Mars, Incorporated

Mei, Inc.

Patrick J McGarry

Philip R Reger

David Charles Deaville

Cary M Sagady

Edward M Zoladz, Jr

Kevin L Rabinovitch

Darren Walker

Robert D Ross

John L Tansky, Sr

Craig A Lewis

Matthew P Morris

Chad C Haggerty

Edward F Lagan, Jr

A vend audit system and methods are described. In an implementation, the system includes vend items with packaging having tags, at least one tag sensor, and a control circuit capable of receiving data from the tag sensor. A method for tracking inventory in a vending machine is also described. In an implementation, the technique includes loading vend items having tags into a vending machine, sensing the tags, and transferring information to a control circuit. The tags may be RF tags, and the tag sensor may be an RF antenna sensor.

Vending audit system

A method of auditing data from a vending machine includes providing commands to an audit module installed in the vending machine. The commands indicate a type of vending machine data to be processed by the audit module, how the data is to be processed by the audit module, and a location in memory in the audit module for storage of that type of vending machine data. The audit module is configured to process vending machine data in response to the received commands. Monitored vending machine data can be reported to a remote host in a manner specified by one or commands sent to the audit module.

Configurable vending machine audit module

A device and method for detecting the viability of a fluorescent light tube of a vending machine is described. A light tube detector circuit includes a photodetector, a circuit means to compensate for ambient light connected to the photodetector, and an output line. A microcontroller may be used to monitor the phase shifts in the pulses generated by the light tube detector circuit, and to determine when one or more fluorescent light tubes are going bad.

Vending machine fluorescent tube monitor

A document acceptor includes a document transport path and a multi-function optical sensor disposed adjacent the document path. The multi-function sensor can be operated in one of two or more modes. Depending on the mode in which the sensor is operated, signals from the sensor can be used, for example, to indicate whether a document has reached a particular position, to determine whether the document includes a predetermined pattern, such as a bar-code pattern, or to determine whether an attempt is being made to pull the document out of the acceptor.

Multi-function optical sensor for a document acceptor

A vending machine capable of communicating with a central station using any one of multiple cellular carriers includes a telemetry device. The telemetry device includes a cellular transceiver, a digital signal processor-based modem, and memory storing software corresponding to protocols for each of the cellular carriers. The telemetry device can be reconfigured, in response to signals received from the central station using a first one of the cellular carriers, to transmit and receive signals subsequently using a second one of the cellular carriers. Software code residing in memory associated with a sub-unit of a vending machine can also be upgraded or otherwise modified by transmitting segments of software code from a remote station to a telemetry device in the vending machine using a cellular carrier, assembling the segments of software code in the telemetry device, and routing the assembled software code to a designated one of the sub-units of the vending machine.

Monitoring and reporting system using cellular carriers

A method and apparatus for using electronic security coupons in connection with locking mechanisms for preventing unauthorized access to or removal of internal components of vending and gaming machines. A security coupon is received in the bill validator section of the machine, the security coupon is recognized, and the locking mechanism is unlocked. The security coupon optionally can be stored in a currency cassette.

Use of security coupons in connection with locking mechanisms for

A standard keyboard or keypad for a coin operated telephone is connected to balance an artificial line rather than the actual phone line. The artificial line simulates operating conditions at the end of the loop regardless of whether the phone that the keyboard is in is actually near or far from the central office. As a result, the standard keyboard can be operated using a current at or near its designed minimum operating current. Additionally, a microcontroller for controlling the operation and decoding of the keyboard is programmed to have a small duty cycle of on time during decoding so that the bulk of the power normally used by the microcontroller can be switched to the keyboard when it is detected that a key is depressed. Thus, a line powered low power controller can be used in conjunction with a standard keyboard. By reducing the number of lines used to connect the standard keyboard to the controller, an extra line is made available which allows the controller to be utilized with either a standard or a modified keyboard.

Method and apparatus for keyboard adaptation to a low power controller

A method and apparatus for the detection and prevention of pin fraud in a coin operated telephone is disclosed. A circuit detects loss of loop current and triggers the opening of a pair of switches thereby disconnecting the microphone from the phone. The A-relay is also switched to its refund and collect position. As a result, the fraud path through the microphone is disconnected, and the central office can perform all its control functions unimpaired. Thus, the incentives for perpetrating the fraud are eliminated.

Method and apparatus for preventing pay telephone fraud and reducing

A method and apparatus to enable a low power telephone controller to operate with either a carbon microphone or a dynamid microphone is described. A jumper in a preamplifier and filter circuit is preset to accommodate the audio transfer characteristics of one or the other type of microphones. For either microphone, a small DC current of less than 500 .mu.A is used to sense the presence of either type microphone and serves the dual role of biasing the carbon microphone to the appropriate level to be amplified so that the input to an audio circuit in the controller us very nearly the same for either microphone. The audio circuit then processes and dynamically balances the signal to the telephone line, where it is output.

Method and apparatus for retrofitting a standard coin operated telephone

An event monitoring system for payphones is described. Particularly, an arrangement for monitoring events such as the removal of the front cover, vault door and coin box is described. Sensors attached to brackets generate signals indicative of front cover, vault door and coin box removal are sensed by a monitoring circuit and sent to a central telephone office as appropriate. The brackets allow easy mounting of the sensors using existing payphone housing hardware, surfaces and cutouts. Consequently, this mounting arrangement may be used to retrofit standard payphones using only pre-existing mounting locations and holes to include event monitoring capability. The sensors and monitor circuit operate on low power and may be designed to operate in the absence of payphone power.

Coin operated telephone operation monitoring switch mounting arrangement

A low power control apparatus for a coin operated telephone controls a full range of phone functions as well as an electronic coin acceptor. The control utilizes phone line power. Power for all the normal operations of the coin operated telephone and its coin acceptor is also supplied from the phone line. The control is preferably microcontroller based and designed utilizing low power components. In the control, an interface circuit serves to connect the phone tip and ring lines to either a power supply circuit or to a totalizer and escrow control circuit. The power supply also provides power to an audio network including a variety of fraud prevention circuits, a modem, and several time generator circuits. A monitor system monitors the status of several security switches to monitor the phone's condition. Hardware and software design features control the application of power to circuits only when needed.

Growing community of inventors

West Chester, PA, United States of America

Patrick J McGarry