초록 ▼

An open shelf bar arrangement for an hotel or like establishment comprises a plurality of open shelf bars (3), each having shelf units (23) for receiving articles (45) and control arrangements for determining the presence or absence of articles and transmitting data thereabout. A central processor (

An open shelf bar arrangement for an hotel or like establishment comprises a plurality of open shelf bars (3), each having shelf units (23) for receiving articles (45) and control arrangements for determining the presence or absence of articles and transmitting data thereabout. A central processor (5) is provided for receiving data from the bar control arrangement of each bar (3) and for controlling the bars, the central processor (5) providing data to reporting means (11) for providing reports on the operation of the bars (3) and to a central billing arrangement (9) for adding the cost of items taken from the bars to appropriate customers billing. The invention also includes the bar control arrangement and the bar shelf units (23).

대표청구항 ▼

[ I claim:] [1.] A bar control arrangement for an open shelf bar comprising:a plurality of shelf units;a plurality of specific locations on each shelf unit, each location being adapted to receive an individual article in the bar;optical sensing means associated with each said location adapted to dir

[ I claim:] [1.] A bar control arrangement for an open shelf bar comprising:a plurality of shelf units;a plurality of specific locations on each shelf unit, each location being adapted to receive an individual article in the bar;optical sensing means associated with each said location adapted to directly optically sense the presence or absence of an article at said location;activating means for each of said shelf units connected to sequentially activate said sensing means; anda controller located in said bar, said controller comprising:drive means connected to said activating means of each said shelf unit;receiving means connected to receive signals from said sensing means when activated by said drive means;processing means receiving signals from said receiving means and processing said signals into suitable form for onward transmission of data; andinput and output means, communicating with a central processor, so as to transmit data from said processing means thereto and receive incoming control signals therefrom.