Products and Processes for Providing Offers for Products Dispensed from a Dispensing Device

• US 20070271194A1
• Filed: 05/04/2005
• Published: 11/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Walker Digital LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Original Assignee: Walker Digital LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Inventors: Jorasch, James, Tedesco, Daniel, Sammon, Russell, Gelman, Geoffrey, Santisi, Steven, Breitenbach, Paul, Walker, Jay, Fincham, Magdalena, Booth, Leonardo
• Application Number:
  US11/568,658
• Publication Number:
  US 20070271194A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/80
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/188 Electronic negotiation

Abstract

According to an embodiment, a method includes providing an offer to enter into a forward commitment agreement, and then receiving an acceptance of the offer. A code is made available after receiving the acceptance. It is determined whether the code has been presented to a vending machine after the step of making the code available. A product is dispensed from a vending machine after the step of determination.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

identifying a customer who is proximate to a vending machine;

receiving information about the customer;

outputting an offer to reduce the price of a product dispensable from the vending machine in exchange for assuming a forward commitment, in which the forward commitment agreement defines

a term that specifies a forward commitment, and

a term that specifies a reduction in a price of a product that is dispensable from the vending machine;

receiving an acceptance of the offer;

receiving a financial account identifier that identifies a financial account of the customer;

providing the product to the customer for a price that is less than a retail price of the product.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining the reduction based on the customer.

3. The method of claim 2, in which the step of determining the reduction comprises:

determining the reduction based on a value of the customer assuming the forward commitment

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a consequence of failing to fulfill the forward commitment.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the customer has fulfilled a forward commitment specified by the forward commitment agreement.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

imposing a consequence on the customer if the forward commitment has not been fulfilled.

7. The method of claim 6, in which the step of imposing the consequence comprises:

charging the financial account of the customer.

8. A method, comprising:

providing, via a cellular telephone, an offer to enter into a forward commitment agreement;

receiving an acceptance of the offer;

making a code available to the cellular telephone after receiving the acceptance;

determining whether the code has been presented to a vending machine after the step of making the code available; and

dispensing a product from a vending machine after the step of determining.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

determining whether a forward commitment specified by the forward commitment agreement has been fulfilled.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

imposing a consequence if the forward commitment has not been fulfilled.

11. The method of claim 9, in which the step of imposing the consequence comprises:

charging a financial account.

12. The method of claim 8, in which making a code available to the cellular telephone comprises:

transmitting a code to the cellular telephone.

13. The method of claim 12, in which determining whether the code has been presented to a vending machine after the step of making the code available comprises:

receiving the code from the cellular telephone.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving an indication of at least one product that the customer is to purchase from the vending machine.

15. The method of claim 14, in which the step of providing the offer is performed after the step of receiving the indication.

16. The method of claim 14, in which the step of providing the offer is performed before the customer purchases the at least one product.

17. A method comprising:

identifying a customer who is proximate to a vending machine;

receiving information about the customer;

outputting an offer to reduce the price of a product dispensable from the vending machine in exchange for assuming a forward commitment;

receiving an acceptance of the offer;

providing the product to the customer for a price that is less than a retail price of the product.

18. the method of claim 17, further comprising:

determining an amount by which to reduce the price of the product.

19. The method of claim 18, in which the step of determining an amount by which to reduce the price of the product comprises:

determining an amount by which to reduce the price of the product based on the customer.

20. The method of claim 19, in which the step of determining an amount by which to reduce the price of the product comprises:

determining an amount by which to reduce the price of the product based on a value of the customer assuming the forward commitment

21. The method of claim 17, in which the step of outputting the offer comprises:

directing a cellular telephone to output the offer.

22. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

determining a consequence of failing to fulfill the forward commitment.

23. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

determining whether the customer has fulfilled a forward commitment specified by the forward commitment agreement.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

imposing a consequence on the customer if the forward commitment has not been fulfilled.

25. The method of claim 24, in which the step of imposing the consequence comprises:

charging a financial account of the customer.