U.S. patent application number 12/589788 was filed with the patent office on 2010-05-06 for systems and methods for vending machine customer account management.
Invention is credited to Matthew D. Breitenbach, Paul T. Breitenbach, Sih Y. Lee, Paul D. Signorelli, Daniel E. Tedesco, Jay S. Walker.
Application Number | 20100114368 12/589788 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38581785 |
Filed Date | 2010-05-06 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100114368 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Walker; Jay S. ; et
al. |
May 6, 2010 |
Systems and methods for vending machine customer account
management
Abstract
Some embodiments are associated with providing, establishing,
registering, administering, and/or managing vending machine
subscription accounts. In some embodiments, third parties may
administer and/or manage subscription-vending accounts associated
with customers.
Inventors: |
Walker; Jay S.; (Ridgefield,
CT) ; Breitenbach; Matthew D.; (Ridgefield, CT)
; Breitenbach; Paul T.; (Wilton, CT) ; Lee; Sih
Y.; (Northvale, NJ) ; Signorelli; Paul D.;
(Ridgefield, CT) ; Tedesco; Daniel E.; (Shelton,
CT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
WALKER DIGITAL MANAGEMENT, LLC
2 HIGH RIDGE PARK
STAMFORD
CT
06905
US
|
Family ID: |
38581785 |
Appl. No.: |
12/589788 |
Filed: |
October 28, 2009 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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11398378 |
Apr 5, 2006 |
7627496 |
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12589788 |
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PCT/US2004/041561 |
Dec 9, 2004 |
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11398378 |
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60668405 |
Apr 5, 2005 |
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60527988 |
Dec 9, 2003 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
700/236 ;
700/237 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06Q 30/02 20130101;
G07F 9/02 20130101; G06Q 20/02 20130101; G06Q 30/0613 20130101;
G06Q 20/20 20130101; G07F 9/002 20200501 |
Class at
Publication: |
700/236 ;
700/237 |
International
Class: |
G06F 17/00 20060101
G06F017/00 |
Claims
1. A method, comprising: providing an offer for a subscription to
products offered for sale by a vending machine; receiving an
indication of an acceptance of the offer; and registering the
subscription, wherein the registering comprises: determining a
customer associated with the subscription; determining a third
party associated with the subscription; and determining a
subscription identifier associated with the subscription.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the registering further
comprises: storing an indication of each of (i) the customer, (ii)
the third party, and (iii) the subscription identifier.
3. The method of claim 1, further comprising: determining one or
more parameters governing the subscription.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein the one or more parameters are
defined by the third party.
5. The method of claim 1, further comprising: detect a presence of
the customer proximate to the vending machine; instructing the
customer to provide payment; receiving an indication of payment
provided by the customer; and determining that the payment exceeds
a pre-defined threshold.
6. The method of claim 5, wherein the providing of the offer for
the subscription is based at least in part on the determination
that the payment exceeds the pre-defined threshold.
7. The method of claim 5, wherein the subscription offer is
provided to the customer in exchange for the provided payment.
8. The method of claim 1, further comprising: determining whether
to provide the subscription offer.
9. The method of claim 1, further comprising: selecting the
subscription offer from a plurality of available subscription
offers.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein the subscription identifier is
determined by receiving an indication of the subscription
identifier from at least one of the customer and the third
party.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein the indication of the
subscription identifier comprises biometric data.
12. The method of claim 1, wherein the subscription identifier is
defined by the vending machine.
13. The method of claim 1, further comprising: providing the
subscription identifier to the customer.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein the subscription identifier is
provided to the customer via at least one of (i) e-mail, (ii)
sound, (iii) graphical display, or (iv) a voucher.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 11/398,378, filed Apr. 5, 2006, entitled
"SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR VENDING MACHINE CUSTOMER ACCOUNT
MANAGEMENT", which application claims benefit and priority under 35
U.S.C. .sctn.119(e) to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No.
60/668,405 entitled "PRODUCTS AND PROCESSES FOR ESTABLISHING
MULTI-TRANSACTION RELATIONSHIPS WITH CUSTOMERS OF VENDING MACHINES"
filed Apr. 5, 2005;
[0002] which application is also a Continuation-In-Part of and
claims benefit and priority under 35 U.S.C. .sctn.120 to co-pending
International Application No. US2004/041561 entitled "PRODUCTS AND
PROCESSES FOR ESTABLISHING MULTI-TRANSACTION RELATIONSHIPS WITH
CUSTOMERS OF VENDING MACHINES" filed Dec. 9, 2004, which itself
claims benefit and priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application
Ser. No. 60/527,988 also entitled "PRODUCTS AND PROCESSES FOR
ESTABLISHING MULTI-TRANSACTION RELATIONSHIPS WITH CUSTOMERS OF
VENDING MACHINES" filed on Dec. 9, 2003.
[0003] Each of the above applications is incorporated by reference
in its entirety.
[0004] The present application is also related to Applicants' (1)
U.S. Pat. No. 6,298,972, entitled "METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR
ESTABLISHING AND MANAGING VENDING MACHINE SUBSCRIPTIONS", issued
Oct. 9, 2001; (2) U.S. Pat. No. 6,085,888, entitled "METHOD AND
APPARATUS FOR ESTABLISHING AND MANAGING VENDING MACHINE
SUBSCRIPTIONS", issued Jul. 11, 2000; (3) U.S. Pat. No. 5,988,346,
entitled "METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ESTABLISHING AND MANAGING
VENDING MACHINE SUBSCRIPTIONS", issued Nov. 23, 1999; and (4)
co-pending International Application No. US2005/015572 entitled
"PRODUCTS AND PROCESSES FOR PROVIDING OFFERS FOR PRODUCTS DISPENSED
FROM A DISPENSING DEVICE", filed on May 4, 2005.
BACKGROUND
[0005] Applicants have previously invented various systems and
methods for establishing and managing subscriptions to items sold
at vending machines. Such systems and methods and descriptions
thereof that may be found in the above-referenced related patents
are hereby incorporated by reference herein.
[0006] In some embodiments of applicants' prior inventions, a
vending machine control system may identify and output an offer for
a subscription to one or more products offered at a vending
machine. Such subscriptions may, for example, allow customers to
purchase at least two units of a product, and redeem the units of
the product at different points in time (e.g., one unit the first
day, another unit the following day). Such subscription offers may
provide customers with the ability to purchase the products (or
units of the products) at a discount relative to the total of the
retail prices of all the units. For example, a customer may be
offered the opportunity to purchase a "subscription" to six (6)
cans of soda, redeemable one per day (1/day), for the price of five
(5) cans. Subscription offers are a useful promotion as they permit
the vending machine to increase revenue in a predictable manner.
Further, any per unit discount provided by the subscription offer
and/or promotion may be economically justified by the guaranteed
increase in sales volume that results when the customer accepts the
subscription offer, and pays for the subscription.
[0007] In some situations, however, these and other embodiments may
be improved upon, supplemented, and/or otherwise altered to address
various shortcomings, inefficiencies, and/or to facilitate other
and/or additional desired functionalities.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] An understanding of embodiments described herein and many of
the attendant advantages thereof may be readily obtained by
reference to the following detailed description when considered
with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
[0009] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a system according to some
embodiments;
[0010] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a vending machine according to
some embodiments;
[0011] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of the external
appearance of a vending machine according to some embodiments;
[0012] FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a system according to some
embodiments;
[0013] FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B are schematic block diagrams of
exemplary configurations of software architecture according to some
embodiments;
[0014] FIG. 6 is a flow diagram of a method according to some
embodiments;
[0015] FIG. 7A, FIG. 7B, FIG. 7C, FIG. 7D, and FIG. 7E are block
diagrams of an exemplary display according to some embodiments;
[0016] FIG. 8 is a flow diagram of a method according to some
embodiments;
[0017] FIG. 9 is a block diagram of an exemplary display according
to some embodiments;
[0018] FIG. 10 is a block diagram of an exemplary display according
to some embodiments;
[0019] FIG. 11 is a block diagram of an exemplary display according
to some embodiments;
[0020] FIG. 12 is a block diagram of an exemplary display according
to some embodiments;
[0021] FIG. 13 is a block diagram of an exemplary display according
to some embodiments;
[0022] FIG. 14 is a block diagram of an exemplary display according
to some embodiments;
[0023] FIG. 15 is a block diagram of an exemplary display according
to some embodiments;
[0024] FIG. 16 is a block diagram of an exemplary display according
to some embodiments;
[0025] FIG. 17 is a block diagram of an exemplary display according
to some embodiments;
[0026] FIG. 18 is a block diagram of an exemplary display according
to some embodiments;
[0027] FIG. 19 is a block diagram of an exemplary display according
to some embodiments;
[0028] FIG. 20 is a block diagram of an exemplary display according
to some embodiments;
[0029] FIG. 21 is a block diagram of an exemplary display according
to some embodiments;
[0030] FIG. 22 is a block diagram of an exemplary display according
to some embodiments;
[0031] FIG. 23 is a block diagram of an exemplary display according
to some embodiments;
[0032] FIG. 24 is a block diagram of an exemplary display according
to some embodiments;
[0033] FIG. 25 is a block diagram of an exemplary display according
to some embodiments;
[0034] FIG. 26 is a block diagram of an exemplary display according
to some embodiments;
[0035] FIG. 27 is a block diagram of an exemplary display according
to some embodiments;
[0036] FIG. 28 is a block diagram of an exemplary display according
to some embodiments;
[0037] FIG. 29 is a block diagram of an exemplary display according
to some embodiments;
[0038] FIG. 30 is a block diagram of an exemplary display according
to some embodiments;
[0039] FIG. 31 is a block diagram of an exemplary display according
to some embodiments;
[0040] FIG. 32 is a block diagram of an exemplary display according
to some embodiments;
[0041] FIG. 33 is a block diagram of an exemplary display according
to some embodiments;
[0042] FIG. 34 is a block diagram of an exemplary display according
to some embodiments;
[0043] FIG. 35 is a block diagram of an exemplary display according
to some embodiments;
[0044] FIG. 36 is a block diagram of an exemplary display according
to some embodiments;
[0045] FIG. 37 is a block diagram of an exemplary display according
to some embodiments;
[0046] FIG. 38 is a block diagram of an exemplary display according
to some embodiments;
[0047] FIG. 39 is a block diagram of an exemplary display according
to some embodiments;
[0048] FIG. 40 is a block diagram of an exemplary display according
to some embodiments;
[0049] FIG. 41 is a block diagram of an exemplary display according
to some embodiments; and
[0050] FIG. 42 is a block diagram of an exemplary display according
to some embodiments;
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
I. Introduction
[0051] Applicants have recognized that, in some situations, it may
be advantageous to provide a vending machine (and/or other device,
such as a kiosk) configured to: (i) prompt a customer to provide an
indication of a subscription code and/or identifier; (ii) receive
the indication of the subscription code and/or identifier; (iii)
register customers for vending machine subscriptions; (iv) provide
subscription codes to customers; (v) determine and satisfy product
redemptions associated with vending machine customer subscriptions;
(vi) manage customer subscription accounts; and/or (vii) provide
third-party access and/or management of customer subscription
accounts.
[0052] According to some embodiments for example, a customer may
approach a vending machine that displays a message (e.g., via a
touch screen and/or other display device) instructing the customer
to insert money and/or to provide a subscription code and/or
identifier. The customer may, according to some embodiments, insert
money in excess of a threshold (e.g., the customer tenders five
dollars ($5) or more), and the vending machine may respond by
asking whether the customer would like to purchase a subscription
to any twelve (12) items for the tendered five dollars ($5). The
customer may then indicate, for example, that the customer would
like to purchase the subscription (e.g., by pressing a button
marked "Purchase Subscription").
[0053] The vending machine may the, according to some embodiments,
ask the customer (e.g., via a textual and/or graphic display) to
choose a subscription code or provided the customer with a
subscription code (e.g., selected for the customer by the vending
machine). In the case that the customer indicates a subscription
code, the customer may enter the code via a keypad, and may be
asked to verify the code. The customer may enter the same code
again via the keypad, and in response the vending machine may
provide the customer with a printed voucher indicating the
subscription code. In some embodiments, such as in the case that a
subscription code is selected on the customer's behalf, the vending
machine may simply print the voucher indicating the code (e.g.,
without receiving further input from the customer). According to
some embodiments, the code may be provided to the customer via
e-mail, voice, and/or other means. In some embodiments, the
customer's subscription may be also or alternatively associated
with a subscription identifier such as a biometric identifier. The
customer may, for example, utilize a fingerprint-scanning device
coupled to the vending machine in order to establish an indication
of the customer's finger (or thumb) as a subscription
identifier.
[0054] In a transaction involving redemption, the customer
subsequently may approach the vending machine that displays a
message instructing the customer to insert money and/or a
subscription code or identifier. The customer, now having a
subscription account, may enter the code printed on the voucher,
scan a finger or thumb, provide an aural indication, and/or
otherwise provide an indication of the subscription identifier. The
vending machine, according to some embodiments, may then verify
that the subscription code is valid and determine the terms of the
subscription, including how many products may still be redeemed
pursuant to the subscription. In some embodiments, the vending
machine may also or alternatively determine one or more third-party
or other account management provisions that govern usage of the
account by the customer.
[0055] The customer may then, for example, indicate which item(s)
are desired (e.g., by entering an indication via a keypad of the
product row containing the desired item(s)). The vending machine
may then ask if any other items are desired (not yet having reached
a maximum number of items which may be dispensed per transaction,
per day, etc.), and the customer may in turn, for example, indicate
three (3) more desired items in the same manner. The vending
machine, according to some embodiments, may then cease requesting
if any other items are desired, and dispense the four (4) indicated
items.
[0056] According to some embodiments, a registered account may be
accessed, modified, and/or otherwise controlled through a vending
machine or through a remote device (e.g., a computer) associated
with the vending machine. In some embodiments, a third party may
access, modify or otherwise control the account so that an account
holder may only redeem prepaid units pursuant to various terms and
conditions (account parameters) set by the third party. For
example, a vending machine operator may control the terms of a
subscription account associated with a particular customer (e.g., a
vending machine operator may increase the number of units in the
account balance as a reward for being a loyal, profitable
customer). Or, a parent of a school-age child may control the terms
of a subscription account so that the child can only redeem healthy
snacks from a vending machine located at the child's school.
Further, in some embodiments, a sponsor may set the parameters of a
subscription account (e.g., so that a customer may only redeem
units bearing the sponsor's brand name).
II. Terms and Definitions
[0057] Throughout the description that follows and unless otherwise
specified, the following terms may include and/or encompass the
example meanings provided in this section. These terms and
illustrative example meanings are provided to clarify the language
selected to describe embodiments both in the specification and in
the appended claims.
[0058] Some embodiments described herein are associated with a
"control system". As used herein, the term "control system" may
generally refer to any combination of hardware, software, firmware,
and/or microcode that is operative to carry out and/or facilitate
embodiments described herein. For example, a control system may
comprise a processor performing instructions of a program to
provide subscription accounts, account access, and/or account
control or management functionality to customers and/or third
parties. The control system may comprise, according to some
embodiments, a single device and/or component or may comprise any
practicable number of networked devices.
[0059] Some embodiments described herein are associated with a
"network device". As used herein, the term "network device" may
generally refer to any device that can communicate via a network.
Examples of network devices include a PC, a workstation, a server,
a printer, a scanner, a facsimile machine, a copier, a PDA, a
storage device (e.g., a disk drive), a hub, a router, a switch, and
a modem or a wireless phone. In some embodiments, network devices
may comprise one or more network components, such as a Static
Random Access Memory (SRAM) device or module, a network processor,
and/or a network communication path, connection, port, or cable.
Some examples of network devices may include, but are not limited
to, servers or controllers, customer devises, vending machines,
input devices, output devices, and peripheral devices.
[0060] As used herein, the terms "server" and "controller" may be
used interchangeably and may generally refer to any device that may
communicate with one or more vending machines, one or more
third-party servers, one or more remote controllers, one or more
customer devices, one or more peripheral devices and/or other
network nodes, and may be capable of relaying communications to
and/or from each such device. A controller or sever may, for
example, comprise one or more network devices and/or
components.
[0061] As used herein, the terms "customer device" and "user
device" may be used interchangeably and may generally refer to any
device owned and/or operated by, or otherwise associated with a
customer, which device is capable of accessing and/or outputting
online and/or offline content. Customer devices may communicate
with one or more servers or controllers, one or more vending
machines, one or more third-party service provider servers, one or
more user terminals, and/or other network devices or nodes. In some
embodiments, customer devices may, for example, include gaming
devices, PC devices, PDA devices, Point-Of-Sale (POS) terminals,
point of display terminals, kiosks, telephones, cellular phones,
Automated Teller Machines (ATM) devices, pagers, and/or
combinations of such devices. In some embodiments, customer devices
may communicate with vending machines and remote devices and/or
computers wirelessly, through any practicable wireless
communication networks, formats and/or protocols, including but not
limited to those described herein.
[0062] As used herein, the term "vending machine" may generally
refer to any system, apparatus, and/or module that is operable to
provide and/or facilitate the provision of goods and/or services to
customers. Vending machines may include, but are not limited to,
for example, one or more stand-alone, networked, automated,
mechanical, and/or electrical devices coupled to dispense products
such as beverages and/or snacks to customers. In some embodiments,
vending machines may comprise, be coupled to, and/or may be
otherwise associated with one or more input devices, output
devices, and/or peripheral devices (e.g., to operate in accordance
with embodiments described herein).
[0063] As used herein, the terms "product," "good," "item",
"merchandise," and "service" may be used interchangeably and may
generally refer to anything licensed, leased, sold, available for
sale, available for lease, available for licensing, and/or offered
or presented for sale, lease, or licensing including individual
products, packages of products (such as mystery packages),
subscriptions to products, contracts, information, services, and
intangibles. Examples of goods sold at vending machines may
include, but are not limited to: beverages (e.g., cans or bottles
of soda or water), snacks (e.g., candy bars), and recordable media
(e.g., pre-recorded and/or dynamically-recorded disks or tapes).
Examples of services sold by vending machines include car washes,
photography services and access to digital content (e.g.,
permitting the downloading of digital picture, video, and/or audio
files such as audio "ring tones" and/or wallpapers to a handheld
device). In some embodiments, Wi-Fi and/or other network access
(e.g., access to a peer-to-peer network), arcade style games,
pinball games, and/or other media content may comprise a product
and/or service offered by a vending machine.
[0064] As used herein, the term "input device" may generally refer
to a device that is used to receive input. An input device may
communicate with and/or be part of another device (e.g. a point of
sale terminal, a point of display terminal, a customer terminal, a
server, a customer device, a vending machine, a controller, and/or
a peripheral device). Some examples of input devices include, but
are not limited to: a bar-code scanner, a magnetic stripe reader, a
computer keyboard, a point-of-sale terminal keypad, a touch-screen,
a microphone, an infrared sensor, a sonic ranger, a computer port,
a video camera, a motion detector, a digital camera, a network
card, a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port, a Global Positioning
System (GPS) receiver, a Radio Frequency IDentification (RFID)
receiver, a RF receiver, a thermometer, a pressure sensor, and a
weight scale or mass balance.
[0065] As used herein, the term "output device" may generally refer
to a device that is used to output information. An output device
may communicate with and/or be part of another device (e.g. a
vending machine, a point of sale terminal, a point of display
terminal, a customer device, and/or a controller). Possible output
devices may include, but are not limited to: a Cathode Ray Tube
(CRT) monitor, a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) screen, a Light
Emitting Diode (LED) screen, a printer, an audio speaker, an
Infrared Radiation (IR) transmitter, an RF transmitter, and/or a
product hopper, dispenser, and/or data port.
[0066] As used herein, the term "peripheral device" may refer to
any device associated with one or more vending machines, the
peripheral device being operable to perform in accordance with
embodiments as described herein. For example, in one embodiment a
traditional vending machine may be retrofitted with a peripheral
device that comprises a processor, memory, and/or an output device
for facilitating promotions such as mystery package promotions in
accordance with embodiments described herein. A peripheral device
may or may not be attached or coupled to a vending machine. A
peripheral device may or may not be operable to direct the
associated vending machine to perform certain functions. A
peripheral device, or portions thereof, may be housed inside the
casing of the associated vending machine. Further, a peripheral
device may be operable to detect one or more events at a vending
machine. For example, a peripheral device may be operable to detect
one or more signals output by a processor of a vending machine.
Further still, a peripheral device may be operable to communicate
with a processor of an associated vending machine. According to
some embodiments, a peripheral device (and/or a vending machine
itself) may be configured to conserve coins and/or to facilitate
intelligent dispensing of products.
[0067] Some embodiments described herein are associated with an
"operator". As used herein, the term "operator" may generally refer
to the owner of a vending machine or an agent or associate thereof
(e.g., a route driver or lessee of a vending machine). In some
embodiments, an operator may also be associated with a server or
controller and/or customer devices utilized to implement
embodiments described herein. Operators may also or alternatively
be associated with the manufacture and/or distribution of one or
more products or services provided via a vending machine. According
to some embodiments, an operator may be associated with restocking
one or more vending machines (e.g., on a restock date and/or at a
restock time).
[0068] As used herein, the term "promotion" may generally refer to
a message that is output, regarding some product, distinct from a
general offer to sell products from a vending machine at retail
prices. For example, a promotion may comprise a message intended to
increase machine profitability. Typically, a promotion allows
customers to purchase one or more products under terms that are
generally more favorable to the customer than standard retail terms
(e.g., at prices less than or equal to the corresponding product's
full price(s), but greater than or equal to the corresponding
product's minimum price(s)). In some embodiments, a promotion may
comprise an offer and/or incentive associated with providing a
subscription account to a customer.
[0069] As used herein, the terms "package deal", "combination
deal", "package promotion", "combination promotion", "combination
product promotion", "load-up deal", "value combo deal", and "combo
deal" may be used interchangeably and may generally refer to any
offer enabling a customer to purchase at least two products. In
many embodiments the at least two products are sold for a single
price. In many embodiments, the two products are dispensed to the
customer essentially simultaneously (e.g., within seconds of each
other). Typically, package offers are configured so the price of
the at least two products is less than the sum of the prices of the
two products, and thus the customer saves money compared to the sum
of the individual component products' retail prices. According to
some embodiments, customers may be presented with package offers in
association with subscription accounts (e.g., an account may
comprise a subscription to a package of products that may be
redeemed at various times).
[0070] As used herein, the term "package price" may generally refer
to the price that is charged (typically in a single transaction)
for the units of products purchased pursuant to a package offer
(e.g., associated with one or more package instances). Typically,
package prices reflect a net-savings to the customer when compared
to the sum of the respective retail prices of the individual
component products. In some embodiments, such as in the case that a
package is offered to a customer as a subscription offer, the
package price may be equivalent to the subscription price.
[0071] Some embodiments herein are associated with "communication".
As used herein, the term "communication" may refer to any
information, data, and/or signal that is provided, transmitted,
received, and/or otherwise processed by an entity, and/or that is
shared or exchanged between two or more people, devices, and/or
other entities.
[0072] As used herein, the terms "information" and "data" may be
used interchangeably and may refer to any data, text, voice, video,
image, message, bit, packet, pulse, tone, waveform, and/or other
type or configuration of signal and/or information. Information may
be or include information packets transmitted, for example, in
accordance with the Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPv6) standard as
defined by "Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPv6) Specification" RFC
1883, published by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF),
Network Working Group, S. Deering et al. (December 1995).
Information may, according to some embodiments, be compressed,
encrypted, and/or otherwise packaged or manipulated in accordance
with any method that is or becomes known or practicable.
[0073] Some embodiments described herein may be associated with a
"communication session". As used herein, the phrase "communication
session" may refer to any instance and/or occurrence of a receipt,
transmittal, exchange, and/or sharing of information associated
with the communication between two or more parties and/or entities.
A communication session may include, for example, an e-mail
transmittal, receipt, and/or exchange, an Instant Messaging (IM)
session, a voice call (e.g., over a Public Switched Telephone
Network (PSTN), a cellular network, or VoIP), a file upload,
download, and/or exchange, a receipt and/or transmittal of
broadcast media, and/or any combination thereof. Communication
sessions may include continuous, periodic, intermittent, and/or any
other frequency of communication that is or becomes known or
practicable. Some embodiments described herein are associated with
a "communication link". As used herein, the phrase "communication
link" may refer to any connection, wire, port, device, and/or
signal and/or any transmission, exchange, repeating, and/or other
flow of information or data that is associated with the
establishing, maintaining, facilitation, and/or other management
and/or participation in a communication session. In some
embodiments, a communication link may involve a "handshake",
multiplexing and/or de-multiplexing of signals, encryption and/or
decryption of data, data validation, data conversion, and/or
implementation of one or more compression, transmission, and/or
communication protocols.
[0074] Some embodiments described herein may be associated with a
"customer", an "account holder", and/or a "subscriber". As used
herein the terms "customer", "account holder", and "subscriber" may
generally be used interchangeably, although it should be noted that
a customer may not be associated with an account, and therefore may
not be deemed an "account holder" or a "subscriber". In some
embodiments, an account holder may comprise a person who is
entitled to redeem units of vended product pursuant to a registered
subscription. In one or more embodiments, a customer may register a
subscription at a vending machine. Further, in one or more
embodiments, a customer may register a subscription online. Further
still, in one or more embodiments, a third party (e.g., a parent)
may register a subscription for a customer (e.g., as a gift) either
online or at a vending machine.
[0075] As used herein, the terms "registered subscription",
"vending machine customer account", "account", and "subscription"
may be used interchangeably and may generally refer to any
relationship between a customer and a vending machine operator that
permits the customer to redeem multiple units of a product (and/or
multiple products) at different times. The relationship may, for
example, comprise a contractual relationship that is (i) formed
upon the customer's acceptance of a subscription offer, and/or (ii)
recorded and tracked in a database (e.g., by the vending machine
and/or associated devices). A registered subscription may generally
be recorded in association with one or more account parameters set
by an account holder and/or by a third party.
[0076] As used herein, the terms "account parameter", "account
rule", "subscription parameter", and "subscription rule" may be
used interchangeably and may generally refer to any rule or
criteria associated with a subscription account. Such parameters
may, for example, be recorded (e.g., in a database) in association
with a subscription that defines the terms and conditions for
redemption of subscription items at a vending machine. In one or
more embodiments, rules or parameters may define the item(s) that
may be redeemed according to product attributes such as the
product's identity, type, category, brand, manufacturer,
ingredients, nutritional information, and the like. Further, in one
or more embodiments, other conditions or rules for redemption may
be set, including but not limited to: (i) time conditions (e.g.,
redemption only after noon; redemption only within two (2) days of
scheduled restock event); (ii) weather conditions (e.g., no
redemption if temperature exceeds ninety (90) degrees Fahrenheit);
(iii) inventory conditions (e.g., redemption only permitted if more
than fifteen (15) units of a product remain in inventory); and/or
(iv) sales conditions (e.g., redemption only permitted if actual
velocity is less than ideal velocity and/or redemption only
permitted for relatively unpopular products). Such rules may
generally be set by an account holder and/or by a third party.
[0077] As used herein, the term "third party" may generally refer
to any person and/or entity that may set the parameters of a
customer's subscription account through a vending machine and/or a
remote device or computer. The third party will generally comprise
a different entity than the customer, such as a customer's
employer, parent, spouse, etc. In one or more embodiments, a third
party is one or more of an operator of a vending machine, a parent
of a customer, a teacher, a principal, a personal trainer,
nutritionist/weight manager, etc. Further, in one or more
embodiments, a third party is a sponsor who subsidizes all or a
portion of the subscription price. The third party may comprise,
for example, a manufacturer of a particular product and/or product
line offered by the vending machine.
[0078] Some embodiments described herein may be associated with a
"subscription code", a "code", and/or a "subscription identifier".
As used herein the terms "subscription code", "code", and
"subscription identifier" may generally be used interchangeably,
and may generally refer to any information or data that is
associated with a vending machine customer subscription. Such a
code or identifier may, in some embodiments, be correlated in a
database with a registered subscription. Typically, such codes
and/or identifiers may be "unique" or substantially unique
identifiers. Such codes and/or identifiers may include, but are not
limited to, customer-selected codes such as a Personal
Identification Number (PIN) code, codes generated automatically
(e.g., random digits) for the customer, a customer Social Security
Number (SSN), customer credit or debit card numbers, currency
serial numbers (e.g., the serial number of a dollar bill), customer
birthdays, user names, passwords, device serial numbers (e.g.,
associated with a customer's device), and/or biometric data (e.g.,
a customer's retinal patterns, fingerprint and/or thumbprint
patterns, topical facial patterns, signatures, or the like). In
some embodiments, subscription codes may be stored on, printed on,
and/or otherwise indicated by tokens, coupons, cards, vouchers,
wirelessly transmitting devices, RFID transmitters, and other
physical media, as described herein. Subscription codes may
generally be established, defined, and/or verified upon acceptance
and/or consummation of a subscription offer.
[0079] As used herein, the term "subscription offer" may generally
refer to any offer that is provided to a customer proposing that
the customer pay a subscription price in exchange for the ability
to redeem at least two units of a product or products at a vending
machine in at least two redemption transactions. Thus, by accepting
subscription offers, customers may be able to purchase at least two
units of a product, and redeem the units of the product at
different points in time (e.g., one the first day, another the
following day). Subscription offers may be presented to customers
via a vending machine (e.g., via voice, sound, and/or one or more
displays) and/or via other devices or methods, such as via e-mail,
direct mailing, etc. Subscription offers may also or alternatively
be presented to every customer that interfaces with a vending
machine, or only certain customers, such as customers that insert a
certain threshold amount of funds, etc.
[0080] Some embodiments herein are associated with a "subscription
price". As used herein, the term "subscription price" may generally
refer to the price charged in conjunction with the registration
and/or acceptance of a subscription offer. In some embodiments, the
subscription price may be equal to the sum of the full prices of
the products indicated by the subscription offer. In other
embodiments, the subscription price may be less than the sum of the
full prices of the products indicated by the subscription offer. In
such embodiments, subscription offers would provide customers with
the ability to purchase the products at a discount relative to the
total of the retail prices of all the purchased units. In yet other
embodiments, such as "hard reserve" embodiments described herein,
the subscription price may be more than the sum of the full prices
of the products indicated by the subscription offer. A subscription
price need not be fixed. For example, the amount a customer pays
may not be in return for a fixed number of items. Also, the amount
paid need not be known a priori. For example, the amount may be
periodically charged in portions (e.g., once per week), and the
amounts so charged need not be equal. In some embodiments, a third
party may at least partially subsidize a subscription price.
[0081] As used herein, the terms "full price" and "retail price"
may be used interchangeably and may generally refer to the normal
price charged for the purchase of a given product (e.g., the price
for which any customer may purchase a given product by inserting an
equivalent monetary amount into the vending machine). Typically,
subscription and/or package offers present customers with the
opportunity to purchase items at less than full price and/or less
than the total combined retail price of all subscription and/or
package items.
[0082] Some embodiments herein are associated with a "voucher". As
used herein, the term "voucher" may generally refer to any
practicable type or configuration of substrate that is capable of
indicating subscription identifiers, codes, and/or parameters. A
voucher may comprise, for example, any form of physical medium for
storing subscription codes and identifying registered
subscriptions, such as a token, a card, and/or a certificate. In
various embodiments, vouchers may comprise one or more of: credit
cards, debit cards, stored value cards, smart cards, or other
paper-based or plastic cards, certificates, vouchers, coin and/or
disk shaped media (e.g., tokens), wireless transmitters, and/or
RFID tags. In some embodiments, vouchers may be "machine readable."
Examples of machine-readable vouchers include cards with markings
thereon, such as punch holes or bar codes, for optical recognition
by a vending machine. Also, machine-readable vouchers may voucher
may identify a single registered subscription (e.g., a code refers
to a specific registered subscription in a relational database). In
other embodiments, several vouchers may identify a single
registered subscription (e.g., a booklet of vouchers or several
vouchers attached by perforation). During redemption transactions,
vouchers may be presented by customers to a vending machine, which
may validate the vouchers (as described herein), and, if
appropriate, dispense one or more units of one or more
products.
[0083] As used herein, the term "registration" may generally refer
to the act, by a customer, of applying, registering, signing up,
and/or otherwise indicating a desire to obtain a vending machine
customer subscription and/or account. Registration may be performed
via the vending machine and/or remotely, such as via a computer
coupled to the Internet. In some embodiments, registration may be
accomplished by and/or associated with a "registration
transaction". Registration and/or a registration transaction may
generally comprise the process by which a customer accepts a
subscription offer by (1) signaling acceptance of a subscription
offer (e.g., by pressing a button on a vending machine's keypad),
and/or (2) providing payment to a vending machine operator. In some
embodiments, registration may take place at a vending machine. In
such embodiments, a registration transaction may optionally include
the dispensing of a first product or products in a subscription. In
other embodiments, registration may take place through a
communications network, such as a telephone or computer network. In
some embodiments, registration may be preceded by, include, and/or
follow the recordation of account parameters by an account holder
and/or a third party.
[0084] As used herein, the term "redemption" may generally refer to
the act, by a customer, of requesting, redeeming, and/or otherwise
obtaining a unit of a product in accordance with and/or pursuant to
a vending machine customer subscription and/or account. Redemption
may generally be performed via the vending machine and/or an
associated device. In some embodiments, redemption may be
accomplished by and/or associated with a "redemption transaction".
Redemption and/or a redemption transaction may generally comprise
the process by which a customer who has previously accepted a
subscription offer (e.g., and thereby engaged in a registration
transaction) enters a subscription code or identifier into an input
device that is in communication with a vending machine control
system, and receives one or more units of the product indicated by
the underlying subscription. In some embodiments, codes may be
entered directly by customers (e.g., into a keypad and/or via a
fingerprint reader). In other embodiments, codes may be entered via
voucher (e.g., a bar-coded voucher is deposited into a barcode
reading bill validator). In some embodiments, a vending machine
and/or computer associated therewith may determine whether or not
certain account parameters are satisfied before honoring a request
to redeem a unit of product from a vending machine.
[0085] Some embodiments herein are associated with a "subscription
renewal". As used herein, the term "subscription renewal" generally
refers to the process by which a previously registered subscription
is identified and updated to reflect a customer's entitlement to
additional units of product. In some embodiments, subscriptions are
renewed as part of a redemption transaction. In other embodiments,
subscriptions may be renewed through a communications network, such
as a telephone or computer network. Renewal may be performed upon
request, or authorized to occur automatically under certain
conditions. For example, in one embodiment, renewal may only be
permitted upon approval by a third party (e.g. a parent), while in
other embodiments, renewal may occur automatically (i) at
pre-defined time intervals, and/or (ii) upon the occurrence of
various events (such as in the case that the number of units
credited to the customer's account falls below a pre-determined
level).
[0086] As used herein, the terms "restock date" and "restock time"
may generally refer, respectively, to the date and/or time that a
vending machine is scheduled to be restocked by an operator (or
agent thereof) of a vending machine. The time between restock dates
may generally be referred to as a "sales period" or "fill period".
In some embodiments however, a sales period may otherwise be
defined, e.g., such that multiple (and/or fractional) sales period
may occur between restock dates.
[0087] As used herein, the terms "actual velocity" and "actual item
velocity" may be used interchangeable to generally refer to the
actual rate at which a given product is sold by a vending machine
during a sales period.
[0088] Some embodiments herein are associated with an "ideal
velocity", an "ideal product velocity", a "target product
velocity", and/or a "target velocity". As used herein, the terms
"ideal velocity", "ideal product velocity", "target product
velocity", and/or "target velocity" may be used interchangeably and
may generally refer to a desired rate at which a given product
should be sold by a vending machine during a sales period. Thus, in
some embodiments, an ideal velocity may be set or calculated for
each product indicating the rate at which products must be sold in
order to deplete the inventory to a certain level by the end of a
given sales period (e.g., by the restock time). For example, an
ideal product velocity may be calculated by a vending machine
control system after an operator inputs a restock date and a
desired remaining inventory for the date (e.g., an operator may
wish to have only one (1) of each item remaining at the restock
date so that the machine sells as many items as possible without
completely selling out and thereby disappointing customers). Thus,
if an operator (i) stocks fifty (50) units of Soda A, (ii) inputs a
restock date fourteen (14) days away, and (iii) indicates that only
one (1) unit of Soda A should remain at the restock date, the
control system may divide forty-nine (49; the number of units that
are desired to be sold) by fourteen (14; the number of days until
restock) to conclude that, on average, three and one half (3.5)
units must be sold per day within the sales period in order to
realize the ideal product velocity. As discussed herein, a vending
machine control system may periodically, substantially
continuously, or otherwise determine whether or not actual item
velocity is at least equal to the ideal item velocity, and if not,
may institute subscription offers and/or promotions as described
herein.
III. Systems and Apparatus
[0089] A. Introduction
[0090] Generally, a vending machine for use with some embodiments
may comprise a device that is capable of (i) prompting a customer
to provide an indication of a subscription code and/or identifier;
(ii) receiving the indication of the subscription code and/or
identifier; (iii) registering customers for vending machine
subscriptions; (iv) providing subscription codes to customers; (v)
determining and satisfying product redemptions associated with
vending machine customer subscriptions; (vi) managing customer
subscription accounts; (vii) providing third-party access and/or
management of customer subscription accounts; (viii) processing a
payment; and/or (ix) dispensing a product.
[0091] Referring first to FIG. 1, a block diagram of a system 100
according to some embodiments is shown. The system 100 may
comprise, for example, a customer device 102 and/or a third party
device 104 in communication (e.g., via a network 106) with a
vending machine 110. This communication may generally be
established by and/or facilitated via the vending machine 110
(although it should be understood that in some embodiments, other
and/or additional devices may be utilized to establish and/or
facilitate the communication, such as a kiosk, Automatic Teller
Machine (ATM), etc.). Either or both of the customer device 102 and
the third party device 104 may communicate directly with and/or be
coupled directly to the vending machine 110. In some embodiments,
either or both of the customer device 102 and the third party
device 104 may otherwise communicate with the vending machine 110,
such as via the network 106. The network 106 may comprise any type
and/or configuration of network that is or becomes known or
practicable. The network 106 may comprise, for example, any number
of wired and/or wireless networks.
[0092] According to some embodiments, the customer device 102 may
be utilized by a customer (not shown) to communicate with the
vending machine 110 to (i) purchase a product, (ii) establish a
subscription account, (iii) redeem a subscription product, (iv)
and/or manage a subscription account. The third party device 104
may, according to some embodiments, be utilized to communicate with
the vending machine 110 (and/or other devices associated therewith
that are not explicitly shown in FIG. 1) to establish subscription
accounts (e.g., on behalf of and/or for one or more customers)
and/or to manage subscription accounts, such as by defining,
editing, and/or selecting account rules and/or parameters, and/or
by monitoring, updating, and/or checking account transactions
and/or balances.
[0093] In some embodiments, the customer device 102 may comprise a
PC, laptop, PDA, and/or wireless or cellular telephone. The
customer device 102 may, for example, comprise a
Bluetooth.RTM.-enabled cellular telephone. In such embodiments, the
vending machine 110 may detect and/or actively solicit the customer
device 102 with an offer to purchase a subscription (e.g., instead
of and/or in addition to displaying messages via the vending
machine 110). The network 106 may generally comprise any
practicable and/or desirable type and/or configuration of network,
such as the Internet. The third party device 104 may generally
comprise any type of network device such as a PC, cellular and/or
other telephone, and/or PDA that is operable to communicate with
the vending machine 110. The third party device 104 may, for
example, be owned and/or operated by and/or otherwise associated
with an individual and/or entity that desires to establish,
maintain, and/or manage customer accounts. In some embodiments for
example, the third party device 104 may comprise a device owned
and/or operated by a parent, spouse, employer, and/or other
individual or entity associated with the customer and/or customer
device 102. According to some embodiments, either or both of the
customer device 102 and the third party device 104 may comprise a
single device and/or components of a single device. The customer
device 102 and/or the third party device 104 may also or
alternatively be coupled to and/or be part of the vending machine
110 (e.g., a keypad and/or other input device).
[0094] Turning now to FIG. 2, a block diagram of a vending machine
210 according to some embodiments is shown. In some embodiments,
the vending machine 210 may be similar in configuration and/or
functionality to the vending machine 110 of FIG. 1. The vending
machine 210 may comprise, for example, a casing 212 enclosing one
or more of a processor 214, a communications device 216, an
inventory and dispensing device 218, a payment processing device
220, an input device 222, an output device 224, and/or a data
storage device 226. According to some embodiments, the vending
machine 210 may be configured to perform and/or facilitate
processes in accordance with embodiments described herein. The
vending machine 210 may, for example, be utilized to offer and/or
provide subscription accounts to customers and/or to allow third
parties to manage such customer subscription accounts.
[0095] B. Casing/Cabinetry
[0096] In some embodiments, a suitable casing 212 and/or cabinetry
may be constructed from any suitable material, including but not
limited to any combination of (1) commercial grade sixteen-gauge
steel (e.g., for exterior panels and internal shelving), (2)
transparent materials such as glass or Plexiglas (e.g., for product
display windows), (3) rubber (e.g., for waterproofing insulation),
(4) plastic, and/or (5) aluminum.
[0097] Many commercially available casings 212 may be adapted to
work in accordance with various embodiments. For example, in snack
machine embodiments, a suitable casing 212 may comprise the "129
SnackShop" manufactured by Automatic Products International, Ltd.
of Saint Paul, Minn., which stands at seventy-two inches (72''/1829
mm) wide, has a width of thirty-eight and seven eighths inches
(387/8''/988 mm), and a depth of thirty-five inches (35''/889 mm).
Other suitable snack machine casings 112 include the A La
Carte.RTM. machine from Automatic Products, and the GPL SnackVendor
model #159 from Crane Merchandising Systems/Crane Co. of Stamford,
Conn.
[0098] In beverage machine embodiments, casings 212 commercially
available from Dixie Narco, Inc. of Williston, S.C. may be
employed. Beverage machine casings 212 may comprise a "cooler" or
"glass front" style front panel, featuring a transparent front
panel (e.g., glass) enabling customers to see inventory for sale.
Alternatively, beverage machine casings 212 may comprise a "bubble
front" style front panel, featuring a decorative front panel,
typically used to advertise a logo of a product manufacturer
commercially interested in the operation of the vending machine
210.
[0099] Other embodiments are contemplated as well, including
combination snack and beverage vending machine embodiments, such as
those available from Crain Co. Further details concerning the
suitability of machine casings 212 and/or cabinetry are well known
in the art, and need not be described in further detail herein.
[0100] C. Processor/Controller
[0101] According to some embodiments, the vending machine 210 may
include the processor 214 that may be or include any type,
quantity, and/or configuration of processor that is or becomes
known. The processor 214 may comprise, for example, an Intel.RTM.
1XP 2800 network processor or an Intel.RTM. XEON.TM. Processor
coupled with an Intel.RTM. E7501 chipset. In some embodiments, the
processor 214 may comprise multiple inter-connected processors,
microprocessors, and/or micro-engines. According to some
embodiments, the processor 214 may include or be coupled to one or
more clocks or timers (not explicitly shown) and to the
communication device 216 through which the processor 214 may
communicate, in accordance with some embodiments, with other
devices such as one or more peripheral devices, one or more
servers, and/or one or more user devices (such as the customer
device 102 and/or the third party device 104, both of FIG. 1). The
communication device 216 may, for example, comprise any type or
configuration of communication port, cable, modem, and/or signal
transceiver that is or becomes known or practicable.
[0102] In some embodiments, the processor 214 may also or
alternatively be in communication with and/or coupled to any number
of other components of the vending machine 210 such as the
inventory and dispensing mechanism 218, the payment processing
mechanism 220, the input device 222, the output device 224, and/or
the data storage device 226.
[0103] D. Inventory Storage and Dispensing Device
[0104] In some embodiments, the vending machine 210 may comprise
the inventory storage and dispensing device 218. The inventory
storage and dispensing device 218 may, according to some
embodiments, comprise any number and/or configuration of devices
and/or components that facilitate and/or are associated with the
storage and/or dispensing of products or services available via the
vending machine 210. Product inventory storage and product
dispensing functions of the vending machine 210 configured in
accordance with a snack machine embodiment may include, for
example, one or more of: (i) a drive motor, (ii) metal shelves,
(iii) a product delivery system (e.g., a chute, product tray,
and/or product tray door), (iv) dual spiral (e.g., double helix)
item dispensing rods, (v) convertible (e.g., extendable) shelves,
and/or (vi) a refrigeration unit. In embodiments using the casing
212 of the "model 129 SnackShop" manufactured by Automatic
Products, three (3) removable shelves may be employed, together
providing for thirty (30) product rows and an inventory capacity of
between one hundred and eighty-five (185) to five hundred and
twenty-two (522) commonly vended snack products.
[0105] Inventory storage and distribution functions of the vending
machine 210 configured in accordance with a beverage machine
embodiment may include one or more conventional components,
including: (i) metal and/or plastic shelving, (ii) product
dispensing actuators/motors, (iii) product delivery chutes, and/or
(iv) a refrigeration unit.
[0106] In many types of beverage and snack vending machines,
operators will typically stock several units of the same product
linearly arranged in a column, allowing individual units to be
dispensed upon command. The same product may be stocked in more
than one column. Similarly, more than one product may be stocked in
a single column. In the case that one or more services are
available via the vending machine 210, the inventory storage and
dispensing device 218 may comprise any device or component that is
associated with the storage, transmission, encoding or decoding
(e.g., including encryption and decryption), and/or other
processing, routing, or electronic delivery or redemption of such
services.
[0107] Further details concerning vending machine inventory storage
and dispensing devices 218 are well known in the art, and need not
be described in further detail herein.
[0108] E. Payment Processing Device
[0109] According to some embodiments, the vending machine 210 may
comprise the payment processing device 220. The payment processing
device 220 may, according to some embodiments, comprise any number
and/or configuration of devices and/or components for receiving
payment and/or dispensing change, including a coin acceptor, a bill
validator, a card reader (e.g., a magnetic stripe reader), and/or a
change dispenser.
[0110] In some embodiments, a magnetic stripe card reader may read
data on a magnetic stripe of a credit or debit card, for example,
and it may cooperate with conventional POS credit card processing
equipment to validate card-based purchases through a conventional
transaction authorization network. Suitable card-based transaction
processing systems and methods are available from USA Technologies,
Inc..TM. of Wayne, Pa. In some embodiments, a coin acceptor, bill
validator and/or change dispenser may communicate with and/or be
coupled to a currency storage apparatus (a "hopper"; not shown) and
may comprise conventional devices such as models AE-2400, MC5000,
TRC200 by Mars, Inc..TM. of West Chester, Pa., or CoinCo.TM. model
9300-L.
[0111] Coin acceptors and/or bill validators may receive and
validate currency that is stored by the currency storage apparatus.
Further, a bill validator or coin acceptor may be capable of
monitoring stored currency and maintaining a running total of the
stored currency, as is discussed with reference to U.S. Pat. No.
4,587,984, entitled "Coin Tube Monitor Means", the payment and
coin-related aspects of which are incorporated by reference herein.
According to some embodiments, a change dispenser activates the
return of coinage to the customer where appropriate (e.g., where a
customer rejects or otherwise fails to accept a dynamically priced
upsell offer). Such apparatus may feature Multidrop Bus (MDB)
and/or Micromech peripheral capabilities, as are known in the
art.
[0112] In another embodiment, the vending machine 210 may be
configured to receive payment authorization and/or product
selection commands or signals through a wireless device
communication network (e.g., via the communication device 216),
directly or indirectly, from a customer device (e.g., a cellular
telephone, not shown; the customer device 102 and/or the third
party device 104, both of FIG. 1). In such an embodiment, the
payment processing device 220 may comprise a cellular transceiver
operatively connected to the processor 214 to receive, transmit,
and/or process such signals. Systems and methods allowing for the
selection of and payment for vending machine products via cellular
telephones are provided by USA Technologies, Inc..TM.. Further, in
such an embodiment, a customer cellular telephone may serve as an
input device 222 and/or an output device 224, as described
elsewhere herein. Further details concerning vending machine
payment processing devices 220 are well known in the art, and need
not be described in further detail herein.
[0113] F. Input and Output Devices
[0114] According to some embodiments, the vending machine 210 may
comprise the input device 222 and/or the output device 224. In some
embodiments, the input device 222 may be operable to receive input
from (i) a customer indicating a product and/or offer selection
(e.g., a subscription offer selection), from (ii) an operator (or
agent thereof) during stocking or maintenance of the vending
machine 210, and/or from (iii) a third party desiring to establish
and/or manage a customer subscription account. Also, the output
device may be configured for outputting product and/or offer
information (such as subscription and/or package deal information
and/or promotions) to a customer, operator, and/or third party.
[0115] Many combinations of input devices 222 and output devices
224 may be employed according to various embodiments. In some
embodiments, the vending machine 210 may include more than one
input device 222. For example, the vending machine 210 may include
an exterior input device 222 for receiving customer input and an
interior input device 222 (neither shown separately) for receiving
operator input. In some embodiments, the input device 222 may
provide the dual functionality of receiving input data from both
operators and customers (and/or third parties). Likewise, a vending
machine may comprise more than one output device 224 (e.g., an LCD
screen and several LED devices, as described herein). In some
embodiments, such as those which feature touch screens (described
elsewhere herein), the functionality of both input devices 222 and
output devices 224 may be provided by a single device.
[0116] Many input devices 222 are contemplated. Thus, an input
device 222 may comprise one or more of the following: (i) a set of
alpha-numeric keys for providing input to the vending machine, such
as the Programmable Master Menu.RTM. Keypad, (ii) a selector dial,
(iii) a set of buttons associated with a respective set of item
dispensers, (iv) a motion sensor, (v) a barcode reader (e.g., a 1-D
or 2-D barcode reader), (vi) a voice recognition module, (vii) a
Dual-Tone Multi-Frequency receiver/decoder, (viii) a wireless
device (e.g., a cellular receiver; a radio-frequency receiver; an
infrared receiver; a wireless access point or wireless router;
other wireless devices), (ix) a smart card reader, (x) a magnetic
stripe reader, (xi) a biometric identification apparatus (e.g., an
iris scanner, a retinal scanner, a thumbprint reader, etc.), (xii)
a customer device, and/or (xiii) any other type or configuration of
input device 222 that may be or become known or practicable.
[0117] In some embodiments, an input device 222 may comprise an
optical reader (e.g., a 2-D bar code scanner) capable of scanning a
barcode, such as a bar code which is displayed on a screen or
monitor of a user's cellular phone, PDA, Blackberry.RTM. business
phone, Blackberry.RTM. handheld or other handheld device. One
system employing such technology, the Cmode.RTM. service, has been
developed by a partnership between Coca-Cola.RTM. Co. and NTT
DoCoMo.TM. Inc. of Japan. According to some embodiments, the input
device 222 may comprise a fingerprint (e.g., and/or thumbprint)
reader such as a Fujitsu MBF200 Scanner, which is manufactured by
Tacoma Technology, Inc of Taipai, Taiwan and Fujitsu.RTM.
Microelectronics America, Inc. of Tokyo, Japan. The Fujitsu.RTM.
MBF200 offers a resolution of five hundred dots per inch (500 dpi),
an image capture area of 12.8.times.15 mm (0.5''.times.0.6''), and
a unit size of 60.times.40.times.15 mm
(2.4''.times.1.6''.times.0.6''). The Fujitsu.RTM. MBF200 may
communicate with a vending machine processor 214 through any
practicable interface such as a USB interface. The Fujitsu.RTM.
MBF200 may be desirable in an embodiment where the vending machine
processor 214 is instructed through a Linux-based operating system.
In embodiments featuring the Fujitsu.RTM. MBF200,
fingerprint-matching software may be employed. Exemplary
fingerprint matching software may include, for example,
VeriFinger.TM. 4.2 from Neurotechnologija, Ltd. of Vilnius,
Lithuania.
[0118] In some embodiments, a suitable fingerprint reader for use
as an input device 222 may include the AF-S2 FingerLoc.TM. from
AuthenTec.RTM., Inc. of Melbourne, Fla. The AF-S2 FingerLoc.TM.
offers a resolution of two hundred and fifty dots per inch (250
dpi), an image capture area of 13.times.13 mm
(0.51''.times.0.51''), and a unit size of 24.times.24.times.3.5 mm
(0.94''.times.0.94''.times.0.14''). The AF-S2 FingerLoc.TM. may
communicate with a vending machine processor through any
practicable interface such as a USB interface. The AF-S2
FingerLoc.TM. may be desirable in an embodiment where the vending
machine processor 214 is instructed through a Microsoft.RTM.
Windows.RTM.-based operating system. In embodiments featuring the
AF-S2 FingerLoc.TM., fingerprint matching software may be employed.
Exemplary fingerprint matching software may include, for example,
VeriFinger.TM. 4.2 from Neurotechnologija, Ltd. of Vilnius,
Lithuania.
[0119] Likewise, many types of output devices 224 are contemplated.
For example, an output device may comprise an LCD screen or device.
Alternatively or additionally, the output device 224 may comprise
one or more LED displays or devices (e.g., several alphanumeric
multi-color or single color LED displays on the shelves of a
vending machine associated proximately with each row of product
inventory).
[0120] In one embodiment, an LED display screen is mounted atop the
vending machine (via bolts or other mounting hardware) and is used
to communicate offers and other messages (e.g., product
advertisements, such as package deals and/or subscription offers or
promotions) to prospective customers. A suitable LED display screen
for such an embodiment may be housed in an aluminum case having a
length of approximately twenty-seven and one half inches
(27.5''/698.5 mm), a height of approximately four and one quarter
inches (4.25''/107.95 mm), and a depth of approximately one and
three quarter inches (1.75''/44.5 mm). Such a display screen may
have a display area capable of showing about thirteen (13)
alphanumeric and/or graphical characters. Further, such an LED
display screen may comprise a serial computer interface, such as an
RJ45/RS232 connector, for communicating with the processor 214.
Further still, such an LED display may be capable of outputting
text and graphics in several colors (e.g., red, yellow, green,
black) regarding current and upcoming promotions.
[0121] Further, in some embodiments, the output device 224 may
comprise a printer. In one embodiment, a printer may be configured
to print on card stock paper of approximately one hundredth of an
inch or less (e.g., 0.01''/0.15 mm or less) in thickness, such as
the EPSON EU-T400 Series Kiosk Printer. Further, a printer may be
capable of thermal line printing of various alphanumeric and
graphical symbols in various font sizes (e.g., ranging from nine
(9) to twenty-four (24) point) on various types of paper.
Additionally, such a printer may communicate with the processor 114
via an RS232/IEEE 12834 and/or bi-directional parallel connection.
Such a printer may further comprise a data buffer of various
practicable sizes, such as approximately four kilobytes (4 KB). In
some embodiments, the printer may be operable to output
subscription codes and/or identifiers (e.g., by printing vouchers)
to customers and/or to print stickers, labels, and/or other
indications to be attached to products vended by the vending
machine 210. The output device 224 may also comprise a device
operable to attach and/or print indications of access codes onto
one or more products of the vending machine 210 (e.g., as the
products are loaded by an operator, while the products are shelved
within the vending machine 210, and/or as the products are
dispensed--such as a hopper printing and/or coupling mechanism).
According to some embodiments, the output device 224 may also or
alternatively comprise an audio module, such as an audio speaker,
that outputs information to customers audibly.
[0122] As stated, in some embodiments, a touch-sensitive screen may
be employed to perform both input device 222 and output device 224
functions. Suitable, commercially available touch screens for use
according to various embodiments are manufactured by Elo
TouchSystems, Inc., of Fremont, Calif., such as Elo's AccuTouch
series touch screens. Such touch screens may comprise: (i) a first
(e.g., outer-most) hard-surface screen layer coated with an
anti-glare finish, (ii) a second screen layer coated with a
transparent-conductive coating, and/or (iii) a third screen layer
comprising a glass substrate with a uniform-conductive coating.
Further, such touch screens may be configured to detect input
within a determined positional accuracy, such as a standard
deviation of error less than plus or minus eight hundredths of an
inch (.+-.0.08''/2 mm). The sensitivity resolution of such touch
screens may be more than one hundred thousand touchpoints per
square inch (100,000 touchpoints/int/15,500 touchpoints/cm.sup.2)
for a thirteen inch (13'') touch screen. For such touch screens,
the touch activation force required to trigger an input signal to
the processor 214 via the touch screen may typically be around two
to four ounces (2-4 ounces/57-113 g). Additionally, touch screens
for use according to various embodiments may be resistant to
environmental stressors such as water, humidity, chemicals,
electrostatic energy, and the like. These and other operational
details of touch screens (e.g., drive current, signal current,
capacitance, open circuit resistance, and closed circuit
resistance) are well known in the art and need not be described
further herein.
[0123] In some embodiments, input and/or output functionality of
the vending machine 210 may be facilitated through a wireless
device configured to send data to, and/or receive data from, a
customer device (e.g., the customer device 102 of FIG. 1), such as
a laptop computer or a cellular telephone. In some embodiments,
such a wireless device may comprise a sensor that detects signals
from a customer device. Such signals may include but are not
limited to radio frequency signals and/or IR signals. Thus, in one
or more embodiments, a wireless input device 222 may comprise a WAP
or router configured to operate in accordance with an IEEE 802.11
standard, including the 802.11b and 802.11g standards, which
transmit at 2.4 GHz, or the 802.11a standard, which transmits at 5
GHz. Such a wireless input device 222 may, in some embodiments,
have the capability to "frequency hop" between radio frequencies so
as to reduce interference and/or increase security. Encryption
techniques may also or alternatively be employed to increase the
security of transmissions. Suitable WAPs are available from
Belkin.TM. Corporation of Compton, California and Cisco.TM.
Systems, Inc. of San Jose, Calif. The wireless input device 222
may, in some embodiments, be used to establish a communication link
(such as a first communication link with a customer device) as
described herein.
[0124] Additionally, in some embodiments, an output device 224 may
comprise an audio module, such as an audio speaker, that outputs
information to customers audibly. Speakers may comprise
conventional speakers and/or modern hypersonic speakers. An output
device 224 may include, for example, unidirectional and/or
hypersonic speakers which can selectively focus sound to particular
locations or customers, while not disturbing others who are not in
the location of the focused sound. For a description of such
speakers, see Suzanne Kantra Kirschner, "We've heard hypersonic
sound. It could change everything", Popular Science, available at
http://www.popsci.com/popsci/science/article/0,12543,351353,00.html,
the unidirectional and/or hypersonic speaker concepts and
descriptions of which are hereby incorporated by reference
herein.
[0125] In some embodiments, the output device 224 may comprise a
physical device having a game theme, such as a spinning "prize
wheel" similar to those featured on the television game show Wheel
of Fortune.TM. or The Price is Right.TM., a roulette wheel,
mechanical slot machine reels, or the like. Such a wheel may
communicate to customers various information. For example, the
wheel may spin and stop on an icon that represents, e.g., a prize
entitlement. A physical wheel in the general appearance of the
wheel on the Wheel of Fortune.TM. game show may be attached to a
vending machine.
