Vending machine service scheduling taking into account hardness data indicating importance of minimizing the number of service visits to a vending machine and/or to the vending machine's location

• US 8,311,867 B1
• Filed: 04/21/2010
• Issued: 11/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cantaloupe, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Cantaloupe Systems Incorporated (Cantaloupe, Inc.)
• Inventors: Arora, Mandeep Singh, Lwin, Allen
• Primary Examiner(s): Boswell, Beth V
• Assistant Examiner(s): Anderson, Folashade
• Application Number:
  US12/764,326
• Time in Patent Office: 937 Days
• Field of Search: 705/7.12, 700/231, 700/244
• US Class Current: 705/7.12
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/20 Administration of product repair or maintenance

Abstract

If a vending machine is selected for service at a particular location, other vending machines at the same location may or may not be selected depending on the importance of minimizing the number of service visits to the other machines at the location.

Claims

1. A system-implemented method for selecting one or more vending machines for being serviced in a predefined service period SP1, the system comprising circuitry, wherein the vending machines are located at a plurality of locations, and at least one location has more than one vending machines, the method comprising:

(1) selecting, by the system controlled by the circuitry, vending machines according to one or more first selection rules for selecting the vending machines, wherein an application of the one or more first selection rules to a vending machine results in the machine being selected or unselected for being serviced in the service period SP1;

(2) for at least one location L1 comprising at least a vending machine VM1 and a vending machine VM2, wherein the vending machine VM1 has been selected according to the one or more first selection rules, and wherein the vending machine VM2 has been unselected according to the one or more first selection rules,

determining, by the system controlled by the circuitry, if one or more second selection rules apply to the vending machine VM2, each second selection rule being a rule for selecting a vending machine, wherein an application of the one or more second selection rules to a vending machine results in the vending machine being selected or unselected for being serviced in the service period SP1, at least one second selection rule taking into account hardness data associated with the vending machine or the vending machine'"'"'s location, the hardness data being indicative of at least one hardness factor h which indicates one or more of;

hardness of reaching the vending machine'"'"'s location;

hardness of reaching the vending machine at the vending machine'"'"'s location;

hardness of servicing the vending machine at the vending machine'"'"'s location;

wherein the at least one second selection rule applies to the vending machine if the hardness data indicates that;

at least one hardness factor h of the factors (i) and (ii) is greater than a respective threshold value or is greater than or equal to the respective threshold value, or

an increasing function depending on each hardness factor h is greater than a respective threshold value or is greater than or equal to the respective threshold value;

wherein;

(3) selecting, by the system controlled by the circuitry, the vending machine VM2 for being serviced in the service period SP1 if the one or more second selection rules apply to the vending machine VM2.

2. The method of claim 1 comprising generating, by the system controlled by the circuitry, an estimated time-to-service for the vending machine VM2, wherein each vending machine'"'"'s time-to-service is a time until the vending machine will need service;

wherein determining if the one or more second selection rules apply comprises generating an estimated time ET1 which is a minimum of an estimated time-to-service-from-service for one or more of the vending machines at the location L1, wherein each vending machine'"'"'s time-to-service-from-service is a smallest time until the vending machine will again need service if serviced in the period SP1;

wherein for at least one hardness factor h for the vending machine VM2, the respective threshold value depends on the vending machine VM2'"'"'s estimated time-to-service and the estimated time ET1.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the threshold value depending on the vending machine VM2'"'"'s time-to-service and the estimated time ET1 is an increasing function of the vending machine VM2'"'"'s estimated time-to-service and is a decreasing function of the estimated time ET1.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the threshold value depending on the vending machine VM2'"'"'s time-to-service and the estimated time ET1 is equal to the vending machine VM2'"'"'s estimated time-to-service divided by the estimated time ET1.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein the estimated time ET1 is the minimum of the estimated time-to-service-from-service for all of the one or more vending machines at the location L1.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein the estimated time ET1 is the minimum of the estimated time-to-service-from-service for the one or more vending machines at the location L1 which have been selected according to the one or more first selection rules.

7. The method of claim 2 wherein the estimated time ET1 is the minimum of the estimated time-to-service-from-service for the one or more vending machines at the location L1 which have been selected according to the one or more first selection rules or to the one or more second selection rules.

8. The method of claim 2 wherein for at least one hardness factor h, the respective threshold value depending on the vending machine VM2'"'"'s time-to-service and the estimated time ET1 is equal to the ratio

DaysToService/Min(DaysToServiceFromRestock)

wherein:

DaysToService is the vending machine VM2'"'"'s estimated time-to-service measured in days,

DaysToServiceFromRestock is the time-to-service-from-service measured in days, and

Min(DaysToServiceFromRestock) is the estimated time ET1.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein for the machine VM2, the associated hardness data is indicative of the hardness factor h which indicates the hardness of reaching the vending machine'"'"'s location and at least one of the second rules applies to the machine VM2 if the hardness factor h exceeds the respective threshold.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more second selection rules comprise a rule that an amount of cash in the vending machine be at least a predefined threshold.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more second selection rules comprise a rule that a predefined required-service-interval for the machine expire in or before the period SP1, the required-service-interval being predefined as a maximum time that the vending machine VM2 should be allowed to operate without service.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the hardness data associated with the machine VM2 is indicative of the hardness factor h which indicates the hardness of reaching the vending machine at the vending machine'"'"'s location, and at least one of the second rules applies to the machine VM2 if the hardness factor h exceeds the respective threshold.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the hardness data associated with the machine VM2 is indicative of the hardness factor h which indicates both the hardness of reaching the vending machine'"'"'s location and the hardness of reaching the vending machine at the vending machine'"'"'s location and at least one of the second rules applies to the machine VM2 if the hardness factor h exceeds the respective threshold.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more second selection rules are used only for selecting vending machines not selected in operation (1) but present at one or more locations each of which comprises at least one vending machine selected in operation (1).

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the one or more locations each of which comprises at least one vending machine selected in operation (1) comprise a plurality of the locations, and the hardness data associated with at least two of the machines at respective two of the locations are indicative of the respective hardness factors h which indicate the hardness of reaching the respective locations factor (i) and are different for the respective two locations.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the vending machine VM2 is one of a plurality of first vending machines, each first vending machine being a vending machine at the location L1 and being unselected in operation (1), and the operation (2) is performed for each first vending machine with associated hardness data indicative of the respective hardness factor h which indicates the hardness of reaching the respective vending machine at the location L1, the hardness factor h being (i) and defined separately for each first vending machine, with the hardness factors h being different for at least two of the first vending machines.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the operation (2) is performed for each location comprising at least one machine selected in operation (1) for at least as long as the service schedule for the period SP1 is not full, with the one or more second selection rules being applied to select or not to select a machine present at the location but not selected in operation (1).

18. The method of claim 1, wherein at most one hardness factor h is defined for each vending machine and each vending machine'"'"'s location.

19. A computer system comprising one or more computer processors and computer-readable memory, the computer system being configured to perform a method comprising:

(1) selecting vending machines according to one or more first selection rules for selecting the vending machines, wherein an application of the one or more first selection rules to a vending machine results in the machine being selected or unselected;

(2) for at least one location L1 comprising at least a vending machine VM1 and a vending machine VM2, wherein the vending machine VM1 has been selected according to the one or more first selection rules, and wherein the vending machine VM2 has been unselected according to the one or more first selection rules,

determining if one or more second selection rules apply to the vending machine VM2, each second selection rule being a rule for selecting a vending machine, wherein an application of the one or more second selection rules to a vending machine results in the vending machine being selected or unselected, at least one second selection rule taking into account hardness data associated with the vending machine or the vending machine'"'"'s location, the hardness data being indicative of at least one hardness factor h which indicates one or more of;

hardness of reaching the vending machine'"'"'s location;

hardness of reaching the vending machine at the vending machine'"'"'s location;

hardness of servicing the vending machine at the vending machine'"'"'s location;

wherein the at least one second selection rule applies to the vending machine if the hardness data indicates that;

at least one hardness factor h is greater than a respective threshold value or is greater than or equal to the respective threshold value, or

an increasing function depending on each hardness factor h is greater than a respective threshold value or is greater than or equal to the respective threshold value;

