Computer controlled system providing functions within a laundromat facility

• US 5,424,940 A
• Filed: 04/28/1994
• Issued: 06/13/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ousborne Associates Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Jeffrey J. Ousborne
• Inventors: Ousborne, Jeffrey J.
• Primary Examiner(s): RUGGIERO, JOSEPH F
• Application Number:
  US08/233,427
• Time in Patent Office: 411 Days
• Field of Search: 364/140, 364/141, 364/478, 364/479, 364/400, 364/138, 364/139, 235/381, 68/12.01, 68/12.02, 68/12.08, 68/12.23, 68/13 R, 68/15, 68/16, 134/57 R, 134/58 R, 340/825.35, 194/217, 194/218
• US Class Current: 700/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 3/04 for exteriors of land vehicles B60S3/002, B60S3/004 take precedence; specially adapted for railway vehicles B60S3/006
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23039 Remote programmer
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24058 Remote testing, monitoring independent from normal control by pc
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2633 Washing, laundry
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/127 Shopping or accessing services according to a time-limitation
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0014 for vending, access and use of specific services not covered anywhere else in G07F17/00 meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity G07F15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/20 for washing or drying articles, e.g. clothes, motor cars
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/002 Vending machines being part of a centrally controlled network of vending machines
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/026 for alarm, monitoring and auditing in vending machines or means for indication, e.g. when empty
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/105 Heating or cooling means, for temperature and humidity control, for the conditioning of articles and their storage dispensers for food articles requiring a processing by temperature treatment or conditioning before they are ready for dispensing G07F17/0064

Abstract

A computer controlled system providing accountability at a laundromat facility. The system includes a central computer and a plurality of washers/dryers, as well as one or more accessory vending machines. The vending machines and each washer and dryer or combination of washers and dryers includes a programmed microprocessor which controls access to the apparatus and interfaces with the central computer providing information to and receiving information from the central computer. An account generation site, via which a customer can communicate with the central computer is provided, as are an operator'"'"'s terminal including a keypad, display and printer. Sensors for sensing temperatures, pressures and the like are operatively arranged to provide data inputs to the central computer. A remote operator terminal can be provided, modems being used, to effect communication with the central computer and the programmed microprocessors.

Claims

1. A computer controlled system providing customer access to, control and monitoring of self service apparatuses providing functions within a laundromat facility, the system comprising:

a plurality of apparatuses within the laundromat facility for providing specific respective laundromat functions;

programmable computer means;

means for storing and retrieving data in nonvolatile storage coupled to the computer means;

at least one validating means for accepting and validating respective customers'"'"' payments;

means for providing customer account information to respective customers;

means, including program means in said computer means, for opening respective customers'"'"' accounts and generating respective customers'"'"' accounts;

means, including program means in said computer means, to authenticate respective accounts at a site within the facility wherein the authenticated account is used to access various ones of the apparatuses; and

means coupled to said computer means and responsive to signals therefrom for activating respective ones of the apparatuses.

2. The computer controlled system of claim 1, wherein said means for opening and generating respective customers'"'"' accounts includes means for generating and issuing to respective customers respective vouchers.

3. The computer controlled system of claim 1, including means for presetting cost to activate each of the apparatuses.

4. The computer controlled system of claim 1, further comprising means for controlling period of time given to each activation of a time cycle for at least one of the apparatuses, and means to preset length of the period of time.

5. The computer controlled system of claim 1, further comprising means for presetting an automatic change of cost to activate at least some of the apparatuses as a function of day of week.

6. The computer controlled system of claim 1, further comprising means for presetting an automatic change of cost to activate at least some of the apparatuses as a function of the time of day.

7. The computer controlled system of claim 1, further comprising means for storing and reviewing usage statistics of the apparatuses and financial transaction information.

8. The computer controlled system of claim 1, including sensing means for monitoring water temperature within at least one of the apparatuses.

9. The computer controlled system of claim 1, including sensing means for monitoring pressure within at least one of the apparatuses.

10. The computer controlled system of claim 1, further comprising means for monitoring at least one operating parameter within the laundromat facility, and means for automatically notifying at least one remote site whenever the operating parameter is outside of an operator preset range.

11. The computer controlled system of claim 1, further comprising means for sensing computer means malfunction and restoring normal operations of the computer means.

12. The computer controlled system of claim 1, further comprising a communications link from said facility to and from a remote location.

13. The computer controlled system of claim 12, wherein said communications link includes a telephone line and comprises a pair of modems connected via the telephone line.

14. A computer controlled system providing customer access to, control and monitoring of self service apparatuses providing functions within a laundromat facility, the system comprising:

a plurality of apparatuses within the laundromat facility for providing specific respective laundromat functions;

programmable computer means;

means for storing and retrieving data in nonvolatile storage coupled to the computer means;

at least one means, for accepting and validating respective customers'"'"' payments;

means responsive to signals from said means for accepting and validating said customers payments, for opening and modifying the customers'"'"' accounts, and for storing account information in said nonvolatile storage means; and

means, including program means in said computer means, to authenticate respective accounts at a site within the facility wherein the authenticated account is used to access various ones of the apparatuses.

15. The computer controlled system of claim 14, wherein said means for opening and modifying the customers'"'"' accounts includes means for generating and issuing to respective customers respective vouchers.

16. The computer controlled system of claim 14, further comprising means for storing and reviewing usage statistics of the apparatuses and financial transaction information.

17. The computer controlled system of claim 14, further comprising a communications link which includes a telephone line and comprises a pair of modems connected via the telephone line.

18. The computer controlled system of claim 17, including means coupled to the computer means and responsive to signals therefrom for activating respective ones of the apparatuses.

19. A computer controlled system providing customer access to, control and monitoring of self service apparatuses providing functions within a laundromat facility, the system comprising:

a plurality of apparatuses within the laundromat facility for providing specific respective laundromat functions;

programmable computer means;

means for storing and retrieving data in nonvolatile storage coupled to the computer means;

at least one validating means for accepting and validating respective customers'"'"' payments;

means for providing customer account information to respective customers;

means, including program means in said computer means, for opening respective customers accounts and generating respective customers'"'"' accounts;

means, including program means in said computer means, to authenticate respective accounts at a site within the facility wherein the authenticated account is used to access various ones of the apparatuses;

means for monitoring operating parameters and functions of the apparatuses;

means, including program means in the computer means, for maintaining and storing customer account information and information relating to operating parameters and functions of the apparatuses; and

means for extracting from the computer means customer account information and information relating to operating parameters and functions of the apparatuses.

20. The computer controlled system of claim 19, further comprising a communications link from said facility to and from a remote location.

21. A computer controlled system providing customer access to, control and monitoring of self service apparatuses providing functions within a laundromat facility, the system comprising:

a plurality of apparatuses within the laundromat facility for providing specific respective laundromat functions;

programmable computer means;

means for storing and retrieving data in nonvolatile storage coupled to the computer means;

at least one validating means for accepting and validating respective customers'"'"' payments;

means for providing customer account information to respective customers;

means, including program means in said computer means, for opening respective customers'"'"' accounts and generating respective customers'"'"' accounts; and

means, including program means in said computer means, to authenticate respective accounts at a site within the facility wherein the authenticated account is used to access various ones of the apparatuses.