Patent · US Expired

Item dispensing system network

US6356794B1 · kind B1 · utility

44Cited by
31References
16Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 14, 2000
Grant dateMar 12, 2002
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 14, 2020

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG07G1/0036
  • WIPO fieldControl
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An item dispensing system having an item dispenser, a controller and a fault store for storing fault thresholds and faults. A true state of a fault is stored in the fault store in response to an operating state of the item dispensing system being equal to the fault threshold, and an alarm is generated in response to the true state of the fault. The fault thresholds can represent operating states that normally lead to the item dispensing system going out of service, for example, a low dispenser inventory. The item dispensing system is connected to a communications link and a computer and the alarm is provided to the computer to facilitate a servicing of the item dispensing system. A method or operating such an item dispensing system and associated network is also provided.

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