Systems and methods for vending machine customer account management
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method, comprising:
- receiving, by a vending machine and from a customer, an indication of a subscription identifier;
receiving, by the vending machine and from the customer, an indication of a product selection, wherein the product selection comprises a selection of one or more of;
(i) a beverage, (ii) a snack, (iii) recordable media, (iv) access to digital content, (v) network access, (vi) access to photography services, (viii) access to car wash services, and (ix) access to an electronic game;
determining, by the vending machine, a parameter governing a subscription associated with the identifier, wherein the parameter is defined by a third party, and wherein the third party is not an operator of the vending machine;
determining, by the vending machine, whether the product selection is in conformance with the third-party parameter governing the subscription; and
providing, by the vending machine and to the customer, in the case that the product selection is determined to be in conformance with the third-party parameter governing the subscription, the selected product.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Some embodiments are associated with providing, establishing, registering, administering, and/or managing vending machine subscription accounts. In some embodiments, third parties may administer and/or manage subscription-vending accounts associated with customers.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method, comprising:
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receiving, by a vending machine and from a customer, an indication of a subscription identifier; receiving, by the vending machine and from the customer, an indication of a product selection, wherein the product selection comprises a selection of one or more of;
(i) a beverage, (ii) a snack, (iii) recordable media, (iv) access to digital content, (v) network access, (vi) access to photography services, (viii) access to car wash services, and (ix) access to an electronic game;determining, by the vending machine, a parameter governing a subscription associated with the identifier, wherein the parameter is defined by a third party, and wherein the third party is not an operator of the vending machine; determining, by the vending machine, whether the product selection is in conformance with the third-party parameter governing the subscription; and providing, by the vending machine and to the customer, in the case that the product selection is determined to be in conformance with the third-party parameter governing the subscription, the selected product. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 11, 12, 13)
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6. An apparatus comprising:
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a processor; and a memory in communication with the processor, the memory storing instructions that when executed by the processor result in; receiving funds from a third party; establishing, based on the receipt of the funds from the third party, a subscription account for a customer, wherein the subscription account entitles the customer to redeem units of products offered for sale by a vending machine; receiving, from the third party, an indication of a definition of a parameter associated with the subscription account for the customer; receiving, after the establishment of the subscription account for the customer, an indication of a product selection made by the customer at the vending machine; determining whether the product selection satisfies the parameter defined by the third party; and dispensing, in the case that the product selection is determined to satisfy the parameter defined by the third party, the selected product to the customer. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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14. A vending machine, comprising:
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a processor; and a memory in communication with the processor, the memory storing instructions adapted to be executed by the processor to; receive, from a customer, an indication of a subscription identifier; receive, from the customer, an indication of a product selection; determine a parameter governing a subscription associated with the subscription identifier, wherein the parameter is defined by a third party, and wherein the parameter defines a product selection condition based on one or more of;
(i) a sales velocity of the selected product, (ii) a popularity of the selected product, (iii) one or more ingredients of the selected product, (iv) nutritional information of the selected product, (v) a category of the selected product, (vi) a time condition, and (vii) a weather condition;determine whether the product selection is in conformance with the third-party parameter governing the product selection pursuant to the subscription; and provide to the customer, in the case that the product selection is determined to be in conformance with the third-party parameter governing the product selection pursuant to the subscription, a unit of the selected product. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A vending machine located in a school, the vending machine comprising:
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a processor; and a memory in communication with the processor, the memory storing instructions adapted to be executed by the processor to; receive, from a student of the school, an indication of a subscription identifier; receive, from the student, an indication of a product selection; determine nutritional criteria governing a subscription associated with the subscription identifier, wherein the nutritional criteria is defined by a parent of the student; determine whether the product selection is in conformance with the parent-defined nutritional criteria governing the product selection pursuant to the subscription; and provide to the customer, in the case that the product selection is determined to be in conformance with the parent-defined nutritional criteria governing the product selection pursuant to the subscription, a unit of the selected product. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification