Products and processes for controlling access to vending machine products
First Claim
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1. A method of operating a vending machine, comprising:
- receiving, at the vending machine, an indication of a product selected by a customer;
selecting, based on the product selected by the customer, a plurality of questions, wherein the plurality of questions are at least one of;
(i) downloaded by the vending machine from a remote computer;
(ii) accessed by the vending machine from a removable memory medium; and
(iii) read by the vending machine from a packaging of the selected product;
outputting, in response to the receiving of the indication of the selected product, the plurality of questions to the customer;
receiving, at the vending machine and from the customer, an indication of an answer to each of the plurality of questions;
scoring, by the vending machine, the customer'"'"'s answers, thereby determining a score for the customer;
determining, by the vending machine and based on the customer'"'"'s score, which of a plurality of pre-determined levels of access the customer has achieved, wherein each of the plurality of pre-determined levels of access defines a different subset of products that may be purchased from the vending machine; and
selling to the customer, via the vending machine and in the case that the product selected by the customer is a member of the subset of products that corresponds to the specific pre-determined level of access achieved by the customer, a unit of the product.
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Abstract
An embodiment of the invention includes receiving a request to purchase a product from a vending machine. At least one question to be output is determined, and the determined question is output. An interface is provided which that permits at least one answer to the at least one question to be entered by a customer. At least one answer to the at least one question is received via the interface. Based on the answer, a level of access to one or more products available for sale by the vending machine is determined. A product is provided if the level of access permits providing of a product.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method of operating a vending machine, comprising:
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receiving, at the vending machine, an indication of a product selected by a customer; selecting, based on the product selected by the customer, a plurality of questions, wherein the plurality of questions are at least one of; (i) downloaded by the vending machine from a remote computer; (ii) accessed by the vending machine from a removable memory medium; and (iii) read by the vending machine from a packaging of the selected product; outputting, in response to the receiving of the indication of the selected product, the plurality of questions to the customer; receiving, at the vending machine and from the customer, an indication of an answer to each of the plurality of questions; scoring, by the vending machine, the customer'"'"'s answers, thereby determining a score for the customer; determining, by the vending machine and based on the customer'"'"'s score, which of a plurality of pre-determined levels of access the customer has achieved, wherein each of the plurality of pre-determined levels of access defines a different subset of products that may be purchased from the vending machine; and selling to the customer, via the vending machine and in the case that the product selected by the customer is a member of the subset of products that corresponds to the specific pre-determined level of access achieved by the customer, a unit of the product. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method of operating a vending machine, comprising:
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receiving, at the vending machine, an indication of a product selected by a customer; selecting, based on at least one of; (i) an identifier of the customer; (ii) an amount of money provided by the customer to the vending machine; and (iii) a random selection; a plurality of questions; outputting, in response to the receiving of the indication of the selected product, the plurality of questions to the customer; receiving, at the vending machine and from the customer, an indication of an answer to each of the plurality of questions; scoring, by the vending machine, the customer'"'"'s answers, thereby determining a score for the customer; determining, by the vending machine and based on the customer'"'"'s score, which of a plurality of pre-determined levels of access the customer has achieved, wherein each of the plurality of pre-determined levels of access defines a different subset of products that may be purchased from the vending machine; and selling to the customer, via the vending machine and in the case that the product selected by the customer is a member of the subset of products that corresponds to the specific pre-determined level of access achieved by the customer, a unit of the product. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 14)
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12. A method of operating a vending machine, comprising:
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receiving, at the vending machine, an indication of a product selected by a customer; outputting, in response to the receiving of the indication of the selected product, a plurality of questions to the customer; receiving, at the vending machine and from the customer, an indication of an answer to each of the plurality of questions, wherein the receiving of the indication of the answer to each of the plurality of questions comprises at least one of; (i) receiving the indication wirelessly from an electronic device operated by the customer; and (ii) receiving, via the vending machine, a paper substrate upon which the customer has indicated the answers; scoring, by the vending machine, the customer'"'"'s answers, thereby determining a score for the customer; determining, by the vending machine and based on the customer'"'"'s score, which of a plurality of pre-determined levels of access the customer has achieved, wherein each of the plurality of pre-determined levels of access defines a different subset of products that may be purchased from the vending machine; and selling to the customer, via the vending machine and in the case that the product selected by the customer is a member of the subset of products that corresponds to the specific pre-determined level of access achieved by the customer, a unit of the product. - View Dependent Claims (13, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification