System and method for communicating vending information

• US 7,787,987 B2
• Filed: 04/25/2008
• Issued: 08/31/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2004
• 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, Kaplan, Gregg
• Primary Examiner(s): Crawford; Gene
• Assistant Examiner(s): Waggoner; Timothy R
• Application Number:
  US12/110,101
• Publication Number:
  US 20090005905A1
• Time in Patent Office: 858 Days
• Field of Search: 700/236, 700/240, 700/241, 221/197, 221/287, 221/79, 221/124, 221/129, 221/7
• 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 vendible media product having entertainment content therein, comprising the steps of:

receiving a vending request for the vendible media product at a first location;

determining whether the vendible media product is in a first vending inventory within a first vending apparatus at the first location;

determining whether the vendible media product is in a second vending inventory within a second vending apparatus at a second location, upon a determination that the vendible media product is not in the first vending inventory within the first vending apparatus at the first location;

transmitting an electronic message to a user-specified address indicating whether the vendible media product is in the second vending inventory within the second vending apparatus at the second location; and

,

wherein the second location is determined based on a proximity between the first and second locations.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

generating an interface for a vending transaction at the first location; and

,

vending the vending product at the second location.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second locations are determined based on a location identifier received from a user.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the vendible media product is a digital video disc.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the vending request is received from a user interface generated at the first location.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the vending request is received from a user interface generated at a user computer located at a remote location.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the steps of receiving the vending request and transmitting the electronic mail message are performed at least in part by an Internet browser application.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic message is an electronic mail message.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic message is an instant message.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of receiving an article transport storage unit within an article transport storage unit receiving station of one of the vending apparatuses, wherein the article transport storage unit contains the vending inventory.

11. A method for communicating vending information for a vendible media product having entertainment content therein, comprising the steps of:

receiving user information, wherein the user information comprises a vending request for vendible media product and a location identifier;

selecting a vending apparatus based on the location identifier, wherein each vending apparatus contains a vending inventory comprised of vendible media products;

determining whether the requested vendible media product is in the vending inventory;

transmitting an electronic message to a user-specified electronic mail address upon determining that the requested vendible media product is in the vending inventory.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the vendible media product is a digital video disc.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the vending request is received from a user interface generated at a user computer located at a remote location.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the steps of transmitting the user information and the electronic mail message are performed at least in part by an Internet browser application.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the electronic message is an electronic mail message.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the electronic message is an instant message.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of receiving an article transport storage unit within an article transport storage unit receiving station of the vending apparatus, wherein the article transport storage unit contains the vending inventory.

18. A method for communicating vending information for a vendible media product having entertainment content therein, comprising the steps of:

receiving a vending request for vendible media product at a first location;

determining whether the requested vendible media product is in a first vending inventory within a first vending apparatus at the first location;

determining whether the requested vendible media product is in a second vending inventory within a second vending apparatus at a second location, upon a determination that the requested vendible media product is not in the first vending inventory within the first vending apparatus at the first location;

transmitting an electronic message to a user-specified electronic mail address indicating whether the requested vendible media product is in the second vending inventory within the second vending apparatus at the second location; and

,

wherein the first and the second locations are determined based on a location identifier received from a user.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the vendible media product is a digital video disc.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the vending request is received from a user interface generated at the first location.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the vending request is received from a user interface generated at a user computer located at a remote location.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein the electronic message is an electronic mail message.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein the electronic message is an instant message.

24. The method of claim 18, wherein the steps of receiving the vending request and transmitting the electronic mail message are performed at least in part by an Internet browser application.

25. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of loading an article transport storage unit into an article transport storage unit receiving station within one of the vending apparatuses, wherein the article transport storage unit contains the vending inventory.

26. A method for communicating vending information for a vendible media product having entertainment content therein, comprising the steps of:

receiving user information, wherein the user information comprises a request for vendible media product and a location identifier;

determining whether the requested vendible media product is contained in more than one vending apparatus, wherein each vending apparatus contains a vending inventory comprised of vendible media products;

identifying the closest vending apparatus where the vendible media product is located upon determining that the requested vendible media product is contained in the vending inventory of more than one of vending apparatus;

transmitting an electronic message to a user-specified address identifying the closest vending apparatus that contains the requested vendible media product; and

wherein the location of the closest vending apparatus is based on the location identifier.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the vendible media product is a digital video disc.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the vending request is received from a user interface generated at a user computer located at a remote location.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein the steps of transmitting the user information and the electronic mail message are performed at least in part by an Internet browser application.

30. The method of claim 26, wherein the electronic message is an electronic mail message.

31. The method of claim 26, wherein the electronic message is an instant message.

32. The method of claim 26, further comprising the step of loading an article transport storage unit into an article transport storage unit receiving station within one of the vending apparatuses, wherein the article transport storage unit contains the vending inventory.