Generic Technology Emerges

A multi-drop bus, MDB, is an internal communication protocol designed to ensure that coin mechanism, bill validators and cashless payment devices can be properly interfaced to an Antares vending machine controller without regard to proprietary manufacturing. The key benefit MDB brought is the fact that it is a generic technology.

MDB has often been compared to the plug and play standards common to generic computer component interfacing. One consistent standard covers bills, coins and credit/debit cards. MDB represents a movement toward open system architecture enabling a variety of peripheral devices to automatically become functional.

MDB supports peripheral devices

MDB is also known as the multi drop bus/ internal communication protocol (MDB/ICP). The MDB standard defines the serial interface equipment communicate identically. This system is designed to capture transactional data, including method of payment, purchase price and change paid. When combined with time of transactions and possibly column information, it can formulate a transaction record.

MDB is the brain in the coin mechanism

MDB enables the Antares vending machine controller to determine which coins the mechanism accepted; which bills were stored by the bill validator; and how much credit is available through a cashless payment device. It is a way for the vending machine controller (VMC) to direct the coin mechanism to pay out correct change. The MDB standard allows an Antares vending operator to select peripheral devices based on reliability, performance, features and price, as opposed to proprietary connectivity.

MBD allows instant status update

MBD will allow instantaneous updating of your Antares vending machine status (e.g., coinage in, change paid-out, products sold, etc.). The system protocol allows for the attachment of an audit device that, acting as a passive slave, receives information of all events that happen in the Antares vending machine through MDB.

Effectively, the VMC and peripheral units need to support the highest common level while maintaining backward integration of lower level device compatibility. The purpose of MDB is to ensure that the necessary functionality of any device on the bus (i.e., interfaced equipment) is consistent with the capabilities of the VMC.