Vault for storing coins and/or tokens

Claim 3

An apparatus for storing coins and/or tokens according to claim 1, wherein said apparatus information includes a unique identification number utilized for identifying said apparatus.

Claim 4

An apparatus for storing coins and/or tokens according to claim 1, wherein said touch memory device includes a random access memory for storing therein said apparatus information.

Claim 5

An apparatus for storing coins and/or tokens according to claim 3, wherein said random access memory further stores therein information received from said collecting device including information relating to the amount of said coins and/or tokens stored in said vault after insertion of said apparatus into said collecting device.

Claim 6

An apparatus for storing coins and/or tokens according to claim 1, wherein said touch memory device further includes a read only memory for storing therein information relating to said memory means.

Claim 7

An automatic toll booth operable for collecting coins and/or tokens, said automatic toll booth having a transferring apparatus being in communication with a central computer for transferring information including information concerning the operation of said automatic toll booth directly to said central computer, said automatic toll booth comprising: hopper means for receiving said coins and/or tokens; means for receiving said coins and/or tokens from said hopper means, and means for counting said coins and/or tokens and for generating information relating thereto; a vault having a lockable portion which is openable so as to receive said coins and/or tokens from the counting and generating means, and including electronic memory means having a touch memory device for storing information including information relating to said vault; means receiving said vault for automatically reading the vault information from said memory means upon receipt of said vault and for supplying the read vault information to said counting and generating means and through the transferring apparatus to said central computer, said touch memory device having a maximum height and being located in a recess portion on an outer surface of said vault and wherein said recess portion has a depth having a value at least equal to said maximum height.

Claim 8

An automatic toll booth operable for collecting coins and/or tokens, said automatic toll booth having a transferring apparatus being in communication with a central computer for transferring information including information concerning the operation of said automatic toll booth directly to said central computer, said automatic toll booth comprising: hopper means for receiving said coins and/or tokens; means for receiving said coins and/or tokens from said hopper means, and means for counting said coins and/or tokens and for generating information relating thereto; a vault having a lockable portion which is openable so as to receive said coins and/or tokens from the counting and generating means, and including electronic memory means having a touch memory device for storing information including information relating to said vault; means receiving said vault for automatically reading the vault information from said memory means upon receipt of said vault and for supplying the read vault information to said counting and generating means and through the transferring apparatus to said central computer, said touch memory device having a maximum height and being located in a recess portion on an outer surface of said vault and wherein said recess portion has a depth having a value at least equal to said maximum height.

Claim 9

An automatic toll booth according to claim 6, wherein said touch memory device includes a random access memory for storing therein said vault information.

Claim 10

An automatic toll booth according to claim 7, wherein said means for automatically reading and supplying includes means for supplying the generated information relating to the counted coins and/or tokens from said counting and generating means to said random access memory of said touch memory device.

Claim 11

An automatic toll booth according to claim 6, wherein said touch memory device further includes a read only memory for storing therein information relating to said memory means.

Claim 12

A coin and/or token collecting apparatus being in communication with a central computer for transferring information including information concerning the operation of said apparatus directly to said central computer, said apparatus comprising: hopper means for receiving coins and/or tokens, and means for counting said coins and/or tokens and for generating information relating thereto; a vault having a portion which is openable so as to receive said coins and/or tokens from the counting and generating means, and including memory means having a touch memory device for storing information including information relating to said vault; and means receiving said vault for automatically reading the vault information from said memory means upon receipt of said vault and for supplying the read vault information to said counting and generating means and to said central computer, said touch memory device having a maximum height and being located in a recess portion on an outer surface of said vault and wherein said recess portion has a depth having a value at least equal to said maximum height.

Claim 13

A coin and/or token collecting apparatus being in communication with a central computer for transferring information including information concerning the operation of said apparatus directly to said central computer, said apparatus comprising: hopper means for receiving coins and/or tokens, and means for counting said coins and/or tokens and for generating information relating thereto; a vault having a portion which is openable so as to receive said coins and/or tokens from the counting and generating means, and including memory means having a touch memory device for storing information including information relating to said vault; and means receiving said vault for automatically reading the vault information from said memory means upon receipt of said vault and for supplying the read vault information to said counting and generating means and to said central computer, said touch memory device having a maximum height and being located in a recess portion on an outer surface of said vault and wherein said recess portion has a depth having a value at least equal to said maximum height.

