Global Patent Index - EP 1096408 A2

EP 1096408 A2 20010502 - Vending machine communication system

Title (en)

Vending machine communication system

Title (de)

Kommunikationssystem für Verkaufsautomaten

Title (fr)

Système de communication pour distributeurs automatiques

Publication

EP 1096408 A2 20010502 (EN)

Application

EP 00309499 A 20001027

Priority

US 42862799 A 19991027

Abstract (en)

A vending machine communication system and process including a vending machine (12) that vends a product. A vending machine operating software is stored in an operating software memory (18) associated with the vending machine (12). A vending machine controller (10) controls the vending machine (12) as a function of the vending machine operating software. A vending machine I/O port (46, 52) is associated with the vending machine controller (10). A handheld data transfer device (60) has a data transfer I/O port (62, 71) for communicating with the vending machine I/O port (46, 52). The handheld data transfer device (60) has a storage. The transfer device (60) and the vending machine controller (10) are adapted to transfer the vending machine operating software between the storage and the operating software memory (18) via the data transfer I/O port (62, 71), the vending machine I/O port (46, 52), and the vending machine controller (10). As a result, the vending machine operating software is transferred between the operating software memory (18) and the storage. The system also includes the ability to transfer vending machine operating software and vending machine data from one vending machine (12) to another (12'), using the handheld data transfer device (60). <IMAGE>

IPC 1-7

G06F 17/60

IPC 8 full level

G06F 13/00 (2006.01); G06Q 30/00 (2006.01); G06Q 50/00 (2006.01); G07F 5/18 (2006.01); G07F 5/22 (2006.01); G07F 9/00 (2006.01)

CPC (source: EP US)

G07F 5/18 (2013.01 - EP); G07F 9/001 (2020.05 - EP US); G07F 9/002 (2020.05 - EP US); G07F 9/026 (2013.01 - EP)

Designated contracting state (EPC)

AT BE CH CY DE DK ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT SE

DOCDB simple family (publication)

EP 1096408 A2 20010502; EP 1096408 A3 20020814; CA 2323292 A1 20010427; JP 2001188940 A 20010710

DOCDB simple family (application)

EP 00309499 A 20001027; CA 2323292 A 20001012; JP 2000328773 A 20001027