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US 4,306,219 AGranted
Vending machine acquisition system
AssigneeMicro Magnetic Industries, Inc.
InventorsDavid T. Main, John B. Riddle, Rod H. Allen
Life of this patent
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AssigneeMicro Magnetic Industries, Inc.
InventorsDavid T. Main, John B. Riddle, Rod H. Allen
Estimating the term…
Data from vending machines are acquired by a resident data acquisition unit (DAU) implanted in each vending machine. This unit senses coins in, coins out, products dispensed and door openings, among other activities, and provides a data base which records all of these activities. Each vending machine data acquisition unit (DAU) is interrogated by a data transfer unit (DTU) carried by a route service person and the information from each DAU is stored in the data transfer unit. The data transfer unit then disgorges the recorded information in a central data converting unit (DCU) which services a number of DTUs. The data converting unit provides an instant summary of the information by vending machine and route, and also converts the information to standard computer language for subsequent processing in a full-size computer.
A data collection system for use with one or more vending machines of the type which dispense either products or services for money received and which have an access door and a money box, the data collection system comprising
A data collection system for use with one or more vending machines of the type which dispense either products or services at a designated price for purchase money received and which have an access door and a money box for receiving the purchase money, the data collection system comprising (a) separate totalizing means resident in each vending machine, the totalizing means including a door access sensor, a money box movement sensor, a products or services dispensed sensor, and separate counters for counting and storing the numbers of door openings, money box movements and the number of products or services dispensed and (b) data collection means, removably couplable to the totalizing means for making an electronic inquiry to the counters and for storing the counts therein.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.