Vending machine adapted to vend age-restricted items
First Claim
1. A vending machine for use with a remote service center which includes a humanly-operated control terminal which communicates with said vending machine to approve or deny vending certain transactions with a buyer, said vending machine comprising:
- a) a video capture device for capturing an image of the buyer;
b) an identification document reader for capturing an image of an identification document of the buyer;
c) a communication link coupled to said video capture device and said identification document reader which transmits said image of the buyer and said image of the identification document to the humanly-operated control terminal; and
d) a user interface which gives the appearance to the buyer that said vending machine autonomously approves or denies the vending transactions.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A vending machine includes a video camera for transmitting an image of a buyer to a remotely located human operator, a document reader for transmitting an image of identification document(s) to the remotely located human in control of the vending machine, and a user interface which gives the appearance that the machine is autonomous even though the operator'"'"'s approval is required prior to vending an age-restricted item. The machine also includes a payment acceptor and a dispensing apparatus.
194 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A vending machine for use with a remote service center which includes a humanly-operated control terminal which communicates with said vending machine to approve or deny vending certain transactions with a buyer, said vending machine comprising:
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a) a video capture device for capturing an image of the buyer;
b) an identification document reader for capturing an image of an identification document of the buyer;
c) a communication link coupled to said video capture device and said identification document reader which transmits said image of the buyer and said image of the identification document to the humanly-operated control terminal; and
d) a user interface which gives the appearance to the buyer that said vending machine autonomously approves or denies the vending transactions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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12. A system for vending goods which require verifying the age and identity of a buyer of the goods, said system comprising:
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a) a remotely-located service center which includes a humanly operated control terminal; and
b) a vending machine, including i) a video capture device for capturing an image of a buyer, ii) an identification document reader for capturing an image of an identification document of the buyer, iii) a communication link coupled to said video capture device and said identification document reader for transmitting said image of the buyer and said image of the identification document to said humanly operated control terminal, and iv) a user interface which gives the appearance to the buyer that the vending machine processing a vending transaction autonomously.
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20. A method of vending age-restricted products from a vending machine, comprising:
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a) providing a vending machine which appears to a potential purchaser to function autonomously, the vending machine provided with age-restricted product;
b) at the vending machine taking an image of a potential purchaser of an age-restricted product;
c) at the vending machine taking an image of a photoidentification of the potential purchaser;
d) transmitting the images to a remotely located human;
e) determining by the human the validity of the photoidentification;
f) determining by the human whether the image of the potential purchaser matches a photo image on the photoidentification;
g) if it is determined that the photoidentification is valid and the image of the potential purchaser matches the photo image, then vending the age-restricted product; and
h) if it is determined that the at least one of (i) the photoidentification is invalid and (ii) the image of the potential purchaser mismatches the photo image, then denying the potential purchaser from purchasing the age-restricted product at the vending machine. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification