Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
  • G07F—COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
  • G07F5/00—Coin-actuated mechanisms; Interlocks
  • G07F5/18—Coin-actuated mechanisms; Interlocks specially adapted for controlling several coin-freed apparatus from one place
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
  • G07F—COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
  • G07F9/00—Details other than those peculiar to special kinds or types of apparatus
  • G07F9/002—Vending machines being part of a centrally controlled network of vending machines
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
  • G07F—COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
  • G07F9/00—Details other than those peculiar to special kinds or types of apparatus
  • G07F9/02—Devices for alarm or indication, e.g. when empty; Advertising arrangements in coin-freed apparatus
  • G07F9/026—Devices for alarm or indication, e.g. when empty; Advertising arrangements in coin-freed apparatus for alarm, monitoring and auditing in vending machines or means for indication, e.g. when empty

Definitions

• the global remote management and remote maintenance system makes it possible to carry out remote advertising, collection, transport and processing of data on a fleet of automatic distributors of products using telecommunications technologies as follows:
• Wired technologies Switched Telephone Network, Integrated Services Digital Network, Specialized Links.
• the current equipment implemented in automatic distribution allows electronic payment management of distributors by local collection using portable terminals. Data is collected on coin acceptors, equipment hosting in most cases the intelligence of the vending machine, by serial or infrared link.
• the consolidation of the data is carried out in deferred time on an application software hosted on the central processing site, by serial connection of the portable collection terminal.
• the maintenance of automatic dispensers is strictly palliative with delayed processing after discovery of the malfunction by the manager of automatic dispensers or call by the user of the latter.
• Optimization of replenishment is in most cases non-existent because the manager of the vending machine fleet does not know the state of charge of products (quality and quantity) of the distributors before replenishment. In the case where optimization exists, it is the result either of a statistical knowledge of the fleet, or of the statistical consolidation carried out from forms filled in manually by the operators during the previous replenishment.
• the replenishment operation is most often systematized for the entire fleet concerned, resulting in a significant induced management cost.
• these days it is limited on some distributors to a static advertising image printed on the front of the distributor.
• the invention of a global system for collecting, transporting and processing statistical, electronic payment, technical and multimedia alarms allows:
• This system ensures the reconciliation between the sales made, the products loaded and the payment collected.
• the data collection, transport and processing system includes the following subsets:
• Figure 1 shows the architecture of the transport and collection sub-assembly. 4
• FIG. 2 represents the architecture of the processing sub-assembly.
• FIG. 3 shows the general block diagram
• FIG. 4 represents the processing carried out by the processing sub-assembly (supervisor).
• the invented system integrates different technologies in order to be applicable in all environments.
• the collection and transport sub-assembly includes three elements:
• the internal element (controller) is composed as follows:
• the optional multimedia set is made up of speakers, one or more graphic or semi-graphic screens, an electronic and computer module comprising a mass memory, display management programs.
• the external element is a mobile, portable, passive computer terminal, serving as a signature and validation system. This element is composed as follows:
• connection cord allowing power supply via the controller and access to its data.
• the data entry terminal allows user-friendly entry of the quantity and quality of the products remaining in the vending machine.
• the data entry terminal allows user-friendly entry of the quantity and quality of products in the machine after replenishment.
• Access to the distributor's data via controller is conditioned by the presence of the operator's smart card, making it possible to identify the operator and consequently sign the replenishment carried out.
• the write operation on the chip card, of the quality and quantity of the restocked products (as well as the quantity and quality of the remaining products for the electromechanical automatic distributors), allows consolidation of the statistical data, complementary to the data transmitted directly over the air via the controller.
• the processing sub-assembly includes the following four elements: • the communication front ends (one normal and the other emergency),
• the communication fronts integrate the different wired telecommunications technologies in order to be functional in all cases.
• Each communication front end includes a double secure power supply and the input / output equipment.
• the front ends have analog or digital equipment as input depending on the wired technology used.
• the front ends have at their output equipment made up of multi-channel modem cards sized according to the following criteria:
• Each front end has distributed security functions with authentication of incoming calls.
• the doubling of the communication front ensures a secure routing of 7
