The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 22, 1998
Filed:
Feb. 06, 1997
Charles C Schelberg, Jr, Milford, NH (US);
Thomas M Duff, Jr, Nashua, NH (US);
Stephan Condodemetraky, Derry, NH (US);
PowerTel, Inc., Merrimack, NH (US);
Abstract
A vending machine for dispensing power and telecommunications access is disclosed. The vending machine has a switchable power circuit that receives power from a power source and delivers the power to the customer's equipment via a power connector under the control of a central control unit. A customer interested in purchasing power or using the telecommunications access makes a payment into the payment processing unit which forwards the payment information to the central control unit. From time to time the central control unit reports the transaction information to a central computer system via its modem which is connected to a telecommunication channel. Access to the same telecommunication channel or another channel can be made available to the customer via a switchable telecommunications access circuit which is also under the control of the central control unit. The customer connects to the telecommunications channel via the telecommunications access connector. The central control unit provides information on the progress of the vending transaction to the customer via the user interface. The central control unit determines when the transaction is completed by sensing the cessation of power usage via the power usage detection circuit or via customer action at the user interface.