EP0764925B1 - Machine de distribution - Google Patents

Machine de distribution Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0764925B1
EP0764925B1 EP95932028A EP95932028A EP0764925B1 EP 0764925 B1 EP0764925 B1 EP 0764925B1 EP 95932028 A EP95932028 A EP 95932028A EP 95932028 A EP95932028 A EP 95932028A EP 0764925 B1 EP0764925 B1 EP 0764925B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
vending machine
product
symbol
machine according
sale
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP95932028A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP0764925A1 (fr
Inventor
Miguel Angel Ruiz Lopez
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Servicio de Venta Automatica SA
Original Assignee
Servicio de Venta Automatica SA
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Servicio de Venta Automatica SA filed Critical Servicio de Venta Automatica SA
Publication of EP0764925A1 publication Critical patent/EP0764925A1/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0764925B1 publication Critical patent/EP0764925B1/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07F—COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
    • G07F17/00—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services
    • G07F17/32—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services for games, toys, sports, or amusements
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07F—COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
    • G07F11/00—Coin-freed apparatus for dispensing, or the like, discrete articles
    • G07F11/72—Auxiliary equipment, e.g. for lighting cigars, opening bottles

Definitions

  • the present invention consists of a vending machine with image or symbol display means and means to dispense prizes in the form of, for example, product gift tickets or coupons, in such a way that when a product is sold, different changing symbols which after a given time remain immobilized are shown, for example on a monitor screen, and if the symbols coincide or correspond to a certain combination, a prize is dispensed. Advertising elements may appear in the symbol display means when the machine is not dispensing a sold product.
  • vending machines which are provided with a slot to insert coins and with a series of button or push buttons by means of which the desired product is chosen is conventionally and extensively known.
  • the product is dispensed on a tray made for this purpose and then the change is returned in the event that the coins inserted do not correspond to the exact price.
  • this type of machine operates controlled by a microprocessor which generates the corresponding signals to activate the dispensing of the chosen product.
  • vending machines have a limited capacity to stimulate the selling of the goods they contain, since they only allow for "static" advertizing.
  • US-A-4213524 US-A-3750829 and ES-U-1027011 disclose different vending machines according to the preamble of claim 1.
  • GB-A-2258164 discloses a gaming machine which can be operated only after purchase of a specific product or service.
  • GB-A-2086115 discloses a gaming machine including a video display unit.
  • the invention consists of a vending machine according to claim 1 that has some first product sale indicating means, that are related to some second display means of images or of at least one symbol, in such a way that when a sale takes place, a changing or, preferably, several changing symbols are shown, thanks to some third means to vary said symbols.
  • the second image display means are related to some fourth means that stop and immobilize the symbol or changing symbols that act at a specific instant.
  • the second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth means can be made and interrelated in known ways, such as for example in "slot machines".
  • the symbol display means the means to vary the displayed symbols, the symbol immobilization means, the fixed symbol recognition means and the prize dispensing means are activated by inserting a coin and optionally by means of a lever and/or buttons
  • the corresponding means that is to say, the second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth means
  • the second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth means are activated by means of the sale and/or previous dispensing of a product, thanks to the inclusion of the first product sale indicating means.
  • Said product sale indicating means can include means that emit a signal when said sale begins, for example, when the button or push button corresponding to the desired product is pushed.
  • the signal that these means emit can activate the second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth means by the means known in said "slot machines".
  • the machine includes some seventh sold product recognition means, the seventh means being related to the second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth means in such a way that the operation of the latter depends on the article sold.
  • the seventh means can be related to the second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth means in such a way that the prize is only dispensed if the seventh means indicate the sale of a specific product or of some specific products.
  • the seventh means can be related to the second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth means in such a way that the variation of the symbols displayed only starts when a specific product is sold.
  • the symbol variation - immobilization process and the subsequent dispensing of the prize is modified depending on the product sold; for example, the sale of a specific product could give rise to the symbol variation-immobilization process repeating itself once or several times, which implies that certain products offer greater possibilities of winning a prize.
  • the second symbol display means are determined by a monitor in which the changing symbols can be framed in square divisions.
  • the monitor may show advertizing elements when the vending machine is not dispensing any sold product.
  • the monitor forms part of a computer, that is connected to the microprocessor of the vending machine by means of a communication channel, preferably a serial communication channel.
  • the first product sale indicating means as well as the seventh product recognition means can be materialized in the microprocessor of the vending machine, which generates, with each sale, a code corresponding to the sold product, that may be received by a central processing unit of the communication channel, which in terms of the captured code, actuates the corresponding process in accordance with the described functioning.
  • the first product sale indicating means as well as, optionally, the seventh sold product recognition means according to the invention are provided in the central processing unit of the communication channel.
