System, Method, And Apparatus For Purchasing, Dispensing, Or Sampling Of Products

• US 20150144650A1
• Filed: 11/22/2013
• Published: 05/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Transparensee, LLC
• Original Assignee: Transparensee, LLC
• Inventors: Kline, Michael J., Salvucci, Denise Lisa
• Granted Patent: US 9,633,504 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 222/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0259 based on store location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0282 Rating or review of business operators or products
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/62 in which the articles are stored in compartments in fixed receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 13/065 for drink preparation
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/001 Interfacing with vending machines using mobile or wearable devices

Abstract

Systems, methods, and apparatus for the purchase of and/or free sampling of products. The systems, methods, and/or apparatus may permit push notifications of purchased products and/or free product samples being available and may permit the use of mobile devices and/or mobile device applications to be used to purchase products or dispense free samples of products via a product dispenser or vending machine.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

initiating a push notification offering a free product sampling;

receiving a response to the push notification indicative of an acceptance of the offering; and

authorizing the dispensing of a sample size of the free product sampling.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the initiating, receiving, and/or authorizing is performed via a mobile application.

3. The method of claim 1, the push notification further comprising offering the free product sampling for one or more of a limited time, at limited locations, in a limited quantity, and in limited types of product.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the free product sampling comprises a sample size of a product selected from the group comprising beverages, liquid soap, liquid detergent, lotion, cosmetic, perfume, cologne, mouthwash, and contact lens solution.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the free product sampling comprises a sample dispensed through a Freestyle®

type dispenser.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the free product sampling comprises a sample dispensed through a legacy fountain beverage type dispenser.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the mobile application is accessible via a handheld device.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the authorizing comprises receiving information from one or more intended recipients indicative of the one or more intended recipients having joined the mobile application.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving information indicative that the free product sampling has been dispensed.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising initiating a second push notification.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the second push notification comprises one or more of requesting feedback on the free product sampling, offering one or more additional free product samplings, and offering to sell a purchased product corresponding to the free product sampling.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising receiving a response to the second push notification indicative of an acceptance of the offering one or more additional free product samplings or offering to sell a purchased product corresponding to the free product sampling, and authorizing the dispensing of the one or more free product samplings or of the purchased product.

13. A product dispenser configured to dispense one or more products;

the product dispenser further configured to dispense a predetermined quantity of the one or more products;

the product dispenser further comprising a product quantity discriminator configured to discriminate between, and dispense the one or more products according to, whether a purchased product or a free product sample has been selected for dispensing.

14. The product dispense of claim 13, wherein the product dispenser further comprises a user interface configured to permit a user to request a predetermined quantity of the one or more products from the product dispenser.

15. The product dispenser of claim 14, wherein the product dispenser is configured to offer a variable price for the purchased product being dispensed based on one or more of a variable price based on caloric content, and/or a variable priced based on total quantity of purchased product being dispensed.

16. The product dispenser of claim 13, wherein the dispenser is further configured to determine the quantity of product that has been dispensed to a particular customer, and is further configured to discontinue further dispensing of product for that particular customer once the quantity of product dispensed to that customer has reached a predetermined limit.

17. A system comprising:

a product dispenser configured to dispense a purchased product and a free sample of a product corresponding to the purchased product; and

a mobile application configured to receive push notifications offering to dispense free samples of product from the dispenser.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising a product quantity discriminator configured to distinguish between and dispense both purchased product quantities and free sample product quantities.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising a variable pricing menu configured to permit a user of the dispenser to select predetermined quantities of purchased product based at least in part on a variable price per unit quantity of purchased product.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the product dispenser is further configured to discontinue dispensing of product once a predetermined quantity and/or total caloric content limit has been met.