IES84006Y1 - Product dispensing system - Google Patents
Product dispensing system Download PDFInfo
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- IES84006Y1 IES84006Y1 IE2004/0697A IE20040697A IES84006Y1 IE S84006 Y1 IES84006 Y1 IE S84006Y1 IE 2004/0697 A IE2004/0697 A IE 2004/0697A IE 20040697 A IE20040697 A IE 20040697A IE S84006 Y1 IES84006 Y1 IE S84006Y1
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- product
- barcode
- pos terminal
- scanner
- barcode data
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- 230000000875 corresponding Effects 0.000 claims description 15
- 235000019504 cigarettes Nutrition 0.000 description 3
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- 241000710959 Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus Species 0.000 description 1
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Abstract
ABSTRACT A product dispensing system comprises a point of sale (POS) terminal (16), a barcode scanner (18), and a dispensing machine (10) for selectively dispensing individual product items of different product types in response to a dispense request identifying a particular product type. The dispense request may be generated by pressing a particular key on a keyboard (l2§ or by scanning a barcode label on a sheet of such labels. A date store stores a plurality of product type IDs and a plurality of related barcode data each associated with a respective product type, and a controller automatically supplies to the POS terminal the barcode data relating to any product item successfully dispensed by the dispensing machine in response to a dispense request. For the product items not dispensed from the dispensing machine, the controller supplies the POS terminal with the barcode data scanned by the barcode scanner.
Description
Product Dispensing System
This invention relates to a product dispensing system.
In a prior art product dispensing system, Figure I, a
dispensing machine 10 containing product items of different
product types is controlled by a remote keyboard-operated
control unit 12, herein referred to simply as a keyboard unit.
A user presses a respective key (or combination of keys) on
the keyboard unit corresponding to a desired product type and
the dispensing machine selectively dispenses an item of that
product type. A common example of such a machine is a
cigarette vending machine located behind a supermarket counter
where, for example, each product type is a different brand of
cigarette. In this case, where the packet includes a barcode,
this can be scanned at a point of sale (POS) terminal to
register the sale of the product item along with any other
product items being purchased by a customer. The POS terminal
(PC) based terminal.
is usually a personal-computer
It will be appreciated that cigarettes are relatively high
value items and it is important to ensure that the number of
packets being dispensed is reconciled with the number sold, to
prevent packets being dispensed without being paid for. In
the system of Figure I, the keyboard unit 12 includes a
printer port 13 which is connected to a printer l4 to allow a
journal to be printed. This however requires manual
reconciliation with sales recorded by the POS terminal.
In one prior art solution to this problem, Figure 2, a
modified POS terminal 16’ is directly connected to the
dispensing machine l0. However, for a dispensing machine
manufacturer, this means that dedicated software must be
produced for each POS terminal and for each version of till
control software running on a POS terminal replicating the
functionality of the keyboard 12 to ensure that each product
dispensed will be registered as a sale.
According to the present invention there is provided a product
dispensing system cooperable with a point of sale (POS)
terminal having a barcode scanner for scanning barcodes on
product items and providing respective barcode data in
response to the scanning of each item, said dispensing system
comprising a machine for selectively dispensing individual
product items of different product types in response to a
dispense request identifying a particular product type, a data
store for storing a plurality of product type identifiers and
a plurality of related barcode data each associated with a
respective product type identifier, and a controller for
automatically supplying to the POS terminal the barcode data
relating to product items successfully dispensed by the
dispensing machine in response to a dispense request, said
controller supplying to the POS terminal the barcode data
scanned by the barcode scanner for product items not dispensed
from the dispensing machine
Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of
example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in
which:
Figure 1 shows a conventional dispensing system;
Figure 2 shows another conventional dispensing system;
Figure 3 shows a first embodiment of a dispensing system
according to the present invention;
Figure 4 shows a second embodiment of a dispensing system
according to the present invention;
Figure 5 shows a multi—till embodiment of a dispensing system
according to the present invention;
Figure 6 shows a second multi—till embodiment of a dispensing
system according to the present invention; and
Figure 7 shows an interface circuit which can be used with the
embodiments of Figures 3 to 6.
