System and methods associated with vending machine telemetry, replenishment, and configuration utilizing multiple types communication networks

• US 10,482,443 B2
• Filed: 05/09/2017
• Issued: 11/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Katzenfreunde, LLC
• Original Assignee: Katzenfreunde, LLC
• Inventors: Suelberg, Thilo
• Primary Examiner(s): Collins, Michael
• Application Number:
  US15/590,731
• Publication Number:
  US 20170330164A1
• Time in Patent Office: 924 Days
• Field of Search: 700231-244
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/202 Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0643 Graphical representation of items or shoppers

Abstract

Embodiments described herein relate to a universal vending machine closed-loop sales optimization device. The vending machine device may be configured to be installed within a vending machine, and be communicatively coupled with a vending machine controller. The vending machine device may be configured to receive data and transmit data.

Claims

1. A vending machine system comprising:

a first network configured to transmit data over shorter distances;

a second network configured to transmit data over longer distances;

a vending machine configured to dispense items;

a vending machine computing device installed locally within the vending machine, the vending machine computing device being configured to determine first data on a predetermined schedule, and second data responsive to a transaction, the second data including a flag indicating if an inventory of a first item within the vending machine is below a vending threshold responsive to completing a transaction associated with the first item, the first data requiring more data bandwidth than the second data, the first data including a full inventory of items currently located at the vending machine, a status of each denomination of currency located at the vending machine, and a quantity of items sold by the vending machine over a time period;

a user computing device configured to wirelessly perform the transaction with the vending machine computing device to receive the first item from the vending machine, the user computing device being configured to receive the second data including the flag from the vending machine over the first network responsive to the transaction being performed, the user computing device being configured to relay the second data including the flag over the second network to a backend server after receiving the second data over the first network.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first network is a Bluetooth network, and the second network is a cellular network.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the backend server is configured to manage configurations associated with the vending machine, the configurations including pricing of items carried by vending machine.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a replenishment driver computing device that is configured to transmit an SMS message to the vending machine computing device, and receive the first data from the vending machine computing device responsive to transmitting the first data.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the backend server is configured to transmit a first message to the replenishment driver computing device over the first network responsive to receiving the second data from the user computing device.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the replenishment driver computing device is configured to modify the first data on the vending machine by transmitting a message to the vending machine computing device over the first network or the second network.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the backend server is configured to modify the first data on the vending machine computing device responsive to receiving the second data.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the first data includes an inventory and quantity numbers of items currently housed in the vending machine.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the vending machine computing device is configured to transmit the first data to the backend server over the first network and the second network.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the user computer device is configured to complete the transaction with the vending machine computing device while being offline the second network, and the user computing device is computing device is configured to transmit the second data responsive to being online the second network.

11. A method for utilizing a vending machine system comprising:

installing a vending machine computing device inside a vending machine that is configured to dispense items;

determining, by the vending machine computing device, first data on a predetermined schedule;

determining, by the vending machine computing device, second data responsive to completing a transaction, the second data including a flag indicating if an inventory of a first item within the vending machine is below a vending threshold responsive to completing a transaction associated with the first item, the first data requiring more data bandwidth than the second data, the first data including a full inventory of items currently located at the vending machine, a status of each denomination of currency located at the vending machine, and a quantity of items sold by the vending machine over a time period;

completing the transaction wirelessly utilizing a user computing device and the vending machine computing device to receive the first item from the vending machine;

transmitting the second data including the flag over a first network from the vending machine computing device to the user computer device responsive to completing the transaction, the first being configured to transmit data over shorter distances;

relaying the second data including the flag over a second network from the user computing device to a backend server after receiving the second data over the first network, the second network configured to transmit data over longer distances.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first network is a Bluetooth network, and the second network is a cellular network.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

managing, via the backend server, configurations associated with the vending machine, the configurations including pricing of items carried by vending machine.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

transmitting, by a replenishment driver computing device, an SMS message to the vending machine computing device; and

receiving, by the replenishment driver computing device, the first data from the vending machine computing device responsive to transmitting the first data.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

transmitting, by the backend server, a first message to the replenishment driver computing device over the first network responsive to receiving the second data from the user computing device.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

modifying, via the replenishment driver computing device, the first data on the vending machine by transmitting a message to the vending machine computing device over the first network or the second network.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

modifying, via the backend server, the first data on the vending machine computing device responsive to receiving the second data.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the first data includes an inventory and quantity numbers of items currently housed in the vending machine.

19. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

transmitting, by the vending machine computing device, the first data to the backend server over the first network and the second network.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the transaction is configured to be completed by the user computing device while the user computer device is offline the second network, and the user computing device is computing device is configured to transmit the second data responsive to being online the second network.