Vending System
First Claim
1. A vending system server for a vending system for selling products or services, from at least one vending machine connected to a network, to purchasers having mobile communicators configured to communicate with the network by wireless data packet network connection, the vending system server comprising:
- an operator server, connected to the network by an operator network connection, and configured to;
(1) receive via the operator network connection a communication from a mobile communicator of identifying data of a vending machine at which the mobile communicator is located, without receiving personal identification information from the mobile communicator;
(2) transmit, via the operator network connection to the mobile communicator, vending machine identification information;
(3) receive, via the operator network connection, authorization information from an external authorization center; and
(4) authorize the vending machine to supply a good or service in response to the authorization information.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A vending system server for a vending system for selling products or services, from at least one vending machine connected to a network, to purchasers having mobile communicators configured to communicate with the network by wireless data packet network connection, comprises an operator server, connected to the network by an operator network connection, wherein the operator server is configured to (1) receive via the operator network connection a communication from a mobile communicator of identifying data of a vending machine at which the mobile communicator is located, without receiving personal identification information from the mobile communicator, (2) transmit, via the operator network connection to the mobile communicator, vending machine identification information, (3) receive, via the operator network connection, authorization information from an external authorization center, and (4) authorize the vending machine to supply a good or service in response to the authorization information.
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Citations
37 Claims
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1. A vending system server for a vending system for selling products or services, from at least one vending machine connected to a network, to purchasers having mobile communicators configured to communicate with the network by wireless data packet network connection, the vending system server comprising:
an operator server, connected to the network by an operator network connection, and configured to; (1) receive via the operator network connection a communication from a mobile communicator of identifying data of a vending machine at which the mobile communicator is located, without receiving personal identification information from the mobile communicator; (2) transmit, via the operator network connection to the mobile communicator, vending machine identification information; (3) receive, via the operator network connection, authorization information from an external authorization center; and (4) authorize the vending machine to supply a good or service in response to the authorization information. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for providing products or services to a consumer via a vending apparatus, comprising:
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receiving, at an operator server, a first digital message in a transaction request exchange from a wireless device over a packet data network, wherein the first digital message includes a consumer identifier; verifying, at the operator server, the received consumer identifier; receiving, at the operator server, a second digital message in the transaction request exchange from the wireless device over the packet data network, wherein the second digital message includes a code associated with the vending apparatus; transmitting, from the operator server, an authorization message for the transaction request to the vending apparatus; and transmitting, from the operator server, a third digital message in the transaction request exchange to the wireless device, wherein the third digital message includes a transaction confirmation. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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14. A method for providing products or services to a consumer via a vending apparatus, comprising:
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receiving, at an operator server, a first digital message in a transaction request exchange from a wireless device over a packet data network, wherein the first digital message includes a code associated with the vending apparatus; transmitting, from the operator server, a second digital message in the transaction request exchange to the wireless device, wherein the second digital message includes a communication identifier and a packet data network address associated with the vending apparatus; receiving, at the operator server, a third digital message in the transaction request exchange from a remote authorization server, wherein the third digital message includes a transaction authorization; and transmitting, from the operator server, an authorization message for the transaction request to the vending apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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18. A server for providing products or services to a consumer via a vending apparatus, comprising:
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a vending transaction processor configured to; receive digital messages in a transaction request exchange from a wireless device over a packet data network, transmit an authorization message for the transaction request to the vending apparatus, and transmit a transaction confirmation to the wireless device; and a database associating a packet data network address of the vending apparatus to a code associated with the vending apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method for vending products or services, from at least one vending machine connected to a network to purchasers having mobile communicators configured to communicate with the network by wireless data packet network connection, the method comprising:
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receiving, at an operator server connected to the network by an operator network connection, from a mobile communicator, identifying data of a vending machine at which the mobile communicator is located, without receiving personal identification information of the mobile communicator; transmitting from the operator server, via the operator network connection to the mobile communicator, vending machine identification information; receiving, at the operator server, via the operator network connection, authorization information from an external authorization center in communication with the mobile communicator; and authorizing the vending machine to supply a good or service in response to the authorization information. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A method for vending products or services, from at least one vending machine connected to a network to purchasers having mobile communicators configured to communicate with the network by wireless data packet network connection, the method comprising:
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receiving at an operator server, from a mobile communicator via a wireless data packet network connection, identifying data of a vending machine at which the mobile communicator is located, without receiving personal identification information from the mobile communicator; transmitting from the operator server, via the wireless data packet network connection, to the mobile communicator, vending machine identification information; transmitting from the mobile communicator, via the wireless data packet network connection, to an external authorization center, personal identification information and vending machine identification information; receiving at the operator server, via the network, authorization information from an external authorization center in communication with the mobile communicator; and transmitting from the operator server to the vending machine authorization to supply a good or service in response to the authorization information. - View Dependent Claims (35)
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36. A computer readable storage medium storing program instructions thereon that, if executed by a data processing device, cause the data processing device to perform a vending method for selling products or services to purchasers having mobile communicators configured to communicate with a network by wireless data packet network connection, the method comprising:
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receiving at an operator server, from a mobile communicator via a wireless data packet network connection, identifying data of a vending machine at which the mobile communicator is located, without receiving personal identification information from the mobile communicator; transmitting from the operator server, via the wireless data packet network connection, to the mobile communicator, vending machine identification information; transmitting from the mobile communicator, via the wireless data packet network connection, to an external authorization center, personal identification information and vending machine identification information; receiving at the operator server, via the network, authorization information from an external authorization center in communication with the mobile communicator; and transmitting from the operator server to the vending machine authorization to supply a good or service in response to the authorization information. - View Dependent Claims (37)
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Specification