  • the second, third, fourth and fifth means are materialized in the computer that includes the monitor.
  • the second display means may be defined by a series of rollers similar to those in "slot machines" that have the different symbols that are to be displayed printed on them.
  • the operating sequence of the different means in view of a purchase operation by a customer could be the following:
  • Figure 1 shows a functional block diagram of the different elements that comprise the vending machine object of the invention.
  • Figure 2 shows a functional block diagram of the communications card or channel that provide the connection of the vending machine to the image display means, which in a preferred embodiment, are defined by a computer.
  • Figure 3 shows a perspective view of the outside appearance of the vending machine in a preferred embodiment.
  • Figure 4 shows in a block diagram a possible interrelationship between the first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth means.
  • Figure 5 shows in a block diagram a possible interrelationship between the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh means.
  • a vending machine (1) (10) is provided with a connection to a computer (3), so that a communication channel (2), preferably a serial communication channel is inserted between them.
  • the vending machine (1) (10) is a conventional type one and operates automatically controlled by a microprocessor that carries out the instructions stored in a memory, for example an EPROM, so that each time a sale is made, it is detected and a code corresponding to the sold product is generated.
  • a microprocessor that carries out the instructions stored in a memory, for example an EPROM, so that each time a sale is made, it is detected and a code corresponding to the sold product is generated.
  • the communication card or channel (2) has a central processing unit (9), which includes an EPROM (4) wherein the operating program is stored, and which also includes a temporary data storage memory (5).
  • connection of the communication channel (2) to the microprocessor of the vending machine (1) is done by means of a connector (6).
  • the central processing unit (9) is connected to an interface (8) which through a connector (7) materializes the connection to the computer (3).
  • the interface converts the signals generated by the central processing unit to the RS-232 protocol.
  • the computer (3) has a monitor (11) on which images are shown, which in the event the vending machine (1) (10) does not make any sale, represent advertizing elements.
  • the code corresponding to said product is generated and is received by the central processing unit (9), which recognizes said code and in terms thereof a program stored in the EPROM (4) that sends the corresponding signals to the computer (3) is run so that a series of square divisions in which the different changing symbols are included are displayed on the screen.
  • Said symbols may be brands of products or any other type of element.
  • the symbols after a purchase is made, change until when in a specific instant, governed by the program, they become immobilized, and the symbols obtained in each one of the square divisions are recognized; in such a way that if said symbols coincide in all the square divisions, a signal is generated by the computer (3) so that it dispenses a prize, for example a ticket that represents a gift product coupon.
  • the gift may refer to said brand.
  • the computer (3) may have a ticket dispenser of the types conventionally used on the market.
  • the central processing unit (9) determines if the product sold by the vending machine (1) (10) is or is not being promoted, a circumstance in which the same process of placing changing symbols on the square divisions takes place again. At a certain moment the symbols stop and if they are the same in all of the square divisions, a new ticket corresponding to a gift coupon, which may, for example, be related to the old product, is dispensed.
  • the selling process is considered as completed, and different advertising elements that may, likewise, change from time to time, appear again on the screen.
  • the computer (3) has stored the program that manages the different images to be shown on the screen, and the program operating the symbols and identifying the symbols that remain fixed in each one of the square divisions.
  • FIG 3 one sees a perspective view of the outside appearance of a possible preferred embodiment wherein the monitor (11) remains located in the top part of the vending machine (10), just like the ticket printer (12).
  • a customer inserts the amount in the vending machine (1) (10) and chooses the desired product by way, for example, of pushing a corresponding button. Then, the vending machine (1) (10) dispenses the chosen product.
  • the first sale indicating means (13) detect said sale and activate, by means of a signal, the third means (157 to vary the displayed symbols, whereby a display of changing symbols on the second symbol display means (14) begins, for example on a monitor (11).
  • This variation of symbols takes place for a specific amount of time until the fourth means (16) that immobilize the symbols, that for example receive a signal from the third means (15), stop said variation and leave the combination of symbols resulting from said temporary variation fixed on the monitor (11).
  • the resulting fixed combination is recognized by the fifth recognition means that receive information from, for example, the second display means (14) or the fourth immobilization means (16) and, based on this information, they evaluate if the fixed symbols correspond to a predetermined combination of symbols, in which case the fifth recognition means (17) send a signal to the sixth prize dispensing means (18) that act either directly on the vending machine (1) (10) giving it a gift product, or else on a prize ticket dispensing means.
  • sold product recognition means (19) which for example receive their information from the first sold product indicating means (13) or from another suitable source, are to act on the different means for the purpose of the process depending on the sold product.
  • the first sold product indicating means (13) (and, optionally, the seventh sold product recognition means) are provided in the central processing unit (9) of the communication channel (2), while the second means (14), third means (15), fourth means (16) and fifth means (17) are materialized in the computer (3), for example based on suitable programs.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Control Of Vending Devices And Auxiliary Devices For Vending Devices (AREA)
  • Vending Machines For Individual Products (AREA)
  • Coin-Freed Apparatuses For Hiring Articles (AREA)
  • Coating Apparatus (AREA)

