Car wash with responsive bonus function

• US 7,637,365 B2
• Filed: 06/10/2004
• Issued: 12/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Harry Dilling, Mark G. Ringdahl
• Original Assignee: Harry Dilling, Mark G. Ringdahl
• Inventors: Ringdahl, Mark G., Dilling, Harry
• Primary Examiner(s): Mackey; Patrick
• Assistant Examiner(s): BEAUCHAINE, MARK J
• Application Number:
  US10/865,647
• Publication Number:
  US 20050000777A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,028 Days
• Field of Search: 194/205, 194/215, 700/275, 700/306
• US Class Current: 194/205
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 3/047 using liquid or gas distributing means B60S3/048 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/20 for washing or drying articles, e.g. clothes, motor cars

Abstract

A car wash includes a controller having an input element and an output element. The input element is configured to receive an input representing a payment. The output element is in operative communication with the input element, and is configured to assign an output comprising a bonus value of a product or service to be dispensed if the payment is of a preferred form.

Claims

1. A car wash comprising:

a car wash bay comprising sufficient space for a car and for a user to wash the car;

car wash equipment disposed in the car wash bay and configured to perform a plurality of car wash functions in response to a car wash control signal, and for a duration of time determined by a number of electrical pulses in the car wash control signal, with different durations of time per electrical pulse for different car wash functions;

a payment validator disposed in the car wash bay, the payment validator being configured to accept forms of payment comprising coins, bills, and magnetic cards, to verify accepted payments, and to provide original payment signals, each comprising a series of electrical pulses representing a verified payment of a certain amount, with a number of electrical pulses proportional to the amount of the payment; and

a car wash controller disposed in the car wash bay and in operative communication with the payment validator and the car wash equipment, the car wash controller comprising;

a controller input configured to receive a plurality of fund inputs, as represented in the original payment signals, each representative of a respective monetary value;

an evaluator configured to assign a plurality of credit values respectively to each of the fund inputs, wherein a bonus credit value is assigned to a fund input of a preferred form, and to responsively provide an accumulated credit value output, in which assigning the plurality of credit values comprises comparing the original payment signals with a set of bonus selection switch settings, and providing modified car wash control signals that comprise additional electrical pulses representing bonus credit values indicated by the bonus selection switch settings, if a bonus credit value for the original payment signal, the form of payment, and the recurring period of time is indicated by the bonus selection switch settings;

a controller output configured to provide the modified car wash control signals from the car wash controller to the car wash equipment based upon the accumulated credit values output such that car wash functions are provided for periods of time proportional to the number of electrical pulses in the modified car wash control signals, such that additional pulses increase the duration of time for which the car wash functions are provided; and

one or more bonus selection switches, operatively connected to the evaluator and secured with a security device that allows a car wash manager to access the bonus selection switches while rendering the bonus selection switches inaccessible to general users of the car wash, in which the bonus selection switches are selectably configurable to provide the bonus selection switch settings, which provide for a selectable number of additional pulses to add to the car wash control signal based on bonus criteria that comprise the amount of the payment, the form of payment, and the recurring period of time, such that the bonus credit value assigned to the fund input of the preferred form is configured to be selectable from at least two options on the bonus selection switches, wherein the bonus selection switches also allow a recurring period of time to be selected whereby the bonus credit value assigned to the fund input of the preferred form is configured to be capable of being varied according to the recurring period of time.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the fund input of the preferred form comprises paper currency of at least a minimum denomination.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the fund input of the preferred form comprises a credit card payment.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the fund input of the preferred form comprises an electronic fund transfer.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a display, in operative communication with the car wash controller, for communicating information about the accumulation of the credit values.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the display further communicates information, in response to the fund units being received via the control input, regarding which among at least two options for the car wash function are available under the present accumulation of the credit values, and options for additional fund units required to make a car wash function become available.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 further comprising a menu, in operative communication with the car wash controller, whereby a desired car wash function is configured to be selectable from among the at least two car wash functions.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a validator, operatively connected to the evaluator, for confirming that the fund inputs are valid.

9. The car wash of claim 1 wherein the preferred form comprises a paper currency bill of a preselected denomination.

10. The car wash of claim 1 wherein the preferred form comprises a coin of a preselected denomination.

11. The car wash of claim 1 wherein the preferred form comprises a preselected token.

12. The car wash of claim 1 wherein the preferred form comprises a credit card payment.

13. The car wash of claim 1 wherein the preferred form comprises an electronic payment.

14. The car wash of claim 1 wherein the preferred form comprises payment with a temporary payment card.

15. The car wash of claim 1 wherein the preferred form comprises a code.

16. The car wash of claim 1 wherein the preferred form comprises a key.