Vending Devices Having As-Watching As Consideration

• US 20140350721A1
• Filed: 05/30/2014
• Published: 11/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Hyde, Roderick A., Ishikawa, Muriel Y., Jung, Edward K.Y., Kare, Jordin T., Levien, Royce A., Lord, Richard T., Lord, Robert W., Malamud, Mark A., Rinaldo, John D. Jr., Tegreene, Clarence T., Whitmer, Charles, Wood, Lowell L. Jr., Wood, Victoria Y.H
• Granted Patent: US 9,905,072 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/237
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0268 at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 15/003 for electricity
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 15/006 dispensed for the electrical charging of other devices than vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/001 Interfacing with vending machines using mobile or wearable devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/009 User recognition or proximity detection
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/023 Arrangements for display, data presentation or advertising

Abstract

Systems and methods for vending devices having ad-watching as consideration are described. In some implementations, a vending apparatus includes a dispensing portion operable to dispense a product (e.g. electricity) to a user; a communication portion operable to provide a communicable content (e.g. an advertisement) to the user; and a control system operatively coupled to the dispensing portion and the communication portion. The control system receives a signal indicative of a consent by the user to receive or review the communicable content at least partially in exchange for the product, and after receipt of the signal, causes the communication portion to provide the communicable content to the user and causes the dispensing portion to dispense the product to the user. In further implementations, the apparatus may include a monitoring system operable to determine whether the user is receiving or reviewing the communicable content.

Claims

1. A vending apparatus, comprising:

a dispensing portion operable to dispense a product to a user;

a communication portion operable to provide a communicable content to the user; and

a control system operatively coupled to the dispensing portion and the communication portion, the control system being operable to;

receive a signal indicative of a consent by the user to at least one of receive or review the communicable content at least partially in exchange for the product; and

after receipt of the signal, to cause the communication portion to provide the communicable content to the user and to cause the dispensing portion to dispense the product to the user.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the communication portion operable to provide a communicable content to the user comprises:

an audio-visual system operable to provide an audio-visual content to the user.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the communication portion operable to provide a communicable content to the user comprises:

a transmission component operable to transmit the communicable content to a user-provided chargeable device.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control system operable to receive a signal indicative of a consent by the user to at least one of receive or review the communicable content at least partially in exchange for the product comprises:

a control system portion operable to receive a signal indicative of a consent by the user to at least one of receive or review the communicable content as a complete consideration in exchange for the product.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control system operable to receive a signal indicative of a consent by the user to at least one of receive or review the communicable content at least partially in exchange for the product comprises:

a control system operable to receive a signal indicative of a consent by the user to at least one of receive or review the communicable content as a partial consideration in exchange for the product, and to receive a payment as another partial consideration in exchange for the product.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a monitoring system operatively coupled to the control system and operable to sense the user.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the monitoring system operatively coupled to the control system and operable to sense the user comprises:

a monitoring system operable to determine whether the user is at least one of facing or watching a display screen of the communication system.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the monitoring system operatively coupled to the control system and operable to sense the user comprises:

a monitoring system operable to determine whether the user is at least one of receiving or reviewing the communicable content from the communication system.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the monitoring system operatively coupled to the control system and operable to sense the user comprises:

a monitoring system operable to determine that the user is not at least one of receiving or reviewing the communicable content from the communication system, and to provide an indication to discontinue providing the product to the user in response thereto.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the communication portion includes a display device, and wherein:

at least one of the monitoring system or the control system is operable to determine whether the user is watching the display device.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein:

at least one of the control system or the dispensing portion is operable to discontinue dispensing the product based on the determination whether the user is watching the display device.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the dispensing portion is operable to dispense electricity to recharge a user-provided rechargeable device, and wherein:

at least one of the control system or the dispensing portion is operable to discontinue dispensing electricity based on the determination whether the user is watching the display device.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a user input portion operatively coupled to the control system and operable to receive an input from the user.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the user input portion operatively coupled to the control system and operable to receive an input from the user comprises:

a user input portion operable to receive an indication from the user that the user consents to at least one of receive or review the communicable content as a partial consideration for the product, and that the user consents to provide a payment as another partial consideration for the product.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the user input portion operatively coupled to the control system and operable to receive an input from the user comprises:

a user input portion operable to receive an indication from the user that the user consents to at least one of receive or review the communicable content at least partially in exchange for the product.

