AN ELECTRONIC POINT OF SALES VENDING CONTROL APPARATUS

摘要

An electronic point of sales (EPOS) vending control apparatus (20) for connecting different types of electronic point of sales systems (22) with different types of vending machines (24) is disclosed. Each type of EPOS system and vending machine have characteristic control inputs. The control apparatus comprises a main vending control unit (26) is connected to at least one vending machine and at least one EPOS system by a communications link (28) for the transmission of characteristic EPOS control input signals for controlling the EPOS system and characteristic vending machine control input signals for controlling the vending machine from the EPOS system. The control apparatus operates an adaptive EPOS communications interface for translating standardised EPOS control input signals transmitted from the main vending control unit into characteristic EPOS control input signals for transmission to the EPOS system, and an adaptive vending machine communications interface for converting standardised vending machine control inputs signals transmitted from the main vending control unit into characteristic vending machine control input signals for transmission to the vending machine.