Networked vendor for workplace or controlled environment

• US 10,163,293 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2016
• Issued: 12/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PepsiCo Incorporated
• Original Assignee: PepsiCo Incorporated
• Inventors: Hammonds, Marcus, Perry, Marco
• Primary Examiner(s): Collins, Michael
• Application Number:
  US15/197,480
• Publication Number:
  US 20160307391A1
• Time in Patent Office: 909 Days
• Field of Search: 700231-244
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/38 in which the magazines are horizontal
• 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: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46

Abstract

Aspects of the invention described herein provide an apparatus and method for networked vending. According to embodiments described herein, a vending machine is provided that may be installed and managed by the venue in which it is installed. Consumers may purchase vending products from the vending machine using cashless accounts managed by an external device in communication with the vendor. The venue may manage the inventory for the vending machine by placing orders for single product inserts to be loaded in the vending machine.

Claims

1. A system for managing a networked vending machine, the system comprising:

a vending machine comprising;

at least one rack in an interior area, the at least one rack configured to hold at least one insert, the insert comprising a plurality of soft drink products arranged in a linear direction from a front end of the insert to a rear end of the insert,

a door configured to give a consumer access to the soft drink products,

at least one insert sensor configured to read identification data on the at least one insert, the identification data comprising information related to at least one of;

a characteristic of the soft drink products held within the insert and the insert itself,

at least one weight sensor configured to determine weight data for the at least one insert, and

a processor coupled to the at least one insert sensor, the at least one weight sensor, the consumer input device, and a network, and configured to receive and transmit data over the network; and

a controller comprising computer-executable instructions configured to;

manage inventory for the vending machine based on at least one of the weight data and the identification data, and

receive a user'"'"'s order for additional inserts containing a plurality of soft drink products.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the identification data is contained on a conductive ink label adhered to the insert, and wherein the at least one insert sensor is configured to read the identification data on the conductive ink label.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the identification data comprises information about the plurality of soft drink products in the insert.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the information about the plurality of soft drink products in the insert comprises a type of product and a number of the product.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the weight data comprises of a first weight of the insert determined before a soft drink product is removed, and a second weight of the insert determined after the soft drink product is removed.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a consumer input device configured to receive consumer information data.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the consumer information data comprises a consumer account status and a consumer account balance.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the consumer information data comprises a consumer account status and a consumer account balance and wherein the controller is configured to manage the account status and account balance.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the consumer input device is a sensor, and wherein the sensor is configured to receive the consumer information data from a consumer RFID tag.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the processor is configured to give a consumer access to the soft drink products based on the consumer information data.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to give the consumer access to the soft drink products by unlocking the door.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to send the user'"'"'s order to a local distributor of the inserts.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to register a new insert inserted into the vending machine based on identification data on the new insert read by the least one insert sensor.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is remotely located from the vending machine.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the vending machine further comprises a display screen for displaying any of the following:

a consumer account status, a consumer account balance, or a description of a vended soft drink product.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one insert sensor is disposed within the interior area of the vending machine.

17. A method of managing a networked vending machine, the vending machine comprising at least one insert holding a plurality of soft drink products and a door configured to give a consumer access to the soft drink products, the method comprising:

determining, by a weight sensor in communication with a processor, a first weight of the at least one insert before a soft drink product is removed;

determining, by the weight sensor in communication with the processor, a second weight of the at least one insert after the soft drink product is removed;

receiving, at the processor, the first weight and the second weight;

reading identification data displayed on the at least one insert with an insert sensor coupled to the vending machine, the identification data comprising information related to at least one of;

a characteristic of the soft drink products held within the insert and the insert itself;

transmitting the first weight, the second weight, and the identification data to a controller configured to manage the inventory of the networked vending machine based on at least one of the first weight and the second weight, and the identification data; and

ordering, via the controller, additional inserts containing a plurality of soft drink products.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

receiving, at a consumer input device, consumer information data; and

transmitting, over the network, the consumer information data.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the consumer input device is a sensor configured to read an RFID tag, and wherein the consumer information data comprises at least one of the following:

a consumer account status or a consumer account balance.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein an order for additional inserts is sent to a local distributor of the inserts.

21. The method of claim 17, further comprising registering a new insert inserted into the vending machine by reading identification data on the new insert.

22. A system for managing a networked vending machine, the system comprising:

a vending machine comprising;

at least one rack in an interior area, the at least one rack configured to hold at least one insert for holding a plurality of vending products, the vending products comprising one or more food or beverage products, wherein the insert comprises an open top, an open front end, a rear end, and a shape configured to hold the plurality of vending products in a linear arrangement from the open front end to the rear end of the insert, wherein the open front end comprises a shape that allows vending products to be accessed by a consumer,

a door configured to give a consumer access to the vending products,

at least one insert sensor configured to read identification data on the at least one insert, the identification data comprising information related to at least one of;

a characteristic of a product held within the insert and the insert itself,

at least one weight sensor configured to determine weight data for the at least one insert, and

a processor coupled to the at least one insert sensor, the at least one weight sensor, the consumer input device, and a network, and configured to receive and transmit data over the network; and

a controller comprising computer-executable instructions configured to;

manage inventory for the vending machine based on at least one of the weight data and the identification data, and

receive a user'"'"'s order for additional inserts containing a plurality of vending products.