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AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsCary Lee Bates, Mahdad Majd, John Matthew Santosuosso
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Embodiments of the present invention provide for a method, system and article of manufacture for operating vending machines. In general, a plurality of vending machines are nodes of a network. Each node is configured to send, receive and process signals carrying inventory, pricing, reservation and/or refund information. In such embodiments, a vending machine is configured to receive a reservation request for a specified item. The request may be issued from one of a plurality of client devices (e.g., wireless telephones, desktop computers and the like) or from a reservation control system. In still another embodiment, vending machines may be configured to provide refunds under controlled conditions. A consumer may request a refund in cases where the consumer was improperly charged for goods are services that were not provided.
A method of operating a reservation control system for reserving items dispensed by vending machines networked to the reservation control system, comprising:
A reservation system for reserving items dispensed by vending machines, comprising:
A signal bearing medium, comprising a reservation program which, when executed by a processor, performs a method for reserving items dispensed by vending machines, the method comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.