Variance alerting dispenser system and variance detector apparatus and method

• US 6,718,311 B1
• Filed: 11/16/1998
• Issued: 04/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sprint Enterprises Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Sprint Enterprises Incorporated
• Inventors: Suo-Anttila, Tap
• Primary Examiner(s): Hafiz, Tariq R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ALLEN, AKIBA KANELLE
• Application Number:
  US09/192,765
• Time in Patent Office: 1,968 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705/16, 705/26, 705/500, 705/22, 705/28, 700/240, 700/236, 700/231, 700/233, 700/239, 700/283, 700/285, 221/1, 221/2, 221/5
• US Class Current: 705/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0643 Graphical representation of items or shoppers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/002 Vending machines being part of a centrally controlled network of vending machines
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/12 electronically operated digital data processing aspects G06Q20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 225/18 Progressively to or from one side edge

Abstract

A method, apparatus and system, the method comprising receiving a request indication representing a request for an item, receiving a provided indication representing providing said item, and signalling an operator when the request indication has no corresponding provided indication. The apparatus includes a request indication receiver for receiving the request indication, a provided indication receiver for receiving the provided indication, a processing circuit for determining when the request indication has no corresponding provided indication, and a signal device in communication with the processing circuit for signalling the operator when the request indication has no corresponding provided indication. The system includes the apparatus and further includes a point of sale terminal in communication with the request indication receiver for providing representations of new requested amounts of an item, and a fluid dispensing system in communication with the provided indication receiver for providing representations of new provided amounts of the item.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method comprising:

a) receiving and storing request indications representing requests for corresponding requested amounts of an item;

b) receiving and storing provided indications representing provided amounts of said item;

c) when a representation of a new requested amount is received, cancelling a previous provided amount and reducing said new requested amount by the cancelled previous provided amount and adding any reduced new requested amount to a previous requested amount;

d) when a representation of a new provided amount is received, cancelling a previous requested amount and reducing said new provided amount by the cancelled previous requested amount and adding and reduced new provided amount to a previous provided amount;

e) associating said previous requested amounts with respective time periods and associating said previous provided amounts with respective time periods; and

f) signalling an operator by causing the computer to provide at least one of a visual signal and an audio signal to the operator when the reduced new requested amount or the reduced new provided amount is not equal to zero.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein cancelling the previous provided amount includes cancelling the previous provided amounts associated with successively later time periods while reducing said new requested amount by each cancelled previous provided amount and adding any non-cancelled new requested amount to said previous requested amount associated with a latest time period.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein cancelling the previous requested amount includes cancelling the previous requested amounts associated with successively later time periods while reducing said new provided amount by each cancelled previous requested amount and adding any non-cancelled new provided amount to said previous provided amount associated with a latest time period.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1 further including receiving said representation of said new requested amount from a point of sale system.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1 further including receiving said representation of said new provided amount from a fluid dispensing system.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1 further including receiving said representation of said new provided amount from a liquor dispensing system.

7. A method as claim 1 further including maintaining a provided total of each of said cancelled previous provided amounts and previous provided amounts which have not been cancelled within a predefined period of time.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7 further including maintaining a requested total of each of said cancelled previous requested amounts and previous requested amounts which have not been cancelled within said pre-defined period of time.

9. A method as claimed in claim 8 further including calculating a difference between said provided total and said requested total.

10. A method as claimed in claim 9 further including displaying said difference.

11. A method as claimed in claim 1 further including calculating a sum of non-cancelled previous requested amounts.

12. A method as claimed in claim 11 further including displaying said sum of said non-cancelled previous requested amounts.

13. A method as claimed in claim 1 further including calculating a sum of non-cancelled previous provided amounts.

14. A method as claimed in claim 13 further including displaying said sum of said non-cancelled previous provided amounts.

15. A computer implemented method comprising:

a) receiving information indicating at least one of;

i) a new requested amount of at least one of a plurality of items; and

ii) a new provided amount of at least one of said plurality of items;

b) when said information indicating said new requested amount is received, storing said new requested amount and determining which of said items said new requested amount relates to and for said item cancelling a previous provided amount and reducing said new requested amount by the cancelled provided amount and adding any non-cancelled new requested amount to a previous requested amount;

c) when said information indicating said new provided amount is received, storing said new provided amount and determining which of said items said new provided amount relates to and for said item cancelling the previous requested amount and reducing said new provided amount by the cancelled requested amount and adding any non-cancelled new provided amount to said previous provided amount;

d) associating said previous requested amounts with respective time periods and associating said previous provided amounts with respective time periods; and

e) signalling an operator by causing the computer to provide at least one of a visual signal and an audio signal to the operator when said non-cancelled new requested amount or said non-cancelled new provided amount is not equal to zero.

16. A method as claimed in claim 15 wherein cancelling the previous provided amount includes cancelling the previous provided amounts associated with successively later time periods and reducing said new requested amount by each cancelled previous provided amount and adding any non-cancelled new requested amount to said previous requested amount associated with a latest time period.

17. A method as claimed in claim 15 wherein cancelling the previous requested amount includes cancelling the previous requested amounts associated with successively later time periods and reducing said new provided amount by each cancelled previous requested amount and adding any non-cancelled new provided amount to said previous provided amount associated with a latest time period.

18. A method as claimed in claim 15 wherein receiving said information indicating said new requested amount includes receiving said information indicating said new requested amount from a point of sale system.

19. A method as claimed in claim 15 wherein receiving said information indicating said new provided amount includes receiving said information indicating said new provided amount from a fluid dispensing system.

20. A method as claimed in claim 15 wherein receiving said information indicating said new provided amount includes receiving said information indicating said new provided amount from a liquor dispensing system.

21. A method as claimed in claim 15 further including, for each item of said plurality of items, maintaining a provided total of each of said cancelled previous provided amounts and previous provided amounts which have not been cancelled within a predefined period of time.

22. A method as claimed in claim 21 further including, for each item of said plurality of items, maintaining a requested total of each of said cancelled previous requested amounts and previous requested amounts which have not been cancelled within said pre-defined period of time.

23. A method as claimed in claim 22 further including, for each item of said plurality of items, calculating a difference between said provided total and said requested total.

24. A method as claimed in claim 23 further including displaying said difference, for at least one of said plurality of items.

25. A method as claimed in claim 15 further including, for each item of said plurality of items, calculating a sum of non-cancelled previous requested amounts.

26. A method as claimed in claim 25 further including displaying said sum of said non-cancelled previous requested amounts, for at least one of said plurality of items.

27. A method as claimed in claim 15 further including, for each item of said plurality of items, calculating a sum of non-cancelled previous provided amounts.

28. A method as claimed in claim 27 further including displaying said sum of said non-cancelled previous provided amounts, for at least one of said plurality of items.

29. An apparatus comprising:

a) means for receiving and means for storing request indications representing requests for corresponding requested amounts of an item;

b) means for receiving and means for storing provided indications representing providing amounts of said item;

c) means for cancelling a previous provided amount and reducing a new requested amount by the cancelled previous provided amount and adding any new requested amount to a previous requested amount;

d) means for cancelling a previous requested amount and reducing a new provided amount by the cancelled previous requested amount and adding any new provided amount to a previous provided amount;

e) means for associating said previous requested amounts with respective time periods and means for associating said previous provided amounts with respective time periods, and

f) means for signalling an operator by causing the computer to provide at least one of a visual signal and an audio signal to the operator when the reduced new requested amount or the reduced new provided amount is not equal to zero.

30. An apparatus as claimed in claim 29 wherein the means for cancelling the previous provided amount includes means for cancelling the previous provided amounts associated with successively later time periods and for reducing said new requested amount by each cancelled previous provided amount and for adding any noncancelled new requested amount to said previous requested amount associated with a latest time period.

31. An apparatus as claimed in claim 29 wherein the means for cancelling the previous requested amount includes means for cancelling the previous requested amounts associated with successively later time periods and for reducing said new provided amount by each cancelled previous requested amount and for adding any non-cancelled new provided amount to said previous provided amount associated with a latest time period.

32. An apparatus as claimed in claim 29 wherein said means for receiving said request indication includes means for receiving said representation of said new requested amount from a point of sale system.

33. An apparatus as claimed in claim 29 wherein said means for receiving said provided indication includes means for receiving said representation of said new provided amount from a fluid dispensing system.

34. An apparatus as claimed in claim 29 wherein said means for receiving said provided indication includes means for receiving said representation of said new provided amount from a liquor dispensing system.

35. An apparatus as claimed in claim 29 further including means for maintaining a provided total of each of said cancelled previous provided amounts and previous provided amounts which have not been cancelled within a pre-defined period of time.

36. An apparatus as claimed in claim 35 further including means for maintaining a requested total of each of said cancelled previous requested amounts and previous requested amounts which have not been cancelled within a pre-defined period of time.

37. An apparatus as claimed in claim 36 further including means for calculating a difference between said provided total and said requested total.