[0126] Also or in addition to a wheel, another output device 224
that is a peripheral device attached to and in communication with
the vending machine 210 may communicate game-related information.
By utilizing such an output device 224, vending machines 210 may be
retrofitted with a separate device to employ game-themed
promotions. The use of removable peripheral devices may be
important in certain situations (e.g., where doorways to interior
locations are low), as such satellite devices may be removed during
transport and attached once vending machines are brought to the
intended location. Likewise, such peripheral devices may be
side-mounted, where the ceiling height may impair other location of
the peripheral. Further, the use of a separate device is
advantageous in that it may be in communication with more than one
vending machine 210, allowing many vending machines 210 to
participate in game-themed vending promotions.
[0127] G. Data Storage/Memory
[0128] The data storage device 226 may include any appropriate
combination of magnetic, optical and/or semiconductor memory, and
may include, for example, additional processors, communication
ports, RAM, Read-Only Memory (ROM), a compact disc and/or a hard
disk. The processor 214 and the storage device 126 may each be, for
example: (i) located entirely within a single computer or other
computing device; or (ii) connected to each other by a remote
communication medium, such as a serial port cable, a Local Area
Network (LAN), a telephone line, RF transceiver, a fiber optic
connection and/or the like. In some embodiments for example, the
vending machine 210 may comprise one or more computers (or
processors 214) that are connected to a remote server computer
(e.g., via the communication device 216) operative to maintain
databases, where the data storage device 226 is comprised of the
combination of the remote server computer and the associated
databases.
[0129] The data storage device 226 may generally store one or more
programs 228 for controlling the processor 214. The processor 214
may perform instructions of the program 228, for example, and
thereby operate in accordance with some embodiments, and
particularly in accordance with the methods described in detail
herein. According to some embodiments, the program 228 may comprise
any number or type of programs that are or becomes known or
practicable. In some embodiments, the program 228 may be developed
using an object oriented programming language that allows the
modeling of complex systems with modular objects to create
abstractions that are representative of real world, physical
objects and their interrelationships. However, it would be
understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments
described herein can be implemented in many different ways using a
wide range of programming techniques as well as general purpose
hardware systems or dedicated controllers.
[0130] The program 228 may be stored in a compressed, un-compiled
and/or encrypted format. The program 228 furthermore may include
program elements that may be generally useful, such as an operating
system, a database management system and/or device drivers for
allowing the processor 214 to interface with computer peripheral
devices and/or the various components of the vending machine 210.
Appropriate general purpose program elements are known to those
skilled in the art, and need not be described in detail herein.
[0131] Further, the program 228 may be operative to execute a
number of invention-specific objects, modules and/or subroutines
which may include (but are not limited to) one or more subroutines
to determine whether a promotion should be output; one or more
subroutines to determine a promotion type; one or more subroutines
to populate a promotion type (such as a subscription offer or
promotion), thereby constructing a promotion instance; one or more
subroutines to select a constructed promotion instance from a
plurality of hypothetical promotion instances; one or more
subroutines to determine an expected value of a promotion being
considered for output; one or more subroutines to determine how
and/or when products should be dispensed from the vending machine
210; one or more subroutines to determine and/or provide
subscription codes; one or more subroutines to provide management
access to customer subscription accounts (e.g., to third parties);
and/or one or more subroutines to provide and/or facilitate the
sale and/or management of subscription accounts. Examples of some
of these subroutines and their operation are described in detail
with respect to the processes described elsewhere herein.
[0132] According to some embodiments, the instructions of the
program 228 may be read into a main memory (not explicitly shown)
of the processor 214 from another computer-readable medium (such as
the data storage device 226), like from a ROM to a RAM. Execution
of sequences of the instructions in the program 228 may cause the
processor 214 to perform the process steps described herein. In
alternative embodiments, hard-wired circuitry or integrated
circuits may be used in place of, or in combination with, software
instructions for implementation of the processes described herein.
Thus, some embodiments are not limited to any specific combination
of hardware, firmware, and/or software.
[0133] In addition to the program 228, the data storage device 226
may also be operative to store one or more databases, files, and/or
tables, containing information such as (i) product inventory data
230, (ii) dispensing data 232, (iii) coin inventory data 234, (iv)
transaction history data 236, (v) promotion history data 238, (vi)
available promotions data 240, (vii) rules data 242, and/or (viii)
customer data 244 (e.g., which may include subscription data and/or
third party data). Any number of other arrangements may be employed
besides those suggested by the tables shown. For example, even
though eight separate data tables, stores, files, and/or databases
are illustrated, embodiments may be practiced effectively using
fewer or more functionally equivalent databases or similar
structures. These databases and/or other databases (not shown) may
also or alternatively store information associated with
specifically with subscriptions and/or information useful in the
management thereof. Subscription codes and/or identifiers,
subscription rules or parameters, subscription transaction history
data, third party data, and/or other metrics may, for example, be
stored to facilitate the providing and/or management of
subscriptions via the vending machine 210.
[0134] Further, despite the depiction of the data as tables, an
object-based model could be used to store and manipulate the data
types and likewise, object methods or behaviors can be used to
implement the processes described herein.
[0135] H. Vending Machine Retrofitting
[0136] In some embodiments, one or more of the processor 214, the
input device 222, the output device 224, and the data storage
device 226 may be included, wholly or partially, in a separate
device (e.g., separate from and/or external to the casing 212; not
shown), such as the ePort.TM. by USA Technologies Inc., that may be
in communication with the vending machine 210. The separate devices
may also or alternatively be in communication with a network such
as the Internet (e.g., via the communication device 216).
[0137] The e-Port.TM. is a credit and smart card-accepting unit
that controls access to office and MDB vending equipment, and
serves as a point of purchase credit card transaction device. The
e-Port.TM. includes an LCD that allows for the display of color
graphics, and a touch sensitive input device (touch screen) that
allows users to input data to the device. The display may be used
to prompt users interactively with, e.g., offers and information
about their transaction status.
[0138] The separate device may alternatively be a programmed
computer running appropriate software for performing various
functions described herein. The separate device may be operable to
receive input from customers, receive input from third parties,
receive payment from customers, exchange information with a
remotely located server (e.g., an ISP server, a VoIP service
provider's server) and/or display messages to customers (e.g.,
subscription offers). The separate device may be operable to
instruct the vending machine that appropriate payment has been
received (e.g., via a credit card read by the separate device),
that a particular product or products should be dispensed by the
vending machine, and/or how and/or when those products should be
dispensed (e.g., to avoid product collisions and/or other
complications). Further, a separate device may be operable to
instruct the vending machine to execute and/or offer subscriptions,
price changes, or the like.
[0139] Thus, a separate device may be operatively connected to a
vending machine 210 to perform various processes and steps
described herein including the providing and/or management of
vending machine customer accounts, such as the subscription
accounts described herein. In this manner, conventional vending
machines may be retrofitted with such separate devices so as to
perform the processes described herein.
[0140] I. Other Separate Devices
[0141] It should be noted that, in some embodiments, some or all of
the functions and method steps described herein may be performed
partially or entirely by one or more separate devices (not
explicitly shown), which are not necessarily retrofitted to a
vending machine 210. Separate devices for use with such an
embodiment include, but are not limited to, kiosks and customer
devices (PDA devices, laptop computers, and cellular telephones).
In some embodiments featuring separate devices, such devices may be
capable of communicating, directly (e.g., via Bluetooth.RTM.
connectivity) or indirectly (e.g., through a web server or IVRU),
to a vending machine control system in order to facilitate the
inventive functionality described herein. In some embodiments
featuring separate devices, such separate devices are capable of
communicating with a remote computer.
[0142] J. Network Embodiments
[0143] Network environments may include a remotely located device
or computer (e.g., a server, mainframe, or other device) that is in
communication, via a communications network (such as the network
106 of FIG. 1), with one or more vending machines 210 and/or
customer devices. Such a configuration may facilitate third party
management of customer accounts as described herein.
[0144] The remote device or computer may communicate with the
vending machines 210, customer devices, and/or third party devices,
and the vending machines 210 may communicate with each other,
directly or indirectly, via a wide variety of wired and/or wireless
means, mediums, protocols and communications standards. Some, but
not all, possible communication links and networks that may
comprise the network or be otherwise part of the system include but
are not limited to: PSTN links, satellite links, cellular links,
optical links, infrared links, radio frequency links, and/or Cable
TV links. Various networking configurations, standards and
protocols may be employed, including but not limited to: IP
addressing via the Internet, a local area network (LAN), a wireless
LAN, a wide area network (WAN), Ethernet (or IEEE 802.3), Token
Ring, SAP, ATP, Bluetooth.TM., TCP/IP and/or via any appropriate
combination thereof. Communication may be encrypted to ensure
privacy and prevent fraud in any of a variety of ways well known in
the art.
[0145] Vending machines 210 may comprise computers, such as those
based on the Intel.RTM. Pentium.RTM. or Centrino.TM. processor,
that are adapted to communicate with the remote device or computer.
Any number and type of machines may be in communication with the
remote device or computer.
[0146] Those skilled in the art will understand that vending
machines 210, devices and/or computers in communication with each
other need not be continually transmitting to each other. On the
contrary, such vending machines, devices and/or computers need only
transmit to each other as necessary, and may actually refrain from
exchanging data most of the time. For example, a vending machine in
communication with another machine via the Internet may not
transmit data to the other machine for weeks at a time.
[0147] In some embodiments, the remote device or computer may be
accessible, directly or indirectly, via a separate device (such as
a customer device and/or third party device) by a customer,
operator, and/or third party. Accordingly, a customer, operator,
and/or third party may use a device to communicate with the remote
computer. A separate device may receive from the remote computer
messages described herein as being output by the vending machine
210 (e.g., subscription codes), and/or may transmit to the remote
computer input described herein as being provided to the vending
machine 210 (e.g., subscription codes). Thus, various data
described herein as received through an input device of a vending
machine 210 may be received by the vending machine 210 from a
separate device (e.g., through a Bluetooth.RTM. connection) or from
a remote computer (which may relay data first received from a
customer device such as a personal computer). Similarly, various
data described herein as received through an input device 222 of a
vending machine 210 may be received through a Web browser
communicating with a remote server, which in turn communicates with
the vending machine 210.
[0148] K. External Appearance
[0149] Referring to FIG. 3, a diagram illustrating an example of
the external appearance of a vending machine 310 according to some
embodiments is shown. In some embodiments, the exemplary vending
machine 310 may be similar in configuration and/or functionality to
the vending machines 110, 210 described in conjunction with any of
FIG. 1 and/or FIG. 2. The exemplary vending machine 310 may
comprise, for example, (i) a cabinet 312, (ii) an inventory
dispensing mechanism 318a-b (comprising a product storage mechanism
318a and/or a product hopper 318b), (iii) a payment processing
mechanism 320, (iii) an output device 324 (e.g., for outputting
text and/or graphical information about promotions such as
subscription offers or promotions to a customer, and/or for
facilitating subscription account management), and (iv) a product
display window 346 behind which are visible the products 348
available for sale from the vending machine 310 and the product
storage mechanism 318a that holds the products within the vending
machine 310. According to some embodiments, the components 312,
318, 320, 324, 346 of the vending machine 310 may be similar in
configuration and/or functionality to the similarly named and/or
numbered components described in conjunction with FIG. 2
herein.
[0150] The casing 312 may, fore example, comprise any type or
configuration of cabinetry or enclosure to at least partially house
components of the vending machine 310. As described elsewhere
herein, for example, the casing 312 may be constructed of steel,
aluminum, plastic, rubber, other metals or composite materials,
and/or any combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the casing
312 may be configured for the sale of various products or services
such as a typical and/or modified version of a typical snack,
beverage, dessert, meal, non-edible object, media, and/or any other
vending machine 310. According to some embodiments, the inventory
dispensing mechanism 318a-b may comprise various component such as
the product storage mechanism 318a and/or the product hopper 318b).
The product storage mechanism 318a may, for example, comprise a
number of latches, levers, paddles, doors, spirals, and/or other
product retention, detention, and/or dispensing mechanisms, as are
known in the art.
[0151] According to some embodiments, a product selected and/or
purchased by a customer may be released by the product storage
mechanism 318a so that it falls into the product hopper 318b. The
product hopper 318b may, according to some embodiments, comprise
one or more doors, holes, and/or other means via which a customer
may retrieve a dispensed product. The product hopper 318b may also
or alternatively comprise one or more components to facilitate
prevention of unauthorized product removal (e.g., from someone
reaching up into the vending machine 310 via the product hopper
318b) and/or to facilitate the reduction of impact forces
experienced by products dropping from the product storage mechanism
318b above.
[0152] In some embodiments, the payment processing mechanism 320
may comprise any practicable type of payment receiving,
transmitting, and/or processing device that is or becomes known
(such as those described elsewhere herein). The payment processing
mechanism 320 may, for example, comprise a currency validator
and/or input slot, such as shown in FIG. 3. According to some
embodiments, the output device 324 may display various information
associated with subscription offers and/or promotions and/or
product or service sales to a customer. As shown in FIG. 3, for
example, the output device 324 may comprise a display screen
(and/or touch screen) that advertises the availability of
subscriptions via the vending machine 310. The particular offer
shown in FIG. 3, for example, allows a customer to pay five dollars
($5) to receive a subscription to ten (10) drink units (e.g., where
ten (10) drink units sold separately and/or not pursuant to a
subscription may cost more than five dollars ($5)). In accordance
with some embodiments, one or more of the subscription products or
product units may comprise a "mystery" product selected by the
vending machine 310, such as to manage inventory and/or sales. Such
"mystery" units or products may, according to some embodiments, be
provided as part of and/or in addition to the subscription. Various
mystery and mystery package embodiments are described in
Applicant's co-pending U.S. application Ser. No. 11/282,525,
entitled "SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR VENDING PROMOTIONS" and filed on
Nov. 18, 2005, the mystery product and mystery package concepts of
which are hereby incorporated by reference herein.
[0153] L. Software Architecture
[0154] In some embodiments, a control system may execute
instructions for managing the operation of a vending machine (such
as the vending machines 110, 210, 310 of FIG. 1, FIG. 2, and FIG.
3, respectively), and in particular in accordance with various
embodiments described herein. Such vending machine functions
include, but are not limited to: (1) product pricing (e.g.,
displaying prices via an LED and/or changing such prices where
appropriate), (2) processing vending transactions by (i) receiving
customer selections via an input device (such as product and/or
subscription selections), (ii) processing payment via a payment
processing mechanism, (iii) actuating corresponding product
dispensing mechanisms, (3) selecting subscription offers or
promotion types and constructing subscription offer instances, (4)
outputting subscription offers to customers via output devices
(including display of graphics/content, such as game-themed
content, on LCD and LED displays), (5) recording transaction
information (inventory levels, acceptance rates for promotions,
etc.), and/or (6) facilitating customer and/or third party
subscription account management.
[0155] In some embodiments, machine components (e.g., machine
hardware, including mechanical hardware such as input devices,
output devices, product dispensing devices, and payment processing
devices including coin acceptors, bill validators, card readers,
and/or change dispensers) may be controlled by the control system
through a standard RS-232 serial interface. In such embodiments,
embedded Application Programming Interface (API) devices or modules
may be used to enable software to actuate and/or control vending
machine components via RS-232 connectivity. Such vending machine
components may be operatively connected to the control system
directly or indirectly, in any manner that is practicable.
Alternatively, machine components may communicate with the control
system through a USB standard (e.g., USB ports may allow
"plug-and-play" installation of machine components).
[0156] Referring now to FIG. 4, a block diagram of a system 400
according to some embodiments, is shown. The system 400 may, for
example, comprise and/or represent an exemplary portion of control
software that may be utilized to implement some embodiments. The
system 400 illustrates, for example, control software as being
divided into three abstract components. Such division may provide a
clear partition of tasks, which may be desirable so that any future
modification and new programming can be applied without disrupting
other components. The three abstract components illustrated include
a Business Logic software component 402, a Control Layer software
component 404, and an exemplary Machine Components software
component 406. As stated earlier, more machine components may be
employed in addition to the exemplary one illustrated herein.
[0157] The software components are each connected to one another
via a respective API 410, 412. As is known in the art, an API 40,
412 may comprise a set of routines, protocols, and/or tools for
building software applications. The Business Logic software
component 402 may, according to some embodiments, be connected to
the Control Layer software component 404 via an API 410. Similarly,
the Control Layer software component 404 may be connected to the
Machine Component software component 406 via another API 412.
[0158] The Business Logic software component 402 visually
represents the portion of the software that selects mystery
promotions or mystery promotion type instances and/or constructs
mystery promotion instances, as discussed herein. Such a component
may, for example, access a rules database and a product inventory
database to perform such functions.
[0159] The Control Layer software component 404 visually represents
the portion of the software which interfaces with at least one
Machine Component software component 406, and thereby transmits
commands to perform such functions as: (i) outputting subscription
offer information via an output device (e.g., a machine component),
(ii) dispensing products via a product dispensing mechanism (e.g.,
a machine component), and/or (iii) dispensing change due to a
customer via a payment processing mechanism, which may include a
change dispenser and a currency storage apparatus (e.g., several
machine components).
[0160] The Machine Component software component 406 generally
represents software or machine hardware, including mechanical
hardware such as input devices, output devices, inventory
dispensing devices, and payment processing devices including coin
acceptors, bill validators, card readers, change dispensers,
etc.
[0161] Referring now to FIG. 5A, a schematic block diagram of an
exemplary configuration of software architecture 500 according to
some embodiments is shown. It should be noted, however, that many
architectural configurations are possible to carry out the
inventive processes described herein. The software architecture 500
is a model of a software application for use in execution of
embodiments described herein, designed using Unified Modeling
Language.TM. (UML). The model comprises various software components
and illustrates how the various software components may interact
with one another.
[0162] According to some embodiments, the software architecture 500
may comprise a component controller 514 and/or a database 526. The
component controller 514 may manage (and mask the implementation
of) vending machine components. Examples of vending machine
components include: input devices, output devices, coin acceptors,
bill validators, card readers, change dispensers, product
dispensing mechanisms, and bar code readers. In some embodiments,
the component controller 514 may be similar in configuration and/or
functionality to the processor 214 described in conjunction with
FIG. 2. The database 526 may comprise a persistence store (e.g.,
MySQL, file based, and/or Oracle.RTM.). The database 526 may, for
example, be similar in configuration and/or functionality to the
data storage device 226 described in conjunction with FIG. 2.
[0163] In some embodiments, an audit manager 570 listens for audit
events fired by other management components and acts on them by
persisting meaningful state about the event to audit data
structures. This function journals all significant events,
transactions, and other meaningful system operations so that they
can be used in subsequent analysis and reporting functions. The
definition of "meaningful state" can potentially be specified
through configuration management. The event/configuration driven
approach provides flexibility if auditing/reporting requirements
change.
[0164] According to some embodiments, a balance manager 572
represents the current monetary balance in the machine. It
interacts with the component controller 514 and responds to money
insertion by incrementing its balance value. It fires
UpdatedBalance events whenever the balance changes. It listens for
DrainBalance events and executes processes of the component
controller 514 that return funds to the user.
[0165] In some embodiments, a data access object 574 may be the
layer of abstraction that is responsible for persisting domain
objects such as inventory objects and audit data. The data access
object 574 may, for example, be in communication with the database
526 and/or one or more other data stores (not shown).
[0166] According to some embodiments, an event dispatcher 576 acts
as a proxy broker for events so that components do not need to
explicitly listen to each other (e.g., have undue knowledge of each
other by reference). Some examples of events that may be managed by
this component, and that are shown in FIG. 5A, include: a
SelectionEvent event, an UpdatedQueueEvent event, an
UpdatedBalanceEvent event, a TrayLEDUpdateEvent event, a
CompletedPromotionEvent event, a DispensedltemEvent event, an
AuditEvent event, and/or an EnterOperatorModeEvent event.
[0167] In some embodiments, a Graphical User Interface (GUI)
manager 578 is a container for all GUI components and/or
sub-components and defines their layout in reference to one
another. The GUI manager 578 will also listen for events from the
event dispatcher 576. Swing events may be handled by the individual
sub-components 578-1, 578-2, 578-3 of the GUI manager 578.
According to some embodiments, the sub-components may comprise a
feedback display 578-1, a keypad 578-2, and/or a promotion GUI
578-3. The feedback display 578-1 is a sub-component that manages
feedback from the keypad 578-2, instructions, and error
messages.
[0168] The keypad 578-2 is a sub-component that represents the
keypad data entry interface (rendered as Swing graphical objects on
a touch screen LCD). It forces selection events to be fired that
are relevant to the feedback display 578-1 and a selection queue
580.
[0169] The promotion GUI 578-3 is a sub-component that represents
promotion-related user interface rendering such as graphical
selection menus, banners, animation, etc. The promotion GUI 578-2
fires events that can effect the selection queue 580 and also
listens for events from a promotion manager 582. The selection
queue 580 is a container for cumulative product selections made
during the course of user interaction with a subscription offer
and/or promotion. The promotion manager 582 manages all of the
subscription offer and/or promotion-related business rules in play
in a vending machine. It can manage multiple subscription offer
and/or promotion contexts simultaneously and executes all rules
related to validation, execution, and workflow related to these
subscription offer or promotion contexts. This component implements
a subscription offer or promotion context factory object that
encapsulates business rule logic related to subscription offer
and/or promotion eligibility, selection, pricing and
composition.
[0170] In some embodiments, the promotion manager 582 may comprise,
define, and/or manage one or more components such as a promotion
context 582-1 and/or a pricing model 582-2. The promotion context
582-1 may comprise all of the state and workflow rules required by
the promotion manager 582 to execute a given subscription offer
and/or promotion. The pricing model 582-2 may, according to some
embodiments, be a sub-component of the promotion context 582-1. The
pricing model 582-2 may, for example, contain all the product
pricing data needed to execute the subscription offer and/or
promotion described by that context.
[0171] According to some embodiments, an inventory analyzer 584
performs derivation and aggregation computations on inventory state
and audit data. The results of these computations are persisted for
use by other components (e.g., the promotion manager 582). The
computation functions can be initiated on demand or by a scheduler
service when the system is dormant.
[0172] In some embodiments, an inventory manager 586 maintains the
current state of the machine's inventory. It listens for events
that will ask it to update the inventory that was fired by
components such as a tray manager 588 and a load manager 590. The
tray manager 588 is the container and manager of composite tray
components. It is responsible for initiating and coordinating
multiple-product dispense operations. According to some
embodiments, the tray manager 588 may be a module and/or device
that operates and/or manages a tray 588-1. The tray 588-1 may, for
example, be a sub-component of the tray manager 588 and/or may
represents a product dispensing apparatus and its composite
rows/slots in the vending machine. Its responsibilities include
dispensing products and displaying LED data through the component
controller 514.
[0173] According to some embodiments, a load manager 590 manages
the inventory load processes. It may interact with a bar code
scanner via the component controller 514, such as when an operator
restocks the machine's inventory. The load manager 590 may also or
alternatively fire inventory change events. Examples of load
processors and/or devices are described in commonly owned and
co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/951,296 entitled
"METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR DEFINING AND UTILIZING PRODUCT LOCATION
IN A VENDING MACHINE"and filed on Sep. 27, 2004, the load
management concepts and descriptions of which are incorporated by
reference herein.
[0174] In some embodiments, a software service 592 may provide
miscellaneous application services, including (but not limited to):
subscription management, configuration management, connection
pooling, diagnostic logging, and/or scheduling services.
[0175] Referring now to FIG. 5B, a schematic block diagram of
another exemplary configuration of the software architecture 500
according to some embodiments is shown. The configuration of the
software architecture 500 shown in FIG. 5B is a model of a software
application for use in some embodiments, designed using UML. The
software architecture 500 may comprise various software components
and one or more hardware components. For example, the software
architecture 500 may comprise a component controller 514, a barcode
scanner 522, a database 526, an event dispatcher 576, a GUI manager
578, a promotion manager 582, an inventory analyzer 584, and/or an
inventory manager 586. According to some embodiments, the
components 514, 520, 526, 576, 578, 582, 584, 586 of the software
architecture 500 may be similar to the similarly named and/or
numbered components described in conjunction with any of FIG. 1
and/or FIG. 5A herein.
[0176] In some embodiments, the event dispatcher 576 may include
and/or define three (or more) exemplary events. The events may
comprise, for example, an Addltem event 576-1, a ConstructPromotion
event 576-2, and/or an OutputPromotion event 576-3. According to
some embodiments, some or all of the events 576-1, 576-2, 576-3 may
be triggered by an addition of a product to a vending machine.
[0177] As shown in FIG. 5B, the component controller 514 may be in
communication with a particular vending machine component such as
the bar code scanner 522. In some embodiments, the bar code scanner
522 may be similar in configuration and/or functionality to the
input device 122 described in conjunction with FIG. 1. The bar code
scanner 522 may, for example, be a particular type of input device
122 (i.e., one that is operable to scan barcodes). In some
embodiments, the component controller 514 may be in communication
with fewer or more components (such as input devices 122 and/or
output devices 124) than are shown in FIG. 5B.
[0178] In some embodiments, when an operator of the vending machine
adds a product to the inventory of the vending machine, the
operator may scan a bar code of the product (e.g., using the bar
code scanner 522). The component controller 514 communicates the
input of the bar code scanner 522 to the event dispatcher 576,
which recognizes the input of the bar code scanner 522 as an
Addltem event 576-1. As described above, the event dispatcher 576
may act as a proxy broker for events, alleviating the need for
components to listen for events from other components. Thus, the
event dispatcher 576 may communicate the AddItem event 576-1 to the
inventory manager 586, without the need for inventory manager 582
to listen for events from the component controller 514. The
inventory manager 582, in turn, may cause a record of the added
item and/or of the AddItem event 576-1 to be stored in the database
526 (e.g., via the data access object 574 from FIG. 5A, which is
not illustrated in FIG. 5B for purposes of simplicity).
[0179] The inventory analyzer 584, in turn, may analyze the current
inventory (e.g., based on the addition of the product or based on
another event, such as the occurrence of a predetermined time) and
store an indication of a need for a subscription offer and/or
promotion for two or more products based on the current state of
the inventory. The indication may be stored in database 526. The
promotion manager 582 may, according to some embodiments, access
the database 526 and determine the need for a subscription offer
and/or promotion. The promotion manager 582 may then, for example,
construct a subscription offer and/or promotion, based on the need.
The event dispatcher 576 may determine the occurrence of the
ConstructPromotion event 576-2 and communicate the occurrence of
this event to the GUI manager 578. The GUI manager 578 may, in
turn, cause the subscription offer to be displayed via a promotion
GUI 578-1 sub-component. The promotion GUI sub-component 578-1
and/or the GUI manager 578 may then, for example, construct the
OutputPromotion event 576-3. The event dispatcher 576 may,
according to some embodiments, detect the OutputPromotion event
576-3 and communicate the occurrence of this event to another
component (e.g., promotion manager 582) and thus, indirectly, cause
a record of the output of the subscription offer to be stored in
the database 526.
IV. Processes
[0180] Various methods for improving the establishment and
management of vending machine customer subscriptions are provided.
Generally, according to some embodiments, a subscription may be
processed by a vending machine by (i) determining and outputting a
subscription offer, (ii) registering a subscription and/or
establishing account parameters, and (iii) processing the
redemption of one or more subscription items.
[0181] Turning to FIG. 6, for example, a flow diagram of a method
600 according to some embodiments is shown. The method 600 may
comprise, for example, a method for providing vending machine
subscriptions to customers and/or for allowing and/or facilitating
customer and/or third party management of such accounts. In some
embodiments, the method 600 (or portions thereof), and all other
processes described herein unless expressly specified otherwise,
may be performed, for example, by a vending machine 110, 210, 310,
a peripheral device, a controller, a peripheral device controller,
a user device, another computing device, and/or any combination
thereof. Additionally, while some of the steps of a process may be
performed by a first device, other steps may be performed by
another device and/or a combination of devices. Further, the method
600, and all other processes described herein unless expressly
specified otherwise, may include steps in addition to those
expressly depicted in the figures or described in the specification
without departing from the spirit and scope of some embodiments.
Similarly, the steps of the method 600 and any other process
described herein, unless expressly specified otherwise, may be
performed in an order other than depicted in the figures or
described in the specification, as is practicable and/or
appropriate.
[0182] In some embodiments, the method 600 may begin at 602, by
providing an offer for a subscription to products offered for sale
by a vending machine. The offer may be provided in many ways.
Offers may be displayed via a vending machine, for example, and/or
may be published, broadcast, mailed or e-mailed, and/or otherwise
disseminated to one or more customers and/or third parties.
According to some embodiments, customers proximate to a vending
machine may be provided with subscription offers (via graphic,
sounds, etc.). In some embodiments, such customers (and/or devices
associated therewith) may be detected, and the offer may be
provided in response to the detecting. According to some
embodiments, offers may be provided based on customer interaction
with the vending machine. Funds provided to the vending machine by
the customer may, for example, be compared to one or more
predefined thresholds to determine if the customer qualifies for a
subscription offer (e.g., has input enough money to purchase an
available subscription).
[0183] In conjunction with the processes described herein, an
ongoing example is illustrated by FIG. 7A, FIG. 7B, FIG. 7C, FIG.
7D, and FIG. 7E. These figures generally illustrate an exemplary
vending machine display and/or touch screen that may be utilized to
provide subscription offers, cause products to be vended from the
machine, provide a game-style interface to customers, and/or to
facilitate management of customer accounts. Where appropriate,
reference to these figures will be made herein.
[0184] FIG. 7A, for example, is a block diagram of an exemplary
vending machine display 700 according to some embodiments. The
display 700 may generally comprise an offer area 702, a message
area 704, a balance indicator 706, and/or an input area 722. As
shown, the offer area 702 may display one or more available
subscription offers to customers, while the message area 704 may
provide dynamically updated instructions and/or messages directed
to customers. The balance indicator 706 may provide an indication
of any balance that the customer may have with the vending machine
(e.g., in terms of monetary amounts, number of product units,
etc.). The input area 722 may comprise any practicable input
mechanism and/or device, such as a keypad 722a and/or a fingerprint
scanner 722b. In some embodiments, such as in the case that the
display 700 comprises a touch screen display, any of the input
areas 722a-b may comprise one or more portions of the display 700
(e.g., one or more dedicated portions, dynamically relocated
portions, etc.).
[0185] According to some embodiments, the subscription offer (e.g.,
displayed via the offer area 702 of FIG. 7A) may be determined by
the vending machine and/or associated devices (e.g., a vending
server and/or peripheral device). In one or more embodiments, a
vending machine control system may determine subscription offers in
one or more of a plurality of ways. In one embodiment, as described
in Applicant's U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,298,972, 6,085,888, and 5,988,346
(the subscription embodiments of each of which are hereby
incorporated by reference herein) subscription terms associated
with offers may be predefined and stored in a database accessible
to the control system. In other embodiments, as described herein,
subscription terms may be constructed dynamically according to
stored rules that consider, e.g., the supply of and demand for
vending machine inventory.
[0186] Subscriptions may include a term defining particular
products (e.g., Coke.RTM. soda) or categories of products.
Categories of products may include, for example, (i) product types
(e.g., soda, which includes Coke.RTM., Sprite.RTM. and A&W.RTM.
Root Beer soda), (ii) products that have a price with certain
characteristics (e.g., products priced at fifty cents ($0.50),
products priced between fifty cents ($0.50) and seventy-five cents
($0.75)), and/or (iii) products within a certain "inventory group"
(e.g., drinks which are indicated by an illuminated, colored LED
adjacent the drink).
[0187] The one or more products included in a category (e.g., an
"inventory group") may change over time, or remain unchanged. The
customer may, but need not, be informed that the products that a
category includes are subject to change. Therefore, the customer
(who can redeem products pursuant to a subscription including one
or more product categories) can redeem products which may be
unknown to the customer, and which may remain unknown to the
customer. For example, the products in a first product category
(e.g., a "red" product category) might include different items at
each of the following times (all of which are, in this example, at
different times): (a) when a subscription is offered to a customer,
(b) when that customer accepts the offer, (c) when the customer
redeems a first product of the subscription, (d) when the customer
redeems a second or subsequent product of the subscription.
[0188] Revenue and profit management functionality may be employed
in various embodiments, such as embodiments involving subscriptions
for categories of products. For example, the methodology disclosed
in commonly-owned, co-pending (i) U.S. patent application Ser. Nos.
08/947,798, entitled "METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DYNAMICALLY MANAGING
VENDING MACHINE INVENTORY PRICES"; (ii) U.S. patent application
Ser. No. 10/968,282, filed Oct. 18, 2004, entitled "PRODUCTS AND
PROCESSES FOR PROMOTING MULTIPLE TRANSACTIONS AT A RETAIL
ESTABLISHMENT"; (iii) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/855,247,
filed May 27, 2004, entitled "METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MANAGING
VENDING MACHINE OFFERS"; and (iv) U.S. patent application Ser. No.
10/902,397, entitled "PRODUCTS AND PROCESSES FOR VENDING A
PLURALITY OF PRODUCTS", this methodology being hereby incorporated
by reference herein, may be employed so that, during a redemption
transaction, the products which are available for redemption (e.g.,
because they are included in a "product category") may be
determined based on the values, or changes in values, of supply and
demand.
[0189] In some embodiments, a subscription may be defined by the
ability to redeem (i) a predetermined number, (ii) of products of a
certain type (e.g., drinks), and/or (iii) which products each have
a certain price or a price within a certain range (e.g., fifty
cents ($0.50), less than seventy-five cents ($0.75)). For example,
if a subscription is defined by the ability to redeem a number of
drinks which have a price of fifty cents ($0.50), price-management
functionality may be employed to determine which products may be
redeemed pursuant to that subscription (i.e., determine products
which have prices that are, or have decreased to, fifty cents
($0.50) or less, and such products would accordingly be eligible
for redemption). Or, if a customer subscribes to items in the "red"
inventory group, "inventory grouping" functionality described in
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/902,397 may be used to
determine (e.g., based on criteria such as profitably) which items
should be allocated to the red inventory group, and thus redeemable
by the customer during a redemption transaction. Subscriptions to
inventory groups could be marketed to customers as "value" or "club
price" subscriptions to clearance items.
[0190] Terms which a subscription includes may be defined,
generated, and/or selected based on one or more of various
criteria, such as the characteristics of the customer, the actions
of the customer, the previous purchases of the customer, the
redemption patterns of the customer, products that the customer has
purchased or attempted to purchase, products that the customer has
redeemed, frequency of redemption of products, and/or information
provided by third parties (e.g., account parameters; complaints;
general nutritional requirements for school-age account
holders).
[0191] A customer may select a subscription or otherwise request
and/or receive a subscription, either with or without having
received or responded to an offer (e.g., from the vending machine)
to receive a subscription. For example, a customer may select or
activate a subscription that has terms equivalent or similar to
terms of a subscription that the customer previously held (e.g.,
"renewing" an old subscription). Similarly, the customer may select
or activate a subscription that has terms equivalent or similar to
terms of a subscription that the customer currently holds, but is
expiring (e.g., "renewing" an expiring subscription). Further, a
customer may select or activate a subscription that has account
parameters set by a third party, such as a parent.
[0192] It can be advantageous to output subscription offers when a
subscription is close to expiration (e.g., when five (5) days
remain before a subscription expires and is no longer usable
without renewal or recharging). It can further be advantageous to
output a series of subscription warnings and/or offers (e.g.,
through email, phone calls using registered contact information) to
the customer when the customer's subscription is close to
expiration.
[0193] Alternatively, an offer to receive a subscription may be
output to the customer, who may accept or reject the offer. In one
embodiment, as disclosed in Applicant's U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,298,972,
6,085,888, and 5,988,346, predefined subscription offers are output
to all customers routinely (e.g., upon detecting that a customer
arrives at a vending machine, upon a customer providing payment to
the vending machine). However, in another embodiment, subscription
offers may be "triggered" upon the occurrence of certain conditions
(and therefore one or more subscription offers are provided upon
the occurrence of such conditions). That is, stored rules may
provide that certain offers are to be output to customers upon the
occurrence of certain conditions detectable by the vending machine
control system. In Applicant's co-pending U.S. patent application
Ser. No. 10/855,247, Applicants disclosed provided vending machine
subscription offers in response to a customer's selection of a
particular product. Further, Applicants disclosed an embodiment
therein in which customers who have already deposited the amount
necessary for the purchase of a single unit are offered a
subscription for an amount equal to his or her change due. For
example, if the customer deposits five dollars ($5.00) and selects
an item priced at fifty cents ($0.50) per unit, the machine may
offer twelve (12) units redeemable over the span of several days in
exchange for the four dollars and fifty cents ($4.50) that
otherwise would be returned to the customer. Alternatively,
customers who have already deposited the amount necessary for the
purchase of a single unit may be prompted (e.g., through text
displayed on an output device of the vending machine) to deposit
additional currency in order to accept a subscription offer.
[0194] Subscription offers may also be triggered by a customer
action in other ways. In some embodiments, one or more subscription
offers may be triggered upon the deposit of (i) a particular amount
of currency, (ii) a particular denomination of currency, and/or
(iii) a particular type of payment (e.g., currency, coins, paper
bills, credit card, debit card, payment code, coupon, voucher) that
is used or to be used.
[0195] The terms of the offered subscription can depend on, e.g.,
the amount of currency deposited. For example, as illustrated by
FIG. 7B pursuant to the ongoing example, if a customer deposits a
five dollar ($5) bill into the vending machine's bill validator
(indicated by the balance indicator 706 of FIG. 7B), the vending
machine control system may be programmed (e.g., through stored
rules) to output one or more (predefined or dynamically-configured)
subscription offers (e.g., the offers presented via the offer area
702 of FIG. 7A and/or FIG. 7B). "Table 1" below illustrates an
example database defining rules for the predefined subscription
offers which are output based on particular deposit amounts being
received.
TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Subscription Offer Deposit Amount Terms and
Conditions Subscription Offer Content $5 Subscription to 6 cans
"Get a free can of Sprite .RTM. by subscribing to 6 cans of Sprite
.RTM. soda of Sprite for your deposited $5! Just press ACCEPT
button on touch screen now and receive soda card from printer." $10
Subscription to 12 cans "Get two free cans of Sprite! Subscribe to
12 cans of Sprite .RTM. soda of Sprite for your deposited $10. Just
press ACCEPT button on touch screen now." $20 Subscription to 25
cans "Save 20%! Subscribe to 25 cans for your $20. of Sprite .RTM.
soda Just press ACCEPT button on touch screen."
[0196] For each of the three (3) example subscription offers
described in "Table 1", there is a corresponding unit price per
item (five dollars ($5) per six (6) cans=eighty-three cents ($0.83)
per can; ten dollars ($10) per twelve (12) cans=eighty-three cents
($0.83) per can; twenty dollars ($20) per twenty-five (25)
cans=eighty cents ($0.80) per can). Assuming in this example that a
can of Sprite.RTM. soda has a retail price of one dollar ($1) per
can, this retail price is larger than any of unit price per item
for any of the subscriptions in "Table 1". Thus, a customer who
wants to acquire the respective number of cans will save money
(when compared to the per can retail price) by purchasing any of
the three subscription offers described in "Table 1".
[0197] Some terms of a subscription may become available to current
or previous owners of subscriptions (e.g., upon renewal of a
subscription). For example, the unit price per item may decrease
with successive purchases of a five-dollar ($5) subscription (e.g.,
first subscription provides six (6) units, the next seven (7)
units, and subsequent subscriptions provide eight (8) units for the
same subscription holder). In one embodiment, failing to renew a
subscription in a timely manner can cause the loss of a significant
benefit--smaller unit prices per item.
[0198] In an embodiment, the terms of a subscription may define
that the money paid for the subscription is fully or partially paid
for by a third party instead of the customer. Such an arrangement
may be in exchange for the customer agreeing to transact with the
third party in some way. For example, a subscription for six (6)
cans of soda per week without payment could be offered to a
customer in exchange for the customer applying for and being
approved for a Visa.RTM. credit card from a particular bank.
[0199] In some embodiments, the terms of a subscription and/or the
conditions under which an offer for a subscription are provided may
be determined according to stored rules, such as stored rules that
consider supply and/or demand for various products provided by a
vending machine. For example, subscription offers may be
dynamically constructed (e.g., using relational databases and/or
evaluating various data as described by Applicants) by identifying
and selecting a product having particular characteristics. "Table
2" below illustrates an exemplary subscription offer rules database
for use in such an embodiment. Each of the rules shown in "Table 2"
indicates (among other things) a method for selecting a product to
offer, such as "the canned soda product that has the greatest ratio
of actual velocity to ideal velocity".
TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Time until end of Subscription Offer fill
period Construction Rules Subscription Offer Content 3 days until
end Output offer for "Subscribe to 8 cans of [soda X] for $5. Press
of fill period subscription to the ACCEPT button on touch screen
now!" canned soda product that has the greatest ratio of actual
velocity to ideal velocity. Terms: 8 sodas for $5. 5 days until end
Output offer for "Subscribe to 12 cans of [soda Y] for $10. Press
of fill period subscription to the soda ACCEPT button on touch
screen now!" product with the greatest profit margin. Terms: 12
sodas for $10. 10 days until end Output offer for "Subscribe to 25
cans of [soda Z] for $20. Press of fill period subscription to the
soda ACCEPT button on touch screen now!" product with the most
units in inventory. Terms: 25 sodas for $20.
[0200] Thus, by referencing such rules (e.g., which may be stored
in a local database, which may be remotely accessible via a server)
and an inventory database (or other structure) which records or
tracks, for each product, such data as the product name/identifier,
category (e.g., "soda"), price, cost, target sales rate, actual
sales rate, and the like, the vending machine control system can
determine, at an appropriate time in the fill period, how to
populate the appropriate subscription offer content, thereby
dynamically constructing subscription offers.
[0201] In a dynamic offer construction embodiment, terms of a
subscription offer may be dynamically constructed according to, for
example, the actual and/or ideal sales rate of a particular
product. For example, based on a product's actual sales rate, the
vending machine control system may determine that, at the current
retail price (which of course affects the actual sales rate), the
product is not likely to equal or exceed its ideal sales rate.
Therefore, the vending machine control system may determine that,
as a result, the vending machine will likely have units of the
product remaining at the end of the fill period, absent a promotion
or other mechanism which increases sales volume for the product.
Accordingly, the control system may dynamically construct
subscription offer terms for the product, which are designed to
clear the inventory of the product by the end of the fill period
by, e.g., spurring increased sales volume of the product.
[0202] For example, assuming a product was originally stocked with
ten (10) units at the beginning of a ten (10) day fill period, the
product's ideal sales rate would be one (1) unit per day. Assuming
further that the retail price is set at one dollar ($1.00), and
that the actual sales rate is half a can per day (0.5/day), it may
be determined (using revenue management techniques, as are known)
that the price per unit should be set to fifty cents ($0.50) in
order to sufficiently stimulate demand so that supply is depleted
by the end of the fill period. Thus, assuming there are six (6)
units remaining in inventory, the control system may construct a
subscription offer for six (6) units at three dollars ($3),
reflecting a price savings of fifty cents per unit
($0.50/unit).
[0203] Such an embodiment may be desirable as it allows vending
machine operators to deeply discount inventory while guaranteeing a
sufficiently offsetting sales volume through the subscription
offer. That is, such subscription offers are superior to simply
discounting per unit retail prices because customers are required
to pre-purchase enough units to justify the discount.
[0204] In further embodiments, construction of such
dynamically-determined subscription terms (e.g., subscription
prices, quantities, products) might be based on (i) the expected
demand that results from a particular subscription or set of
subscriptions (i.e., by acknowledging that "subscription" offers
may have different demand characteristics than per unit sales at
retail prices), and/or (ii) the expected redemption rate for items
in such subscriptions.
[0205] In yet another dynamic offer construction embodiment,
subscription offers are generated according to overall patterns in
sales occurring via the vending machine. For example, if sales
volume at a particular machine is below a certain threshold (e.g.,
two transactions per hour) during one or more particular period of
times (e.g., "off peak" times, such as between the hours of 7:00 PM
and 7:00 AM each day), then subscription terms may be defined in
which redemption of subscription items is only be permitted during
such off-peak times (or during other periods, as desirable). Thus,
the subscription includes a term that defines a predetermined
period of time for redemption that is a time of otherwise low
volume sales.
[0206] Further, in one such embodiment, vending machine
subscription offers with off-peak redemption conditions may be
output if the vending machine determines, via a motion detector or
other sensing device, that there are many unsatisfied customers
(e.g., detecting that the ratio of people in the vicinity of the
vending machine during a certain period of time to the number of
people transacting within the period of time surpasses a certain
threshold, indicating that several potential customers are not
getting served as a result of high demand and long lines). Thus,
subscription offers with off-peak redemption conditions can help to
balance the overall demand for vending machine products throughout
the fill period.
[0207] Many other embodiments with respect to subscription terms
are contemplated. In various embodiments, subscription activity
periods may begin and/or expire based on fill periods (restock
dates). Further, in some embodiments, subscription terms may be
customizable. For example, customers may input a request to
purchase a subscription to a certain quantity of a product or
products. The vending machine control system may then calculate a
price and/or terms for the requested subscription based on revenue
and profit management considerations (e.g., current sales rates,
ideal sales rates). For example, if the requested items are in high
demand and short supply, the vending machine control system may
determine that the subscription price should be set at, e.g., a two
percent (2%) discount relative to the subscription items' retail
prices. Additionally or alternatively, the vending machine control
system may output subscription terms that account for the high
demand nature of the requested products by, for example, requiring
the customer to accept at least one out-of-stock event during the
subscription period.
[0208] The terms of a subscription and/or the conditions under
which an offer for a subscription are provided may be defined with
respect to a predetermined amount of expenditures, such as a
predetermined dollar amount that may be spent on promoting
particular products. For example, a one million dollar ($1,000,000)
budget may be allocated to funding discounts on a particular
product across all vending machines for an estimated period of
time.
[0209] The terms of a subscription and/or the conditions under
which an offer for a subscription are provided may be determined by
a third person, such as a parent, a teacher, a principal, a
commercial sponsor, an employer, an insurer, a regulator, and/or an
operator (e.g., a supervisor responsible for managing vending
machines in a predetermined area).
[0210] In some embodiments, a subscription may include terms such
that a customer can redeem one or more of at least two types of
product. For example, a customer may subscribe to a "package" which
permits the customer to redeem five (5) beverages and five (5)
snacks.
[0211] In some embodiments, a subscription may include terms such
that a customer can redeem subscription items from more than one
vending machine. For example, a subscribing customer may receive a
first unit from a first machine using a subscription code, and a
second unit from a second machine using the same subscription code.
Thus, for example, a customer may redeem one item from a snack
machine and one item from a beverage machine.
[0212] A subscription may define further types of terms regarding
redemption of products. For example, the subscription may define
the number of products per transaction that must be redeemed. In
one embodiment, for every redemption transaction pursuant to a
subscription, a customer must redeem two (2) items (e.g., the
customer must select a product from a "red" category and a product
from a "green" category).
[0213] According to one or more embodiments, the terms of a
subscription may be determined, in whole or part, based on a
sweepstakes-style promotion. For example, in one embodiment, a
sweepstakes promotion may provide that a randomly selected customer
may receive a subscription for one thousand (1000) units of
product; another sweepstakes promotion may provide that a randomly
selected customer may receive a subscription good for as many units
of a certain product as the customer can redeem (e.g., consume)
within a certain period of time (e.g., one (1) year).
[0214] In one sweepstakes-style promotion (which may be referred to
as a "progressive jackpot" embodiment), the number of units that a
customer may win may be based on the total number of customers who
purchase products from one or more vending machines within a
certain period of time. For example, a running total may be
maintained throughout the course of the promotion, where the
running total is incremented (e.g., by one (1); by three (3)) after
each transaction (e.g., after each purchase of a product, each
purchase of a subscription, each redemption of a subscription item,
etc). Randomly or pseudo-randomly, during the course of the
promotion or thereafter, a customer may be selected as a
winner.
[0215] Offers may be output via any output device of the vending
machine, regardless of whether such output device is a component or
a peripheral of the vending machine, or is remotely in
communication with the vending machine. In some embodiments, offers
are output through an LCD display. Exemplary subscription offer
content designed for a touch screen or LED/keypad combination is
illustrated via the ongoing example in each of FIG. 7A, FIG. 7B,
and FIG. 7C, as represented in the offer areas 702. FIG. 7A and
FIG. 7B illustrate an embodiment in which a customer is (e.g.,
proactively and/or based on customer interactions with the vending
machine) offered a choice to accept one of two subscription offers
presented via the offer area 702. FIG. 7C illustrates an embodiment
in which a single subscription offer is triggered in response to a
customer's deposit of five dollars ($5.00).
[0216] In one embodiment, offers are displayed via a touch screen
display so that customers may focus their attention on one location
that serves to output information and receive information. It
should be noted that in yet other embodiments, subscription offers
may be output through a customer device, such as a cellular
telephone, a PDA, a laptop computer, or the like. Further,
subscription offers may be provided via e-mail, direct mailing,
broadcasts, and/or other means, such that customers and/or third
parties may be provided with the offers.
[0217] According to some embodiments, the method 600 may continue
by receiving an indication of an acceptance of the offer, at 604.
As described herein, for example, a customer presented with a
subscription offer may indicate acceptance in any variety of ways,
including, but not limited to: (i) inserting money into and/or
otherwise providing funds to a vending machine, (ii) pressing a
button and/or touch screen area associated with the subscription
offer, (iii) providing an aural acceptance, and/or (iv) by
performing (or failing to perform) one or more acts associated with
subscription offer acceptance. A customer may, for example, press
the "YES" button in the offer area 702 of the display 700 in any of
FIG. 7A, FIG. 7B, and/or FIG. 7C, to indicate an acceptance of an
associated subscription offer.
[0218] A customer may generally accept a subscription offer by so
indicating via the vending machine's input device. For example, a
customer may accept a subscription offer by pressing a button on a
vending machine's touch screen or keypad. In an alternate
embodiment, a customer may accept a subscription offer by pressing
a button on the keypad of a cellular telephone that communicates
(directly or indirectly) with the vending machine or with a server
in communication with the vending machine. Further, a customer may
accept a subscription offer verbally into a microphone attached to
the vending machine or attached to another device, such as a
customer's cellular telephone. The vending machine control system
may receive an acceptance signal directly of indirectly from a
device in communication with the microphone. Additionally or
alternatively, a customer may accept a subscription offer by
tendering payment of the subscription price.
[0219] The method 600 may continue, in some embodiments, by
registering the subscription at 606. Once the subscription offer is
accepted, for example, a vending machine subscription may be
registered in a database, such as the illustrative subscription
registration table of Applicant's U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,298,972,
6,085,888, and 5,988,346 (FIG. 5 therein). The registered
subscription information may include a subscription code (e.g., a
thumbprint and/or an alphanumeric code), an indication of the
quantity remaining in the subscription, an indication of the terms
of the subscription (e.g., subscription expiration date, redemption
times), an indication of the customer and/or customer's identity,
and/or an indication of a third party and/or the third party's
identity.
[0220] The subscription code may be generated by the vending
machine control system. For example, the code may be generated by a
random number generator which generates unique random numbers
having predefined characteristics, or may be identified/selected
from a list of available (i.e., not-yet-issued) subscription
codes.
[0221] Alternatively, as described above, the subscription code may
be provided by the customer (e.g., the customer's birthday or phone
number; the serial number of a five dollar ($5) bill entered into
the vending machine by the customer; the customer's credit card
number; biometric data provided by the customer such as a
fingerprint or thumbprint). In some embodiments, the customer may
be initially given the option of choosing his own alphanumeric
code, or having the vending machine generate a code for the
customer without reference to a customer's desired code. This
option may take the form of a prompt or message on a touch screen,
followed by two buttons representing the two choices, in which the
customer presses one of the buttons to indicate his desired
option.
[0222] Further, in embodiments where the customer redeems the first
subscription item during the registration transaction, the
subscription code may be linked to the first product redeemed in
the subscription. For example, the subscription code may be
included on the packaging of the first product (e.g., a code
underneath a bottle cap; a code identified by a radio frequency
transmitter affixed to the product's packaging, and/or a code
indicated by a sticker coupled to a product's packaging).
[0223] In some embodiments, more than one code is identified and
output to the customer. For example, in some embodiments, each
prepaid item in the subscription may be associated, in a database,
with a different code. In such embodiments, the vending machine may
dispense several vouchers and/or tokens, such as printed vouchers,
each containing a different code generated as described above
(e.g., a "book" of vouchers).
[0224] Generally, customers who accept subscription offers may be
issued one or more vouchers that denote and/or indicate their
subscription. For example, the voucher may be a paper substrate on
which is printed a code and terms of the subscription. The vending
machine may generate voucher such as tickets, through a printer, or
other printed matter containing subscription information (e.g., an
account identifier) in a known manner.
[0225] Two vouchers may be output where it is desirable, e.g., to
allow one to be stored in a safe place in case the first voucher is
lost. In an embodiment where the two voucher are on a paper
substrate or the like, the two voucher may be connected, and the
interface between them is perforated so that the two can be easily
detached from each other.
[0226] The voucher may be used by the customer to redeem
subscription items upon subsequent visits to the vending machine.
For example, the customer may enter a code printed on the voucher
via a keypad of the vending machine, and/or the vending machine (or
a peripheral device) may read or scan the voucher to determine a
subscription code or identifier. The control system would in turn
determine whether or not the code is valid, and if so, activate an
item dispenser corresponding to the subscribed-to product, and
update an account record in a subscription database to reflect the
redemption. A printed subscription card containing a subscription
code may indicate, via printed indicia, e.g., (i) a number of
bottles of a drink the subscription card may be redeemed for, (ii)
a seven digit code, and (iii) an instructional message regarding
redemption (e.g., "Good any time at this vending machine
only").
[0227] One or more of the vouchers may be a customer device, such
as a PDA, cell phone, watch, or the like (e.g., the customer device
102 of FIG. 1). The subscription code, authorization code and/or
subscription information may be transmitted via a wired or wireless
medium (e.g., IR, RFID, Bluetooth.TM., Wi-Fi, a firewire port,
and/or a USB port) to the customer device. The customer device may
then be used in redeeming units of the subscription (e.g., to
provide the subscription code to the vending machine
wirelessly).
[0228] In some embodiments, an authorization code as well as a
subscription code is output, and the authorization code is then
used during, e.g., redemption of units of the subscription. The
authorization code functions to authorize the use of the
subscription, much like a "PIN" code authorizes the use of certain
financial accounts. The authorization code may be generated like
the subscription code (e.g., specified by a customer via a
keypad).
[0229] For example, a first signal may be received from a
fingerprint reader (e.g., indicating a representation of a
customer's thumbprint) and a second signal may be received from a
keypad (e.g., indicating a four digit code). Thus, a fingerprint
may serve as a subscription code, and a four-digit sequence may
serve as an authorization and/or verification code, or vice
versa.
[0230] Further, in some embodiments a single code may serve as both
the authorization code and the subscription code. For example, a
single code (e.g., a fingerprint), when input, may identify the
subscription and also authorize redemption of units of the
subscription.
[0231] The subscription code and/or the authorization code may be,
e.g., a signal received from a cellular telephone, RFID transmitter
or other device that identifies the device. For example, cellular
telephones emit a signal which, when detected and possibly decoded,
indicates the telephone number of the cellular telephone. Thus,
placing the cellular telephone within a predefined proximity of a
sensor (e.g., a peripheral of a vending machine) can allow the
cellular telephone number to be determined, and thus the
subscription transaction to be authorized. Similarly, a vending
machine can be capable of determining that a call has been placed
to a predetermined number (e.g., a telephone number of the vending
machine).
[0232] Accordingly, in some embodiments, the vending machine can
identify the phone number (via caller-ID) of the calling telephone.
Thus, the number of the calling telephone may serve as a
subscription code and/or an authorization code. Other manners for
determining the (unique or fairly distinct) identity of a device to
be detected and determined are also known to those of skill in the
art.
[0233] Again, the subscription code may also be determined from
biometric data. For example, a fingerprint reader or eye scanner
may detect a biometric signal of a customer, and determine the
identifier of the customer and/or the corresponding subscription.
Exemplary fingerprint matching software for use in accordance with
the present invention includes VeriFinger.TM. 4.2 from
Neurotechnologija, Ltd. of Vilnius, Lithuania.
[0234] In some embodiments, the output of vouchers such as
subscription cards or tokens may be preceded, accompanied by or
followed by a message output via a touch screen or LCD, such as the
"thank you" message depicted in FIG. 7D.
[0235] In one embodiment, customers who accept subscription offers
may be issued a read/write magnetic stripe card that can be updated
upon subsequent visits to reflect the redemption of subscription
items. In such an embodiment, the magnetic strip of the card stores
subscription information in a known manner, and that subscription
information is read by a card reader in a known manner.
[0236] In other embodiments, customers who accept subscription
offers may be provided with subscription information via other
output devices (other than printers), such as LED or LCD displays
(e.g., subscription codes may be provided on such displays), audio
speakers, or the like. Such customers would be required to remember
subscription codes. Thus, in some embodiments, customers may be
prompted, as part of the subscription registration step, to provide
challenge questions and/or response answers so that, should the
customer later forget his code, he may be asked the registered
question (e.g., "What is your pet's name?") and provided with the
code if the customer's answer (e.g., the provided pet name) matches
that which was previously stored in a database during the
registration step.
[0237] In some embodiments, customers may register subscriptions
online or remotely, e.g., via a cellular telephone, via a
computer/Web-enabled cellular telephone which accesses the
Internet. In some such embodiments involving the Internet,
customers may (e.g., through a personal computer or Web-enabled
cellular telephone) log on a Web site associated with the vending
machine operator. Customers may be presented with subscription
offers through the Web site, and may register for subscriptions by
authorizing credit card charges in amounts corresponding to
subscription prices. Other forms of payment include digital
currencies, and online payment mechanisms such as the one by
PayPal.RTM.. In some embodiments, customers are provided with a
single subscription code for each subscription. In other
embodiments, customers are provided with several subscription codes
for a single subscription. In such embodiments, subscription codes
maybe emailed to customers periodically (e.g., a new code every
week).
[0238] In embodiments where customers register for subscriptions
online, the issuance of subscription codes may be handled in
several ways. In one embodiment, new codes are generated upon
registration, and such codes are made available to one or more
vending machines (e.g., via an electronic network the vending
machines access, via data copied to the vending machine by one or
more operators) so that, upon redemption of a subscription item,
such vending machines may confirm that presented codes match the
issued codes.
[0239] In another embodiment, duplicative lists of subscription
codes are maintained both by the host computer that facilitates
registration, and by the one or more vending machines that
facilitate redemption. Thus, in such "duplicative list"
embodiments, a real-time communication link need not be established
between the vending machine and the registration computer during a
redemption transaction.
