DE1474890A1 - Method and device for controlling a vending machine - Google Patents

Description

Soheldt St Baohma nn GmbH. Rheydt (RhId.), Breiteatr. 132

Method and device for controlling a vending machine

The invention relates to a method and apparatus for controlling a vending machine and is particularly for use on dispensing machines for dispensing liquids Fuels determined.

The previously known additional devices for fuel pumps, the fuel customer on Sundays and public holidays as well During the morning hours, refuel at an unoccupied tank allow, can hinsiohtlioh their type of use and their functional principle can be divided into two categories.

In the one type, the dispensing machines are duroh the insertion of a certain amount of money in the form of coins and recently also controlled banknotes, whereby the dispenser usually spends an amount of fuel equivalent to the amount paid in. Many people are liable to this class

909843/0460

U7A890 Naohteile an · The driver usually only has a limited number of sound suitable Müman and able In addition, never estimate exactly what amount he has to pay in order to keep the vehicle's tank as possible to fill completely. If the tank is filled prematurely only the coins or banknotes can be returned, the nooh have not been collected, so that residual amounts that are smaller than the value of the paid-up Coins «the so-called change, not paid back A further disadvantage of this genus is that there is a comparatively large amount of long sleepers Cash is available in the dispenser, which can be broken into proclaimed. So there is no disadvantage that Such dispensing machines are also in operation with mumbled coins or inferior coins in foreign currencies can be taken bo that the dispenser owner not the equivalent to him for the mortgaged Receives fuel.

The second type of dispenser works with credit cards, which are given to fuel customers by the oil company or given to a financing company. · These credit cards are not protected against loss or misuse secured, and there is the disadvantage that the billing of the withdrawn fuel quantities only naoh träglioh takes place and requires a well-organized and costly accounting and collection system » There is still a risk that the user

9Q9843 / 0460

U7A890

are or will be insolvent and join the debt collection process revoke.

The invention was based on the object of a method and a device for controlling a vending machine, in particular a dispensing machine liquid fuels, using a customer card, with the disadvantages of both known Genera should be eliminated and a reliable and safe issue of goods should be made possible

According to the invention there is a method for controlling a vending machine, in particular a dispensing machine for dispensing liquid fuels, under Proposed use of a loyalty card that is marked daduroh that the loyalty card on which a dated Buyer previously paid amount has been magnetized is inserted into a control unit that stores the amount paid in, then the magnetization of the The amount on the card löaoht and the output device, for example the pump of the dispenser, releases that during the dispensing of goods from the free display device, e.g. the price of the dispenser, according to the issued Quantity of goods output impulses in the price unit (D-Pfennig) are sent out, which are deducted from the stored amount in the control unit, and that naoh termination of the Goods issue by pressing a stop button magnetizes the remaining amount on the customer card and the Card is ejected from the control unit "

909843/0460

H74890 With this pre-sole of the invention it is possible that the customer takes any amount of fuel from the vending machine, for example, wherein the entnabmeTorgang is not tied to the presence of certain coins or banknotes and the disadvantage it does not apply that the change cannot be given · On the other hand, the owner is the seller of the goods sautomats are protected against theft as there are no Cash has to be inserted into the control unit of the vending machine

In order to prevent the customer card from being misused vegetables of the invention further proposed to provide the customer card with an invisible code number, The user must key in a corresponding number on a keyboard on the control unit before the Control unit releases goods issue «Since only the holder of the customer card knows the code, this becomes a Abusive use switched off 6

For a preferred embodiment, fiction is according to β proposed to magnetize the identification number by means of a code on the card, whereby the number of the supplementary digits to be keyed in to the next higher one Corresponds to the decimal unit, so that if both digits match, the control unit's code number memory is set to zero.

The method of the invention can with components and Circuits of a known type are carried out. The device required for this is the control unit

909843/0460

with a keyboard, a start button and a stop button as well as a slot for inserting the customer card fitted. The customer card is provided with holes for receiving guide pins of the control unit, to ensure safe storage and orientation of the card for to ensure the scanning and magnetization process.

According to a further feature of the invention it is proposed that the magnetizable part of the customer card between to arrange the holes for the guide pins and above it a field to record the information about the Provide the issuer and the card holder in plain text. Finally, bsi the device according to the invention can Control unit can be coupled with a tape punch and a decoding device, through which a subsequent registration and monitoring of the automatic sales process is possible.

The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the drawings be, where

1 shows an exemplary embodiment of the customer card, 2 shows a diagram of the code chosen as an example, and FIG

FIG. 3 shows the front panel of a control device according to FIG Invention shows.

The customer card 1 shown in Fig. 1 has a blank field 2 for printing the personal details of the card holder and the issuer provided on the customer card. These entries are expediently made in plain text. In the lower part is the customer

909843/0460

.6- U74890

Provide card 1 with holes 5 * 6 and 7, which are used to accommodate guide pins of the control unit. Between these holes 5 * 6.7 there are two fields J> and 4 made of magnetizable material. The prepaid amount in DM and pfennig amounts is invisibly magnetized in field 3 by means of a code. A personal identification number of the cardholder is magnetized in the same code in field 4.

FIG. 2 shows the scheme of code 2 from FIG. 5 chosen as an example for the description. Each digit will represented by two magnetic points, the arrangement of which results in the digits 0 to 9. Following this code example, the Customer card according to Fig. 1, the code number 1 550 525 and the prepaid Amount of money of DM 0I5.00 shown.

The figure J5 shows the front view of the control unit 8 with the controls. The front panel of the control device 8 has a slot 9 for inserting the customer card Mistake. Furthermore, a keyboard 10 with numeric keys 0 to 9 and a start key 11 and a stop key 12 are provided. Not shown in the drawing is an electronic circuit made of components known per se, which the Checks and evaluates every use of the dispenser using a customer card.

