CA2083328A1 - Electronic coin mechanism and system - Google Patents

Abstract

DocketNo.:L?6-MA
EXPRESS MAIL LABEL NO. RB612523318 DATE OF DEPOSIT: NOVEMBER 27, 1991 IMPROVED ELECTRONIC COIN MECHANISM AND SYSTEM

Abstract of the Disclosure An improved electronic coin mechanism and coin operated dispensing system includes an electronic coin mechanism which controls operation of a vending machine and stores certain types of data. The data in raw form are read out by a reader which may be interfaced to a computer through a shuttle. Due to the variety of information which may be collected, the computer is able to generate a variety of reports. The electronic coin mechanism is battery operated and designed for long service life. The mechanism includes an apertured rotatable coin wheel which detects the value of a coin by its diameter and compared the count with stored information in the coin electronics, the latter having an elapsed time relative counter.
Time of first and last sale as well as sales per period are stored as well as total amounts received. Various levels of security are provided. Details of the coin mechanism and system are described.

Description

~ ,~ 2~833~8 DocketNo.: o-MA
1 EXPRESS ~AIL LABEL NO. RB612523318 2 DATE OF DEPOSIT: NOVEMBER 27, 1991 3 IMPROYED ELECTRONIC COIN MEC~ANIS~ ~ND ~YS~EN

5 Field Of Invention 6 This invention relates to an electronic coin mechanism 7 and data system and more particularly to an improved 8 electronic coin mechanism and system that p~rforms multiple 9 functions and cooperates with a reader and computer system to 10 provide a comprehensive data analysis related, for example, to 11 amount of money received by the coin mechanism, the amount of 12 money collected, and other types of relevant and desirable 13 in~ormation which can be used for a variety of purposes.

15 Backqround Of The Invention 16 Coin operated equipment is well known and of several 17 different varieties. Coin operated telephones, laundry 18 washers and dryers, soda pop vending machines, vending 19 machines in which articles of various prices are dispensed, 20 parking meters, and newspaper vending machines, for example 21 Each of these types of coin op~rated machines normally ~2 includes a coin mechanism for receiving coins and, in soma 23 instances, for totalling the deposited coins. In most 24 instances, vending of the product or enabling use of the 25 device requires that a correct combination of coins of a given 26 value be deposited. Typiaally the coins are nickels/ dimes, 27 ~uarters, half dollars and dollar coins. Some machines have a 28 paper dollar reader and ~ome even provide change if the amount 11 . ~.

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'' '~' .' ~ Docket No L~o-MA 2 ~ ~ 3 ~ 2 8 3 deposited is greater than the price for the product.

4 In some instances, coin operated machines are 5 electrically powered by a standard 110 volt power source, 6 e.g., soda pop vending machines which also xequire 7 refrigeration cooling, laundry washing and drying machines, 8 and convenience vending machines for candy and other 9 miscellaneous items. Other types of vending machines 10 typically are not externally electrically powered and rely on ll mechanical systems ~or receiving the coins and, if the proper 12 combination of the required coins are deposited, to dispense 13 ¦or permit access to the article. These latter machines are, 14 for example, newspaper vending machines which are normally 15 placed outdoors and which axe axposed to extremes of weather 16 ¦and temperature. Typical such machines are those described in 17 United States Patents 3,884,330; 4,~62,435; 4,049,106; ~;
18 4,576,271; 4,067,477; 4,183,426; 4,243,13~; 4,465,207;
l9 4,227,604; 4,718,532; 4,844,567; and various design patents, 20 assigned to the same assignee and whose disclosures are 21 incorporated herein by reference.
22 Another difference in coin operated equipment relates to 23 whether the purchaser automatically receives the goods or 24 services automatically upon deposit of the correct purchase 25 amount as contrasted to those instances ln which the coin 26 operated dispenser enables access to the product ~y the 27 purchaser, i~e. opening a door to obtain access to the 28 product. In either instance, however, it is advantageous to .~, , .

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3 provide a coin operated mechanism which permits a variety of 4 coin combinations to be used, rather than a limited number of 5 types of coins, e.g., only quarters, or only dimes and 6 quarters. In these and other types o~ coin operated 7 equipment, the amounts deposited in the machine are normally 8 collected from time to time In the case of parking meters 9 ¦and telephone equipment, the coin box may be removed and an 10 empty coin box inserted. This coin box replacement is 11 intended to reduce losses as a result of theft by the 12 collector. Yet, other types of coin operated dispensers are 13 such that the collector merely takes or empties the coins from 14 the machine 'IbanX", without counting them. In this case, the 15 possibility of losses due to thefts is a problem.

16 In the case of newspaper vending machines or machines 19 .

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' ,' ', ', ' ~ Docket No.~ Jo-MA 2 ~1 ~ 3 3 2 8 which require periodic replacement of the dispensed product, 4 there is both periodic collection of money from the "bank" and 5 re-supply of the machine. In either case, there are 6 advantages to being able to (1) provide a versatile mechanism 7 which permits use of various coin combinations, (2) track the 8 number of dispensable items loaded, (3) count the total value of 9 coins accepted by the machine, (4) count the number of times the 10 unit was used by the deposit of the proper purchase price and 11 thus the number of units sold or provided, (5) record the 12 period of usage, (6) change prices as may be needed, and (7) 13 provide different altsrnate prices for the product, i.e., 14 daily or Sunday prices as is the case in newspaper vending 15 equipment, (8) provide equipment which is reliably battery 16 operated for relatively lQng periods in an outdoor 17 environment, (9) provide equipment which is secure in the 18 sense that only those with proper access codes can access the 19 equipment, (10) provide information which may be used to 20 generate meaningful data related to the volume of sales made 21 by the equipment, and the like, for management control 22 purposes.

23 There are a number of prior art systems which are 24 supposedly electronic coin mechanism and data systems. One 25 such system is that of United States Patent 4,854,484, issued 26 on July 4, 1989, assigned to Bellatrix Systems, Inc. and which 27 purports to provide some of the features previously described.

28 However, the Bellatrix system is limited to coins of specified .... -, . . ,. ... , ~ .. ...

Docket No.: L306-MA 8 3 ~ 2 8 3 denominations, such as nickels, dimes and quarters. The coin 4 mechanism thus lacks versatility to accommodate the various 5 American coinage in use. Further, the coin mechanism is not 6 self-clearing and may be jammed by foreign objects. The 7 electronic mechanism is powered by lithium thionyl chloride 8 batteries which are classified by the Department of 9 ¦Transportation as hazardous materials. Alkaline batteries are 10 unable to perform in hot/cold climates. The operating 11 temperature range is between 0 degrees and 140 degrees F.
12 Service life of the alkaline batteries is about 1~5 yearsO If 13 the battery looses power or is replaced in the field, all the 14 stored data is lost. Changes in pri¢e ara controlled by an 15 external wand and are limited to minimum increments of 5 16 cents. Further, this mechanism records the time the first 17 article is sold and sales in each of 12 programmable time 1~ slots.
19 Other systems described in United States Patents are:
20 U.S. Patent ~,216,461 issued to Werth et al, U.S. 4l306,219 21 issued to Main et al and U.S. 4,369,442 issued to Werth et al.
22 However, the systems of these patents are dispensing.systems 23 other than newsracks~ the latter presenting unique problems, ~4 not the least of which is the necessity to use battery power 25 and long service life over a wide variety of climate 26 conditions. Moreover, in the case of newsracks, the number of 27 papers dispensed is not normally counted as such since the 28 nature of the usual rack is such than upon deposit of the ~ .

~, "'~ ,- - ' Dochet No.: L~ut~-MA 2 0 8 ~ 3 2 8 3 proper amount, the rack door is permitted to be opened and the 4 purchaser may take one or more copies of the paper. The 5 exception lS those racks which permit only a single copy to be 6 taken. Normally, thP count of papers sold is the difference 7 between the number loaded into the machine and the number 8 retrieved.
9 Another problem with the systems of the prior art 10 described is that only summary data may be extracted from the 11 electronics. This not only complicates the machine 12 electronics but significantly limits the useful information 15 which may be extracted. It is much more preferable for 14 management control and reporting to extract all or a defined 15 amount of the raw data stored in the machine electronics and 16 to use a separate computer to manipulate the data into a wide 17 variety of useable formats. Additionally, the systems 18 described use a real time clock which takes far more 19 electrical power and adds to circuit complexity than the system of 20 the present invention. This also requires that the clock be reset 21 for time changes and for different time zones.
22 Regardless of the type of coin operated system, the basic 23 re~uirement is that the value of a deposited coin be promptly 24 and accurately recognized. Once this is accomplished, a 25 variety of options are available. For example, coins of a 26 detected value may be separately stored in well known coin 27 storage systems i.e., pennies, nickles, dimes, quarters 28 dollars. From such segmented storage systems, change may be . .
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` ~ Docket No.: i~306-MA 2 0 8 3 3 2 8 3 provided or return of deposited coinage may be enabled. Paper 4 currency readers may be used to provide change or the 6 d ference between the price and the dmcunt depcsited.

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13 In large measure the problem is that paper currency units 14 wh1ch provide change have to be loaded with the change to be 15 dispensed. Such units provide a security problem in which 16 both the deposited currency and the stored coinage are subject 17 to theft by break in. Accordinglyl the use of such systems 18 has been limited to well populated areas and high traffic 19 areas, e.g., hotels, airports and the like. Placing such 20 equipment in less populated and low traffic areas, such as 21 newspaper vending equipment, seems to invite theft by ~reaking 22 into the equipment usually located in a remote area or an area 23 which at times is effectively remote. The other objection is 24 the "float",~i.e., the need to tie up money by having it in 2~1 the machine to dispense change. This may be a major concern ~61 ¦fr large vending machine operators with a larger number of 271 vending machinesO
28 ¦ One solution to this problem is to store the deposited ..

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Docket No.: L~uo-MA 2 0 8 3 ~ 2 8 3 coinage and use that source of depo~ited coinage to provide 4 change, thus avoiding the need initially to load the machine with change and minimizing the effect of the float. That, 6 however, requires that the value of deposited coinage be 7 identified accurately and stored in conventional change or 8 coin return bins~

The 11 result is that coin vending machines are usually relatively 12 high priced for the item dispensed. This forces the machine 13 vendors to price their products in terms of the increment of 14 change provicled.
In some cases 16 machines will accept nickles, dime and quarters and provide 17 change in those denominations. }lowever, those machines are 18 complex and require external 110 volt operation and are 19 generally located only in well lighted and well travelled or 20 populated areas.
21 It is thus ~pparent that a need exists for a reliable 22 electronic coin operated mechanism capable of accepting a wide 23 variety of coin combinations currently in circulation and 24 which may be adapted to accept foreign coins for equipment 25 destined for use in foreign countries.
26 It is also apparent that a need exists for a reliable 27 electronic coin mechanism which may be installed in currently 28 existing equipment or new equipment and which may be battery :' ~
i Docket No.: L306-MA 2 0 8 3 3 2 2 l 3 operated and which is capable of reliable and accurate 4 operation over a relatively long period of time and over a 5 wide variation in ambient temperatures, e.g., -40 degrees to 6 185 degrees F.
7 Also apparent is the need for a unique and reliable coin 8 mechanism, electronically operated and which is capable of 9 electronically recognizing coin values of a variety of lO different coins, and which prevents tampering and which ll provides false coin detection, e.g., slug detection for the 12 particular coin system.
13 Especially advantageous is the provision of a coin 14 operated vending device which is battery operated, which 15 provides a reliable coin mechanism for various denominations 16 of coins, which totals the deposited coins to determine 17 whether at least the purchase price has been deposited and 18 which is capable of operating over a wide variety of 19 environmental conditions, i.e., extremes of heat and cold and in damp freezing and dry hot conditions.
21 It is also apparent that a need exists for a reliable and 22 accurate coin recognizing device which effectively can 2~ determine the value of a coin, or reject the same, thus 24 allowing totalizing of coins according to value.
Another advantageous coin operated dispensing system is 26 one which provides security and security levels through 27 controlled passwords, accumulates and provides data related to 28 equipment location, amount of articles loaded, amount of . . ~ . . ..
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: ', , , Docket No.: 13u6-MA 2 ~ ~ 3 ~, 2 8 3 articles sold, amount of articles returned, amount of money 4 deposited, amount of money collected, time of deposit of 5 money, time of collection, identity of collector, time of 6 servicing, test of battery condition, thereby enabling production 7 of various management reports and reports related to the 8 service of the equipment.
10 Brief Description Of The Invention 11 The present invention relates to an integrated electronic 12 dispensing system and more particularly to an improved 13 electronic system for the sale of newspapers from machines or 14 from other street sales facilities.
In a preferred form the newsrack is equipped with an 1~ electronic mechanism which recogniæes the coins deposited and 17 if at least the correct amount of valid coins are deposited, 18 permits access to the interior of l_he dispenser. Usually this 19 is accomplished by permitting the machine door to be opened.
20 The machine electronics stores a wide variety of information 21 such as total amount deposited, machine identification number, 22 and relative time o~ the first and last sale as well as 23 relative time of each sale. By relative time is meant elapsed 24 time rather than chronological time. The electronics of the 25 machine, powered by a battery, operates in a low power sleep 26 mode to conserve power, until activated by deposit of a coin.
27 When activated, the machine system is powered up to perform a 28 vari~ty of functions including coin denomination recognition, .; ,..