Claims (13)

  1. Distributeur qui a des moyens pour effectuer la vente de produits, comprenant :
    un premier moyen d'indication de vente de produit (13) ;
    un second moyen (14) pour afficher au moins un symbole ;
    un troisième moyen (15) pour faire varier le symbole affiché ;
    un quatrième moyen d'immobilisation du symbole (16) ;
    un cinquième moyen (17) pour reconnaítre au moins un symbole fixe ; et
    un sixième moyen de distribution de lot (18) ;
    les premier (13), second (14), troisième (15), quatrième (16), cinquième (17) et sixième (18) moyens étant liés de manière telle que, à l'indication par le premier moyen (13) de la vente d'un produit, les second (14), troisième (15), quatrième (16) et cinquième (17) moyens sont activés de manière telle que le second moyen (14) affiche au moins un symbole fixe et, lors de l'affichage d'un symbole déterminé le cinquième moyen (17) agit sur le sixième moyen (18) pour que le lot soit distribué ;
       caractérisé en ce que ;
       le second moyen (14) pour afficher au moins un symbole comprend un moniteur (11) qui fait partie d'un ordinateur (3) qui est raccordé à un microprocesseur du distributeur (1) (10) au moyen d'un canal de communication, le premier moyen d'indication de vente de produit (13) étant compris dans une unité centrale de traitement (9) du canal de communication (2) qui comprend un moyen pour recevoir un code correspondant à un produit vendu, alors que les second (14), troisième (15), quatrième (16) et cinquième (17) moyens sont compris dans l'ordinateur (3) qui comprend le moniteur (11).
  2. Machine de vente selon la revendication 1, caractérisée en ce que le second moyen (14) est un moyen pour afficher plus qu'un symbole et en ce que les premier (13), second (14), troisième (15), quatrième (16), cinquième (17) et sixième (18) moyens sont liés de manière telle que lors de l'indication par le premier moyen (13) de la vente d'un produit, les second (14), troisième (15), quatrième (16) et cinquième (17) moyens sont activés de manière telle que le second moyen (14) affiche une combinaison des symboles fixés et, lors de l'affichage d'une combinaison spécifique, le cinquième (17) moyen agit sur le sixième moyen (18) de manière telle qu'un lot est distribué.
  3. Distributeur selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, caractérisé en ce que les premier (13), second (14), troisième (15) et quatrième (16) moyens sont liés de manière telle que, lors de l'indication par le premier moyen (13) de la vente d'un produit, les troisième (15) et quatrième (16) moyens agissent sur le second moyen (14) de manière telle que le troisième moyen (15) commence la variation d'au moins un symbole, le second moyen (14) montrant ladite variation et, à un instant spécifique, le quatrième moyen (16) immobilise ledit symbole pour que le second moyen (14) affiche ledit symbole fixé.
  4. Distributeur selon la revendication 3, caractérisé en ce que les premier (13), second (14), troisième (15) et quatrième (16) moyens sont liés de manière telle que lors de l'indication par le premier moyen (13) de la vente d'un produit, les troisième (15) et quatrième (16) moyens agissent sur le second moyen (14) de manière telle que le troisième moyen (15) commence l'affichage d'une pluralité de symboles changeants et, à un moment spécifique, le quatrième moyen (16) immobilise ladite pluralité de symboles changeants pour que le second moyen (14) affiche une combinaison des symboles fixes.
  5. Distributeur selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, caractérisé en ce qu'il comprend un septième moyen de reconnaissance de produit vendu (19), le septième moyen (19) étant lié au second (14), au troisième (15), au quatrième (16), au cinquième (17) et au sixième (18) moyens de manière telle que le fonctionnement de celui-ci dépende de l'article vendu.
  6. Distributeur selon la revendication 5, caractérisé en ce que les septièmes moyens (19) sont liés au second (14), troisième (15), quatrième (16), cinquième (17) et sixième (18) moyens pour que le lot soit seulement distribué si le septième moyen (19) indique la vente d'un produit spécifique ou d'un de plusieurs produits spécifiques.
  7. Distributeur selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, caractérisé en ce que les symboles comprennent des symboles liés aux marchandises qui sont vendues, les différents moyens étant liés de manière telle que le lot est seulement distribué dans le cas où le symbole fixe ou la combinaison des symboles fixe correspond au symbole lié au produit vendu.
  8. Distributeur selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, caractérisé en ce que le second moyen d'affichage (14) d'au moins un symbole comprend un moniteur dans lequel les symboles restent cadrés dans des divisions carrées, le distributeur (1) (10) comprenant un huitième moyen pour montrer des éléments de publicité sur ledit moniteur (11) lorsque le distributeur (1) (10) n'est pas en train de vendre un produit quelconque.
  9. Distributeur selon la revendication 5, caractérisé en ce que le premier moyen d'indication de vente de produit (13) et le septième moyen de reconnaissance de produit vendu (19) sont composés dans une unité centrale de traitement (9) du canal de communication (2).
  10. Distributeur selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, caractérisé en ce que le premier moyen d'indication de vente de produit (13) comprend un moyen pour envoyer un signal au troisième moyen (14) pour faire varier le symbole affiché.
  11. Distributeur selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes,caractérisé en ce que le sixième moyen de distribution de lot (18) comprend un moyen pour distribuer un ticket ou un coupon cadeau de produit.
  12. Distributeur selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, caractérisé en ce que l'unité centrale de traitement (9) du canal de communication (2) comprend une mémoire (4) qui stocke un programme de fonctionnement ; une mémoire de stockage de données temporaires (5) ; un connecteur (6) pour raccorder celle-ci au microprocesseur du distributeur (1) (10) ; et une interface (8) pour connecter celle-ci à l'ordinateur (3) au moyen d'un connecteur (7).
  13. Distributeur selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1, 9 et 12 caractérisé en ce que le canal de communication (2) est un canal de communication série.
EP95932028A 1995-02-10 1995-09-28 Machine de distribution Expired - Lifetime EP0764925B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
ES09500278A ES2107363B1 (es) 1995-02-10 1995-02-10 Perfeccionamientos en maquinas expendedoras.
ES9500278 1995-02-10
PCT/ES1995/000107 WO1996024914A1 (fr) 1995-02-10 1995-09-28 Machines de distribution

