Control circuit for vending and other coin controlled devices

Claim 2

A circuit for controlling a vending machine capable of vending products and of refunding amounts deposited in excess of the vend price comprising a first counter circuit having input, output and reset connections, means including a programmable clock circuit connected to the counter in and operable to introduce input pulses for feeding thereto when credit is introduced into the vending machine, said clock circuit having a credit input, a refund input, an enable input, an output and reset connection means, said clock producing output pulses at its output connection means corresponding to each credit and refund input received thereat, means connected to the credit input of the clock to energize the clock circuit according to an amount of credit to be entered into the first counter, a second counter having an input, an ouput and a reset terminal, price encoder means operatively connected to the input to the second counter and including means for transferring an established vend price from the price encoder means to the second counter, means for comparing amounts accumulated in the first counter circuit with the vend price entered in the second counter including means to generate an electric response to indicate which of the first and second counter circuits has the greater accumulation therein, means for enabling a vend operation to take place whenever the amount accumulated in the first counter circuit at least equals the vend price entered in the second counter circuit, payout means operatively connected to the comparing means and energizable thereby to refund amounts in the first counter circuit which exceed the vend price entered in the second counter circuit, said payout means including means to add to the vend price entered in the second counter circuit an amount equal to the amount of each refund until the first and second counter circuits have the same amount accumulated therein, and means associated with the means for comparing that are responsive to the occurrence of equal accumulations in the first and second counter circuits to reset the said first and second counter circuits and the payout means.

Claim 3

The circuit defined in claim 1 including escrow means operatively connected to the payout means and to the vend enabling means, and means to initiate the escrow operation to refund amounts deposited, said escrow means including means which when an escrow operation is initiated inhibit operation of the vend enabling means.

Claim 4

The circuit defined in claim 1 including escrow means operatively connected to the payout means and to the vend enabling means, and means in the vend enabling means to inhibit operation of the escrow means simultaneously with the initiations of a vend operation.

Claim 5

The circuit defined in claim 1 including means to inhibit a vend price entered in the second counter circuit from being communicated to the means for comparing the vend price to the amount accumulated in the first counter circuit.

Claim 6

The circuit defined in claim 1 including means connecting the payout means to the programmable clock circuit whereby each time the payout means produces a signal it will be applied to the refund input of the programmable clock circuit to cause said clock circuit to produce an output representative of the value of the refund, and means for feeding said clock outputs to the second counter circuit.

Claim 7

The circuit of claim 1 wherein the first and second counter circuits, the means for comparing, the price encoder means and the circuit connections therefor are all included in a single integrated circuit chip.

Claim 8

The circuit of claim 1 wherein said means to generate a response to indicate which of the first and second counter circuits has the greater accumulation includes a difference decoder circuit having a first output at which signals are produced to represent equal accumulations in the first and second counter circuits, and other outputs at which signals are produced to represent the magnitude of the difference between the amounts accumulated in the first and second counter circuits.

Claim 9

A control circuit for vending and other money controlled machines comprising a first counter for accumulating credit amounts introduced into the machine, a second counter and means for entering into the second counter amounts equal to an established vend price, a comparator circuit having first input means connected to respond to amounts accumulated in the first counter and second input means connected to respond to amounts accumulated in the second counter, comparator output means including decoder circuit means responsive to a comparison between the amounts accumulated in the first and second counters, said decoder circuit means having a plurality of outputs at which signals are produced to represent respectively equality or preselected amounts of difference between the amounts accumulated in the first and second counters, a vend countrol circuit having an enable input operatively connected to the comparator circuit, said enable input receiving a vend control enable input signal whenever the comparator circuit indicates that the first counter has an amount accumulated in it at least equal to the amount accumulated in the second counter, a payout control circuit having a plurality of inputs connected to the respective outputs of the decoder circuit means including the outputs at which signals are produced that represent preselected amounts of excess difference between the amounts accumulated in the first counter relative to amounts accumulated in the second counter, said payout control circuit also having a reset input connected to receive outputs of the decoder circuit means when the comparator circuit indicates that the amount accumulated in the first and second counters is the same, said payout control circuit including means to produce output singals to cause the refunding of said excess accumulations.