[0240] In another embodiment, the subscription codes may be
generated in such a way that duplication by another vending machine
is virtually impossible (e.g., the subscription codes are thirty
digits long). Thus, vending machines could generate codes without
reference to codes on a list maintained by the host computer that
facilitates registration. It should be noted that subscription
codes may be output separately from account registration.
[0241] Before, during or after account registration, account
parameters may be set, modified or otherwise controlled by an
account holder and/or by a third party (a parent, a vending machine
operator, a school principal, a commercial sponsor, etc.). Account
parameters may be set, modified or otherwise controlled through a
vending machine input device, through a remote computer (e.g., a
server), through a customer device (e.g., cell phone, PDA, etc.),
or through any combination thereof. In one or more embodiments,
passwords, PINs, or the like may be required before account
parameters may be set, modified or otherwise controlled. Account
parameters may be recorded (in a database) in association with
registered subscriptions (e.g., in a subscription registration
table).
[0242] In one or more embodiments, rules may define the item(s)
that may be redeemed according to product attributes such as the
product's identity, type, category, brand, manufacturer,
ingredients, nutritional information, and the like. Further, in one
or more embodiments, other conditions for redemption may be set,
including but not limited to: (i) time conditions (e.g., redemption
only after noon; redemption only within two (2) days of scheduled
restock event); (ii) weather conditions (e.g., no redemption if
temperature exceeds ninety (90) degrees Fahrenheit); (iii)
inventory conditions (e.g., redemption only permitted if more than
fifteen (15) units of a product remain in inventory); and/or (iv)
sales conditions (e.g., redemption only permitted if actual
velocity is less than ideal velocity; redemption only permitted for
relatively unpopular products).
[0243] In one example, a customer accepts a subscription offer at a
vending machine (e.g., by pressing a button on a keypad, at 604)
and is prompted by the vending machine (through an output device)
to set certain account parameters. The customer may set account
parameters that limit the customer's ability to redeem more than a
certain number of products within a certain time period. Such an
embodiment may be useful in that it acts as a way for customers to
limit consumption of certain items such as high calorie candy bars,
etc.
[0244] In another example, a parent of a school-age customer logs
onto a website and is prompted to set account parameters
corresponding to the child's subscription account. The parent may
set account parameters that limit the categories of products that
may be redeemed from a vending machine placed in the child's school
(e.g., no chocolate, only trail mix; no soda, only water or juice).
Such functionality may be of particular use to parents of diabetic
children or children with certain allergies, as parents may prevent
or reduce a child's access to products containing certain
ingredients (e.g., sugar, peanut butter, etc.).
[0245] In yet another example, an operator of a vending machine
accesses a customer's subscription account record through a
personal computer. After viewing the customer's purchase history
and/or redemption behavior, the operator may increase the number of
remaining units in the subscription, thereby rewarding the customer
his loyalty. Alternatively, after confirming a machine malfunction,
an operator may increase the unit balance of the subscription
(e.g., by one (1)) to compensate the customer for a product that
was selected but not dispensed due to the malfunction. Various
embodiments for querying and modifying subscription account records
are disclosed with reference to FIGS. 9-42 herein.
[0246] Referring now to FIG. 8, a flowchart of a method 800
according to some embodiments is shown. In some embodiments, the
method 800 may be related to the method 600 of FIG. 6. The method
800 may, for example, comprise processes that are a continuation
and/or are supplemental to those of the method 600 of FIG. 6.
[0247] According to some embodiments, the method 800 may begin at
802 by receiving, by a vending machine, an indication of a
subscription identifier. After a registration transaction has been
successfully processed and/or account parameters have been
established, for example, a customer having a subscription may
proceed to use a subscription code to redeem one or more
subscription items at a vending machine. Typically, the customer
need first indicate to the vending machine that the customer so
desires to redeem one or more subscription items.
[0248] In some embodiments, a redemption transaction is initiated
when a customer sends a signal to the vending machine control
system through an input device such as a touch screen, keypad
and/or finger print reader. In some embodiments, a dedicated button
of a touch screen or a keypad of keys (real keys or virtual keys on
a touch screen) may function to allow customers to initiate a
redemption transaction.
[0249] The method 800 may then continue, for example, by receiving
an indication of a product selection, at 804. In an embodiment,
customers may be allowed to fill a virtual "basket" of goods by
selecting items and quantities through one or more input devices.
The vending machine control system may store an indication of the
selected products in a temporary memory, such as stored in RAM.
After a customer indicates which item or items he or she wishes to
purchase, the vending machine control system may output, through an
output device such as a speaker, touch screen and/or LED display,
one or more payment options, including but not limited to (i) a
cash payment option, (ii) an option that allows subscription
customers to redeem one or more items with a subscription code,
and/or (iii) a credit payment option.
[0250] The customer may indicate which item or items he or she
wishes to purchase by explicitly indicating each of those items.
Alternatively, the customer's selection(s) from prior transactions
can be stored and offered to the customer. The customer may accept
such an offer of a selection by, e.g., pressing an indicated button
on a touch screen. For example, the customer's last selection may
be offered (e.g., "Press here to order a Sprite.RTM. soda and a
Snickers.RTM. candy bar again"). The customer's selections from the
last few transactions may be offered (e.g., and accepted by
pressing one of a plurality of buttons). The customer's most
commonly selected selections from previous transactions may be
offered (e.g., and accepted by pressing one of a plurality of
buttons).
[0251] Subscription codes may be presented either directly via
input devices such as keypads, finger print readers and touch
screens, or via machine-readable tokens, such as bar coded
vouchers, magnetic stripe cards, RFID transmitters, magnetic
devices, etc. Further, in some embodiments, subscription codes may
be presented to vending machines indirectly through customer
devices (e.g., cell phones, PDAs, etc.).
[0252] In some embodiments, the method 800 may continue at 806 by
determining a parameter governing a subscription associated with
the identifier, wherein the parameter is defined by a third party.
The subscription and/or subscription identifier may also or
alternatively be verified. According on one embodiment, after the
customer has indicated a desire to redeem a subscription item with
a subscription code, the vending machine control system determines
whether or not to honor the request, e.g., by determining (i) if
the subscription code is valid, and (ii) if the requested item is
out of stock or otherwise unavailable, such as if the requested
item is outside previously established account parameters. As
stated, account parameters may have been set by an account holder
or by a third party (e.g., a parent, a vending machine
operator).
[0253] The validation of a subscription code may be executed by
referencing a stored record corresponding to the subscription in a
subscription registration table. Thus, subscription codes may be
validated by determining if a presented code matches a subscription
code corresponding to a registered subscription in a subscription
registration table. For example, in one embodiment, subscription
codes may be validated by determining whether presented biometric
data (e.g. a customer's finger print) matches biometric data stored
in a record corresponding to a subscription in a subscription
registration table. Again, exemplary fingerprint matching software
for use in accordance with the present invention includes
VeriFinger.TM. 4.2 from Neurotechnologija, Ltd. of Vilnius,
Lithuania.
[0254] Further, as discussed in Applicant's U.S. Pat. Nos.
6,298,972, 6,085,888, and 5,988,346, subscription codes may be
validated, e.g., by determining whether or not the underlying
subscription has expired, and/or whether or not all units in the
subscription have been redeemed. For example, if a corresponding
record indicates that the customer only has three items remaining
in a subscription, he may not be permitted to redeem four items
with the corresponding subscription code. Conversely, if a customer
has indicated a request to redeem three items, he may be permitted
to so redeem the items if his subscription indicates that he has
four remaining units in his subscription. Thus, customers may
redeem more than one item during a redemption transaction, so long
as the vending machine control system can validate the provided
subscription code in light of the quantity of unredeemed items in
the customer's subscription.
[0255] If the subscription code is deemed valid (e.g., corresponds
to an entry on a list of approved subscription codes), the vending
machine control system may determine whether or not the requested
item is out of stock, for example, by consulting an inventory
database. Further, the vending machine control system may determine
whether or not the requested item is instead reserved for another
subscriber, such as a subscriber who has paid a premium to
guarantee availability of subscription items (i.e., a "hard
reserve" feature) at certain times.
[0256] The method 800 may continue, according to some embodiments,
by determining whether the product selection is in conformance with
the third-party parameter governing the subscription, at 808. The
vending machine and/or vending machine control system may, for
example, determine whether or not the requested item falls within
account parameters previously established by a customer or a third
party. Generally, this determination may be made by comparing
attributes of a requested product to the account parameters stored
in association with the requester's subscription account. For
example, if a school age customer requests a soda beverage from a
school's vending machine, the vending machine control system may
query the customer's subscription account record to determine if
his mother or father has previously indicated that the child is not
to receive soda.
[0257] In the case that the selected product is determined to be
compliant and/or conform with any subscription
parameters--including third party parameters--the method 800 may
continue to 810 to dispense the product (e.g., to the customer). If
the provided subscription code is deemed valid, if the requested
item is in stock, if the requested item is not reserved for another
subscribing customer, and/or if the requested item falls within
previously established account parameters, for example, the vending
machine control system may activate an item dispensing apparatus
corresponding to the requested product to dispense the product to
the customer. The activation of product dispensing apparatus is
known in the vending machine art and need not be described in
further detail herein. In the case that the product is determined
not to be complaint and/or otherwise acceptable in light of any
account parameters, the method 800 may alternatively continue to
812, to output a non-compliance message (e.g., to the customer).
Other actions and/or inactions may also or alternatively be
associated with a determination of product unacceptability.
[0258] Various methods are contemplated, for example, for handling
situations where a subscribing customer attempts to redeem a
product that is sold-out or reserved for another subscribing
customer, including: (i) offering a better or comparable substitute
product (Methods for determining substitute products are disclosed
in Applicant's co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No.
09/345,094, entitled VENDING MACHINE SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR
ENCOURAGING THE PURCHASE OF PROFITABLE ITEMS, the entirety of which
is incorporated by reference herein), (ii) adding one or more
additional units to the registered subscription of the customer,
and/or (iii) offering "value" back to the customer, including but
not limited to (a) refunds or rebates for the full retail price of
the item requested, (b) refunds or rebates for the price paid per
unit of the subscription item, and/or (c) sweepstakes entries. In
some embodiments, refunds or rebates may take the form of cash or
vouchers for machine credit. Vouchers for machine credit may
optionally have usage restrictions associated therewith, such as
time windows for usage and expiration dates.
[0259] In addition, if requested products are sold-out or reserved
for other subscribing customers, then output devices may be
configured to output one or more messages, such as informational
messages. In one embodiment, "reserved" products are so indicated
through LED lights or any other output device. Further, in some
embodiments, an "assurance" message is output to the subscribing
customer who is denied the ability to redeem a requested item
during a redemption transaction. For example, a message may be
communicated through a touch screen, reading "Don't worry, you
still have 8 sodas in your subscription to redeem at a later time."
Note that a vending machine might also output a similar message in
the event of a "miss-vend", or mechanical error.
[0260] Further, in some embodiments where a requested product does
not fall within previously established account parameters, a
vending machine control system may: (1) output a message to the
customer, reminding the customer that the selected item does not
fall within established account parameters (e.g. "I'm sorry--you
are not authorized to purchase soda--Please choose a Juice or
Water!"; as shown in one of the message areas 704 of FIG. 7E, of
the ongoing example); (2) record the request in a database; (3)
record a picture of the requester in a database; (4) output a
notification message to a third party or other party (e.g. a
parent; an insurance company); and/or (5) seek authorization to
dispense the requested product by (i) outputting a request for
authorization to another party, such as a third party (e.g., an
email message to a parent asking the parent to authorize redemption
of the requested item), and (ii) receiving and evaluating a
response to the request for authorization.
[0261] During redemption transactions, vending machines may output,
through output devices, a variety of other messages. For example, a
message reading "Thank you for using your subscription" may be
communicated. Alternatively or additionally, a "savings reminder"
message could be communicated to the customer, reminding the
customer of the per unit savings realized through the use of the
subscription promotion. For example, a message may be output,
reading "You saved $0.25 on this unit by purchasing a
subscription!" Further, in some embodiments, balance information
(i.e., how many remaining units are available for future redemption
in conjunction with a registered subscription) may be communicated
to customers during the redemption transaction. However, it should
be noted that, in some embodiments, balance and other subscription
information may be "suppressed" (i.e., not shown) until and unless
affirmatively requested by a subscribing customer (e.g., through a
"balance inquiry" button of a touch screen). Such concealment would
function to respect the privacy concerns of subscribing
customers.
[0262] In some embodiments, it may be desirable to construct a
vending machine that houses supplemental, dedicated inventory
storage containers that may be exclusively used to fulfill the
redemption of outstanding subscriptions. For example, certain
product rows may be dedicated to fulfilling redemption requests for
subscriptions.
[0263] In some embodiments, a subscription can allow a customer to
acquire (additionally or alternatively) goods or services that are
not available for sale from the vending machine to non-subscription
customers. For example, the redemption of a subscription, or the
mere possession of a subscription, can allow a customer to, e.g.,
use wireless services available from the vending machine. For
example, the vending machine may allow Internet access by being a
"hotspot" and granting the customer access. Similarly, the customer
may be granted Voice-over-IP (VoIP) services (e.g., allowing the
customer to make VoIP phone calls).
[0264] Such granted services may be restricted by a number of
"units" conferred upon the subscriber, such units being consumed
upon, e.g., acquisition of a good, use of a service. For example,
the customer, upon purchasing a subscription, may be granted a
predetermined number of "minutes", which are consumed as the
customer uses wireless Internet access and/or makes VoIP phone
calls. Such units may be purchased by subscription holders (e.g.,
one hundred (100) minutes for five dollars ($5)), or only
conferred/increased upon renewing/recharging a subscription (e.g.,
every five dollar ($5) subscription confers an additional one
hundred (100) "minutes"). According to one or more embodiments,
account parameters may define a degree of access to a communication
network, such as the Internet. For example, a parent may limit a
child's ability to visit websites containing obscene, indecent or
otherwise offensive material.
[0265] In addition to updating inventory databases to reflect the
redemption of subscription items (e.g., reduce the number of items
of the product remaining), the vending machine control system may
update registered subscription data, for example, by updating
records in a subscription registration table that correspond to the
customer's subscription code (e.g., reduce the number of items
which may subsequently be redeemed).
[0266] If a customer has been denied the ability to redeem
requested subscription items in a given redemption transaction, and
has been provided with one or more additional subscription units to
compensate him for his inconvenience, the customer's subscription
data may be adjusted to reflect this change (e.g., by adding the
additional units to the appropriate customer record in the
subscription registration table). Further, as noted, if the
customer has requested an item that does not fall within previously
established account parameters, the request may be recorded for
later viewing by the customer and/or by a third party.
[0267] In addition to or in lieu of updating subscription
registration databases, the vending machine's payment processing
apparatus may be configured to physically modify tokens provided by
the subscription customer during the redemption transaction. For
example, in an embodiment where subscription codes are provided on
magnetic stripe cards, magnetic information stored thereon may be
updated by the vending machine's card reader/writer to reflect the
redemption of one or more subscription items (e.g., reduce the
number of items which may be subsequently redeemed). In an
embodiment in which tokens take the form of paper-based vouchers or
cards, such tokens may be notched, hole-punched, printed on or
otherwise physically altered to reflect the redemption of
subscription items.
A. Alternate Embodiments
[0268] Various methods for allowing customers to renew or modify
subscriptions are within the scope of the present invention. In one
embodiment, customers are provided, through an output device, a
reminder message indicating the number of unredeemed items
remaining in the subscription, along with a subscription renewal
offer. For example, a textual message provided via touch screen may
read "You only have 3 Cokes.RTM. sodas left. Would you like to add
8 more to your Soda Card for $5? Just press ACCEPT and deposit
$5."
[0269] Customers may also enter their subscription code, press a
"recharge" button or otherwise indicate a desire to "recharge"
(e.g., increase the number of units which may be redeemed with the
subscription by a predetermined number, based on the inserted
amount of currency), and insert the required amount of currency to
"recharge" the subscription. The terms of the offer may be based on
the terms of the previous subscription, but need not be identical
thereto. For example, it can be advantageous to offer a
subscription with terms that increase the profitability of
transactions or subscriptions.
[0270] In some renewal embodiments, the vending machine control
system may dynamically construct such "renewal" offers depending on
the customer's prior subscription purchase and redemption patterns.
Thus, a customer who has purchased a threshold number of
subscriptions in the past, and/or has consistently redeemed a
threshold number of units associated with subscriptions, may be
offered a subscription offer that provides for a greater
subscription quantity than previously available to the customer.
For example, a customer who has purchased three subscriptions to
Coke.RTM. soda over the past three months and has redeemed
ninety-five percent (95%) of the subscription items may be offered
the ability to purchase a subscription to eight (8) units of
Coke.RTM. at a deeper per unit discount. In this manner, customers
who have already indicated their willingness and ability to
establish longitudinal (long lasting) relationships with a vending
machine and/or a product may be provided subscription offers that
are intended to increase the customer's the level of
commitment.
[0271] In some embodiments, third party approval may be required
for the renewal of a subscription account. For example, a parent
may be required to visit a website and accept a renewal offer
(which may have been distributed via email). For the third party's
consideration, the renewal offer may be accompanied by redemption
information (i.e., so that the third party may consider the account
holder's prior redemption behavior when determining whether to
authorize renewal).
[0272] In some embodiments, where redemption of two (or an even
number of) items is required (e.g., a "2-for-$1" vending machine),
then the subscription offer, when accepted, may give the customer
an odd number of units remaining to be redeemed. Thus, the customer
cannot completely deplete (reduce to zero) the number of units
remaining on the subscription. It is more likely that the customer,
having, e.g., one (1) unit remaining, would renew or recharge his
subscription.
[0273] Further, in some renewal embodiments, the vending machine
and/or a remote computer may store, in a database, a financial
account identifier associated with a subscription customer,
allowing the customer to readily render/authorize payment through
such financial account. Financial account identifiers include
credit card numbers, debit card numbers, checking account numbers,
or the like.
[0274] In some embodiments, customers are provided with
subscription "renewal" offers that must be affirmatively accepted
by customers before subscriptions are renewed and financial account
identifiers are accordingly used to charge customers for the
subscription price. In such embodiments, customers may be provided
with such subscription extension offers either (a) at a vending
machine (e.g., during a redemption transaction), or (b) through a
communications network, such as over the Internet (e.g., via Web or
email) or through a cellular network.
[0275] In other embodiments, customers agree to have their
financial accounts automatically charged for subscription prices
each time they have "depleted" a subscription through redeeming
some or all paid-for units in the subscription. Thus, such
"automatic renewal" may be authorized to occur automatically under
certain conditions (e.g., when the number of units of products
which may be redeemed per the subscription is at or below a
predetermined threshold).
[0276] In such an embodiment, a customer may agree to such
"automatic renewal" by, e.g., selecting one of two buttons (e.g.,
"auto-renewal" and "no auto-renewal") via a touch screen. In one
embodiment, the customer is provided with the option to agree
during each transaction in which the subscription is redeemed. The
default upon registration of a subscription may be for "automatic
renewal" to occur, and allow the customer to disable automatic
renewal.
[0277] Many other additional embodiments are contemplated. In one
embodiment, a customer may deposit extra coin change over time, and
the vending machine control system may record each deposit in
association with the customer's subscription account. When the
total of the deposited change meets or exceeds a subscription
price, the customer may be permitted to add units to the
preexisting subscription account, or units may be added
automatically. Thus, customers may have the ability to "save up"
toward the purchase of additional units at a subscription
price.
