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Vending machine
In Partial Fulfillment of
The Requirements for the Degree of
Bachelor of Science in Electronics and Communications Engineering
By
Cu, Joshua C.
Uy, Jeckson T.
August, 2006
CHAPTER 1
Presently, there has been a world-wide spread use of cellular phones. Cellular
communication plays an important role in our daily life. It helps us locate and be in touch
with another person in a remote location. Since the Philippines being a developing
country 33% of our population is under poverty (Senate Economic Planning Office,
highly suitable in the Philippine setting. Subscribers purchase consumable credits for
their account in preset denominations. These gave subscribers limited option to choose
a nation-wide auto reloading stations through a retailer SIM card that vendors can use to
money with an increment of one peso. This new prepaid loading service was introduced
to capture the interest of budget minded Filipinos or blue collared employees that prefers
loads amounting to hundreds of pesos in one transaction because of their daily budget.
That is why people are in a day-to-day basis of buying prepaid loads and a wide-spread of
auto loading services nationwide. Subscribers can reload from a minimum of P25 up to a
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thousand with a P1 denomination. Business people are attracted to this service because it
The current process of e-load reloading is typing the password, recipient’s phone
number and the amount of prepaid credit. A mere “0” added to the amount could lead to
an enormous loss of income. There will be no means to cancel the transaction once it has
been sent. Considering that the earnings are small, any mistakes made are devastating.
That’s why it is very important to encode the proper amount and number to the GSM
device. A prepaid load can also not be delivered properly when the vendor themselves
not liable to the mistakes done by the retailer. That’s why there is a need to eliminate the
There is a need to automate the current auto loading system implemented here in
the Philippines. As seen in most stores, the prepaid auto reloading services are being done
manually with the vendor using his/her cellular phone to make the transaction.
Considering that the transaction is being processed manually, there is the chance for the
seller to commit unwanted mistakes, mistakes which could lead to money loss or the loss
2006).
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1.3. Objectives
There is a need eliminate the cause of error in the conventional auto reloading
services.
masked SMS.
memory.
used.
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1.4. Scope and Delimitation
1.4.1 The system will be using a Nokia based model GSM device.
study.
1.4.7. Our study will be limited to the use of a readily made bill feeder and
verification device.
1.4.8. The keypad interface device that will be used for the study will be a
complete module.
1.4.9. The model of the vending machine chassis will be designed by the thesis
proponents.
1.4.10. The actual fabrication of the vending machine chassis will not be done by
thesis proponents.
1.4.11. Testing parameters of the device would be limited to delivery time, and
response time
1.4.13. The system can detect and inform about an occurrence of a busy network.
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1.4.14. The efficiency would be based on response time of the system.
1.4.15. The system should be able to check for GSM connection to network to
ensure service.
1.4.16. The system will only provide change if there are stored change available.
1.4.17. The system will be able to withdraw from the on-going transaction upon
power loss.
1.4.20. To store the number of bills as specified in the data sheet of the said bill
acceptor.
1.4.21. The logging system should be able to store memories up to 1 week worth
of transactions.
This study will aid people who are engaged in the prepaid reloading industry by
automating the conventional method being practiced even as we speak. This thesis project
will help distributors avoid, or even eliminate the tedious task of inputting the mobile
phone number and the amount to be reloaded which is, in most cases, where the error
There will be room for franchise expansion since the thesis will then have a
corresponding hardware, the device made can be placed anywhere. Similar to a vending
machine, this device will be a stand alone prepaid reloading machine. It will further
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The study involves integration of the whole system into a smaller device that
could take up a small area. The study hopes to open a business opportunity in a form of
display, a money feeder, a money changer, a GSM module and a power supply. The
microcontroller serves as the brain of the whole project; this is where all the decisions
Initially, the user inputs the amount using the keypad. Then the user will then be
asked for the money to be deposited in the coin acceptor or bill acceptor. Then the device
will have to ask for the phone number of the said account. Then the device should prompt
a question to proceed or not while displaying the amount and the phone number for visual
verification.
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INSTRUCTING &
INPUT OF INSERTION OF COMMUNICATING
AMOUNT MONEY GSM DEVICE
GSM MODULE
LOG
(internal
memory)
MICROCONTROLLER
POWER
SUPPLY
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Figure 3. System Process Flow Chart (detailed breakdown of figure 1)
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1.7. Methodology
The Methodology that will be applied will be classified into three (3)
implementation
1.7.1. Research
the Philippines. The group will be take advantage of the facilities inside campus.
