OUTDOOR VENDING MACHINE AND USE OF A USER INTERFACE FOR THE OPERATION OF AN OUTDOOR VENDING MACHINE

An outdoor vending machine in the form of a parking meter includes the following elements: a user interface having a cover plate, there being disposed in the region thereof operating information items and force sensors coupled to the cover plate, the force sensors outputting signals as a function of an external force exerted on the sensors via the cover plate, analysis electronics having a pressure point determination unit for ascertaining pressure points on the cover plate based on the signals of the force sensors, an association unit, which associates different operator commands with different pressure points in operation, and a processing unit; which carries out sales actions in operation based on the operator commands. The operating information items include operator command information items which are at least partially localized in or on a pressure area on the cover plate. Activation in the pressure area is accomplished by touching a pressure point to which the association unit assigns operator commands corresponding to the operator command information items. There is also provided a user interface for an outdoor vending machine.