METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR VENDING A COMBINATION OF PRODUCTS

• US 20070233317A1
• Filed: 06/12/2007
• Published: 10/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/1997
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Daniel Tedesco, Dean P. Alderucci, James Jorasch, Jay S. Walker, Robert Raymond Lech
• Original Assignee: Daniel Tedesco, Dean P. Alderucci, James Jorasch, Jay S. Walker, Robert Raymond Lech
• Inventors: Jorasch, James, Alderucci, Dean, Tedesco, Daniel, Lech, Robert, Walker, Jay
• Application Number:
  US11/761,791
• Publication Number:
  US 20070233317A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/231
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/00 Payment architectures, schemes or protocols apparatus for performing or posting payment transactions G07F7/08, G07F19/00; electronic cash registers G07G1/12
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/201 Price look-up processing, e.g. updating
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring
• 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 30/0237 at kiosk
• 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: G07C 15/005 with dispensing of lottery tickets
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3248 involving non-monetary media of fixed value, e.g. casino chips of fixed value
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3255 Incentive, loyalty and/or promotion schemes, e.g. comps, gaming associated with a purchase, gaming funded by advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 5/18 specially adapted for controlling several coin-freed apparatus from one place
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 5/24 with change-giving
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/002 Vending machines being part of a centrally controlled network of vending machines
• 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: G07G 1/0036 Checkout procedures
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/12 : electronically operated digital data processing aspects G06Q20/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 5/00 : Receipt-giving machines cash registers giving receipts G07G1/00

Abstract

A method and apparatus for delivering a plurality of products from a vending machine is disclosed. The method generally allows an offer for a package to be output, in which the package defines a plurality of products, including a selected product. An apparatus is also disclosed to carry out the method steps of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

defining a package of two or more products sold via a vending machine, wherein the defining comprises;

receiving a request from an operator of the vending machine to define the package;

verifying authorization of the operator;

receiving, from the operator, package data defining the package;

storing the package data in a database; and

setting a status of the package to an active status; and

outputting, to a customer of the vending machine, an offer to purchase the package for a package price.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, from the customer, a request to purchase the package;

receiving an indication of a payment of the package price by the customer; and

dispensing the package of the two or more products.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the dispensing comprises:

dispensing a first one of the two or more products from the vending machine; and

dispensing a second one of the two or more products from another vending machine.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the defining is conducted by the vending machine.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the outputting is conducted by the vending machine.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the package data comprises one or more of:

(i) a package identifier;

(ii) the package price; and

(iii) a component identifier that identifies one of the two or more products.

7. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor; and

a storage device in communication with the processor and storing instructions adapted to be executed by the processor to;

define a package of two or more products sold via a vending machine, wherein a defining of the package comprises;

receiving a request from an operator of the vending machine to define the package;

verifying authorization of the operator;

receiving, from the operator, package data defining the package;

storing the package data in a database; and

setting a status of the package to an active status; and

output, to a customer of the vending machine, an offer to purchase the package for a package price.

8. A medium storing instructions adapted to be executed by a processor to:

define a package of two or more products sold via a vending machine, wherein a defining of the package comprises;

receiving a request from an operator of the vending machine to define the package;

verifying authorization of the operator;

receiving, from the operator, package data defining the package;

storing the package data in a database; and

setting a status of the package to an active status; and

output, to a customer of the vending machine, an offer to purchase the package for a package price.