In a first embodiment of the invention, Figure 3, a modified
keyboard unit 12' for controlling the dispensing machine 10 is
provided with an adapter 20 for a barcode scanner 18 of a type
normally used by a conventional POS terminal 16. This is
typically a PS/2 or RS-232 type adapter, although the present
invention is not limited to any particular type of adapter.
The keyboard unit 12’ in turn includes a port 22 for providing
a connection to an adapter 24 on the POS terminal 16 into
which a barcode scanner would be plugged in a conventional
setup. The adapters 20 and 24 are preferably of the same
type.
The keyboard unit l2’ is initially programmed to associate
different barcode data produced by the scanner 18 with
respective different product types to be dispensed from the
dispensing machine 10. This can be done either by uploading
pre—programmed information to the unit 12’, for example,
through the adapter 20, or by training the unit 12’.
In the latter case, the keyboard unit 12’ is set to program
through a set of pre—defined keystrokes or
mode, for example,
by switching a hard switch. An item of each product type to
be dispensed by the dispensing machine 10 is scanned in turn.
The keyboard unit 12’ receives the barcode data provided by
the scanner 18 in respect of each such item and, upon pressing
a corresponding keyboard unit key (or combination of keys),
stores it in association with an identifier (ID) of the
corresponding product type, preferably in non—volatile
internal memory. Thus the keyboard unit memory contains a
table associating each different product type with a
respective different barcode and a respective different
keyboard unit key or key combination, the latter being the key
or key combination which is pressed in normal use of the
system to dispense an item of that product type.
The keyboard unit 12’ controls switching circuitry described
in normal use, the scanner
in more detail later such that,
port 20 is connected directly to the port 22 of the POS
terminal 16. Thus, as product items other than those
dispensed from the dispensing machine 10 are scanned, the
barcode data provided by the scanner 18 is fed directly to the
POS terminal 16 in normal manner. However, when a key or key
combination on the keyboard unit 12’ is pressed which
corresponds to a product type in the dispensing machine 10,
the keyboard unit first provides a “dispense request” to the
machine which instructs the dispensing machine to dispense an
If successful, the
item of the corresponding product type.
keyboard unit 12’ then automatically switches out the scanner
18 and supplies from its internal memory the barcode data
corresponding to the product type dispensed to the POS
terminal 16.
As will be described, in this embodiment, as well as in
program mode, the keyboard unit 12’ can be programmed to
“listen” to barcode data scanned by scanner 18. In case an
operator scans a product item dispensed from the dispensing
machine 10, the keyboard unit 12’ can either ignore this scan
or warn the operator that a sale may be recorded twice.
Figure 7 shows an example of switching circuitry 70 contained
within the keyboard unit 12’ suitable for implementing various
embodiments of the invention. [The switching circuitry
primarily comprises two sub—circuits: sub—circuit 70A for
controlling PS/2—type connector POS terminals and scanners and
sub—circuit 7OB for controlling RS232—type connector POS
terminals, scanners and printers.
For the embodiment of Figure 3, by comparison with
conventional keyboard unit circuitry, the keyboard unit
circuitry includes 4 additional control lines DLl...DL4 which
are connected to the switching circuitry through jumper J7.
Signals on the control lines DLl...DL4 control respective
relays LSl...LS4. Figure 7 shows the positions of the relays
when the signals on the control lines are OFF (the control
signals are active low, so they are high when OFF and low when
ON). A master relay LS5 controls a reference voltage VEE
supplied to each of the relays LS1...LS4 and so enables such
relays for switching under the control of DLl...DL4.
The keyboard unit control lines for the printer 14, previously
are now connected to adapter J3, and
connected to the port l3,
the keyboard unit printer port 13 is now connected to jumper
J5. When control line DL3 is set OFF by the keyboard unit 12’
the changeover contacts of the relay LS3 are in their lower
positions, as seen in Figure 7, so that the keyboard unit
printer port 13, connected to jumper J5, is connected via
relay LS3 to adapter J3. Thus, when a journal is required it
can be printed as before, and this can be done independently
of whether RS232 or PS/2 type scanner/POS terminal equipment
is being used. However, in normal operation of the unit (i.e.
other than when a journal is required to be printed) the
control line DL3 is set ON, so that the changeover contacts of
the relay LS3 are normally in their upper positions.
