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A control circuit for a vendor for vending a plurality of items comprising a microprocessor, an electrically alterable memory, a display circuit and an interrogation circuit. Values of parameters, typically prices, associated with the items to be vended are stored in the memory. The interrogation ci

A control circuit for a vendor for vending a plurality of items comprising a microprocessor, an electrically alterable memory, a display circuit and an interrogation circuit. Values of parameters, typically prices, associated with the items to be vended are stored in the memory. The interrogation circuit can be activated to retrieve from memory the value of the parameter (e.g., price) associated with any given item. The parameter value is thereupon displayed by the display circuit. The display circuit displays the parameter value retrieved from memory independently of whether the microprocessor has another input equal in value to the value of that parameter. The parameter value stored in the memory for any given item can be altered by the microprocessor.

대표청구항 ▼

Apparatus for controlling the functioning of a vendor for vending a plurality of items, each item having at least one parameter associated therewith, comprising: a memory having a plurality of addresses for storing values of at least some of the parameters in predetermined memory addresses, the para

Apparatus for controlling the functioning of a vendor for vending a plurality of items, each item having at least one parameter associated therewith, comprising: a memory having a plurality of addresses for storing values of at least some of the parameters in predetermined memory addresses, the parameter values stored in the predetermined memory addresses being electrically alterable; processing means responsive to a plurality of vendor status inputs, a plurality of inputs from the memory, and a plurality of control inputs, for performing arithmetic and logic operations with those inputs and with the values of the parameters associated with the items in a sequence controlled by a preselected set of instructions which constitute a program and for supplying output signals based upon results obtained from said operations to control functioning of the vendor, the predetermined memory addresses being accessible by the processing means and the parameter values stored therein being alterable by said processing means; interrogation means operable by authorized personnel for retrieving from memory the values of at least some of the parameters stored therein; and display means for visually displaying a parameter value retrieved from memory by the interrogation means independently of any other input of said processing means being equal in value to the value of the parameter retrieved from the memory, whereby authorized personnel may utilize the interrogation means to retrieve the value of a desired parameter from the memory.