Collective payment and control system

• US 20020084322A1
• Filed: 03/31/2000
• Published: 07/04/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Baric
• Original Assignee: Robert Baric
• Inventors: Baric, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 6,527,176 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/381
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/342 Cards defining paid or billed services or quantities
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 13/025 wherein the volume is determined during delivery
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/025 by means, e.g. cards, providing billing information at the time of purchase, e.g. identification of seller or purchaser, quantity of goods delivered or to be delivered

Abstract

A collective payment and control system has a variety of self-service devices that dispense different types of goods. The system has a primary dispenser such as a self-service fuel pump and a secondary dispenser such as a self-service vending machine. A customer enters a charge card into one of the dispensers, usually the primary dispenser. Once the card is validated, the primary dispenser together with secondary dispenser(s) associated with the primary dispenser, are activated. Products that are available to purchase from either the primary dispenser or the associated secondary dispensers are displayed to the customer at the primary and/or secondary dispenser. The customer then selects any of the displayed products either directly from the primary dispenser or from each of the primary and/or secondary dispensers. The cost for the selected products are then totaled by the primary dispenser and a single payment transaction is made, such as by a credit/debit charge. Alternatively, the cost can be totaled by a separate controller interface. A timeout feature is provided, and the system also allows for remote inventory assessment and pricing. The inventory assessment or stocking request can be transmitted to a remotely-located central facility.

Claims

1. A collective payment and control system comprising:

a primary dispenser for dispensing at least a primary product;

a secondary dispenser for dispensing at least a secondary product; and

,

a primary processor included in said primary dispenser to control the primary and secondary dispensers to respectively dispense the primary and secondary product in response to an input from the customer.

2. The system of claim 1, said primary dispenser having a display device to display advertising information to the customer.

3. The system of claim 1, said primary dispenser having a display device to display sales information to the customer.

4. The system of claim 1, said primary dispenser further comprising a primary payment receptacle, wherein said primary processor determines a total price of all primary and secondary product dispensed by said primary and secondary dispensers for a single financial transaction to said primary payment receptacle.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said primary payment receptacle accepts cash or a payment card.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said primary and secondary dispensers respectively determine a price for the primary and secondary product based upon inventory.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a local controller for receiving a control signal from said primary processor and transmitting the control signal to a designated secondary processor to control said secondary dispenser.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said local controller further receives a subtotal sales price from each of said primary and secondary dispensers, determines a total sales price and transmits the total sales price to said primary processor.

9. The system of claim 7, further comprising a central controller connected to the local controller, said central controller collecting information from the primary and secondary dispensers directly or via the local controller.

10. The system of claim 7, further comprising a central controller connected to said primary dispenser, said central controller receiving information from the primary and secondary dispensers.

11. The system of claim 1, said secondary dispenser further comprising a secondary processor to control the primary and secondary dispensers to respectively dispense the primary and secondary product in response to an input from the customer, and a secondary display device.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein said primary processor opens a transaction session upon receiving a customer request by making primary and secondary product available for purchase by the customer.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said primary processor closes the transaction session following a predetermined timeout period.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the predetermined timeout period begins upon dispensing primary or secondary product.

15. The system of claim 12, whereby if the customer does not select secondary product within a predetermined time period, then the primary processor makes the secondary dispenser unavailable to the customer.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein said primary dispenser operates according to a first protocol and said secondary dispenser operates according to a second protocol.

17. The system of claim 1, further comprising an attendant station connected to said primary and secondary dispensers, wherein said attendant station determines a total price of all primary and secondary product dispensed.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising determining, at the primary dispenser, a total sales price for all primary and secondary product purchased by the customer and accepting payment from the customer.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein payment is made by a charge card.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the displayed information is advertising or sales information.

22. The method of claim 18, further comprising receiving, at the primary dispenser, inventory information for each of the primary and secondary dispensers.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising establishing a price for the primary and secondary product based upon the inventory information.

25. The system of claim 24, said first dispenser determining a total sales price of product dispensed by said first and second dispensers and accepting payment from the customer for the total sales price.

26. The system of claim 24, said first dispenser having a display device for displaying information to the customer.

27. The system of claim 24, wherein said first dispenser accepts cash or a payment card.

28. The system of claim 24, wherein said first and second dispensers respectively determine a price for the product based upon inventory.

29. The system of claim 24, further comprising a local controller for receiving a control signal from said first dispenser and transmitting the control signal to a designated second dispenser to control said second dispenser.

30. The system of claim 29, further comprising a central controller connected to the local controller, said central controller collecting information from the first and second dispensers directly or via the local controller.

31. The system of claim 24, further comprising a central controller connected to said first dispenser, said central controller receiving information from the first and second dispensers.

32. The system of claim 24, said second dispenser controlling the first and second dispensers to respectively dispense product in response to an input from the customer.

33. The system of claim 24, wherein said first dispenser opens a transaction session upon receiving a customer request by making product available for purchase by the customer from each of the first and second dispensers.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein said first processor closes the transaction session following a predetermined timeout period.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the predetermined timeout period begins upon dispensing product from the first or second dispenser.

36. The system of claim 34, whereby if the customer does not select product from the second dispenser within a predetermined time period, then the first dispenser makes the second dispenser unavailable to the customer.

18. A method of collective payment and control of a primary and secondary dispenser that respectively dispense a primary and secondary product, the method comprising:

displaying information to the customer at the primary dispenser;

receiving a customer input at the primary dispenser; and

,

controlling, at the primary dispenser, operation of the secondary dispenser in response to the customer'"'"'s input.

24. A collective payment and control system comprising a first dispenser associated with one or more second dispensers, said first dispenser receiving a customer input and controlling operation of the first dispenser and each associated second dispenser in response to the customer input.

37. A collective payment and control system comprising:

a first dispenser for dispensing at least a first product;

a second dispenser for dispensing at least a second product; and

,

a payment station connected to said first and second dispensers for controlling operation of said first and second dispensers to respectively dispense the first and second product.