Interactive interface effectuated vending

• US 8,596,529 B1
• Filed: 05/22/2002
• Issued: 12/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cantaloupe, Inc.
• Original Assignee: USA Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Kolls, H. Brock
• Primary Examiner(s): OBEID, FAHD A
• Application Number:
  US10/153,478
• Time in Patent Office: 4,213 Days
• Field of Search: 705/16
• US Class Current: 235/381
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 7/08 Sorting, i.e. grouping record carriers in numerical or other ordered sequence according to the classification of at least some of the information they carry by merging two or more sets of carriers in ordered sequence G06F7/16
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• 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 relates to a system and method which effectuates an interactive interface and protocol for interfacing a payment module (system 500) to and data communicating with a computing platform (computing platform 802), wherein the computing platform can elect to control by way of the interactive interface and protocol a vending transaction cycle or alternatively elect to monitor the payment module by way of the interactive interface and protocol allowing the payment module to control a vending transaction cycle.

Claims

1. A payment module operationally related to a vending machine controller for effectuating a cashless vend, said payment module comprising:

a microcontroller;

an interactive interface interconnected with said microcontroller to interface said payment module to a computing platform and to communicate data between the microcontroller and the computing platform;

a vending equipment interface interconnected with said microcontroller to interconnect said payment module to said vending machine controller by way of at least a vending bus interface; and

a microcontroller readable medium encoded with an executable program code for execution by the microcontroller, said executable program code comprising instructions to;

a) monitor the status of said vending machine controller, b) form a transaction record representative of said cashless vend, said transaction record includes at least vending bus data, c) implement data fields in a memory for at least the vending bus data, d) update at least one of the data fields responsive to data received from the computing platform via the interactive interface, e) communicate to the vending machine controller via the vending equipment interface the update of the at least one of the data fields responsive to data received from the computing platform, f) communicate via the interactive interface to the computing platform said data fields responsive to the data fields changing, and g) selectively control said cashless vend.

2. The payment module in accordance with claim 1, wherein said data fields include at least one of:

a vending state field, a maximum vend price field, a sale price field, a column field, or a vending flag field.

3. The payment module in accordance with claim 1, wherein said executable program code further comprises instructions to respond to a command from said computing platform by requesting said data fields that include the payment data, the vending bus data, and the time stamp be cleared.

4. The payment module in accordance with claim 3, wherein said command data communicated by said computing platform is @<

esc>

C.

5. The payment module in accordance with claim 2, wherein said vending state field includes at least one of the following characters to indicate a particular vending bus state:

‘

I’

for inactive state, ‘

D’

for disable state, ‘

E’

for enable state, ‘

S’

for in session state, or ‘

V’

for vend state.

6. The payment module in accordance with claim 2, wherein said maximum vend price field is a value of a highest priced item as reported by said vending machine controller during a setup sequence.

7. The payment module in accordance with claim 2, wherein said sale price field is a sale price of a vend item selected as reported during an vending bus vend request message transaction with said microcontroller.

8. The payment module in accordance with claim 2, wherein said column field is a column identification of a vend item selected as reported during an vending bus vend request message transaction with said microcontroller.

9. The payment module in accordance with claim 2, wherein said vending flag field includes at least one of the following characters to indicate a particular vending bus data flag:

‘

C’

for clear flag, ‘

$’

for currency vend flag, ‘

P’

for vend pending flag, ‘

A’

for vend approved flag, ‘

D’

for vend declined flag, ‘

V’

for cashless vend occurrence flag, ‘

U’

for user selected amount flag, ‘

R’

for request vend approval flag, or ‘

F’

for vend fail flag.

10. The payment module in accordance with claim 1, wherein said memory is a random access memory.

11. The payment module in accordance with claim 1, wherein said microcontroller data communicates with said vending machine controller by way of said vending equipment interface to determine the state of said vending machine controller, said executable program code further comprising instructions to update said data fields to reflect the state of said vending machine controller.

12. The payment module in accordance with claim 1, wherein said executable program code further comprises instructions to respond to a command received from said computing platform by allowing said computing platform by way of said payment module to monitor said vending machine controller.

13. The payment module in accordance with claim 1, wherein said memory is nonvolatile.

14. The payment module in accordance with claim 1, wherein said executable program code further comprises instructions to respond to a command from said computing platform by a) starting a cashless vending session, and b) upon receipt of said command said microcontroller by way of said vending equipment interface data communicates with said vending machine controller to begin said cashless vending session.

15. The payment module in accordance with claim 14, wherein said command data communicated by said computing platform to start said cashless vending session is at least one of the following:

@<

esc>

B, @<

esc>

S, or prefixed with @<

esc>

A.

16. The payment module in accordance with claim 1, wherein said executable program code further comprises instructions to respond to a command received from said computing platform by starting at least one of the following types of cashless vending sessions:

a cashless identification activated cashless vending session, a credit card activated cashless vending session, a dial-a-vend activated cashless vending session, or a vend approve activated said cashless vending session.

17. The payment module in accordance with claim 16, wherein cashless identification is at least one of the following:

RFID, wireless phone ID, personal data assistant ID, biometric ID, hotel room key card ID, employee ID, personal ID, magnetic card ID, smart card ID, ID stored in an global network based data processing resource, ID accessible by way of a global network, or keypad input ID.

18. The payment module in accordance with claim 1, wherein said executable program code further comprises instructions to respond to a command received from said computing platform by selecting a vending active mode.

19. The payment module in accordance with claim 18, wherein said command data communicated by said computing platform to select said vending active mode of operation is at least one of the following:

@<

esc>

Y to turn ON the vending active mode, or @<

esc>

y to turn OFF the vending active mode.

20. The payment module in accordance with claim 1, wherein said executable program code further comprises instructions to program said microcontroller to respond to a command received from said computing platform by selecting a verbose text prompt mode.

21. The payment module in accordance with claim 20, wherein said command data communicated by said computing platform is at least one of the following:

@<

esc>

R to turn ON the verbose text prompt mode, or @<

esc>

r to turn OFF the verbose text prompt mode.

22. The payment module in accordance with claim 1, wherein said executable program code further comprises instructions to program said microcontroller to respond to a command received from said computing platform by selecting an vending bus interrupt mode.

23. The payment module in accordance with claim 22, wherein said command data communicated by said computing platform to select said vending bus interrupt mode of operation is at least one of the following:

@<

esc>

I to turn ON the vending bus interrupt mode, or @<

esc>

i to turn OFF the vending bus interrupt mode.

24. The payment module in accordance with claim 1, wherein said executable program code further comprises instructions to respond to a command received from said computing platform by requesting card reader data.

25. The payment module in accordance with claim 24, wherein said command data communicated by said computing platform is @<

esc>

T.

26. The payment module in accordance with claim 1, wherein said executable program code further comprises instructions to respond to a command received from said computing platform by requesting card reader data be cleared from the memory.

27. The payment module in accordance with claim 26, wherein said command data communicated by said computing platform is @<

esc>

V.

28. The payment module in accordance with claim 1, wherein said executable program code further comprises instructions to respond to a command received from said computing platform by requesting said microcontroller data communicate data from the data fields and card reader data to said computing platform.

29. The payment module in accordance with claim 28, wherein said command data communicated by said computing platform is @<

esc>

H.

30. The payment module in accordance with claim 1, wherein said executable program code further comprises instructions to respond to a command received from said computing platform by requesting a vending session previously started be terminated.

31. The payment module in accordance with claim 30, wherein said command data communicated by said computing platform is @<

esc>

X.

32. The payment module in accordance with claim 1, wherein said executable program code further comprises instructions to respond to a command received from said computing platform by setting a vending state field to an inactive state.

33. The payment module in accordance with claim 32, wherein said command data communicated by said computing platform is @<

esc>

F.

34. The payment module in accordance with claim 1, wherein said executable program code further comprises instructions to respond to a command received from said computing platform by setting a vending state field to a disable state.

35. The payment module in accordance with claim 34, wherein said command data communicated by said computing platform is @<

esc>

D.

36. The payment module in accordance with claim 1, wherein said executable program code further comprises instructions to respond to a command received from said computing platform by setting a vending state field to an enable state.

37. The payment module in accordance with claim 36, wherein said command data communicated by said computing platform is @<

esc>

E.

38. The payment module in accordance with claim 1, wherein said executable program code further comprises instructions to receive a command from said computing platform requesting said microcontroller perform a hardware reset.

39. The payment module in accordance with claim 38, wherein said command data communicated by said computing platform is @<

esc>

K.

