Patent ID: 6119934
Filing Date: 2000-09-19
Classification: G06Q,G07F

Abstract:
A vending machine control system for controlling and monitoring transactions and operation of a vending machine comprising:a) means for reading magnetically stored information from a magnetic card;b) means for obtaining an authorization amount for said transactions for said magnetic card from a credit verification source external to said vending machine without causing a charge against said magnetic card to occur;c) means for storing said authorization amount;d) means for completing a magnetic card transaction by operating said vending machine without exceeding said authorization amount;e) means for storing a transaction information record comprising transaction information corresponding to said magnetic card transaction and said magnetic information from said magnetic card;f) means for storing a plurality of said transaction information records, each corresponding to a separate magnetic card transaction;g) means for selectively initiating a first batch data communication with a remote processing location for causing a plurality of charges to occur against a plurality of magnetic cards based on said stored plurality of transaction information records;h) means for receiving a settlement record from said remote processing location for each of said magnetic card transactions in said first batch data communication, said settlement record indicating whether said remote processing location has processed said transaction information from each of said magnetic card transactions in said first batch data communication;i) means for selectively initiating a second batch data communication with a remote service location, separate from said remote processing location, said second batch data communication including said plurality of said transaction information records and said settlement record for each of said magnetic card transactions in said first batch data communication; andj) means for selectively resubmitting said transaction information records for any magnetic card transactions for which said remote processing location did not process transaction information from one of said magnetic card transactions.