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1 Docket No.: L306-MA

3 summing of valid coins deposited and comparison against the 4 purchase price, identification of relative time, and release 5 of the door lock to permit access if at least the correct 6 amount of money is deposited. The deposited money then falls 7 to th~ machine bank. The total amount of valid coins are 8 totalized. If less than the purchase price is deposited or invalid coins or slugs are deposited, the deposited coins or 10 other items are diverted to a coin return and the door remains 11 locked.
12 The coin recognition system is unique in that it accepts 13 and reads the value of each increment of coins from one cent 14 to a dollar, fo~ example, each of which is deposited 15 sequentially in a coin chute. A rotatable coin wheel having a 16 predetermined num~er of apertures with a single light source 17 and a single detector is used for coin recognition in a unique 18 way to be described. The use of a single light source and 19 detector reduces the power needed for operation.
Used with the machine electronics is a reader, a portable 21 hand held and battery operated unit which is capable of 22 performing several different operations which will be 23 described in detail. The reader can be used to read out raw 24 information stored in the machine electronics by optical 25 coupling to the electronics, typically relative time of first 26 and last sale, relative time of each sale, battery condition, 27 price options al~owed, and the like. Additionally, the reader 28 can program the machine electronics for price changes and for ~ 5~

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. Docket No.: l306-MA 2 ~ $ ~ 3 2 8 3 enablement of a slug detector system. The reader may be used 4 by a route person who services the machine to record papers 5 loaded and returned, time and date of service, time of first 6 and last sale, total amount in the machine bank and a variety 7 of other information to be described. A separate reader may 8 be used by the person collecting the money in the coin bank.
9 The permissible reader uses may be controlled by programming 10 the reader, as will be described. The reader may optionally 11 include an acoustic modem for transmission of information by 12 telephone. The reader also includes an optical information 13 transmission system.
14 Another part of the system is a shuttle mechanism which 15 interconnects the reader to a computer, the latter receiving 16 information from the reader for processing by software in the 17 computer. The shuttle can also be used to proyram the reader 18 by the computer. In effect the shuttle acts as an interface l9 between the reader and the computer.
As will be described there are a series of security 21 levels built into the system which limit what level of 22 management or users can make changes in the syskem. For 23 example, each machine is given a unique code identification 24 which cannot be changed other than by the manufacturer or by information maintained by the manufacturer. This precludes 26 machine code identification changes and thus prevents use of 27 stolen machines. The reader can be programmed to read only 28 those machines whose identification is programmed into the , ' Docket No.: L306-MA 2 ~ 8 3 3 2 8 3 reader, for example mach:ines on a defined route. This 4 prevents the reader from accessing or operating machines other 5 than those on an assigned o~ defined route. The rea~er cannot 6 be accessed except through a personal identification code.
7 The computer may store other information related to machine 8 location, route person identification and a whole host of 9 other information which, with the information provided from 10 the reader, may generate a series of meaningful management 11 reports. In this way productivity is increased and thefts are 12 reduced.
13 It will be apparent from the following detailed 14 description that the pr~sent invention offers a versatile and improved electronic dispensing system and mechanism. The 16 following description should be considered a description of 17 the invention, as illustrative of the same, and not as a 18 limitation on the same.

20 Detailed Description Of The Drawi~
21 Figure 1 is a diagrammatical view of the system of this 22 invention for puxposes of description ther~of;
23 Figure 2 is a diagrammatic illustration in an exploded 24 view of-the coin mechanism and electronic components of the 25 coin mechanism in accordance with this invention, 26 Figure 3 is a diagrammatic illustration of a coin wheel 27 in accordance with this invention;
28 Figure 4A is an enlarged view of the front side of a coin .: , ~ ' :

~ Docl<etNo.~ MA 20 8 3328 3 wheel in accordance with this invention;
4 Figure 4B is a view similar to Figure 4A showing the back 5 side of the coin wheel;
6 Figure 5 is an enlarged diagrammatic view of the 7 orientation array of the slots located in the coin wheel in 8 accordance with this invention;
9 Figure 5A is an enlarged view, in section, of the slots 10 in the coin wheel; ~-.
11 FigurP 6 is a diagrammatic view, for purposes of 12 explanation, of the electronic coin detection system of this 13 invention;
14 Figure 7 is an enlarged view of the anti-bounce wheel 15 used with the coin wheel in accordance with this inventionî
16 Figure 8 is a view, as seen from the interior, of one 17 half portion of an escrow unit in accordance with this 18 invention;
lg Figure 9 is a plan view of an escrow door in accordance 20 with this invention;
21 Figure 9A is a side view of an escrow door in accordance 22 with this invention;
23 Figure 10 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the lower 24 portion of the ~scrow unit in accordance with this irivention;
Figure 11 is a fragmentary plan view of the escrow doors 26 and the interior wall of the escrow unit;
27 Figure 12 is a diagrammatic illustration of the coin 28 control lever assembly which operates the escrow unit;

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~ Docket No.: U~ MA 21~ ~ 3 3 2 8 1 .

3 Figure 13 is an end view of the assembly as seen in 4 Figure 12;
Figure 14 is an enlarged view of the latch finger;
6 Figure 15 is an enlarged view of the coin finger;
7 Figure 16 is an enlarged view of the escrow return 8 finger;
9 Figure 17 is an enlarged view of the coin box escrow lO finger;
ll Figure 18 is a diagrammatic view of the door latch 12 assembly;
13 Figure 19 is a diagrammatic view of the coin chute 14 clearing assembly;-Figure 20 is a diagrammatic illustration of the escrow 16 door control levers;
17 Figure 21 is a developed view, in perspective, of the 18 battery cartridge;
l9 Figure 21A is a sectional view, looking down into th~
20 battery cartridge:housing;
21 Figur~ 22 is a schematic of ths electronic control board;
22 ~igure 23 is a view of the component placement on the 23 electronic control board;
24 Figure 24 is a timing diagram for the various functions; ;
Figure 25 is a logic and flow diagram of the main 26 routine;
27 Figure 26 is a logic and flow diagram of the 28 communications routine;

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3 Figure 27 is a logic and flow d.iagram of the newsstand 4 update routine;
Figure Z8 is a logic and flow diagram for the coin recognition and sales routine;
7 Figure 29 is a logic and flow diagram for the coin 8 sense/timing routina;
9 Figure 30 is a timing diagram for the coin recognition lO sequence;
ll Figure 31 is an enlarged plan view of an improved coin 12 wheel; and 13 Figure 32 is the reader program diagram illustrating the ~2 14 various functions of the readex unit in accordance with this invention.

17 Detailed Description Of.The Invention l~ Referrinq to Figure 1, the enl:ire system 10 is 19 illustrated in diagrammatic form for purposes of explanation.
20 As seen the system 10 includes a coin operated dispensing 21 device 12, shown as a newspaper dispensing machine, although 22 it is understood that the dispensing device may be any coin 23 operated device, ~s previously noted. The system also 24 includes a ~eader 14 which may be used to input or readout information from the dispensing device 12 as indicated by line 26 14a. Also part of the system is a computer such as an Apple 27 or IBM or compatible computer 15.
28 Another component of the ~ 2~8~

1 DocketNo L306-MA

3 system is a shuttle mechanism 17 used to interface the reader 4 19 IO the computer 15, as indicated by lines 14c and 17a, as will 5 be described. It is also possible to interface the reader 145 to 6 the computer via modem 18, as indicated by lines 14b and 18a.
7 In the form illustrated, the dispensing device is a 8 newspaper vending machine including a coin mechanism 20 9 through which coins are serially or sequentially inserted 10 through a singl~ slot 21 dimensioned to accept coins of all ll diameters. If at least the proper total amount of coinage is 12 inserted, then machine mechanism, to he described, allows the 13 dispensing device to access the product to be dispensed or to 14 start the service to be provided, e.g., clothes washing or drying~ or pay telephone operation. In the case of a dispensed 16 article, such as a newspaper, the purchaser may open the door 17 23 by the handle 24 to remove one paper, the papers being 18 stored in the lower portion of the machine on a spring loaded l9 platform, as is well known in the art. If the amount of coinage deposited is less than the purchase price, the 21 deposited coinage is returned through the return slot 21a as the 22 user attempts to open the door or, in the case of a pay 23 telephone, hangs up the receiver. Again, this operation is 24 well known in the art.
The coin mechanism of the dispensing device 12 in 26 accordance with this invention includes a unique electronic 27 coin mechanism and associated electronics which perform a wide 28 variety of functions. Figure 2 illustrates an overall view of : ,. -:: :.: . .....
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~ Docket No.: ~06-MA .2 ~ ~ 3 ~ ~ 3 3 a pre~erred form of the electronic coin mechanism in 4 accordance with this invention, although the present invention is not limited to what i5 illustrated and described in Figure 7 As seen in Figure 2, the electronic coin mechanism 25 of 8 the present invention includes an electronic control board 30 9 mounted on a support structure 32 on which other components 10 are mounted. The detailed ~eatures of the electronic control ll board will be described. The support structure 32 also forms 12 part of the coin chute and includes a lateral plate 33 upon 13 which other components forming the coin chute and coin 14 counting mechanism are mounted. Also mounted on the support 15 structure on the side opposite the control board is a battery 16 mounting plate 35 having a bracket 36 to form an enclosure 17 which receives a unique removable battery pack 38, also to be 18 described.
19 The other portion of the coin chute includes plate 40 20 having two ears 41, 41a for receiving pin 42 to mount the plate 21 pivotally on lateral plate 33, the latter provided with pin 22 ears 44. One or mQre coil springs having finger extensions, 23 not shown, is mounted on the pin 42 and one finger of the 24 spring bears against the side of the plate and the other finger is placed in the spring finger 46 to bias the plate 40 26 and the components carried hy the plate towards the support 27 structure 32. As seen, plate 40 includes an aperture 40a for 28 receiving a light detector housing assembly 47 ~or a light Docket No.: L306-MA ~ ~
,1 3 detector in the form of a photodetector, the latter being 4 electri~ally connected to the electronic control board 30, the 5 wires fitting in a grommet in slot 47a. The light detector 6 assembly may alsQ include a magnet mounted in the lower 7 portion of the housing assembly for slug detection~ preferably 8 magnetic and which will be described.
9 Rotatably mounted on plate 40 by a pin 48 received in 10 aperture 40b, on the side thereof facing support plate 32, is 1l a coin wheel assembly 50. Thus, in the normal biased position ;
12 of plate 40, the coin wheel ass~mbly is positioned between 13 plates 40 and 32, the latter forming a coin chute. Also 14 mounted on plate 40 is a coin guide 40d which guides mserted 15 coins into tha coin chute and from there to the coin wheeI
16 assembly. Plate 40 also includes an aperture 40c for 17 receiving a pin for an anti-bounce wheel mounted for 18 cooperation with the coin wheel assembly. Lateral plate 33 19 also includes a lower coin guide plate 52, located below the 20 coin wheel assembly to guide coins from the coin wheel ;~
21 assembly into a coin escrow unit 60. The coin escrow unit 60, ~-22 similar to that previously used in pay telephone booths, is 23 mounted such that coins from the coin plate 52 enter ~he top 24 opening 63 of the escrow unit. The escrow unit includes two 25 dis¢harge openings 64 and 65, one which 65 allows coins to 26 ~all into the bank and the other which 64 allows coins to fall 27 into a coin return chute.
28 Figure 3 is a diagrammatic illustration of the coin wheel :: . : -~, ,, ,: :

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Docket No.: l~b-MA 2 ~ 8 3 ~ 2 8 3 70 whieh is of non-magnetie material such as acetal plastie 4 and is non-symmetrical, having an axis of rotation at 72. As seen, the eoin wheel 70 rotates eloekwise from a rest eoin 6 receiving position to a coin release position and then 7 counterclockwise back to the rest position. In the coin 8 release position, the coin drops into the escrow unit 60 by 9 gravity. The wheel ineludes a eoin reeeiving seetion 75 effeetively formed as a flat reePss between shoulder 76 and 11 inelined shoulder 77 whieh joins with shoulder 78. The depth 12 of the reeess is suffieient to aeeommodate eoins of different 13 thieknesses. As seen, shoulders 76 and 78 are eoin reeeiving 14 shoulders in the sense that spaeed peripheral seetions of a eoin eontaets both of these shoulders. Shoulder 77 is a guide 16 shoulder to urge the eoins into eontaet with the eoin 17 reeeiving shoulders. As illustrated, eurrent Ameriean eoins 18 of the various values are illustrated,i.e., a dime 80, a penny 19 81, a niekel 82, a quarter 83, a dollar 84 (Susan B. Anthony eoin) and a half dollar 85. These respeetive eoins are eaeh 21 of a different diamPtsr, a praetiee ~dopted by most major 22 countries. Shoulders 76 and 78 form an acute angle effectively to ar~lify 23 the diameter difference of coins. It is ~mderstood, however, that the 24 invention is not lirnited to Arnerican coinage but may be used with any coinage in which the value of the coin is represented by a different 26 effective diarneter. For example, Canadian coins are basically the sarne 27 diarneter as ~nerican coinage. However, Canadian coins are magnetic. In 28 each instance the coins are of different , ; ' :, ,'., ~' :

DocketNo.:L~o-MA 2083328 3 diameters and include two separate peripheral surface regions 4 whic~ contact each of shoulders 76 and 78. The coin wheel 5 also includes a plurality of apertures 90, generally oriented ~ .
6 in a particular oriantation which is essentially arcuate as 7 measured radially from the axis of rotation 72~ As each coin 8 is deposited in sequence, it travels to the coin wheel which 9 is in the coin receiving position, as illustrated, rotates to 10 the coin release position, then back to the rest position for 11 reception of the next coin.
12 Referring to Figures 4a and 4B, the back side of the coin 13 wheel may include two apertures 87 and 88, the former ::
14 receiving a weight and the latter a magnet. Figure 4A also illustrates the general orientation of the apertures 90. This 16 figure also illustrates two reference lines 91 and 92 which 17 form a 90 degree quadrant. Shoulder 77 is about 35 degrees to 18 the left of reference line 92 while shoulder 76 is parallel to 19 reference 92 and perpendicular to reference 91. Shoulder 78 is 20 oriented at an angle of about 55 degrees as measured clockwise 21 from reference line 91. Since the wheel 70 is non 22 symmetrical, the combined weight of the magnet and weight and 23 their respeetiv~ locations cause the wheel, absent the 24 presence of a coin or other item of weight, to come to rest in 25 a balanced coin receiving position as illustrated in each of 26 Figures 3 and 4A. As any single item, coin or slug or 27 anything having any weight reaches the coin receiving section 28 an imbalance condition is created causing the coin wheel to : ... . ~ ,.:
.. :,. . ' ~ ' : ' Docket No~ 6-MA 2 0 ~ 3 3 ~ 8 3 rotate clockwise as seen in Figures 3 and 4A. In the event, 4 for some reason, that a coin does not come to rest in the coin 5 receiving section, e.y., passes through between the inside 6 face of the coin wheel and the facing wall of the coin chute, 7 it is not counted and drops into the escrow section ~0. That 8 action is a null action for coin determination and summing 9 purposes. Effectively, such a null action produces no 10 response in the mechanism.
11 During clockwise rotat.ion of the coin wheel 70 in 12 response to a weight increment, two series of events are 13 started. Since the electronics control system of board 30 (Fig. 23 is 14 in a dormant state to conserve battery power, as will be explained, the first event is to activate the electronics.
16 This is accomplished by the first incremental movement of the 17 magnet in aperture 88 of the coin wheel, the latter activating 18 a reed switch on the control board 30. Since all of the 19 supporting structures and plates in the electronic sensitive 20 region of the coin mechanism are non-magnetic, i.e., stainless 21 steel and the like, a small rotational angular displacement of 22 the coin wheel activates the electronics. The 5econd event is 2S that the coin value is read by the electronic~. The coin 24 reading mechanism, to be described, is angularly located with 2~ respect to coin wheel rotation such that the electronics are 26 activated prior to the time that leading ap~rture (right msst 27 opening clockwise) reaches the coin reading system. The 28 relative position of the start of a coin read sequence is when ,: :

Docket No.: L3u6-MA 2 0 ~ 3 3 2 8 3 the coin wheel has rotated about 35 degrees, i.e., when 4 shoulder 77 has rotated to the relative position of reference 5 lîne 92 as seen in Figure 4A.
6 Since the electronics of the control board is in a 7 dormant state because magnet 88 controls the electronics 8 activation reed switch, the angular movement of the coin wheel 9 representing the arcuate movement of the magnet, which arcuate 10 movement is less than the arcuate movement needed to bring the 11 aperture into line with the coin read system, the effect is 12 that the electronics axe activated well prior to the time in 13 which it is necessary to start a coin read sequence. In the 14 sy~tem de~cribed, the electronics are activat~d well before 15 the coin wheel has rotated 35 degrees from the coin receiving 16 or rest position. So too, as the coin wheel rotates 17 counterclockwise to the rest position, apertures traverse the 18 detector before the magnet arrives in alignment with the reed 19 switch, the result is that the electronics are then placed in 20 a dormant state, but remembers the values or null reading of 21 the previously deposited coins and the like. This mode of 22 operation conserves battery power.
23 Referring now to Figures 5 and 5A, wherein the same 24 reference numerals have been used for parts already described, 25 the predetermined orientation of the array of apertures 90 is 26 illustrated with reference toUnited States coinage, and 27 Canadian coinage, as will be described. Overall! the format 28 is to provide a series of related and oriented apertures such .. . ..

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~ Docket No.: L~ MA ~ 3 2 ~

3 that coinage of different diameter dimensions may be 4 accurately identified. To identify the value of ~arious 5 coinage in accordance with this invention, the array 6 preferably includes pairs of apertures, 90a-9Ob, 90c-90d, 90e-7 90f, 90g-9Oh and 90i-90j.
8 As seen in Figure 5, the apertures 80a-80j are oriented 9 in a unique con~iguration and are oriented in arcuate pairs 10 already identified. The purpose of using pairs of apertures 11 is to be able to distinguish between the peripheral edge of a 12 coin and the body of a coin, the distinction being made based 13 on coin diameter. The overall purpose of the aperture 14 arrangement is to provide a pulse count which is unique to 15 each coin, basically measured on the basis of coin diameter.
16 Thus, each coin of different diameter will provide a unique 17 pulse count which is recognized or rejected by the electronic 18 control board. If the slug detector is deenergized, as will 13 be described, then Canadian coins may be detected and counted.
One of the unique features of the coin recognizing system 21 of this in~ention is that pulses are counted in both the 22 clockwise and counterclockwise movement of the coin wheel.
23 For example, there are five pairs of 2 slots, totalling 10 24 slots in the clockwise direction and 10 slots in the 25 counterclockwise direction. The principal purpose of counting 26 light pulses through the slots in both the clockwise and 27 counterclockwise direction is to eliminate errors due to 28 mechanical shocks of the equipment such as the door slammmg or vandalizing.

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Docke~ hlo.. L3~ MA 2 0 8 3 3 2 8 g 11 This may cause a pulse or series of pulses and 12 a deceptive pulse count if pulses are counted only in one 13 direction of coin wheel rotation. This also prevents 14 erroneous coin identification if a user jog5 or shakes the 15 machine during use.
16 To avoid this problem, in accordance with this invention, 17 pulses are counted in each direction of rotation of the coin 18 wheel. The effect is that shocks will not 19 produce a pulse count equal to the value of a coin. Assuming 20 the American coins mentioned, ~he recognized pulse counts 21 based on coin diameter are as follows:
22 Coin Forward count Back count Total count 23 void 10 10 20 24 dime 9 10 19 25 penny - 8 10 18 2G nickel 7 10 17 27 void 6 10 16 28 quarter 5 10 15 ~ Docket No.: L306-MA 2 0 8 3 3 ~ 8 3 void 4 10 14 4 dollar 3 10 13 5 void 2 10 12 6 Half/dol 1 10 11 7 void 0 10 10 8 From the above table it can be seen that each coin has a 9 predetermined number of pulses unique to that coin and in 10 general, the smaller the diameter of the coin, the larger the 11 total number of pulses. The number of pulses representing a 12 particular coin diameter and thus the value of the coin are 13 stored in memory in the electronic control board 30. As will 14 be described, the same number of pulses are generated by 15 American and Canadian coins. The clistinction, however, is 16 whether the slug detector i5 activated or not. It is apparent 17 that for coin dimensions other than those described, for 18 example, foreign coins other than Canadian coins, a different 19 number of pulses may be needed. A:Lso, a greater number of 20 aertures may be needed and/or location changed depending on the variety 21 and sizes of the coins. mus, in nor~al operation, one coin at a t ~ is 22 deposited. The deposited coin's~value is determined and stored 23 and the coin drops by gravity either to the escrow 60 or to 24 some other unit, depending upon the nature of the machine.
Another advantage of the clockwise and counterclockwise 26 pulse counting is that only a single light source and detector 27 need be used to obtain fast and accurate counts. In this way, 28 the ba~tery power requirements for operation of the coin . ~ .
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Docket No.: L306-MA 2 ~ 8 3 3 2 3 identification and coin counting is kept relatively low 4 thereby assuring power for the unit over a longer period of time.
6 Referring now to Figures 5A and 6 light source such as a light emitting diode 100 is located on ll the electronic control board 30 and is aligned to project 12 light through each of the apertures 90a-j on the coin wheel 13 70. Located to the side of the coin wheel 70 opposite the 14 coin receiving surface and aligned with the LED is the detector housing assembly 47, the housing having a rectangular 16 opening 96 through which transmitted light passes to the 17 photodetector 97.

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22 The result is 23 that a very-short series of discrete and countable light 24 bursts reach the photocell from the LED, in accordance with the number of apertures which are open for light transmission.
26 Referring now to Figure 5, the coin apertures are 27 oriented with respect to reference lines 91 and 92 and the 28 axis of rotation 72. The apertures are rectangular slots, ..

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: , , ~ Docket No.~ J6-MA 2 0 8 3 3 2 8 3 arranged as follows, with respect to the ce~ter point between 4 adjacent slots:
5 Slot Angle fr/91 Dist. fx/91 Dist. fr/92 6 90a-b 37 32 1.160 (.4568) 1.510 (.5947) 7 90c-9Od 53 56 1.540 (.606~) 1.1219 (.4417) 8 90e-90f 68 0 1.7658 (.6952) .7132 (.2808~
9 90g--h 79 49 1.8747 (.7381) .3370 (.13~7) lO 90i-j 98 0 l.B864 (.7427) .2651 (.1044) ll The angular dimensions are in degrees and minutes, the 12 distance dimensions are is centimeters and inches. The 13 distance dimension for 90i-j from reference line 91 is taken 14 counterclockwise from 91. The dimension of the slots themselves is .0381 (0.015) by .101 (0.0400). These 16 dimensions are by way of example only.
l'; If the slug detector is deenergized, all 1~3 .-, ~ ~ Docket No.: L~uti-MA 2 0 8 3 3 2 8 1l 3 Canadian coins will be accepted, provided they have diameters 4 falling within diameters controlled by the radial distance 5 between adjacent slot pairs. The result is that if set to 6 American coins, by energizing the slug detector, all magnetic 7 coins will be rejected and only those non-magnetic coins 8 having U.S. coin dimensions will be counted. If the slug 9 detector is deenergized, all coins having the dimensions lO responding to the arrangement of the slot pairs will be ll accepted. While not an absolutely fool-proof system, the 12 system of this invention is able to make basic distinctions 13 ¦between coi~s of various diameters and those which are 14 magnetic and accordingly to make distinctions between Canadian 15 ¦and American coins of essentially the same diameters based on 16 ¦the magnetic response. The effective result is that all 17 ¦magnetic coins, regardless of origin may be rejected in an 18 ¦American system, while magnetic coins may be accepted, based l9 ¦on dimensions. This offers a major advantage of coin operated 20 near the AmeriGan-Canadian border.
21 ¦ Figure 7 is an enlarged view of an anti-bounce unit 110 22 used with the coin wheel 70 to inhibit the effects of bouncing ;
23 of the coin wheel as it rotates back to the start position.
24 ¦Bounce may occur because of the speed at which the wheel 25 returns. Mounted on the same plate on which the coin ~heel 70 26 is mounted is a bounce plate 112 in the form of a half moon.
27 The bounce plate is eccentrically mounted by pin 113 received 28 in aperture 40c and the pin spaces the plate from the plate .~. .

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i Docket No.: L31J;;-MA 2 0 8 3 3 2 8 3 upon which it is mounted. The bounce plate rotates about axis 4 114 initially in a clockwise direction from the position shown. The plate 112 is received between the support plate 6 and the reverse side of the coin wheel and close to the light 7 detector housing assembly 47. For orientation purposes, 116 8 is the shoulder on the reverse ~ide of the wheel and that 9 adjacent to where the weight is mounted. Shoulder 78 is as lO already described.
ll As the coin wheel rotates clockwise, as indicated by 12 arrow A, the bounce plate 112 is rotatable in the same 13 direction on axis 114 as indicated by arrow AA. This rotation 14 causes face 119 to be angularly spaced from the bottom wall 47a of detector housing 47.

