SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR COMMUNICATING VENDING INFORMATION

• US 20090005904A1
• Filed: 03/26/2008
• Published: 01/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2005
• 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, Hoersten, Eric
• Granted Patent: US 7,853,354 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/241
• 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 for a digital video disc is provided. A plurality of vending transaction data is received, wherein each of the plurality of data comprises a transaction timestamp and corresponds to a rental transaction for a digital video disc. The plurality of vending transaction data is stored in a memory of a vending apparatus, and is encrypted. It is determined whether a predetermined period of time has elapsed since a first transmission of transaction data from the vending apparatus, and a communication request is transmitted upon such determination to a remote control center. A signal is received at the vending apparatus from a control center in response to the communications request, and a plurality of vending transaction data is transmitted to the remote control center in response to receiving the signal.

Claims

1. A method for communicating vending information for a plurality of vendible media products having entertainment content therein to a control center, comprising the steps of:

loading the vendible media products into an article transport storage unit;

assigning the article transport storage unit to a vending apparatus, where the vending apparatus comprises an article transport storage unit receiving station and at least one article storage rack;

receiving vending transaction data at the vending apparatus, the vending transaction data being representative of a plurality of vending transactions;

storing the vending transaction data in a memory;

loading the article transport storage unit into the article transport storage unit receiving station of the vending apparatus;

automatically transferring the vendible media products from the article transport storage unit to the at least one storage rack for later rental or purchase; and

,

transmitting the vending transaction data from the memory to the control center after the article transport storage unit has been loaded.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising encrypting the vending transaction data.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising deleting the vending transaction data from the memory after the vending transaction data has been transmitted to the control center.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving additional vending transaction data after the article transport storage unit has been loaded.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising determining whether the additional vending transaction data exceeds a predetermined data storage threshold and transmitting the additional vending transaction data after the predetermined data storage threshold has been exceeded.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising determining whether a predetermined period of time has elapsed since a prior transmission of vending transaction data.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of transmitting the additional vending transaction data after the predetermined period of time has elapsed.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the vending transaction data corresponds to one or more rental transactions for a digital video disc.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the vending transaction data comprises a transaction timestamp.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving additional vending transaction data after the article transport storage unit has been installed.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the vending controller determines whether the additional vending transaction data exceeds a predetermined data storage threshold and sends the additional vending transaction data to the control center controller upon determining that the additional vending transaction data exceeds the predetermined storage threshold.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the vending controller determines whether a predetermined period of time has elapsed since transmission of vending transaction data.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the additional vending transaction data is sent to the control center controller after the predetermined period of time has elapsed.

10. A system for communicating vending information for a vendible media product to a control center controller via a transaction network, the vendible media product having entertainment content therein, comprising:

a vending machine;

an article transport storage unit that may be removably installed into the vending machine, where the article transport storage unit stores a plurality of vendible media products and automatically transfers the vendible media products from the article transport storage unit to the vending machine; and

,

a vending controller for sending vending transaction data to the control center controller via the transaction network after the article transportation storage unit is installed into the vending machine, wherein the vending transaction data corresponds to one or more rental transactions for the vendible media product.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the vending transaction data corresponds to a rental transaction for a digital video disc.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the vending transaction data includes a transaction timestamp.

17. A system for communicating vending information for a vendible media product to a remote control center via a transaction network, the vending information being gathered by a plurality of vending machines and the vendible media product having entertainment content therein, comprising:

an article transport storage unit that may be removably installed into one of the vending machines, wherein the article transport storage unit stores vendible media products and automatically transfers the vendible media products from the article transport storage unit to the vending machine; and

,

a vending controller for transmitting vending transaction data to the remote control center via the transaction network after the article transport storage unit is installed, wherein the vending transaction data corresponds to a rental transaction.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the vending controller transmits the vending transaction data in response to receiving a signal indicating that the article transport storage unit has been installed.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the vending controller transmits additional vending transaction data based on a determination that a predetermined period of time has elapsed since transmission of vending transaction data.

20. A method for communicating vending information for a digital video disc having entertainment content therein to a remote control center, comprising the steps of:

receiving vending transaction data, wherein the vending transaction data includes a transaction timestamp and corresponds to a rental transaction for a digital video disc;

storing the vending transaction data in a memory of a vending apparatus;

encrypting the vending transaction data;

loading an article transport storage unit;

transmitting a communication request to the remote control center from the vending apparatus upon a determination that the article transport storage unit has been loaded;

receiving at the vending apparatus a signal from the remote control center in response to the communication request;

transmitting the vending transaction data to the remote control center in response to receiving the signal; and

,

deleting the vending transaction data from the memory after the vending transaction data has been transmitted.