System and method for vending products

• US 9,454,868 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2013
• Issued: 09/27/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Neo Eco Systems Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Neo Eco Systems Ltd.
• Inventors: Hirshbain, Shlomo
• Primary Examiner(s): GOKHALE, PRASAD V
• Application Number:
  US14/376,168
• Publication Number:
  US 20140379123A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,335 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/1657 the picking arrangements using suction
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/18 Recessed drawers
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/38 in which the magazines are horizontal
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/62 in which the articles are stored in compartments in fixed receptacles
• 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

Abstract

A vending machine comprising two or more compartmentalized storage units (CSUs), each comprising a compartment array configured for accommodating items in different compartments of the grid. The items are independently accessible; a retrieval system configured for accessing the compartments to retrieve an item and providing it to a desired location within the vending machine, other than its respective compartment; a controller associated with an items map indicative of the content and location of the items within the compartment array of the CSU. The controller is configured for operating the retrieval system to access an item based on the items map; The controller is further configured for receive an indication of the location of an first empty compartment, which contains no item therein, in a first CSU, to transfer a first item from a second compartment of a second CSU to the first empty compartment; and to update the items map to indicate that the second compartment is empty and that the first item is located at the first compartment.

Claims

1. A vending machine comprising:

two or more compartmentalized storage units (CSUs), each comprising a compartment array configured for accommodating two or more items in different compartments of the grid, the items being independently accessible;

a retrieval system configured for accessing at least one of said compartments to retrieve at least one of said two or more items and providing the retrieved item to a desired location within the vending machine, other than its respective compartment;

a controller associated with an items map indicative of the content and location of at least one of the two or more items within the compartment array of the CSU, the controller being configured for operating said retrieval system to access at least one of said two or more items based on said items map;

wherein said controller is further configured and operable to;

designate a first CSU of said CSUs based on a given characteristic thereof;

receive an indication of the location of at least a first empty compartment, which contains no item therein, in at least said first CSU;

transfer at least a first item from a second compartment of a second CSU of said CSUs to said first empty compartment; and

update said items map to indicate that said second compartment is empty and that said first item is located at said first compartment of the first CSU, and

wherein said first CSU is associated with a first emptying priority and said second CSU is associated with a second emptying priority, and wherein said second emptying priority is higher than said first emptying priority, said first and second emptying priorities being determined according to;

said given characteristic of said first CSU;

a parameter associated with the second CSU; and

a parameter associated with the item to be moved.

2. The vending machine of claim 1, wherein said controller is further configured and operable to:

receive an indication of one or more given items within said first CSU, said given items meeting an expiration date return threshold indicative of nearing the expiration date of said one or more given items; and

transfer at least one of said given items to a given compartment of said second CSU.

3. A vending machine comprising:

at least one compartmentalized storage unit (CSUs) configured with an array of compartments for accommodating two or more items at different locations of the array, the items being independently accessible, wherein said CSU is removably received within the vending machine, thereby enabling replacement thereof with a new CSU;

a retrieval system configured for accessing the compartment array to retrieve items therefrom and providing a retrieved item to a desired location within the vending machine;

a controller associated with an items map of the array said map indicative of the content and location of the items within the compartment array of the CSU, the controller being configured and operable to operate said retrieval system to access different locations of the array based on said items map providing an output signal responsive to which said items map is updated following the retrieval of an item from the compartment array;

wherein said controller is further configured and operable to;

receive, at the vending machine, CSU identification data enabling identification of a new CSU;

authenticate the new CSU, using at least the CSU identification data; and

in case the authentication is successful, receive, from an external source separate from the vending machine, an update to the items map, said update being indicative of the content of a plurality of compartments of said new CSU.

4. The vending machine of claim 3, wherein said controller is further configured to:

receive a product dispensing request including data indicative of a selected product type;

retrieve from said items map a location of one or more items required for dispensing of a product of the selected product type;

dispense the product utilizing the one or more items; and

update the items map to indicate that the locations of said one or more items are empty.

5. The vending machine of claim 4, wherein said controller is further configured to:

receive an indication of at least a first compartment that is empty in at least a first CSU of said CSUs;

transfer at least a first item from a second compartment of a second CSU of said CSUs to said first compartment; and

update said items map to indicate that said second compartment is empty and that said first item is located at said first compartment.

6. The vending machine of claim 5, wherein said controller is further configured to send a consumption report to a back-office system, wherein said consumption report includes information indicative of the utilization of the one or more items, said consumption report is sent to said back-office system following determination that the inventory levels of said vending machine are low.

7. The vending machine of claim 6, wherein said new CSU is associated with a destination vending machine ID and wherein during said authenticate, the controller is configured to verify that the destination vending machine ID associated with the new CSU is identical to a vending machine ID of the vending machine.

8. A vending machine according to claim 3, wherein said lift mechanism is configured, by the above lifting, for increasing the gap g to G so as to allow the retrieval system to access a predetermined compartment array.

9. A method for refilling a vending machine comprising one or more compartmentalized storage units (CSUs), the method comprising:

receiving, at the vending machine, CSU identification data enabling identification of a new CSU, wherein said new CSU comprises a plurality of compartments;

authenticating the new CSU, using at least the CSU identification data; and

in case the authentication is successful, receiving, from an external source separate from the vending machine, an items map indicative of the content of a plurality of compartments of said new CSU.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving a product dispensing request including data indicative of a selected product type;

retrieving from said items map a location of one or more items required for dispensing of a product of the selected product type;

dispensing the product utilizing the one or more items; and

updating the items map to indicate that the locations of said one or more items are empty.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving an indication of at least a first compartment that is empty in at least a first CSU of said CSUs;

transferring at least a first item from a second compartment of a second CSU of said CSUs to said first compartment; and

updating said items map to indicate that said second compartment is empty and that said first item is located at said first compartment.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising sending a consumption report to a back-office system, wherein said consumption report includes information indicative of the utilization of the one or more items, wherein said consumption report is sent to said back-office system following determination that the inventory levels of said vending machine are low.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein said CSU identification data is a CSU ID, and wherein said new CSU is associated with a destination vending machine ID and wherein said authenticating comprises verifying that the destination vending machine ID associated with the new CSU is identical to a vending machine ID of the vending machine.

14. A method for distributing a plurality of items between a plurality of compartmentalized storage units (CSUs), the method comprising:

providing an items map indicative of the content of a plurality of compartments of said plurality of CSUs;

designating a first CSU of said plurality of CSUs based on a given characteristic thereof;

receiving an indication of at least a first compartment that is empty in at least said first CSU;

transferring at least a first item from a second compartment of a second CSU of said CSUs to said first compartment; and

updating said items map to indicate that said second compartment is empty and that said first item is located at said first compartment of the first CSU,

wherein said first CSU is associated with a first emptying priority and said second CSU is associated with a second emptying priority, and

wherein said second emptying priority is higher than said first emptying priority, said first and second emptying priorities being determined according to;

said given characteristic of the first CSU;

a parameter associated with the second CSU; and

a parameter associated with the item to be moved.