GB1565552A - Systems for monitoring one or more commodity dispensers - Google Patents

Description

NN (54) IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO SYSTEMS FOR MONITORING ONE OR MORE COMMODITY DISPENSERS (71) 1, FRITZ BREDE, a German National, Trading as MAKO APPARATEBAU FRITZ BREDE, of 74 Frankfurter Strasse, Offenbach/Maine, 6050, Germany, do hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- The present invention relates to a system for monitoring one or more commodity dispensers.

In order to monitor a commodity dispenser, it was hitherto customary to connect the dispenser to a monitoring location by way of, for example, four-wire leads which were specifically laid for this purpose, in order to monitor specific basic functions of the dispensers, such as power supply failure and depletion of the stock of commodity. Signals concerning conditions in the dispenser, which could subsequently lead to malfunctioning, were not transmitted.

Statistical data concerning the sale of the commodity were stored within the dispenser and were periodically collected manually from the dispenser. In addition to the large number of personnel required, this method required a large amount of storage space, which is necessarily limited by the space available in the dispenser and the high costs associated therewith. Furthermore, only units which can withstand extreme environmental influences, which prevail outdoors where the dispensers are generally installed, could be used. This either increased the cost or reduced the reliability, which in turn leads to increased expenditure on repairs. When there was a change in the prices of the commodities on sale, specific components of the dispenser had to be modified or interchanged on the site.

An aim of the present invention is to provide a system in which a plurality of commodity dispensers can be connected to a common central control and monitoring system, many of the above-described disadvantages being largely avoided or reduced. Also, and in particular, expensive storage space susceptible to trouble is to be avoided and the amount of functional data transmitted to the central system is increased without having to lay special wide-band cables for this purpose.

According to the present invention there is provided a system comprising a remote common monitoring station and one or more commodity dispensers each having its own data acquisition and data processing facility and being connected to said monitoring station by way of at least one transmission path, the or each commodity dispenser comprising in serial connection a sensing device for sensing the operating parameters and data of said dispenser, a coder for converting said parameters and data into digital series data, storage means for storing said parameters and data, an isolator stage for isolating said dispenser from the transmission path and a converter for converting the series data into data signals which are transmissible over the transmission path to the monitoring station.

Advantageously, in a system according to the present invention, the commodity dispensers no longer require expensive stores susceptible to trouble, since operating parameters, such as the supply of commodities and small change, as well as statistical data (for example the instant at which the dispenser is operated, quantity and price of the commodity sold) and information concerning faults or anticipated faults (for example when the stock of commodity is running low) do not have to be stored for a long period of time but are transmitted to the remote monitoring station by way of the transmission path or line immediately, or after only a short period of intermediate storage.

Thus, it is no longer necessary to visit the dispenser continuously, since it is only necessary in the event of a fault or an anticipated fault, for example to restock the dispenser with a commodity or to collect the money which has been taken.

By using this system to connect a plurality of dispensers to the remote monitoring station the latter becomes a central location for an entire network of dispensers, and the monitoring operation is rendered particularly efficient.

The system in accordance with the present invention is particularly suitable for ticket dispensers which have to be disposed at widely scattered locations in a communications network.

It is also advantageous that telephone lines can be used to transmit the data to the remote central station and also for the transmission of control signals back to the dispensers. If the telephone lines do not already exist, they can be laid in a simple manner or they can be rented from the postal authorities.

Since the data is transmitted consecutively, there are basically no limits with respect to the number of measuring points to be monitored within the dispenser.

Even functional cycles can be monitored.

With the transmission of statistical sales data, it is possible to collect and statistically evaluate an optional number of details such as (in the case of tickets for example) the data, station of departure, type of tickets (single ticket, return ticket, child's ticket and so on), destination, class and price.

In accordance with anoth;fature feature invention, it is also advantageous for the or each commodity dispenser to have a store for the prices of the commodities, the contents of which store can be changed from the remote monitoring station by signals transmitted to the device. Thus, it is unnecessary to change or interchange specific components in the dispenser in the event of a change in the price or tariff.

