Optical vend-sensing system for control of vending machine
US7446302B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 8, 2005 |
| Grant date | Nov 4, 2008 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 8, 2025 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG07F9/02
- WIPO fieldControl
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A transparent-front vending machine includes an optical vend-sensing system with an article sensing subsystem arranged athwart a vend space. The article sensing subsystem has two emitter/detector arrays, each having at least one emitter and a plurality of detectors. The emitter/detector arrays are arranged so that at least some electromagnetic radiation emitted by an emitter of the first array can be detected by at least two active detectors of the second array, and at least some electromagnetic radiation emitted by an emitter of the second array can be detected by at least two active detectors of the first array so that articles falling through the vend space will interrupt electromagnetic radiation between an emitter and at least one detector. At least two emitters are active at one time.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.