Method and apparatus for vending a combination of products

• US 20020161653A1
• Filed: 03/11/2002
• Published: 10/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PayPal, Inc. (PayPal Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Walker Digital LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Inventors: Jorasch, James A., Tedesco, Daniel E., Lech, Robert R., Alderucci, Dean P., Walker, Jay S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,233,912 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/22
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/00 Payment architectures, schemes or protocols apparatus for performing or posting payment transactions G07F7/08, G07F19/00; electronic cash registers G07G1/12
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/201 Price look-up processing, e.g. updating
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring
• 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 30/0237 at kiosk
• 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: G07C 15/005 with dispensing of lottery tickets
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3248 involving non-monetary media of fixed value, e.g. casino chips of fixed value
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3255 Incentive, loyalty and/or promotion schemes, e.g. comps, gaming associated with a purchase, gaming funded by advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 5/18 specially adapted for controlling several coin-freed apparatus from one place
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 5/24 with change-giving
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/002 Vending machines being part of a centrally controlled network of vending machines
• 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: G07G 1/0036 Checkout procedures
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/12 : electronically operated digital data processing aspects G06Q20/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 5/00 : Receipt-giving machines cash registers giving receipts G07G1/00

Abstract

A method and apparatus for delivering a plurality of products from a vending machine is disclosed. The method generally allows an offer for a package to be output, in which the package defines a plurality of products, including a selected product. An apparatus is also disclosed to carry out the method steps of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining an amount of tendered payment;

receiving a product identifier corresponding to a product selected to be dispensed from a vending machine;

identifying at least one package which corresponds to the amount of tendered payment and the product identifier, each package defining a plurality of products which includes the selected product; and

outputting a signal representing an instruction to dispense the plurality of products defined by the package.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing an offer to sell the plurality of products including the selected product for a package price.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

providing a unique code after the step of providing; and

receiving the unique code before the step of outputting.

4. The method of claim 1, in which the step of outputting comprises:

outputting a signal to a vending machine to indicate that payment

5. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing a program, in which the program includes instructions to direct the processor to perform the method of claim 1.

6. A method comprising:

displaying an offer for a package having a package price, the package defining a plurality of products to be dispensed from a vending machine;

receiving a response to the offer;

displaying an instruction to select from a vending machine each of the products defined by the package; and

instructing the vending machine that payment for each of the products has been received.

7. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing a program, in which the program includes instructions to direct the processor to perform the method of claim 6.

8. A method comprising:

maintaining a database of at least one upsell price, said upsell price corresponding to an upsell product;

generating a credit amount, the credit amount representing an amount of deposited currency;

receiving a product identifier corresponding to a selected product;

determining a product price corresponding to the selected product;

determining a round-up amount representing a difference between the credit amount and the product price;

comparing the round-up amount with at least one of the upsell prices in the database; and

if the round-up amount corresponds to a compared upsell price,

identifying at least one upsell product in the database which corresponds to the compared upsell price, and

outputting a signal indicative of the identified upsell product.

9. A method, comprising:

receiving, at a vending device, a payment amount;

receiving a product identifier identifying a first product dispensed at the vending device;

determining a first price for the first product;

determining a round-up amount representing a difference between the payment amount and the first price;

identifying an at least first upsell offer corresponding to the round-up amount, the at least first upsell offer corresponding to an upsell product; and

outputting a signal indicative of the upsell offer.

10. A vending machine, comprising:

a memory configured to store;

a database of at least one upsell price, the upsell price corresponding to an upsell product;

a credit amount representing an amount of deposited currency;

a product identifier corresponding to a selected product;

an input device configured to receive the product identifier; and

a processor configured to;

generate the credit amount;

determine a product price corresponding to the product identifier;

determine a round-up amount representing a difference between the credit amount and the product price;

compare the round-up amount with at least one of the upsell prices in the database; and

if the round-up amount corresponds to a compared upsell price,

identify at least one upsell product in the database which corresponds to the compared upsell price, and

output a signal indicative of the identified upsell product.

11. A vending machine, comprising:

a memory, configured to store;

a received payment amount;

a product identifier; and

at least a first upsell offer;

an input device, configured to receive the product identifier;

a processor, configured to;

determine a first price of a first product identified by the product identifier;

determine a round-up amount representing a difference between the received payment amount and the first price; and

identify the at least first upsell offer corresponding to the round-up amount, the at least first upsell offer corresponding to an upsell product.

12. A vending apparatus, comprising:

means for receiving a payment amount;

means for receiving a product identifier identifying a first product dispensed at the vending apparatus;

means for determining a first price for the first product;

means for determining a round-up amount representing a difference between the payment amount and the first price; and

means for identifying an at least first upsell offer corresponding to the round-up amount, the at least first upsell offer corresponding to an upsell product.