Claim 14

A coin and/or token collecting apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said touch memory device includes a random access memory for storing therein said vault information.

Claim 15

A coin and/or token collecting apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said means for automatically reading and supplying includes means for supplying the generated information relating to the counted coins and/or tokens from said counting and generating means to said random access memory of said touch memory device.

Claim 16

A coin and/or token collecting apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said touch memory device further includes a read only memory for storing therein information relating to said memory means.

Claim 19

In a toll booth having basket means for receiving coins and/or tokens, means receiving said coins and/or tokens from said basket means for counting said coins and/or tokens and for generating information relating thereto, a vault having a lockable portion which is openable so as to receive said coins and/or tokens from the counting and generating means, receiving means coupled to said counting and generating means for receiving said vault, said means being in communication with a central computer for transferring information relating to said vault and information concerning the operation of said toll booth directly to said central computer, the improvement comprising: electronic memory means including a touch memory device coupled to said vault for storing information including the vault information and for automatically supplying the vault information to the vault receiving means and through the transferring means to said central computer upon insertion of said vault into said vault receiving means.

Claim 20

In a toll booth having basket means for receiving coins and/or tokens, means receiving said coins and/or tokens from said basket means for counting said coins and/or tokens and for generating information relating thereto, a vault having a lockable portion which is openable so as to receive said coins and/or tokens from the counting and generating means, receiving means coupled to said counting and generating means for receiving said vault, said means being in communication with a central computer for transferring information relating to said vault and information concerning the operation of said toll booth directly to said central computer, the improvement comprising: electronic memory means including a touch memory device coupled to said vault for storing information including the vault information and for automatically supplying the vault information to the vault receiving means and through the transferring means to said central computer upon insertion of said vault into said vault receiving means.

Claim 21

An automatic toll booth operable for collecting coins and/or tokens, said automatic toll booth having a transferring apparatus being in communication with a central computer for transferring information including information concerning the operation of said automatic toll booth directly to said central computer, said automatic toll booth comprising: hopper means for receiving said coins and/or tokens; means for receiving said coins and/or tokens from said hopper means, and means for counting said coins and/or tokens and for generating information relating thereto; a vault having a lockable portion which is openable to as to receive said coins and/or tokens from the counting and generating means, and including electronic memory means having a touch memory device for storing information including information relating to said vault; and means receiving said vault for automatically reading the vault information from said memory means upon receipt of said vault and for supplying the read vault information to said counting and generating means and through the transferring apparatus to said central computer.

Claim 22

An automatic toll booth operable for collecting coins and/or tokens, said automatic toll booth having a transferring apparatus being in communication with a central computer for transferring information including information concerning the operation of said automatic toll booth directly to said central computer, said automatic toll booth comprising: hopper means for receiving said coins and/or tokens; means for receiving said coins and/or tokens from said hopper means, and means for counting said coins and/or tokens and for generating information relating thereto; a vault having a lockable portion which is openable to as to receive said coins and/or tokens from the counting and generating means, and including electronic memory means having a touch memory device for storing information including information relating to said vault; and means receiving said vault for automatically reading the vault information from said memory means upon receipt of said vault and for supplying the read vault information to said counting and generating means and through the transferring apparatus to said central computer.

Claim 23

A coin and/or token collecting apparatus being in communication with a central computer for transferring information including information concerning the operation of said apparatus directly to said central computer, said apparatus comprising: hopper means for receiving coins and/or tokens, and means for counting said coins and/or tokens and for generating information relating thereto; a vault having a portion which is openable so as to receive said coins and/or tokens from the counting and generating means, and including memory means having a touch memory device for storing information including information relating to said vault; and means for receiving said vault and for automatically reading the vault information from said memory means upon receipt of said vault and for supplying the read vault information to said counting and generating means and to said central computer.

Claim 24

A coin and/or token collecting apparatus being in communication with a central computer for transferring information including information concerning the operation of said apparatus directly to said central computer, said apparatus comprising: hopper means for receiving coins and/or tokens, and means for counting said coins and/or tokens and for generating information relating thereto; a vault having a portion which is openable so as to receive said coins and/or tokens from the counting and generating means, and including memory means having a touch memory device for storing information including information relating to said vault; and means for receiving said vault and for automatically reading the vault information from said memory means upon receipt of said vault and for supplying the read vault information to said counting and generating means and to said central computer.