~7 As the coin wheel rotates countercloc~wise, as 18 indicated by arrow 8, shoulder 116 impacts the side wall ll~a l9 of the plate 112. This transfer of return eneryy from the wheel 70 to the bounce plate 112, effectively a shock 21 absorbing action, effectively prevents the coin wheel ~rom 22 bouncing.
23 In certain uses of the coin mechanism of this invention, 24 it is dèsirable to provide an escrow unit, although the latter is not required in all uses. For example, in newspaper 26 vending machines or other vending machines (pay telephones) in 27 which a minimum value of coins must be deposited or the Z8 incorrect amount of coins returned, an escrow is desiredO In ~ ' , .

Do~ket No.: l~u6-MA 2 0 ~ 3 3 2 8 3 effect, the escrow is a temporary storage area for the deposited and counted coins. As the user tries to access the 5 product being dispensed or use the service available, either 6 the correct minimum amount of coins is permitted to drop into 7 the machine bank or, in thQ alternative, directed to a coin 8 return chute. Such a system is typical in newspaper vending 9 machines, pay telephones or other types of coin controlled 10 vending machines.
ll The escrow unit 60 illustrated in Figure 2 is one such 12 unit and is patterned after that used in pay telephones, 13 except that the control members of the escrow unit in ~
14 accordance with this invention are materially different, as lS will be described. As shown, the escrow is made up of two 16 half body sections 60a and 60b. At the top, each body section 17 includes a slot 120 into which the bottom end 121 of plate 32 18 is received for alignment. This orients the coin plate 52 l9 such that coins are directed to the open end 63 of the escrow.
20 The escrow includes two discharge openings 64 and 65 as 21 already described.
22 Referring to Figure 8, one half section of an escrow unit 23 60 is illustrated as seen from inside the unit. Since each 24 half section is essentially the same, except as noted, only one half will be described. This particular half 60a, unlike 26 the other half, includes a mounting section 132, in phantom 27 1ines, extending from the rear side of the unit for mounting 28 on a support structure. 8elow the open end 63, there are - , , , Docket No.: L~06-MA 2 0 8 3 3 2 8 Z
3 inwardly projecting side wall sections 133 and 135 such that 4 the clearance or distance between these side walls is less 5 than that between the top wall section 136. Centrally located 6 between the discharge exits 64 and 65 and below the side walls 7 133 and 135 is a pivot pin aperture 140 which receives a pin 8 upon which escrow doors ~45 and 150 are mounted. Door 145 9 pivots clockwise and door 150 pivots counterclockwise from lO the closed position shown to an open position. Below the ll inwardly projecting sidewalls 133 and 135 are inclined side 12 walls 152 and 153, the latter terminating in downwardly 13 extending wall sections 154 and 156. The purpose of the 14 inwardly projecting side walls 133 and 135 i5 to prevent coins from falling into any space between the end face 145a and 150a 16 and the facing inclined side walls. In basic operation, 17 either both doors are closed, or one or the other, but not 18 both are open.
l9 Referring to Figures 9 and 9A, the details of the door structure are illustrated. Since each door is of the same 21 structure, only that of 150 will be described. Each door 22 includes an upper surface 156 ~se~ Figure 9A) which faces the 23 open end 63 of the escrow and a lower surface 157 which faces 24 the open end of the discharge chutes. The side surfaces 161 and 162 are each provided with spaced laterally extending 26 fingers 161a and 162a while the rear face includes spaced 27 journals 164 and 165 with outboard bearing buttons 164a and 28 165a, a notched section 166 and an intermediate rear wall .
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,: , ': , ~ Docket No.: L306-MA 2 0 ~ 3 3 2 3 section 167 which is slightly recessed from the center line of 4 the journals. When two doors are assembled together the 5 journal corresponding to 165 of the second door is located in 6 the notch 1~6 of door 150, while the journal of the second 7 door corrPsponding to 164 is located outboard of journal 165 8 of door 150, the bearing buttons providing for ease of ~-9 relative rotation.
The bottom surface 157 of the door 1~0 is essentially ll flat while the upper surface 156 includes tapered spaced 12 sections 170 and 171 whose thickness increases towards the 13 rear faces. Each tapered section includes an associated side 14 taper 170a and 171a such that the generally triangular intermediate section 173 is essentially flat. This 16 configuration permits wet coins to slip off the upper door 17 surface more easily.
18 ~he bottom surface 157 of eachl door includes a door l9 positioning control assembly which is both simple and effective. Extending downwardly from the bottom surface of 21 each door adjacent the rear surface 167 is a door stop button 22 180. This button includes a rear face l~Oa which extends 23 rearwardly of the rear surface 167 but just short of the 24 centerline of the journals. The front face 180b of the button is located inwardly of the rear surface and include a tapered 26 base 180Co Spaced inwardly and in alignment with the door Z7 stop button is a door opening button lgO thus forming a groove 28 ~191 between he buttons. The door opening button 190 includes -~!

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~ Docket No.: 1306-MA 2 ~ ~ ~ 3 ~ ~

3 spaced side arms l90a and 190b, with a guide button l90c 4 therebetween, the latter including tapered faces l90d and l90e. Rear wall 190f of the guide button is located between 6 side arms l90a and 190b, the latter each including an upper -7 end lO9g which extends beyond the upper surface of the guide 8 button. In operation, a guide control element either contacts 9 the wall 180b o~ the door stop button, halting rotation of the 10 door or travels up inclined faces l90d and l90e to urge the ~ -11 door to a closed position as the control element rests between 12 the top of the guide button and the upper end of the side 13 arms. Thus with the doors in planar alignment and angularly 14 oriented in the escrow either the coin return chute or the l bank chute is open. If one is open it is not possible for the 1 other also to be open since the rear faces of the stop buttons 1 bear against each other preventing further rotational l movement. It is, however, possible for ths doors to close 1 each of the chutes. This represents a relative orientation in 2 which the upper faces of the doors are at an angle less than 2 180 degrees.
2 Figures 10 and 11 illustrate another feature of the 2 escrow unit which prevents coins from being wedged between the 24 side walls of the doors and the opposing walls of the escrow 2 housing. Each of the walls of the escrow housing facing the 2 side walls of the doors includes a plurality of arcuately 2 oriented depressions 200, 201 and 202 spaced radially. The 2 ends 200a, 2Qla and 202a are in radial alignment and represent '.

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Docket No.: L3ù6-MA 2 0 ~ 3 3 2 8 3 the closed position of the escrow doors. The ends 200b, 201b 4 and 202b represent the full open position of the door, the 5 latter ~earin~ against and overlapping a lower wall section 6 205 which is radially oriented with respect to the axis of 7 rotation 209 of the doors. As seen in Figure 11, the finyers 8 on the side walls of the door ar spaced from the depressions 9 for free pivoting motion of the doors while preventing coins 10 from b~ing wedged in the space between the side walls and the ll facing wall of the escrow housing. The escrow housing is open 12 at the portion between the discharge chutes, i.e., from the 13 region of pivot pins 211 and 212 to 215. These openings are 14 provided for the door actuating lever mechanisms.
To understand how the lever mechanism for the escrow 16 operates, it is necessary to understand the interface between 17 the electronic control board and the escrow itself, since 18 there are multiple functions performed. In one function, the l9 assembly is in a stand~by or rest mode. The second function is to respond to a correct coin count and open the escrow door 21 to the machine ~ank and permit a~c:ess to the product or to 22 commence the service. Alternatively, there is the function of 23 rejecting the deposited coins as being insuf~icient, by 24 maintaining the escrow door to the bank closed while opening the coin return door. Finally, there is the re5et function in 26 which the assembly returns to the stand-by condition.
27 Referring to Figure 12, a solenoid assembly 220 and a -28 lever assembly 225 are mounted on the rear side 32a of the .i " : , :
'~' ''' ', ~ ' 1 Docket No.: L306-MA ~ ~ ~3 3 ~ % ~

3 lower portion of plate 32 (see Figure 2), the latter being 4 provided with apertures as illustrated. In effect, the 5 assemblies 220 and 225 are mounted direc-tly behind the escrow 6 unit 60. The solenoid assembly includes a solenoid 228 which 7 receives control signals from the electronic control board 30 8 in the form of a pulse each time and only if th~ proper amount 9 of coinage is counted, as already descr`ibed 9 Cooperating with lO the solenoid 228 is a magnetic actuator plate 229 normally ll biased by spring 231 around pivot point 232 in the clockwise 12 direction in the view illuStrated When the solenoid is 13 pulsed, the actuator plate pivots in the counterclockwise 14 direction.
Pivotally mounted on plate 32a below the solenoid 16 assembly is an essentially flat la~ch finger 235 which pivots 17 on axis 235a (see also Figure 14). The upper end of the latch 18 finger includes an actuator plate lock shoulder 237 which l9 receives the end 229a of the actuator plate. This is the rest 20 or stand-by position. There is sufficient clearance between 21 the bottom of the solenoid ~28 and the top of lock shoulder of 22 the actuator plate to permit the latch finger to rotate when 23 the solenoid i~ pulsed. After a p~lse, the top 235b of the 24 latch finger is below the actuator plate until the latch finger is permitted to rotate clockwise. This maintains the 26 latch finger in a locked orientation.
27 Located below the latch finger are three additional and 28 independently rotatable levers, a coin finger lever 240, an : ~ .

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Docket No.: L3u6-MA 2 0 8 3 3 2 8 3 escrow return finger 250 and a coin box finger 255 all 4 pivotable around the same axis 257. The coin finger lever 240 5 is between the other two fingers with coin box finger 255 6 being behind the coin finger lever 240 and the escrow return 7 finger 250 being to the front. The relative positions are 8 also shown in Figure 13 which illustrates the stand-by 9 condition.
In the stand-by condition, all the fingers are in an ll upward position to close both the bank door and the coin 12 return doGr of the escrow. The escrow return finger 250 is 13 biased to the upward position by a coil spring 256. The coin s finger 240 and the coin box finger 255 are held in the upward 15 position by the door latch arm 260 (Figures 13 and 18) which 16 is normally biased in an upward position.
17 As seen in Fiyure 14, the lower end of the latch finyer 18 ~35 includes a coin finger lock face 265 which rotates as the l9 latch finger rotates. As seen in Figure 15, the coin finger 20 240 includes a lever reset surface 267a which can bear against ;
Xl reset face 268 of the latch finger 235~ Adjacent the lever 22 reset surface is a lock pocXet 270 adapted to receive the lock 23 face 265 of the latch finger as the latter rotates clocXwise 24 once the solenoid is pulsed. When locked, the lock face 265 25 is in the lock pocket 270 an~l the forward face 265a bears 26 against face 270a of the lock pocket 270 whereby the c:oin 27 finger is prevented from rotating counterclockwise around 28 pivot 257. Face 26Sa is not parallel with the reset face 268, ~:

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~ DockeS No.: L~06~MA 2 0 g 3 3 2 8 3 and face 270a is nonparallel with face 267a. However, the 4 face 267a of the reset surface i5 spaced from the reset face 268. In this relative position the angular orientation of the 6 reset face is nonparallel with the reset face 268. This 7 relative orientation permits an unlock and reset sequence, as 8 will be described.
9 The end of the coin finger 240 includes a disk like roller 272 which rides on the latch arm 260. If the coin 11 finger is in the locked position, as the door 27S (Figure 18) 12 is pulled, the roller 272 causes the latch arm, biased in the 13 clockwise direction by spring 277, to rotate in a 14 counterclockwise direction as the roller rides over the latch arm cam 279. The coin box finger 255, normally biased to a 16 downward position also bears against the latch arm.
17 The latch arm also includes latch arm tangs 280. For the 18 door 275 to open, the latch arm tangs 280 must clear the 19 latch stop 285. For the coins in the escrow to fall to the bank, the coin box finger 255 kept in the up position 21 by the latch arm must freely rotate downwardly to ~pen the 22 coin box door of the escrow. Thus, with the coin ~inger 240 23 in the locked position, the roller 272 rides over the cam 279 24 before the tangs 280 reach the latch stop 285, thereby permitting the door to be opened since the tangs have cleared 26 the latch stop. As the roller causes the latch arm to 27 rotate counterclockwise the coin box finger rotates to the 28 down position, opening the coin box door of the escrow and the '.~... ' Docket No.: L306-MA 2 0 8 3 3 2 3 coins fall into the bank as the tangs clear the latch stop.
4 A second series of events also takes place as the door is 5 pulled to the open position. As the roller 272 starts to ride 6 up the forward face 279a of the cam 27~, the coin finger 7 rotates a small amount clockwise.
8 As the roller 272 clears the cam 279, the coin finger 2~0 is 9 free to rotate counterclockwise causing surface 267a to contact 10 surface 268 of the latch finger 235 causing it to rotate 11 clockwise until the end 229a of the actuator plate drops into 12 the lock shoulder 237. As the door is closed, the latch cam 13 279 rotates he coin arm to the rest position.

