Coin Acceptor Backup Simulation for Service Continuity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cash handling systems with coin acceptors face significant disruptions when modules malfunction, leading to service interruptions and loss of functionality, necessitating redundant systems or alternative payment methods, which are costly and inconvenient for customers.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that utilizes a concentrator element connected to an electronic cash register, incorporating a smartphone or tablet as an electronic object with a graphical interface, to simulate coin acceptor functions, allowing manual cash handling and real-time tracking, ensuring continuous operation and traceability during malfunctions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a coin acceptor module malfunctions, then the service continuity is disrupted, but implementing redundant systems or alternative payment methods increases cost and complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a smartphone application to create a virtual copy of the coin acceptor module's functionality. The mobile device simulates the coin acceptor by displaying virtual coin images and processing cash transactions manually, thereby copying the essential functions without requiring physical redundancy of the coin acceptor hardware.
Solution Approach 2:
The smartphone application acts as an intermediary between the malfunctioning coin acceptor module and the cash register system. It receives transaction data from the cash register, processes cash manually, and communicates with the cash register via the communication interface, thereby mediating the service disruption without requiring system shutdown.
2Ease of repair
If a coin acceptor module malfunctions, then cash handling service is interrupted, but stopping service to allow maintenance causes loss of productivity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables continuous cash handling service by activating the mobile device application when a coin acceptor module malfunctions. The application continues to process cash transactions in real-time through the communication interface, maintaining productivity while the physical coin acceptor module can be maintained or replaced without interrupting service.
3Duration of action of moving object
If manual cash handling is used during malfunction, then service continuity is maintained, but traceability and security of cash transactions may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The smartphone application continuously communicates with the cash register system via the communication interface, providing real-time feedback on cash transactions. The system receives transaction data, processes it through the application, and sends confirmation signals back to the cash register, ensuring complete traceability and security of manual cash handling during malfunctions.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a method (100) for controlling modules (M1, M2) of a coin acceptor (20) in a point-of-sale system comprising an electronic cash register (10) and a concentrator (14) for processing (MTi, MTo) and status (MS) messages exchanged between said electronic cash register (10) and said modules (M1, M2). To maintain a point-of-sale service when a partial malfunction of the coin acceptor occurs, the invention provides for automatically resorting to a backup electronic device (40) simulating the operation of the faulty module. Such recourse is automatically triggered by the concentrator (14). According to an advantageous embodiment, the concentrator (14) results from the execution of instructions from a program (PC) by the processing unit of a computer (10) which also executes instructions from a program of a point-of-sale application (PA).