Bridging circuit and control system for automatic control of fluid dispensers, article dispensers, and related systems

A control system, comprising:

• a first application communicating with an equipped device;
• a bridge interposed between the first application and the equipped device;
• a second application communicating with the equipped device via the bridge;
• the first application and the second application defining a plurality of applications;
• the bridge implementing a lock state so that one of the plurality of applications is an owner of the equipped device;
• and
• the bridge preventing a command communicated from one of the plurality of applications, other than the owner of the equipped device, from communication to the equipped device.

A bridging method, comprising:

• separating a first application from an equipped device by interposing a bridge;
• intercepting, with the bridge, downstream communications to the equipped device from the first application;
• using the bridge, accepting downstream communications to the equipped device from a second application;
• with the bridge, designating one of the first application and the second application as an owner;
• and
• prohibiting control of the equipped device by other than the owner.

An equipment apparatus, comprising:

• one or more dispensers disposed at least partially in a housing;
• a bridge circuit disposed at least partially in the housing;
• and
• the bridge circuit comprising:
• a hardware processor, configured to perform a predetermined set of basic operations in response to receiving a corresponding basic instruction, the corresponding basic instruction being one of a plurality of machine codes defining a predetermined native instruction set for the hardware processor;
• a memory under control of the hardware processor;
• an application end interface under control of the hardware processor and adapted to communicate over a network;
• an upstream communication module, configured to enable the hardware processor to communicate via the application end interface, and comprising a first set of the plurality of machine codes;
• one or more equipment end interfaces under control of the hardware processor and respectively electrically connected with the one or more dispensers;
• a downstream communication module comprising a second set of the plurality of machine codes, configured to enable the hardware processor to communicate via the one or more equipment end interfaces;
• a control module comprising a third set of the plurality of machine codes, configured to enable the hardware processor to respond to commands received via the application end interface and to issue instructions to the one or more dispensers via the one or more equipment end interfaces;
• and
• the memory storing the first set of the plurality of machine codes, the second set of the plurality of machine codes, and the third set of the plurality of machine codes.