Method and apparatus for controlling rented or leased or loaned

• US 20050156028A1
• Filed: 03/10/2005
• Published: 07/21/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Munroe Chirnomas
• Original Assignee: Munroe Chirnomas
• Inventors: Chirnomas, Munroe
• Granted Patent: US 7,389,916 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/381
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/04 in which magazines the articles are stored one vertically above the other
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/10 two or more magazines having a common delivery chute
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/165 using xyz-picker or multi-dimensional article picking arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/1657 the picking arrangements using suction
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/62 in which the articles are stored in compartments in fixed receptacles
• 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 9/02 Devices for alarm or indication, e.g. when empty; Advertising arrangements in coin-freed apparatus alarms or warning devices indicating the interruption of flow to be metered G07F15/10

Abstract

A method and apparatus relating to the renting, leasing and/or loaning of electronic equipment operable and/or controllable by a computer, wherein one entity not in physical possession and/or control of the equipment desires control over another entity which has physical possession and/or control of the equipment. Such equipment may comprise a washing machine, medical, office or industrial equipment, a vending machine, etc. A central computer system includes software which enables management and execution of financial transactions between the entities, such as debiting or crediting of accounts held by these or other entities, or creating an invoice for one entity to present to another entity. Information used in making these financial transactions can be determined by analysis of information which may be communicated to the central computer system from at least one other source. Such source may include the control system of the controlled equipment, e.g., from a vending machine or the computer system of an interested entity.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

entering into at least one contractual obligation with at least one entity concerning sales of goods from a vending apparatus; and

agreeing with the at least one entity that (i) the vending apparatus may be enabled to dispense the goods for an interval, (ii) the vending apparatus is at least partially disabled from dispensing at least some of the goods at an end of the interval, and (iii) the vending apparatus is not at least partially disabled at the end of the interval if a continuation code is received by the vending apparatus before the end of the interval.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the interval represents at least one of (i) one or more predefined periods of time;

(ii) one or more predefined numbers of vends of goods from the vending apparatus;

(iii) one or more predefined quanta of sales by the vending apparatus.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the interval is at least one of reset and modified in response to the vending apparatus receiving the continuation code.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the continuation code includes an interval modification instruction and the interval is at least one of reset and modified in response thereto.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising agreeing with the at least one entity that the continuation code is made available to the vending apparatus after a determination is made that the at least one contractual obligation with the at least one entity has been at least one of satisfied and waived.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining whether the at least one contractual obligation with the at least one entity has been at least one of satisfied and waived, and then making the continuation code available to the vending apparatus.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising encrypting the continuation code prior to making it available to the vending apparatus.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein an authorized third party receives prescribed data concerning the sales of goods from the vending apparatus, determines whether the at least one contractual obligation with the at least one entity has been satisfied based on at least some of the prescribed data, and makes the continuation code available to the vending apparatus.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

communicating with an authorized third party responsible for receiving prescribed data concerning the sales of goods from the vending apparatus; and

determining whether the at least one contractual obligation with the at least one entity has been satisfied based on at least some of the prescribed data.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein after having been disabled at the end of an interval, the vending apparatus is automatically enabled after a predefined period of time has elapsed.

2. The method of paragraphs 1, wherein the goods are packaged goods.

12. A method, comprising:

entering into at least one contractual obligation with at least one entity concerning sales of goods from a vending apparatus; and

agreeing with the at least one entity that (i) the vending apparatus may be enabled to dispense the goods, and (ii) the vending apparatus may be at least partially disabled from dispensing at least some of the goods when an externally generated disable code is received by the vending apparatus.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the goods are packaged goods.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising agreeing with the at least one entity that the disable code may be made available to the vending apparatus after a determination is made that the at least one contractual obligation with the at least one entity has not been at least one of satisfied and waived.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein an authorized third party receives prescribed data concerning the sales of goods from the vending apparatus, determines whether the at least one contractual obligation with the at least one entity has been satisfied based on at least some of the prescribed data, and makes the disable code available to the vending apparatus if the at least one contractual obligation has not been at least one of satisfied and waived.

16. A processing system, comprising:

a data processor that is remote from at least one vending apparatus and operable to receive data from the vending apparatus concerning sales of goods from the vending apparatus; and

a database operable to store at least some of the data,

wherein the data include at least one of (i) information concerning vending or attempts at vending unauthorized goods from the vending apparatus;

(ii) information concerning the sales of goods from the vending apparatus obtained using a goods identification scanning device of the vending apparatus;

(iii) information concerning any limitations under which the vending apparatus vends the goods; and

(iv) information concerning a user'"'"'s second selection of goods from the vending apparatus in response to the user'"'"'s first selection of goods being out of inventory in the vending apparatus.

17. The processing system of claim 16 further comprising a communications unit through which the data may be at least one of received and transmitted to or from at least one of (i) a portable computing device operable to connect to the communications unit;

and (ii) a communications network to which the data processor is connectable.

18. The processing system of claim 16, wherein the data processor is further operable to decode the data, the data having been encrypted prior to being received.

19. The processing system of claim 18, wherein the data processor is further operable to authenticate the data based on the data having been encrypted.

20. The processing system of claim 16, wherein the data processor is further operable to release the data to at least one interested party.

21. The processing system of claim 16, wherein the data processor is further operable to require that the at least one interested party provide an authorization code prior to releasing the data.

22. The processing system of claim 20, wherein the at least one interested party includes at least one of a manufacturer of the vending apparatus, an operator responsible to at least stock the vending apparatus with the goods and collect receipts from the vending apparatus, a seller of one or more goods to be vended from the vending apparatus, a distributor or agent of the seller of one or more goods, a lender of money to an entity to purchase the vending apparatus, a lessor of the vending apparatus to an entity, and a holder of property on which the vending apparatus is located.