Systems and methods for vending machine jackpots

• US 20060282323A1
• Filed: 05/09/2006
• Published: 12/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Walker Digital LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Original Assignee: Walker Digital LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Inventors: Tedesco, Daniel E., Jorasch, James A., Lee, Sih Y., Tedesco, Robert C., Walker, Jay S., Signorelli, Paul D., Breitenbach, Paul T.
• Application Number:
  US11/430,749
• Publication Number:
  US 20060282323A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.140
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0212 Chance discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3258 Cumulative reward schemes, e.g. jackpots
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 5/18 specially adapted for controlling several coin-freed apparatus from one place
• 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

According to an embodiment, a jackpot may be available as a prize and/or incentive via a vending machine. In some embodiments, a network of vending machines may contribute to and/or define the jackpot.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

determining, based at least in part on sales data of a vending machine, a jackpot amount that may be awarded as a customer prize;

displaying the jackpot amount;

determining an interaction of a customer with the vending machine;

determining whether the interaction of the customer with the vending machine qualifies the customer to receive the jackpot amount; and

providing, in the case that it is determined that the customer qualifies to receive the jackpot amount, the jackpot amount to the customer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the payout amount comprises at least one of:

(i) a number of free units of products offered for sale via the vending machine, and (ii) an amount of credit in an account associated with both the customer and the vending machine.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the interaction of the customer with the vending machine comprises at least one of:

(i) the customer purchasing a product from the vending machine, and (ii) the customer signing up for an account via the vending machine.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the interaction of the customer with the vending machine comprises the customer redeeming a unit of product pursuant to a subscription account associated with the vending machine.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining of whether the interaction of the customer with the vending machine qualifies the customer to receive the jackpot amount, comprises:

determining a random number; and

determining whether the random number matches a pre-determined jackpot number.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

notifying the customer, in the case that it is determined that the customer qualifies to receive the jackpot amount, that the customer has won the jackpot amount.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the notifying comprises:

printing a voucher indicative of the winning of the jackpot amount.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the voucher comprises an indication of a code that may be redeemed to obtain the jackpot amount.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the notifying comprises:

providing an indication of the winning of the jackpot amount via a game-themed output.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein a probability that the customer will qualify to receive the jackpot amount is determined based at least in part on the sales data of the vending machine.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein a probability that the customer will qualify to receive the jackpot amount is determined based at least in part on a product selected by the customer during the interaction of the customer with the vending machine.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein a probability that the customer will qualify to receive the jackpot amount is determined based at least in part on a type of payment tendered by the customer during the interaction of the customer with the vending machine.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the jackpot amount is funded by a pre-determined percentage of each sales transaction at the vending machine being contributed to the jackpot amount.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the pre-determined percentage of each sales transaction comprises a pre-determined percentage of retail prices of products sold during each transaction.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the pre-determined percentage of each sales transaction comprises a pre-determined percentage of a profit margin realized by each sales transaction.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the jackpot amount is funded by a pre-determined contribution amount for each sales transaction conducted by the vending machine.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the jackpot amount is further based at least in part on sales data of one or more other vending machines.

18. A method, comprising:

displaying, via a vending machine, a jackpot amount;

receiving, via a vending machine, an indication of a product selection from a customer;

receiving, via the vending machine, an indication of funds provided by the customer in exchange for the selected product;

determining whether the customer is a winner of the jackpot; and

adding, in the case that the customer is determined not to be a winner of the jackpot, an amount to the jackpot.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

receiving an indication of an update amount to be added to the jackpot, the update amount based on sales data of another vending machine;

adding the update amount to the jackpot; and

displaying the updated jackpot amount.

20. A system, comprising:

a first vending machine to dispense a first set of products to customers and to display a jackpot amount;

a second vending machine to dispense a second set of products to customers and to display the jackpot amount; and

a server in communication with each of the first and second vending machines, wherein the server is operable to define the jackpot amount based on sales data of each of the first and second vending machines.