System and method for networking and controlling vending machines

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION There is shown in FIG.
1 a system 10, which is an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
System 10 has three vending machines 36, 38 and 39 connected to a network control line 34, through network nodes 28, 30 and 32, respectively.
Fewer or greater number of vending machines may be used in System 10.
In an exemplary embodiment, network control line 34 is a serial communications line in accordance with the RS232 serial communication protocol.
Other communication protocols can also be used, such as RS485, as will be understood by those skilled in the art.
Vending machines 36, 38 and 39 are examples of multiple vending machines under control by a single vending machine control system (controller) 12.
These vending machines may dispense (vend) food and beverages.
Laundry machines are also well suited for control by a single vending machine control system in accordance with the present invention.
Still other types of vending machines, such as microfiche machines and computer operated devices for on-line searching, database searching or printing may be used as vending machines instead of vending machine 36, 38, and 39.
In combination, business related vending machines could, possibly form a mini-office all controlled by a single controller 12.
The network of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is a serial communication network using the RS232 protocol.
Network nodes, such as network nodes 28, 30 and 32 are connected to controller 12 via connection lines 34 and 26.
Each network node is also connected to a separate vending machine, such as vending machines 36, 38 and 39, respectively.
A schematic block diagram for an exemplary network node is shown in FIG.
11.
It is comprised of a microprocessor 320, a memory 322 and an Input/Output (I/O) 328.
I/O 328 provides a communication link to both controller 12 and to a respective vending machine 36, 38 or 39.
Each network node contains a unique address.
this unique address allows controller 12 to request and conduct communications with a selected network node (if the present invention is used with a multi-node, multi-vending machine arrangement)