[0278] Alternatively, the unit balance of a subscription account
may be incrementally increased as the customer deposits change,
although price of each purchased unit may reflect the unit's retail
price, rather than any unit discount that may be realized through a
subscription price. For example, after the customer deposits
seventy-five cents ($0.75) in coin change, the customer's
subscription account may be incremented by one (1) unit, as units
of soda in the machine are priced individually at seventy-five
cents ($0.75).
[0279] In one embodiment, a subscription holder may command a
vending machine to dispense an item without a consequential
reduction in the number of units remaining for redemption in their
subscription. Such a feature is advantageous where, for example, a
customer claims the vending machine did not properly dispense a
paid for product (e.g., a redemption of a unit of a subscription).
Although some customers might abuse such a feature, in an
embodiment where payment can be acquired automatically from the
customer (e.g., by charging a known credit card account of the
customer), this threat can be reduced. Specifically, whether there
was actually a "misvend" (erroneous non-dispensing of an item) can
be determined by determining the amount of units of the product in
question that remain in the vending machine (i.e., is there one
more unit than the number of recorded vends reflects?). If there is
determined to be no misvend, then (i) the customer can be charged
for the unit of the product reported as misvended, but believed
received; (ii) the customer may be preventing from renewing the
subscription; (ii) the customer may be preventing from redeeming
any further units of the subscription (e.g., possibly receiving
payment for unredeemed units); and/or (iv) the operator may set
restrictive account parameters so that the customer is limited in
his ability to redeem units of product using his subscription
account.
[0280] In one embodiment, particular inventory rows or spaces
within rows may be exclusively designated for "subscription only"
products that are unavailable for sale to customers who do not
accept subscription offers and who do not present valid
subscription codes.
[0281] In one embodiment, when customers attempt to redeem a
product during a redemption transaction, the vending machine
control system may determine that the subscribed-to product is
currently in high demand and/or short supply, and may accordingly
output an offer to the customer that is intended to preserve the
high demand and/or short supply inventory. For example, such
customers may be offered a substitute product. In other words,
customers may be provided with the option of accepting another
product in lieu of the subscription item (e.g., where the customer
has subscribed to a high demand product like Diet Coke.RTM. soda,
the customer may be offered the ability to take another diet drink
that has an equal or greater retail price). Also, where the
subscribed-to product is in particularly high demand and/or short
supply, the vending machine control system may output an offer to
"buy the customer out" of his or her subscription, for example, by
paying the customer/crediting the customer's account for an amount
(e.g., an amount equal to the retail price of the remaining units
in the subscription). Where the customer was initially provided a
per unit discount through the subscription, such an embodiment may
actually function as an opportunity for the customer to earn money
by taking a financial position in vending machine inventory.
[0282] As described, in a "hard reserve" embodiment, customers may
be provided the option of upgrading subscriptions so that they are
guaranteed subscription items during redemption transactions. Such
"hard reserve" upgrades may be purchased at a premium (for a
different price) relative to other subscription offer prices.
[0283] In some embodiments, subscribers may be notified, either
through the vending machine's output device(s) and/or through a
communications network (e.g., via email), that service is disrupted
or changed at one or more vending machines, for example, due to
maintenance. The customer may indicate (e.g., to the vending
machine, via a personal computer with a Web interface) which method
of notification he prefers, and that method can be used to notify
that customer.
[0284] In some embodiments, suggested inventory configurations for
restocking purposes ("planograms"), may be designed and output
based on outstanding subscriptions. Thus, in addition to or in lieu
of constructing planograms based on anticipated future demand as
forecasted based on previous demand for one or more products, a
vending machine control system, or another computer, may retrieve
information from a subscription registration database and calculate
how many products are likely to be redeemed. Such a calculation may
consider redemption rates for subscription promotions (e.g., only
eighty percent (80%) of subscription items are redeemed).
[0285] In some embodiments, more than one individual may be
registered in conjunction with a single subscription. Thus, "group"
subscriptions may include several people. Each person in the group
may be issued a code that references the group's subscription
information in a registered subscription database. Individual codes
may be comprised of a group component (e.g., the first four digits)
and an individual component (e.g., the last six digits).
[0286] In some embodiments, an account holder may register, through
a vending machine or through a computer, one or more account
"preferences" that may be stored in association with his
subscription account (e.g., in a subscription registration table).
Such preferences may instruct a vending machine to perform in a
certain way during a redemption transaction. Such preferences
include but are not limited to: (i) language preferences (e.g.,
Spanish speaking account holders may have vending machines default
to Spanish text on touch screens); (ii) promotional preferences
(e.g., customers may wish to receive promotional offers only for
certain types of products); and (iii) other preferences.
[0287] In some embodiments, an operator may establish a contractual
relationship with one or more entities, including but not limited
to product manufacturers, real property owners/landlords,
retailers, third parties, etc. Such contractual relationships may
grant such entities rights to commissions under certain conditions.
Thus, in one embodiment, a "commission" database may be maintained
so that different commission rates may applied for (1) different
parties, and/or (2) items redeemed pursuant to a subscription as
compared to items redeemed conventionally (i.e., at full retail
price).
[0288] An alternate method for establishing "longitudinal
relationships" with vending machine customers includes permitting
customers to accept subscription offers without payment up front,
provided they input a valid credit card number. The credit card
number may be used to secure (i.e., "lock" or "freeze") a portion
of the customer's available credit. At the end of the subscription
term, the customer may be charged the subscription price.
[0289] A method for establishing "longitudinal relationships" with
vending machine customers includes the provision of discounts and
benefits with no pre-payment requirement. In one embodiment,
customers, identified by unique customer identifiers (e.g., a
frequent shopper card), agree to have their purchases tracked. Once
customers have purchased a threshold number of goods or services,
the vending machine control system may authorize a discount,
rebate, free product, sweepstakes entry, or the like. In another
embodiment, customers may agree to receive a discount unit price
for an item or items, in exchange for their agreement to purchase a
certain number of products over a certain period of time. Customer
financial account information may be stored, so that financial
accounts may be charged in the event that customers do not perform
to the agreed-to terms.
[0290] In some embodiments, parents and/or other third parties may
facilitate use of vending machines by customers, with or without
funding or creating an account for a customer (e.g., a child). A
parent may register, such as via telephone or via a Website for
example, with the vending machine (or network of vending machines)
to receive an activation code and/or to establish usage parameters.
The customer, such as a child, may then utilize the code to access
the vending machine in accordance with the defined parameters. The
code may be good only for a single use, or may be utilized to
interface with the vending machine on a repeat basis. According to
some embodiments, teachers may utilize such codes and/or account
management functions as rewards (or punishments) for students.
Students receiving detention or other discipline, for example, may
have their school vending machine accounts restricted, e.g.,
temporarily, such as during detention, for the following school day
or week, etc.
[0291] According to some embodiments, such as in the case that
biometrics are utilized as subscription identifiers, the vending
machine may typically be required to compare two data elements
(e.g., stored fingerprint data and currently received fingerprint
data) to determine and/or verify a subscription identifier. In such
embodiments, the stored data may reside locally, at the vending
machine, such that query and processing times may be reduced.
Similarly, customers that register for accounts via the vending
machine may have their data stored locally, while other customer's
data may need to be retrieved from a server and/or from other
vending machines. In some embodiments, such as where currently
received fingerprint data is determined not to be stored locally, a
query to a central server may be initiated. The central server may
then, for example, query an indexed database to locate any matching
fingerprint data. To reduce query times, the stored data may be
indexed by (i) geography (e.g., the region of the vending machine
requesting the query), (ii) a customer's PIN, (iii) customer
answers to various questions (e.g., "Where did you register?"),
etc. According to some embodiments, customers identified as
"non-local" (e.g., that required a server-based query to identify)
may have their data stored locally at the vending machine for a
certain amount of time. If the customer is on vacation, for
example, then storing the data for longer than one week or one
month may waste space in the vending machine's memory. If, however,
the customer returns to the vending machine during that period, the
period may be reset. Similarly, at some point the customer may be
determined to now be "local", and the customer's data may be stored
at the vending machine in perpetuity.
V. Rules of Interpretation
[0292] Numerous embodiments are described in this patent
application, and are presented for illustrative purposes only. The
described embodiments are not, and are not intended to be, limiting
in any sense. The presently disclosed invention(s) are widely
applicable to numerous embodiments, as is readily apparent from the
disclosure. One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that
the disclosed invention(s) may be practiced with various
modifications and alterations, such as structural, logical,
software, and electrical modifications. Although particular
features of the disclosed invention(s) may be described with
reference to one or more particular embodiments and/or drawings, it
should be understood that such features are not limited to usage in
the one or more particular embodiments or drawings with reference
to which they are described, unless expressly specified
otherwise.
[0293] The present disclosure is neither a literal description of
all embodiments of the invention nor a listing of features of the
invention that must be present in all embodiments. Neither the
Title (set forth at the beginning of the first page of this patent
application) nor the Abstract (set forth at the end of this patent
application) is to be taken as limiting in any way as the scope of
the disclosed invention(s).
The term "product" means any machine, manufacture and/or
composition of matter as contemplated by 35 U.S.C. .sctn.101,
unless expressly specified otherwise.
[0294] The terms "an embodiment", "embodiment", "embodiments", "the
embodiment", "the embodiments", "one or more embodiments", "some
embodiments", "one embodiment" and the like mean "one or more (but
not all) disclosed embodiments", unless expressly specified
otherwise.
[0295] A reference to "another embodiment" in describing an
embodiment does not imply that the referenced embodiment is
mutually exclusive with another embodiment (e.g., an embodiment
described before the referenced embodiment), unless expressly
specified otherwise.
[0296] The terms "including", "comprising" and variations thereof
mean "including but not limited to", unless expressly specified
otherwise.
[0297] The terms "a", "an" and "the" mean "one or more", unless
expressly specified otherwise.
[0298] The term "plurality" means "two or more", unless expressly
specified otherwise.
[0299] The term "herein" means "in the present application,
including anything which may be incorporated by reference", unless
expressly specified otherwise.
[0300] The phrase "at least one of", when such phrase modifies a
plurality of things (such as an enumerated list of things) means
any combination of one or more of those things, unless expressly
specified otherwise. For example, the phrase at least one of a
widget, a car and a wheel means either (i) a widget, (ii) a car,
(iii) a wheel, (iv) a widget and a car, (v) a widget and a wheel,
(vi) a car and a wheel, or (vii) a widget, a car and a wheel.
[0301] The phrase "based on" does not mean "based only on", unless
expressly specified otherwise. In other words, the phrase "based
on" describes both "based only on" and "based at least on".
[0302] The term "whereby" is used herein only to precede a clause
or other set of words that express only the intended result,
objective or consequence of something that is previously and
explicitly recited. Thus, when the term "whereby" is used in a
claim, the clause or other words that the term "whereby" modifies
do not establish specific further limitations of the claim or
otherwise restricts the meaning or scope of the claim.
[0303] Where a limitation of a first claim would cover one of a
feature as well as more than one of a feature (e.g., a limitation
such as "at least one widget" covers one widget as well as more
than one widget), and where in a second claim that depends on the
first claim, the second claim uses a definite article "the" to
refer to the limitation (e.g., "the widget"), this does not imply
that the first claim covers only one of the feature, and this does
not imply that the second claim covers only one of the feature
(e.g., "the widget" can cover both one widget and more than one
widget).
[0304] Each process (whether called a method, algorithm or
otherwise) inherently includes one or more steps, and therefore all
references to a "step" or "steps" of a process have an inherent
antecedent basis in the mere recitation of the term `process` or a
like term. Accordingly, any reference in a claim to a `step` or
`steps` of a process has sufficient antecedent basis.
[0305] When an ordinal number (such as "first", "second", "third"
and so on) is used as an adjective before a term, that ordinal
number is used (unless expressly specified otherwise) merely to
indicate a particular feature, such as to distinguish that
particular feature from another feature that is described by the
same term or by a similar term. For example, a "first widget" may
be so named merely to distinguish it from, e.g., a "second widget".
Thus, the mere usage of the ordinal numbers "first" and "second"
before the term "widget" does not indicate any other relationship
between the two widgets, and likewise does not indicate any other
characteristics of either or both widgets. For example, the mere
usage of the ordinal numbers "first" and "second" before the term
"widget" (1) does not indicate that either widget comes before or
after any other in order or location; (2) does not indicate that
either widget occurs or acts before or after any other in time; and
(3) does not indicate that either widget ranks above or below any
other, as in importance or quality. In addition, the mere usage of
ordinal numbers does not define a numerical limit to the features
identified with the ordinal numbers. For example, the mere usage of
the ordinal numbers "first" and "second" before the term "widget"
does not indicate that there must be no more than two widgets.
[0306] When a single device or article is described herein, more
than one device or article (whether or not they cooperate) may
alternatively be used in place of the single device or article that
is described. Accordingly, the functionality that is described as
being possessed by a device may alternatively be possessed by more
than one device or article (whether or not they cooperate).
[0307] Similarly, where more than one device or article is
described herein (whether or not they cooperate), a single device
or article may alternatively be used in place of the more than one
device or article that is described. For example, a plurality of
computer-based devices may be substituted with a single
computer-based device. Accordingly, the various functionality that
is described as being possessed by more than one device or article
may alternatively be possessed by a single device or article.
[0308] The functionality and/or the features of a single device
that is described may be alternatively embodied by one or more
other devices that are described but are not explicitly described
as having such functionality and/or features. Thus, other
embodiments need not include the described device itself, but
rather can include the one or more other devices which would, in
those other embodiments, have such functionality/features.
[0309] Devices that are in communication with each other need not
be in continuous communication with each other, unless expressly
specified otherwise. On the contrary, such devices need only
transmit to each other as necessary or desirable, and may actually
refrain from exchanging data most of the time. For example, a
machine in communication with another machine via the Internet may
not transmit data to the other machine for weeks at a time. In
addition, devices that are in communication with each other may
communicate directly or indirectly through one or more
intermediaries.
[0310] A description of an embodiment with several components or
features does not imply that all or even any of such components
and/or features are required. On the contrary, a variety of
optional components are described to illustrate the wide variety of
possible embodiments of the present invention(s). Unless otherwise
specified explicitly, no component and/or feature is essential or
required.
[0311] Further, although process steps, algorithms or the like may
be described in a sequential order, such processes may be
configured to work in different orders. In other words, any
sequence or order of steps that may be explicitly described does
not necessarily indicate a requirement that the steps be performed
in that order. The steps of processes described herein may be
performed in any order practical. Further, some steps may be
performed simultaneously despite being described or implied as
occurring non-simultaneously (e.g., because one step is described
after the other step). Moreover, the illustration of a process by
its depiction in a drawing does not imply that the illustrated
process is exclusive of other variations and modifications thereto,
does not imply that the illustrated process or any of its steps are
necessary to the invention, and does not imply that the illustrated
process is preferred.
[0312] Although a process may be described as including a plurality
of steps, that does not indicate that all or even any of the steps
are essential or required. Various other embodiments within the
scope of the described invention(s) include other processes that
omit some or all of the described steps. Unless otherwise specified
explicitly, no step is essential or required.
[0313] Although a product may be described as including a plurality
of components, aspects, qualities, characteristics and/or features,
that does not indicate that all of the plurality are essential or
required. Various other embodiments within the scope of the
described invention(s) include other products that omit some or all
of the described plurality.
[0314] An enumerated list of items (which may or may not be
numbered) does not imply that any or all of the items are mutually
exclusive, unless expressly specified otherwise. Likewise, an
enumerated list of items (which may or may not be numbered) does
not imply that any or all of the items are comprehensive of any
category, unless expressly specified otherwise. For example, the
enumerated list "a computer, a laptop, a PDA" does not imply that
any or all of the three items of that list are mutually exclusive
and does not imply that any or all of the three items of that list
are comprehensive of any category.
[0315] Headings of sections provided in this patent application and
the title of this patent application are for convenience only, and
are not to be taken as limiting the disclosure in any way.
[0316] "Determining" something can be performed in a variety of
manners and therefore the term "determining" (and like terms)
includes calculating, computing, deriving, looking up (e.g., in a
table, database or data structure), ascertaining and the like.
[0317] It will be readily apparent that the various methods and
algorithms described herein may be implemented by, e.g.,
appropriately programmed general purpose computers and computing
devices. Typically a processor (e.g., one or more microprocessors)
will receive instructions from a memory or like device, and execute
those instructions, thereby performing one or more processes
defined by those instructions. Further, programs that implement
such methods and algorithms may be stored and transmitted using a
variety of media (e.g., computer readable media) in a number of
manners. In some embodiments, hard-wired circuitry or custom
hardware may be used in place of, or in combination with, software
instructions for implementation of the processes of various
embodiments. Thus, embodiments are not limited to any specific
combination of hardware and software
[0318] A "processor" means any one or more microprocessors, CPU
devices, computing devices, microcontrollers, digital signal
processors, or like devices.
[0319] The term "computer-readable medium" refers to any medium
that participates in providing data (e.g., instructions) that may
be read by a computer, a processor or a like device. Such a medium
may take many forms, including but not limited to, non-volatile
media, volatile media, and transmission media. Non-volatile media
include, for example, optical or magnetic disks and other
persistent memory. Volatile media include DRAM, which typically
constitutes the main memory. Transmission media include coaxial
cables, copper wire and fiber optics, including the wires that
comprise a system bus coupled to the processor. Transmission media
may include or convey acoustic waves, light waves and
electromagnetic emissions, such as those generated during RF and IR
data communications. Common forms of computer-readable media
include, for example, a floppy disk, a flexible disk, hard disk,
magnetic tape, any other magnetic medium, a CD-ROM, DVD, any other
optical medium, punch cards, paper tape, any other physical medium
with patterns of holes, a RAM, a PROM, an EPROM, a FLASH-EEPROM,
any other memory chip or cartridge, a carrier wave as described
hereinafter, or any other medium from which a computer can
read.
[0320] Various forms of computer readable media may be involved in
carrying sequences of instructions to a processor. For example,
sequences of instruction (i) may be delivered from RAM to a
processor, (ii) may be carried over a wireless transmission medium,
and/or (iii) may be formatted according to numerous formats,
standards or protocols, such as Bluetooth.TM., TDMA, CDMA, 3G.
[0321] Where databases are described, it will be understood by one
of ordinary skill in the art that (i) alternative database
structures to those described may be readily employed, and (ii)
other memory structures besides databases may be readily employed.
Any illustrations or descriptions of any sample databases presented
herein are illustrative arrangements for stored representations of
information. Any number of other arrangements may be employed
besides those suggested by, e.g., tables illustrated in drawings or
elsewhere. Similarly, any illustrated entries of the databases
represent exemplary information only; one of ordinary skill in the
art will understand that the number and content of the entries can
be different from those described herein. Further, despite any
depiction of the databases as tables, other formats (including
relational databases, object-based models and/or distributed
databases) could be used to store and manipulate the data types
described herein. Likewise, object methods or behaviors of a
database can be used to implement various processes, such as the
described herein. In addition, the databases may, in a known
manner, be stored locally or remotely from a device that accesses
data in such a database.
[0322] The present invention can be configured to work in a network
environment including a computer that is in communication, via a
communications network, with one or more devices. The computer may
communicate with the devices directly or indirectly, via a wired or
wireless medium such as the Internet, LAN, WAN or Ethernet, Token
Ring, or via any appropriate communications means or combination of
communications means. Each of the devices may comprise computers,
such as those based on the Intel.RTM. Pentium.RTM. or Centrino.TM.
processor, that are adapted to communicate with the computer. Any
number and type of machines may be in communication with the
computer.
[0323] The present disclosure provides, to one of ordinary skill in
the art, an enabling description of several embodiments and/or
inventions. Some of these embodiments and/or inventions may not be
claimed in the present application, but may nevertheless be claimed
in one or more continuing applications that claim the benefit of
priority of the present application. Applicants intend to file
additional applications to pursue patents for subject matter that
has been disclosed and enabled but not claimed in the present
application.
* * * * *
References