• Each communication front end will be sized for a nominal communication load with a safety factor of 2.
• the two communication fronts offer a global factor of security 4, allowing to take into account any specific phenomenon of overflow of the nominal communication load, caused in particular by calls generated following malfunctions or problems of service continuity on the wireless network.
• the link between the normal and emergency communication front ends is ensured by a secure link.
• Each supervisor consists of a computer equipped with communication cards as follows:
• each supervisor is dimensioned directly according to the population of vending machine parks managed and monitored remotely.
• the software architecture includes two modules as follows:
• processing module consisting of a database for consolidation and sorting of data, graphic representation of the automatic distribution fleet with a dynamic link on consolidation.
• the hypervisor consists of a microcomputer equipped with a communication card as follows: 8
• the hardware architecture of the hypervisor is directly dimensioned according to the logical size of the database of normal and emergency supervisors and of the population of managed vending machine parks.
• the geographic interrogation system consists of a microcomputer equipped with a communication card as follows:
• the hardware architecture of the geographic interrogation system is directly dimensioned according to the population of operators of maintenance of automatic distribution systems and the population of the latter.
• processing module for calculating routes and optimizing routes for operators.
• the collection and transport sub-assembly is integrated in a metal box, open chassis type including a receptacle for the radio modem.
• the radio antenna requires two holes in the distributor's roof for its own fixing as well as for the passage of the cable connecting it to the radio modem.
• the optional multimedia set requires the adaptation of one or more facades of the vending machine for the implementation of the graphic or semi-graphic screen and / or the speakers: the screen will be protected by a transparent window on the facade or by a transparent protective plate in the case where the facade is pierced.
• the controller dialogues with the automatic distributor and the coin mechanism of said distributor via the associated communication protocol. • The controller processes the data collected in order to distinguish the data to be transmitted without delay and the data to be transmitted by deferred transmission.
• the controller dialogues with the radio modem via the appropriate communication protocol. • The controller manages the archiving of advertising messages, crossing times
• the semi-automated collection and transport of statistical data is as follows: • The computer input terminal is connected to the controller.
• the smart card is inserted into an appropriate reader associated with a computer, connected through wired or wireless networks, to the remote processing sub-assembly.
• the controller breaks down as follows: 10
• alarm management empty column, abnormal temperature, lack of mains power, problem with radio modem or radio network, test, door open, ...
• the computer input terminal is a portable box allowing the operator to identify himself (through his smart card) and connect to the controller in order to have access to certain functionalities.
• the supervisor makes it possible to process by unit, site, region, department, park, all of the following qualitative and quantitative information:
• Any consultation is filtered by the secure communication module in order to identify the source of the request and thus avoid any unauthorized consultation.
• a total or partial view of data will be offered.
• the hypervisor is described as follows:
• the geographic interrogation system in conjunction with the hypervisor makes it possible to perform the localization and monitoring of operator vehicles by geographic real-time satellite positioning system in soft real time (45 seconds) with route calculation and route optimization .
• This system allows the manager to position and track the vehicles of its operators equipped with a geographic positioning transmitter followed by satellite on maps displayed for local, regional and national routes.
• zone detection with the triggering of an alarm or message when a vehicle enters or leaves a previously defined zone.
• This invention is used by any company wishing to manage a fleet of automatic distributors for the distribution of products (press, food products, consumables, advertising).
• Each distributor must be equipped with the on-board sub-assembly ensuring communication with remote processing, and a multimedia assembly for the dissemination of advertising messages or information.

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• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Business, Economics & Management (AREA)
• Accounting & Taxation (AREA)
• Control Of Vending Devices And Auxiliary Devices For Vending Devices (AREA)
• Management, Administration, Business Operations System, And Electronic Commerce (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Publications (2)

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ID=9522250

Family Applications (1)

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Family Cites Families (6)

• 1998
  • 1998-05-05 EP EP98924374A patent/EP1050029B1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1998-05-05 DE DE69803887T patent/DE69803887D1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1998-05-05 WO PCT/FR1998/000896 patent/WO1999057692A1/fr active IP Right Grant

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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