Coinless vending system, method, and computer readable medium using an audio code collector and validator

• US 7,721,958 B2
• Filed: 09/21/2005
• Issued: 05/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Belfer, Ellis Samuel, Holguin, Art
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Seung H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Marshall; Christle I
• Application Number:
  US11/231,406
• Publication Number:
  US 20070063027A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,707 Days
• Field of Search: 235380-382, 222/2, 221 9- 10, 705/39, 705/40, 4554141-4144, 380277-286, 713150-181
• US Class Current: 235/381
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/327 Short range or proximity payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3272 using an audio code
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• 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

Abstract

A system, method, and computer readable medium, wherein a vending machine comprising an audio code collector and a code validator is adapted to receive audio tones from a mobile device, and wherein the audio tones include authentication codes and dispense codes to control dispensing of product from the vending machine.

Claims

1. A system for operation of a vending machine, comprising:

a vending machine comprising;

an audio code collector and a code validator (ACCV) adapted to receive one or more audio tones from a mobile communication device, wherein the audio tones include one of a public key and a dispense code embedded in the audio tones, wherein the ACCV,

generates a random session key based on the public key to establish a secure communication between the ACCV and a media server utilizing the random session key, and

validates the dispense code to dispense the purchased product from the vending machine.

2. The system of claim 1 comprising a media server adapted to receive a request from the mobile communication device, wherein the request includes an identifier of the vending machine and a code of the product.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the media server, based on the request, verifies billing, authenticates the vending machine and transmits audio codes to the mobile communication device for authentication of the vending machine and dispensing of the product.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the vending machine is not connected to the Internet.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the media server receives the request from the mobile communication device through a wireless network.

6. A computer readable medium that provides instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform operations comprising:

creating a public key in a form of one or more musical tones, wherein the musical tones may be audible or non-audible; and

forwarding the musical tones to a Mobile Switching Center along with an indication for the MSC to alert a subscriber to place a mobile device against an acoustic coupler of an audio code collector and validator (ACCV) module in a coinless vending machine, wherein the subscriber may be alerted via a text message or an audible format.

7. A method of purchasing a product from a coinless vending machine, comprising:

receiving a public key in an audio code collector and validator (ACCV) of a vending machine from a mobile communication device, the public key being embedded in one or more musical tones, the public key being generated by a media server and being communicated from the media server to the mobile communication device through a cellular telephone network in response to a vending request for the purchase of a product from the vending machine being communicated by the mobile communicating device to the media server through the cellular telephone network;

generating a random session key in the ACCV based on the public key;

communicating the random session key as an audio signal from the ACCV to the media server through the mobile communication device, the audio signal with the random session key being communicated from the mobile communicating device to the media server through the cellular telephone network; and

establishing a secure communication between the ACCV and the media server utilizing the random session key.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein communicating the vending request from the mobile communicating device to the media server comprises:

determining a vending machine identification number of the vending machine and a product identification number of the product;

dialing, via the mobile communication device, at least one of a unique set of symbols and a unique set of digits and numbers, the symbols, digits and numbers being translated by a Mobile Switching Center (MSC) providing access to the mobile communication device;

routing the translated symbols, digits and numbers to a verification server for subscriber account verification;

forwarding user account information to a billing server for credit approval on determination of a valid subscriber account by the verification server; and

forwarding a request by the billing server to the media server on successful credit approval, for creating a public key embedded in one or more musical tones, the musical tones being audible or non-audible.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein routing the translated symbols, digits and numbers to the verification server comprises routing the translated symbols, digits and numbers in the form of a call detail record (CDR) to the verification server.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein forwarding user account information to the billing server comprises forwarding an account number associated with the subscriber, a mobile identification number of the mobile communication device, and the at least one of a unique set of symbols and a unique set of digits and numbers to the billing server for further processing.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the credit approval by the billing server comprises determining if the subscriber has appropriate funds in the subscriber account using the user account information.

12. The method of claim 7 wherein receiving the public key in the audio code collector and validator (ACCV) of the vending machine from the mobile communication device comprises:

forwarding the one or more musical tones from the media server to the Mobile Switching Center (MSC) along with an indication to the MSC for sending an alert to the mobile communication device for instructing the subscriber to place the mobile communication device against an acoustic coupler of the ACCV, the alert being a text message or an audible message;

forwarding the alert by the MSC to the mobile communication device; and

forwarding the musical tones from the MSC to the acoustic coupler on the subscriber placing the mobile communication device against the acoustic coupler.

13. The method of claim 7 wherein generating a random session key in the ACCV comprises:

converting the musical tones to a digital bit stream; and

retrieving the public key that is embedded in the digital bit stream.

14. The method of claim 7 wherein communicating the random session key as an audio signal from the ACCV to the media server through the mobile communication device comprises:

communicating the random session key as an audio signal from the ACCV to a verification server; and

forwarding the random session key from the verification server to the media server.

15. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

receiving a purchase check code in the mobile communication device from a verification server for confirming the purchase of the product;

communicating a confirmation of the purchase from the mobile communication device to the verification server;

receiving a purchase confirmation message from the verification server, the purchase confirmation message is one of a text message or a voice message and informs the subscriber to place the mobile communication device against an acoustic coupler of the ACCV for a final transaction;

receiving a dispense code in the ACCV from the media server; and

dispensing the purchased product from the vending machine based on the dispense code.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the purchase check code is at least one of a voice message and a text message, the purchase check code informing the subscriber that the mobile device can be removed from the acoustic coupler.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the purchase confirmation message contains information about at least one of the purchase cost, information about the account, and optional marketing information.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein dispensing the purchased product from the vending machine based on the dispense code comprises:

querying the media server by the verification server for a valid dispense code;

embedding the dispense code by the media server into an audio signal and forwarding the audio signal to the acoustic coupler through the mobile communication device; and

validating the dispense code by the ACCV and forwarding the dispense code to a dispensing module for proper dispensing of the purchased product.

19. The method of claim 15 further comprising querying the billing server by the verification server for product code billing information, wherein the billing server supplies a cost associated with the desired purchased product to the verification server.