The library for accurate research; Books and journals will be very much used
because of its legitimacy and advancements. The internet will also be used due to
its accessibility and up-to-date content like online articles, statistics, and product
available in the market. For the selection of the microcontroller the group will be
considering the price and specifications that would fit our application. The
hardware in the money collection module will be a coin feeder. The display will
be an LCD display matrix with backlight. A keypad will accept the input
parameters to operate the vending machine. The housing will be a stainless steel
specially fabricated to the dimensions that will contain the whole system. The
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memory would likely have 60K x 4 pages, jumper selectable memory. If more
The software would entail the programming language that depends on the
Other forms of programming language will be based on Nokia GSM device and
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1.9. Estimated Budget of the Project
Microcontroller 1200
Chassis 5000
Shipment 1200
Miscellaneous 500
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CHAPTER 2
basis
basis just enough for a day of use. Examples of these things are shampoo, food, cooking
oil, sugar, toothpaste, etc most of which are in sachets and tetra packs. Repacking these
things and considering the accumulative profit in terms of bulk sales is larger than selling
it originally as is, making it an interesting strategy for many corporations today. Since
majority of the people have no choice but to buy only what they need for a day because
of budget constraint. Having to split what they earn in one day into many expenses that
they need everyday, the majority resort in buying small but cheaper things so that their
budget would fit and they would get through the day. This led to the idea of
denomination that people can choose for their own convenience (Goloy, 2004).
It has always been the use scratch card to load up a prepaid account. The profit of
selling such card is quite small considering the base cost of the card itself. Discounted
dealers which resulted to a measly profit margin. The percentage of commission that the
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telecommunication company can no longer be increased because of the cost in terms of
service and every aspect involved up to the point it was delivered to the distributor. The
development of the E-load solution brings forth reduction of cost from the production
cost of scratch cards to the cost of security that handles & transports the cards. Selling
airtime entirely over the airwaves via text-messaging removed the security risks and the
discount can be given to also please the distributor. Commissions of between 6 and 7
percent were improved to between 13 and 15 percent of the transaction cost (GFG
group). In addition, the option for micro-entrepreneurship can also be set in a larger
investment wherein a dealer can invest and mange multiple retailer to sell load. This form
of load are referred to as micro E-load, commonly known in the street as simply E-load
(Rimando, 2004).
briefing, 80% of the wireless subscribers are still prepaid account. The statistics of
subscribers per year to year basis clearly show that prepaid subscribers dominate the
2.4. Interfacing serial cable using data cable for communication in GSM
messaging, operator logo manager, ring tones and picture messages is achievable with the
use of data cables and programs. It is also possible to download information like
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information stored in SIM card and phone memory. Embedded microcontroller design
interfaced with a GSM has already been done (Lagura et el, 2004).
2.5. Microcontroller
(“Microcontroller”, 2006). It is a highly integrated chip that contains all the components
comprising a controller. Typically, this includes a CPU, RAM, some form of ROM, I/O
ports, and timers. Unlike a general-purpose computer, which also includes all of these
system. As a result, the parts can be simplified and reduced, which cuts down on
production costs.
data contained in computer programs. The CPU is the brains of the computer.
where most calculations take place. In terms of computing power, the CPU is the
other, or the signals (information) sent through those interfaces. Inputs are the
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signals received by the unit, and outputs are the signals sent from it. I/O devices
are used by a person (or other system) to communicate with a computer. For
instance, keyboards and mice are considered input devices of a computer and
devices for communication between computers are for both input and output, such
to expand its capabilities. More specifically the term is used to describe those
computer but is situated relatively close by. Some peripherals are mounted in the
same case with the main part of the computer, as are the hard disk drive, CD-
ROM drive, and NIC. Other peripherals are outside the computer case, such as the
perform necessary tasks while the computer is on; an integrated circuit memory
chip allows information to be stored or accessed in any order and all storage
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2.5.5. ROM (Read Only Memory)
Because it cannot be written to, its main uses lie in the distribution of firmware
behaves as such) for use in synchronizing a circuit's operation. It can range from a
simple symmetrical square wave to more complex arrangements. The basic parts
that all clock generators share are a resonant circuit and an amplifier (“Clock
generator”, 2006).
A bill acceptor validates paper currency and then sends a corresponding I/O signal
to its output connector. It doesn't give change, validate coins or scan magnetic cards. Bill
acceptors are found in vending and gaming machines, amusements, gasoline pumps, drop
safes, automated payment systems and Internet kiosks. A bill acceptor typically contains
between five to 20 optical sensors such as LEDs and/or magnetic sensors. These sensors
read data points off the bill, which are then digitized and compared with internal currency
paper currency. They were introduced in the U.S. in the early 1980s. While in the past,
these devices were extremely susceptible to failure and jamming due to folded or
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damaged notes, they have improved remarkably in recent years and now include such
features as automatic jam ejection and automatically calibrating sensors. Cleaning cards
are available to remove contaminants from the machines (“Bill validator”, 2006).
Coin acceptors are also known as a coin mechanism, it is a device that recognizes
coins. It is built into vending machines, arcade cabinets, etc. It performs its function by
evaluating the coin based on its weight, size, and/or magnetism, and then sends an
appropriate electrical signal via its output connection (“Coin acceptor”, 2006). It doesn’t
give change; that is the function of a coin changer. Coin acceptors are found in vending
It is a service available on most digital mobile phones that permits the sending of
short messages between mobile phones, other handheld devices and even landline
telephones. Other uses of text messaging can be for ordering ringtones, wallpapers and
entering competitions. There are also many free services available on the internet that
allows users to send text messages for free. You can also find more information on the
Process:
a mobile phone, fax machine and/or IP address. Messages must be no longer than
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Once a message is sent, it is received by a Short Message Service Center
To do this, the SMSC sends a SMS Request to the home location register
(HLR) to find the roaming customer. Once the HLR receives the request, it will
respond to the SMSC with the subscriber's status: 1) inactive or active 2) where
subscriber is roaming.
