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US 2002/0161653 A1Published application
Method and apparatus for vending a combination of products
AssigneeWalker Digital, LLC
InventorsJay S. Walker, Daniel E. Tedesco, James A. Jorasch, Robert R. Lech, Dean P. Alderucci
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus for delivering a plurality of products from a vending machine is disclosed. The method generally allows an offer for a package to be output, in which the package defines a plurality of products, including a selected product. An apparatus is also disclosed to carry out the method steps of the present invention.
Claims12
A method comprising:
- determining an amount of tendered payment;
- receiving a product identifier corresponding to a product selected to be dispensed from a vending machine;
- identifying at least one package which corresponds to the amount of tendered payment and the product identifier, each package defining a plurality of products which includes the selected product;
- and
- outputting a signal representing an instruction to dispense the plurality of products defined by the package.
2 more elements
A method comprising:
- displaying an offer for a package having a package price, the package defining a plurality of products to be dispensed from a vending machine;
- receiving a response to the offer;
- displaying an instruction to select from a vending machine each of the products defined by the package;
- and
- instructing the vending machine that payment for each of the products has been received.
2 more elements
A method comprising:
- maintaining a database of at least one upsell price, said upsell price corresponding to an upsell product;
- generating a credit amount, the credit amount representing an amount of deposited currency;
- receiving a product identifier corresponding to a selected product;
- determining a product price corresponding to the selected product;
- determining a round-up amount representing a difference between the credit amount and the product price;
- comparing the round-up amount with at least one of the upsell prices in the database;
- and
- if the round-up amount corresponds to a compared upsell price,
- identifying at least one upsell product in the database which corresponds to the compared upsell price, and
- outputting a signal indicative of the identified upsell product.
7 more elements
A method, comprising:
- receiving, at a vending device, a payment amount;
- receiving a product identifier identifying a first product dispensed at the vending device;
- determining a first price for the first product;
- determining a round-up amount representing a difference between the payment amount and the first price;
- identifying an at least first upsell offer corresponding to the round-up amount, the at least first upsell offer corresponding to an upsell product;
- and
- outputting a signal indicative of the upsell offer.
4 more elements
A vending machine, comprising:
- a memory configured to store:
- a database of at least one upsell price, the upsell price corresponding to an upsell product;
- a credit amount representing an amount of deposited currency;
- a product identifier corresponding to a selected product;
- an input device configured to receive the product identifier;
- and
- a processor configured to:
- generate the credit amount;
- determine a product price corresponding to the product identifier;
- determine a round-up amount representing a difference between the credit amount and the product price;
- compare the round-up amount with at least one of the upsell prices in the database;
- and if the round-up amount corresponds to a compared upsell price,
- identify at least one upsell product in the database which corresponds to the compared upsell price, and
- output a signal indicative of the identified upsell product.
11 more elements
A vending machine, comprising:
- a memory, configured to store:
- a received payment amount;
- a product identifier;
- and
- at least a first upsell offer;
- an input device, configured to receive the product identifier;
- a processor, configured to:
- determine a first price of a first product identified by the product identifier;
- determine a round-up amount representing a difference between the received payment amount and the first price;
- and
- identify the at least first upsell offer corresponding to the round-up amount, the at least first upsell offer corresponding to an upsell product.
8 more elements
A vending apparatus, comprising:
- means for receiving a payment amount;
- means for receiving a product identifier identifying a first product dispensed at the vending apparatus;
- means for determining a first price for the first product;
- means for determining a round-up amount representing a difference between the payment amount and the first price;
- and
- means for identifying an at least first upsell offer corresponding to the round-up amount, the at least first upsell offer corresponding to an upsell product.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.