System and method for communicating vending information

• US 20060260875A1
• Filed: 04/21/2006
• Published: 11/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Redbox Automated Retail LLC (Chicken Soup For The Soul Holdings LLC)
• Original Assignee: Redbox Automated Retail LLC (Chicken Soup For The Soul Holdings LLC)
• Inventors: Hoersten, Eric
• Application Number:
  US11/409,260
• Publication Number:
  US 20060260875A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 186/52
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06311 Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/127 Shopping or accessing services according to a time-limitation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/204 comprising interface for record bearing medium or carrier for electronic funds transfer or payment credit
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/387 Payment using discounts or coupons relating to marketing G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0238 at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0645 Rental transactions; Leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/004 Restocking arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/007 wherein the storage and dispensing mechanism are configurable in relation to the physical or geometrical properties of the articles to be stored or dispensed
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/04 in which magazines the articles are stored one vertically above the other
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/165 using xyz-picker or multi-dimensional article picking arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/26 Endless bands
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/48 the storage containers or supports, e.g. magazine, being pivotally mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/50 the storage containers or supports being rotatably mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/54 about vertical axes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/62 in which the articles are stored in compartments in fixed receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0042 : for hiring of objects
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/005 : for the hiring of content carriers, e.g. of DVDs or CDs reverse vending for box-like objects such as videocassettes G07F7/069
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/16 : for devices exhibiting advertisements, announcements, pictures or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/26 : for printing, stamping, franking, typing or teleprinting apparatus ticket printing or the like apparatus G07F17/42
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/069 : by box-like containers, e.g. videocassettes, books
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/001 : Interfacing with vending machines using mobile or wearable devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/002 : Vending machines being part of a centrally controlled network of vending machines
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/023 : Arrangements for display, data presentation or advertising
• 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: G07F 9/10 : Casings or parts thereof, e.g. with means for heating or cooling

Abstract

A system and method for communicating vending information for a digital video disc is provided. A plurality of vending transaction data is received, wherein each of the plurality of data comprises a transaction timestamp and corresponds to a rental transaction for a digital video disc. The plurality of vending transaction data is stored in a memory of a vending apparatus, and is encrypted. It is determined whether a predetermined period of time has elapsed since a first transmission of transaction data from the vending apparatus, and a communication request is transmitted upon such determination to a remote control center. A signal is received at the vending apparatus from a control center in response to the communications request, and a plurality of vending transaction data is transmitted to the remote control center in response to receiving the signal.

Claims

1. A method for communicating vending information for a vendible media product having entertainment content therein, comprising the steps of:

receiving a plurality of vending transaction data at a vending apparatus regarding a plurality of vending transactions;

storing each of the plurality of vending transaction data in a memory;

receiving a communication request from a remotely located control center; and

,

transmitting the plurality of transaction data from the memory to the control center in response to the communication request.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

encrypting the plurality of vending transaction data.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

deleting the plurality of vending transaction data from the memory after the vending transaction data has been transmitted to the control center.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

determining whether the plurality of vending transaction data exceeds a predetermined data storage threshold.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of transmitting the plurality of vending transaction data is based on a determination that the plurality of vending transaction data exceeds the predetermined data storage threshold.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

determining whether a predetermined period of time has elapsed since a prior transmission of vending transaction data.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of transmitting the plurality of vending transaction data is based on a determination that the predetermined period of time has elapsed since the prior transmission of vending transaction data.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of vending transaction data corresponds to a rental transaction for a digital video disc.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of vending transaction data comprises a transaction timestamp.

10. A system for communicating vending information for a vendible media product having entertainment content therein, comprising:

a transaction network; and

,

a control center controller in communication with the transaction network for receiving communications from a vending controller via the transaction network at predetermined time intervals, wherein one or more of the communications comprise a plurality of vending transaction data, and wherein each of the plurality of vending transaction data corresponds to a rental transaction for the vendible media product.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the vending controller determines whether the plurality of vending transaction data exceeds a predetermined data storage threshold.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the plurality of vending transaction data is received by the control center controller upon a determination by the vending controller that the plurality of vending transaction data exceeds the predetermined storage threshold.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the vending controller determines whether a predetermined period of time has elapsed since a prior transmission of vending transaction data.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the plurality of vending transaction data is received by the control center controller upon a determination by the vending controller that the predetermined period of time has elapsed since the prior transmission of vending transaction data.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of vending transaction data corresponds to a rental transaction for a digital video disc.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of vending transaction data comprises a transaction timestamp.

17. A system for communicating vending information for a vendible media product having entertainment content therein, comprising:

a transaction network; and

,

a vending controller in communication with the transaction network for receiving a signal from a remote control center and in response thereto, transmitting a plurality of vending transaction data to the remote control center via the transaction network, wherein each of the plurality of vending transaction data corresponds to a rental transaction.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the vending controller receives the signal from the remote control center in response to a prior signal transmitted from the vending controller to the remote control center.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the vending controller transmits the prior signal based on a determination that a predetermined period of time has elapsed since a prior transmission of vending transaction data.

20. A method for communicating vending information for a digital video disc having entertainment content therein, comprising the steps of:

receiving a plurality of vending transaction data, wherein each of the plurality of vending transaction data comprises a transaction timestamp and corresponds to a rental transaction for a digital video disc;

storing the plurality of vending transaction data in a memory of a vending apparatus;

encrypting the plurality of vending transaction data;

determining whether a predetermined period of time has elapsed since a first transmission of vending transaction data from the vending apparatus;

transmitting a communication request to a remote control center from the vending apparatus upon a determination that the predetermined period of time has elapsed since the first transmission of vending transaction data;

receiving at the vending apparatus a signal from the remote control center in response to the communication request;

transmitting the plurality of vending transaction data to the remote control center in response to receiving the signal; and

,

deleting the plurality of vending transaction data from the memory.