Unattended vending apparatus

A mobile vending robot, comprising:

• a mobile base unit;
• a communication interface configured to connect to a server device;
• a container section on the mobile base unit, the container section being configured for storing items of merchandise;
• a sensor device configured to detect a removal of an item of merchandise from the container section and a return of the item of merchandise to the container section;
• a first display screen to display information to a user;
• a second display screen to display information to the user;
• and
• a processor configured to:
• identify the item of merchandise removed from the container section based on output from the sensor device;
• register the identified item of merchandise on a transaction list;
• cause the first display screen to display information relating to the registered item of merchandise;
• and
• receive an indication that registration of items has been completed by the user and then display information relating to payment processing on the second display screen, wherein
• the first and second display screens face different directions, and
• the processor is further configured to control the mobile base unit to rotate to cause the second display screen to face the user when the indication that registration of items has been completed by the user is received.

A mobile vending robot, comprising:

• a wheeled base unit;
• a communication interface configured to connect to a server device;
• a container section on the wheeled base unit, the container section being configured for storing items of merchandise;
• a weighing device configured to detect a removal of an item of merchandise from the container section and a return of the item of merchandise to the container section;
• a first display screen facing in a first direction to display information to a user standing before an opening in the container section;
• a second display screen facing in a second direction to display information to the user during payment processing operations;
• a camera facing in the second direction;
• and
• a processor configured to:
• identify the item of merchandise removed from the container section based on output from the weighing device;
• register the identified item of merchandise on a transaction list;
• cause the first display screen to display information relating to the registered item of merchandise on the first display screen;
• and
• receive an indication that registration of items has been completed by the user and then display information relating to payment processing on the second display screen, wherein
• the processor is further configured to:
• cause information relating to the registered item of merchandise to be added to a list displayed on the first display screen in a wipe in manner indicating movement of the information in a direction from the container section towards the first display screen before being added to a row of the list, and
• control the wheeled base unit to rotate to cause the second display screen to face the user when the indication that registration of items has been completed by the user is received.