Network connected dispensing device

• US 10,134,218 B2
• Filed: 05/31/2016
• Issued: 11/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Accenture Global Solutions Limited (Accenture PLC)
• Original Assignee: Accenture Global Solutions Limited (Accenture PLC)
• Inventors: Torresani, Giorgio, Sawyer, Jeffrey Scott, Sawhney, Puneet, Groves, Austin S., Patel, Drashti Sunit
• Primary Examiner(s): Collins, Michael
• Application Number:
  US15/169,518
• Publication Number:
  US 20170345245A1
• Time in Patent Office: 903 Days
• Field of Search: 700236, 700241, 700244
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/001 Interfacing with vending machines using mobile or wearable devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/002 Vending machines being part of a centrally controlled network of vending machines
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/009 User recognition or proximity detection
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/026 for alarm, monitoring and auditing in vending machines or means for indication, e.g. when empty
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/105 Heating or cooling means, for temperature and humidity control, for the conditioning of articles and their storage dispensers for food articles requiring a processing by temperature treatment or conditioning before they are ready for dispensing G07F17/0064
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

A device may obtain sensor data regarding the vending device. The device may transmit the sensor data via a network connection for processing by a server. The server may store a data model. The server may be associated with identifying a response action associated with altering a configuration of the vending device. The device may receive information identifying the response action based on transmitting the sensor data via the network connection. The device may cause the response action to be performed based on receiving the information identifying the response action. The response action may be associated with altering a status of a component of the vending device. The device may provide information associated with identifying the status of the component.

Claims

1. A network connected dispensing device, comprising:

a storage unit to house one or more items to be dispensed;

a set of sensor modules to obtain sensor data regarding the network connected dispensing device,

the set of sensor modules including two or more of a temperature sensor, an image sensor, a motion sensor, or a location sensor;

a management module,

the management module being associated with receiving the sensor data from the set of sensor modules to be processed to identify a response action,

the management module being associated with providing information associated with the sensor data to a cloud server of a cloud network via a network connection and receiving information from the cloud server regarding the response action,

the received information from the cloud server being based upon identifying a pattern with regard to component malfunction based on sensor data associated with a first group of network connected dispensing devices, and

the first group of network connected dispensing devices including the network connected dispensing device; and

an integration module,

the integration module being associated with causing an alteration to a component of the network connected dispensing device based on the response action being identified,

the alteration to the component being related to causing the one or more items to be made available to be dispensed.

2. The network connected dispensing device of claim 1, further comprising:

a power management module,

the power management module being associated with receiving information from the integration module associated with causing the alteration to a power management configuration and altering the power management configuration based on the alteration.

3. The network connected dispensing device of claim 1, further comprising:

a display module,

the display module being associated with providing information for display based on receiving an instruction from the management module,

the information identifying at least one of;

an availability of an item to be dispensed,

dynamic pricing information relating to the item, or

an advertisement.

4. The network connected dispensing device of claim 1, further comprising:

a communications module,

the communications module being associated with establishing a connection to a user device external to the network connected dispensing device and causing information to be provided for display via the user device.

5. The network connected dispensing device of claim 1, further comprising:

a communications module,

the communications module being associated with establishing a connection to the cloud server via at least one of;

a Wi-Fi connection,

an Ethernet connection, or

a Bluetooth connection.

6. The network connected dispensing device of claim 1, further comprising:

a vibration sensor, of the set of sensor modules, to identify vibration sensor data relating to vibration of one or more components of the network connected dispensing device.

7. The network connected dispensing device of claim 1, further comprising:

an image processor module,

the image processor module being associated with processing a portion of the sensor data relating to the image sensor, and

the image processor module being associated with determining, based on processing the portion of sensor data, at least one of;

an identification of the one or more items,

an orientation of the one or more items, or

an identification of a potential customer.

8. A cold drink equipment, comprising:

a refrigerated storage unit to house one or more items of product for sale,

the refrigerated storage unit including a door that permits a distribution of a particular item of product of the one or more items of product for sale;

a plurality of sensors to obtain sensor data regarding the cold drink equipment,

the plurality of sensors including a door sensor to detect that the door is opened, an image sensor to detect contents of the refrigerated storage unit, and a temperature sensor to obtain an internal temperature of the refrigerated storage unit;

a communications module to provide the sensor data to be processed using a data model and to receive information identifying a response action based on providing the sensor data to be processed using the data model,

the response action relating to an alteration to a configuration of the cold drink equipment,

the received information being based upon the data model identifying a pattern with regard to component malfunction based on sensor data associated with a first group of cold drink equipment, and

the first group of cold drink equipment including the cold drink equipment; and

an integration module to cause the alteration to the configuration of the cold drink equipment based on the response action.

9. The cold drink equipment of claim 8, further comprising:

a proximity sensor to detect that a potential customer is within a threshold proximity of the cold drink equipment and cause an advertisement to be provided for display via a display module based on detecting that the potential customer is within the threshold proximity.

10. The cold drink equipment of claim 8, further comprising:

a beacon monitor to detect a beacon associated with a user device and cause the communications module to connect to the user device based on detecting the beacon.

11. The cold drink equipment of claim 8, further comprising:

a management module to cause a delivery vehicle to be dispatched to deliver a set of items of product when a quantity of items of product included in the refrigerated storage unit satisfies a threshold,

the management module being associated with causing the communications module to transmit a message to a user device associated with the delivery vehicle indicating that the set of items of product are to be delivered.

12. The cold drink equipment of claim 8, further comprising:

a management module to cause a technician to be dispatched to repair a component of the cold drink equipment when the sensor data indicates that the component is malfunctioning,

the management module being associated with causing the communications module to transmit a message to a user device utilized by the technician indicating that the component is malfunctioning.

13. The cold drink equipment of claim 8, further comprising:

a set of configurable components,

the set of configurable components including a compressor component to receive an instruction from the integration module to selectively operate based on the response action relating to altering the internal temperature of the refrigerated storage unit.

14. The cold drink equipment of claim 8, further comprising:

an external temperature sensor to obtain data regarding an ambient temperature external to the refrigerated storage unit,

the communications module being associated with providing the data regarding the ambient temperature to a server to cause the server to identify the response action,

the server storing the data model.

15. A method, comprising:

obtaining, by a vending device, sensor data regarding the vending device,

the sensor data being obtained from a group of sensors of the vending device;

transmitting, by the vending device, the sensor data via a network connection for processing by a server,

the server storing a data model,

the server being associated with identifying a response action associated with altering a configuration of the vending device;

receiving, by the vending device, information identifying the response action based on transmitting the sensor data via the network connection;

causing, by the vending device, the response action to be performed based on receiving the information identifying the response action,

the response action being associated with altering a status of a component of the vending device,

the received information being based upon the data model identifying a pattern with regard to component malfunction based on sensor data associated with a first group of vending devices, and

the first group of vending devices including the vending device; and

providing, by the vending device, information associated with identifying the status of the component.

16. The method of claim 15, where causing the response action to be performed comprises:

altering a configuration of a power management module to alter a power utilization of the vending device.

17. The method of claim 15, where causing the response action to be performed comprises:

altering a configuration of a compressor to alter an internal temperature of the vending device.

18. The method of claim 15, where causing the response action to be performed comprises:

altering a price for which an item of product is dispensed by the vending device.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

detecting input of a request to dispense a particular item of product;

performing a transaction based on the request to dispense the particular item of product;

dispensing the particular item of product based on performing the transaction; and

providing, to the server, information indicating that the particular item of product is dispensed based on dispensing the particular item of product.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

detecting, based on the sensor data, that the vending device is at a first location,

the first location satisfying a threshold distance from a second location; and

where transmitting the sensor data via the network connection comprises;

transmitting information indicating that the vending device is at the first location based on the first location satisfying the threshold distance from the second location.