To prevent interference voltages from being transmitted from the data line to the commodity dispenser, and vice versa, the isolator stage is provided by means of which the commodity dispenser is galvanically isolated from the data line. It is particularly effective to construct the isolator stage from a luminous diode having a photo-sensitive semiconductor optically connected on the output side thereof.

The present invention will now be further described, by way of example, with referer.ce to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing some of the features of one embodiment of a system according to the present invention, comprising a plurality of ticket dispensers and a remote monitoring station interconnected by data lines; Fig. 2 is a block diagram of one part of the system of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a block diagram of another part of the system, in which prices of stored commodity can be changed from the remote monitoring station; and Fig. 4 is a diagram of an isolation circuit for potential isolation between a ticket dispenser and the remote monitoring station.

The block diagram shown in Fig. 1 constitutes a network or system which comprises a plurality of ticket dispensers 1 and a remote monitoring station 2; the ticket dispensers 1 being connected to the remote monitoring station 2 by way of transmission/audio frequency lines, for example by way of telephone lines 3.

The various operating parameters of the commodity dispenser are detected by a scanning device 4 which can have, for example, measuring devices for electrical currents and voltages, sensing devices for physical and mechanical variables such as temperature, the supply of coins and the commodity, and which also emits a signal indicating, for example, whether the commodity dispenser is securely closed.

The operating parameters, which are usually obtained in analog form and supplied simultaneously, are digitalized by a coder 5 and converted into series data. For the purpose of transmission by means of, for instance, telephone lines, it is then advantageous to convert this series data into a form which can be transmitted by such lines, and which can be received and processed by the remote monitoring station.

This form conversion is effected in a converter 6 connected to the output of the coder 5.

The ticket dispenser 1 is isolated from the data lines 3 by means of an isolator stage 7, since potential transients and voltage peaks, detrimental to the ticket dispenser, are likely to occur in the data line.

Fig. 2 shows a block diagram of a correction device for use in the present invention, for connecting a commodity dispenser to a remote monitoring station.

The most important portion of this connection device comprises a matching unit 8 which makes the data of the operating parameters of the dispenser available in a specific sequence at specific instants for further transmission. The operating parameters may include sales data as well as data concerning the function of the dispenser. For the purpose of monitoring the function, various points within the dispenser are connected to the matching unit 8. This can either be effected directly when the potentials of the sensing points have already been digitalized, or by way of analog-to-digital converters which, in the first instance, convert analog signals into digital signals. The digital signals of the sensing points monitored in this manner are combined to form an "actual-state word" and are compared with a "desired state word".When the actual value is identical to the desired value, this means that all the functions of the dispenser are being effected normally. If this is not the case, a corresponding fault signal is transmitted from the matching unit 8 to the remote monitoring station. The matching unit is at the same time brought into a readiness state in order to transmit the condition of each individual monitoring point to the remote monitoring station on request.

In addition to this function monitoring, the matching unit 8 also renders it possible to collect data concerning the sales operations. By way of example, in the case of a ticket dispenser, all data in the matching unit 8 concerning the tickets which have been sold is stored in a buffer store and is transmitted to the remote monitoring station upon request.

As may be seen from Fig. 2, the matching unit 8 includes a plurality of sensing points 9 for the operating parameters of the dispenser, which pick up the function parameters as well as the sales data. In so far as it is necessary, these operating parameters are converted into digital data in an analog-to-digital converter 10. For the purpose of storing the state word and the data word in a buffer store 12, its is advantageous to multiplex this digital data, that is to make series data out of the data existing in parallel, and this is effected in unit I I arranged between converter 10 and store 12.

The matching unit 8 can assume four different operating states.

1. Operating state "data word stored" (DS): This operating state means that the ticket dispenser has sold one ticket or two tickets. The data word, which contains the sales data of the ticket, has not yet been demanded by the remote monitoring station and is still located in the buffer store 12. The buffer store can comprise two storage elements, a respective storage element containing the date of each ticket when two tickets have been sold. The matching unit 8 then produces a signal (DS2) which indicates that other data words (DSl ... DS4) exist.

