Control system for cashless transactions at metered vending output devices

A vending control system comprising:

• a plurality of sets of local area networks (LANs), each set of LANs located in a respective one of a plurality of distinct hospitality institutions, each LAN having a first node to receive account identification data from a user who wishes to use a respective vending output device that is located in the respective hospitality institution and a second node to receive the account identification data from the first node;
• a remote server to receive the account identification data and a purchase amount from the second node of each of the LANs, and request a purchase authorization from a gateway for said account identification data and said purchase amount, the remote server to send an authorization message to the second node for said account identification data and said purchase amount;
• and
• a plurality of sets of vending control devices, each set of vending control devices located in a respective one of the plurality of distinct hospitality institutions, each vending control device connected to the second node of a respective LAN, the vending control device includes a relay to be activated and deactivated by the second node, the relay is to enable and disable the functioning of a respective vending output device, and a circuit that is to meter an amount of output processed by the respective vending output device, the vending control device to communicate the amount of output that has been processed to the second node,
• wherein the second node is to calculate a cost of the processed output, the second node is to send the cost to the remote server, and the remote server is to send the cost to a gateway through which a payment transaction for said account identification data is settled.

A machine-implemented vending control method comprising:

• receiving at a first node of a local area network (LAN), an input in the form of account identification data from a user;
• establishing a first connection over a transport layer protocol between peer processes in the first node and a second node of the LAN and receiving through the first connection said input at the second node;
• establishing a second connection over a transport layer protocol between peer processes in the second node and a remote server and sending said input from the second node to the remote server through said second connection;
• requesting, by the remote server using the input, a purchase authorization from a payment gateway;
• obtaining a response to the purchase authorization request;
• receiving at the second node, if the response includes an authorization, the authorization from the remote server;
• enabling the functioning of an output device in response to receiving the authorization;
• metering an amount of output processed by the output device in response to a command from the user;
• receiving at the second node, the amount of output that has been processed by the output device;
• calculating a cost of the processed output using the amount;
• sending to the remote server the cost via a transport layer protocol;
• and
• sending by the remote server the cost to a payment gateway through which a payment transaction of the user may be settled.

A vending control system comprising:

• a vending control node of a local area network (LAN), to receive and store in volatile memory only, account identification data from a user who wishes to use a vending output device;
• a remote server to receive a request for authorization of the account identification data from the control node and in response request and then receive authorization to use the account identification data from a gateway;
• and
• a vending control device connected to the control node, the vending control device is to enable and disable the functioning of the output device, and is to meter an amount of output processed by the output device, and communicate the amount of output that has been processed, to the control node,
• the control node to signal the control device to enable the output device, upon receiving the authorization from the remote server, calculate a cost of the processed output and send the cost to the remote server, and wherein
• the remote server is to send the cost to a gateway through which a payment transaction is settled.

A vending control system comprising:

• a vending control node of a local area network (LAN), to receive and store account identification data from a user who wishes to use a vending output device;
• a remote server to receive a request for authorization of the account identification data from the control node and in response request and then receive authorization to use the account identification data from a gateway;
• and
• a vending control device connected to the control node, the vending control device is to enable and disable the functioning of the output device, and is to meter an amount of output processed by the output device, and communicate the amount of output that has been processed, to the control node,
• the control node to signal the control device to enable the output device, upon receiving the authorization from the remote server, calculate a cost of the processed output and send the cost to the remote server, and wherein
• the remote server is to send the cost to a gateway through which a payment transaction is settled,
• wherein the remote server is to store the account identification data in non-volatile storage only as a one-way hashed value associated with said payment transaction.