Systems and method for vending machine settlement

• US 7,810,721 B2
• Filed: 08/03/2006
• Issued: 10/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Transaction Network Services Incorporated (Trident Private Holdings I LLC)
• Original Assignee: Transaction Network Services Incorporated (Trident Private Holdings I LLC)
• Inventors: Powell, John, LeVake, Thomas Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAIL, ALLYSON NEEL
• Application Number:
  US11/499,136
• Publication Number:
  US 20070138265A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,531 Days
• Field of Search: 235/381, 235/375, 235/379, 705/30, 705/39, 705/71
• US Class Current: 235/381
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/24 Credit schemes, i.e. "pay after"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3829 involving key management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/026 for alarm, monitoring and auditing in vending machines or means for indication, e.g. when empty
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/00 Cash registers alarm indicators G07G3/00

Abstract

The present invention relates to systems and methods for reconciliation or settlement of vending machine accounts. The present invention creates a transaction data packet having a transaction information for a credit transaction carried out on the vending device, where the vending device is configured to conduct a credit based vending transaction, forwards the transaction data packet for the credit transaction to a host processor, adds a host transaction identifier to the transaction data packet to create a modified transaction data packet for the transaction; sends the modified transaction data packet it to a merchant processor, receives an interim report from the merchant processor, calculates and applies individual interchange values to the transaction using stored rate table values, assigns a vending device identifier using the host transaction identifier to the modified transaction packet, identifies a correct time and date of a respective machine fill corresponding to the transaction on the vending device, forwards transaction information to a vending device route operator, and assigns the transaction to the vending device against a specific fill period for a total card transaction value and a card transaction value net merchant processor and association fees.

Claims

1. A method for reconciling transactions for an unattended vending device, the method comprising:

creating a transaction data packet having transaction information for a credit transaction carried out on the vending device, wherein the vending device is configured to conduct a credit based vending transaction;

forwarding the transaction data packet for the credit transaction to a host processor;

adding a host transaction identifier to the transaction data packet to create a modified transaction data packet for the transaction;

sending the modified transaction data packet to a merchant processor;

receiving an interim report from the merchant processor;

calculating and applying individual interchange values to the transaction using stored rate table values;

assigning a vending device identifier using the host transaction identifier to the modified transaction packet;

identifying a correct time and date of a respective machine fill corresponding to the transaction on the vending device;

forwarding transaction information to a vending device route operator; and

assigning the transaction to the vending device against a specific fill period for a total card transaction value and a card transaction value net merchant processor and association fees.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the interim report includes a transaction information previously received and processed by the merchant processor;

wherein said transaction information is sent to a credit card association to obtain an associated interchange rate code for use in calculating an association interchange fee for each transaction;

wherein the transaction is identified with the host transaction identifier.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein upon a particular vending device being re-filled with products for vending, batch information corresponding to the date of the re-fill and cash and credit totals stored in the vending device are transmitted to the host processor.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein transaction value and interchange value are stored in a database corresponding to a time period between re-fills, and wherein the transaction value and interchange value are totaled and reconciled against aggregated transactions and aggregated interchange fees.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein reconciliation is conducted by forwarding the transaction information and associated stored information for the transaction and the vending device to the vending merchant or by the vending merchant accessing such information via a computer network.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein reconciliation is conducted via a wireless communications network.

7. The method according to claim 4, wherein reconciliation is conducted via a wired communications network.

8. The method according to claim 4, wherein the transaction information further comprises a file containing description of the credit card transaction gross sales data and the credit card transaction gross sales data;

wherein the file containing description of the credit card transaction gross sales data includes date and time that the file is created and a number of records contained in the file;

wherein the credit card transaction gross sales data includes a credit card number, date and time of credit transaction sale request, an identification number representing a physical location of the vending device, an identification number for the host processor operated credit card vending enabled device, a column number of the vending device, a vending price, and date and time of when the data is imported to the merchant processor.

9. The method according to claim 4, wherein the transaction packet further comprises information concerning fees associated with the computer network.

10. A method for reconciling transactions for vending devices operated by a vending merchant, the method comprising:

creating a transaction data packet comprising transaction information for credit transactions carried out on the vending device;

forwarding the transaction data packet for the credit transaction to a host processor;

adding a host transaction identifier and an applicable interchange code to the transaction data packet to create a modified transaction data packet for the transaction;

calculating an interchange amount upon an applicable interchange code being included in the modified transaction data packet from a rate code category for the transaction;

associating the transaction with a particular vending device using a corresponding vending device identifier;

storing the transaction information, the transaction identifier, the interchange code, the interchange amount and the vending device identifier for the transaction in a transaction database; and

assigning a closing date for the transaction.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein upon a particular vending device being re-filled with products for vending, batch information corresponding to a date of the re-fill and cash and credit totals stored in the vending device are transmitted to the host processor.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the transaction value and interchange value stored in the database corresponding to a time period between re-fills are totaled and reconciled against aggregated transactions and optionally against aggregated interchange fees obtained in the batch information.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein reconciliation is conducted by forwarding the transaction information and associated stored information for the transaction and the vending device to the vending merchant or by the vending merchant accessing such information via a computer network.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein reconciliation is conducted via a wireless communications network.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein reconciliation is conducted via a wired communications network.

16. The method according to claim 13, wherein the transaction information further comprises a file containing description of the credit card transaction gross sales data and the credit card transaction gross sales data;

wherein the file containing description of the credit card transaction gross sales data includes date and time that the file is created and a number of records contained in the file;

wherein the credit card transaction gross sales data includes a credit card number, date and time of credit transaction sale request, an identification number representing a physical location of the vending device, an identification number for the host processor operated credit card vending enabled device, a column number of the vending device, a vending price, and date and time of when the data is imported to the merchant processor.

17. The method according to claim 13, wherein the transaction packet further comprises information concerning fees associated with the computer network.

18. A system for reconciling transactions in a plurality of unattended vending devices operated by a vending merchant, the system comprising:

a server operating software having computer instructions enabling;

receipt of a transaction data packet, the transaction data packet comprising transaction information for credit transactions carried out on a vending device;

addition of a transaction identifier and an applicable interchange code to the transaction data packet to create a modified transaction data packet for the transaction;

calculation of an interchange amount from a rate code category for the transaction;

association of the transaction with the particular vending device using a corresponding vending device identifier;

storage of the transaction information, the transaction identifier, the interchange code, the interchange amount and the vending device identifier for the transaction in a transaction database; and

assignment of a closing date for each transaction.

19. The system according to claim 18, wherein upon a particular vending device being re-filled with products for vending, batch information corresponding to a date of the re-fill and cash and credit totals stored in the vending device are transmitted to the host processor.

20. The system according to claim 19, wherein the transaction value and interchange value stored in the database corresponding to a time period between re-fills are totaled and reconciled against aggregated transactions and optionally against aggregated interchange fees obtained in the batch information.

21. The system according to claim 20, wherein reconciliation is conducted by forwarding the transaction information and associated stored information for the transaction and the vending device to the vending merchant or by the vending merchant accessing such information via a computer network.