System and method for vending vendible media products

• US 10,402,778 B2
• Filed: 01/08/2018
• Issued: 09/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Redbox Automated Retail LLC (Chicken Soup For The Soul Holdings LLC)
• Original Assignee: Redbox Automated Retail LLC (Chicken Soup For The Soul Holdings LLC)
• Inventors: Lowe, J. Mitch
• Primary Examiner(s): Beauchaine, Mark J
• Application Number:
  US15/864,774
• Publication Number:
  US 20180130087A1
• Time in Patent Office: 603 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06311 Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/127 Shopping or accessing services according to a time-limitation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/204 comprising interface for record bearing medium or carrier for electronic funds transfer or payment credit
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/387 Payment using discounts or coupons relating to marketing G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0238 at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0645 Rental transactions; Leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/004 Restocking arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/007 wherein the storage and dispensing mechanism are configurable in relation to the physical or geometrical properties of the articles to be stored or dispensed
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/04 in which magazines the articles are stored one vertically above the other
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/165 using xyz-picker or multi-dimensional article picking arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/26 Endless bands
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/48 the storage containers or supports, e.g. magazine, being pivotally mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/50 the storage containers or supports being rotatably mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/54 about vertical axes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/62 in which the articles are stored in compartments in fixed receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0042 : for hiring of objects
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/005 : for the hiring of content carriers, e.g. of DVDs or CDs reverse vending for box-like objects such as videocassettes G07F7/069
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/16 : for devices exhibiting advertisements, announcements, pictures or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/26 : for printing, stamping, franking, typing or teleprinting apparatus ticket printing or the like apparatus G07F17/42
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/069 : by box-like containers, e.g. videocassettes, books
• 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 9/023 : Arrangements for display, data presentation or advertising
• 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 9/10 : Casings or parts thereof, e.g. with means for heating or cooling

Abstract

A system and method for vending digital video discs is provided. A request is received from a user to complete a rental transaction for a first digital video disc. A database is queried to determine whether a quantity of a set of second digital video discs in a vending inventory exceeds a predetermined threshold. A discount offer notification is presented to the user to rent one of the set of second digital video discs, upon determining that the quantity of the set of second digital video discs exceeds the predetermined threshold. A second request from the user to rent one of the second set of digital video discs is received, and one of the set of second digital video discs is vended to the user.

Claims

1. A method for operating an article dispensing machine that is configured to dispense media articles at discounted prices, the method comprising:

storing media articles in a storage unit of the article dispensing machine;

receiving a first input from a user via an user interface of the article dispensing machine;

searching, via a processor, for a discount offer by;

querying a database that identifies a number of media articles for a media title in the storage unit and a threshold number for the media title, the threshold number being greater than or equal to a quantity of 1;

comparing the number of media articles to the threshold number; and

determining that the discount offer is pending for the media title in response to determining that the number of media articles is greater than the threshold number, the discount offer including a discounted price;

generating, via the user interface, a display that includes the discount offer for the media title in response to determining the discount offer is pending;

in response to receiving, via the user interface, a second input from the user that includes a request for the media title at the discounted price;

reducing the number of media articles for the media title by a quantity of 1; and

vending, via a robotic arm of the article dispensing machine, one of the media articles for the media title through a transfer opening define by the article dispensing machine.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the first input from the user includes receiving a command to vend a second media title.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the first input from the user includes receiving a command to receive a return of a second media title.

4. The method of claim 1, further including:

transmitting a signal to a remotely located command center via a transaction network to query the database; and

receiving the discount offer from the remotely located command center via the transaction network.

5. The method of claim 1, further including identifying the media title based on a genre of one or more media articles previously vended to the user.

6. The method of claim 1, further including identifying the media title in response to determining that the media title has not been previously vended to the user.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the media article is a digital video disc.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the threshold number is a predefined number that is less than an inventory of the media title for the article dispensing machine.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the threshold number corresponds to a percentage of an inventory of the media title for the article dispensing machine.

10. The method of claim 9, further including determining the percentage based upon an oversupply of the inventory of the media title that is not vended over a period of time.

11. An article dispensing machine configured to dispense media articles at discounted prices, the article dispensing machine comprising:

a user interface;

a storage unit configured to store media articles;

a robotic arm; and

a controller configured to;

receive, via the user interface, a first input from a user;

search for a discount offer by;

querying a database that identifies a number of media articles for a media title in the storage unit and a threshold number for the media title, the threshold number being greater than or equal to a quantity of 1;

comparing the number of media articles to the threshold number; and

determining that the discount offer is pending for the media title in response to determining that the number of media articles is greater than the threshold number, the discount offer including a discounted price;

generate, via the user interface, a display that includes the discount offer for the media title in response to determining the discount offer is pending;

in response to receiving, via the user interface, a second input from the user that includes a request for the media title at the discounted price;

reduce the number of media articles for the media title by a quantity of 1; and

vend, via the robotic arm, one of the media articles for the media title through a transfer opening.

12. The article dispensing machine of claim 11, wherein the first input received via the user interface includes a command to vend a second media title.

13. The article dispensing machine of claim 11, wherein the first input received via the user interface includes a command to receive a return of a second media title.

14. The article dispensing machine of claim 11, wherein the processor is configured to:

transmit a signal to a command center that is remotely located via a transaction network to query the database; and

receive the discount offer from the command center via the transaction network.

15. The article dispensing machine of claim 11, wherein the media title is identified based on a genre of one or more media articles previously vended to the user.

16. The article dispensing machine of claim 11, wherein the media title is identified when the media title has not been previously vended to the user.

17. The article dispensing machine of claim 11, wherein the media article is a DVD.

18. The article dispensing machine of claim 11, wherein the threshold number is a predefined number that is less than an inventory of the media title for the article dispensing machine.

19. The article dispensing machine of claim 11, wherein the threshold number corresponds to a percentage of an inventory of the media title for the article dispensing machine.

20. The article dispensing machine of claim 19, wherein the percentage is determined based upon an oversupply of the inventory of the media title that is not vended over a period of time.