19 ~, Zl 24 As seen in Figure 15, the coin finger 240 includes a bend 26 section 292 such that the end section 294 is laterally offset 26 (behind as seen in Figure 15) from the main body section 296 27 of the coin fingPr.
28 As shown in Figure 16, the escrow return finger 250 is ~ Docket No.~ A 2 ~ 8 3 3 2 8 3 also non-planar and includes a bent section 298 bent outwardly 4 at bend zone 299. ThP escrow return finger 250 rotates about axis 257 and includes a tang 300 received in an aperture 302 6 in t.he bottom section 305 of the latch stop 285. The bent 7 zone 299 includes an aperture 307 for one end of spring 2~6 8 ~Figure 12) such that the escrow return finger is normally 9 biased upwardly as seen in Figure 12. The bent section 298 also includes at one end a button mounting tab 309 oriented 9o ll degrees as indicated by line 309a. That tab bears against the 12 lever of the escrow which keeps the coin return door normally 13 closed.
14 As shown in Figure 17, the coin box finger 255 freely rotates about axis 257 and by gravity tends to be in a 16 down position. This finger has an axial length greater than 17 the coin 240 finger such that the 'portion from 311 to the end 18 312 extends beyond the end to the coin finger. Also located l9 on the coin box finger is a button tab 314 which is 90 degrees bent and which extend to the side of this finger 21 opposite the coin finger. In the up position, the hutton 22 causes the coin bank door of the escrow to be closed. With 23 door 275 closed, the door latch 260 urges the finger to the up 24 position.
Figure l9 illustrates the latch stop mechanism 350, 26 portions of which have already been described. The coin 27 return mechanism also includes a vertically extending U-shaped 28 arm 355 joined to the latch stop 285. As the latch stop .

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~ ~ Docket No.: L3`1Jo-MA 2 0 8 3 3 2 8 1 ~

3 285 is moved to the left as seen in the drawings, the entire 4 latch stop mechanism pivots at pivot point 356, causing the 5 upper end of arm 355 to pivot in the opposite directionO The 6 latch stop mechanism 350 is mounted to the rear of the 7 escrow, on plate 32a. The upper end of arm 355 includes 8 bracket which fits and is mounted on the lower ear 4la (see 9 Figure 2) between the plate 40 and the pivot pin 42 which passes through the ear apertures. As the latch stop arm 11 rotates to th~ left, the upper arm 355 rotates to the right.
12 This causes plate 40 to rotate to the left about pivot pin 42 13 with the result that the coin chute is opened up to permit 14 anything in the chute to drop into the escrow whose doors are normally closed.
16 In the event that an incorrect value of coins is 17 deposited, the solenoid 228 is not pulsed and the latch finger 18 235 is not activated to lock the coin finger 240. Thus, the 19 coin finger is free to pivot upwardly as the latch arm 260 is move in response to an attempt to open the dsor. The result 21 is that as the cam 279 passes the roller 272, a sequence of 22 lever movements is initiated. At the approximate relative position in which the roller 272 is at the top of the cam, the 24 tangs 280 of the latch are portioned against the face 305a of 25 the latch stop 285. The bottom surface of the escrow finger 26 rides on the top of the cam. As the door is pulled further, 27 the latch stop 285 is rotated to the left. Since the tang 28 300 of the escrow return finger 250 is located in the slot ~ 41 Docket No.: L306-MA 2 ~ 8 3 3 2 8 1 .

3 302, the escrow return finger is rotated counterclockwise or 4 in the down position, as seen in Figure 12, and the escrow coin return door is opened. The coin bank door remains closed 6 since the coin box finger 255 is in the up position. This 7 sequence causes the materials in the escrow to drop to the 8 coin return chute. However, a second and important sequence 9 also takes place.
o If correct coinage is deposited, the pulsing of the solenoid restarts the coin count sequence. Since depositing 12 of the incorrect total amount of coins does not cause pulsing 13 to the solenoid, some other mechanism is needed to restart the 14 coin count or else the electronic control board will remember the value of the prior coins deposited and returned. Carried 16 by the arm 355 in side leg 355a is a magnet 360, the latter 17 aligned with a reed switch on the electronic control board 30 18 which is kept closed as long as the magnet is aligned. With 19 correct coinage, the reed switch is closed since there is no movement of the magnet 360 since there is no action in the 21 latch stop mechanism. However, for incorrect and returned 22 coins, movement o~ magnet 360 opens the reed switch to reset 23 the coin counter to zero.
24 Figure 20 shows the escrow door levers 370 which are basically of the same structure and which are mounted on the 26 escrow to control the escrow doors in response to 27 the various finger levers controlled by the solenoid. Each 28 escrow door lever includes spaced ears 371 and 372, each " : . :

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D~cke~ No.- L306-MA

3 provided with an aperture 371a and 372a, received on each side 4 of the escrow housing an pivotally mounted, see Figure 2.
5 Each lever includes a lever arm 375 which in one case is 6 contacted by the button on the escrow return finger and in the 7 other case contacted by the button on the escrow coin box 8 finger. The lever arm 375 is used to rotate the lever in 9 response to movement of the respective finger levers thus to lO open or close the respective escrow doors which they control~
11 Mounted on each escrow door lever is a door control wire 380 12 received in the slot 191 of each door. The control wire 13 includes a leg 380a which passes through the body 370a of the 14 escrow door lever and is locked in a notch 375a. The other leg 380b is locked in a notch 386 o-f a tab 387 which extends 16 in the same direction as the lever arm. Thus, as the escrow 17 levers are rotated, the door control wire moves in an arc to 18 effect rotation of the associated escrow door.
19 On of the unique features of this invention is the battery unit 38 illustrated in Figure 2 and whosa details are 21 illustrated in Figures 21 and 21~. The housing 400 is 22 basically of two pieces, the housing chamber 402 and the base 23 403, the latter sonically welded to the chamber after the 24 batteriès have been assembled in the chamber. The chamber 2~ outer wall includes a pivoted mounting finyer 405 which is 2S received in an aperture 405a in plate 35 ~see Figure ~) to 27 lock the battery unit in place. The under side of the base 28 which faces the housing chamber includes apertures 408 through ~ 3 ~ ~
l Dock~tNo:~6-MA

3 which male prongs from the control board 30 extend to make 4 connection with the female receptacles of the battery connector 410, the latter being connected by leads to each of 6 the batteries. The under side also includes a generally 7 triangular locater 412 whose function i5 to hold the connector 8 and the batteries in place at the battery connector end of the 9 housing.
The interior of the battery housing is configured 11 uniquely to accommodate 4 2/3 Amp 3 volt cells ~2 pairs of 2), 12 2 2/3 Amp 3 volt cells or 2 C cells of 3 volts. Since the 13 length of the 2/3 Amp pair cell is less than that of the 2C cells and 14 the diameters are different, a s~ries of baffles is provided interiorly of the housing and of different axial lengths to 16 hold the different combinations mentionedn As seen in ~igure 17 21A, only half of the arrangement of cells is illustrated.
18 The cell 416 is longer and larger in diameter while the two 2/3 Amp 19 cell pair 417a and 417b is sho~er but of a larger combined diameter. The combined diameter of 417a and 417b is greater 21 than that of 416, howsver, the baffles are oriented with a 22 common center axis 420 and are arranged essentially radially 23 with respect to that axis.
24 As seen in Figure 21A, save for the inclined wall 421, the battery housing is essentially symmetrical with respect to 26 the internal baffling. The inclined wall is used solely for 27 orientation alignment purposes thus preventing the battery 28 pack from being incorrectly inserted with possible damage to .
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Docket No.: ~06-MA 2 0 8 3 3 3 the male connecting pins of the control board. The bracket 36 4 (see Figure 2) is correspondingly contoured ss that the batter 5 pack will fit only in one orientation. The baffles include 6 three short baffles 421a, b and c which offer seats for the 7 shorter cell, since the latter rest on the tops of these 8 baffles, and positioning guides for the longer cells since the 9 radially inner surfaces contact the outer surface of the longer cells. Baffle 423 is a combined baffle, having a short ll inner section 423a which extends inwardly and a full length 12 section 423b which does not extend inwardly as far as 423a.
13 Baffles 424a and 424b are full length baffles which 14 contact only the larger diameter cells 416. In addition there are two short triangular baffles 426a and 426b which span the 16 length of the base and terminate ln two spaced walls 427a and 17 427b which extend to base 403. Between the walls 427a and 18 427b is another wall baffle 428 which includes an upward l9 finger to bear against the back side of the connector housing.
Figure 22 is a schematic diagram of the circuit of the 21 electronic circuit board in which the designation used on the 22 circuit diagram will be used.
23 Figure 23 is a view of the actual placement of components 24 on the control board 30 since th~ latter are placed is a predetermined position for cooperative interaction with 26 various components of the coin mechanism.
27 Referring now to Figures 22 and 23, the illustrated 28 circuit was designed with four major constraints: (1) It must " - ' . ' ~ ,; .

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3 operate on battery power, therefore tha circuitry must be low 4 in power consumption to extend battery life; (2) It must operate in temperature ranges from -40to 140 degrees F.; (3 6 It must he unaf~ected by environmental conditions such as 7 humidity and salty air; and (4) It must be simple and 8 reliable. The circuit illustrated, along with the proper 9 packaging, also illustrated, meets all of these criteria.
10 Virtually all of the circuitry uses the MOS family of logic 11 since it features extremely low power consumption, a wide 12 range of operating voltage, and can operate over thP necessary 13 temperature range. The circuit is always powered. Ideally it 14 would be desirable to operate the entire circuit in a static "sieep" mode, becausa in this mode static MOS circuitry draws 16 nano to microamps of current. That is the basic approach to 17 this circuit design. Every active component is configured in 18 a high impedance state allowing on:Ly leakage currents to flow.
19 Only when a function becomes active, does its circuitry change 20 to draw a small pulse of current for the minimum time 21 necessary to accurately process the function then return to 22 the static "sleep" state. The only exception to this is the 23 clock circuitry of the micro-computer U1, which continually 24 runs at a slow speed to keep track of relative time, as contrast to chronological time. Unlike other designs, there 26 is only one clock and one clock frequency, and tAere is no 27 need to switch clock fxequencies for different functions. The 28 clock circuit runs at an order of magnitude slower than other r Docket No.: L306-MA ~ ~ ~ 3 3 ~ ~

3 designs, and therefoxe draws much less power (power 4 consumption is directly proportional to clo~k speed~, without compromising per~ormance.
6 The heart and brains of the circuitry is a micro-computer 7 on a chip Ul . This integrated circuit (IC~ contains a central 8 processing unit (CPU), program read only memory ~ROM), random 9 access memory (RAM), a timekeeping clock circuit and input/output control ports. Ul manages all of the reader 11 preset information, as well as recorded sales information in 12 its on board RAM. The clock circuit keeps track of relative 13 time (relative to the reader real time clock), and is used as 14 the timing source for the circuits serial communications. All of the processed sensor signals such as Coin Wheel Switch, 16 Slug Detector Switch, Coin Word, Price Selection Switches, 17 Door Reset Switch, Communications Sense Switch, and Battery 18 Test Circuit are read into U1 RAM via the input ports. U1's 19 output control lines activate the Coin Sense Emitter and Sensor Power Lines, control the latch and counter reset 21 functions, enable the solenoid which sets the mechanical latch 22 to open the dispensing or access door, and control the serial 23 communications transmit line.
24 There are basically two types of sensors used in the circuitry and associated components, optical and magnetic.
26 Movement of the magnet in the coin wheel is detected by S1.
27 Slug detector switch S2 is held closed by a magnet in the coin 28 sense housing. If a slug passes by in the coin wheel, the ~:

DocketNo.:L~6-MA 2~3~2 3 magnetic field is momentarily broken and sensed by S2. S3 4 senses a magnet whose position corresponds to the door rest function~ S4 and S5 sense a magnet~s) on the key quick change 6 wire to allow up to four Xey selections of price. The price 7 of each selection can be any price from 1 cent to $655.36 in 8 increments of 1 cent. S6 senses the proximity o~ the magnet 9 in the reader head and enable communication power. This signal specially processed by the software program in U1, so ll that a constant ma~netic field will not hang up the system in 12 the communications mode.
13 D1 is an infrared optical emitter which provides the 14 single light source needed tu perform the coin reading operation. Q7 is the single photo-transistor needed to read 16 the coin pulses which identify the coin. D2 is an infrared 17 optical emitter which provides the serial communications light 18 source, and Q6 is the photo-transistor for receiving serial l9 communications. The schematic shows the sensors in their static positions. In these positions, all of the sensors are 21 in a high impedance state and draw only leakage currents.
22 U3 and U4 are electronic latches which grab and hold the 23 change of state of the sensor switches such as the Coin Wheel 24 Switch and the Slug Detector Switch. They hold the data until Ul has had a chance to examine and process it, then clear 26 these latches. This circuitry would not be necessary if power 27 consumption were not a material consideration. In that case, 28 the clock speed of U1 could be increased and the state o~ the DocketNo.:3~06-MA 20~3328 3 sensors could be sampled at a fast rate, thereby 4 eliminating the need for U3 and U4.
U5 is a Hex Schmitt Trigger Inverter used to provide the 6 propPr phase ~ignal to components. In 7 addition, it "squares up" slower changing transition edges of 8 signals such as the serial coin pulses so that they can be 9 accurately processed by the counter circuitry. U2 and 1/2 of U3 create a counter circuit which converts the serial coin pulse 11 data to a parallel coin word. Again, this circuitry would be 12 unnecessary if power consumption were not a factor. In that 13 case, the clock speed of U1 could be increased so that the 14 coin detector could be sampled at a fast rate, and thereby translated by software into a coin word.
16 Battery B1 is the primary bat:tery source. However as 17 seen in Figure 23, there is a batt:ery B2 which us used to 18 provide sufficient power to retain stored information in the 19 electronics when the main battery B1 is changed or removed. The main power line VBAT is the direct output of this battery which 21 powers the entire circuit. There is also a back-up battery 22 B2~ B1 is the only source, however, that powers voltage 23 reyulator U6, the coin sense emitter circuit (R1, D1, and Q1~, 24 the serial transmit emitter circuit (R7, D2, and ~2), the 2S battery test circuit (R8, RP4, CR4, Z1 Q5), and the door 26 latching solenoid circuit (Q3 and CRl~. All of these circuits 27 draw considerably more power when activated than the rest of 28 the circuitry. The CR2, CR3 rectifier circuit is designed so ,.. , . ':. '~: , : '', ~ ~ ' .' `. ' `: ' ' ' ' ,. , ' . ~ ~

Docket No.: L306-MA 2 0 ~ ~ 3 3 that whenever the primary battery B1 is removed, B2 (which is 4 a much smaller capacity battery), holds up all of the clock and memory ~ircuits, but cannot be drained by the higher power 6 circuitry. In this way, when the primary battery is removed, 7 sales of papers or other items and optical communication is 8 disabled, but all previous information and status (including 9 sales price) is maintained via B2. When Bl is replaced, khe sales and communication functions pick up where they left off 11 with no system ~ebooting necesary. In other designs, 12 rebooting is necessary 13 The crystal clock oscillator cirruit (Ul, R5, R6, C6, C7 14 and X1) has a major contribution toward the circuit~s steady state power consumption. This circuit's power consumption is 16 proportional to the capacitance it: must charge, the voltage 17 swing due to the supply voltage of Vdd, and the frequency of 18 operation. In accordance with this invention, the approach to 19 reducing thi.s circuit's power conC;umption is to reduce the stray capacitance in the circuit board design, operating at as 21 low of a frequency as is possible (158.4 KHz, for example), 22 and reducing the Vdd supply voltage to as low as possible.
23 The typical Bl voltage is 6 volts and B2 is 3 volts. Thus, Vdd 24 should be kept a~ove 3 volts to prohibit B2 from unnecessarily conducking current, and to provide enough voltage drive to the 26 Field Effect Transistors (FETs) Q1-Q3. Therefore Vdd was 27 selected in the range of 3.2 to 3.5 volts. This was achieved 28 by using U~ which converts VBAT to this level of Vdd. The Vdd .

Docket No.: L306-MA 2 0 8 3 ~ 2 g 3 voltage may be changed if desired by resistors R2 and R3. The 4 U6 high impedance circuit adds a few microamps, but the reductisn in oscillator power reduced the total circuit's 6 steady-state consumption from over 1,000 mlcroamps to ~ypically 67 7 microamps.
8 For electronically switching higher current devices such 9 as optical emitters and the solenoid, power FETs Ql-Q3 are 10 used. These devices have extremely high input impedances and 11 therefore draw very little input current. They act very 12 much like an ideal switch, having very high off resistance and 13 very low on resistance.
14 The battery test circuit is unique in that i~ draws only leakage current in its normal off state. In this state Q3 is 16 turned off allowing no current~to flow through Q5, and Q4's 17 base is held high keeping it in the off state and producing 18 close to zero volts at the collector. Every time the solenoid 19 is ~ired by a pulse at the gate of Q3, the drain of Q3 pulls Q5ls emitter low enabling current to flow. This also allows 21 the battery test to be performed under maximum load. The 22 zener diode Z1 and resistor R8 set the test voltage. During 23 the time that Q3 goes low, if VBAT is high enough, the current Z4 in the base of Q5 will force its collector low causing Q4's collector to got high. This indicates a "pass" for B1. If 26 VBAT is lower than the solenoid, however, there will not be 2r enough current in the base of Q5 to force its collector low, 28 so it remains high causing Q4's collector to remain low. This ~ .

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Dock~t No.: L~u6-MA 2 0 ~ 3 3 t~ 8 3 indicates a "fail" for Bl.
4 When the circuit is first powered, or when the RESET line 5 of U1 (pin 2~) is connected to ground, the micro-computer U1 6 goes to a reset state. Certain RAM locations such as 7 newsstand amount, timer and control flags are zeroed. In 8 order to proceed through initialization, a special software 9 state (solenoid return line shorted to ground enabling battery 10 test circuit [indicating "pass"], must be detected). Upon 11 detection, the micro-computer then polls the serial 12 communications receive line (U1, pin 213 until a "hello' 13 password is received. If received, the micro-computer 14 transmits an "acknowledge" command. Then it receives the "back door" password (the highest authority password), and the 16 following timing parameters: tl) T1- Delay after sensor power 17 before read of coin word; (2) T2, T3- Coin wheel timeout value 18 (maximum time for coin wheel to produce a coin word); and (3) lg T4,T5- Sol~noid firing time. The last byte received is the 20 power up sum check. The timing sequence is illustrated in 21 Figure 24 and the routine is set out in Figure 25~
22 Once the initialization has been received, the micro 23 computer goes into its main loop, see Figure 25, which 24 consists of communications detection and time keeping. The 25 various routines are illustrated in Figures 26 to 29 and 26 reference is made thereto.
27 To avoid interpretation of spurious light sources as 28 valid data, communications with the reader requires detection ::
,~

~ Docket No.: 1~06-MA 2 0 8 ~ 3 2 8 3 of a closure of S6 by U1 pin 22 due to the proximity of the 4 reader head piece magnet. The micro-computer's software will 5 only initiate communications with a transition of S6 from open 6 to closed. This also prevents a constant magnetic ~ield from 7 "locking up" the micro-computer in the communications mode.
8 The circuit's unique timekeeping design uses the relative 9 timer in Ul to manage its timekeeping functions, thus 10 eliminating the need for a real time clock. This is done to 11 reduce parts counts, cost, and power consumption, and to 12 eliminate the need for calibration of the clock due to changes 13 in time (e~g., daylight to standard or variances in adjacent 14 time zones), or drifting of clock crystal over time. The real 15 time reference is managed by the reader.
16 There are three basic timekeeping functions of the 17 circuit; first item sale time, last item sale time, and the 18 number of sales per period (half or hour sales, for example).
19 These counters are reset by the reader which records the 20 absolute time of reset, and thus the reference time. The 21 counters then begin counting from zero. When the first sale 22 is made, the first sale counter is frozen and the last sale 23 counter is reset to zero. For each additional sale, only the 24 last sale counter is reset to zero. Upon subsequent 25 communication with the reader, the first sale counter indicates 26 the delta time from the previous communication to the first 27 item sale, and the last item sale indicates the delta time 28 from the last item sale to this communication. The items sold '' '~ ` ' :

r Dock~t No.: l~u~-MA 2 0 8 3 3 2 ~ -3 may, for example be papers. ~n item sold per period pointer is 4 initialized by the previous communication and automatically 5 increments when the period counter reaches a programmed value.
6 The period counter is then reset to zero.
7 Communications begins with a transition of S6 from open 8 to closed; the routine illus~rated in Figure 26. A software flag 9 (COMFLAG) is set to indicate the transition. The circuit 10 transmits a "hello" to the reader and then waits to receive a 11 password. If the password does not match the backdoor or user 12 password within a prescribed period of time the circuit will 13 transmit a negative acknowledge (NACK), abort communications, 14 and return to the main loop. If a proper password is 15 received, then an acknowledge (ACK) is transmitted. The the 16 battery is tested under load, and the circuit transmits the 17 following information is this sequence:
18 1). Mechanism serial number.
19 2). Zone assignment tidenti~iable location).
3). First and last item (paper) sale.
21 4). Totalizer amount.
22 5). Price buckets (number of items tpapers~ sold at each 23 price.
24 6). Test word.
7) Number of items (papers) sold per period.
26 8). Write sum check.
21 The circuit then waits to receive an acknowledge~ If the 28 acknowledge is a NACK, it then aborts the communications and ' Docket No.: L306-MA 2 0 ~ 3 3 3 returns to the main loop. Otherwise, it prepares to receive 4 the following programing commands: 1). New password; 2). New zone assignment; 3). New mechanism serial number ~for service 6 replacement); 4). New price configuration; 5). Configuration 7 flags; and 6). Read sum check.
8 ~ sum check is calculated and compared against the read 9 sum check. If they do not agree, the circuit transmits a 10 negative acknowledge ~NACK), aborts the communications and 11 returns to the main loop. Otherwise, an acknowledge (ACK) is 12 transmitted and the proper configuration changes are carried 13 out. Based on the settings of the configuration flags, the 14 following items may be changed:
1~ ~) Mechanism serial number.
16 2) User password (for security).
17 3) Zone assignment.
18 4) Reset amount totalizer and price buckets.
19 5) Price configuration.
: 20 6) Reset period, first item (paper) and last item (paper) 21 counters, sales per period counts.
22 This sequence completes the communications sequence with the 23 reader.
24 When a coin is insertPd into ~he coin mechanism, it falls 2~ into the coin chute, as described, and into the coin wheel.
26 The weight of the coin causes the wheel to rotate and, as the 27 wheel rotates, the coin wheel magnet triggers Sl which latches 28 the output of U3 pin 8, the lat~er connected to the interrupt . - 55 .

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11 r ~
3 line (IRQ) of the micro-computer U1, pin 2, This latched 4 signal tells the micro-computer that wheel rotation has been 5 sensed and that it should be~in the coin recognition routine.
6 The coin sitting in the V-groove covers up a certain 7 number of consecutive slots depending upon the coin diameter.
8 A ~ingle beam of light is emitted on one side of the coin 9 wheel and a single optical detector is directed toward the 10 emitter on the opposite side of the coin wheel. As the coin 11 and wheel rotate downward, each slot that remains uncovered by 12 the coin allows a pulse of light to pass from the emitter to 13 the detectorO Thus, each coin creates a unique number of 14 pulses at the detector (Q7) output depending on the coin 15 diameter. The larger the coin, the smaller the number of 1~ pulses. When the wheel completes its downward travel, the 17 coin falls into the escrow. Then the wheel rotates upward and 18 pulses of light are passed from the emitter to the detector 19 for all slots. Pulses from the d~tector are counted by the U2 20 and U3 counter circuit and the coin word output is fed to the 21 micro-computer U1.
22 The validity of a coin is controlled and verified in 23 several ways. (1) By increasing and/or decreasing the number 24 and spacing of mechanical slots în the coin wheel, one can 25 alter the number and type of coin denominations that can be 26 recognized as well as the resolution needed to distinguish 27 various coins. The software code which identifies the coin in 28 the micro-computer Ul can easily be modified to accommodate . . ~ .. . - -, ~ .,: , . ,. ~ .
.. , .. ~ :,,.:, ~ , ~, . : :-.., 2 Doche~No ~-MA ~ ~ 3 ~ 28 3 changes in coin denomination and numerous currency systems.
4 (2) Pulses are counted in both the downward and upward 5 rotation of the coin wheel. For example, for a coin wheel 6 with ten slots, Ul's software will only recognize a coin where 7 the pulse count is between 10 and 20l since anything less than 8 10 pulses would indicate that the wheel has not successfully 9 rotated downward and then upward. This prevsnts interpretation of spurious mov~ments of the whPel (due to 11 mechanical shock or shaking of the mechanism) and foreign 12 materials from being interpreted as a legitimate coin. (3) A
13 software coin table in U1 defines all possible coin words and 14 associates the appropxiate or zero value to the corresponding coin word. (4) Coin wheel movement is also monitored to 16 guarantee that the wheel rotates fully down and then up again.
17 This is determined by continually sampling the state of Sl and 18 comparing it to a so~tware model. Also a timeout routine in 19 Ul's software gives the coin wheel a programmable maximum time 20 to perform a read. If this time is exceeded, the read is 21 disqualified. This prevents interpretation of spurious 22 movements of the wheel, due to shock and vibration and the 23 like, and foreign materials from being interpr~ted as a 24 legitimate coin. (5) The slug detector circuit senses if the coin is of magnetlcally sensitive metallic content. Ul's 26 software can be programmed by the reader to ignore or 27 recognize this detection. If slug detection is enabled, even 28 slugs of the same diameter as legitimate (non-magnetically Docket No. L306-M~ ~ ~ 3 3 2 3 sensitive) coins will be given a value of zero.
4 When a legitimate coin has been read and accepted, the value of the coin is added to Ul's AMOUNT register and the 6 coin is held in escrow. This process repeats for each csin 7 until the deposited amount equals or exceeds the selling price 8 of the item, e.g., a newspaper. At any time before the sale 9 amount is achieved, any items in the escrow may be returned by 10 pulling on the door. In this instance, the items in the 11 escrow will be rejected to the coin return and the AMOUNT will 12 be r~set to zero. When the AMOUNT equals or exceeds the sale 13 price of the item, e.g., newspaper, U1 will issue the command 14 to fire the solenoid, allowing the customer to open the door and take an item, or to dispense one item, or to permit some 16 other operations sequence to begin, for example, washer or 17 dryer operation.
18 Prior to entering the coin recognition routine, the 19 sensors and emitters are in a high impedance (Off) state. The control line for sensor power is Ul pin 8. In the Off state, 21 this signal (SEN PWR) is low. This disables the coin sense 22 emitter (Ql, D1, Rl), Coin sense detector (RP3, Q7), key quick 23 change circuit (RPl, S4, S5), and slug detector (RP1, R9, C8, 24 S2) circuits. Only device leakage currents are present. This produces thP lowest possible power consumption possible.
26 ~s the wheel rotates, the coin wheel maynet triggers S1 27 which latches the output of U3 pin 8 which is connected to the 28 interrupt line (IRQ) of the micro-computer U1 pin 2. The . .
. ,. . - ,; . ' r Docket No.~ MA 2 ~ 8 3 3 2 ~

3 status of S1 is also monitored at Ul pin 25. The high 4 impedance S1, RP2, U3 circuit draws a small amount of current only when the coin wheel magnet is in proximity and S1 closes.
6 When this happens, U1 jumps out of the main loop and enters 7 the coin recognition routine. First it checks the status of 8 the door reset latch (U4 pin 9). If this latch i5 set the 9 the AMOUNT is reset to zero.
If the customer pulls the door handle, for example, to 11 recover items in escrow, the door reset function is executed.
12 Before the function is executed, a reset magnet in the 13 mechanism housing, in proximity to S3, holds S3 activated 14 (high). Upon executing the function the mechanism housing opens, removing the reset mechanism from proximity to S3 and 16 releases S3 to its deactivated (low) state. The high 17 impedance S1, Rll, U4 circuit draws a small amount of current 18 only when reset magnet is not in proximity. The state of S3 19 is latched into U4 and the output (U4 pin ~) is fed to Ul pin 18.
21 N~xt the SEN PWR control line goes high. This enables 22 the coin sense emitter, coin sense detector, key quick change 23 and the slug detector circuits. A delay determined by the 24 programmable parameter T1 allows the sensors to power up and stabilize. Then the RESET control U1 pin 9 clears the U2 and 26 U3 counter, door reset and slug detector latch (U4~ circuitry.
27 It is desirable to execute the coin recognitlon as fast 28 as possible~ A typical coin recognition cycle time should be ~ ~ .

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Docket No.: L:~uo-MA 2 0 ~ 3 3 2 ~

3 much less than the coin wheel timeout. For this reason, Ul's 4 software is designed to recognize the correct number of pulses in conjunction with proper coin wheel operation (S1 pulse 6 pattern)~ so that the coin word can be read at the earliest 7 possible time for that coin~ For example, a dime may take .6 8 seconds to complete its cycle, whereas a quarter may take .4 9 seconds. Rather than allow a fixed window of say, .7 seconds 10 to read all coins, this approach will complete the cycle for a 11 dime in .6 seconds and the ~uarter in ~4 seconds.
12 Furthermore, if the coin wheel were to speed up or slow down 13 with time, this approach automatically tracks any deviations 14 in coin wheel performance, up to the programmable coin wheel timeout value. This is accomplished by first resetting and 16 starting a coin wheel timer. The coin word is sampled until 17 it exceed half the maximum number of counts. After this 18 occurs, the coin sense switch is sampled until it indicates 19 that the wheel has completed its upward pass as indicated by time Tc in Figure 30. If both of these criteria are not met 21 prior to the prescribed coin wheel timeout, thsn the read is 22 disqualified and the coin recognition routine is exited.
23 If the mechanism is programmed to reject slugs, then the 24 following procedure, set forth in this paragraph, is executed, otherwise it is skipped. Located within the coin detector 26 housing, as already described, is a magnet on one side of the 27 coin wheel. This magnet creates a field which hold S2 in a 28 closed position (low after SEN PWR is enabled). The high 6~
.~ , .

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Docket N~ MA ~ ~ ~3 3 3 3 impedance S2, RPl, R9, C~ circuit draws a small amount of 4 current only when SEN PWR enables this circuit. S2 will only open when a ferromagnetic object (e.g., slug) shunts the 6 magnetic field. When this occurs, capacitor C8 is charged 7 through RP1 and R9. This low pass filter rejects spurious 8 noise and mechanical switch bounce that could erroneously set 9 the slug latch (U4). The filtered signal is "squared up" with 10 the Schmitt Trigger Inverter U5. The output of the inverter ll feeds the clock input of the slug latch U4. The latched 12 output SLUG of U4, which is connected to pin 17 of U1, goes 13 high when a slug is detected. If a slug i5 detected then it 14 proceeds to the coin recognition exit routine.
The next procedure is to read the coin word. The serial 16 coin pulses from the coin sense detector circuit (Q7 RP3) are 17 "squared up" with the Schmitt Trigger Inverters U5 ~two being 18 used to obtain the necessary polarity). The output of the 19 inverter circuit is then fed to the clock input of U2 which combined with 1/2 of U3 creates a 5 bit counter circuit. The 21 output of the counter circuit convPrts the serial coin pulses 22 into a 5 bit parallel coin word which is fed to U1 pins 12-16.
23 The coin word then provides an index to a coin value table 24 from which is assigned a proper coin value or zero. This value is then addPd to the AMOUNT register and compared to the 26 sales price set by the programmable price table and key quick 27 change sensors S4 and S5. If the AMOUNT is less than the 28 PRICE, then it proceeds to the coin recognition exit routine.

' "' 1 DocketNo ~0~-MA 2 0 8 ~ 3 2 ~

3 If the AMOUNT is greater than or equal to the PRICE, a final 4 check of the Door Reset latch is performed (if a reset is detected the AMOUNT is reset to zero and it proceeds to the 6 coin recognition exit routine), before firing the solenoid.
7 If no resPt is d~tected, the solenoid is ~ired for a time 8 prescribed by programmable parameters T4 and TS. The solenoid 9 is activated by enabling U1 pin 10 (SOL EN) high. This turns on FET Q3, grounding the SOL RTN line. Rectifier CR1 reduces 11 the necessary on time by maintaining solenoid current flow 12 after the SOL EN control returns low. The electronic pulse 13 action on the solenoid set a mechanical latch, allowing a 14 customer to open the door or dispensing the article or permitting use of the equipment, e.g., washer or dryer. The 16 AMOUNT which is achieved by the sale is now added to the 17 TOTALIZER (facilitating recording of the actual cash sum used 18 to make the sale). Then the appropriate period for the number 19 of a~icles or paper sold per period, and the prices sold at each price selection as indicated by the key quick change selection, are mcremented 21 by one. If this is the first saler the first paper sale 22 counter is frozen at its current value. The last paper 23 counter and the AMOUNT are reset at zero. The last step is 24 the exi~ routine which deactivates the SEN PWR and resets the -~
latches.
26 In extensive experimental field tests under actual 27 operating and environmental conditions, it was noted that the 28 coin wheel was subject to less than perfect performance. One , Docket No.: L3u6-MA
1 ~ 3 2 ~

3 problem was the accumulation of dirt and moisture in the 4 apertures or slots and the other problem was that in wet or 5 high humidity conditions the fa~e of the ~oin wheel against 6 which the coins rest tended to hold the coins rater than to 7 permit the same to release as the wheel rotated. In effect r 8 the high surface tension of accumulated water acted as an 9 adhesive to hold the coins on the wheel. Figure 31 illustrates an improved coin wheel 450 similar to that 11 previously described in Figure 4 except that the slots (no 12 shown) are covered with a clear plastic member 453 on each of 13 the front and back side to prevent dirt and moisture from 1~ entering any of the slots. In these tests it was determine that even if water froze on the face of the covering, accurate 16 coin reading was achieved. The problem seemingly was that 17 water in the slots acted as a distorting lens.
18 The second improvement involves the use of a series of 19 raised ridges 455, 456 and 457. In the aggregate, these ridges are located and configursd to prevent any coin from 21 contacting solely the flat surface 460 from which the ridges 22 project. The configuration and location is such that the 23 coins, regardless-of diameter are held spaced from the flat 24 surface and supported only by the ridges. In the form shown, one ridge 45~ extends generally parallel but spaced ~rom the 26 shoulder 75. One ridge 457 is in spaced parallel relation to 27 the shoulder portion 78. To prevent the coins from tipping 28 and perhaps presenting an erroneous diameter to the coin Docket No.: L~6-MA
1 20~32~

3 sensor mechanism as the result of the tipping, the slots are 4 essentially surrounded by ridge 455. However, this ridge 455 is not continuous but includes an open end 460 to permit water 6 which might accumulate in the interior boundaries of ridge 7 455. The height of each ridge above the flat surface of the 8 coin wheel is the same, again for the purpose of holding the 9 ooin in spaced flat relation to the flat surface. In all other material respects the coin wheel 450 is as already 11 described.
12 Based on the description thus far, it is now easier to 13 understand the versatility, security and overall operation of 14 the entire system~ As noted previously, the total system basically includes an electronic coin mechanism, as described, 16 a computer also described, a reader and a shuttle mechanism, 17 also as described. The reader is a battery operated 18 programmable unit containing an electronic circuit which may 19 be programmed by the computer through the shuttle and is used to retrieve data from and to program the electrvnics of the 21 electronic coin mechanism. For example, price changes may be ~2 made in increments of one cent; different prices may be set 23 for daily, Sunday or other editions, the slug enable circuit 24 may be controlled. It can also check the battery status and provide information as to the current prices set for that 26 machine as well as whether the slug feature is enabled. As 27 far as data from the electronics of the mechanism, the reader 28 rec~ives information regarding the number of units dispensed, . -~ .

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,, , Docket No.: L~û~-MA
1 ~0~3~ `

3 first and las~ sale informa-tion and the t~rle interval as well as the total 4 amount of money received and more as seen in Figures 26 and 27.
5 Communication between the reader and the electornic coin mechanism is 6 optical, as descrlbed, the reader being provided with a locating finger F
7 (Figure 1) which is placed in the coin slot 21. The coin face 8 plate includes an optically transparent window W to one sid~
9 of the coin slot which is optically aligned with the optics of the reader when the reader is inserted.
ll The actual time of sales is calculated from the 12 information recorded by the reader which records the time of 13 service, the time interval, which are used by the computer to 14 calculate actual time. In a preferred form the reader is also provided with an acoustic modem for transmission over standard 16 telephone lines. Figure 32 illustrates the program diagram 17 for the reader and is basically self explanatory to those 18 familiar with newspaper vending procedures.
l9 The shuttle principally acts as an interface between the reader and the computer, the latter being programmed to 21 receive and store various information and provide a wide 22 variety of reports. The shuttle may optically read the 23 information in the reader and may also include a modem for 24 receipt of information over telep~one lines from the reader and for transmisslon to the-computer. For example, the 26 electronics in the dispensing equipment stores an enormous 27 amount of information as already described. This information 28 may be read out and used to provide a wide variety of : :

Docket No.: ~06-MA
1 2~332&' 3 management reports through appropriate software in the 4 computer. The shuttle also acts as an interface to program 5 the reader by the computer which provides an efficient 6 alternative to manual supervisor programming.
7 The reader-shuttle 8 and computer relationships also pro~ide for a wide variety o~
9 security and programming configurations.
By the use of various levels of security codes, any 11 tampering is prevented and erroneous or fabricated data may be 12 easily detected. Thus, for example, each machine may be 13 provided with a unique access code whose identity may be 14 easily restricted. This is accomplished by the equipment 15 maker providing a master code and a machine number code, which 16 may not be altered other than by the manufacturer or under the 17 control of the manufacturer. Bas~d on this primary security 18 level which is beyond the control of the machine user, it is 19 impossible for stolen machines to be used in tha normal 20 intended operation by the thief. It is also impossible for 21 other~ tu access the data or to change or to read the data in 22 any machine unless the primary codes are known. This provides 23 an effective security protocol as between machine users in the 24 same or different geographical areas. Typically, each reader has a user identification code which must be inputted by the 26 user to permit use of the reader. That user ID code can be set by 27 the computer and can only be changed by authorized personnel~
~8 The computer will store machine numbers, location, route and ...

