IT202100013334A1 - Multifunctional equipment and control system of vending machine and vending machine comprising said equipment - Google Patents

Description

DESCRIPTION

Attached to a patent application for INDUSTRIAL INVENTION having the title

?Equipment and multifunction control system of vending machine and vending machine comprising said equipment ?

FIELD OF APPLICATION

The present invention relates to a multifunction control apparatus for a vending machine, the vending machine being also identified with the more common term? generic ?vending machine?.

The present invention also relates to a multifunction remote control system for a vending machine.

Furthermore, the present invention relates to a vending machine which includes the control apparatus.

In particular, the present invention relates to an apparatus and a multifunction remote control system for a vending machine to provide a plurality of of services based on the data transmitted by the communication buses of the vending machine itself.

Throughout this description, with the expression ?vending machine? or ?vending machine? s?intender? a?unit? physical containment, designed to dispense a product, which includes a series of automated compartments and / or units? of mixing of ingredients and/or unit? of infusion controlled by a?unit? of processing through the combined action of sensors and actuators, and supply means.

NOTE TECHNIQUE

Is the continuous evolution of mobile communication technologies offering the Vending sector new opportunities? which can have important repercussions on the relationship between the Manager and the final Customer.

Traditional Vending, thus excluding the contiguous sectors of OCS (Office Coffee Service) and HCS (Home Coffee Service), ? a sector based on B2B, or rather a company/institution/community, which allows its users to use a service, stipulating an agreement with a Vending Management company.

By Vending Management we mean a company that provides a service to an end customer, making use of lease agreements with a third party (company/institution/community), which allows the positioning of the Vending Service through its own physical spaces.

The Vending Service is provided to end customers through vending machines.

The interaction between the end customer and the vending machine involves three phases: - Need? of the product (on impulse, because dictated by a contingent need)

- Product selection (via product showcase for cold drinks and snacks or via push button panel/touch display for hot drinks)

- Payment (traditionally cash or electronic key) This last phase? the one most subject to technological evolution, as it lends itself to being dematerialized through mobile communication devices.

Yeah? for several years, the payment at the Vending machines is? evolved, allowing the purchase by credit card.

However, this evolution, referring to the Italian market, has led to the migration of a minimum number of transactions to this new payment system.

In general, the purpose of the present invention is improve the interaction between the remote configuration system and the vending machine in terms of communication efficiency.

In particular, ? an object of the present invention is to carry out the different processes which take place in the vending machines with data updated almost in real time.

A further purpose of the present invention is establish an efficient interaction between the vending machine and the end user.

Another purpose of the present invention? allow to manage in an improved and optimized way the different processes that take place in the vending machines; in particular, the processes concerning payments.

Another purpose of the present invention? allow efficient remote monitoring of the operating status of the vending machine and payment systems, where the term status means, in the course of the description, the status of sales and/or faults and/or anomalies and/or interactions with the? user.

Another purpose of this? simplify communication between different devices for querying/modifying the data produced/managed by the vending machine, allowing interfacing between different devices, even of different generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In a first aspect, the invention describes a multifunction control apparatus for vending machines, according to what is described in claim 1.

Advantageous aspects are described in the dependent claims from 2 to 8. In a second aspect, the invention describes a remote control system for a vending machine, according to what is described in claim 9.

Advantageous aspects are disclosed in the dependent claims 10 to 17.

In a third aspect, the invention describes a vending machine, according to what is described in claim 18 which comprises the equipment of the first aspect of the invention.

Advantageous aspects are described in the dependent claims 19 to The invention achieves the following technical effects:

- improved the interaction between the remote configuration system and the vending machine in terms of communication efficiency;

- execution of the various processes that take place in the vending machines with data updated almost in real time;

- efficient interaction between the vending machine and the end user. - improved and optimized management of various processes that take place in vending machines; in particular, the processes concerning payments;

- efficient remote monitoring of the operating status of the vending machine;

- standardization of the connections between the devices for querying/modifying the data produced/managed by the vending machine.

Will the technical effects/advantages mentioned and other technical effects/advantages of the invention be more? in detail from the description, given hereinafter, of an embodiment given by way of non-limiting example with reference to the attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 ? a block diagram of a control apparatus for a vending machine, according to the invention.

