Cooperative vending machine data reporting

• US 20030169180A1
• Filed: 03/08/2002
• Published: 09/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vending Management Services Limited
• Original Assignee: Vending Management Services Limited
• Inventors: Hardman, Simon F.
• Granted Patent: US 6,844,813 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/870.01
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 5/18 specially adapted for controlling several coin-freed apparatus from one place
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/002 Vending machines being part of a centrally controlled network of vending machines
• 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: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A vending machine is equipped with a short range communication circuit for uploading vending machine data to passing mobile terminals. The mobile terminals subsequently upload the data to a remote location through a wireless communication process, such as through a cellular phone call. Compensation may be provided to the user of the mobile terminal and aggregation between mobile terminals and/or vending machines is contemplated.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal, comprising:

a short range communication circuit that wirelessly collects vending machine data from a vending machine; and

a long range communication circuit that wirelessly sends said vending machine data to a remote location through a base station.

2. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein said short range communication circuit comprises a Bluetooth communication circuit.

3. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein said long range communication circuit comprises a cellular communication circuit.

4. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein said short range communication circuit comprises an IEEE 802.11 compatible communication circuit.

5. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein said short range communication circuit collects said vending machine data from the vending machine indirectly, through a second mobile terminal.

6. The mobile terminal of claim 3, wherein said cellular communication circuit sends said vending machine data to the remote location by placing a call.

7. A communication system, comprising:

a vending machine, comprising a first short range communication circuit; and

a mobile terminal, comprising;

a second short range communication circuit, selectively communicating with said first short range communication system to secure vending machine data from said vending machine; and

a long range communication circuit through which said vending machine data from said vending machine is sent to a remote location.

8. The communication system of claim 7, wherein said first and second short range communication circuits comprise Bluetooth modules.

9. The communication system of claim 7, wherein said mobile terminal comprises a cellular phone.

10. The communication system of claim 7, wherein said long range communication circuit comprises a link to the PLMN.

11. The communication system of claim 7, wherein said long range communication circuit sends said vending machine data from said vending machine to the remote location once per day.

12. The communication system of claim 7, wherein said mobile terminal accrues credits for communicating said vending machine data from said vending machine to the remote location.

13. The communication system of claim 7, further comprising a second vending machine, said mobile terminal collecting vending machine data from said second vending machine and combining the vending machine data from said second vending machine with the vending machine data from said vending machine prior to sending the vending machine data to the remote location.

14. A communication system for communicating vending machine data to a remote location through a wireless communication network, comprising:

a vending machine comprising a first short range communication circuit;

a first mobile terminal comprising a second short range communication circuit;

a second mobile terminal comprising a third short range communication circuit and a long range communication circuit;

said vending machine sending the vending machine data to said first mobile terminal from said first short range communication circuit to said second short range communication circuit;

said first mobile terminal sending the vending machine data to said second mobile terminal from said second short range communication circuit to said third short range communication circuit;

said second mobile terminal sending the vending machine data to a remote location through said long range communication circuit.

15. The communication system of claim 14, wherein said short range communication circuits are selected from the group consisting of:

Bluetooth modules and 802.11 compatible circuits.

16. The communication system of claim 14, wherein said second mobile terminal sends the vending machine data to a remote location by placing a phone call to the remote location.

17. The communication system of claim 14, wherein said second mobile terminal collects vending machine data from a plurality of vending machines prior to sending the vending machine data to a remote location.

18. The communication system of claim 14, wherein said second mobile terminal sends the vending machine data through the PLMN.

19. An incentivized system for reporting vending machine data to a remote location, comprising:

a vending machine, comprising a first short range communication circuit and data;

a mobile terminal, comprising a second short range communication circuit and a long range communication circuit;

said mobile terminal receiving the vending machine data from said vending machine through said first and second short range communication circuits and passing the vending machine data to a remote location for further processing through said long range communication circuit; and

said mobile terminal having a credit associated therewith in exchange for passing the vending machine data to the remote location.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein said credit is selected from the group consisting of a rebate and a discount.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein said credit comprises a coupon providing a discount on a future purchase.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein said discount on a future purchase comprises a free item dispensed from a vending machine.