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Dochet No.: ~6-MA ~ Q ~ ~ 3 ~ ~

3 driver or other information. It will also keep track of which 4 readers are issued to whom and how they are configured.
The second level of security i5 the company password 6 which only the company knows and only which the company can 7 access. In the event that the company code is somehow 8 discovered, it may b~ changed by the company.
9 Normally, irregularities are easily detected due to the 10 variety of management reports that are provided. Typically, 11 the company code determines the received information from the 12 machineO the information sent to the machine such as slug 13 detection enablement or price changes or totalizer functions.
14 The company code also prevents one company from reading or maXing any alteration in the operating parameters of a 16 competitor's machine. Route identification (zone numbers) prevents the 17 reader from being used to access or service machines other 18 than on the designated route.
19 The reader is principally an information access and transmission device and is used to determine from each machine 21 various information electronically stored in the electronics 22 and to record various information such as number of units 23 ret~ieved, loaded and information related to machine location 24 and sales information in terms of time interval rather than chronological time. The reader permits reading and storing of 26 that information and transmission of that information to the 27 processing computer. The reader permits access to the 28 interior of the machine but not the locked coin box. The :' , .

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~r Docket No.: l3u6-MA 2 0 8 3 3 2 8 3 reader cannot reprogram the machines except in the case o~
4 price changes from daily to Sunday or the like or total price changes, provided the reader i5 authorized to do so by 6 management control. This can be achieved by management 7 reprogramming of the reader, a function that cannot be 8 accomplished without access to internal codes programmed into 9 the computer and thereafter programmed into the reader by 10 management.
11 Still another level of security is that of zone control.
12 This feature only allows the reader to access those machines 13 in a defined yeographical location or route. If an attempt is 14 made to access ~formation from a machine other than m a defined region, the result is a null readmg. In this way, colle~ion of 16 data in zones other than those 17 which can be acoessed by the readex- are precluded.
18 Typically, the person loading or retrieving is different 19 from the person collecting funds. The cross-check which is important is the data from the loader-unloader and that from 21 the collector. While papers may be taken without payment, 22 this shows up in the loader-unloader report. I~ the collector 23 report is at odds with the loader-unloader report, then this 24 is easily determine by the management reports.
In a typical sequence, management provides to the 26 computer a variety of information including equipment 27 location, serial number, type o~ location, e.g., hotel, carry 28 out or any other selected designation. The reader . ' '''.,_,,,.,. '~

z r 3 identification and the route operator name and address is also 4 inputted. Optionally, the languages spoken by the operator may be inputted. In the case of leased machines, the lessee' 5 6 na~le and address ~or billing purposes may be recorded. The 7 route and machines on that rout~ may also be determined by the 8 computer software as well as the route driver. Where 9 collection is different from servicing, that may also be inputted to control the allowable functions of the reader.
11 At the start of a route, the driver enters his or her 12 location code in the reader. If there is one or more editions, then 13 the edition being serviced is entered. The run or route 14 number is then entered as well as the total draw of papers.
Price change information may be entered i~ authorized by the supervisor. As 16 the driver reaches an authorized machine the reader is 17 inserted into the machine, the coin slot being used to align 18 the optics. When the reader's proximity magnet is close to the machine, 19 the reader then comrnunicates with the machine to receive an electronic "hello" signal. This signal tells the reader that the stand recognizes 21 something is trying to communicate with it. The reader must then respond 22 in time with a proper password to begin communication. If there is no 23 "hello" or the prop~r password is not achieved, the sequence is aborted, 24 see the logic and flow diagrams. If recognized, the machine can be opened and serviced including returns collected and items loaded as well as the 26 tirne and date of service; sales information and time of sales is also 27 downloaded and the status of the various settings such as price and slug 28 detection. As each machine is serviced, the driver moves to the next machine At the end of the route, information in the . .. , :: , : : ., :-: ,.

2 Doche~No.:L~ MA 20~3328 3 reader can be transmitted by modem or by returning to the 4 facility which has the shuttle. In the case of separate collection procedures, the routine is basically the same.
8 It is apparent that with the versatility of the system, 7 based principally upon the recognitio~ of the coins and the 8 relative time of coin deposit as well as the security which 9 the system offers that meaningful management reports may be 10 provided. From these data, management may determine the 11 location of productive equipment, the need to increase or 12 decrease items loaded to reduce returns, the need to increase 13 or decrease route service, the geographical areas not covered 14 be available equipment. For street sales and over the counter sales, the latter also monitorable by this system, there is 16 provided a powerful tool for what has been traditionally a 17 newspaper boys program. However, street sales are a 18 significant part of the revenue o~ newspaper sales. The 19 present invention provides a comprehensive system for updating and improving such sales.
21 It will be apparent from the foregoing that variations 22 and changes may be made in the system and components described 23 without departing from the present invention as set forth in 24 the appended claims.

' ~ ;

Claims (31)

1. Claim 1. A coin operated mechanism for counting coins of various values to determine the value of a coin deposited comprising:
   a coin wheel normally oriented in a coin receiving position and rotatable about an axis of rotation to a coin release position, said coin wheel including a coin receiving section, means to guide deposited coins to said coin wheel and to said coin receiving section whereby said coin wheel is rotated from said coin receiving to the coin releasing position by the weight of the coin, said coin wheel including a plurality of apertures located in a predetermined array, light source means on one side of said wheel and positioned to pass light through said apertures as said coin wheel is rotated, light detector means positioned on the side of said wheel opposite said light source and adapted to be illuminated by light passing through said apertures to produce a series of light pulses as said coin wheel rotates, said plurality of apertures being in an array such that one or more of said apertures is covered by a coin depending upon the diameter dimension of a coin; and electronic means to determine the value of each deposited coin.
   
   Docket No.: L3?MA
2. Claim 2. A coin operated mechanism as set forth in Claim 1, wherein said electronic means includes means to store reference numbers representative of the number of pulses representing the value of each of a series of coins of different values, said coin wheel and said light source and said light detector means being operative to count pulses as said wheel rotates from the coin receiving position to said coin release position and from said coin release position to said coin receiving position to produce a pulse value representative of the value of a coin, said electronic means further including means to compare said pulse value with said stored reference number to determine the value of said coin of a valid coin or to reject said pulse value as being a value other than valid coin, and said electronic means also including means to total the value of the valid coins passing through said coin wheel.
3. Claim 3. A coin operated mechanism as set forth in claim 1 further including battery means for powering said coin operated mechanism.
4. Claim 4. A coin operated mechanism as set forth in claim 1 wherein said mechanism is operative to respond to a combination of coins representing a predetermined price, and Docket No.: L?6-MA
   
   further including means to reject all of the coins deposited in the event that the total amount of deposited coins is less than the price.
5. Claim 5. A coin operated mechanism as set forth in claim 1 wherein said light source includes a single light source and said light detector means includes a single light detector.
6. Claim 6. A coin operated mechanism as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means to guide deposited coins is a coin chute, said coin chute being adapted to open fully in the event that less than the proper amount of coins is detected.
7. Claim 7. A coin operated mechanism as set forth in claim 1 further including an escrow unit to receive coins or other items from said coin wheel, and said escrow unit being adapted to direct the coins is one or another direction.
8. Claim 8. A coin operated mechanism as set forth in claim 7 wherein said mechanism includes a bank for receiving the proper amount of deposited coins and a coin return for returning coins to the user as controlled by said escrow unit.
9. Claim 9. A coin operated mechanism as set forth in claim 1 wherein said coin operated mechanism is installed in a Docket No.: L?MA
   
   newspaper dispensing rack having a door movable from a closed position to an open position to permit access to the interior of said rack, means operative in response to said coin operated electronic mechanism to permit said door to be opened.
10. 10. A coin operated mechanism as set forth in claim 9 wherein said means operative to said coin operative electronic means includes lever means and a door latch mechanism, means to effect movement of said lever means to one position allowing said door latch mechanism to move to a door releasing position in response to deposit of the correct amount of coinage.
11. Claim 11. A coin operated mechanism as set forth in claim 3 wherein said battery means is a replaceable battery cartridge containing a battery element, said battery cartridge including internal baffle means to support batteries of different diameters, and said battery cartridge including means to make an electrical interconnection to power said coin operated mechanism.
12. Claim 12. A coin operated mechanism as set forth in claim 11 further including back up battery means to power said coin operated mechanism during change of said battery cartridge.
    
    Docket No. L306-MA
13. Claim 13. A coin operated mechanism as set forth in claim 1 wherein said coin wheel includes means to prevent dirt and moisture from accumulating is said plurality of apertures.
14. Claim 14. A coin operated mechanism as set forth in claim 1 wherein said coin wheel includes means to energize said electronic means during initial rotation of said coin wheel in response a coin being received on said coin receiving section.
15. Claim 15. A coin operated mechanism as set forth in claim 1 wherein said electronic means further includes means to store the total amount of coins.
16. Claim 16. A coin operated mechanism as set forth in claim 2 wherein said electronic means includes clock means for determining elapsed time, and means to store the elapsed time between each sale.
17. Claim 17. A coin operated mechanism as set forth in claim 1 wherein said coin wheel includes means from prevent coins from sticking to said coins wheel.
18. Claim 18. A coin operated mechanism as set forth in claim 1 further including means to inhibit bouncing of said coin wheel during rotation thereof.
    
    Docket No.: L306-MA
19. Claim 19. An integrated electronic system for coin operated vending equipment comprising:
    at least one battery powered coin operated dispensing machine, said machine including electronic means for recognizing the value of each coin deposited and being operative to permit operation of the machine to dispense a product, said electronic means including a rotatable coin wheel having a predetermined number of apertures from which the diameter of a coin may be determined light source and detector means positioned on each side of said coin wheel for counting the pulses produced as said wheel rotates, said electronic means being operative to store predetermined information including one or more prices for the product being dispensed, the relative time of the first and last sale, the relative time of each sale and the total amount of money received by said machine for dispensing a product, reader means for retrieving information stored in said electronic means and for programming said electronic means for certain functions, computer means, shuttle means for interfacing said reader and said computer whereby data retrieved from dispensing means may be processed, Docket No.: L306-MA
    
    said electronic means including a secure code to identify the machine, and said reader including a secure code inputted by the user to activate the same.
20. Claim 20. An integrated electronic system as set forth in claim 19 wherein said light source and detector is a single Light source and detector.
21. Claim 21. An integrated electronic system as set forth in claim 19 further including means for changing the price other than by the reader.
22. Claim 22. An integrated electronic system as set forth in claim 19 wherein said coin wheel includes means to prevent dirt and moisture from entering said apertures.
23. Claim 23. An integrated electronic system as set forth in claim 19 wherein the data stored in said reader is read into said computer by said shuttle.
24. Claim 24. An integrated electronic system as set forth in claim 19 wherein said system includes a plurality of battery powered coin operated dispensing machines, said reader means including a plurality or reader units, some of said reader units being programmed to read Docket No.: L306-MA
    
    information from only some of said coin operated dispensing machines.
25. Claim 25. An integrated electronic system as set forth in claim 19 wherein said reader means includes acoustic modem means for transmitting information over telephone lines.
26. Claim 26. An integrated electronic system as set forth in claim 19 wherein said reader means includes optical means for retrieving data from said electronic means.
27. Claim 27. An integrated electronic system as set forth in claim 19 wherein said shuttle includes optical means for receiving data from said reader means.
28. Claim 28. An integrated electronic system as set forth in claim 19 wherein said reader includes a real time clock, said reader being operative to convert relative time input from said electronic means to time of day data.
29. Claim 29. An integrated electronic system as set forth in claim 19 wherein said electronic means includes means to disable access to coin operated dispensing means if less than the proper coinage is deposited therein, and said dispensing means including means to return less than the proper coinage if less than the proper coinage is Docket No.: L306-MA
    
    deposited.
30. Claim 30. An integrated electronic system as set forth in claim 19 wherein the data read by said reader means is raw data stored in said electronic means.
31. Claim 31. An integrated electronic system as set forth in claim 19 wherein said computer includes access codes limiting the programming of said reader in the absence of knowledge of said access codes.