(3) selecting the vending machine VM2 if the one or more second selection rules apply to the vending machine VM2.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the method comprises generating an estimated time-to-service for the vending machine VM2, wherein each vending machine'"'"'s time-to-service is a time until the vending machine will need service;

wherein determining if the one or more second selection rules apply comprises generating an estimated time ET1 which is a minimum of an estimated time-to-service-from-service for one or more of the vending machines at the location L1, wherein each vending machine'"'"'s time-to-service-from-service is a smallest time until the vending machine will again need service if serviced in the period SP1;

wherein for at least one hardness factor h for the vending machine VM2, the respective threshold value depends on is to be selected if the vending machine VM2'"'"'s estimated time-to-service and the estimated time ET1.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein the threshold value depending on the vending machine VM2'"'"'s time-to-service and the estimated time ET1 is an increasing function of the vending machine VM2'"'"'s estimated time-to-service and is a decreasing function of the estimated time ET1.

22. The system of claim 20 wherein the threshold value depending on the vending machine VM2'"'"'s time-to-service and the estimated time ET1 is equal to the vending machine VM2'"'"'s estimated time-to-service divided by the estimated time ET1.

23. The system of claim 20 wherein the estimated time ET1 is the minimum of the estimated time-to-service-from-service for all of the one or more vending machines at the location L1.

24. The computer system of claim 20 wherein for at least one hardness factor h, the respective threshold value depending on the vending machine VM2'"'"'s time-to-service and the estimated time ET1 is equal to the ratio

DaysToService/Min(DaysToServiceFromRestock)

wherein:

DaysToService is the vending machine VM2'"'"'s estimated time-to-service measured in days,

DaysToServiceFromRestock is the time-to-service-from-service measured in days, and

Min(DaysToServiceFromRestock) is the estimated time ET1.

25. The system of claim 19 wherein the hardness data for the machine VM2 is indicative of the hardness factor h which indicates the hardness of reaching the vending machine at the vending machine'"'"'s location, and at least one of the second rules applies to the machine VM2 if the hardness factor h exceeds the respective threshold.

26. The system of claim 19 wherein the hardness data associated with the machine VM2 is indicative of the hardness factor h which indicates both the hardness of reaching the vending machine'"'"'s location and the hardness of reaching the vending machine at the vending machine'"'"'s location, and at least one of the second rules applies to the machine VM2 if the hardness factor h exceeds the respective threshold.

27. The system of claim 19 wherein the one or more second selection rules are used only for selecting vending machines not selected in operation (1) but present at one or more locations each of which comprises at least one vending machine selected in operation (1).

28. The system of claim 27 wherein the one or more locations each of which comprises at least one vending machine selected in operation (1) comprise a plurality of the locations, and the hardness data associated with at least two of the machines at respective two of the locations are indicative of the respective hardness factors h which indicate the hardness of reaching the respective locations factor (i) and are different for the respective two locations.

29. The system of claim 19 wherein the vending machine VM2 is one of a plurality of first vending machines, each first vending machine being a vending machine at the location L1 and being unselected in operation (1), and the operation (2) is performed for each first vending machine with associated hardness data indicative of the respective hardness factor h which indicates the hardness of reaching the respective vending machine at the location L1, the hardness factor h being defined separately for each first vending machine, with the hardness factors h being different for at least two of the first vending machines.

30. The system of claim 19 wherein the operation (2) is performed for each location comprising at least one machine selected in operation (1) for at least as long as the service schedule is not full, with the one or more second selection rules being applied to select or not to select a machine present at the location but not selected in operation (1).

31. The computer system of claim 19 wherein at most one hardness factor h is defined for each vending machine and each vending machine'"'"'s location.

32. A manufacture comprising a computer readable data medium comprising one or more computer instructions operable to cause a computer system to perform a method comprising:

(1) selecting vending machines according to one or more first selection rules for selecting the vending machines, wherein an application of the one or more first selection rules to a vending machine results in the machine being selected or unselected;

(2) for at least one location L1 comprising at least a vending machine VM1 and a vending machine VM2, wherein the vending machine VM1 has been selected according to the one or more first selection rules, and wherein the vending machine VM2 has been unselected according to the one or more first selection rules,

determining if one or more second selection rules apply to the vending machine VM2, each second selection rule being a rule for selecting a vending machine, wherein an application of the one or more second selection rules to a vending machine results in the vending machine being selected or unselected, at least one second selection rule taking into account hardness data associated with the vending machine or the vending machine'"'"'s location, the hardness data being indicative of at least one hardness factor h which indicates one or more of;

hardness of reaching the vending machine'"'"'s location;

hardness of reaching the vending machine at the vending machine'"'"'s location;

hardness of servicing the vending machine;

wherein the at least one second selection rule applies to the vending machine if the hardness data indicates that;

at least one hardness factor h is greater than a respective threshold value or is greater than or equal to the respective threshold value, or

an increasing function depending on each hardness factor h is greater than a respective threshold value or is greater than or equal to the respective threshold value;

(3) selecting the vending machine VM2 if the one or more second selection rules apply to the vending machine VM2.