2-3. -3. (canceled)

6. (canceled)

20-39. -39. (canceled)

40. A vending system, comprising:

means for receiving a consent signal indicative of a consent by a user to at least one of receive or review a communicable content at least partially in exchange for a product;

means for providing the communicable content to the user after receiving the consent signal; and

means for dispensing the product to the user at least one of after or simultaneously with the providing of the communicable content to the user,

wherein at least one of the means for receiving, the means for providing, and the means for dispensing is at least partially implemented using one or more processing devices.

41. The system of claim 40, wherein means for dispensing the product to the user at least one of after or simultaneously with the providing of the communicable content to the user comprises:

means for providing an electrical charge to a user-provided chargeable device.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein means for providing an electrical charge to a user-provided chargeable device comprises:

inductively providing an electrical charge to a user-provided chargeable device.

43. The system of claim 41, wherein means for providing an electrical charge to a user-provided chargeable device comprises:

providing an electrical charge to at least one of a battery, a cellular telephone, a personal data assistant, an handheld communication device, a music player, a camera, a recording device, a hearing aid, a portable computing device, an electric vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, or a wearable electronic device.

44. The system of claim 40, wherein means for providing the communicable content to the user after receiving the consent signal comprises:

means for providing an audio-visual content to the user.

45. The system of claim 40, wherein means for providing the communicable content to the user after receiving the consent signal comprises:

means for transmitting the communicable content to a user-provided chargeable device.

46. The system of claim 40, wherein means for receiving a consent signal indicative of a consent by a user to at least one of receive or review a communicable content at least partially in exchange for a product comprises:

means for receiving a signal indicative of a consent by the user to at least one of receive or review the communicable content as a complete consideration in exchange for the product.

47. The system of claim 40, wherein means for receiving a consent signal indicative of a consent by a user to at least one of receive or review a communicable content at least partially in exchange for a product comprises:

means for receiving at least one signal indicative of a consent by the user to at least one of receive or review the communicable content as a partial consideration in exchange for the product, and to provide a payment as another partial consideration in exchange for the product.

48. The system of claim 40, further comprising:

means for sensing the user.

49. The system of claim 48, wherein means for sensing the user comprises:

means for determining whether the user is at least one of facing or watching a display screen.

50. The system of claim 48, wherein means for sensing the user comprises:

means for determining whether the user is at least one of receiving or reviewing the communicable content.

51. The system of claim 48, wherein means for sensing the user comprises:

means for determining that the user is not at least one of receiving or reviewing the communicable content.

52. The system of claim 51, further comprising:

means for providing an indication to discontinue providing the product to the user.

53. The system of claim 51, further comprising:

means for discontinuing dispensing the product based on the determination.

54. The system of claim 51, wherein means for dispensing the product to the user at least one of after or simultaneously with the providing of the communicable content to the user includes means for dispensing electricity to charge a user-provided chargeable device, the system further comprising:

means for discontinuing dispensing electricity based on the determination.

55. The system of claim 40 wherein means for receiving a consent signal indicative of a consent by a user to at least one of receive or review a communicable content at least partially in exchange for a product comprises:

means for receiving at least one indication from the user that the user consents to at least one of receive or review the communicable content as a partial consideration for the product, and that the user consents to provide a payment as another partial consideration for the product.

56. The system of claim 40 wherein means for receiving a consent signal indicative of a consent by a user to at least one of receive or review a communicable content at least partially in exchange for a product comprises:

means for receiving an indication from the user that the user consents to at least one of receive or review the communicable content at least partially in exchange for the product.

57. The system of claim 56, further comprising:

means for sensing whether the user is watching a display device through which the communicable content is provided; and

means for continuing to dispense the product as long as the user is watching the display device.

58. The system of claim 57, further comprising:

means for discontinuing dispensing the product when the user is not watching the display device.

59. One or more computer-readable non-transitory media bearing instructions that, when executed, perform a method comprising:

receiving a consent signal indicative of a consent by a user to at least one of receive or review a communicable content at least partially in exchange for a product;

after receiving the consent signal, providing the communicable content to the user; and

at least one of after or simultaneously with the providing of the communicable content to the user, dispensing the product to the user.

60-67. -67. (canceled)