Claim 10

A control circuit for vending and other money controlled machines comprising a first counter for accumulating credit amounts introduced into the machine, a second counter and means for entering into the second counter amounts equal to an established vend price, a comparator circuit having first input means connected to respond to amounts accumulated in the first counter and second input means connected to respond to amounts accumulated in the second counter, comparator output means including decoder circuit means responsive to a comparison between the amounts accumulated in the first and second counters, said decoder circuit means having a plurality of outputs at which signals are produced to represent respectively equality or preselected amounts of difference between the amounts accumulated in the first and second counters, a vend countrol circuit having an enable input operatively connected to the comparator circuit, said enable input receiving a vend control enable input signal whenever the comparator circuit indicates that the first counter has an amount accumulated in it at least equal to the amount accumulated in the second counter, a payout control circuit having a plurality of inputs connected to the respective outputs of the decoder circuit means including the outputs at which signals are produced that represent preselected amounts of excess difference between the amounts accumulated in the first counter relative to amounts accumulated in the second counter, said payout control circuit also having a reset input connected to receive outputs of the decoder circuit means when the comparator circuit indicates that the amount accumulated in the first and second counters is the same, said payout control circuit including means to produce output singals to cause the refunding of said excess accumulations.

Claim 11

The control circuit defined in claim 8 wherein said first and second counters, said comparator circuit, and said decoder circuit are parts of a single integrated circuit chip.

Claim 12

The control circuit defined in claim 8 including controllable means connected between the outputs of the second counter and the comparator circuit to control communication therebetween.

Claim 13

The control circuit defined in claim 8 including means associated with the first counter to prevent the loss of a maximum possible accumulation therein when inputs are received at times when the first counter has its maximum capacity accumulated therein.

Claim 14

The control circuit defined in claim 8 including means to select between different vend prices for entering in the second counter.

Claim 15

The control circuit defined in claim 8 wherein the first and second counters are formed by a plurality of serially connected bi-stable flip-flop circuits.

Claim 16

The control circuit defined in claim 8 wherein the vend control circuit includes a photoelectric diode having a light emitting portion connected to be energized when a vend operation is initiated and a light sensitive portion responsive to light emitted by the light emitting portion, said light sensitive portion being connected in the circuit between the means for entering the established vend price and the second counter.

Claim 17

The control circuit defined in claim 14 wherein a similar photoelectric diode and associated circuitry are provided for each possible vend price that can be selected.

Claim 18

The control circuit defined in claim 8 including an escrow control circuit operatively connected to the payout control circuit and to the vend control circuit, said escrow control circuit including an operator actuatable escrow switch, actuation of which energizes the escrow control circuit and the payout control circuit to cause refunds of the total amount of an accumulation entered in the first counter, said energized escrow control circuit including output means for simultaneously inhibiting operation of the vend control circuit.

Claim 19

The control circuit defined in claim 16 including means to inhibit operation of the escrow control circuit whenever the vend control circuit is actuated by selection of a vend at a time when the amount accumulated in the first counter at least equals the vend price.

Claim 20

A vend control circuit comprising a first counter for accumulating credit amounts entered in the machine, a second counter for entry of a vend price and amounts refunded, a counter input circuit including a pulse genrator having first and second input and output means, said first output means being operatively connected to the first counter and said second output being operatively connected to the second counter, a source of credit input signals connected to the first input means of the pulse generator for energizing the pulse generator to produce outputs at said first output means to represent the value of each credit amount entered in the machine, price encoder means operatively connected to the second counter having input and output means, means connecting the output means of said price encoder means to the second counter, means to compare amounts entered in the first counter to amounts entered in the second counter including means to indicate if the amounts are equal or different and if different the amount of the difference, and vend enabling circuit means operatively connected to the comparision means including means to initiate a vend operation in the vending machine whenever the amount accumulated in the first counter at least equals the vend price in the second counter.

Claim 21

A vend control circuit comprising a first counter for accumulating credit amounts entered in the machine, a second counter for entry of a vend price and amounts refunded, a counter input circuit including a pulse genrator having first and second input and output means, said first output means being operatively connected to the first counter and said second output being operatively connected to the second counter, a source of credit input signals connected to the first input means of the pulse generator for energizing the pulse generator to produce outputs at said first output means to represent the value of each credit amount entered in the machine, price encoder means operatively connected to the second counter having input and output means, means connecting the output means of said price encoder means to the second counter, means to compare amounts entered in the first counter to amounts entered in the second counter including means to indicate if the amounts are equal or different and if different the amount of the difference, and vend enabling circuit means operatively connected to the comparision means including means to initiate a vend operation in the vending machine whenever the amount accumulated in the first counter at least equals the vend price in the second counter.

Claim 22

The vend control circuit of claim 18 including: payout circuit means operable under control of the indicating means to refund amounts deposited in excess of the vend price, said payout circuit means having an output at which signals are produced to represent the amount of each refund, means connecting the output of said payout circuit to the second pulse generator input, and other means connected between the payout circuit means and the pulse generator to cause said pulse generator to feed outputs from its second output means to the second counter during payout operations until the magnitude of the amount accumulated in the second counter is equal to the magnitude of the amount accumulated in the first counter.

Claim 23

The vend control circuit of claim 19 wherein said payout circuit means includes means under control of the indicating means to payout coins of different denominations depending on the difference between the amounts entered in the first and second counters.

Claim 24

The vend control circuit of claim 18 wherein the means to indicate the difference between the amount entered in the first and second counters include means to indicate when the difference is > or = 1, > or = 2, and > or = 5.

Claim 25

The vend control circuit of claim 18 wherein each of said first and second counters includes a plurality of serially connected bi-stable circuit stages, and said means for comparing including a corresponding number of summer circuits each having corresponding pairs of input connections connected to the corresponding stages of the first and second counters.

Claim 26

The vend control circuit of claim 18 wherein the pulse generator includes an oscillator circuit.

Claim 27

The vend control circuit of claim 18 including means for refunding the total amount of a credit entered in the first counter, said refund means including an operator actuatable refund switch, and Means operatively connecting said refund means to the vend enabling circuit means, operation of said refund switch prior to initiation of a vend operation operating to inhibit operation of the vend enabling circuit means.

Claim 28

A vend control circuit including means to control the vending of a product and the refunding of amounts deposited in excess of the vend price comprising a first counter for accumulating credit amounts entered in a vending machine when coins are deposited therein, a second counter including means for entering a vend price therein, other means for entering in the second counter amounts to represent the value of each coin refunded to the customer, counter input means including means for generating signals to represent the value of each coin deposited in the vending machine, means for comparing amounts entered in the first and second counters, said comparing means including means to indicate if the amounts entered are equal or are different, and if different the amount of the difference, vend enabling circuit means operatively connected to the comparing means including means to initiate a vend operation in the vending machine whenever the amount accumulated in the first counter at least equals the vend price entered in the second counter, payout means operatively connected to the comparing means including means to payout coins as refunds to represent amounts entered in the first counter in excess of the vend price entered in the second counter, said payout means including means operatively connected to the second counter to enter amounts therein to represent the value of each coin paid out and to increase the amount accumulated in said second counter, said comparing means producing an output when the amount accumulated in the second counter equals the amount accumulated in the first counter, and means responsive to said equality output signal of the comparing means to terminate the payout operation and to reset the first and second counters.

Claim 29

A vend control circuit including means to control the vending of a product and the refunding of amounts deposited in excess of the vend price comprising a first counter for accumulating credit amounts entered in a vending machine when coins are deposited therein, a second counter including means for entering a vend price therein, other means for entering in the second counter amounts to represent the value of each coin refunded to the customer, counter input means including means for generating signals to represent the value of each coin deposited in the vending machine, means for comparing amounts entered in the first and second counters, said comparing means including means to indicate if the amounts entered are equal or are different, and if different the amount of the difference, vend enabling circuit means operatively connected to the comparing means including means to initiate a vend operation in the vending machine whenever the amount accumulated in the first counter at least equals the vend price entered in the second counter, payout means operatively connected to the comparing means including means to payout coins as refunds to represent amounts entered in the first counter in excess of the vend price entered in the second counter, said payout means including means operatively connected to the second counter to enter amounts therein to represent the value of each coin paid out and to increase the amount accumulated in said second counter, said comparing means producing an output when the amount accumulated in the second counter equals the amount accumulated in the first counter, and means responsive to said equality output signal of the comparing means to terminate the payout operation and to reset the first and second counters.

Claim 30

The vend control circuit defined in claim 25 including means actuatable by the customer to refund the total of an amount entered in the first counter prior to initiation of a vend operation, said last named means including means to substantially simultaneously inhibit operation of the vend enabling circuit means.

Claim 31

A controL circuit for vending and other money controlled machines comprising a first counter for accumulating credit amounts introduced into the machine, a second counter and means for entering into the second counter amounts equal to an established vend price, a comparator circuit having first input means connected to respond to amounts accumulated in the first counter and second input means connected to respond to amounts accumulated in the second counter, comparator output means including decoder circuit means responsive to a comparision between the amounts accumulated in the first and second counters, said decoder circuit means having outputs at which signals are produced to represent respectively equality or the amount of difference between the amounts accumulated in the first and second counters, a vend control circuit having an enable input operatively connected to the comparator circuit, said enable input receiving a vend control enable input signal whenever the comparator circuit indicates that the first counter has an amount accumulated in it at least equal to the amount accumulated in the second counter, a payout control circuit having a plurality of inputs connected to the respective outputs of the decoder circuit means, said payout control circuit also having a reset input connected to receive outputs of the decoder circuit means when the comparator circuit indicates that the amount accumulated in the first and second counters is the same, the other of said plurality of inputs to the payout control circuit being connected respectively to outputs of the decoder circuit means which represent various amounts accumulated in the first accumulator in Excess of the amounts accumulated in the second counter, said payout control circuit including means to produce output signals to cause the refunding of said excess accumulations, a source of clock pulses operatively connected to the inputs of the first and second counters, means to excite said clock source in response to deposit of each coin in the vending machine to cause said source to generate output clock pulses corresponding to the value of each deposited coin for entry into the first counter, other means including said payout control circuit having connections to the clock source to excite said source to produce outputs to represent the value of each refund, means for entering clock pulses produced during refund into the second counter, and means to reset the payout control circuit whenever the comparator circuit indicates that the amount accumulated in the second counter is equal to the amount accumulated in the first counter.

Claim 32

A controL circuit for vending and other money controlled machines comprising a first counter for accumulating credit amounts introduced into the machine, a second counter and means for entering into the second counter amounts equal to an established vend price, a comparator circuit having first input means connected to respond to amounts accumulated in the first counter and second input means connected to respond to amounts accumulated in the second counter, comparator output means including decoder circuit means responsive to a comparision between the amounts accumulated in the first and second counters, said decoder circuit means having outputs at which signals are produced to represent respectively equality or the amount of difference between the amounts accumulated in the first and second counters, a vend control circuit having an enable input operatively connected to the comparator circuit, said enable input receiving a vend control enable input signal whenever the comparator circuit indicates that the first counter has an amount accumulated in it at least equal to the amount accumulated in the second counter, a payout control circuit having a plurality of inputs connected to the respective outputs of the decoder circuit means, said payout control circuit also having a reset input connected to receive outputs of the decoder circuit means when the comparator circuit indicates that the amount accumulated in the first and second counters is the same, the other of said plurality of inputs to the payout control circuit being connected respectively to outputs of the decoder circuit means which represent various amounts accumulated in the first accumulator in Excess of the amounts accumulated in the second counter, said payout control circuit including means to produce output signals to cause the refunding of said excess accumulations, a source of clock pulses operatively connected to the inputs of the first and second counters, means to excite said clock source in response to deposit of each coin in the vending machine to cause said source to generate output clock pulses corresponding to the value of each deposited coin for entry into the first counter, other means including said payout control circuit having connections to the clock source to excite said source to produce outputs to represent the value of each refund, means for entering clock pulses produced during refund into the second counter, and means to reset the payout control circuit whenever the comparator circuit indicates that the amount accumulated in the second counter is equal to the amount accumulated in the first counter.