Xcp, Incorporated

Other

Darrell G Rademacher

Roger T Simpson

Justin Marceau

Thomas Neville

Douglas A Hoyt

An escrow vending machine has a secure, locking cabinet; a dispenser for cards or other merchandise; a bill acceptor, coin acceptor or similar cash acceptor; and a controller board within the cabinet and connected to the dispenser and to the cash acceptor. The dispenser contains a supply of prepaid telephone cards or other merchandise, and dispenses them one at a time in response to a control signal. The cash acceptor accepts and registers units of cash, e.g., dollars, and generates a pulse or other signal for each unit accepted. The controller board has an input that receives the cash signal from the cash acceptor and an output supplying the control signal to the dispenser. An escrow counter or register accumulates an escrow count of the pulses or cash signals. This enables the controller board to supply the control signal when the count in the escrow register equals or exceeds a preset number that represents a price or value. When this happens, the controller board stores the difference between the escrow count and preset number as a new escrow count. Then, when additional units of cash are inserted into the cash acceptor, and the latter produces additional cash signals, the escrow register counts up to increase the new escrow count. This enables the controller board to supply the control signal again when the new escrow count again equals or exceeds the preset number.

Escrow vending dispenser

A phone card vending machine has a secure, locking cabinet; a card dispenser; a bill acceptor or similar cash acceptor; a printer for printing slip receipts containing an activated PIN; and a controller board within the cabinet and connected to the dispenser, printer, and cash acceptor. The card dispenser contains a supply of zero-value telephone cards. The controller board has a PIN memory that stores PIN numbers for each of several amounts of long distance calling time. The customer purchases a card by inserting paper currency or coins, and making a selection from a keypad on the cabinet. The customer can select from eight (or more) different values, and then presses a select button to dispense the card. At the time the card is dispensed, the printer also prints and dispenses a paper receipt that shows the purchase price, including any relevant taxes, the amount of long distance service time purchased, and the PIN number. The vend machine can replenish its stock of activated PIN numbers by modem from a remote location.

Pin vending dispenser

A point-of-sale drop safe and change making mechanism employs a cash drop drawer that is movable between open and closed positions and receives money, when the cash drop drawer is open. When the cash drop drawer is closed the cash drops into receptacle in drop safe. A currency acceptor accepts and registers paper currency bills and a money dispensing mechanism in the cabinet dispenses coins in a plurality of denominations into receptacle or tray located on the exterior of the cabinet. A money selection arrangement includes a plurality of user-actuable coin select keys or switches that are disposed on the exterior of the cabinet. The keys correspond respectively to coin denominations, e.g., key #1 dispenses dollar coins, key #2 dispenses quarters, etc. A controller board coupled to the currency acceptor, the money select mechanism, and the money dispensing mechanism obtains and stores an escrow amount or money credit amount when paper currency is inserted into the currency acceptor. The user actuates the money dispenser to dispense coins in selected denominations, and the control mechanism decrements the escrow or credit amount. The drop safe can also have a bill-dispensing mechanism. The arrangement can also be configured to change money from the currency and coins of one country to that of another. In that case, the escrow amount is automatically converted from the value in one country's funds into that of the other.

Currency and coin-activated drop safe

Meter cards, which are structurally identical with magnetic stripe vend cards, are used to collect and transfer transaction data from card actuated vending machines to a transaction terminal. The transaction terminal contains a card reader and a computer device. Transaction data, including the number of units sold, i.e., vends or plays, on the vending machines as well as the dollar volume of sales is fed into the transaction terminal and the associated computer device carries out inventory and accounting functions. The meter card contains command indicia that instruct the vend machine card reader to write the transaction data onto the magnetic stripe of the meter card. The transaction data can also include incentive or redemption points awarded to card holders for using the vend cards. A separate meter card is used for each vending machine in the system to transfer its transaction data to the transaction terminal.

Card metering system

A bank of vending machines has an associated debit card reader of vend card reader, with its associated card reader controller. The card reader controller interfaces between the money handling mechanism of one or more of the vending machines, and the vending machine controller circuitry. The vending machine controller does not connect directly to the money accepting or change making equipment. As an incentive to stimulate card purchases rather then cash purchases, the card reader controller can credit the card holder with bonus points when purchases are made. These can be discounts and added directly into the card purchase credit balance, or can be bonus points to be recorded in a separate field on the vend card, and separately redeemed.

Card or cash actuated vending machine assembly

An escrow credit controller for use with vending machines having a vend path which is several articles in length, such as a copier machine. The controller accepts value in the form of coins or bills, and escrows the value in an escrow total. When the escrow total deposited reaches a trigger amount which is at least equal to one more than the number of articles in the vend path times the vend price, the vending machine is enabled. The controller continues to add value to the escrow total as coins or bills are deposited, and subtracts the vend price from the escrow total upon receipt of a vend signal from the machine. When the escrowed value is less than or equal to the number of articles in the vend path times the vend price, or when the 'value return' is activated by the user, the machine is disabled (possibly after a delay to avoid 'trapping' the article(s)). The escrow controller retains the escrow balance for an additional time delay, during which time it continues to look for signals from the machine which indicate additional articles dispensed (copies made). After a delay sufficient to clear the vend path, either the remaining escrow value is returned (if the 'value return switch' was activated) or the machine waits for the escrow value to be increased above the trigger amount again.

Escrow credit controllers and method of operation thereof

A usage control system for copiers and the like, adapted to connect to the copier through the existing accounting system connection. A check-operated device, such as a coin box or magnetic card reader, supplies the copier with a signal to initiate operation. When the operation has progressed, the copier supplies a signal intended to increment the counter in the accounting system. After a suitable delay, permitting completion of the copy cycle, the operate signal is reset, and the copier is disabled. As an option, power to the copier may be controlled. The system requires no internal connections or modifications to the copier.

Growing community of inventors

New Port Richey, FL, United States of America

Darrell G Rademacher