Figure 2 ? a schematic view of a control system of a vending machine, according to the invention.

Figure 2A ? a second schematic view of a control system of a vending machine, according to the invention.

Figure 3 ? a detail view of a? unit? process of a component of the equipment in figure 1.

Figure 4 ? a detail view of a component of the apparatus of figure 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In general terms, the invention makes it possible to improve the interaction between the remote configuration system and the vending machine in terms of communication efficiency.

In particular, it allows you to carry out the various processes that take place in vending machines with data updated almost in real time.

Furthermore, the invention allows to manage in an improved and optimized way various processes which take place in the vending machines; in particular, some of these processes concern payments; therefore, does the invention allow customers to make electronic payments in an easy way? simple and optimized, reducing cash transactions and allowing dematerialisation of the electronic key.

The invention also provides telemetry functions, thus allowing efficient remote monitoring of the operating status of the vending machine.

In particular, the invention describes a multifunctional system which can be applied to a vending machine, hereinafter referred to as a ?vending machine?, which performs on the one hand telemetry functions, i.e. allows you to know the status of the machine remotely, where the term status means, in the course of the description, the status of sales and/or breakdowns and/or anomalies and/or interactions with the user.

Furthermore, the invention makes it possible to establish an efficient interaction between the vending machine and the end user, in particular through a software application for an electronic device, in particular for smartphones which allows the operator to reach the end customer and acquire details on the transactions, both in terms of expenses and in terms of products, in order to be able to provide the customer with an improved and, as far as possible, personalized system.

Even more, the invention makes it possible to standardize the connections between the devices for querying/modifying the data produced/managed by the vending machine, allowing interfacing between different devices, even of different generations.

In a first implementation aspect, with particular reference to Figure 1, the invention describes a vending machine control apparatus 100 comprising a VMC controller card 10 which communicates via one or more devices? serial buses.

The buses used are the Protocol A bus, indicated as bus 1, also known as the executive bus, the MDB bus indicated as bus_2 and the DDCMP bus indicated as bus_3, the latter also known as the DDCMP-EVADTS bus, where EVADTS represents the ?vocabulary? for identifying messages on the DDCMP bus.

The control apparatus 100 further comprises a payment system board 30, connected to the controller board 10 and arranged to control sales operations of the vending machine.

Preferably, the payment system card 30 ? connected to a payment device 31,32,33,34.

The vending machine, outside the control apparatus 100, comprises the payment device 31,32,33,34.

Preferably, the payment device 31,32,33,34 comprises one of an electronic key reader 31, a coin validator 32, a banknote reader 33 and a payment card reader 34.

In one embodiment of the invention, the VMC controller card 10 comprises the payment system card 30.

The Protocol A (or executive) bus (bus_1) ? the bus is essential to have telemetry information on sales why? ? located between the controller card 10 and the payment system card 30; moreover, d? indication of active service or not of the vending machine.

Also the MDB bus (bus_2) ? important to have sales telemetry information; ? it is also fundamental when you want to create an external payment system, cio? when you want to use a smartphone and a corresponding app to pay, as the MDB bus ? set up to recognize the external payment system.

In other words, the MDB bus allows direct communication between the controller card 10 and the payment devices 31,32,33,34.

The DDCMP bus, with EVADTS protocol, (bus_3) ? arranged to intercept information relating to failures of the machine or sometimes for configuration/programming of the payment system board 30 or of the controller board 10 of the vending machine, remotely. The control equipment 100 comprises an accounting data storage module 30_1 D_CONT, associated with the payment system card 30, comprising accounting data of sales operations and payment details for the sales operations carried out through the payment system card 30.

Preferably, the storage module 30_1 ? in the payment system tab 30.

Alternatively or in addition, the storage module 30_1 ? external to the payment system card 30 and in data communication therewith.

In other words, the accounting data storage module 30_1 D_CONT ? a black box that contains accounting data and allows it to be sent autonomously.

The control equipment 100 further comprises a gateway card 20 in data connection with the controller card 10 and/or the payment system card 30.

Operationally, the gateway card 20 acts as a sniffer on the executive bus bus_1 cio? intercepts the communications between the controller card 10 and the payment system card 30.

With particular reference to figure 4, the gateway card 20 comprises a serial connector 222 arranged for a data connection with one or more? between the serial buses bus_1, bus_2, bus_3.

In one embodiment, the gateway card 20 comprises the payment system card 30.

In this case, the gateway card 20 no longer acts? by sniffer, but acts as master for the executive bus (bus1).

According to the invention, the gateway card 20 comprises a unit? processor 210 (fig. 3) configured to manage and process the data in transit on the buses.

The unit of processing 210 ? configured to read data D_bus1;D_bus2;D_bus3 in transit on one or more? of the serial buses bus_1, bus_2, bus_3 and display and/or store the data D_bus1;D_bus2;D_bus3 on the vending machine.

In general it should be noted that in the present context and in the subsequent claims, the unit? control 210 ? presented as divided into distinct functional modules (memory modules or operating modules) for the sole purpose of describing their functionality in a clear and complete manner.

actually? this unit? can, in one case, consist of a single electronic device, suitably programmed to carry out the functions? described, and the different modules can correspond to entities? hardware and/or software routines that are part of the programmed device. Alternatively or in addition, these features? can be performed by a plurality? of electronic devices on which the aforementioned functional modules can be distributed.

The unit control 210 pu? make use, moreover, of one or more? processors for executing the instructions contained in the memory modules.

The aforesaid functional modules can also be distributed on different computers locally or remotely based on the architecture of the network in which they reside. According to the invention, the unit? of processing 210 ? configured to process data D_bus1;D_bus2;D_bus3 in transit on one or more? of the serial buses bus_1, bus_2, bus_3.

With particular reference to Figure 3, a first processing module 216? prepared for this purpose.

The unit of processing 210 ? further configured to externally transmit the read and/or processed data D_bus1;D_bus2;D_bus3 to the control apparatus 100.

With particular reference to figure 3, a first transmission module 217A ? prepared for this purpose.

In particular, with particular reference to figure 2A, the first transmission module 217A is arranged to transmit the read and/or processed data towards a telecommunication network 300.

According to the invention, the unit? of processing 210 ? further configured to remotely send D_ID identification data of the gateway card 20 at each start-up, as shown in figure 2A.

With particular reference to figure 3, the first transmission module 217A is prepared for this purpose.

According to the invention, the gateway card 20 ? additionally coupled a radio module 220.

As described below, as soon as the radio module 220 of the gateway card 20 associated with the transmission module 217A is activated, the identification data D_ID of the gateway card is sent remotely. According to the invention, the gateway card 20 ? identified on the basis of the hardware characteristics of the radio module 220 and of the unit? of processing 210, in particular of its own processor, e.g. through unique identifiers of the components hardwired into the hardware.

The radio module 220 ? prepared to transmit one or more? between the data D_bus1, D_bus2, D_bus3 and the identification data D_ID of the remote gateway card 20 towards a telecommunication network 300; in other words, the radio module 220 allows transmission access to public mobile networks to send the aforementioned data to a remote system 400 which will be later described.

Preferably, these networks use one of the GSM, LTE, 5G or similar standards

According to the invention, the apparatus 100 ? in data communication with a user electronic device 200, as shown in Figures 2 , 2A and 4 .

Preferably, the user electronic device 200 comprises one of a smartphone, tablet PC, PDA, PC, or the like. Preferably the gateway board 20 comprises a wireless communication module 221.

Preferably the wireless communication module 221 realizes bluetooth, NFC or the like communication.

The user electronic device 200 ? in communication with the gateway board 20 and/or with the payment system board 30 via the wireless communication module 221

Preferably, the wireless communication module 221 comprises a second transmission module 217B set up for Bluetooth communication with the user device 200.

In particular, the second transmission module 217B ? configured for an interaction with the user device 200 through a transmission of a beacon signal which makes the presence of the equipment 100 known to the user device 200.

In other words, the user device 200 detects the vending machines in a given area.

In one embodiment, the user device 200 is set up to provide additional paid services not provided by the vending machine; for this purpose, the user device 200 comprises a money recharge module, i.e. has a rechargeable wallet, and the vending machine? arranged to receive a top-up of money and interface with the user device 200 for payment of the additional services provided.

The interaction between the user device 200 and the equipment 100, in particular the gateway card, according to the invention ? made even more efficient.

