§
Luxuse
Patent Intelligence
Sign In
← Back to Patent Explorer
EP0375468A2 Expired / Lapsed EP ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Data transmission

Assignee: SOUTH WESTERN ELECTRICITY PLC
•
Filing: 1989-12-22
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2009-12-22
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract A system for capturing data from a vending unit for an electronic token-based electricity metering system. The data capture system records transactions taking place at the vending unit (10) and relays the captured data to a remote unit e.g. a central computer (30) at a suitable time. The transmission may be accomplished via a modem (24), a telephone line (26), and a second modem (28). Data captured can include meter readings carried by the electronic token from the meter (12), and purchase data generated by the vending unit (10). The data-capture unit (18) comprises a processor connected to the vending unit (10) and the modem (24), and electronic memory for storing transaction records. While the unit is generally operated by an external power supply, it may also be provided with an internal supply as an emergency back-up.

Inventors

  • 👤 David Reginald Watts

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction EP
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-29 17:59
CPC Classifications
G; G07; G07F; G07F7/00; G07F7/08; G07F7/0866; G06; G06Q; G06Q20/00; G06Q20/30; G06Q20/36; G06Q20/363; G07F15/00; G07F17/00; G07F17/0014; G07F9/00; G07F9/02

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim 83 words
A vending system comprising a token vending unit (10) having means for receiving a token, means for receiving payment information, and means for modifying the token in accordance with the payment information; a data capture unit (18,24) electrically connected to the token vending unit (10), having a memory for storing the payment information, and means (24) for transmitting the payment information; a processor (28, 30) arranged to trigger the transmission means (24) of the data capture unit and to process the payment information.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 83 words
A vending system comprising a token vending unit (10) having means for receiving a token, means for receiving payment information, and means for modifying the token in accordance with the payment information; a data capture unit (18,24) electrically connected to the token vending unit (10), having a memory for storing the payment information, and means (24) for transmitting the payment information; a processor (28, 30) arranged to trigger the transmission means (24) of the data capture unit and to process the payment information.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 45 words
A vending system according to claim 1, wherein the data capture unit has means for varying the data length of each item of payment information so as to modify the data length so that it has a predetermined length prior to transmission to the processor.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 24 words
A vending system according to claim 1 or claim 2 further including a plurality of tokens each being arranged to store appropriate payment information.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 28 words
A vending system according to claim 3, wherein the tokens are also arranged to receive meter information, and to transmit the meter information to the token vending unit.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 31 words
A vending system according to claim 4, wherein the token vending unit is arranged to transmit the meter information to the data capture unit for storage and transmission to the processor.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 64 words
A vending method, comprising: inputting payment information to a token vending unit (10); modifying a token in accordance with said payment information; storing said payment information in a data capture unit (18); transmitting said payment information from the data capture unit (18) to a processor, the transmission being triggered by a signal from the processor (30); and processing the payment information in the processor.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 64 words
A vending method, comprising: inputting payment information to a token vending unit (10); modifying a token in accordance with said payment information; storing said payment information in a data capture unit (18); transmitting said payment information from the data capture unit (18) to a processor, the transmission being triggered by a signal from the processor (30); and processing the payment information in the processor.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 36 words
A method according to claim 6, further comprising storing meter information in the token, transmitting the meter information to the token vending unit (10), and transmitting the meter information to the processor with corresponding payment information.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

No citation records indexed.

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag