RH253 - Cashless Catering Visitor Card System

Description

The Cashless Catering Visitor Card Station is designed to provide three functions within a cashless environment. It works as part of a system where the user's details are stored on a central server. The server controls the stations functionality and is in complete control of the LCD display, except when coins are being entered. The Station consists of a motorised card reader/dispenser with card stack for approximately 175 cards, a controller module, a coin acceptor with coin sorter, and four coin payout hoppers. The coin acceptor and coin hoppers are all ccTalk devices and share the same communication interface. Other interfaces are provided for the card dispenser, card reader and an Ethernet interface for connection to the server.

The Station provides the facility for visitors to a cashless site to use all cashless facilities whilst on site by purchasing a temporary card. The card can then be used in the same manner as any normal card, but can also have any residual value refunded when the visitor leaves site. It will also act as a standard coin only account loader for both visitor cards and normal user cards.

The four coin hoppers store £1, 20p, 5p and 1p coins. This enables an exact amount to be refunded when a visitor card is returned. £1 and 20p (if accepted) coins are sorted from any cash that is entered during card purchase or account loading, and are directed to the relevant hopper. Any other coins entered plus these coins if the hoppers become full are redirected to a general coin box at the base of the unit. The hoppers have capacity for a minimum of: -

* £1 - 300 coins
* 20p - 600 coins
* 5p - 900 coins
* 1p - 850 coins

Given that it will only payout a maximum of 4 x 20p, 3 x 5p and 4 x 1p in any transaction, and that £1 coins will be recycled (20p coins can also be recycled if accepted), this gives the Station the ability to handle over 150 refunds without being refilled. The hoppers have sensors to detect when they are both full and low. The communication protocol will also provide information as to when the hopper becomes completely empty. In this case the Station will use the next denomination of coin to make up the value. If any two hoppers are past their low sensor then the Station will disable it's refund capability and inform the server.

The card dispenser also has an empty sensor, which when detected will also generate a message to the server. If this sensor is detected, the coin acceptor is disabled and the Station will only perform loader and refund functions.

Features

PDF Datasheet