between the audit system and the VMC.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

executing the code to effectuate parsing of an operational data file received by the audit device from the VMC.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein:

said operational data file comprises a DEX file.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said transmitting the communications log comprises transmitting the communications log over a wireless link to the host system.

12. An audit system for a vending machine system, comprising:

an interface for communication with a vending machine controller (VMC);

a control system configured to communicate with the VMC and to store a communications log of communications between the VMC and the audit system, wherein said control system is configured to store in the communications log a plurality of messages exchanged between the VMC and the audit system, each message including handshake data and payload data; and

a communications interface for transmitting the communications log to a host system via a wide area network (WAN).

13. The system of claim 12, wherein:

said control system is configured to store all data transmitted between the VMC and the audit system for a period of time in the communications log.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein:

said communications log comprises a DEX file transmitted by the VMC to the control system.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein:

said communications log comprises data corresponding to a failed communication attempt between the VMC and the control system.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein:

said control system is configured to store the communications log in response to detection of a communication failure between the VMC and the control system.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein:

said control system is configured to store the communications log in response to receipt of a command from the host system to store the communications log.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein:

said control system is configured to receive code via the WAN for execution by the audit system.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein:

said control system is configured to execute the code to effectuate communication between the control system and the VMC.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein:

said control system is configured to execute the code to effectuate parsing of an operational data file received by the audit device from the VMC.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein:

said operational data file comprises a DEX file.

22. The system of claim 12, wherein:

said communications interface comprises a wireless communications interface.

23. An audit system for a vending machine system, comprising:

an interface for communication with a vending machine controller (VMC);

a control means for communicating with the VMC and for storing a communications log of communications between the VMC and the control means, wherein said control means is configured to store in the communication log a plurality of messages exchanged between the VMC and the audit system, each message including handshake data and a load data; and

a communications means for transmitting the communications log to a host system via a wide area network (WAN).

24. The system of claim 23, wherein:

said control means is configured to store all data transmitted between the VMC and the control means for a period of time in the communications log.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein:

said communications log comprises a DEX file transmitted by the VMC to the control means.

26. The system of claim 23, wherein:

said communications log comprises data corresponding to a failed communication attempt between the VMC and the control means.

27. The system of claim 23, wherein:

said control system is configured to store the communications log in response to detection of a communication failure between the VMC and the control means.

28. The system of claim 23, wherein:

said control means is configured to store the communications log in response to receipt of a command from the host system to store the communications log.

29. The system of claim 23, wherein:

said control means is configured to receive code via the WAN for execution by the control means.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein:

said control means is configured to execute the code to effectuate communication between the control means and the VMC.

31. The system of claim 29, wherein:

said control means is configured to execute the code to effectuate parsing of an operational data file received by the control means from the VMC.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein:

said operational data file comprises a DEX file.

33. The system of claim 23, wherein:

said communications means comprises a wireless communications interface.