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0764925A1 EP0764925A1 (fr) 1997-03-26
EP0764925B1 true EP0764925B1 (fr) 1999-03-31

Family

ID=8289458

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP95932028A Expired - Lifetime EP0764925B1 (fr) 1995-02-10 1995-09-28 Machine de distribution

Country Status (5)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0764925B1 (fr)
AT (1) ATE178425T1 (fr)
DE (1) DE69508754D1 (fr)
ES (1) ES2107363B1 (fr)
WO (1) WO1996024914A1 (fr)

Families Citing this family (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP2003533803A (ja) * 2000-05-18 2003-11-11 ヴィグリオン、ディーン、ピータ 自動販売機
ES2168987B1 (es) * 2000-09-29 2003-11-16 Garcia Alejandro Rodrigo Maquina dispensadora mejorada
AR036426A1 (es) * 2002-09-04 2004-09-08 Jose Maria Dionisio Reobasco Un dispositivo de promocion aplicable a maquinas expendedoras de productos y/o servicios, metodo para la entrega de premios en maquinas expendedoras mediante el uso del dispositivo y metodo de accionamiento del dispositivo
US7682238B2 (en) * 2002-09-16 2010-03-23 Igt Method and apparatus for payout in a gaming machine

Family Cites Families (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
BE422537A (fr) *
US3750829A (en) * 1972-07-24 1973-08-07 H Jennings Article vending machine having bonus dispensing means
US4213524A (en) * 1977-07-23 1980-07-22 Shinko Automatic Device Co., Ltd. Automatic vending machine with lottery bonus
GB2086115B (en) * 1980-10-21 1984-07-18 Ace Coin Equip A coin operated amusement or gaming machine
GB2098778A (en) * 1981-04-02 1982-11-24 Questenco Ltd Game-playing machines
EP0065404A3 (en) * 1981-05-08 1984-06-06 Ace Coin Equipment Limited Video gaming or amusement machine
ES1019125Y (es) * 1991-07-24 1992-10-16 Tourvision, S.A. Maquina expendedora de articulos con premio.
GB2258164B (en) * 1991-08-02 1995-04-12 Terry Hastings Southwell A skill-testing electronic games machine
ES1027011Y (es) * 1994-02-03 1995-01-16 Sanchez Contador Garcia Robert Dispositivo para imprimir y expedir un mensaje utilizado en maquinas expendoras de bebidas y/o tabaco.

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
WO1996024914A1 (fr) 1996-08-15
DE69508754D1 (de) 1999-05-06
ES2107363B1 (es) 1998-06-01
ATE178425T1 (de) 1999-04-15
EP0764925A1 (fr) 1997-03-26
ES2107363A1 (es) 1997-11-16

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