Vending machine door monitoring system
AssigneeCantaloupe Systems, Inc. (In Counterpart)
InventorsAnant Agrawal, A. Beaudoin, Mandeep Arora, Fred Cheng, Eric Chu
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vending machine door monitoring system for an audit system is provided. This door monitoring system may utilize the same door switch utilized by the vending machine controller (VMC) in order to detect the state of an access door for the vending machine. This door monitoring system may have a separate power supply for applying a back-up voltage to a door circuit in the event that the VMC fails to supply the voltage. The door monitoring system may be further configured to detect a state of the door circuit regardless of the order in which the terminals from the door switch are coupled to the audit system.
Claims34
An audit system for a vending machine system comprising a housing including a door having a closed state and an open state, a door switch, and a vending machine controller (VMC) coupled to the door switch via a door circuit, said VMC applying a voltage across the door switch, said audit system comprising:
- an auxiliary circuit coupled to the door circuit;
- and
- an audit control system configured to detect the status of the door switch by monitoring the voltage from the VMC, wherein the audit control system is configured such that if the audit control system detects cessation of the voltage from the VMC, the audit control system applies an auxiliary voltage across the door switch to detect the status of the door switch.
A method of monitoring operation of a vending machine system, said method comprising:
- monitoring a door circuit between a first power source and a door switch, said door switch engaging and access door for the vending machine system;
- in response to a cessation of a voltage from the first power source, applying a voltage from a second power source and continuing to monitor the door circuit between the first power source and the door switch.
A method of operating a vending machine system, comprising:
- monitoring a door circuit coupling a door switch and a vending machine controller (VMC) using an audit system;
- detecting a cessation of voltage in the door circuit;
- and
- applying an auxiliary voltage to the door circuit to detect a status of the door switch.
A vending machine system, comprising:
- a housing including a door having a closed state and an open state;
- a door switch;
- a first means for applying a voltage across the door switch and for detecting a state of the door switch;
- and
- a second means for detecting the state of the door switch, wherein said second means applies an auxiliary voltage across the door switch in response to detection of a cessation of the voltage applied by the first means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.