Vending machine evaluation network

• US 6,230,150 B1
• Filed: 03/31/1998
• Issued: 05/08/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Inventor Holdings LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Original Assignee: Walker Digital LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Inventors: Jorasch, James A., Walker, Jay S., Tedesco, Daniel E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cosimano, Edward R.
• Application Number:
  US09/052,093
• Time in Patent Office: 1,134 Days
• Field of Search: 700/90, 700/213, 700/231, 700/236, 700/241, 700/238, 705/1, 705/10, 705/16, 705/22, 705/30, 705/400, 709/217, 709/218, 709/219
• US Class Current: 705/400
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3255 Incentive, loyalty and/or promotion schemes, e.g. comps, gaming associated with a purchase, gaming funded by advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/026 for alarm, monitoring and auditing in vending machines or means for indication, e.g. when empty

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for automatically testing, monitoring and managing the pricing and other sales information associated with products sold by vending machines. A price or other sales information associated with a product is initially adjusted at one or more initial vending machines, before automatically and progressively expanding the new price or other sales information to additional vending machines, upon verification of a successful change. Successful test results are thus automatically propagated to additional vending machines for further testing in the market. The sales information that can be tested includes price, product placement instructions, new advertising or promotional instructions, and packaging instructions for the sale of a group of products at a single price. Vending machines can thus be configured in progressive “layers” of vending machines so that adjustments to price or other sales information can be initially evaluated by one or more vending machines in a small group, before progressively expanding the new price or other sales information to one or more additional vending machines.

Claims

1. A method for automatically adjusting sales information associated with a product in a plurality of vending machines, the method comprising the steps of:

determining an adjustment to said sales information;

evaluating said sales information adjustment in at least one of said plurality of vending machines; and

automatically propagating said sales information adjustment to at least one additional vending machine of said plurality of vending machines if said evaluating step determines said sales information adjustment meets predefined evaluation criteria.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said sales information is a price of said product.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said sales information is placement instructions for said product.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said sales information is advertising instructions for said product.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said sales information is packaging instructions for the sale of a group of products at a single price.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said sales information is instructions for the subscription sale of said product.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one additional vending machine of said plurality of vending machines is predefined.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one additional vending machine of said plurality of vending machines is determined geographically.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein a trial duration period of said propagated adjustment is determined dynamically based on the degree of success of said change.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein a magnitude of said propagated adjustment is determined dynamically based on the degree of success of said change.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said predefined evaluation criteria includes a minimum increase in profitability.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said predefined evaluation criteria includes a minimum increase in revenue.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said predefined evaluation criteria includes a minimum increase in sales.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of displaying said adjusted sales information at said vending machines.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein said sales information is a price and said step of determining said price includes the step of obtaining a current selling price and a price alteration factor and calculating said price based on said price alteration factor.

16. A method for automatically adjusting sales information associated with a product in a plurality of vending machines, the method comprising the steps of:

accessing evaluation data obtained from at least one of said plurality of vending machines following an adjustment of said sales information;

comparing said evaluation data to predefined evaluation criteria to determine whether to update said sales information for at least one additional vending machine of said plurality of vending machines; and

automatically propagating said sales information adjustment to said at least one additional vending machine of said plurality of vending machines if said comparing step determines said sales information adjustment meets said predefined evaluation criteria.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said sales information is a price of said product.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein said sales information is placement instructions for said product.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein said sales information is advertising instructions for said product.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein said sales information is packaging instructions for the sale of a group of products at a single price.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein said sales information is instructions for the subscription sale of said product.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein said predefined evaluation criteria includes a minimum increase in profitability.

23. The method of claim 16, wherein said predefined evaluation criteria includes a minimum increase in revenue.

24. The method of claim 16, wherein said predefined evaluation criteria includes a minimum increase in sales.

25. The method of claim 16, wherein said sales information is a price and said step of determining said price includes the step of obtaining a current selling price and a price alteration factor and calculating said price based on said price alteration factor.