The following describes the mode of operation of the device and the sequence of the method according to the invention:

909843/0460

1474890 The user pushes the dispenser to start up the dispenser his customer card in the slot 9 of the control device 8 He presses the start button 11, what the customer card 1 by means of guide pins shown not /, which are in the Retract holes 5,6 and 7, is held * Now the customer card holder keys on the keyboard 10 a Code number that is only confidential to him from the issuing office the customer card 1 has been announced “Biese code number is preferably multi-digit and can, for example, contain the last five digits of the in field 4 of the customer card 1 correspond to the magnetized code number. Advantageously eich jθdooh put them together from the digits, each the digits of the code number magnetized in field 4 10 add. In the example chosen for the code number 1550325, the supplementary number would be 9 550 785.

In the example chosen, the legitimation of the card user is checked in the control device 8 in that the control device 8 for the inserted customer card 1, the digits of field 4, namely 1 550 325 scans and saves « If the user then provides the correct supplementary number 9 550 785 is keyed in on the keyboard 7, all memory production of the identification number memory of the control unit 8 set to 0. Now the control device 8 is the output device, i.e. the pump of the dispenser switched on. If the code number and the supplementary number do not match, If the output device is not put into operation, the customer card 1 is ejected from the control device 8 again.

909843/0460

H74890 Naoh completion of a proper monitoring process » the control unit θ scans the magnetized in field 3 and coded amount of DM 0 15.oo and stores it in a credit pointer. Well the one The magnetization of the fold 3 is stored on the Customer card 1 rom memory erased.

Now the pump of the dispenser starts and the The customer can use any amount of fuel,

provided example up to DM 15 «- take during the The dispensing process is directed to the control unit 8 from the free-roaming machine of the dispenser, whereby each impulse corresponds to a penny · these impulses from the stored amount over 1,500 pfennigs subtracts “If, for example, the customer fills their fuel tank to the full, and this is an amount Tone DM 12.38 consumed, the credit apioer is closer Termination of drawing on the new amount of DM 2.62. The customer ends the dispensing process by hooking up the nozzle and also presses the stop button 12.

After pressing the stop button 12, the control unit 8 causes the remaining amount of Dm 2.62 in the known Code in field 3 of customer card 1 is magnetized. This amount is therefore available to the customer for another Tap available. Now is the customer card unlocked and ejected

For the control of the device it is advantageous, but not absolutely necessary, if the electron

90S843 / CU60

H74890 St «u« rg «r & t · ti« Ioohitrtlftn ·

itaniti · ua * fin · Dteeiitrrexriehittim btkemttr ift t Duroh tint itrtrUgt Bf | ia * uag dtr

Torrlohtuxy wUrt · b «i jti # r B« autiu ^ [it «StyituiMai · !! »Jltttl ·« intr lia | fs | ift # 4Ii lean tlli «f fMftsi HU 4« 9 «$ · d # F AalMg · - uad Iadletraf Fill} i # r IunA« Btott 1 • IgtUfht.ieWl i »r I» tt * U «§t # ft Itiirtn ·· *

9098A3 / 0460

Claims (1)

U74890 1 * Y «rfaar * a i \» Si · «·» »la · * ItrenTerkauf ··»! »· * Th, laefcesoalere · Ιμ · UffstttttttttA iay iuagafci fltit- • lg «r Krtft · * ·! * · »Uater leaatiuag ·!» · * Ii # | enkarte, laliureh gekeanieicfanet, IaI II · Ku »4tnktTU,» ui dtr • la vom Kftttl «r Torfetr tlaitithlitr B« irtg auiaagnttl- ■ itrt word · »lit, becomes tiügesohöljeQ in a support unit, In the tea tlsgtBahlttft Bttrtg sptloh «rt, then dl · Mtfnatiiitrung let amounts · on the card so »Ad Ue AuigalwTorriohtung, BelepieXiieise die ruape le · Zapfattoaatea, releases, IaB »during the Wareoaua« gftV · to «Freiiaatelgegerit, i.B. des Preisreohaer de Automatic dispensers, according to the quantity of goods placed Auagabeiipulee la der Preieeinhfit (D-Pfennig) has been awarded be weighed, the la control unit το * stored amount, and that after completion of the Goods issue duroh bridges a stop button of the Terelelsende remaining amount on the customer card aufmagnet! « S09843 / 046O L, - -_ ..., R. lay (Art. 7, -. / ^ H7A890 alert and the card ejected from the control unit will. 2 · The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the customer card with an invisible identification number is seen and the user keyed in a corresponding number on a keyboard in the control unit must be done before the control unit releases the goods issue 3 «Method according to Claim 2, characterized in that that the code number by means of o codes on the card is magnetized and the number to be keyed in the supplementary number corresponds to the next higher decimal unit, so that if they match, the code number is stored before the control unit is set to zero « 4 · Device for carrying out the method according to claims 1-3, characterized by the fact that the control unit (8) with a keyboard (10), a start button (11) and a stop button (12) and with a sole seat (9) for inserting the customer cart; q (1) equipped is the one with holes (5,6,7) for receiving sound guide « pins of the control unit (8) is provided. 5. Vorriohtung according to Claim 4, daduroh marked, that the magnetizable part of the customer card (1) between the holes (3,6,7) for the guide pin arranged and above the same a field (2) for. Inclusion of information about the donor and the owner the card (1) is provided in plain text. 909843/0460 U7A890 6 · Vorriohiung according to claims 4-5, characterized in, that a tape punch and a decoding device are coupled to the control unit through which a subsequent monitoring of the automatic sales process is mb'glioh. 909843/0460