For this purpose, the second transmission module 217B ? equipped with an output power regulator.

With particular reference to figure 4, preferably, the gateway card 20 ? equipped with an external bluetooth antenna 226 connected to the second transmission module 217B.

All examples of vending machine hardware on the market today that use Bluetooth are equipped with an integrated antenna on the PCB: this choice makes the radio performance and therefore the range of coverage strongly influenced by the mounting position of the gateway board inside of the vending machine and its construction type.

Remote payment hardware is usually mounted on the front of the vending machine, close to the vending machine. of the user, however the construction features of this assembly area can vary: on some vending machine models the area can? present almost all of the parts in plastic material, while in others pu? present large areas confined by metal surfaces.

This entails the fact that the radio performances, therefore the coverage range, are sensibly influenced by the mounting position of the antenna and by the propagation characteristics dictated by the construction materials of the vending machine.

In order to guarantee a pre-established radio coverage range, according to the invention the gateway card 20 mounts an external antenna 226 and the second transmission module 217B has an adjustable output power. The technical effect achieved? the solution of the problem of variable coverage according to the installation position of the antenna: in fact, the combination of antenna type and output power regulation makes it possible to optimize the Bluetooth coverage in a sufficient but not too wide range, since the? user must be in front of the vending machine to use it (e.g. 2 metres).

Preferably the gateway card 20 comprises a communication slot 224 arranged to support an expansion module 225 comprising a unit? additional radio 225A and/or a microprocessor 225B and/or a graphic controller 225C, the latter being connected to a graphic display 101 (fig.2).

In this case, ? a keyboard interface module 21 (fig. 1) is provided which replaces the traditional keyboard of the vending machine.

Preferably, the 225 expansion module uses the PCI-Express standard.

In other words, since in the field of telemetry systems, there are no known systems that are equipped with the possibility? to install an additional radio module on the same PCB, for example to cope with the technological evolution by integrating the on-board radio technologies natively present on the PCB, the PCB of the gateway board 20 comprises a slot in PCI-Express format. Preferably, this slot ? supplied with power supply and USB serial connection, connection to a SIM slot and antenna signals, for the creation of a module containing a unit? additional radio and a microprocessor with graphic controller for managing a graphic display.

In particular, the graphic display 101 connected to the expansion module 225 ? prepared to perform one or more? among the following functions:

- receiving user identification data and/or user configuration data from the remote system 400 and showing on the display 101 information modified on the basis of the received data;

- receiving a selection (for example of a product) from a user via the keyboard interface 21 to command the controller board 10 to perform a requested function.

The technical effect achieved? the possibility? sharing the resources of the gateway card mentioned above, with the benefit of space and costs; in the case of the graphic display, this solution would allow to share the connectivity? and the communication interfaces of the gateway board towards the server.

According to the invention, taking up what was previously written, at each start of the vending machine and the corresponding automatic remote sending of the identification data D_ID of the gateway 20, the unit? of processing 210 ? further configured to remotely receive, in particular from a remote system 400, D_CONF configuration data of the gateway board 20, as shown in figure 2A.

In particular, the gateway 20 ? identified on the basis of the hardware characteristics of the radio module 220 and of the unit? processing 210.

In particular, with reference to figure 3, the first reception module 218 is prepared for this purpose.

According to the invention, the unit? of processing 210 ? further configured to initialize the buses bus_1, bus_2, bus_3, for communication with peripherals, for example payment, based on the D_CONF configuration data received and to initialize protocols for communication and interaction of the buses bus_1, bus_2, bus_3 with the controller board 10 and with the payment system card 30 based on received D_CONF configuration data.

The identification/recognition of the gateway card 20 at each start does not require post-manufacturing settings, that is? the board ? autonomous and works without additional commands. The technical effect achieved, ? a communication between the vending machine and the remote system 400 based on an identification controlled and updated remotely at each start-up, which does not require a local configuration setting.

With particular reference to figure 2A, the unit? of processing 210 ? further configured to receive from the remote system 400 D_work data of products for sale, e.g. prices and products sold, and/or user identification that can be connected to the equipment 100 and/or additional services that can be provided via the web that make use of the payment system card 30, in particular the payment systems, also in cash, on the automatic payment system of the vending machines.

