Coinless vending system, method, and computer readable medium using an audio code collector and validator

• US 20070063027A1
• Filed: 09/21/2005
• Published: 03/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Holguin, Art, Belfer, Ellis
• Granted Patent: US 7,721,958 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/381
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/327 Short range or proximity payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3272 using an audio code
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• 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

Abstract

A system, method, and computer readable medium, wherein a vending machine comprising an audio code collector and a code validator is adapted to receive audio tones from a mobile device, and wherein the audio tones include authentication codes and dispense codes to control dispensing of product from the vending machine.

Claims

1. A system for operation of a vending machine, comprising:

a vending machine comprising an audio code collector and a code validator adapted to receive audio tones from a mobile device, wherein the audio tones include authentication codes and dispense codes to control dispensing of product from the vending machine.

2. The system of claim 1 comprising a media server adapted to receive a request from the mobile device, wherein the request includes an identifier of the vending machine and a code of the product.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the media server, based on the request, verifies billing, authenticates the vending machine and transmits audio codes to the mobile device for authentication of the vending machine and dispensing of the product.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the vending machine is a coinless vending machine.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the vending machine is not connected to the Internet.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein the media server receives the request from the mobile device via a wireless network.

7. A method for purchasing product from a coinless vending machine, comprising:

determining a vending machine identification number and a product identification number, wherein the vending machine includes an audio code collector and validator (ACCV);

dialing, via a mobile device, at least one of;

a unique set of symbols and a unique set of digits as well as the numbers, that allows a wireless system providing access to the mobile device, to translate the symbols and the digits; and

routing the translated symbols and digits as well as the numbers to a verification server.

8. The method of claim 7 comprising routing the translated symbols and digits as well as the numbers in the form of a call detail record (CDR) to the verification server.

9. The method of claim 8 comprising, if a subscriber of the mobile device is confirmed to have a valid account on the verification server, forwarding an account number associated with the subscriber, a mobile identification number of the mobile device, and the at least one of:

a unique set of symbols and a unique set of digits as well as the numbers, to a billing server for further processing, wherein the billing server uses the forwarded information to determine if the subscriber has appropriate funds in an account.

10. The method of claim 9 comprising forwarding a request by the billing server to a media server to create a public key in a form of one or more musical tones, wherein the musical tones may be audible or non-audible.

11. The method of claim 10 comprising forwarding the musical tones to a Mobile Switching Center (MSC) along with an indication for the MSC to alert the subscriber to place the mobile device against an acoustic coupler of the ACCV, wherein the subscriber may be alerted via a text message or an audible format.

12. The method of claim 11 comprising forwarding the alert by the MSC to the mobile device.

13. The method of claim 12 comprising placing the mobile device against the acoustic coupler and forwarding, by the MSC, the musical tones to the acoustic coupler.

14. The method of claim 13 comprising converting the musical tones to a digital bit stream and retrieving the public key that is embedded in the digital bit stream.

15. The method of claim 14 comprising generating a random session key based on the public key, wherein the random session key is sent from the ACCV as an audio signal to the verification server.

16. The method of claim 15 comprising receiving the random session key by the media server which converts the audio signal to a digital bit stream and recovers the session key using its stored private vending machine key.

17. The method of claim 16 comprising securely communicating between the media server and the ACCV utilizing the session key.

18. The method of claim 17 comprising sending a purchase check code by the verification server to the mobile device, wherein the purchase check code is at least one of:

a voice message and a text message, and wherein such a purchase check code is related to a desired purchased product informs the subscriber that the mobile device can be removed from the acoustic coupler.

19. The method of claim 18 comprising querying the billing server by the verification server for product code billing information, wherein the billing server supplies a cost associated with the desired purchased product to the verification server.

20. The method of claim 19 comprising sending a purchase confirmation message by the verification server to the mobile device via at least one of:

a voice message and a text message, wherein the purchase confirmation message contains information about at least one of;

the purchase cost, information about the account, and optional marketing information, and wherein the purchase confirmation message informs the subscriber to place the mobile device back against the acoustic coupler for a final transaction.

21. The method of claim 20 comprising querying the media server by the verification server for a valid dispense code.

22. The method of claim 21 comprising embedding the dispense code by the media server into an audio signal and forwarding the audio signal to the acoustic coupler.

23. The method of claim 22 comprising validating the dispense code and forwarding the dispense code to a dispensing module for proper dispensing of the purchased product.

24. A computer readable medium comprising instructions for:

creating a public key in a form of one or more musical tones, wherein the musical tones may be audible or non-audible; and

forwarding the musical tones to a Mobile Switching Center along with an indication for the MSC to alert a subscriber to place a mobile device against an acoustic coupler of an audio code collector and validator (ACCV) module in a coinless vending machine, wherein the subscriber may be alerted via a text message or an audible format.