Products and processes for controlling access to vending machine products

• US 7,912,580 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2008
• Issued: 03/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Inventor Holdings LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Original Assignee: Walker Digital LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Inventors: Walker, Jay S., Breitenbach, Paul T., Tedesco, Daniel E., Jorasch, James A., Tedesco, Robert C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Waggoner, Timothy R
• Application Number:
  US12/031,323
• Publication Number:
  US 20080161082A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,132 Days
• Field of Search: 700/237, 700/244
• US Class Current: 700/237
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/009 User recognition or proximity detection

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.

Claims

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.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

preventing a selling to the customer, via the vending machine and in the case that the product selected by the customer is not 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.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of questions is stored in a memory of the vending machine.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting of the plurality of questions is 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.

5. The method of claim 1, 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.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the outputting comprises:

outputting the paper substrate to the customer, wherein the paper substrate is printed with indications of the plurality of questions.

7. 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 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.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the plurality of questions is 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.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

preventing a selling to the customer, via the vending machine and in the case that the product selected by the customer is not 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.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the plurality of questions is stored in a memory of the vending machine.

11. The method of claim 7, 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.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the outputting comprises:

outputting the paper substrate to the customer, wherein the paper substrate is printed with indications of the plurality of questions.

12. A method of operating a vending machine, comprising:

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.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the outputting comprises:

outputting the paper substrate to the customer, wherein the paper substrate is printed with indications of the plurality of questions.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the plurality of questions is 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.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

preventing a selling to the customer, via the vending machine and in the case that the product selected by the customer is not 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.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the plurality of questions is stored in a memory of the vending machine.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

selecting the plurality of questions 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.