23. The system of claim 19, wherein said credit comprises a subsidy for placing a cellular phone call over the long range communication circuit.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein said subsidy is a discount per minute of usage.

25. The system of claim 19, wherein said short range communication circuits are selected from the group consisting of a Bluetooth module and a module based on the IEEE 802.11 standard.

26. The system of claim 19, wherein said mobile terminal is a cellular phone.

27. The system of claim 19, wherein said credit is provided monthly.

28. The system of claim 19, wherein said credit is stored in said mobile terminal.

29. The system of claim 19, wherein said credit is stored in said vending machine.

30. A method of incentivizing relay communications between a vending machine and a remote location, said method comprising:

uploading vending machine data from the vending machine to a mobile terminal associated with a third party;

receiving the vending machine data from the mobile terminal at the remote location via a long range wireless communication;

providing a credit to the third party in exchange for sending the vending machine data.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein providing a credit comprises providing a refund to the third party.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein providing a credit comprises providing a coupon to the third party.

33. The method of claim 30, wherein providing a credit comprises providing a subsidy for an account associated with the long range wireless communication.

34. The method of claim 30, wherein providing a credit comprises accumulating partial credits for individual communications to the remote location until a threshold is reached and then providing a free good for the credit.

35. The method of claim 30, wherein receiving the vending machine data from the mobile terminal at the remote location via a long range wireless communication comprises receiving a phone call from the mobile terminal over the PLMN.

36. The method of claim 30, wherein arranging to upload vending machine data from the vending machine to a mobile terminal associated with a third party comprises wirelessly uploading the data to the mobile terminal.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein wirelessly uploading the vending machine data to the mobile terminal comprises uploading the vending machine data with a Bluetooth module.

38. The method of claim 30, further comprising receiving from the mobile terminal vending machine data from a plurality of vending machines.

39. A method of communicating, comprising:

determining that a mobile terminal is proximate a vending machine;

uploading vending machine data from the vending machine to the mobile terminal via a short range communication circuit;

receiving, at a remote location, the vending machine data from the mobile terminal over a long range communication circuit.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein determining that a mobile terminal is proximate a vending machine comprises establishing a short range communication loop via one of the modules selected from the following group consisting of:

a Bluetooth module and an IEEE 802.11 module.

41. The method of claim 39, wherein uploading vending machine data from the vending machine to the mobile terminal via a short range communication circuit comprises uploading the vending machine data via a communication circuit selected from the group consisting of:

a Bluetooth communication circuit and an IEEE 802.11 compatible communication circuit.

42. The method of claim 39, wherein receiving, at a remote location, the vending machine data from the mobile terminal over a long range communication circuit comprises receiving the vending machine data over a phone line.

43. A method of communicating, comprising:

passing by a vending machine with a mobile terminal;

receiving, at the mobile terminal from the vending machine, vending machine data relating to the vending machine;

subsequently transmitting, wirelessly, over a long range communication circuit the vending machine data to a remote location.

44. The method of claim 43, further comprising receiving vending machine data from at least one other vending machine prior to transmitting the vending machine data to the remote location.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein receiving data from at least one other vending machine comprises receiving the vending machine data from a second mobile terminal.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein receiving the vending machine data from a second mobile terminal comprises receiving the vending machine data from a second mobile terminal through a module selected from the group consisting of:

a Bluetooth module and an IEEE 802.11 compatible module.

47. The method of claim 45, further comprising determining priority between the two mobile terminals as to which mobile terminal should receive the vending machine data from the other.

48. The method of claim 43, wherein subsequently transmitting the vending machine data comprises placing a phone call.