System and method for communicating vending information
First Claim
1. A method for communicating vending information for a plurality of vendible media products having entertainment content therein to a control center, comprising the steps of:
- loading the plurality of vendible media products into an article transport storage unit;
assigning the article transport storage unit to a vending apparatus, where the vending apparatus comprises an article transport storage unit receiving station and at least one article storage rack;
receiving vending transaction data at the vending apparatus, the vending transaction data being representative of a plurality of vending transactions;
storing the vending transaction data in a memory;
loading the article transport storage unit into the article transport storage unit receiving station of the vending apparatus;
automatically transferring the plurality of vendible media products from the article transport storage unit to the at least one article storage rack for later rental or purchase; and
,transmitting the vending transaction data from the memory to the control center after the article transport storage unit has been loaded.
8 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for communicating vending information for a digital video disc is provided. A plurality of vending transaction data is received, wherein each of the plurality of data comprises a transaction timestamp and corresponds to a rental transaction for a digital video disc. The plurality of vending transaction data is stored in a memory of a vending apparatus, and is encrypted. It is determined whether a predetermined period of time has elapsed since a first transmission of transaction data from the vending apparatus, and a communication request is transmitted upon such determination to a remote control center. A signal is received at the vending apparatus from a control center in response to the communications request, and a plurality of vending transaction data is transmitted to the remote control center in response to receiving the signal.
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Citations
9 Claims
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1. A method for communicating vending information for a plurality of vendible media products having entertainment content therein to a control center, comprising the steps of:
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loading the plurality of vendible media products into an article transport storage unit; assigning the article transport storage unit to a vending apparatus, where the vending apparatus comprises an article transport storage unit receiving station and at least one article storage rack; receiving vending transaction data at the vending apparatus, the vending transaction data being representative of a plurality of vending transactions; storing the vending transaction data in a memory; loading the article transport storage unit into the article transport storage unit receiving station of the vending apparatus; automatically transferring the plurality of vendible media products from the article transport storage unit to the at least one article storage rack for later rental or purchase; and
,transmitting the vending transaction data from the memory to the control center after the article transport storage unit has been loaded. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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Specification