If the response is "inactive", then the SMSC will hold onto the message
for a period of time. When the subscriber accesses his device, the HLR sends a
SMS Notification to the SMSC, and the SMSC will attempt delivery.
Point format to the serving system. The system pages the device, and if it
The SMSC receives verification that the message was received by the end
user, then categorizes the message as "sent" and will not attempt to send again
The SIM Application Toolkit is a set of commands which defines how the card
should interact with the outside world and extends the communication protocol between
the card and the handset. With SIM Application Toolkit, the card has a proactive role in
the handset (Gemplus, 2003). SIM Toolkit programmed into the special GSM SIM card
essentially enables the SIM card to drive the GSM handset interface, build up an
interactive exchange between a network application and the end user and access or
control access to the network. For the first time the SIM card has a proactive role in the
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handset. This means that the SIM initiates commands independently of the handset and
the network.
SIM service menu are menu driven SMS preset format. It can be related to
automatic form filler where a basic structure in SMS form in order to request a certain
service from the telecom company the number of the destination is already prepared. This
can prove to be helpful for the subscriber because he/she would no longer have to
remember keywords, format, and number to request a special service from the telecoms
company.
As the Short Message Service (SMS) becomes mature and with the application of
SIM Tool Kit Application, menu driven service becomes the dominant in designing the
service menu. User feels much comfortable by making selection from the menu rather
than listening to the voice instruction through phone and presses the appropriate button
(Chanson, 2001).
• Mobile Accounting
• Mobile Brokerage
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2.9.2. Information service
particular area of interest (e.g. Stock price, movie schedule, sporting news,
The Mobile Data / Fax feature allows you to make wireless data and fax
calls. With this feature, you can send and receive fax messages, connect to and
surf the Internet, send and receive company mail, and do other data applications
(“Smart”, 2005).
communication (for example, Internet access from a mobile phone). WAP was
small portable devices. It is now the protocol used for the majority of the world's
Protocol”, 2006).
where they will be able to get to know one another by chatting. This service
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2.10. RS232 Standard
RS-232 is a standard for serial binary data interconnection between a DTE (Data
identification
The standard does not define such elements as character encoding (for example,
ASCII, Baudot or EBCDIC), or the framing of characters in the data stream (bits per
character, start/stop bits, parity). The standard does not define bit rates for transmission,
although the standard says it is intended for bit rates less than 20,000 bits per second.
Many modern devices can exceed this speed (38,400 and 57,600 bit/s being common, and
115,200 and 230,400 bit/s making occasional appearances) while still using RS-232
Personal Errors may arise from a personal bias of the observer in reading an
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as mistakes in mathematical calculations. Example of this error is the taking of incorrect
values from the measuring instruments caused by not looking at the screen at a
perpendicular angle. This may also be called Parallax Error (Fontanilla, 2002).
2.12. SMS bit string can be encoded and decoded using computer
application.
Standard SMS message can be up to 160 characters long and up, where each
character is 7 bits according to the 7 bit default alphabet. The conventional eight-bit
messages wherein a maximum of 140 characters can be composed are usually not
viewable by the phones as text messages, instead they are used for data for example smart
messaging and OTA provisioning of WAP settings, while 16-bit messages are used for
There are two ways of sending and receiving SMS messages: by text mode and by
protocol description unit (PDU) mode. Text mode is all about encoding the bit stream
represented in PDU mode. Alphabets are encoded in different modes when displaying
SMS message. The most common options are "PPCP437", "PCDN", "8859-1", "IRA"
and "GSM". These are set on the phone itself when you will choose what proper
incoming SMS messages can thus use text mode or PDU mode.
entails getting the message and a lot of meta-information about the sender like SMS
service center, time stamp, address length, type of address, protocol identifier, data
encoding scheme, sender's number etc. All of which can be translated into 8-bit octets
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2.13. History of vending machine: Its success and innovations
deposits sufficient money in order to purchase the desired item, where the presence of
personnel is no longer required for every purchase. Moneys in a form of bill or coin are
ago in the year 215 B.C. where a contraption that accepts coins in exchange for holy
water used for ritual cleansing. Since the day it was invented till now almost anything
were sold in a vending machine to the early post stamps, candies, gumballs, cigarettes
and tobaccos to the present day snacks, drinks, and digital photo printing . Particularly in
Japan, the time vending machine was first introduced, struck the interest of the Japanese.
The popularity and demand for vending machines was mainly attributed to the high
vandalism and petty crimes. Innovations made in vending machine offered products and
services like hot and cold beverages, heated snacks, burgers, candy bars, cigarettes, photo
printing, mini sticker photo printing, toiletries, toilet rentals, mobile phone charging
depot, gambling depots, arcade games, prepaid cards, music CD burning, karaoke,
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