초록 ▼

A wide area network (WAN) of vending machines connected to a host that builds a database of vending-related information received from the vending machines. Also, a communications system within each vending machine having a vending machine data acquisition unit and a multiple-communication-technology

A wide area network (WAN) of vending machines connected to a host that builds a database of vending-related information received from the vending machines. Also, a communications system within each vending machine having a vending machine data acquisition unit and a multiple-communication-technology adapter to interface the data acquisition unit to multiple communication technologies including at least one wireless technology. Also, a data structure used to build the database, the data structure having data elements corresponding to an identity of a machine, recent and previous prediction information for the machine, and recent and previous refill-visit information for the machine, the elements being linked together. The multiple vending machines communicate with a communications concentrator via one of many communication technologies. The communications concentrator interfaces the multiple vending machines to a data warehouse that builds a database using the data structure mentioned above. The data warehouse is made available to one or more bottlers for analysis of individual vending machine routing needs and profitability.

대표청구항 ▼

1. In a vending machine, a vending machine communication system comprising:a vending machine data acquisition unit to at least one of collect and receive vending-related data concerning said vending machine; a multiple-communication-technology adapter to interface said data acquisition unit to a plu

1. In a vending machine, a vending machine communication system comprising:a vending machine data acquisition unit to at least one of collect and receive vending-related data concerning said vending machine; a multiple-communication-technology adapter to interface said data acquisition unit to a plurality of diverse communication technologies including at least a first wireless technology, said adapter being selectively responsive to a command signal indicative of the communication technology to be interfaced, said command signal being a handshake signal from the communication signal carrying the data from the vending machine; and a modem connected through a single data path to said adapter and to one of said plurality of diverse communication technologies in response to said handshake signal.