40. The payment module in accordance with claim 1, wherein said executable program code further comprises instructions to respond to a command received from said computing platform requesting said microcontroller capture vending bus data being communicated between said microcontroller and said vending machine controller.

41. The payment module in accordance with claim 40, wherein said command data communicated by said computing platform is @<

esc>

1.

42. The payment module in accordance with claim 1, wherein said executable program code further comprises instructions to respond to a command received from said computing platform by requesting said microcontroller data communicate captured vending bus data to said computing platform.

43. The payment module in accordance with claim 42, wherein said command data communicated by said computing platform is @<

esc>

2.

44. The payment module in accordance with claim 1, wherein said executable program code further comprises instructions to respond to a command received from said computing platform by requesting said microcontroller simulate a cash vend transaction.

45. The payment module in accordance with claim 44, wherein said command data communicated by said computing platform is @<

esc>

$.

46. The payment module in accordance with claim 1, wherein said executable program code further comprises instructions to respond to a command received from said computing platform by requesting said microcontroller simulate a cashless vend transaction.

47. The payment module in accordance with claim 46, wherein said command data communicated by said computing platform is @<

esc>

#.

48. The payment module in accordance with claim 1, wherein said payment module further comprises a communication interface interconnected with said microcontroller, said executable program code further comprising instructions to respond to a command received from said computing platform by requesting said microcontroller establish a data communication path to enable said computing platform to data communicate with a remote location by way of said communication interface.

49. The payment module in accordance with claim 48, wherein said command data communicated by said computing platform is @<

esc>

M.

50. The payment module in accordance with claim 1, wherein said executable program code further comprises instructions to respond to a command received from said computing platform by requesting said microcontroller data communicate the current transaction record to said computing platform.

51. The payment module in accordance with claim 50, wherein said command data communicated by said computing platform is @<

esc>

Q.

52. The payment module in accordance with claim 1, wherein said executable program code further comprises instructions to respond to a command received from said computing platform by requesting said microcontroller data communicate all transaction records to said computing platform.

53. The payment module in accordance with claim 52, wherein said command data communicated by said computing platform is @<

esc>

W.

54. The payment module in accordance with claim 1, wherein said executable program code further comprises instructions to respond to a command received from said computing platform by requesting said microcontroller restore default conditions.

55. The payment module in accordance with claim 54, wherein said command data communicated by said computing platform is @<

esc>

U.

56. The payment module in accordance with claim 1, wherein said executable program code further comprises instructions to respond to a command received from said computing platform by requesting said microcontroller data communicate a timestamp message to said computing platform.

57. The payment module in accordance with claim 56, wherein said command data communicated by said computing platform is @<

esc>

P.

58. The payment module in accordance with claim 1, wherein said executable program code further comprises instructions to respond to a command received from said computing platform by requesting said microcontroller data communicate with a printer.

59. The payment module in accordance with claim 58, wherein said command data communicated by said computing platform is @<

esc>

G.

60. The payment module in accordance with claim 1, wherein said executable program code further comprises instructions to respond to a command received from said computing platform by requesting said microcontroller clear the memory.

61. The payment module in accordance with claim 60, wherein said command data communicated by said computing platform is @<

esc>

J.

62. The payment module in accordance with claim 1, wherein said executable program code further comprises instructions to respond to a command received from said computing platform by requesting said microcontroller find a blank record in memory.

63. The payment module in accordance with claim 62, wherein said command data communicated by said computing platform is @<

esc>

N.

64. The payment module in accordance with claim 1, wherein said executable program code further comprises instructions to respond to a command received from said computing platform by requesting said microcontroller data communicate USALIVE configuration data to said computing platform.

65. The payment module in accordance with claim 64, wherein said command data communicated by said computing platform is @<

esc>

L.

66. The payment module in accordance with claim 1, wherein said executable program code further comprises instructions to respond to a command received from said computing platform by requesting said microcontroller initiate a DEX data capture from said vending machine controller.

67. The payment module in accordance with claim 66, wherein said command data communicated by said computing platform is at least one of the following:

@<

esc>

3, or @<

esc>

4.

68. The payment module in accordance with claim 1, wherein said executable program code further comprises instructions to respond to a command received from said computing platform by requesting said microcontroller data communicate DEX data to said computing platform.

