Patent ID: 6968998

Claim:
A method for automatically rendering unusable operating functions of a machine in a user's custody, associated with a credit account, and having a system comprising (i) a controller having a code generator and a disabling program for activating a shut-down sequence; and (ii) an interface for entering a re-set code to set a new interval; the method comprising: (a) activating the disabling program to initiate a preselected interval associated with the credit account so that the machine will become disabled after the preselected interval if a re-set code generated by the code generator is not entered; (b) upon a paid status of the credit account, releasing a remote re-set code to match the re-set code generated by the code generator from a location remote from the machine, the remote re-set code being generated at the remote location from a count corresponding to a tracked predetermined parameter and being transmitted to the remote location; (c) entering the remote re-set code into the interface to set a next interval; (d) receiving identifying information of the user at the remote location and confirming the identity of the user at the remote location before releasing the remote re-set code; and, (e) repeating steps (b)â€“(d) to keep the machine operational.