Patents Assigned to AVT, Inc.
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Publication number: 20120215347Abstract: A wireless system for managing a plurality of remote vending machines includes an enterprise control center; and a two-way wireless network coupling the enterprise control center and the plurality of remote vending machines. A touch screen may be associated with each of the plurality of vending machines for selecting items to be vended therein, and means for displaying a plurality of advertisements on the touch screen. The touch screen may also include means for paying for the items to be vended within the plurality of vending machines.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 4, 2012Publication date: August 23, 2012Applicant: AVT, Inc.Inventors: SHANNON W. ILLINGWORTH, James Winsor
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Patent number: 8191779Abstract: A wireless system for managing a plurality of remote vending machines includes an enterprise control center; and a two-way wireless network coupling the enterprise control center and the plurality of remote vending machines. A touch screen may be associated with each of the plurality of vending machines for selecting items to be vended therein, and means for displaying a plurality of advertisements on the touch screen. The touch screen may also include means for paying for the items to be vended within the plurality of vending machines.Type: GrantFiled: October 27, 2006Date of Patent: June 5, 2012Assignee: AVT, Inc.Inventors: Shannon Wayne Illingworth, James Winsor
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Publication number: 20090079397Abstract: The present invention provides a protection circuit and method for preventing a battery from swelling in one embodiment. The protection circuit includes: a voltage monitoring circuit that monitors a voltage across the battery; a control circuit that receives voltage information from the voltage monitoring circuit; and a discharge circuit that turns on to discharge the battery upon receiving a signal from the control circuit.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 20, 2007Publication date: March 26, 2009Applicant: ElectriTek-AVT, Inc.Inventor: Randolph A. IBRAHIM
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Publication number: 20090072790Abstract: The present invention relates to a battery protection circuit for protecting a plurality of batteries connected in series. The battery protection circuit includes: a controller for monitoring the batteries and outputting control signals based on predetermined conditions associated with the batteries; a first N-channel MOSFET and a second N-channel MOSFET coupled in a common-drain configuration in a low-side path, wherein at least one of the first and second N-channel MOSFETs turns off in response to the control signal received from the controller when at least one of the predetermined conditions is detected; and a gate protection circuit for preventing gate-to-source voltages of the first and second N-channel MOSFETs from exceeding a predetermined gate-to-source voltage level.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 18, 2007Publication date: March 19, 2009Applicant: ElectriTek-AVT, Inc.Inventor: Randolph A. Ibrahim
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Publication number: 20090015207Abstract: The present invention discloses a battery charger and a method for charging a plurality of batteries. The battery charger includes: a current source for supplying a source current which has a charge current portion and a diverted current portion; bypass sections; voltage clamp sections; sense sections; a feedback section for processing information from the sense sections; and a controller for modifying the source current based on the information from the feedback section. Each bypass section is connected to a battery for diverting the diverted current. Each voltage clamp section is connected to the bypass section for clamping a voltage across the battery when the voltage increases to a predetermined level. Each sense section is connected to the bypass section for determining the diverted current and/or the charge current.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 9, 2007Publication date: January 15, 2009Applicant: ElectriTek-AVT, Inc.Inventor: Randolph A. Ibrahim
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Publication number: 20070290653Abstract: According to the invention, a battery charging apparatus with a plurality of modes for charging a battery is disclosed. The apparatus may have a battery receptacle and a command processor. The battery receptacle may be adapted to detachably and mechanically couple with the battery and may be adapted to detachably and electrically couple the battery with a battery charging circuit. The command processor may be configured to: detect a first at least partial mechanical coupling of the battery with the battery receptacle; detect a first at least partial mechanical decoupling of the battery from the battery receptacle; detect a first at least partial mechanical recoupling of the battery with the battery receptacle; and/or to communicate a first instruction to the battery charging circuit based at least in part on detecting the first at least partial mechanical recoupling within a particular time period after the first at least partial mechanical decoupling.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 20, 2007Publication date: December 20, 2007Applicant: Electritek-AVT, Inc.Inventor: Randolph Ibrahim
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Publication number: 20060176020Abstract: According to the invention, an apparatus for robust battery discharge which provides uninterrupted power to a discharge circuit used in a discharge cycle is disclosed. The apparatus may have a discharge circuit for discharging a battery. The discharge circuit may be adapted to be coupled with a discharge load and configured to discharge the battery using the discharge load during a discharging cycle. The apparatus may have a first power input and a second power input, which may configured to receive power from a first power source and a second power source, respectively. The power inputs may be further configured to supply power to the discharge circuit. The apparatus may have a power switching circuit for switching power from the first power source to the second power source when the first power source is interrupted. The second power source may be the battery.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 6, 2006Publication date: August 10, 2006Applicant: Electritek-AVT, Inc.Inventor: Randolph Ibrahim