Patent · US Expired

Vending system capable of renewing record of a prepaid card

US5409092A · kind A · utility

210Cited by
10References
6Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 20, 1991
Grant dateApr 25, 1995
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 20, 2011

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG07F7/0866
  • WIPO fieldControl
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

In a vending machine for which both money and a prepaid card can be used, a writing-instruction switch is provided for controlling of amount information into the card. When the writing-instruction switch has been actuated, the amount of inserted money and the credited value of the card are added up and the sum is written into the card for renewing its credited value. In this manner, it becomes possible to additionally renew the amount recorded in the prepaid card. Further, an amount selector may be provided for selecting an amount to be added to a prepaid card. On condition that money of an amount not smaller than the amount selected by the amount selector has been inserted, the selected amount and the recorded amount of the card are added up for renewing the recorded amount of the card. Thus, it becomes possible to write a desired amount into an already issued prepaid card.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.