Method and apparatus for transmitting a digital information signal and vending system incorporating same

• US 6,446,049 B1
• Filed: 09/29/1998
• Issued: 09/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pole/Zero Acquisition, Inc. (Dover Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Pole/Zero Corporation
• Inventors: Janning, Eugene A. Jr., Schumacher, Robert G. Jr., Janning, Joseph J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bartuska, F. J.
• Application Number:
  US09/162,748
• Time in Patent Office: 1,435 Days
• Field of Search: 700/231, 141/94, 235/381, 235/383, 705/40, 705/77, 705/34
• US Class Current: 705/40
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 15/023 Anti-evasion devices
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/246 involving digital counting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/327 Short range or proximity payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

A cashless business transaction system (e.g., a vending system, a material tracking system, or a highway toll system) incorporates a method and apparatus for transmitting a digital information signal. A signal generator (311) generates a constant frequency signal. A phase modulator (305) varies the instantaneous phase of the constant frequency signal to represent digital information, thereby producing a phase modulated signal (325). A tuned resonant circuit (307) filters and averages the phase modulated signal to produce a simulated FM signal, and transmits the simulated FM signal via its antenna (309). One such business transaction system (e.g., a vending system) incorporates such a transmitter to facilitate transmission of billing information from a device located within a substantially electrically shielded environment. Another such business transaction system preferably incorporates such a transmitter to facilitate half-duplex transmission of digital information regardless of whether or not the digital information is transmitted from a device located within a substantially electrically shielded environment.

Claims

1. A method for vending a product from a dispenser to a receptacle for the product, the method comprising the steps of:

disabling the dispenser from processing a received radio signal until the receptacle is located within a predetermined proximity of the dispenser, said step of disabling comprising the step of transmitting a jamming signal to inhibit reception of the radio signal until the receptacle is within the predetermined proximity of the dispenser; and

enabling the dispenser to dispense the product in response to reception of at least one said radio signal that satisfies at least one predetermined condition relating to a product vending transaction.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of determining that the receptacle is located within the predetermined proximity of the dispenser based on a parameter associated with the radio signal.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the parameter associated with the radio signal comprises a signal strength of the radio signal sufficient to permit reception of the radio signal at the dispenser.

4. A method for vending a product from a product dispenser, the method comprising the steps of:

transmitting a radio signal, by a first transmitter locatable within a substantially electrically shielded environment physically associated with a receptacle for the product, the radio signal representing billing information of a consumer to be charged for the product;

positioning a receiver associated with the product dispenser in sufficient proximity to the first transmitter to permit the radio signal to be received by the receiver;

determining whether the billing information satisfies at least one predetermined condition;

generating a signal that enables the product dispenser to dispense the product in response to determining that the billing information satisfies the at least one predetermined condition and

transmitting, by a second transmitter located in a predetermined proximity of the product dispenser, a jamming signal that prevents the receiver from receiving the radio signal when the receiver is in proximity of the second transmitter.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of transmitting a radio signal comprises the step of transmitting the radio signal responsive to the reception of an interrogation signal that includes a request for the billing information.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of receiving, by a receiver located within the substantially electrically shielded environment, the interrogation signal from a second transmitter associated with the product dispenser prior to the step of transmitting the radio signal.

7. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of transmitting, by a second transmitter associated with the product dispenser, an interrogation signal, the interrogation signal including a request for billing information.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of transmitting an interrogation signal comprises the step of repeatedly transmitting the interrogation signal.

9. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of transmitting a radio signal comprises the steps of:

generating a constant frequency signal;

producing a phase modulated signal by varying a phase of the constant frequency signal over a period of time to represent the billing information;

averaging the phase modulated signal to produce a simulated frequency modulated signal; and

transmitting the simulated frequency modulated signal.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the billing information consists of a plurality of bits and wherein the step of producing a phase modulated signal comprises the steps of:

transitioning from a first phase to a second phase during a first portion of a bit transmission period; and

transitioning from the second phase to a third phase during a second portion of the bit transmission period, thereby representing one bit of the billing information as at least two phase transitions.

11. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of transmitting a radio signal comprises the step of transmitting the radio signal primarily via a magnetic field at a carrier frequency of about ten kilohertz or less.

12. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of encrypting the billing information prior to the step of transmitting a radio signal.

13. A method for a product dispenser to vend a product to a consumer, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a radio signal from a transmitter located within a substantially electrically shielded environment physically associated with a receptacle for the product;

determining whether the radio signal includes billing information for a consumer to be charged for the product;

in response to determining that the radio signal includes billing information, determining whether the billing information satisfies at least one predetermined collection;

generating a signal that enables the product dispenser to dispense the product in response to determining that the billing information satisfies the at least one predetermined condition, and

receiving a jamming signal that prevents the product dispenser from receiving the radio signal when the product dispenser is not in sufficient proximity to the transmitter.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of positioning the product dispenser in sufficient proximity to the transmitter to permit reception of the radio signal prior to the step of receiving a radio signal.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of transmitting an interrogation signal prior to the step of receiving a radio signal, the interrogation signal including a request for the billing information.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of transmitting an interrogation signal comprises the step of repeatedly transmitting the interrogation signal.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of determining whether the radio signal includes billing information comprises the steps of:

extracting a bit sequence from the radio signal;

determining whether the bit sequence correlates to a predetermined bit sequence; and

in response to determining that the bit sequence correlates to a predetermined bit sequence, determining that the radio signal includes billing information for a consumer to be charged for the product.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the billing information comprises a plurality of bits, the method further comprising the step of detecting each bit of the billing information based on at least one phase variation of the radio signal.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of receiving a radio signal comprises the step of receiving the radio signal at a receiver positioned outside the substantially electrically shielded environment.

20. A method for a product receptacle to acquire a product from a product dispenser, the method comprising the steps of:

storing billing information for a consumer to be charged for the product;

generating a radio signal that includes the billing information;

transmitting

the radio signal from a transmitter located within a substantially electrically shielded environment physically associated with the product receptacle;

transmitting a jamming signal operable to inhibit reception of the radio signal until the receptacle is within sufficiently close proximity of the dispenser as to enable the radio signal to be received notwithstanding said jamming signal, and

acquiring the product from the product dispenser into the receptacle responsive to reception of the radio signal.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the step of generating the radio signal further comprises the step of encrypting the billing information.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of receiving an interrogation signal from the product dispenser prior to the step of generating a radio signal, the interrogation signal including a request for the billing information.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the step of generating a radio signal comprises the steps of:

generating a constant frequency signal;

varying a phase of the constant frequency signal over a period of time to represent the billing information, thereby producing a phase modulated signal; and

averaging the phase modulated signal to produce a simulated frequency modulated signal.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the billing information is represented by a plurality of bits and wherein the step of varying a phase of the constant frequency signal comprises the steps of:

transitioning from a first phase to a second phase during a first portion of a bit transmission period; and

transitioning from the second phase to a third phase during a second portion of the bit transmission period, thereby representing one bit of the billing information as at least two phase transitions.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein the step of transmitting the radio signal comprises the step of transmitting the radio signal primarily via a magnetic field at a carrier frequency of about ten kilohertz or less.

26. A method for a dispensing a product from a product dispenser into a receptacle, the method comprising the steps of:

storing billing information for a consumer to be charged for the product;

generating a radio signal that includes the billing information;

transmitting the radio signal from a transmitter located within a substantially electrically shielded environment physically associated with the product receptacle;

transmitting, from a location other than one within said environment, a jamming signal operable to inhibit reception of the radio signal until the receptacle is within sufficiently close proximity of the dispenser as to enable the radio signal to be received notwithstanding the jamming signal;

receiving the radio signal outside the substantially electrically shielded environment; and

enabling the product to be dispensed in response to receiving the radio signal.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the step of generating the radio signal further comprises the step of encrypting the billing information.