The receipt of the D_work data takes place at every start and only after receipt of the D_CONF configuration data.

In case of unavailability? of the communication network 300 and/or of the remote system 400, the gateway card 20 restarts with the last configuration used and with a reduced set of active functions since? does not yet have the updated D_work work data.

With reference to figure 4, according to the invention, the gateway card 20 also comprises a geolocation module GEO designed to geolocate the control apparatus 100.

Preferably, the GEO geolocation module includes one or more between a GPS and a cell phone triangulation system.

According to the invention, the unit? of processing 210 ? configured to store D_GEO geolocation data generated by the GEO geolocation module; preferably, a storage module 22 connected to an antenna for geolocation, eg. gps, ? configured for this purpose.

The unit of processing 210 ? furthermore configured to transmit the accounting data D_CONT referred to the control apparatus 100 geolocated through the geolocation data D_GEO; the transmission takes place in the step of transmitting the read and/or processed data D_bus1;D_bus2;D_bus3 externally to the control apparatus 100 via the first transmission module 217A.

A first technical effect? a geolocation of the accounting data with consequent guarantee of the data sent why? the data is associated with the position of the machine, which can be easily verified.

A second technical effect, in the case of a machine installed on a mobile vehicle, such as a train or ferry, is? that the position and the data make it possible to predict any maintenance or refueling having knowledge of the real position of the machine.

Preferably, the unit? processing system 210 further comprises a cryptographic and electronic signature module 228 (fig. 3) configured to send to a third party remote system 500, for example Sogei- Agenzia delle Entrate, the signed and non-alterable sales accounting data D_CONT.

According to the invention, the vending machine comprises the control apparatus 100 with at least all the characteristics described up to now and consequent technical effects/operating advantages.

In a second aspect, the invention describes a vending machine control system.

With particular reference to Figures 2 and 2A, the vending machine control system comprises the previously described control apparatus 100.

The control system also comprises a remote system 400 arranged to supply D_CONF configuration data of the gateway board 20.

In particular, the remote system 400 ? a control and management software application.

The control system further comprises a telecommunication network 300 arranged for a communication between the control equipment 100 and the remote system 400.

According to the invention, the telecommunication network 300 ? arranged for: transmitting from the control equipment 100 to the remote system 400 the read and/or processed data D_bus1;D_bus2;D_bus3.

The telecommunication network 300 ? further arranged to transmit the D_CONF configuration data of the gateway card 20 from the remote system 400 to the control equipment 100.

because the gateway card does not keep the configuration data, the? achieved technical effect ? that the remote system 400 sends the activation data to the machine 100 at each activation thereof.

According to the invention, in fact, at each start of the control apparatus 100, the remote system 400 ? arranged to receive, via the radio module 220, identification data D_ID of the gateway board 20. The remote system 400 ? set up to check the D_ID identification data and if the D_ID identification data are correct, send 100 D_CONF configuration data of the gateway board 20 to the device.

The remote system 400 ? in communication with a database comprising the identification data of the connectable gateway cards 20, which it accesses to verify the correct identification of the gateway cards.

In this way the gateway card (and therefore the control equipment 100) is uniquely identified and communication with the 400 system? safe.

After the gateway card 20 ? been uniquely identified, the remote system 400 ? further arranged to send to the equipment 100 D_WORK work data of products for sale and/or identification of users connectable to the equipment 100 and/or services.

The technical effect achieved? a receipt by the gateway board 20 of all commercial/sales data, after having uniquely identified the machine on which it resides.

Given the operation of the Executive protocol in mode? price-holding, today the telemetric devices on the market connected to the vending machine via this bus are unable to intercept the sales prices of the products set remotely, except by carrying out an audit of the configuration, via a dedicated port, on the systems of payment prepared.

To overcome this problem, ? A function has been implemented on the telemetric gateway card which essentially replicates the price table reading mechanism dedicated to the vending machine: during this phase, the vending machine is isolated from the bus and the telemetric gateway impersonates it, presenting itself to the vending machine as a payment system .

This information is not found in the normal mode? of sniffer operation due to the mode? of protocol operation.

In other words, the controller card 10 through the bus executive bus_1 ? arranged to receive product price data that will be applied by the vending machine, in particular included in the D_WORK work data received from the remote system 400.

