Programming presets in a vending machine

• US 7,835,818 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2007
• Issued: 11/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Munroe Chirnomas
• Original Assignee: Munroe Chirnomas
• Inventors: Chirnomas, Munroe
• Primary Examiner(s): Crawford; Gene
• Assistant Examiner(s): Waggoner; Timothy R
• Application Number:
  US11/830,829
• Publication Number:
  US 20080021595A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,205 Days
• Field of Search: 700/231, 700/242, 221/92, 221/93, 221/94, 221/95
• US Class Current: 700/242
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/04 in which magazines the articles are stored one vertically above the other
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/165 using xyz-picker or multi-dimensional article picking arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/1657 the picking arrangements using suction
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/026 for alarm, monitoring and auditing in vending machines or means for indication, e.g. when empty

Abstract

A vending machine apparatus includes a housing which defines an internal cavity and an article storage area where predetermined groups of stored articles are located at predetermined positions within the housing. An article retrieval device associated with the housing moves articles to be vended from the storage area to a dispensing area. A user interface and control apparatus allows a user of the dispensing apparatus to initiate an article dispensing operation, and generates control signals for causing controlled movement of the article retrieval device so that a user selected article is retrieved from a predetermined location in the article storage area and moved to the dispensing area. The user interface and control apparatus includes a memory for storing therein at least two different groups of position data, each group of position data corresponding to the positions of a plurality of different article storage locations in the article storage area.

Claims

1. A machine for retrieving articles, the machine comprising:

a housing;

an article storage area positioned within the housing, said article storage area having a plurality of article storage locations therein for storing at said article storage locations a corresponding plurality of stored articles to be retrieved;

an article retrieval device positionable within the housing, said article retrieval device being responsive to control signals for retrieving a selected article from one of said article storage locations, and for moving said selected article toward a retrieval area;

a user interface for allowing a user of the machine to select an article to be retrieved; and

control apparatus for generating said control signals to cause said article retrieval device to move to one of said plurality of article storage locations so that said article selected by the user of the machine can be retrieved, said control apparatus using position data to generate said control signals,

wherein said control apparatus includes;

a memory portion storing said position data, said position data corresponding to the position of at least one of said article storage locations, and wherein position data corresponding to a plurality of said article storage locations comprises a given one group of position data, a given first group of position data being stored in said memory portion; and

means for providing to said memory portion a second group of position data that is different than said given first group of position data, said means for providing including a further memory portion which stores a plurality of different ones of said given groups of position data.

2. The machine of claim 1, where said control apparatus includes a memory device, and said first-noted memory portion and said further memory portion are both included as a portion of said memory device.

3. The machine of claim 1, where said control apparatus includes a first memory device and a second memory device positioned inside said housing, and said first-noted memory portion is included as a portion of said first memory device and said further memory portion is included as a portion of said second memory device.

4. The machine of claim 1, where said further memory portion is located remotely from said machine.

5. The machine of claim 1, where said means for providing includes a communication port coupled to said control apparatus, for providing to said first-noted memory portion a selected one of said plurality of different ones of said given groups of position data.

6. The machine of claim 5, where said communication port includes a wireless connection for providing said selected one of said plurality of different ones of said given one groups of position data to said first-noted memory portion.

7. The machine of claim 5, where said means for providing includes a portable electronic device adapted to be coupled to said communication port for providing said selected one of said plurality of different ones of said given groups of position data to said first-noted memory portion.

8. A method for reloading an article retrieving machine with articles to be retrieved, the method comprising the following steps:

placing a plurality of articles to be retrieved at a corresponding plurality of article storage locations in an article storage area;

providing an article retrieval device near said article storage area, said article retrieval device being responsive to control signals for retrieving a selected article from one of said article storage locations, and for moving said selected article toward a retrieval area;

providing a user interface for allowing a user of the machine to select an article to be retrieved; and

programming a control apparatus for generating said control signals so as to cause said article retrieval device to move to one of said plurality of article storage locations in order that said article selected by the user of the machine can be retrieved, said programming causing said control apparatus to use position data to generate said control signals,

wherein said programming of said control apparatus comprises;

providing to a memory portion of said control apparatus said position data, said position data corresponding to the position of at least one of said article storage locations, and wherein

when position data corresponding to a plurality of said article storage locations comprises a given first group of position data, said programming of said control apparatus provides to the memory portion a given first group of position data to be stored in said memory portion, and wherein

after a reloading of a plurality of said article storage locations with articles to be retrieved, the position of at least one of said article storage locations is changed, and thereafter said programming of said control apparatus provides to the memory portion a given second group of position data to be stored in said memory portion that is different than said given first group of position data previously stored in said memory portion, said second group of position data being provided by accessing a memory having stored therein a plurality of said groups of position data.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said programming of said control apparatus is provided by accessing a memory having stored therein a plurality of said groups of position data.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein said programming of said control apparatus is provided by accessing a memory that is located in the machine and which has been pre-programmed with a plurality of said groups of position data.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein each one of said plurality of said groups of position data also include additional information specific to each of said articles to be retrieved, said additional information being one or more of price information and freshness information specific to each of said articles to be retrieved.