Products and Processes for Promotions Which Employ a Vending Machine

• US 20070276537A1
• Filed: 12/08/2004
• Published: 11/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2003
• 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: Tedesco, Daniel, Gelman, Geoffrey, Breitenbach, Paul, Walker, Jay, Tedesco, Robert
• Application Number:
  US10/580,975
• Publication Number:
  US 20070276537A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/238
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3253 involving articles, e.g. paying in bottles, paying out toys
• 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 9/02 Devices for alarm or indication, e.g. when empty; Advertising arrangements in coin-freed apparatus alarms or warning devices indicating the interruption of flow to be metered G07F15/10

Abstract

Products and processes are provided for receiving, from a customer via a vending machine, a selection of a first product that is available for dispensing by the vending machine. It is then determined, based on profit inventory management data, a set of products that are available for dispensing by the vending machine. A game is output to the customer; Via the game, a selection of a product from the set of products is received. The selected product and the first product are vended.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, from a customer via a vending machine, a selection of a product available for dispensing, thereby defining a first product;

determining a set of entitlement options;

outputting a presentation which indicates the set of entitlement options, in which the presentation is output employing a game theme;

selecting at least one of the set of entitlement options, thereby defining at least one selected entitlement; and

providing the at least one selected entitlement.

2. The method of claim 1, in which outputting a presentation employing a game theme comprises at least one of:

displaying an animated wheel which spins and which indicates one of a plurality of benefits;

displaying a plurality of objects which each selectively conceal an indication of a benefit; and

displaying a plurality of spinning reels which each bear symbols representative of benefits.

3. The method of claim 1, in which selecting at least one of the set of entitlement options comprises:

receiving, from a customer via a vending machine, a selection of at least one of the set of entitlement options, thereby defining the at least one selected entitlement.

4. The method of claim 1, in which selecting at least one of the set of entitlement options comprises:

selecting at least one of the set of entitlement options based at least in part on an input received from a customer.

5. The method of claim 1, in which selecting at least one of the set of entitlement options comprises:

selecting at least one of the set of entitlement options without regard to any input that is received from a customer after receiving, from the customer, the selection of the product available for dispensing.

6. The method of claim 1, in which determining a set of entitlement options comprises:

determining a set of entitlement options based on the first product.

7. The method of claim 1, in which determining a set of entitlement options comprises:

determining a set of entitlement options based on profit inventory management data.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

vending the first product.

9. The method of claim 1, in which the at least one selected entitlement comprises at least one of:

a particular product to be provided in addition to the first product; and

an inventory group from which at least one component product is selected.

10. The method of claim 1, in which the at least one selected entitlement comprises at least one of:

a discount on a product;

a refund on a payment;

a provision of at least one additional entitlement;

a coupon; and

an increase in a credit balance of the vending machine.

11. The method of claim 1, in which providing the at least one selected entitlement comprises providing a product for free.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

updating inventory data to reflect dispensed products.

13. The method of claim 1, in which outputting a presentation which indicates the set of entitlement options comprises:

determining whether to output a presentation; and

outputting the presentation in response to a determination to output the presentation.

15. The method of claim 1, in which receiving, via the game, a selection of a product from the set of products comprises:

randomly selecting a product from the set of products.

14. A method, comprising:

receiving, from a customer via a vending machine, a selection of a first product that is available for dispensing by the vending machine;

determining, based on profit inventory management data, a set of products that are available for dispensing by the vending machine;

outputting a game to the customer;

receiving, via the game, a selection of a product from the set of products, thereby defining a selected product;

vending the selected product, and

vending the first product.