Promotion system and method of managing automatic vending machine by the promotion system

• US 7,020,691 B2
• Filed: 11/01/2001
• Issued: 03/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Nippon Conlux
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Nippon Conlux
• Inventors: Yoshida, Hiroaki, Ota, Michihiro, Shinada, Hiroaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Dharia, Rupal
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shingles, Kristie D.
• Application Number:
  US09/999,336
• Publication Number:
  US 20020055994A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,608 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/218, 709/200, 709/217, 709/223, 709/227, 705/16, 705/22, 705/28, 370/218, 370/238.1, 370/392, 455/556.1
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/387 Payment using discounts or coupons relating to marketing G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 5/18 specially adapted for controlling several coin-freed apparatus from one place
• 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 9/02 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

To send point information indicated by an automatic vending machine to a center unit by a packet communication function of a portable telephone of a user of the automatic vending machine, a free space in a single packet of the point information to be sent from the automatic vending machine to the center unit is used to send management information such as sales information, stock information, failure information and the like of the automatic vending machine to the center unit.

Claims

1. A promotion system comprising:

a plurality of automatic vending machines for selling commodities;

a center unit; and

a portable telephone carried by a user who purchases a commodity through the automatic vending machine and capable of communicating with the center unit, wherein each of the automatic vending machines comprises;

point information generating means for generating point information including a point acquired by the user by a purchase of the commodity in sales processing of the commodity;

management information adding means for adding management information of the automatic vending machine to the point information within a range of a communication charging unit content when a data content of the point information generated by the point information generating means is smaller than the communication charging unit content of the portable telephone; and

point information issuing means for issuing the point information to which the management information is added by the management information adding means to the user;

the portable telephone comprises;

sending means for sending the point information issued by the point information issuing means while adding identification information of the user to the point information;

the center unit comprises;

receiving means for receiving the point information sent by the sending means;

separating means for separating the management information from the point information received by the receiving means;

automatic vending machine managing means for the management information segmented by the separating means corresponding to each of the automatic

point information managing means for managing the point information corresponding to the user identification information.

2. The promotion system according to claim 1, wherein

the sending means assembles the point information to which the management information is added into a packet, sends the packet to the center unit, and

the communication charging unit content of the portable telephone is an information content of the portable telephone that can be sent by a single packet.

3. The promotion system according to claim 2, wherein:

the management information adding means adds the management information to the point information when the management information is smaller than a difference between the point information and the information content which can be sent by the single packet; and

segments the management information of the automatic vending machine and adds the segment management information to the point information when the management information is larger than the difference between the point information and the information content which can be sent by the single packet.

4. The promotion system according to claim 3, wherein:

the segment management information contains a segmentation number indicating a segmentation order of the management information and identification information of the automatic vending machine; and

the center unit contains merging means which merges the management information from plural pieces of segment management information on the basis of the segmentation number and the identification number of the automatic vending machine.

5. The promotion system according to claim 1, wherein the point information issuing means is provided with communication means which communicates with the portable telephone to issue the point information to the user.

6. The promotion system according to claim 1, wherein the management information of the automatic vending machine contains sales information, stock information, failure information and the like of the automatic vending machine.

7. The method of managing an automatic vending machine according to claim 6, wherein the management information contains sales information, stock information, failure information and the like of the automatic vending machine.

8. The method of managing an automatic vending machine according to claim 6, wherein the automatic vending machine issues the point information through the communication with the portable telephone.

9. A method of managing an automatic vending machine using a promotion system that comprises a plurality of automatic vending machines for selling commodities;

a center unit for managing a point acquired by a user in a purchase of a commodity by the automatic vending machine; and

a portable telephone carried by a user who purchases a commodity through the automatic vending machine and capable of communicating with the center unit, wherein

the automatic vending machine generates, by point information generating means, the point information including a point acquired by the user by the purchase of the commodity in sales processing of the commodity;

adds, by management information adding means, a management information of the automatic vending machine to the point information within a range of a communication charging unit content when a data content of the point information generated by the point information generating means is smaller than the communication charging unit content of the portable telephone; and

issues, by point information issuing means, the point information to which the management information is added by the management information adding means to the user;

the portable telephone sends, by sending means, the point information issued by the point information issuing means while adding identification information to the point information; and

the center unit receives, by receiving means, the point information sent by the sending means;

separates, by separating means, the management information from the point information received by the receiving means;

manages, by automatic vending machine managing means, the management information segmented by the separating means corresponding to each automatic vending machine; and

manages, by point information managing means, the point information corresponding to the user identification information.

10. The method of managing an automatic vending machine according to claim 9, wherein the point information is assembled as a packet and is sent to the center unit, and

the charging unit information content of the portable telephone is an information content which can be sent by a single packet in the packet communication.

11. The method of managing an automatic vending machine according to claim 10, wherein:

the automatic vending machine adds the management information to the point information and shows the point information, to which the management information is added, to the user when the management information is smaller than a difference between the point information and the information content which can be sent by the single packet, and

when the management information is larger than the difference between the point information and the information content which can be sent by the single packet, the automatic vending machine segments the management information of the automatic vending machine, and adds the segment management information to the point information.

12. The method of managing an automatic vending machine according to claim 11, wherein:

the segment management information contains a segmentation number indicating a segmentation order of the management information and identification information of the automatic vending machine, and

the center unit merges to obtain the management information from plural pieces of segment management information on the basis of the segmentation number and the identification information of the automatic vending machine.