METHOD OF TRANSACTING AN ELECTRONIC MAIL, AN ELECTRONIC COMMERCE, AND AN ELECTRONIC BUSINESS TRANSACTION BY AN ELECTRONIC COMMERCE TERMINAL USING A WIRELESSLY NETWORKED PLURALITY OF PORTABLE DIGITAL DEVICES

• US 6,763,336 B1
• Filed: 06/23/2000
• Issued: 07/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cantaloupe, Inc.
• Original Assignee: USA Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Kolls, H. Brock
• Primary Examiner(s): Hafiz, Tariq R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Meinecke-Díaz, Susanna
• Application Number:
  US09/602,842
• Time in Patent Office: 1,481 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705/14, 705/26, 705/44, 700/231-244, 713/183, 713/200-202
• US Class Current: 705/44
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/327 Short range or proximity payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• 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

The present invention relates to a method of transacting e-mail, e-commerce, e-business and for transaction of other data communications having associated transaction data for use with a universal server by wirelessly networking a plurality of portable digital devices to an electronic commerce terminal. The system can also effectuate electronic commerce and interactive advertising at the point of sale. Vending equipment can be networked to each other through a first network, programmable and accessible by a PC, server, point of sale (POS) system, property or management information system (PMS/MIS), and networked to a second network. Complete control of a vending machine'"'"'s functionality including usage, control, diagnostics, inventory, and marketing data capture can be effectuated locally or by remote connection to the network. Remote connection to the network includes Internet type connections, telecommunication (telephone, ISDN, ADSL), VSAT satellite, and other wire and wireless transmission.

Claims

1. A method of transacting e-mail, e-commerce, e-business and for transaction of other data communications having associated transaction data for use with a universal server by wirelessly networking a plurality of portable digital devices to an electronic commerce terminal, the method comprising the steps of:

a) communicating at least one of a system beacon and a wake up prompt between at least one of said plurality of portable digital devices and said electronic commerce terminal;

b) establishing a network link between said at least one portable digital device and said electronic commerce terminal;

c) providing said transaction data to said universal server from said electronic commerce terminal;

d) determining if a dynamic identification interchange is required based on said transaction data received over said network link and interchanging a user identification associated with said transaction data with a further form of user identification based on said determination data;

e) processing said transaction data;

f) determining whether a period of non-use of said electronic commerce terminal has occurred;

g) determining if said period of non-use exceeds a predetermined time period;

h) generating an error message based on said determination of step g);

i) determining if at least one of a system limit and a authorization limit of a user is at least one of reached and exceeded and generating an output based on said determination;

j) reauthorizing said user based on said determination of step I); and

k) reprocessing said plurality of transaction data based on said reauthorization.

2. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said electronic mail is sent or received.

3. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said electronic commerce transaction is further processed.

4. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said electronic business transaction is further processed.

5. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said transaction data comprises financial service information.

6. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein a plurality of database data and other types of data are synchronized between at least one of I) said electronic commerce terminal and said at least one portable digital device and ii) at least a portion of said plurality of portable digital devices.