Method and apparatus for controlling rented or leased or loaned
First Claim
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.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
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.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method, comprising:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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2. The method of paragraphs 1, wherein the goods are packaged goods.
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12. A method, comprising:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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16. A processing system, comprising:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification