Products and Processes for Managing a Vending Machine Transaction

• US 20070299555A1
• Filed: 04/05/2005
• Published: 12/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2004
• 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: Walker, Jay, Alderucci, Dean, Jorasch, James, Tedesco, Daniel, Breitenbach, Paul
• Application Number:
  US11/538,293
• Publication Number:
  US 20070299555A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/231
• 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

Accordingly to an embodiment, a method includes providing an offer to receive a benefit in lieu of receiving change that is due from a transaction with a vending machine.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing an offer to receive a benefit in lieu of receiving change that is due from a transaction with a vending machine.

2. The method of claim 1, in which the benefit comprises at least one of:

a discount,

an amount of credits, and

a product provided without additional payment.

3. The method of claim 1, in which the step of providing an offer comprises:

providing the offer via a vending machine.

4. The method of claim 1, in which the step of providing an offer comprises:

providing the offer via a Web site.

5. The method of claim 1, in which the benefit has a value that is greater than a value of the change that is due.

6. A method comprising:

determining that change is due from a transaction with a vending machine;

outputting at least a first code and a second code, in which

the first code is associated with a command to dispense currency in an amount equal to the change due, and

the second code is associated with a command to issue credit redeemable for at least one item that is dispensed by vending machine.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

determining that an amount of coins in a coin reserve is less than a predetermined threshold.

8. The method of claim 6, in which

the second code is associated with a command to increase a credit balance of the vending machine.

9. A method comprising:

receiving a selection of a product that is available for dispensing by a vending machine;

receiving an amount of payment;

determining that change is due based on the selection and the amount of payment;

determining whether to output an offer for a benefit in lieu of receiving change that is due;

outputting an offer for a benefit in lieu of receiving change that is due;

receiving an acceptance of the offer; and

providing the benefit.

10. The method of claim 9, in which determining whether to output an offer for a benefit in lieu of receiving change that is due comprises:

determining whether to output an offer for a benefit in lieu of receiving change that is due based on at least one of

a remaining quantity of a product,

a number of days remaining in a fill period,

sales data of a product,

a coin reserve,

an amount of change that is due

a current time

a maximum number of authorized offers,

an identity of a customer,

an acceptance rate of an offer.

11. The method of claim 9, in which the benefit comprises at least one of:

a discount,

an amount of credits, and

a product provided without additional payment.

12. The method of claim 9, in which the step of outputting an offer comprises:

outputting the offer via a vending machine.

13. The method of claim 9, in which the benefit has a value that is greater than a value of the change that is due.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

determining the value of the change that is due; and

selecting the benefit based on the value of the change that is due.