2. Operating state 'selling' (VM): In this operating state, no data words of a previously sold ticket are stored. However, the dispenser is not in its inoperating condition since, for example, a fresh customer may be actuating the dispenser and, has possibly pressed a destination button. The matching unit 8 supplies a signal (VM) which indicates this operating condition.

3. Mode of operation "state word exists" (ZS): When one of the conditions to be monitored is in a state which is not in the standard range, this prevents the actual value of the state word from corresponding to the desired value, which causes the dispenser to assume this operating state. In this operating state, the matching unit 8 signals (ZS1) indicating that further state words (ZS1 ... ZS6) exist and, upon request (ZS2), transmits this state word to the remote monitoring station.

4. Finally, the dispenser can also assume an operating state in which none of the above-mentioned data is available. In this case, the matching unit 8 compiles a message which signifies that the dispenser is in its rest state. Upon request, this message is transmitted to the remote monitoring station.

These four operating states have differing priorities. The operating state mentioned under item 4 is only possible when the other three do not exixt, the operating state "state word exists" (item 3) occurs only when the two operating states "selling" and "data word stored" do not exist, and the operating state "selling" is only possible when the operating state "data work stored" is not specified.

When, for example, the dispenser is in its rest or inoperative state and a customer presses, for example, a button on the dispenser which states the destination, the dispenser is transferred from state 4 to state 2 "selling". When the customer now inserts the money for the ticket, the dispenser delivers the corresponding ticket and subsequently assumes state 1 in which a data word is stored which includes, for example, the destination station which may comprise 12 bits in BCD code, and the class of commodity and the type of ticket (8 bits), the price (16 bits) and the change (16 bits).

Thus, the data word stored in this manner comprises, for exaniple, 52 bits. The existence of this data word is signalled to the remote monitoring station which immediately, or after a specific period of time, demands this data work (1).

The data supplied and received by the matching unit 8 pass through a potential isolator stage 13 by means of which static and dynamic faults are largely eliminated.

The potential separation is effected by distributing the varioius data of the matching unit 8 to respective data lines 14.

Each data line 14 leads to a luminous diode 16 (see Fig. 4) which, in one logic state, produces a light signal 18 when, for example, the central location has to repeatedly read a number of dispensers one after the other in specific time cycles, while the luminous diode remains dark in the other logic state. The light signal 18 impinges on a photosensitive semiconductor 17 which then changes its logic state and transmits it by way of a line 15. Effective potential separation is rendered possible by this transitory conversion of the electrical signals into optical signals. The optical portion of the transmission path is designated 18 in Fig. 2. The diode and the photosensitive semiconductor is located in block 19 or in block 20 respectively to the direction of the signals (see arrows).

Table I shows which signals flow in which direction through the potential isolator stage 13 formed by elements 18, 19 and 20.

TABLE I Signals in the potential isolator stage 13 Signal Number direction Name of Designation of lines Block 19-20 the line Data word 4 DWl...4 Data address 4 v DAI . . . 4 Interrogation data word 1 v DS I Data stored 1 e DS2 Erase data store 1 v DS3 State word 6 -t ZW1..6 State word address 4 c ZAl . .4 State word present 1 e ZS l Interrogation state word 1 v ZS2 State word ready for transmission 1 e ZS3 Local operation 1 v LB Local operation answer-back signal 1 ) LZ Sales mode 1 e VM Put out of operation 1 v AB Out of operation report 1 < AZ 29 By way of example, the information of the data word flows from block 19 to block 20 by way of 4 lines.The data thus obtained in parallel has to be converted again in a coder 21 into series data which are then modulated in a block 22 to form audiofrequency signals which can be transmitted to the remote monitoring station by way of the telephone lines 3.