26. A method for automatically adjusting sales information associated with a product in a plurality of vending machines, the method comprising the steps of:

transmitting an adjustment to said sales information to at least one of said plurality of vending machines;

receiving evaluation data from said at least one of said plurality of vending machines;

comparing said evaluation data to predefined evaluation criteria to determine whether to update said sales information for at least one additional vending machine of said plurality of vending machines; and

automatically propagating said sales information adjustment to said at least one additional vending machine of said plurality of vending machines if said evaluating step determines said sales information adjustment meets predefined evaluation criteria.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein said sales information is a price of said product.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein said sales information is placement instructions for said product.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein said sales information is advertising instructions for said product.

30. The method of claim 26, wherein said sales information is packaging instructions for the sale of a group of products at a single price.

31. The method of claim 26, wherein said sales information is instructions for the subscription sale of said product.

32. The method of claim 26, wherein said predefined evaluation criteria includes a minimum increase in profitability.

33. The method of claim 26, wherein said predefined evaluation criteria includes a minimum increase in revenue.

34. The method of claim 26, wherein said predefined evaluation criteria includes a minimum increase in sales.

35. The method of claim 26, wherein said sales information is a price and said step of determining said price includes the step of obtaining a current selling price and a price alteration factor and calculating said price based on said price alteration factor.

36. A vending machine controller for automatically adjusting sales information associated with a product in a plurality of vending machines, comprising:

means for determining an adjustment to said sales information;

means for evaluating said sales information adjustment in at least one of said plurality of vending machines; and

means for automatically propagating said sales information adjustment to at least one additional vending machine of said plurality of vending machines if said evaluating step determines said sales information adjustment meets predefined evaluation criteria.

37. The vending machine controller of claim 36, wherein said sales information is a price of said product.

38. The vending machine controller of claim 36, wherein said sales information is placement instructions for said product.

39. The vending machine controller of claim 36, wherein said sales information is advertising instructions for said product.

40. The vending machine controller of claim 36, wherein said sales information is packaging instructions for the sale of a group of products at a single price.

41. The vending machine controller of claim 36, wherein said sales information is instructions for the subscription sale of said product.

42. The vending machine controller of claim 36, wherein said predefined evaluation criteria includes a minimum increase in profitability.

43. The vending machine controller of claim 36, wherein said predefined evaluation criteria includes a minimum increase in revenue.

44. The vending machine controller of claim 36, wherein said predefined evaluation criteria includes a minimum increase in sales.

45. The vending machine controller of claim 36, wherein said sales information is a price and said step of determining said price includes the step of obtaining a current selling price and a price alteration factor and calculating said price based on said price alteration factor.

46. A vending machine controller for automatically adjusting sales information associated with a product in a plurality of vending machines, comprising:

a memory for storing said sales information for said product; and

a processor operatively coupled to said memory, said processor configured to;

determine an adjustment to said sales information;

communicate said sales information adjustment to at least one of said plurality of vending machines;

evaluate said sales information adjustment in said at least one of said plurality of vending machines; and

automatically propagate said sales information adjustment to at least one additional vending machine of said plurality of vending machines if said sales information adjustment meets predefined evaluation criteria.

47. The vending machine controller of claim 46, wherein said sales information is a price of said product.

48. The vending machine controller of claim 46, wherein said sales information is placement instructions for said product.

49. The vending machine controller of claim 46, wherein said sales information is advertising instructions for said product.

50. The vending machine controller of claim 46, wherein said sales information is packaging instructions for the sale of a group of products at a single price.

51. The vending machine controller of claim 46, wherein said sales information is instructions for the subscription sale of said product.

52. The vending machine controller of claim 46, wherein said predefined evaluation criteria includes a minimum increase in profitability.

53. The vending machine controller of claim 46, wherein said predefined evaluation criteria includes a minimum increase in revenue.

54. The vending machine controller of claim 46, wherein said predefined evaluation criteria includes a minimum increase in sales.

55. The vending machine controller of claim 46, wherein said sales information is a price and said step of determining said price includes the step of obtaining a current selling price and a price alteration factor and calculating said price based on said price alteration factor.

56. A vending machine for automatically adjusting sales information associated with a product, comprising:

a memory for storing sales information and corresponding sales figures for said product; and

a processor operatively coupled to said memory, said processor configured to;

record a change to said sales information in said memory, and to update said sales figures for each of said changes to said sales information;

access said sales information and said corresponding sales figures after a predefined trial period following said change;

provide said sales figures corresponding to said sales information before and after said change for comparison; and

report an effect of said change on said sales figures to a central controller to determine whether said change should be propagated to one or more additional vending machines.

57. The vending machine of claim 56, wherein said sales information is a price of said product.

58. The vending machine of claim 56, wherein said sales information is placement instructions for said product.

59. The vending machine of claim 56, wherein said sales information is advertising instructions for said product.

60. The vending machine of claim 56, wherein said sales information is packaging instructions for the sale of a group of products at a single price.

61. The vending machine of claim 56, wherein said sales information is instructions for the subscription sale of said product.

62. The vending machine of claim 56, wherein said predefined evaluation criteria includes a minimum increase in profitability.

63. The vending machine of claim 56, wherein said predefined evaluation criteria includes a minimum increase in revenue.

64. The vending machine of claim 56, wherein said predefined evaluation criteria includes a minimum increase in sales.

65. The vending machine of claim 56, wherein said sales information is a price and said step of determining said price includes the step of obtaining a current selling price and a price alteration factor and calculating said price based on said price alteration factor.

66. An article of manufacture comprising:

a computer readable medium having computer readable program code means embodied thereon for controlling a plurality of vending machines, said computer readable program code means in said article of manufacture comprising;

computer readable program code means for determining an adjustment to sales information associated with a product in said plurality of vending machines;

computer readable program code means for evaluating said sales information adjustment in at least one of said plurality of vending machines; and

computer readable program code means for automatically propagating said sales information adjustment to at least one additional vending machine of said plurality of vending machines if said evaluation determines said sales information adjustment meets predefined evaluation criteria.

67. A method for automatically adjusting a price of a product in a plurality of vending machines, the method comprising the steps of:

determining a price for said product;

evaluating said price in at least one of said plurality of vending machines; and

automatically propagating said price to at least one additional vending machine of said plurality of vending machines if said evaluating step determines said price meets predefined evaluation criteria.

68. The method of claim 67, wherein said at least one additional vending machine of said plurality of vending machines is predefined.

69. The method of claim 67, wherein said at least one additional vending machine of said plurality of vending machines is determined geographically.

70. The method of claim 67, wherein a trial duration period of said propagated price adjustment is determined dynamically based on the degree of success of said change.

71. The method of claim 67, wherein a magnitude of said propagated price adjustment is determined dynamically based on the degree of success of said change.

72. The method of claim 67, wherein said predefined evaluation criteria includes a minimum increase in profitability.

73. The method of claim 67, wherein said predefined evaluation criteria includes a minimum increase in revenue.

74. The method of claim 67, wherein said predefined evaluation criteria includes a minimum increase in sales.

75. The method of claim 67, further comprising the step of displaying said adjusted price at said vending machines.

76. The method of claim 67, wherein said step of determining said price includes the step of obtaining a current selling price and a price alteration factor and calculating said price based on said price alteration factor.

77. A method for automatically adjusting a price of a product in a plurality of vending machines, the method comprising the steps of:

accessing evaluation data obtained from at least one of said plurality of vending machines following an adjustment of said price;

comparing said evaluation data to predefined evaluation criteria to determine whether to update said price for at least one additional vending machine of said plurality of vending machines; and

automatically propagating said price adjustment to said at least one additional vending machine of said plurality of vending machines if said comparing step determines said price adjustment meets said predefined evaluation criteria.

78. The method of claim 77, wherein said predefined evaluation criteria includes a minimum increase in profitability.

79. The method of claim 77, wherein said predefined evaluation criteria includes a minimum increase in revenue.

80. The method of claim 77, wherein said predefined evaluation criteria includes a minimum increase in sales.

81. The method of claim 77, wherein said step of determining said price includes the step of obtaining a current selling price and a price alteration factor and calculating said price based on said price alteration factor.

82. A method for automatically adjusting a price of a product in a plurality of vending machines, the method comprising the steps of:

transmitting an adjustment to said price to at least one of said plurality of vending machines;

receiving evaluation data from said at least one of said plurality of vending machines;

comparing said evaluation data to predefined evaluation criteria to determine whether to update said price for at least one additional vending machine of said plurality of vending machines; and

automatically propagating said price adjustment to said at least one additional vending machine of said plurality of vending machines if said evaluating step determines said price adjustment meets predefined evaluation criteria.

83. The method of claim 82, wherein said predefined evaluation criteria includes a minimum increase in profitability.

84. The method of claim 82, wherein said predefined evaluation criteria includes a minimum increase in revenue.

85. The method of claim 82, wherein said predefined evaluation criteria includes a minimum increase in sales.

86. The method of claim 82, wherein said step of determining said price includes the step of obtaining a current selling price and a price alteration factor and calculating said price based on said price alteration factor.

87. A vending machine controller for automatically adjusting a price of a product in a plurality of vending machines, comprising:

means for determining an adjustment to said price;

means for evaluating said price adjustment in at least one of said plurality of vending machines; and

means for automatically propagating said price adjustment to at least one additional vending machine of said plurality of vending machines if said evaluating step determines said price adjustment meets predefined evaluation criteria.

88. The vending machine controller of claim 87, wherein said predefined evaluation criteria includes a minimum increase in profitability.

89. The vending machine controller of claim 87, wherein said predefined evaluation criteria includes a minimum increase in revenue.

90. The vending machine controller of claim 87, wherein said predefined evaluation criteria includes a minimum increase in sales.

91. A vending machine controller for automatically adjusting a price of a product in a plurality of vending machines, comprising:

a memory for storing said price for said product; and

a processor operatively coupled to said memory, said processor configured to;

determine an adjustment to said price;

communicate said price adjustment to at least one of said plurality of vending machines;

evaluate said price adjustment in said at least one of said plurality of vending machines; and

automatically propagate said price adjustment to at least one additional vending machine of said plurality of vending machines if said price adjustment meets predefined evaluation criteria.

92. The vending machine controller of claim 91, wherein said predefined evaluation criteria includes a minimum increase in profitability.

93. The vending machine controller of claim 91, wherein said predefined evaluation criteria includes a minimum increase in revenue.

94. The vending machine controller of claim 91, wherein said predefined evaluation criteria includes a minimum increase in sales.

95. A vending machine for automatically adjusting a price associated with a product, comprising:

a memory for price information and corresponding sales figures for said product; and

a processor operatively coupled to said memory, said processor configured to;

record a change to said price information in said memory, and to update said sales figures for each of said changes to said prices;

access said price information and said corresponding sales figures after a predefined trial period following said change;

obtain said sales figures corresponding to said price before and after said change for comparison; and

report an effect of said change on said sales figures to a central controller to determine whether said price change should be propagated to at least one additional vending machine.

96. An article of manufacture comprising:

a computer readable medium having computer readable program code means embodied thereon for controlling a plurality of vending machines, said computer readable program code means in said article of manufacture comprising;

computer readable program code means for determining a price for a product;

computer readable program code means for evaluating said price in at least one of said plurality of vending machines; and

computer readable program code means for automatically propagating said price to at least one additional vending machine of said plurality of vending machines if said evaluation determines said price meets predefined evaluation criteria.

97. A method for automatically adjusting sales information in a plurality of automated teller machines (ATMs), the method comprising the steps of:

determining an adjustment to said sales information;

evaluating said sales information adjustment in at least one of said plurality of automated teller machines; and

automatically propagating said sales information adjustment to at least one additional automated teller machine of said plurality of automated teller machines if said evaluating step determines said sales information adjustment meets predefined evaluation criteria.

98. The method of claim 97, wherein said sales information is a surcharge fee charged for the use of said automated teller machine (ATM).

99. The method of claim 97, wherein said sales information is advertising instructions for display on said automated teller machine (ATM).