The unit of processing 210 in the gateway card 20 ? configured to - send 230 data representative of sales, in particular prices and transactions, to a local display; preferably, a 211 display module ? configured for this purpose.

- interrupt the communication on the executive bus bus_1 towards the controller card 10; preferably, an interruption module 212 ? configured for this purpose:

- hijacking the passage of product price data in transit on the executive bus bus_1 towards the display module 211; preferably, an activation form 213 ? configured for this purpose.

The technical effect achieved? share the product sold and the sale price of each transaction in real time.

Inside the vending machine there are by now numerous ?intelligent? equipped with upgradeable firmware. However, most of them provide for the update of the same only locally, through a physical connection and, sometimes, with dedicated tools (e.g. specific programmers, dedicated software for PCs, pen-drives).

This update procedure involves inconvenience and costs since? a technician must physically go to the vending machine, equipped with the necessary specific equipment for the peripheral, with the possibility? of error, given that the procedure ? totally manual (e.g. incorrect firmware loading, programming tools connection problems, lack of necessary skill).

Given that several peripherals are now equipped with a USB port operating in? On-The-Go through which ? possible to update the device, the invention plans to exploit this standard to remotely carry out updates that should have been local.

In other words, according to the invention, the gateway card 20 comprises a USB On-The-Go port 223 arranged to receive firmware update data.

Preferably, the remote system 400 ? set up to send the firmware update data to the vending machine via the aforementioned port.

The unit of processing 210 in the gateway board 20 comprises an update module 214 arranged to update the internal peripherals of the vending machine with the firmware update data received.

The technical effect achieved? the simulation by the gateway board 20 of an external disk through its USB On-The-Go port, in order to update peripherals contained within the vending machine, not natively predisposed for remote updating. The necessary update files can be uploaded remotely to the telemetry gateway card and can be deposited on an external flash memory arranged on the PCB or on an SD memory inserted in a dedicated slot.

Claims (20)

