Thermal seat and thermal device dispensing and vending system employing RFID-based induction heating devices
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of vending thermal seats comprising the steps of:
- providing a plurality of thermal seats, each seat having an RFID tag associated therewith;
heating one of the seats for a customer;
storing customer-specific information in the RFID tag of the seat;
providing a check-out station for return of the seat after the customer'"'"'s use thereof, the station including a seat-receiving housing and an RFID tag reader operable to obtain information from the RFID tag when the customer deposits the seat in the housing and, in response to the obtainment of information, generating a receipt for the customer confirming return of the seat.
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Abstract
An RFID-based induction heating/vending system for quickly and efficiently heating, vending, and recollecting stadium seats (10) or other objects. The system includes a plurality of objects each including an induction-heatable body (22), a charging/vending station (12) for heating and vending the objects; a self-serve warming station (14) that may be used by consumers to reheat their objects; and a check-out station (16) that automatically collects objects from consumers after use.
53 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A method of vending thermal seats comprising the steps of:
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providing a plurality of thermal seats, each seat having an RFID tag associated therewith;
heating one of the seats for a customer;
storing customer-specific information in the RFID tag of the seat;
providing a check-out station for return of the seat after the customer'"'"'s use thereof, the station including a seat-receiving housing and an RFID tag reader operable to obtain information from the RFID tag when the customer deposits the seat in the housing and, in response to the obtainment of information, generating a receipt for the customer confirming return of the seat. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A heating/vending system for heating, vending, and collecting thermal seats, the system comprising:
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a plurality of magnetic induction-heatable thermal seats;
a charging/vending station for heating and vending the thermal seats; and
a check-out station for collecting the thermal seats after they have been used by consumers. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of vending thermal seats comprising the steps of:
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placing a thermal seat having an RFID tag associated therewith on a magnetic induction heater;
reading the RFID tag with an RFID tag reader associated with the heater;
heating the seat based at least partially upon information read from the RFID tag;
writing customer information onto the RFID tag with the RFID tag reader; and
removing the thermal seat from the magnetic induction heater and giving it to a consumer. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification