VENDING MACHINE SERVICE SCHEDULING
First Claim
1. A system-implemented method for generating an estimate E1 defining an estimated time until a “
- need-service time”
which is a time when the vending machine will need-service, wherein the vending machine comprises one or more product containers, the method comprising generating, by the system, the estimate E1 by using one or more predefined service threshold parameters which define one or more of;
(a) a threshold Th1 for a number of the product containers satisfying a condition C1 which is a condition that an amount of a product in the container is at most a predefined alert level for the container;
(b) a threshold Th2 for a number of the products vended by the vending machine that satisfy a condition C2 which is a condition that an amount of the product in the vending machine is at most a predefined alert level for the product;
(c) a required service interval which is maximum time that the machine is to be allowed to operate without service;
(d) a threshold for an amount of money in the vending machine.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Techniques are provided for calculating vending machines'"'"' service priorities and scheduling the vending machines for service taking into account a number of factors and thresholds (520). In some embodiments, the machines (110) are subdivided into subroutes (320). Each subroute has one or more machines, and at least one subroute has a plurality of machines. The vending machine service schedule is generated by selecting the highest priority subroute (410) and selecting the machines in that subroute (420). Other subroutes can be selected (430, 440) if there is time left in the Service Period.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A system-implemented method for generating an estimate E1 defining an estimated time until a “
- need-service time”
which is a time when the vending machine will need-service, wherein the vending machine comprises one or more product containers, the method comprising generating, by the system, the estimate E1 by using one or more predefined service threshold parameters which define one or more of;(a) a threshold Th1 for a number of the product containers satisfying a condition C1 which is a condition that an amount of a product in the container is at most a predefined alert level for the container; (b) a threshold Th2 for a number of the products vended by the vending machine that satisfy a condition C2 which is a condition that an amount of the product in the vending machine is at most a predefined alert level for the product; (c) a required service interval which is maximum time that the machine is to be allowed to operate without service; (d) a threshold for an amount of money in the vending machine. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 19, 20, 21)
- need-service time”
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6. A system-implemented method for determining service priority of one or more vending machines, the method comprising generating, for at least one or the vending machines, the vending machine'"'"'s service priority indicator, wherein generating the vending machine'"'"'s service priority indicator comprises generating, by the system, an estimate E1 defining an estimated time until a “
- need-service time”
which is a time when the vending machine will need-service, the service priority indicator being a function of the estimate E1. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 22, 23, 24)
- need-service time”
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13. A system-implemented method for selecting one or more vending machines for being serviced in a predefined service period, the method comprising:
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generating, by the system, an estimate E1 defining an estimated time until a “
need-service time”
which is a time when the vending machine will need-service; andestimating, by the system, whether or not a vending machine satisfies a condition Cond1 which is a condition that the service period precedes the vending machine'"'"'s need-service time by more than a predefined amount, the vending machine having a lower priority for being selected if the vending machine satisfies the condition Cond1. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27)
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14. A system-implemented method for selecting one or more vending machines for being serviced in a predefined service period SP1, wherein the vending machines are located at a plurality of locations, and at least one location has more than one vending machines, the method comprising:
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selecting, by the system, vending machines according to one or more first selection rules for selecting and deselecting the vending machines; for at least one location L1 comprising a vending machine VM1 selected according to the one or more selection rules and also comprising a vending machine VM2 deselected according to the one or more selection rules, determining by the system if one or more second selection rules apply to the machine VM2, and selecting the machine VM2 if the one or more second selection rules apply. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 28, 29, 30)
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18. A method for providing vending machine information for a vending machine which comprises one or more product containers, the method comprising providing, with an output device, an estimate of a number of the product containers satisfying a condition C1 which is a condition that an amount of a product in the container will be at most a predefined alert level at an estimated time when the vending machine will need service.
Specification