# US 11,076,710 B2 · Merchandiser with on-product financial payment system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,076,710 B2 - Document ID: US11076710B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/895,711 - Filed: 2020-06-08 - Published: 2020-09-24 - Granted: 2021-08-03 - Earliest claimed: 2014-10-24 - Assignees: Leer, Inc. - Applicants: Leer, Inc. - Inventors: William M. Huffar; Stephen J. Dieter; Terry D. Matt; John A. Miller; Nicholas A. Truesdale - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11076710B2 ## CPC - A47F 10/02: for self-service type systems, e.g. supermarkets (A47F10/06 takes precedence; hand-carts B62B; baskets B65D) - F25C 5/24: {for storing bins (ice bins F25C5/182)} - F25D 11/04: specially adapted for storing deep-frozen articles (F25D11/02 takes precedence) - F25D 17/042: {Air treating means within refrigerated spaces (air conditioning in general F24F)} - G06Q 20/18: involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals - G06Q 20/208: {Input by product or record sensing, e.g. weighing or scanner processing} - G07F 9/006: {Details of the software used for the vending machines} - G07F 9/105: {Heating or cooling means, for temperature and humidity control, for the conditioning of articles and their storage (dispensers for food articles requiring a processing by temperature treatment or conditioning before they are ready for dispensing G07F17/0064)} - G07F 11/62: in which the articles are stored in compartments in fixed receptacles - F25D 2317/0417: using an UV-lamp - F25D 2331/801: Bags - A47F: SPECIAL FURNITURE, FITTINGS, OR ACCESSORIES FOR SHOPS, STOREHOUSES, BARS, RESTAURANTS OR THE LIKE; PAYING COUNTERS - F25C: PRODUCING, WORKING OR HANDLING ICE - F25D: REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (refrigerated showcases A47F3/04; thermally-insulated vessels for domestic use A47J41/00; refrigerated vehicles, see the appropriate subclasses of classes B60 - B64; containers with thermal insulation in general B65D81/38; heat-transfer, heat-exchange or heat-storage materials, e.g. refrigerants, or materials for the production of heat or cold by chemical reactions other than by combustion C09K5/00; thermally-insulated vessels for liquefied or solidified gases F17C; air-conditioning or air-humidification F24F; refrigeration machines, plants, or systems F25B; cooling of instruments or comparable apparatus without refrigeration G12B) - 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 - 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 A merchandiser for storing a product for purchase by a customer is disclosed. The merchandiser includes a housing defining a cavity; a door coupled to the housing; a platform located in the cavity for holding the product; a load sensor structured to determine a weight of the product; and a controller coupled to the load sensor. The controller is structured to unlock the door based on a validation of payment information of the customer, and determine a weight of product removed during a transaction for the product based on a value regarding the weight of the product removed during the transaction being substantially constant for a preset amount of time. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A merchandiser for storing a product for purchase by a customer, the merchandiser comprising: a housing defining a cavity; a door coupled to the housing; a platform located in the cavity for holding the product; a load sensor structured to determine a weight of the product; and a controller coupled to the load sensor, wherein the controller is structured to: unlock the door based on a validation of payment information of the customer; receive initial weight data regarding an initial weight of the product based on the validation of the payment information; determine a transaction for the product is complete; determine a weight of product removed during the transaction based on the initial weight data and subsequent weight data regarding the weight of the product removed during the transaction, the subsequent weight data being substantially constant for a preset amount of time; and charge the customer for the determined weight of product removed during the transaction. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The merchandiser of claim 1, wherein the load sensor is included with the platform. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The merchandiser of claim 1, further comprising a display configured to show at least one of a type and a cost for the product or instructions for using the merchandiser. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The merchandiser of claim 1, wherein the controller is structured to determine an initiation of the transaction for the product based on receiving information regarding a payment card. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The merchandiser of claim 1, wherein the controller is structured to determine that the transaction is complete based on at least one of an input indicating that the transaction is complete or a constant weight of product remaining in the merchandiser being detected for a preset amount of time. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The merchandiser of claim 1, wherein the controller is structured to determine that the transaction is complete based on the door being in a close position for more than a preset amount of time. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The merchandiser of claim 1, further comprising a payment card reader. ### Claim 8 A method of operating a merchandiser, the method comprising: receiving an initiation of a transaction; receiving initial weight data regarding an initial weight of product stored by the merchandiser based on the initiation of the transaction; unlocking a door of the merchandiser to enable a removal of a product of the stored product during the transaction based on receiving the initiation of the transaction; determining that the transaction is complete; determining a weight of product removed during the transaction based on the initial weight data and subsequent weight data indicating the weight of the product removed during the transaction, the subsequent weight data being substantially constant for a preset amount of time; and charging a customer for the determined weight of product removed during the transaction. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the merchandiser is an ice merchandiser and the product is bagged ice. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising providing, via a display of the merchandiser, instructions regarding how to use the merchandiser. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the transaction is initiated based on validation of payment card information for the transaction. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising receiving an input regarding the product to be purchased, comparing the input regarding the product to be purchased to a determined product based on the determined weight of product removed, and providing an alert based on the comparison.