Claims
- 1. An automatic coin machine comprising:a coin collection device adapted to receive coins; a coin diverter including a receiving inlet for receiving the coins from the coin collection device and an exit point, wherein the coin diverter is located below the coins collection device and adapted to channel the coins to the exit point; a plurality of coin processing mechanisms located below the coin diverter, wherein each of the plurality of coin processing mechanisms includes an inlet opening for receiving the coins from the exit point of the coin diverter; and a microprocessor in communication with one or more of the plurality of coin processing mechanisms and the coin diverter.
- 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of coin processing mechanisms are activated one at a time.
- 3. The system of claim 1, wherein a first coin processing mechanism is activated by positioning the exit point of the coin diverter to a first inlet opening of the first coin processing mechanism.
- 4. The system of claim 3, wherein when a service condition associated with the first coin processing mechanism is detected, the first coin processing mechanism is deactivated and a second coin processing mechanism is activated.
- 5. The system of claim 4, wherein the service condition associated with the first coin processing mechanism is detected when a vault associated with the first coin processing mechanism losses some of its capacity to store the coins.
- 6. The system of claim 4, wherein the service condition associated with the first coin processing mechanism is detected when the inlet opening of the first coin processing mechanism becomes non-functional.
- 7. The system of claim 4, wherein the service condition associated with the first coin processing mechanism is detected when the first coin processing mechanism fails to perform.
- 8. The system of claim 4, wherein the service condition associated with the first coin processing mechanism is detected when the first coin processing mechanism has operated for a predetermined period of time.
- 9. The system of claim 4, wherein the microprocessor is adapted to notify the service condition associated with the first coin processing mechanism.
- 10. The system of claim 4, wherein the first coin processing mechanism is deactivated and the second coin processing mechanism is activated by changing a position of the exit point of the coin diverter from the inlet opening of the first coin processing mechanism to an inlet opening of the second coin processing mechanism.
- 11. The system of claim 10, wherein the position of the exit point of the coin diverter is changed manually.
- 12. The system of claim 10, wherein the position of the exit point of the coin diverter is changed electronically.
- 13. The system of claim 10, wherein the position of the exit point of the coin diverter is changed by the microprocessor.
- 14. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one vault associated with each of the plurality of coin processing mechanisms.
- 15. The system of claim 1, wherein the each of the plurality of coin processing mechanisms includes one or more of a coin-sensing circuitry, a slug rejection and a coin escrow.
- 16. The system of claim 1, wherein the coin diverter has an L shape.
- 17. The system of claim 1, further comprising one or more of a display and a printer in communication with the microprocessor.
- 18. The system of claim 17, wherein the printer is adapted to generate a receipt.
- 19. An automatic coin machine comprising:a coin collection device adapted to receive coins; a coin diverter located below the coin collection device, wherein the coin diverter is adapted to channel the coins to an exit point of the coin diverter; a first coin processing mechanism having a first inlet opening for receiving the coins from the exit point of the coin diverter; and a second coin processing mechanism having a second inlet opening, wherein the second coin processing mechanism can be serviced without affecting operation of the first coin processing mechanism.
- 20. The system of claim 19, further comprising at least one vault associated with each of the first and second coin processing mechanisms.
- 21. The system of claim 20, further comprising a secondary coin vault diverter associated with the first coin processing mechanism for channeling the coins from the first coin processing mechanism to the at least one vault associated with the first coin processing mechanism.
- 22. The system of claim 20, further comprising a secondary coin vault diverter associated with the second coin processing mechanism for channeling the coins from the second coin processing mechanism to the at least one vault associated with the second coin processing mechanism.
- 23. The system of claim 19, wherein the coin diverter can be manually controlled to switch the exit point of the coin diverter from the first inlet opening to the second inlet opening.
- 24. The system of claim 19, wherein the coin diverter can be electronically controlled to switch the exit point of the coin diverter from the first inlet opening to the second inlet opening.
- 25. The system of claim 19, wherein each of the first coin processing mechanism and the second coin processing mechanism comprises one or more of a coin-sensing circuitry, a slug rejection, and a coin escrow.
- 26. The system of claim 19, further comprising a microprocessor in communication with one or more of the first coin processing mechanism, the second coin processing mechanism, and the coin diverter.
- 27. The system of claim 26, wherein when the first coin processing mechanism experiences a service condition, the microprocessor switches the coin diverter from the first inlet opening to the second inlet opening.
- 28. An automatic coin machine for use in a toll lane comprising:a first coin processing mechanism having a first inlet opening, wherein the first coin processing mechanism is associated with one or more vaults for storing coins; a second coin processing mechanism having a second inlet opening, wherein the second coin processing mechanism is associated with one or more vaults for storing coins; means for monitoring service conditions associated with the first coin processing mechanism and the second coin processing mechanism; means for alternating one of the first coin processing mechanism and the second coin processing mechanism as an active coin processing mechanism and the remaining coin processing mechanism as an inactive coin processing mechanism; and means for positioning an exit point of a coin diverter to an inlet opening associated with the active coin processing mechanism.
- 29. The system of claim 28, wherein one or more of the monitoring means, the alternating means, and the positioning means are associated with a microprocessor which is in communication with the first coin processing mechanism and the second coin processing mechanism.
- 30. The system of claim 28, wherein the coin diverter is electronically controlled by the microprocessor.
- 31. The system of claim 28, wherein the inactive coin processing mechanism can be serviced by a service entity without affecting operation of the active coin processing mechanism.
- 32. The system of claim 31, further comprising means for notifying the service entity of a change of the active coin processing mechanism to the inactive coin processing mechanism.
- 33. A method for using a redundant automatic coin machine having two or more coin processing mechanisms comprising the steps of:receiving one or more coins; diverting the one or more coins to a first coin processing mechanism; processing the one or more coins by the first coin processing mechanism; and having a second coin processing mechanism on standby.
- 34. The method of claim 33, further comprising the steps of:detecting a service condition associated with the first coin processing mechanism; diverting the one or more coins to the second coin processing mechanism; and servicing the first coin processing mechanism without affecting operation of the second coin processing mechanism.
- 35. The method of claim 34, wherein the service condition occurs when a vault associated with the first coin processing mechanism loses some of its capacity to store coins.
- 36. The method of claim 34, wherein the service condition occurs when an inlet opening associated with the first coin processing mechanism becomes non-functional.
- 37. The method of claim 34, wherein the service condition occurs when the first coin processing mechanism fails to perform.
- 38. The method of claim 34, wherein the service condition occurs when the first coin processing mechanism has operated for a predetermined period of time.
- 39. The method of claim 33, further comprising the step of displaying information related to operation of the automatic coin machine.
- 40. The method of claim 33, further comprising the step of printing a receipt.
- 41. A method for using an automatic coin machine having multiple coin processing mechanisms comprising the steps of:designating a first coin processing mechanism as an active coin processing mechanism and a second coin processing mechanism as an inactive coin processing mechanism; positioning a coin diverter to aim an exit point of the coin diverter to a first inlet opening of the first coin processing mechanism; detecting a service condition associated with the first coin processing mechanism; repositioning the coin diverter to aim the exit point to a second inlet opening of a second coin processing mechanism, wherein the second coin processing mechanism replaces the first coin processing mechanism as the active coin processing mechanism, and wherein the first coin processing mechanism replaces the second coin processing mechanism as the inactive coin processing mechanism; and depositing coins collected by a coin collection device, channeled by the coin diverter, and processed by the active coin processing mechanism in a vault associated with the active coin processing mechanism.
- 42. The method of claim 41, further comprising the step of servicing the inactive coin processing mechanism without affecting operation of the active coin processing mechanism.
Parent Case Info
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/294,218, filed May 31, 2001, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
US Referenced Citations (15)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
38 34 122 |
Apr 1990 |
DE |
Provisional Applications (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60/294218 |
May 2001 |
US |