The block 22 designated "Modem" also demodulates incoming audio-frequency signals and converts them intQ digital form then transmits them to the potential isolator stage 13 by way of the block 21 which now acts as a decoder. When, for example, the remote monitoring station desires to read a data word, it sends a corresponding signal (DSI) to the demodulator 22 by way of the telephone lines 3 and the decoder 21, to the potential isolator stage 13 from where the signal is transmitted from block 20 by way of the light path DSI to the block 19 and thus to the matching unit 8. The data word is then read out of the buffer store 12 from the address fines DA1 to DA4 by means of a control circuit 23 in a decade-wise manner in accordance with the BCD code.After this data word DS2 has arrived at the remote monitoring station 2, a signal DS3 produced by the latter erases the transmitted data block in the buffer store 12. As already mentioned, the matching unit 8 has a buffer store comprising two storage elements. Thus, it is ensured that, after the sale of a ticket, a further, ticket can be sold without the loss of data. When the two storage elements are full and the dispenser is in the operating state "data word stored" (DS), the dispenser does not sell any further tickets until either the storage element is free or the dispenser is changed over to "local operation". This change-over to "local operation' is effected by means of a signal LB which is supplied by the remote monitoring station 2. The state "local operation" is reported back to the remote monitoring station by means of a signal LZ.

During "local operation", tickets can still be sold when the two storage elements of the buffer store 12 are full.

~ The operating state "sales mode" (VM) is also reported to the remote monitoring station by means of an appropriately designated signal. This type of operation occurs when no data words are stored and the dispenser is not in its rest state. "Not in rest state" means, as already mentioned, that a customer has selected at least one destination station.

The operating state "state word present" (ZW) also leads to the transmission of corresponding signals to the remote monitoring station 2.

In operating one embodiment of the invention the 28 monitoring points listed in Table II, were connected within the dispenser to the matching unit 8, the information from these monitoring points comprising 60 bits. These 60 bits can be transmitted under the following conditions: 1. The dispenser is in its rest state and the monitoring points do not give the fixed state word; 2. The dispenser is "out of operation".

TABLE II Dispenser Monitoring points Bits "out of operation" 1) Indication "in operation" 1 X 2) Input store 1 X 3) Price store output 1 X 4) Price store amplifier 1 X 5) Coin slot closed 1 6a) Coin tester coins 1 X 6b) Coin tester banknotes 1 Banknote tester "out cf operation" 6c) Coin tester banknotes 1 7) Display switched off 8) Logic data lines zero 1 X 9) Computer store zero 1 X 10) Changer control 1 X 11) Supply of change low (per coin) 6 12) Supply of change exhausted (per coin) 6 13) Supply of tickets low 1 14) Supply of tickets exhausted 1 X 15) Push-button in normal state 1 X 16) Main printer control in normal state 1 X 17) Price printer control in normal state 1 X 18) Tickets available in printer 1 19) Photocell free price printer 1 X 20) Sequence control monitoring 1 21) Monitoring 3 voltage 3 X 22) Monitoring temperature 1 23) Monitoring clock pulses 1 X if more than 5 min 24) Magazine pulled 1 X 25) Steady current doors upon break-in 1 X Upon opening with key 1 X Upon opening with magazine door 1 X 26) Steady current all plugs 1 X 27) Push-button finds no revertive signal 1 28) Magazine full 1 X As may be seen from Table II, many monitoring points require only 1 bit, while other monitoring points require several bits.

Thus, 1 bit is sufficient to inform the remote monitoring station that the indication sign "in operation" provided on the dispenser is lit up. The serviceability of the input store, the price output, and the price store amplifier are also each indicated by 1 bit, as are the closed state of the coin slot, and the serviceability of the testers for coins and banknotes. Only 1 bit is also required to monitor the operation of the computing electronics which have to be switched to zero at the commencement of each calculation. On the other hand, a total data flow of 6 bits is required to interrogate the supply of small changes, since 6 different coins have to be available in the example under consideration. The same applied to the indication that the supply small change is exhausted.Further test signals relate to the supply of tickets and to the printer which prints the blank tickets, different printers being provided for, for example, destination and price. The monitoring of operating voltages, temperature and block pulses in each case requires further bits, as does the checking whether the money magazine has been pulled out, or whether the doors have been opened illegally or by means of a key.

An 'X' in Table II alongside a monitoring points means that a fault signal will be reported and the device put out of operation.

Fig. 3 shows a modified connection device in which the stored commodity process can be changed from the remote monitoring station. In the system hitherto described, the device connecting the commodity dispenser and the remote monitoring station serves to test the function of the dispenser and to transmit the data of the commodities sold. However, with the modified device illustrated in Fig.