69. The payment module in accordance with claim 68, wherein said command data communicated by said computing platform is @<

esc>

5.

70. The payment module in accordance with claim 1, wherein said executable program code further comprising instructions to respond to a command received from said computing platform by requesting said microcontroller perform a system initialization.

71. The payment module in accordance with claim 70, wherein said command data communicated by said computing platform is #<

esc>

D.

72. The payment module in accordance with claim 1, wherein said executable program code further comprises instructions to respond to a command received from said computing platform by requesting said microcontroller data communicate to said computing platform said payment module serial number and firmware version information.

73. The payment module in accordance with claim 72, wherein said command data communicated by said computing platform is #<

esc>

E.

74. The payment module in accordance with claim 1, wherein said executable program code further comprises instructions to respond to a command received from said computing platform by requesting said microcontroller set a call home flag.

75. The payment module in accordance with claim 74, wherein said command data communicated by said computing platform is #<

esc>

F.

76. The payment module in accordance with claim 1, wherein said executable program code further comprises instructions to respond to a command received from said computing platform by requesting said microcontroller data communicate to said computing platform a state of a call home flag.

77. The payment module in accordance with claim 76, wherein said command data communicated by said computing platform is #<

esc>

G.

78. The payment module in accordance with claim 1, wherein said executable program code further comprises instructions to respond to a command received from said computing platform by requesting said microcontroller clear a call home flag.

79. The payment module in accordance with claim 78, wherein said command data communicated by said computing platform is #<

esc>

H.

80. The payment module in accordance with claim 1, wherein said executable program code further comprises instructions to respond to a command received from said computing platform by requesting said microcontroller data communicate microcontroller service state to said computing platform.

81. The payment module in accordance with claim 80, wherein said command data communicated by said computing platform is #<

esc>

I.

82. The payment module in accordance with claim 1, wherein said executable program code further comprises instructions for causing said microcontroller to respond to a command received from said computing platform by requesting said microcontroller toggle the service state of said microcontroller.

83. The payment module in accordance with claim 82, wherein said command data communicated by said computing platform is #<

esc>

J.

84. The payment module in accordance with claim 1, wherein said executable program code further comprises instructions for causing said microcontroller to respond to a command received from said computing platform requesting said microcontroller data communicate to said computing platform a current local authorization record.

85. The payment module in accordance with claim 84, wherein said command data communicated by said computing platform is #<

esc>

K.

86. The payment module in accordance with claim 1, wherein said executable program code further comprises instructions to respond to a command received from said computing platform by requesting said microcontroller data communicate to said computing platform a complete local authorization database.

87. The payment module in accordance with claim 86, wherein said command data communicated by said computing platform is #<

esc>

L.

88. The payment module in accordance with claim 1, wherein said executable program code further comprises instructions to respond to a command received from said computing platform by requesting said microcontroller clear an approval card records in a local authorization database.

89. The payment module in accordance with claim 88, wherein said command data communicated by said computing platform is #<

esc>

N.

90. The payment module in accordance with claim 1, wherein said executable program code further comprises instructions to respond to a command received from said computing platform by requesting said microcontroller initiate DEX query mode inquiry of said vending machine controller.

91. The payment module in accordance with claim 90, wherein said command data communicated by said computing platform is #<

esc>

O.

92. The payment module in accordance with claim 1, wherein said executable program code further comprises instructions to respond to a command received from said computing platform by requesting said microcontroller clear a call-in flag.

93. The payment module in accordance with claim 92, wherein said command data communicated by said computing platform is #<

esc>

P.

94. The payment module in accordance with claim 1, wherein said executable program code further comprises instructions to respond to a command received from said computing platform by requesting said microcontroller issue a vend declined response to said vending machine controller.

95. The payment module in accordance with claim 94, wherein said command data communicated by said computing platform is #<

esc>

Q.

96. The payment module in accordance with claim 1, wherein said executable program code further comprises instructions to respond to a command received from said computing platform by selecting a vending assist mode.

97. The payment module in accordance with claim 96, wherein said command data communicated by said computing platform selecting a vending assist mode of operation is at least one of the following:

#<

esc>

R to turn ON the vending assist mode, or #<

esc>

r to turn OFF the vending assist mode.

98. The payment module in accordance with claim 1, wherein said executable program code further comprises instructions to respond to a command received from said computing platform indicating a user interaction.

