Method and device for crediting a creditable machine

The present invention is concerned with a telecommunications system for crediting a vending machine, meter, such as a parking meter, amusement machine, video game machine, change machine, gaming machine or other cash or coin operable device. Machines and devices to which the present invention may be applied will herein be known as creditable machines. A vending machine, meter or gaming machine crediting method and a device for implementing the method is disclosed. A creditable machine such as a vending machine, gaming machine or payment meter such as a parking meter generally requires the deposition of cash or the use of a magnetic or electronic payment card in order to be enabled. The use of cash or card readers implies security and other problems. The payment system of the present invention provides the creditable machine with a telephone interface device able to telecommunicate with a remote pay center by wire or preferably wireless telephony. To enable the creditable machine, a user communicates data to the pay center by means of a mobile cell phone or other wireless communicator. The pay center is able to check a user's account and other transaction details and issue instruction to the creditable machine to enable the requested transaction.