Credit card and bank issued debit card operated system and method for controlling and monitoring access of computer and copy equipment

A method for initializing an interface between a control device and a vending machine, said vending machine having control lines along which are transmitted control signals in the form of pulses for controlling operation of said vending machine, said method comprising the steps of:

• a) connecting said control device to said control lines;
• b) reading, in response to vending machine actuation, said control signals transmitted over said control lines during a period of time;
• c) processing said read control signals and determining, by said control device, operational responses of said vending machine which correspond to said read control signals;
• and
• d) adjusting, responsive to user input, the period of time by a predetermined amount if the operational responses determined are incorrect and returning to step (b).

A method for establishing an appropriate time period during which control signals corresponding to operational responses of a vending machine can be monitored, said vending machine having control lines along which are transmitted control signals for controlling vending operation of said vending machine, said method comprising the steps of:

• a) accessing the vending machine control lines by connecting a control device to said control lines;
• b) causing the vending machine to perform a vending operation and transmit a corresponding control signal;
• c) reading control signals, by said control device, transmitted in response to step b) on said control lines over a predetermined period of time;
• d) processing, by said control device, said read control signals and determining which vending operation corresponds to the read control signals;
• e) if the determined vending operation does not correspond to the read control signal, adjusting the predetermined period of time, by a predetermined amount, over which the control signals were read and returning to step (b);
• f) if the determined vending operation corresponds to the read control signal, storing and establishing the time period for subsequent vending machine monitoring.