METHOD AND DEVICE FOR ACCESSING, CONTROLLING AND PURCHASING A PRODUCT THROUGH A DISPENSER

• US 20160086419A1
• Filed: 12/04/2015
• Published: 03/24/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Automated Vending, LLC
• Original Assignee: Todd Goldstein
• Inventors: Geigel, Art, Armenio, Christopher, Muhammad, Abdullah
• Granted Patent: US 9,959,530 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3224 Transactions dependent on location of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3278 RFID or NFC payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/401 Transaction verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4014 Identity check for transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 13/02 by volume
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 13/025 wherein the volume is determined during delivery
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/001 Interfacing with vending machines using mobile or wearable devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/002 Vending machines being part of a centrally controlled network of vending machines
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/026 for alarm, monitoring and auditing in vending machines or means for indication, e.g. when empty
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

Various technologies described herein pertain to an automated dispenser including a dispensing portion, a motion sensor, a receiver module, and a control module. The control module initiates motion sensing by the motion sensor in response to receipt of an activation signal from a network server by the receiver module. The dispensing portion dispenses a product in response to the motion sensor sensing an absence, presence or motion of an object.

Claims

1. A method for controlling dispensing of a product from an automated dispenser, executed at a mobile computing device, comprising:

reading an identifier associated with the automated dispenser;

responsive to reading the identifier associated with the automated dispenser, generating a request to activate the automated dispenser to dispense the product, the request comprising identification data based on the identifier associated with the automated dispenser; and

transmitting the request to an authorization system, the authorization system associated with the automated dispenser and configured to cause the automated dispenser to dispense the product responsive to authorizing the request.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the authorization system comprises a network server in network communication with the automated dispenser.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the network server is configured to send an activation signal to the automated dispenser responsive to authorizing the request.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein authorizing the request comprises processing a payment for the product.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein authorizing the request comprises determining that a user of the mobile computing device has been approved to use the automated dispenser.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein authenticating the request comprises determining that a user of the mobile computing device has sufficient credits in an account to pay for the product.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the request is an activation signal, the automated dispenser comprises the authentication system, the activation signal configured to cause the automated dispenser to dispense the product.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the request comprises a product selection, the automated dispenser dispenses the product based upon the product selection.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein reading the identifier comprises scanning an optical code.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the optical code is a QR code.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein reading the identifier comprises receiving the identifier via near-field-communication.

12. A mobile computing device, comprising:

a processor; and

memory, the memory comprising instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform acts comprising;

receiving an identifier, the identifier identifying an automated dispenser;

responsive to receiving the identifier identifying the automated dispenser, creating an activation request to activate the automated dispenser to cause dispensing of a product, the activation request comprising identification data based on the identifier identifying the automated dispenser; and

transmitting the activation request to a server by way of a network connection, the activation request configured to cause the server to transmit an activation signal to the automated dispenser, the activation signal configured to cause the automated dispenser to dispense the product.

13. The mobile computing device of claim 12, wherein the activation signal is further configured to cause a motion sensor of the automated dispenser to initiate performance of sensing, and wherein the automated dispenser dispenses the product in response to the motion sensor detecting a presence of an object when performing the sensing.

14. The mobile computing device of claim 12, wherein the activation request comprises a product selection, and the activation signal is configured to cause the automated dispenser to dispense the product based upon the product selection.

15. The mobile computing device of claim 12, wherein the activation request is transmitted to the server via a local network device, the local network device being in communication with the server.

16. A computing system for controlling an automated dispenser by way of network communication, the computing system comprising:

a processor; and

memory, the memory comprising instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform acts comprising;

responsive to receiving a request from a mobile device to activate the automated dispenser, determining that the request is authorized, wherein the request comprises identification data that identifies the automated dispenser, the request being generated by the mobile device response to scanning an indicator associated with the automated dispenser; and

responsive to determining that the request is authorized, transmitting an activation signal to the automated dispenser, the activation signal configured to cause the dispenser to dispense a product.

17. The computing system of claim 16, the acts further comprising receiving credentials of a user, wherein determining that the request is authorized comprises evaluating the credentials of the user.

18. The computing system of claim 16, wherein determining that the request is authorized comprises processing a payment for the product.

19. The computing system of claim 16, the acts further comprising transmitting a rejection to the mobile device responsive to determining that the request is not authorized.

20. The computing system of claim 16, the acts further comprising transmitting a confirmation of approval to the mobile device responsive to determining that the request is authorized.