Vending machine with transponder interrogator

• US 6,424,884 B1
• Filed: 03/03/1999
• Issued: 07/23/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Coca-Cola Company (The Coca-Cola Company)
• Original Assignee: The Coca-Cola Company
• Inventors: Brooke, Russell J. Jr., Schwartz, Jeremy
• Primary Examiner(s): BARTUSKA, FRANCIS JOHN
• Application Number:
  US09/261,268
• Time in Patent Office: 1,238 Days
• Field of Search: 700/232, 700/236, 700/237, 700/238, 700/241, 700/244, 235/381, 235/383, 186/36, 186/53, 186/55
• US Class Current: 700/232
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/327 Short range or proximity payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/341 Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/342 Cards defining paid or billed services or quantities
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 13/025 wherein the volume is determined during delivery
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/025 by means, e.g. cards, providing billing information at the time of purchase, e.g. identification of seller or purchaser, quantity of goods delivered or to be delivered
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0866 by active credit-cards adapted therefor G07F7/1008 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0873 Details of the card reader
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0893 the card reader reading the card in a contactless manner
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/002 Vending machines being part of a centrally controlled network of vending machines
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/02 Devices for alarm or indication, e.g. when empty; Advertising arrangements in coin-freed apparatus alarms or warning devices indicating the interruption of flow to be metered G07F15/10

Abstract

A vending machine includes a transponder interrogator. A customer carries a transponder embedded within an ornamental or useful item, such as a key chain ornament. When the customer desires to make a purchase from the vending machine, the customer presents the transponder to the transponder interrogator. The transponder is identified and a credit amount associated with that transponder is debited the purchase price. The system enables the vending machine operator to track the purchasing habits of the transponder user, and to provide instant incentives to purchasers using the transponder, based upon the customer'"'"'s profile or purchasing habits.

Claims

1. A beverage vending machine for storing and dispensing a beverage, comprising:

a dispenser housing;

a plurality of said beverages positioned within said dispenser housing;

a dispenser disposed within said dispenser housing for dispensing said beverage;

a transponder interrogator disposed within said dispenser housing for reading a transponder unit; and

a controller connected to said transponder interrogator for receiving data from said transponder interrogator, said controller also being connected to said dispenser and being able to cause said dispenser to dispense said beverage in response to the received data.

2. The beverage vending machine according to claim 1, further comprising:

a memory having pre-stored data connected to said controller wherein said controller uses the data received from said transponder interrogator to access said pre-stored data and causes said dispenser to dispense said beverage when the accessed data meets a pre-determined condition.

3. The beverage vending machine according to claim 2, wherein said memory is located outside said dispenser housing.

4. The beverage vending machine according to claim 2, wherein said memory is located within said dispenser housing.

5. A beverage vending machine for storing and dispensing a beverage in combination with a transponder, said combination comprising:

a dispenser housing;

a plurality of said beverages positioned within said dispenser housing;

a dispenser disposed within said dispenser housing for dispensing said beverage;

a transponder, which is physically disconnected from said dispenser housing, for transmitting data;

a transponder interrogator disposed within said dispenser housing for reading said data of said transponder unit; and

a controller connected to said transponder interrogator for receiving data from said transponder interrogator, said controller also being connected to said dispenser and being able to cause said dispenser to dispense said beverage in response to the received data.

6. The combination according to claim 5, wherein said transponder is embedded in a key chain ornament.

7. The combination according to claim 5, wherein said transponder interrogator outputs an electromagnetic activation signal, and said transponder receives said electromagnetic activation signal.

8. The combination according to claim 5, wherein said transponder includes a read-only memory.

9. The combination according to claim 5, wherein said transponder interrogator includes a transmitter for transmitting data to said transponder, said transponder includes a read-write memory and receives said data and alters the contents of said read-write memory in response to said data.

10. A method of operating a vending machine for providing a good or a service, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a vending machine with a dispenser and a transponder interrogator disposed within a dispenser housing;

storing a plurality of the goods or a device to provide the services within the dispenser housing;

providing a database;

providing a transponder, which is physically disconnected from the dispenser housing, and which includes a memory for storing identifying data;

transmitting an activation signal from the transponder interrogator to the transponder,

transmitting the identifing data from the transponder to the transponder interrogator;

using the identifying data to access transponder data in the database; and

determining whether the accessed transponder data meets a predetermined condition, and communicating a dispense signal from the transponder interrogator to the dispenser if the predetermined condition is met.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the good or service is a container filled with a beverage.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the accessed transponder data is a credit amount associated with the identifying data of the transponder, and wherein said step of determining includes ascertaining whether the credit amount exceeds a purchase price, and if so, dispensing the good or service from the vending machine.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein the accessed transponder data is customer profile data associated with the identifying data, the customer profile data including a number of purchases made by the customer, and wherein said step of determining includes ascertaining whether the number of purchases made equals a predetermined number, and if so, dispensing the good or service from the vending machine.