38. An apparatus as claimed in claim 37 further including means for displaying said difference.

39. An apparatus as claimed in claim 29 further including means for calculating a sum of non-cancelled previous requested amounts.

40. An apparatus as claimed in claim 39 further including means for displaying said sum of said non-cancelled previous requested amounts.

41. An apparatus as claimed in claim 29 further including means for calculating a sum of non-cancelled previous provided amounts.

42. An apparatus as claimed in claim 41 further including means for displaying said sum of said non-cancelled previous provided amounts.

43. An apparatus comprising:

a) a request indication receiver for receiving request indications representing requests for corresponding requested amounts of an item;

b) a provided indication receiver for receiving provided indications representing provided amounts of said item;

c) a storage device for storing said request indications and said provided indications;

d) a signal device operable to visually or audibly signal an operator; and

e) a processor circuit in cooperation with said storage device to

i) associate previous provided amounts with respective time periods and to associate previous requested amounts with respective time periods;

ii) when a new request indication is received cancel a previous provided amount, reduce a new requested amount by the cancelled provided amount and add the reduced new requested amount to a previous requested amount;

iii) when a new provided indication is received cancel said previous requested amount, and reduce a new provided amount by the cancelled requested amount and add the reduced new provided amount to a previous provided amount; and

iv) actuate said signal device to signal the operator when the reduced new requested amount or the reduced new provided amount is not equal to zero.

44. An apparatus as claimed in claim 43 wherein said processor circuit cooperates with said storage device to store said indications in said storage device.

45. An apparatus as claimed in claim 43 wherein said processor circuit cooperates with said storage device to associate said indication with respective time periods.

46. An apparatus as claimed in claim 43 wherein said processor circuit cooperates with the storage device to canceled previous provided amounts associated with successively later time periods and to reduce said new requested amount by each cancelled previous provided amount and to add any remaining new requested amount to said previous requested amount associated with a latest time period.

47. An apparatus as claimed in claim 43 wherein said processor circuit cooperates with the storage device to cancel previous requested amounts associated with successively later time periods and to reduce said new provided amount by each cancelled previous requested amount and to add any remaining new provided amount to said previous provided amount associated with a latest time period.

48. An apparatus as claimed in claim 43 wherein said request indication receiver is operable to receive said representation of said new requested amount from a point of sale system.

49. An apparatus as claimed in claim 43 wherein said provided indication receiver is operable to receive said representation of said new provided amount from a fluid dispensing system.

50. An apparatus as claimed in claim 43 wherein said provided indication receiver is operable to receive said indication of said new provided amount from a liquor dispensing system.

51. An apparatus as claimed in claim 43 wherein said processor circuit cooperates with said storage device to maintain a provided total of each of said cancelled previous provided amounts and previous provided amounts which have not been cancelled within a predefined period of time.

52. An apparatus as claimed in claim 51 wherein said processor circuit cooperates with said storage device to maintain a request total of each of said cancelled previous requested amounts and previous requested amounts which have not been cancelled within a pre-defined period of time.

53. An apparatus as claimed in claim 52 wherein said processor circuit cooperates with said storage device to calculate a difference between said provided total and said request total.

54. An apparatus as claimed in claim 53 wherein said signal device includes a display in communication with said processing circuit for displaying said difference.

55. An apparatus as claimed in claim 53 wherein said signal device includes a printer in communication with said processor circuit such that said processing circuit directs said printer to print an indication of said difference.

56. An apparatus as claimed in claim 43 wherein said processor circuit cooperates with said storage device to calculate a sum of non-cancelled previous requested amounts.

57. An apparatus as claimed in claim 56 wherein said signal device includes a display in communication with said processing circuit for displaying said sum of said non-cancelled previous requested amounts.

58. An apparatus as claimed in claim 43 wherein said processor circuit cooperates with said storage device to calculate a sum of non-cancelled previous provided amounts.

59. An apparatus as claimed in claim 58 wherein said signal device includes a display in communication with said processor circuit for displaying said sum of said non-cancelled previous provided amounts.

60. A system including the apparatus as claimed in claim 43 and further comprising a point of sale terminal in communication with said request indication receiver for providing said representations of said new requested amounts of said item.

61. A system as claimed in claim 60 further including a fluid dispensing system in communication with said provided indication receiver for providing said indications of said new provided amounts of said item.

62. A system as claimed in claim 61 wherein said fluid dispensing system includes a liquor dispensing system.

63. A system as claimed in claim 61 wherein said fluid dispensing system includes a beer dispensing system.

64. A system as claimed in claim 60 further including a printer in communication with said apparatus for printing information stored in said storage device.