US 6,061,668 AGranted

Control system for pay-per-use applications

OwnerJohn Anthony Sharrowinventor

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Abstract

An integrated electronic system consisting of a network of appliances and machines, such as clothes washers and dryers, vending machines, or other equipment, controlled from a central management computer. Each networked apparatus is uniquely identified, and is maintained in an inoperative standby state, until a prospective user has a valid account for payment, and authorizes stated charges to be billed to their account, or optionally has presented a charge card, thus paying for use of the respective appliance or machine. Account information is maintained and processed in the central management computer, which can be interactively linked to a separate billing system, property management system, or financial institution, thereby automating the verification and billing process. Message data can be sent to and displayed on any or all appliances and machines, a periodic polling of the network ensures security, and an audit trail is generated, with the operational history of each apparatus on the network. Operation of any or all appliances and machines on the network can be inhibited, on command from the central management computer, and the system has extensive maintenance and diagnostic capabilities.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An integrated electronic control system providing accountability, management, and monitoring for customer use of self service appliances in various locations, said integrated electronic control system comprising:

a plurality of appliances, each capable of providing a user with at least one product or service;
each said appliance equipped with a programmable controller for regulating operations, managing timing, and effecting communications, said controller being network enabled to allow data interchange with a programmable central management computer;
each said appliance interconnected via a network means to said central management computer for the purpose of data interchange, said central management computer being network enabled to allow data interchange with said controller;
said central management computer including a program means to control, monitor, and account for each use of each said appliance;
said central management computer including a data storage and retrieval means for accessing and maintaining program and data files;
each said appliance having a unique identification code, to allow said central management computer to individually address each said appliance and to identify data respective to each said appliance;
said controller including a program means and user interface means, to allow said user to activate said appliance and to select a desired product or service;
said controller including a program means for requesting and receiving authorization from said central management computer, prior to delivering said product or service;
said central management computer including a program means to respond to a user selection of said product or service by checking a user billable account status and, if said user billable account status is valid, sending a data transmission to said controller, authorizing the controller to enable said appliance to deliver said product or service;
said central management computer including a program means to generate a transaction data file for recording data pertinent to each use of each said appliance and to maintain said transaction data file pending verification that said product or service has successfully been delivered and that a corresponding billing entry has subsequently been successfully posted to said user billable account.

7 more elements

A computer controlled method for managing and accounting for a use of at least one appliance through the use of a programmable central management computer interconnected with said appliance through a network means for the purpose of data interchange, said central management computer programmed to include a billing means for charging a user of said appliance for a user selected product or service derived from use of said appliance, comprising the steps of:

regulating operation of said appliance with a network enabled, programmable controller, said controller coupled to a user interface means;
programming said controller to identify said appliance to said central management computer by using a unique identification code as a part of all data transmissions sent to said central management computer;
programming said central management computer to verify existence of a billable user account in response to a user account verification request from said controller, and to respond to said controller with an approval or a denial, corresponding respectively to the presence or absence of said billable user account;
programming said central management computer to respond to a user selection of a product or service by generating a transaction file for recording data pertinent to each use of said appliance and to maintain said transaction file until said appliance has successfully delivered said product or service, and until a corresponding billing entry has successfully been posted to said billable user account.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.