Where the scanner and POS terminal have RS232-type connectors,
the scanner 18 is connected to adapter J4 and the POS terminal
to adapter J6. Pin 1 of each adapter J3...J6 is TX, pin 2
RX and pin 3 is connected to ground.
Control line DL4 is normally OFF and connects scanner TX to
POS terminal RX and to the keyboard printer port RX (scanner
RX is permanently connected to POS terminal TX — so the
scanner 18 is always “listening” to the POS terminal 16). As
product items other than those from the dispensing machine 10
are scanned by the scanner 18, the POS terminal 16 picks up
the signals from the scanner and can in turn control the
scanner as required. In this state, the keyboard unit 12’ can
listen to scanner signals through the printer port at adapter
J3. Thus, if it detects a scanner signal corresponding to a
barcode stored in memory and associated with a dispensing
machine product type, it can for example sound an audible
alarm to indicate a product sale is being recorded twice (in
this state, however, it cannot stop the scanner signal being
provided to the POS terminal).
When a keyboard unit 12’ key or key combination is pressed
corresponding to a product item in the dispensing machine 10
and the corresponding product item is successfully dispensed,
the control line DL4 is switched ON and connects the keyboard
printer port TX to the POS terminal RX via the relay LS4, the
scanner TX being temporarily open circuited. The keyboard
unit 12’ now retrieves from its internal memory the barcode
data corresponding to the product type just dispensed by the
machine 10 and sends such data to the POS terminal 16, so
ensuring that the sale of the product item will be recorded
without user intervention.
In the case of the scanner 18 and POS terminal 16 having PS/2
ports, a single adapter connected to jumper J2 is connected
via a split lead to each of the scanner and POS terminal; in
other words, the scanner and POS terminal are connected in
parallel to jumper J2.
receives PS/2 control signals which are connected to jumper
The keyboard unit 12’ produces and
When the control lines DL1 and DL2 are OFF, as seen in Figure
, the signal lines of scanner 18 are connected through relay
LS1 to the opposite signal lines of the POS terminal 16. Thus
scanner Data_Out and CK_Out are connected respectively to POS
terminal Data_IN1 and CK_IN1. As both scanner 18 and POS
terminal 16 are connected in parallel to the same adapter, POS
terminal Data_Out and CK~Out are likewise connected to Scanner
Data_1N1 and CK_IN1 via relay LS1. This is the normal
operating mode of the system, i.e. when non—dispensing machine
product items are being scanned. When DLl is on and DL2 is
off, the scanner 18 is connected to the POS terminal 16 as
before, but the keyboard unit 12’ can now listen to the
scanner output available at jumper J1 via relay LS2.
When a keyboard unit 12’ key or key combination is pressed
corresponding to a product item in the dispensing machine 10
and the corresponding product item is successfully dispensed,
the control lines DL1 and DL2 are switched ON. This
disconnects the scanner 18 from the POS terminal 16 and
connects the keyboard unit 12’ to the POS terminal 16 via J1,
LS2 and J2. As before, this allows the keyboard unit 12’ to
retrieve from its internal memory the barcode data
corresponding to the product type just dispensed by the
machine 10 and send such data to the POS terminal 16.
Switching on DL1 and DL2 also connects the keyboard unit 12’
both to listen to the scanner 18 and to talk to the POS
terminal 16. This enables the keyboard unit 12’ to
temporarily store manually scanned barcode data before
deciding whether or not to
Thus, where a product item sale would otherwise be recorded
twice, the keyboard unit 12’ can decide not to forward a
manually scanned barcode for a product item matching barcode
data stored in its non-volatile internal memory.