3, it is additionally possible in the event of changes in the tariff, to load the price stores, provided in the dispenser, for a short period of time without great expenditure of time or money.

For this purpose, the fixed value store used in the arrangement of Fig. 2 is replaced by a store with random access which can be freshly loaded from the remote monitoring station 2 by means of the components already provided.

In the case of a ticket dispenser, there are a specific number of tickets which the dispenser can print. For example, each dispenser can dispense tickets for 120 different destination stations. By way of example, 10 different types of tickets and 2 classes of tickets are obtainable for each destination station. It follows from this that a total of 2400 different tickets can be dispensed, that is 120 destination stations times 10 types times 2 classes. This means that the price store has 2400 groups of, for example, 12 bits each which have to be freshly loaded with each change in the tariff.

Upon freshly loading the store, the entire store contents of 2400 prices have to be divided into several blocks for the purpose of transmission, in order to facilitate addressing, to simplify synchronization between the computer and the dispenser, and to detect transmission errors at an earlier instant. By way of example, 20 prices might be combined to form a data block. This results in 120 data blocks which amount to the total contents of the store. A data block of this size would have the advantage that, for example, a 7 bit word is sufficient to accommodate one block address. Such 7 bit words are also customary in order to exchange the rest of the data between the dispenser and the remote monitoring station.

The transmission of fresh data for the price store can be initiated by the remote monitoring station which, for example, in the event of a change in the tariff, requests the ticket dispenser 1 to receive fresh prices in the store.

Furthermore, it should be possible for the ticket dispenser to request the remote monitoring station to re-load the store. This may be necessary when the monitoring of the price store gives rise to doubts about the correctness of the stored data.

Advantageously, the dispenser is then put out of operation and, by utilising one of the monitoring bits not yet engaged, the remote monitoring station is requested to freshly load the store. As soon as the remote monitoring station reacts to this request, the first operating state occurs again. A signal to freshly load the store is supplied to the dispenser by the remote monitoring station.

Thus, the first step of each transmission is a signal which indicates that the remote monitoring station is ready to transmit. The dispenser replies to this with a signal which reports that it is ready to receive. This signal is given only when the dispenser is in its rest state. If the dispenser is effecting a selling operation, the signal is not transmitted until the current transaction has been completed.

The keyboard is locked as soon as the dispenser signals that it is ready to receive, so that tickets cannot be selected by customers during the transmission.

Referring to Figure 3, the price data, transmitted from the remote monitoring station, in the first instance travels along the customary path by way of the integers 22, 21, 20 and 19 from where it is received in a buffer store 24. The data then enters the price store 26 by way of a demultiplexer 25.

The entire operation is controlled by the control circuit 23. During the transfer of the data, the dispenser also checks whether the data is correct. If an error occurs in a text block a revertive signal applied to the remote monitoring station requests the latter to repeat the block. When all the blocks have been transmitted, the ticket dispenser returns to its rest state and can again be operated by customers.

By way of example, the price stores may be in the form of static price stores which store the data electrostatically. A reverse battery can be provided in the ticket dispenser in order to avoid loss of the stored information in the event of a power failure.

Since operating voltage surges during the data transmission can lead to faulty data storage, it may be advantageous to monitor the current supply if the price store and, for example, to use each voltage surge to release a relay, whereupon the dispenser is put out of operation and the remote monitoring station is informed that the store has to be freshly loaded. It is only then that the relay reassumes its for example, selfholding state, and thus puts the dispenser into operation again when the last text block has been correctly received during the reloading of the store.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A system comprising a remote common monitoring station and one or more commodity dispensers each having its own data acquisition and data processing facility and being connected to said monitoring station by way of at least one transmission path, the or each commodity dispenser comprising in serial connection a sensing device for sensing the operative parameters and data of said dispenser, a coder for converting said parameters and data into digital series data, storage means for storing said parameters and data, an isolator stage for isolating said dispenser from the

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (5)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. 3, it is additionally possible in the event of changes in the tariff, to load the price stores, provided in the dispenser, for a short period of time without great expenditure of time or money. For this purpose, the fixed value store used in the arrangement of Fig. 2 is replaced by a store with random access which can be freshly loaded from the remote monitoring station 2 by means of the components already provided. In the case of a ticket dispenser, there are a specific number of tickets which the dispenser can print. For example, each dispenser can dispense tickets for 120 different destination stations. By way of example, 10 different types of tickets and 2 classes of tickets are obtainable for each destination station. It follows from this that a total of 2400 different tickets can be dispensed, that is 120 destination stations times 10 types times 2 classes. This means that the price store has 2400 groups of, for example, 12 bits each which have to be freshly loaded with each change in the tariff. Upon freshly loading the store, the entire store contents of 2400 prices have to be divided into several blocks for the purpose of transmission, in order to facilitate addressing, to simplify synchronization between the computer and the dispenser, and to detect transmission errors at an earlier instant. By way of example, 20 prices might be combined to form a data block. This results in 120 data blocks which amount to the total contents of the store. A data block of this size would have the advantage that, for example, a 7 bit word is sufficient to accommodate one block address. Such 7 bit words are also customary in order to exchange the rest of the data between the dispenser and the remote monitoring station. The transmission of fresh data for the price store can be initiated by the remote monitoring station which, for example, in the event of a change in the tariff, requests the ticket dispenser 1 to receive fresh prices in the store. Furthermore, it should be possible for the ticket dispenser to request the remote monitoring station to re-load the store. This may be necessary when the monitoring of the price store gives rise to doubts about the correctness of the stored data. Advantageously, the dispenser is then put out of operation and, by utilising one of the monitoring bits not yet engaged, the remote monitoring station is requested to freshly load the store. As soon as the remote monitoring station reacts to this request, the first operating state occurs again. A signal to freshly load the store is supplied to the dispenser by the remote monitoring station. Thus, the first step of each transmission is a signal which indicates that the remote monitoring station is ready to transmit. The dispenser replies to this with a signal which reports that it is ready to receive. This signal is given only when the dispenser is in its rest state. If the dispenser is effecting a selling operation, the signal is not transmitted until the current transaction has been completed. The keyboard is locked as soon as the dispenser signals that it is ready to receive, so that tickets cannot be selected by customers during the transmission. Referring to Figure 3, the price data, transmitted from the remote monitoring station, in the first instance travels along the customary path by way of the integers 22, 21, 20 and 19 from where it is received in a buffer store 24. The data then enters the price store 26 by way of a demultiplexer 25. The entire operation is controlled by the control circuit 23. During the transfer of the data, the dispenser also checks whether the data is correct. If an error occurs in a text block a revertive signal applied to the remote monitoring station requests the latter to repeat the block. When all the blocks have been transmitted, the ticket dispenser returns to its rest state and can again be operated by customers. By way of example, the price stores may be in the form of static price stores which store the data electrostatically. A reverse battery can be provided in the ticket dispenser in order to avoid loss of the stored information in the event of a power failure. Since operating voltage surges during the data transmission can lead to faulty data storage, it may be advantageous to monitor the current supply if the price store and, for example, to use each voltage surge to release a relay, whereupon the dispenser is put out of operation and the remote monitoring station is informed that the store has to be freshly loaded. It is only then that the relay reassumes its for example, selfholding state, and thus puts the dispenser into operation again when the last text block has been correctly received during the reloading of the store. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A system comprising a remote common monitoring station and one or more commodity dispensers each having its own data acquisition and data processing facility and being connected to said monitoring station by way of at least one transmission path, the or each commodity dispenser comprising in serial connection a sensing device for sensing the operative parameters and data of said dispenser, a coder for converting said parameters and data into digital series data, storage means for storing said parameters and data, an isolator stage for isolating said dispenser from the

transmission path and a converter for converting the series data into data signals which are transmissible over the transmission path to the monitoring station.

2. A system according to Claim I comprising a changeable data storage means for each of said commodity dispensers for storing the prices of the commodities, the contents of which data storage means can be accessed directly by the remote monitoring station.

3. A system according to Claim 1 wherein said isolator stages are formed by optical coupling means.

4. A system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the or each transmission path is formed by a telephone line.

5. A system constructed substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.