Marketing System Employing Vending Machines

• US 20080040211A1
• Filed: 12/09/2004
• Published: 02/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2003
• 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: Gelman, Geoffrey E., Tedesco, Daniel E., Tedesco, Robert C., Walker, Jay S., Breitenbach, Paul T.
• Application Number:
  US10/581,433
• Publication Number:
  US 20080040211A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0238 at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0247 Calculate past, present or future revenues
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/00 Coin-freed apparatus for dispensing, or the like, discrete articles
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/002 Vending machines being part of a centrally controlled network of vending machines

Abstract

According to an embodiment, a device provides an offer, via an interface (130) at a vending machine (100), for a benefit in exchange for an email address. An email address is received via the interface (380). After receiving the email address, a promotional message (260) is transmitted to the received email address.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing an offer, via an interface at a vending machine, for a benefit in exchange for an email address;

receiving, via the interface at the vending machine, an email address; and

after receiving the email address, transmitting a promotional message to the received email address, in which the promotional message includes

a code that is redeemable for a benefit at the vending machine.

2. The method of claim 1, in which receiving, via an interface at a vending machine, an email address comprises:

receiving a plurality of email addresses via the interface at the vending machine.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

validating the received email addresses.

4. A method comprising:

providing an offer, via an interface at a vending machine, for a benefit in exchange for an email address;

receiving, via the interface at the vending machine, an email address; and

after receiving the email address, transmitting a promotional message to the received email address, in which the promotional message includes

a message promoting the vending machine.

5. The method of claim 4, in which receiving, via an interface at a vending machine, an email address comprises:

receiving a plurality of email addresses via the interface at the vending machine.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

validating the received email addresses.

7. A method comprising:

receiving a set of email addresses;

identifying at least one vending machine to be associated with the set of email addresses;

determining at least one rule defining restrictions on when a message may be sent to at least one of the email addresses; and

sending a message via email transmission to each of the set of email addresses in compliance with the restrictions on when a message may be sent,

in which the message includes content that promotes the vending machine.

8. The method of claim 7, in which sending a message via email transmission to each of the set of email addresses comprises:

sending the message to a predetermined address;

determining whether approval has been received; and

sending a message via email transmission to each of the set of email addresses only if approval has been received.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving data representing a preference of a customer;

determining an email address from the set of email addresses that corresponds to the customer;

determining a second message according to the preference; and

sending the second message via email transmission the email address that corresponds to the customer.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

generating a promotion for the vending machine; and

in which the step of sending a message comprises;

accessing a database of consumer preferences;

determining, from the database, a set of recipients that have preferences corresponding to the promotion; and

determining a respective email address for each of the set of recipients; and

sending a message via email transmission to each of the respective email addresses, in which the message indicates the promotion.

11. The method of claim 10, in which generating a promotion for the vending machine comprises:

generating a promotion for the vending machine based on at least one revenue management factor.