99. The payment module in accordance with claim 98, wherein said command data communicated by said computing platform indicating the user interaction is at least one of the following:

a AAA command, or a BBB command.

100. The payment module in accordance with claim 1, wherein said executable program code further comprises instructions to respond to a command received from said computing platform by requesting said microcontroller data communicate to said computing platform data stored at a memory location, said memory location being accessible by said microcontroller.

101. The payment module in accordance with claim 100, wherein said command data communicated by said computing platform includes a memory code field and a memory location field.

102. The payment module in accordance with claim 101, wherein said memory code field is at least one of the following:

a ‘

A’

denoting EEROM upper word byte, a ‘

B’

denoting EEROM lower word byte, a ‘

C’

denoting main flash memory, or a ‘

D’

denoting main random access memory.

103. The payment module in accordance with claim 100, wherein said command data communicated by said computing platform is prefixed with @<

esc>

A.

104. The payment module in accordance with claim 1, wherein said executable program code further comprises instructions to respond to a command received from said computing platform by requesting said microcontroller write data to a memory location, said memory location being accessible by said microcontroller.

105. The payment module in accordance with claim 104, wherein said command data communicated by said computing platform includes a memory code field, a memory location field, and a byte of data field.

106. The payment module in accordance with claim 105, wherein said memory code field is at least one of the following:

a ‘

A’

denoting EEROM upper word byte, a ‘

B’

denoting EEROM lower word byte, a ‘

C’

denoting main flash memory, or a ‘

D’

denoting main random access memory.

107. The payment module in accordance with claim 104, wherein said command data communicated by said computing platform is prefixed with @<

esc>

A.

108. The payment module in accordance with claim 1, wherein said payment module further comprises a display interface interconnected with said microcontroller, said executable program code further comprising instructions to respond to a command received from said computing platform by enabling said computing platform to display data by way of said display interface.

109. The payment module in accordance with claim 1, wherein said executable program code further comprises instructions to respond to a command received from said computing platform by requesting said microcontroller clear card data.

110. The payment module in accordance with claim 109, wherein said command data communicated by said computing platform is @<

esc>

Z.

111. The payment module in accordance with claim 1, wherein said executable program code further comprises instructions to respond to a command received from said computing platform by requesting said microcontroller enter a service mode.

112. The payment module in accordance with claim 111, wherein said command data communicated by said computing platform is #<

esc>

C.

113. The payment module in accordance with claim 1, wherein said executable program code further comprises instructions to respond to a command received from said computing platform by requesting said microcontroller clear declined card records in a local authorization database.

114. The payment module in accordance with claim 113, wherein said command data communicated by said computing platform is #<

esc>

M.

115. The payment module in accordance with claim 1, wherein said executable program code further comprises instructions to respond to a command received from said computing platform by requesting said microcontroller send a button status.

116. The payment module in accordance with claim 115, wherein said command data communicated by said computing platform is #<

esc>

S.

117. The payment module in accordance with claim 1, wherein said executable program code further comprises instructions to respond to a command received from said computing platform by requesting said microcontroller clear the button status.

118. The payment module in accordance with claim 117, wherein said command data communicated by said computing platform is #<

esc>

T.

119. The payment module in accordance with claim 1, wherein said command used to data communicate data between said computing platform and said microcontroller for the purpose of enabling said computing platform to initiate or complete a vending assisted mode is prefixed with @<

esc>

A.

120. The payment module in accordance with claim 1, wherein said vending equipment interface further comprises at least one of the following:

a bill interface, a coin interface, a mimic vending bus interface, or a DEX interface.

121. The payment module in accordance with claim 1, wherein said vending equipment interface is a DEX compliant interface, for interconnecting said payment module to a DEX port.

122. The payment module in accordance with claim 1, wherein said executable program code further comprises instructions to program said microcontroller to:

a) allow said computing platform to initiate said cashless vend when said payment module determines that said vending machine controller is capable of starting a cashless vend session, and b) allow said computing platform to terminate said cashless vend.

123. The payment module in accordance with claim 1, wherein said executable program code further comprises instructions to data communicate said transaction record to a remote data processing resource.

124. The payment module in accordance with claim 123, wherein said remote data processing resource is a global network based data processing resource or a data processing device.