SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DISPENSING PRE-PAID ITEMS USING A UNIQUELY IDENTIFIED CONTAINER

• US 20110054678A1
• Filed: 08/25/2009
• Published: 03/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Validfill LLC
• Original Assignee: Bryan Thompson
• Inventors: THOMPSON, Bryan
• Granted Patent: US 8,768,505 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/237
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

A system and method for providing a pre-paid product using a unique container. The system comprises a computer system comprising a storage medium readable by a processing circuit and stored instructions for execution by the processing circuit. The computer system includes a sales module that acquires an identifier for the unique container and generates a credential ID for a customer. The sales module also activates the unique container, and stores the identifier for the unique container and the corresponding credential ID in the storage medium. Also included is a dispensing module that receives a request from a remote dispensing device for validation of the unique container to receive the prepaid product, compares a received identifier and a received credential ID with the identifier and the credential ID stored in the storage medium, and authorizes the dispensing of the prepaid product if they match.

Claims

1. A system for providing a pre-paid product using a unique container, comprising:

a computer system comprising a storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for providing validation of the uniquely identified container, the computer system further comprising;

a sales module that acquires an identifier for the unique container and generates a credential ID for a customer receiving the unique container, wherein the sales module activates the unique container, and stores the identifier for the unique container and the corresponding credential ID in the storage medium; and

a dispensing module that receives a request from a remote dispensing device for validation of the unique container to receive the prepaid product, wherein said dispensing module compares a received identifier and a received credential ID in the request to the identifier and the credential ID stored in the storage medium and authorizes the dispensing of the prepaid product if they match.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the identifier for the unique container is an embedded container ID.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the embedded container ID is an RFID device.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the identifier for the unique container is selected from the group consisting of a barcode, hologram, pictogram, printed code, holes in the unique container, radio tag, magnetic chip or strip, electrical resistance of the unique container, capacitance of the unique container, bumps on the unique container, lines on the unique container and etchings on the unique container.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the credential ID is selected from the group consisting of a biometric reading, magnetic encoding on a object, a key code that can be punched into a keypad, a digitally encoded electronic key, a mechanical key, a fingerprint scan, facial recognition, retinal scan, a card with coding holes punched in it, a card with barcode, a card with a number, and a card with a hologram.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the sales module determines a plurality of products that are enabled for dispensing to the unique container as the prepaid product.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the dispensing module further comprises:

a condition module that does not authorize the dispensing of the pre-paid product requested if the prepaid product requested is not one of the plurality of products enabled for dispensing to the unique container.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the dispensing module further comprises:

a condition module that does not authorize the dispensing of the pre-paid product requested if a predetermined amount of time has passed since storing the identifier for the unique container and the corresponding credential ID in the storage medium.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the dispensing module further comprises:

a condition module that does not authorize the dispensing of the pre-paid product requested if a predetermined amount of time has not passed since a last request to receive the prepaid product requested or another of the enabled products.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the customer can deactivate the unique container by having the identifier for the unique container removed from the storage medium.

11. A method for providing a prepaid product from a remote dispensing station, where the remote dispensing station receives authorization to dispense the prepaid product from a computer system in communication with that remote dispensing station, wherein the computer system comprises a storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for performing said method, comprising:

processing a sales transaction for a container having a container ID and at least one condition of sale;

generating a credential ID that activates the container and is related only to the container;

saving in the storage medium the related container ID and credential ID, along with the at least one condition of sale;

receiving a request to authorize the dispensing of the prepaid product into the container, wherein the request includes a request container ID and request credential ID; and

enabling the remote dispensing station to dispense the requested prepaid product into the container when the request container ID matches the container ID in the storage medium and that the credential ID related to the container ID matches the request credential ID.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the identifier for the container is an embedded container ID.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

disabling the remote dispensing station from dispensing the requested prepaid product into the container if the prepaid product requested is not defined in the at least one condition of sale as one of the plurality of products enabled for dispensing to the container.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

disabling the remote dispensing station from dispensing the requested prepaid product into the container if a time period between each dispensing of the prepaid product into the container is less than a minimum time period defined in the at least one condition of sale.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

disabling the remote dispensing station from dispensing the requested prepaid product into the container product if a time period between each dispensing of the prepaid product into the container is more than a maximum time period defined in the at least one condition of sale.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one condition of sale is a maximum time period from the purchase to dispense the prepaid product into the container.

17. A remote dispensing station comprising a storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for providing validation of a uniquely identified container, the remote dispensing station further comprising:

a plurality of products to be provided to a customer;

a container ID reader that acquires a container ID of the uniquely identified container;

a credential ID reader that acquires a credential ID provided by the customer;

a transceiver for transmitting the credential ID and container ID to a remote data system to request authorization to dispense one of the plurality of products and receiving the response to the request; and

a dispenser to dispense one of the plurality of products into the uniquely identified container if the response to the request includes authorization to dispense one of the plurality of products.

18. The remote dispensing station of claim 17, wherein the container ID reader further comprises:

an electrical ID reader for receiving a electrical signal emanating from the container.

19. The remote dispensing station of claim 18, wherein the electrical signal emanating from the container is an RFID signal.

20. The remote dispensing station of claim 17, wherein the container ID reader further comprises:

an optical ID reader for scanning data on the container.

21. The remote dispensing station of claim 20, wherein the credential ID reader further comprises:

a biometric scanner.

22. The remote dispensing station of claim 21, wherein the biometric scanner is a fingerprint scanner.

23. The remote dispensing station of claim 17, wherein the credential ID reader further comprises:

a keypad to input a key code.

24. The remote dispensing station of claim 17, wherein the credential ID reader further comprises:

an optical ID reader for scanning an optically scannable object.

25. The remote dispensing station of claim 24, wherein the optically scannable object is a printed card and the optical ID reader scans the printed card.