Method and apparatus for defining and utilizing product location in a vending machine
First Claim
1. A vending machine, comprising:
- a plurality of receptacles for holding units of products, each receptacle operable to hold a respective plurality of units in a series;
a dispensing mechanism operable to dispense, from each receptacle, a first unit in the respective plurality of units, the dispensing mechanism thereby being operable to dispense only a first unit from the respective series at a time; and
means for determining, for a unit, information allowing a relationship among the unit and a location of the unit in the receptacle to be determined.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In accordance with one embodiment, a vending machine comprises a plurality of receptacles for holding units of products, each receptacle operable to hold a respective plurality of units in a series. The vending machine further comprises a dispensing mechanism operable to dispense, from each receptacle, a first unit in the respective plurality of units, the dispensing mechanism thereby being operable to dispense only a first unit from the respective series at a time. The vending machine further comprises a means for determining, for a unit, information allowing a relationship among the unit and a location of the unit in the receptacle to be determined.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A vending machine, comprising:
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a plurality of receptacles for holding units of products, each receptacle operable to hold a respective plurality of units in a series;
a dispensing mechanism operable to dispense, from each receptacle, a first unit in the respective plurality of units, the dispensing mechanism thereby being operable to dispense only a first unit from the respective series at a time; and
means for determining, for a unit, information allowing a relationship among the unit and a location of the unit in the receptacle to be determined. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A vending machine, comprising:
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a plurality of receptacles for holding units of products, each receptacle operable to hold a respective plurality of units in a series;
a dispensing mechanism operable to dispense, from each receptacle, a first unit in the respective plurality of units, the dispensing mechanism thereby being operable to dispense only a first unit from the respective series at a time; and
a means for determining, for a unit of product stored in the vending machine, a position defined by an x, y and z coordinate.
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10. A method for loading a vending machine, comprising:
providing, to a vending machine, data that allows, for a unit of product stored in the vending machine, a determination of a relationship among the unit and a location of the unit in a receptacle of the vending machine, wherein the vending machine comprises;
a plurality of receptacles for holding units of products, each receptacle operable to hold a respective plurality of units in a series; and
a dispensing mechanism operable to dispense, from each receptacle, a first unit in the respective plurality of units, the dispensing mechanism thereby being operable to dispense only a first unit from the respective series at a time.
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11. A method, comprising:
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storing, in a memory of a vending machine, an indication of a first price and an indication of a second price associated with a single receptacle of the vending machine, the receptacle being operable to store a plurality of units of products, wherein only one of the indication of the first price and the indication of the second price is active at a time;
storing, in the memory of the vending machine, a rule for determining which one of the indication of first price and the indication of the second price is to be active, the rule being a rule based at least on inventory data of the vending machine. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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15. A method, comprising:
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storing, in a memory of a vending machine, an indication of a first number of units of a first product placed in a receptacle of the vending machine and an indication of a second number of units of a second product placed in the receptacle, wherein the units of the first product and the units of the second product are placed in the receptacle one behind another such that only a single unit of one of the first product and the second product can be vended from the vending machine at a time;
storing, in the memory, a first price associated with the first product and a second price associated with the second product;
storing, in the memory, a rule for determining which price is to be displayed as the price associated with the receptacle, wherein the rule indicates that either the first price or the second price is to be displayed based on whether a unit of the first product or a unit of the second product is next available for vending from the vending machine.
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16. A method, comprising:
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determining, for a receptacle of a vending machine, a first product that is a product next available for vending from the receptacle;
determining, for the receptacle, a second product stored in the receptacle, the second product being stored behind the first product and thus not being next available for vending from the receptacle;
determining that a predetermined rule has been satisfied, thereby determining that a process is to be executed to facilitate making the second product next available for vending from the receptacle; and
executing the process. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification