System and method for communicating vending information

• US 9,524,368 B2
• Filed: 04/01/2013
• Issued: 12/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Redbox Automated Retail LLC (Chicken Soup For The Soul Holdings LLC)
• Original Assignee: Redbox Automated Retail LLC (Chicken Soup For The Soul Holdings LLC)
• Inventors: Kuehnrich, Franz, Kaplan, Gregg
• Primary Examiner(s): WAGGONER, TIMOTHY R
• Application Number:
  US13/854,692
• Publication Number:
  US 20140081450A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,359 Days
• Field of Search: 700/236, 700/240, 700/241, 700/244
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06311 Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/127 Shopping or accessing services according to a time-limitation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/204 comprising interface for record bearing medium or carrier for electronic funds transfer or payment credit
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/387 Payment using discounts or coupons relating to marketing G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0238 at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0645 Rental transactions; Leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/004 Restocking arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/007 wherein the storage and dispensing mechanism are configurable in relation to the physical or geometrical properties of the articles to be stored or dispensed
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/04 in which magazines the articles are stored one vertically above the other
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/165 using xyz-picker or multi-dimensional article picking arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/26 Endless bands
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/48 the storage containers or supports, e.g. magazine, being pivotally mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/50 the storage containers or supports being rotatably mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/54 about vertical axes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/62 in which the articles are stored in compartments in fixed receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0042 : for hiring of objects
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/005 : for the hiring of content carriers, e.g. of DVDs or CDs reverse vending for box-like objects such as videocassettes G07F7/069
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/16 : for devices exhibiting advertisements, announcements, pictures or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/26 : for printing, stamping, franking, typing or teleprinting apparatus ticket printing or the like apparatus G07F17/42
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/069 : by box-like containers, e.g. videocassettes, books
• 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 9/023 : Arrangements for display, data presentation or advertising
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/026 : for alarm, monitoring and auditing in vending machines or means for indication, e.g. when empty
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/10 : Casings or parts thereof, e.g. with means for heating or cooling

Abstract

A system and method for communicating vending information is provided. The system includes a plurality of vending apparatuses, each containing a vending inventory comprised of vendible products, and a control center in communication with the plurality of vending apparatuses configured to receive user information. The user information can include a vending request for a vendible product and a location identifier. The system is further configured to select a vending apparatus from the plurality of vending apparatuses based on the location identifier, determine whether the requested vendible product is in the vending inventory of the selected vending apparatus, and transmit an electronic message to a user-specified electronic mail address upon determining that the requested vendible product is in the vending inventory of the selected vending machine.

Claims

1. A system for communicating vending information for a non-media vendible product comprising:

a first vending apparatus at a first location having a first vending inventory;

a second vending apparatus at a second location having a second vending inventory; and

a control center in communication with the first and second vending apparatuses, configured to receive a vending request to obtain a vendible product at the first location, wherein upon a determination that the requested vendible product is not present in the first vending inventory, the control center selects the second vending apparatus based on the proximity of the second location of the second vending apparatus to the first location, configured to determine whether the vendible product is present in the second vending inventory, and configured to transmit an electronic message to a user-specified address indicating whether the vendible product is in the second vending inventory.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first and second vending apparatuses comprise user interfaces for receiving an identifier of a user who requests the vendible product.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein each user interface comprises a card reader for receiving the identifier of a user who requested the vendible product.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the first and second vending apparatuses further comprise an article transfer opening for vending the requested vendible product to a user who requested it.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the control center is configured to determine the second location based on a location identifier received from a user.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the vendible product is a digital video disc.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the vending request is received from a user interface generated at a user client computer at a remote location.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic message is an electronic mail message.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic message is an instant message.

10. A system for communicating vending information for a non-media vendible product comprising:

a plurality of vending apparatuses, each containing a vending inventory comprised of vendible products; and

a control center in communication with the plurality of vending apparatuses configured to receive user information, including a vending request for a vendible product and a location identifier, configured to select a vending apparatus from the plurality of vending apparatuses based on the location identifier, configured to determine whether the requested vendible product is in the vending inventory of the selected vending apparatus, and configured to transmit an electronic message to a user-specified electronic mail address upon determining that the requested vendible product is in the vending inventory of the selected vending apparatus.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising a central database containing information corresponding to the vending inventories of the plurality of vending apparatuses.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the vending request is received from a user interface generated at a user client computer at a remote location.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the electronic message is an electronic mail message.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein each vending apparatus further comprises a vending controller configured to generate a signal to deliver the requested vendible product.

15. A system for communicating vending information for a non-media vendible product comprising:

a plurality of vending apparatuses each containing a vending inventory comprised of vendible products; and

a control center in communication with the plurality of vending apparatuses and configured to receive user information, including a vending request for a vendible product and a location identifier, configured to determine whether the inventories of more than one of the plurality of vending apparatuses contain the requested vendible product, configured to identify the closest vending apparatus containing the requested vendible product in its inventory based on the proximity to the location identifier, and configured to transmit an electronic message to a user-specified electronic mail address identifying the closest vending apparatus that contains the requested vendible product in its inventory.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the control center is further configured to transmit an electronic message to the user-specified electronic mail address identifying the second closest vending apparatus that contains the requested vendible product in its inventory.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the vending request is further configured to receive a user request to reserve the requested vendible product at the closest vending apparatus that contains the requested vendible product in its inventory.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein each vending apparatus further comprises a vending controller configured to generate a signal to deliver the requested vendible product.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the control center is further configured to send a signal to the vending controller reserving the vendible product upon receipt of a user request to reserve the requested vendible product at the closest vending apparatus that contains the requested vendible product in its inventory.

20. The system of claim 15, further comprising a central database containing information corresponding to the vending inventories of the plurality of vending apparatuses.