1. Control apparatus (100) of vending machine comprising: a controller card (10) VMC that communicates through one or more? serial buses between bus protocol A (bus_1), bus MDB (bus_2) and bus DDCMP (bus_3); a payment system card (30), connected to said controller card (10) arranged to control sales operations of said vending machine, an accounting data storage module (30_1) (D_CONT) associated with said payment system card (30), comprising accounting data of sales transactions and payment details for said sales transactions carried out through said payment system card ( 30); a gateway card (20) in data link with said controller card (10) and/or said payment system card (30), wherein said gateway card (20) comprises a unit? processor (210) configured for - read data (D_bus1;D_bus2;D_bus3) in transit on one or more? of said serial buses (bus_1, bus_2, bus_3); - displaying and/or memorizing on said vending machine said data (D_bus1;D_bus2;D_bus3); wherein said control apparatus (100) ? characterized by the fact that this unit? processing (210) ? further configured for: - process said data (D_bus1;D_bus2;D_bus3) in transit on one or more? of said serial buses (bus_1, bus_2, bus_3); - transmitting said read and/or processed data (D_bus1;D_bus2;D_bus3) externally to said control apparatus (100) and said control apparatus (100) ? further characterized in that said gateway card (20) also comprises: - a geolocation module (GEO) arranged to geolocate said control apparatus (100); and said unit? processing (210) ? configured for - storing geolocation data (D_GEO) generated by said geolocation module (GEO); - in said phase of transmitting said read and/or processed data (D_bus1;D_bus2;D_bus3) externally to said control equipment (100), transmitting said accounting data (D_CONT) referring to said control equipment (100) geolocated through said data geolocation (D_GEO). 2. Control apparatus (100) according to claim 1 wherein said unit? processing (210) ? further configured for: - at each start-up, remotely send identification data (D_ID) of said gateway card (20) - remotely receiving (400) configuration data (D_CONF) of said gateway card (20)); - initializing said serial buses (bus_1, bus_2, bus_3) for communication with peripherals on the basis of said configuration data (D_CONF) received; - initializing protocols for communication and interaction of said serial buses (bus_1, bus_2, bus_3) with said controller card (10) and with said payment system card (30) on the basis of said configuration data (D_CONF) received. 3. Control apparatus (100) according to claim 2 wherein said unit? processing (210) ? further configured for: - at each start-up, after having received said configuration data (D_CONF), remotely receive (400) work data (D_work) of products for sale and/or user identification that can be connected to the equipment (100) and/or additional services that can be provided via the web that use said payment system card (30). The control apparatus (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein said gateway card (20) comprises said payment system card (30). The control apparatus (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein said VMC controller card (10) comprises said payment system card (30). 6. Control apparatus (100) according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said gateway board (20) is? coupled to a radio module (220) arranged to transmit one or more? between said data (D_bus1;D_bus2;D_bus3) and said identification data (D_ID) of said gateway card (20) remotely towards a telecommunication network (300). The control apparatus (100) according to claim 6 wherein said gateway card (20) is identified on the basis of HW characteristics of said radio module (220) and of said unit? of processing (210). 8. Control apparatus (100) according to claim one of the preceding claims wherein said gateway card (20) comprises a wireless communication module (221) arranged to transmit said data (D_bus1;D_bus2;D_bus3) towards a user electronic device (200). 9. Vending machine control system including: - said control apparatus (100), according to any one of claims 1 to 8; - a remote system (400) arranged to supply configuration data (D_CONF) of the gateway board (20); - a telecommunication network (300) arranged for a communication between said control apparatus (100) and said remote system (400); wherein said telecommunication network (300) ? prepared for: - transmitting from said control apparatus (100) to said remote system (400) said read and/or processed data (D_bus1;D_bus2;D_bus3); - transmitting from said remote system (400) to said control apparatus (100) said configuration data (D_CONF) of said gateway card (20). 10. A control system according to claim 9 wherein said remote system 400 is prepared for: - at each start-up of said control apparatus (100), receive through said radio module (220), identification data (D_ID) of said gateway board (20); - verify said identification data (D_ID) - if said identification data (D_ID) are correct, send to said device (100) configuration data (D_CONF) of said gateway board (20). 11. A control system according to claim 10 wherein said remote system 400 is further arranged for, after said gateway card (20) ? been uniquely identified, send to said equipment (100) work data (D_WORK) of products for sale and/or identification of users connectable to the equipment (100) and/or services. 12. Control system according to any one of claims 9 to 11 comprising a user electronic device (200) in communication with said gateway card (20) and/or with said payment system card (30) via said wireless communication module (221). 13. Control system according to any one of claims 9 to 12 - said remote system (400) ? arranged to send product price data of said vending machine to said controller card (10) via said executive bus (bus_1); - said unit? processor (210) in said gateway card (20) comprises: - a display module (211) configured to send data representative of sales to a local display (230); - an interruption module (212) configured to interrupt communication on said executive bus (bus_1) towards said controller card (10); - an activation module (213) configured to redirect the passage of said product price data in transit on said executive bus (bus_1) towards said display module (211). 14. Control system according to any one of the claims from 9 to 13 in which - said remote system (400) ? arranged to send firmware update data to said vending machine; - said gateway card (20) comprises a USB On-The-Go port (223) arranged to receive said firmware update data; - said unit? processor (210) in said gateway board comprises an update module (214) arranged to update internal peripherals of said vending machine with said firmware update data received. The control system according to any one of claims 9 to 14 wherein - said gateway card (20) comprises a communication slot (224) arranged to support an expansion module (225) comprising a unit? additional radio (225A) and/or a microprocessor (225B) and/or a graphic controller (225C), the latter connected to a graphic display (101). The control system according to claim 15 wherein said graphic display (101) is prepared to perform one or more? among the following functions: - receiving user identification data and/or user configuration data from the remote system (400) and showing on the graphic display (101) information modified on the basis of the received data; - receiving a selection from a user via a keyboard interface (21) to command said controller board (10) to perform a requested function. The control system according to any one of claims 12 to 16 wherein said electronic user device (200) comprises one of a smartphone, a tablet-PC, a PDA, a PC, or the like. 18. Vending machine comprising a control apparatus (100), according to any one of claims 1 to 8. 19. Vending machine according to claim 18 comprising a payment device (31,32,33,34) in data connection with said payment system card (30). 20. Vending machine according to claim 19 wherein said payment device (31,32,33,34) comprises one of an electronic key reader (31), a coin validator (32), a banknote reader (33 ) and a payment card reader (34).