33. The manufacture of claim 32 wherein the method comprises generating an estimated time-to-service for the vending machine VM2, wherein each vending machine'"'"'s time-to-service is a time until the vending machine will need service;

wherein determining if the one or more second selection rules apply comprises generating an estimated time ET1 which is a minimum of an estimated time-to-service-from-service for one or more of the vending machines at the location L1, wherein each vending machine'"'"'s time-to-service-from-service is a smallest time until the vending machine will again need service if serviced in the period SP1;

wherein for at least one hardness factor h for the vending machine VM2, the respective threshold value depends on the vending machine VM2'"'"'s estimated time-to-service and on the estimated time ET1.

34. The manufacture of claim 33 wherein the threshold value depending on the vending machine VM2'"'"'s time-to-service and the estimated time ET1 is an increasing function of the vending machine VM2'"'"'s estimated time-to-service and is a decreasing function of the estimated time ET1.

35. The manufacture of claim 33 wherein the threshold value depending on the vending machine VM2'"'"'s time-to-service and the estimated time ET1 is equal to the vending machine VM2'"'"'s estimated time-to-service divided by the estimated time ET1.

36. The manufacture of claim 33 wherein the estimated time ET1 is the minimum of the estimated time-to-service-from-service for all of the one or more vending machines at the location L1.

37. The manufacture of claim 33 wherein for at least one hardness factor h, the respective threshold value depending on the vending machine VM2'"'"'s time-to-service and the estimated time ET1 is equal to the ratio

DaysToService/Min(DaysToServiceFromRestock)

wherein:

DaysToService is the vending machine VM2'"'"'s estimated time-to-service measured in days,

DaysToServiceFromRestock is the time-to-service-from-service measured in days, and

Min(DaysToServiceFromRestock) is the estimated time ET1.

38. The manufacture of claim 32 wherein the hardness data associated with the machine VM2 is indicative of the hardness factor h which indicates the hardness of reaching the vending machine at the vending machine'"'"'s location, and at least one of the second rules applies to the machine VM2 if the hardness factor h exceeds the respective threshold.

39. The manufacture of claim 32 wherein the hardness data associated with the machine VM2 is indicative of the hardness factor h which indicates both the hardness of reaching the vending machine'"'"'s location and the hardness of reaching the vending machine at the vending machine'"'"'s location each of the factors (i) and (ii), and at least one of the second rules applies to the machine VM2 if the hardness factor h exceeds the respective threshold.

40. The manufacture of claim 32 wherein the one or more second selection rules are used only for selecting vending machines not selected in operation (1) but present at one or more locations each of which comprises at least one vending machine selected in operation (1).

41. The manufacture of claim 40 wherein the one or more locations each of which comprises at least one vending machine selected in operation (1) comprise a plurality of the locations, and the hardness data associated with at least two of the machines at respective two of the locations are indicative of the respective hardness factors h which indicate the hardness of reaching the respective locations and are different for the respective two locations.

42. The manufacture of claim 32 wherein the vending machine VM2 is one of a plurality of first vending machines, each first vending machine being a vending machine at the location L1 and being unselected in operation (1), and the operation (2) is performed for each first vending machine with associated hardness data indicative of the respective hardness factor h which indicates the hardness of reaching the respective vending machine at the location L1, the hardness factor h being defined separately for each first vending machine, with the hardness factors h being different for at least two of the first vending machines.

43. The manufacture of claim 32 wherein the operation (2) is performed for each location comprising at least one machine selected in operation (1) for at least as long as the service schedule is not full, with the one or more second selection rules being applied to select or not to select a machine present at the location but not selected in operation (1).

44. The manufacture of claim 32 wherein at most one hardness factor h is defined for each vending machine and each vending machine'"'"'s location.