Systems and Methods for Providing a Vending Network

• US 20090216575A1
• Filed: 02/21/2008
• Published: 08/27/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Coca-Cola Company
• Original Assignee: The Coca-Cola Company
• Inventors: Kolls, H. Brock, Insolia, Gerard E., Merwarth, Stephen, Antao, Leonard
• Granted Patent: US 8,645,273 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/108 Remote banking, e.g. home banking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• 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

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention can implement systems and methods for providing a vending network. In one embodiment, a system for providing a vending network can be provided. The system can include at least one transaction-type device associated with a vending machine, wherein the at least one transaction-type device is operable to facilitate cash transactions and/or cashless transactions associated with one or more products or services offered by the vending machine. The system can also include at least one server operable to communicate with the at least one transaction-type device, wherein the at least one server is operable to receive data associated with the transactions. Furthermore, the system can include at least one vend settlement server operable to communicate with the at least one server, wherein the at least one vend settlement server can settle some or all of the transactions

Claims

1. A system for providing a vending network comprising:

at least one transaction-type device associated with a vending machine, wherein the at least one transaction-type device is operable to facilitate cash transactions or cashless transactions, or both, associated with one or more products or services offered by the vending machine;

at least one server operable to communicate with the at least one transaction-type device, wherein the at least one server is operable to receive data associated with the transactions; and

at least one vend settlement server operable to communicate with the at least one server, wherein the at least one vend settlement server can settle some or all of the transactions.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an operator server operable to communicate with the at least one vend settlement server, wherein the at least one operator server can manage at least one operation associated with the vending machine.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one vend settlement server can reconcile vending machine inventory, cash transactions, and cashless transactions.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one vend settlement server can reconcile pre-settled transactions and post-settled transactions.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the vending machine comprises

a multi-drop-bus (MDB) interface operable to communicate with the at least one transaction-type device;

and

a DEX interface operable to communicate with the at least one transaction-type device.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one transaction-type comprises at least one of the following:

a cash transaction reader, a cashless transaction reader, a combination cash and cashless transaction reader, a RFID reader, a biometric reader, an energy management system (EMS)-type device, a vending machine controller (VMC), and a payment transaction device.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a transaction database operable to store a plurality of transaction data associated with data communicated between at least one transaction-type device and at least one vend settlement server.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one reconciliation token is associated with each of the cash or cashless transactions.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one server is further operable to communicate at least one unique identifier to the at least one vend settlement server;

and wherein the at least one vend settlement server is further operable to respond by communicating data associated with a transaction to the server.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein state machine logic is implemented to track each of the cash or cashless transactions.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an operator server operable to communicate with the at least one vend settlement server to facilitate management of at least one operational function comprising the following;

vending machine fill-to-fill management, route management, and vend transaction management.

12. A method for providing a vending network, the method comprising:

receiving inputs for cash transactions or cashless transactions, or both, from a plurality of transaction-type devices associated with respective vending machines;

transmitting transaction data associated with some or all of the transactions to at least one server; and

settling some or all of the transactions via at least one vend settlement server.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one vend settlement server can reconcile vending machine inventory, cash transactions, and cashless transactions.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one vend settlement server can reconcile pre-settled transactions and post-settled transactions.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein at least one vending machine comprises:

a multi-drop-bus (MDB) interface operable to communicate with the at least one transaction-type device; and

a DEX interface operable to communicate with the at least one transaction-type device.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the plurality of transaction-type devices comprise at least one of the following:

a cash transaction reader, a cashless transaction reader, a combination cash and cashless transaction reader, a RFID reader, a biometric reader, an energy management system (EMS)-type device, a vending machine controller (VMC), and a payment transaction device.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

storing a plurality of transaction data in at least one database or data storage device.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

associating a respective reconciliation token with some or all of the transactions.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

communicating at least one reconciliation token to the at least one vend settlement server; and

communicating response data associated with a transaction to the server.

20. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

implementing state machine logic to track some or all of the transactions.

21. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

facilitating management of at least one operational function comprising the following;

vending machine fill-to-fill management, route management, and vend transaction management.

22. A system for providing a vending network comprising:

at least one transaction-type device associated with a vending machine, wherein the at least one transaction-type device is operable to facilitate at least one cash transaction or cashless transaction, or both, associated with one or more products or services offered by the vending machine;

at least one server operable to communicate with the at least one transaction-type device, wherein the at least one server switch is operable to receive data associated with the transactions and is further operable to associate a unique identifier with each of the transactions; and

at least one vend settlement server operable to communicate with the at least one server, wherein the at least one vend settlement server can settle some or all of the transactions.

23. A method for providing a vending network, the method comprising:

receiving inputs for cash transactions or cashless transactions, or both, from a plurality of transaction-type devices associated with respective vending machines;

transmitting transaction data associated with some or all of the transactions to at least one server;

associating a respective unique identifier with some or all of the transactions; and

settling some or all of the transactions via at least one vend settlement server.

24. A vending network comprising:

at least one server operable to receive inputs for cash transactions or cashless transactions, or both, from a plurality of transaction-type devices associated with respective vending machines;

at least one vend settlement server operable to communicate with the at least one server, wherein the at least one vend settlement server can settle some or all of the transactions; and

an operator server operable to communicate with the at least one vend settlement server to facilitate management of at least one operational function comprising the following;

vending machine fill-to-fill management, route management, and vend transaction management.