Abstract: Methods for generating a consumer profile. The method may include receiving a purchase authorization request including a card number from a consumer, generating, with a key module, a hash value of the card number and generating, at the server, a card identifier. The method may also include associating the generated card identifier with the generated hash value, storing, at a server database, the associated card identifier, and associating, with a processor, the card identifier with the consumer profile.

Abstract: Methods for generating a consumer profile. The method may include receiving a purchase authorization request including a card number from a consumer, generating, with a key module, a hash value of the card number and generating, at the server, a card identifier. The method may also include associating the generated card identifier with the generated hash value, storing, at a server database, the associated card identifier, and associating, with a processor, the card identifier with the consumer profile.

Abstract: Devices and methods for generating an alert for a vending machine are disclosed. A method of generating an alert includes monitoring a bus for at least one communication from the vending machine controller via the bus. The bus is then monitored for a response to the communication from a peripheral device to the vending machine controller via the bus. The response from the peripheral device is then processed. An alert is then generated based on the processed response. A peripheral device for generating the alert includes a bus interface configured to receive data from the bus and to transmit data onto the bus, and a processing unit coupled to the bus interface, the processing unit configured to process data received from the at least one other peripheral device and generate an alert based on the processed data.

Abstract: A peripheral device for a vending machine, a method of communicating with a vending machine, a vending system, and a computer readable storage medium including software that is adapted to control a computer to implement a method of communicating with a vending machine are provided. The peripheral device includes a bus interface and a processor coupled to the bus interface. The peripheral device, via the bus interface, receives data from a bus and transmits data onto the bus. The processor enables cashless payment and provides diagnostic information for at least one other peripheral device of the vending machine based on data received from the at least one other peripheral device via the bus interface.

Abstract: Devices and methods for generating an alert for a vending machine are disclosed. A method of generating an alert includes monitoring a bus for at least one communication from the vending machine controller via the bus. The bus is then monitored for a response to the communication from a peripheral device to the vending machine controller via the bus. The response from the peripheral device is then processed. An alert is then generated based on the processed response. A peripheral device for generating the alert includes a bus interface configured to receive data from the bus and to transmit data onto the bus, and a processing unit coupled to the bus interface, the processing unit configured to process data received from the at least one other peripheral device and generate an alert based on the processed data.

Abstract: A method of testing a coin in a coin testing mechanism, comprising subjecting a coin inserted into the mechanism to an oscillating field generated by an inductor, measuring the reactance and the loss of the inductor when the coin is in the field, and determining whether the direction in the impedance plane of a displacement line, representing the displacement of a coin-present point which is defined by the measurements, relative to a coin-absent point representing the inductor reactance and loss in the absence of a coin, corresponds to a reference direction in the impedance plane. The reactance and loss measurements may be taken by a phase discrimination method.