System and method for dispensing pre-paid items using a uniquely identified container

• US 8,768,505 B2
• Filed: 08/25/2009
• Issued: 07/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Validfill LLC
• Original Assignee: Bryan Thompson
• Inventors: Thompson, Bryan
• Primary Examiner(s): COLLINS, MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US12/547,166
• Publication Number:
  US 20110054678A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,771 Days
• Field of Search: 700/237, 700/236, 700/240, 700/244
• US Class Current: 700/237
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

A system and method for providing a pre-paid product using a unique container. The system comprises a computer system comprising a storage medium readable by a processing circuit and stored instructions for execution by the processing circuit. The computer system includes a sales module that acquires an identifier for the unique container and generates a credential ID for a customer. The sales module also activates the unique container, and stores the identifier for the unique container and the corresponding credential ID in the storage medium. Also included is a dispensing module that receives a request from a remote dispensing device for validation of the unique container to receive the prepaid product, compares a received identifier and a received credential ID with the identifier and the credential ID stored in the storage medium, and authorizes the dispensing of the prepaid product if they match.

Claims

1. A system for providing a pre-paid product to an authorized customer using a unique container, comprising:

a storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for providing validation of the unique container and the authorized customer;

a sales module that acquires a container ID for the unique container and generates a credential ID for the authorized customer receiving the unique container, wherein the credential ID is related to the container ID, but is separate element carriable by the customer independently of the container, and wherein the sales module activates the unique container and stores the container ID for the unique container and the related credential ID for the authorized customer in the storage medium; and

a dispensing module that receives a request from a remote dispensing device for validation of the unique container to receive the prepaid product, wherein the dispensing module compares a received request container ID and a received request credential ID in the request to the stored container ID and the stored credential ID in the storage medium, respectively, and authorizes the dispensing of the prepaid product only if the received request container ID matches the stored container ID and the received request credential ID and the stored credential ID, wherein the match of the request credential ID and the stored credential ID validates the authorized customer, wherein the match of the request container ID and the stored container ID validates the container, and wherein the dispensing module authorizes the dispensing of the prepaid product only if the authorized customer presents the container ID to validate the container and also presents the credential ID to validate the authorized customer.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the container ID is embedded in the container.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the embedded container ID is an RFID device.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the container ID is selected from the group consisting of a barcode, hologram, pictogram, printed code, holes in the unique container, radio tag, magnetic chip or strip, electrical resistance of the unique container, capacitance of the unique container, bumps on the unique container, lines on the unique container and etchings on the unique container.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the credential ID is selected from the group consisting of a biometric reading, magnetic encoding on an object, a key code that can be punched into a keypad, a digitally encoded electronic key, a mechanical key, a fingerprint scan, facial recognition, retinal scan, a card with coding holes punched in it, a card with barcode, a card with a number, and a card with a hologram.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the sales module determines a plurality of products that are enabled for dispensing to the unique container as the prepaid product.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the dispensing module further comprises a condition module that does not authorize the dispensing of the pre-paid product requested if the prepaid product requested is not one of the plurality of products enabled for dispensing to the unique container.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the dispensing module further comprises a condition module that does not authorize the dispensing of the pre-paid product requested if a predetermined amount of time has passed since storing the container ID for the unique container and the corresponding credential ID for the authorized customer in the storage medium.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the dispensing module further comprises a condition module that does not authorize the dispensing of the pre-paid product requested if a predetermined amount of time has not passed since a last request to receive the prepaid product requested or another of the enabled products.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the customer can deactivate the unique container by having the container ID for the unique container removed from the storage medium.

11. A method for providing a prepaid product from a remote dispensing station, wherein the remote dispensing station receives authorization to dispense the prepaid product from a computer system in communication with the remote dispensing station, and wherein the computer system comprises a storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for performing the method, the method comprising:

processing a sales transaction for a unique container having a container ID and at least one condition of sale;

generating a credential ID for the authorized customer that activates the unique container and is related to the container ID but is a separate element carriable by the customer independently of the container;

saving in the storage medium the related container ID and credential ID, along with the at least one condition of sale;

receiving a request to authorize the dispensing of the prepaid product into the container, wherein the request includes a request container ID and a request credential ID; and

enabling the remote dispensing station to dispense the requested prepaid product into the container only if the request container ID matches the stored container ID in the storage medium to validate the container and the request credential ID matches the stored credential ID in the storage medium related to the container ID to validate the authorized customer, and wherein the dispensing module authorizes the dispensing of the prepaid product only if the authorized customer presents the container ID to validate the container and also presents the credential ID to validate the authorized customer.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the container ID is embedded in the container.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising disabling the remote dispensing station from dispensing the requested prepaid product into the container if the prepaid product requested is not defined in the at least one condition of sale as one of the plurality of products enabled for dispensing to the container.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising disabling the remote dispensing station from dispensing the requested prepaid product into the container if a time period between each dispensing of the prepaid product into the container is less than a minimum time period defined in the at least one condition of sale.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising disabling the remote dispensing station from dispensing the requested prepaid product into the container product if a time period between each dispensing of the prepaid product into the container is more than a maximum time period defined in the at least one condition of sale.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one condition of sale is a maximum time period after the purchase to dispense the prepaid product into the container.

17. A remote dispensing station for use by an authorized customer with a unique container, the remote dispensing station comprising:

a storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for providing validation of the unique container and the authorized customer;

a plurality of products to be provided to the authorized customer;

a container ID reader that acquires a request container ID of the unique container;

a credential ID reader that acquires a request credential ID provided by the authorized customer, wherein the credential ID is related to the container ID but is a separate element carriable by the customer independently of the container;

a transceiver for transmitting the request credential ID and the request container ID to a remote data system in a request for an authorization to dispense one of the plurality of products and for receiving a response to the request, wherein the response includes the authorization only if the request container ID matches a stored container ID in the storage medium to validate the container and the request credential ID matches a stored credential ID in the storage medium related to the container ID to validate the authorized customer, and wherein the response includes the authorization only if the authorized customer presents the container ID to the container ID reader to validate the container and also presents the credential ID to credential ID reader to validate the authorized customer; and

a dispenser to dispense one of the plurality of products into the unique container if the response to the request includes the authorization to dispense one of the plurality of products.

18. The remote dispensing station of claim 17, wherein the container ID reader further comprises an electrical ID reader for receiving an electrical signal emanating from the container.

19. The remote dispensing station of claim 18, wherein the electrical signal emanating from the container is an RFID signal.

20. The remote dispensing station of claim 17, wherein the container ID reader further comprises an optical ID reader for scanning data on the container.

21. The remote dispensing station of claim 20, wherein the credential ID reader further comprises a biometric scanner.

22. The remote dispensing station of claim 21, wherein the biometric scanner is a fingerprint scanner.

23. The remote dispensing station of claim 17, wherein the credential ID reader further comprises a keypad to input a key code.

24. The remote dispensing station of claim 17, wherein the credential ID reader further comprises an optical ID reader for scanning an optically scannable object.

25. The remote dispensing station of claim 24, wherein the optically scannable object is a printed card and the optical ID reader scans the printed card.