As well as enabling the invention to be implemented in the
RS232 case described above, the sub—circuit 70A of switching
circuitry 70 also enables the invention to be implemented
without a keyboard unit 12’. In a second embodiment of the
invention, Figure 4, the control circuitry for implementing
the invention is located within a modified dispensing machine
’ rather than in a keyboard unit. The control circuitry is
connected to jumper J1 of the sub—circuit 70A and the POS
terminal 16 and barcode scanner 18 are connected in parallel
to the jumper J2, as previously described. The control
circuitry in the modified dispensing machine 10’ stores a
table in its internal memory associating each different
product type dispensed by the machine 10’ with a respective
different barcode.
Within the sub—circuit 70A, in this embodiment the control
lines DL1 and DL2 are held ON. Thus, as described for the
RS232 example of Figure 3, the control circuitry in the
machine 10’ is connected both to listen to the scanner 18 via
LS1 and to talk to the POS terminal 16 via LS2.
In normal use, the control circuitry in the machine 10’
listens at Jl for barcode data scanned by the scanner 18, and
transmit it to the POS terminal 16.
looks to see if any such barcode matches a barcode stored in
the table in the machine's internal memory, i.e. matches a
barcode corresponding to a product type to be dispensed by the
machine 10’. Where there is no match, the received barcode
data is forwarded to the POS terminal via J2 to record a sale.
If there is a match, the dispensing machine control circuitry
attempts to dispense a product item of the type associated
with the barcode. If successful, the received barcode data is
forwarded to the POS terminal l6 for recording as a sale. In
this case, the keyboard unit is replaced with a sheet 26
bearing labels each identifying a different product type able
to be dispensed by the machine 10’ and including its
associated barcode. When such a product is to be dispensed,
therefore, an operator simply scans the barcode of the
relevant label and the barcode data is sent to the machine 10’
as a dispense request, the relevant product item then being
dispensed and the relevant barcode data being automatically
provided to the POS terminal 16.
The invention can also be implemented in a multi—till
environment. Referring now to Figure 5, a number of checkouts
of the kind described with reference to Figure 3 are provided,
except that they are connected to a common dispensing machine
. Each checkout is provided with an individual identity and
the dispensing machine 10 is arranged to communicate across a
common bus 28 with the keyboard units 12’. When the
dispensing machine successfully dispenses a product selected
on a keyboard unit located at a particular checkout, it
notifies the particular keyboard unit and the latter provides
the appropriate signalling to its associated POS terminal to
have the sale recorded.
Figure 6 shows another multi—till embodiment, this time
comprising checkouts of the kind described with reference to
Figure 4 but having a common dispensing machine 10’. Again,
each checkout has an individual identity, and communication
between the checkouts and the dispensing machine is via a
common bus 30.
The invention is not limited to the embodiments described
herein which may be modified or varied without departing from
the scope of the invention.
Claims (5)
1. A product dispensing system cooperable with a point of sale (POS) terminal having a barcode scanner for scanning barcodes on product items and providing respective barcode data in response to the scanning of each item, said dispensing system comprising a machine for selectively dispensing individual product items of different product types in response to a dispense request identifying a particular product type, a data store for storing a plurality of product type identifiers and a plurality of related barcode data each associated with a respective product type identifier, and a controller for automatically supplying to the POS terminal the barcode data relating to product items successfully dispensed by the dispensing machine in response to a dispense request, said controller supplying to the POS terminal the barcode data scanned by the barcode scanner for product items not dispensed from the dispensing machine.
2. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller normally connects the scanner to the POS terminal except when a dispense request is received in which case the scanner is disconnected from the POS terminal and the relevant barcode supplied to the POS terminal from the data store.
3. A system as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the dispense request is supplied by a keyboard having a respective key or key combination for each product type.
4. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller receives all barcode data provided by the scanner and, in the case of barcode data corresponding to a product item of a type not dispensed by the machine, provides such barcode data to the POS terminal, and in the case of a barcode data 12 corresponding to a product item of a type dispensed by the machine, causes the machine to dispense such item and provides such barcode data to the POS terminal, the dispense request being constituted by the latter barcode data received by the controller.
5. A system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the dispense request is generated by scanning a barcode not carried by a product item of the type concerned.
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
IES84006Y1 true IES84006Y1 (en) | 2005-09-21 |
IE20040697U1 IE20040697U1 (en) | 2005-09-21 |
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