14. The method according to claim 10, wherein the database is external to the dispenser housing and communications between the database and the transponder interrogator take place via a satellite.

15. A method of operating a vending machine for providing a good or a service, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a vending machine with a dispenser and a transponder interrogator disposed within a dispenser housing;

storing a plurality of the goods or a device to provide the services within the dispenser housing;

providing a transponder, which is physically disconnected from the dispenser housing, and which includes a memory for storing credit amount data;

transmitting an activation signal from the transponder interrogator to the transponder,

transmitting the credit amount data from the transponder to the transponder interrogator; and

communicating a dispense signal from the transponder interrogator to the dispenser if the credit amount data, received by the transponder interrogator, exceeds a purchase price.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the memory of the transponder also includes identifying data, and said step of transmitting the credit amount data from the transponder to the transponder interrogator also includes transmitting the identifying data to the transponder interrogator;

said method further comprising the steps of;

providing a database;

using the identifying data, received by the transponder interrogator, to access transponder data in the database; and

determining whether the accessed transponder data meets a predetermined condition, and communicating a dispense signal from the transponder interrogator to the dispenser if the predetermined condition is met.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the transponder data is customer profile data associated with the identifying data, the customer profile data including a number of purchases made by the customer, and wherein said step of determining includes ascertaining whether the number of purchases made equals a predetermined number, and if so, dispensing a container filled with a beverage from the vending machine.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein the database is external to the dispenser housing and communications between the database and the transponder interrogator take place via a satellite.

19. The method according to claim 15, wherein the memory of the transponder also includes identifying data, and said step of transmitting the credit amount data from the transponder to the transponder interrogator also includes transmitting the identifying data to the transponder interrogator;

said method further comprising the steps of;

analyzing the identifying data using the transponder interrogator;

determining whether the identifying data meets a predetermined condition; and

communicating a dispense signal from the transponder interrogator to the dispenser if the predetermined condition is met.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the identifying data includes a number of purchases made by the customer, and wherein said step of determining includes ascertaining whether the number of purchases made equals a predetermined number, and if so, dispensing a container filled with a beverage from the vending machine.

21. A consumer data tracking and reward system comprising:

a plurality of beverage vending machines, each of said machines comprising;

a dispenser housing,

a dispenser disposed within said dispenser housing for dispensing a beverage,

a plurality of the beverages positioned within the dispenser housing;

a transponder interrogator disposed within said dispenser housing for reading a transponder unit, and

a controller connected to said transponder interrogator for receiving data from said transponder interrogator;

a transponder for interacting with said transponder interrogator;

a communication medium connecting the controller to an external database; and

a processor, associated with said external database, monitoring data sent by said controller representing the interaction of said transponder with said transponder interrogator, and permitting a reward to be issued upon a predetermined condition.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein at least one of said beverage vending machines is located in a different state of the United States than another of said beverage vending machines.

23. The method according to claim 21, wherein at least one of said beverage vending machines is located in a different city than another of said beverage vending machines.

24. The method according to claim 21, wherein said external database is connected to the Internet.

25. A method of tracking consumer data comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of beverage vending machines, each of said machines comprising;

a dispenser housing,

a dispenser disposed within said dispenser housing for dispensing a beverage,

a plurality of beverages positioned within the dispenser housing;

a transponder interrogator disposed within said dispenser housing for reading a transponder unit;

a controller connected to said transponder interrogator for receiving data from said transponder interrogator; and

a transponder for interacting with any of said transponder interrogators of said beverage vending machines, and an external database;

interacting the transponder with a one or more of the transponder interrogators;

sending identifying information concerning an interacted transponder to the external database;

tracking consumer data in the external database relating a person associated with the transponder; and

rewarding the person, if the consumer data satisfies a predetermined condition.

26. The method according to claim 25, wherein said step of rewarding the person includes providing money, goods or services to the person at one of said beverage vending machines, after the transponder has been interacted with the transponder interrogator of the beverage vending machine.

27. The method according to claim 25, further comprising the step of:

sending purchasing information obtained from the transponder interrogator of said beverage vending machine interacting with the transponder, concerning purchases made by the person, to the external database, wherein said step of tracking consumer data includes monitoring the purchasing information.

28. The method according to claim 27, wherein the predetermined condition is the accumulation of purchase amounts above a given total, or accumulation of purchases of given goods or services.

29. The method according to claim 25, wherein said step of tracking consumer data includes accumulating points and associating the points with the person.

30. The method according to claim 29, wherein the points are based upon purchase amounts made by the person, the type of goods or services purchased by the person, the location of the beverage vending machine, or randomly awarded, when the person interacts the transponder with one of the transponder interrogators of said beverage vending machines.

31. The method according to claim 29, wherein the number of accumulated points can be accessed by the person online via an internet connection, and the person can chose a reward based upon the total number of points that person has accumulated.