28. The method of claim 26, further comprising the step of receiving an interrogation signal from the product dispenser prior to the step of generating a radio signal, the interrogation signal including a request for the billing information.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein the step of generating a radio signal comprises the steps of:

generating a constant frequency signal;

varying a phase of the constant frequency signal over a period of time to represent the billing information, thereby producing a phase modulated signal; and

averaging the phase modulated signal to produce a simulated frequency modulated signal.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the billing information is represented by a plurality of bits and wherein the step of varying a phase of the constant frequency signal comprises the steps of:

transitioning from a first phase to a second phase during a first portion of a bit transmission period; and

transitioning from the second phase to a third phase during a second portion of the bit transmission period, thereby representing one bit of the billing information as at least two phase transitions.

31. The method of claim 26, wherein the step of transmitting the radio signal comprises the step of transmitting the radio signal primarily via a magnetic field at a carrier frequency of about ten kilohertz or less.

32. A method for a product vending device to vend a product to a receptacle for the product, the method comprising the steps of:

transmitting an interrogation signal that includes a request for billing information of a consumer to be charged for the product;

responsive to the interrogation signal, receiving a radio signal;

determining whether the radio signal includes the billing information;

in response to determining that the radio signal includes the billing information, determining whether the billing information satisfies at least one predetermined condition;

enabling the product to be dispensed from the product vending device in response to determining that the billing information satisfies the at least one predetermined condition, and

transmitting a jamming signal operable to inhibit reception of the radio signal unless the vending device and the receptacle are within sufficiently close proximity of one another to enable the radio signal to be received notwithstanding the jamming signal, and

responsive to reception of the radio signal, receiving the product.

33. A method for acquiring a product from a vending device, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving an interrogation signal from the vending device, the interrogation signal requesting billing information for a consumer to be charged for the product;

responsive to the interrogation signal, transmitting a radio from a transmitter located within a substantially electrically shielded enviroment physically associated with a product receptacle signal that includes the billing information;

transmitting, from a location other than one within said environment, a jamming signal operable to inhibit reception of the radio signal until the receptacle is within sufficiently close proximity of the vending device as to enable the radio signal to be received notwithstanding the jamming signal, and

responsive to reception of the radio signal, receiving the product.

34. An apparatus for controlling dispensing of a product, the apparatus being attachable to a product dispenser, the apparatus comprising:

a card reading device that, in response to obtaining billing information for a consumer to be charged for the product, provides the billing information to a creditor of the consumer;

a receiver for receiving a radio signal from a transmitter associated with a receptacle for the product;

a card reader interface, operably coupled to the receiver and the card reading device, that determines whether the radio signal includes billing information for the consumer to be charged and, in response to determining that the radio signal includes the billing information, converts the billing information received from the receiver into a format compatible with the card reading device and generates a control signal to enable the product dispenser to dispense the product, and

a jamming circuit, coupled to the card reader interface, that transmits a jamming signal to prevent the receiver from receiving the radio signal until at least a portion of the product dispenser is in sufficient proximity to the receptacle to permit reception of the radio signal.

35. The apparatus of claim 34, further comprising a transmitter, operably coupled to the card reader interface, that transmits, responsive to at least one control signal from the card reader interface, at least one interrogation signal that includes a request for the billing information.

36. A system for vending a product from a dispenser to a receptacle for the product, the system comprising:

a transaction controller that generates control signals to facilitate dispensing of the product;

a first transmitter, operably coupled to the transaction controller and forming a part of the dispenser, that transmits an interrogation signal responsive to a control signal from the transaction controller, the interrogation signal including a request for billing information of a consumer to be charged for the product;

a first receiver, locatable in a substantially electrically shielded environment that is physically associated with the receptacle, that receives the interrogation signal;

a second transmitter, operably coupled to the first receiver, that transmits a radio signal responsive to receipt of the interrogation signal, the radio signal including the billing information;

a second receiver, operably coupled to the transaction controller, that receives the radio signal, demodulates the radio signal to recover the billing information, and provides the billing information to the transaction controller, and

a jamming circuit located substantially adjacent to a retainer of the dispenser, that generates and transmits a jamming signal to prevent the second receiver from receiving the radio signal when the dispenser is positioned proximate to the retainer.

37. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the product is fuel and wherein the receptacle for the product is a portion of a motorized vehicle.