# US 10,373,276 B2 · Self-serve product dispenser

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- Number: US 10,373,276 B2
- Document ID: US10373276B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/126,095
- Filed: 2015-03-31
- Published: 2017-06-29
- Granted: 2019-08-06
- Earliest claimed: 2014-03-31
- Assignees: The Coca-Cola Company
- Applicants: The Coca-Cola Company
- Inventors: Gregg Carpenter; David Roy Newman; Arthur G. Rudick; Anisha Joshi; David O. Slagley; Michael Edward Hopkins
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10373276B2

## CPC

- G06Q 50/12: Hotels or restaurants
- G06K 7/1413: {1D bar codes}
- G06Q 20/045: {using payment protocols involving tickets}
- G06Q 20/18: involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
- G06Q 20/202: {Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR}
- G06Q 20/208: {Input by product or record sensing, e.g. weighing or scanner processing}
- G06Q 20/40145: {Biometric identity checks}
- G06Q 30/0185: {Product, service or business identity fraud}
- G07F 13/065: {for drink preparation}
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G06K: GRAPHICAL DATA READING (image or video recognition or understanding G06V); PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS
- G07F: COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS (coin sorting G07D3/00; coin testing G07D5/00; {handling coins or paper currencies apart from payment activated apparatus G07D; payment architectures, schemes or protocols G06Q20/00})

## Abstract

Embodiments and associated aspects of the disclosure permit regulation of dispense of a product in a self-serve environment via, at least in part, reconciliation of a product order originated in an access device, such as a point-of-sale (POS) device, and a product selection effected at a product dispenser configured to fulfill the product order.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A beverage dispenser system comprising:
a dispenser;
at least one memory that stores computer-executable instructions; and
at least one processor configured to access the at least one memory and execute the computer-executable instructions to:
identify a first barcode associated with a beverage vessel;
identify a usage record associated with the first barcode, the usage record indicative of a first dispense event associated with the first barcode including a first dispensed beverage volume associated with the first dispense event;
determine that the first barcode is valid based at least in part on the usage record;
after determining that the first barcode is valid, receive a first selection of a first beverage to dispense;
dispense the first beverage during a second dispense event via the dispenser;
associate the second dispense event including a second dispensed beverage volume associated with the second dispensed event with the usage record;
receive a second selection of a second beverage to dispense;
identify the usage record associated with the first barcode;
determine a total volume of dispensed beverage associated with the first barcode based at least in part on the usage record;
determine that the total volume of dispensed beverage exceeds a maximum dispensed beverage volume value associated with the first barcode, the total volume of dispensed beverage comprising the first dispensed beverage volume and the second dispensed beverage volume; and
prevent dispensing of the second beverage.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The beverage dispenser system of claim 1, wherein the usage record further comprises a first timestamp associated with the first dispense event and a second timestamp associated with the second dispensed event.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The beverage dispenser system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to access the at least one memory and execute the computer-executable instructions to automatically deactivate the first barcode at an end of an activation timeframe.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The beverage dispenser system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to access the at least one memory and execute the computer-executable instructions to reset the usage record associated with the first barcode a predetermined time interval after the first dispense event.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The beverage dispenser system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to access the at least one memory and execute the computer-executable instructions to:
determine a dispensable volume associated with the beverage vessel; and
automatically end the second dispense event upon dispensing the dispensable volume of the first beverage.

### Claim 6

A method, comprising:
identifying, by a computer system comprising one or more processors coupled to at least one memory, a first barcode associated with a beverage vessel;
identifying, by the computer system, a usage record associated with the first barcode, the usage record indicative of a first dispense event including a first dispensed beverage volume associated with the first dispense event;
determining, by the computer system, that the first barcode is valid based at least in part on the usage record;
receiving, by the computer system, a first selection of a first beverage to dispense;
dispensing, by the computer system, the first beverage during a second dispense event;
associating, by the computer system, the second dispense event including a second dispensed beverage volume associated with the second dispensed event with the usage record;
receiving, by the computer system, a second selection of a second beverage to dispense;
identifying, by the computer system, the usage record associated with the first barcode;
determining, by the computer system, a total volume of dispensed beverage associated with the first barcode based at least in part on the usage record;
determining, by the computer system, that the total volume of dispensed beverage meets a maximum dispensed beverage volume value associated with the first barcode, the total volume of dispensed beverage comprising the first dispensed beverage volume and the second dispensed beverage volume; and
preventing, by the computer system, dispensing of the second beverage.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein the usage record further comprises a first timestamp associated with the first dispense event and a second timestamp associated with the second dispensed event.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, further comprising automatically deactivating, by the computer system, the first barcode at an end of an activation timeframe.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, further comprising resetting, by the computer system, the usage record associated with the first barcode a predetermined time interval after the first dispense event.

### Claim 10 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, further comprising:
determining, by the computer system, a dispensable volume associated with the beverage vessel; and
automatically ending, by the computer system, the second dispense event upon dispensing the dispensable volume of the first beverage.