Method of Doing the Business of Machine Vending
OwnerMunroe Chirnomasinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Abstract of Disclosure Methods of machine vending with a third party are disclosed. The third party issues an authorization code that prevents a computerized vending machine ("CVM") from being shut down automatically, or a de-authorization code that causes the CVM to be at least partially shut down. Use of such codes makes it more prudent for parties to enter into contracts that were previously impractical or susceptible of abuse by dishonest vending machine operators.
Claims25
A method of doing business with a third party wherein the third party is entitled to receive payment based upon actual operations carried out by a computerized vending machine ("CVM"), the CVM having means for disabling itself from dispensing goods unless an authorization code is timely input thereto, comprising the following steps:
- contracting with the third party to pay the third party based upon actual operations carried out by the CVM;
- generating an authorization code under authority of the third party;
- and
- inputting the authorization code to the CVM
10. The method of claim 9, wherein the portable computer is a handheld computer.
11. A method of doing business with a third party wherein the third party is entitled to receive payment based upon actual operations carried out by a computerized vending machine ("CVM"), the CVM having means for identifying goods loaded therein and means for reversibly disabling itself from dispensing at least some of said goods upon receipt of a deauthorization code, comprising the following steps:
- contracting with the third party to pay the third party based upon actual operations carried out by the CVM;
- generating a deauthorization code under authority of the third party;
- and
- inputting the deauthorization code to the CVM.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein the deauthorization code reversibly disables the CVM from dispensing particular goods loaded therein while permitting the CVM to continue to dispense other goods loaded therein.
13. A method of doing business with a third party with respect to a computerized vending machine ("CVM"), the CVM having means for disabling itself from dispensing goods unless an authorization code is timely input thereto, comprising the following steps:
- contracting with the third party to pay the third party;
- generating an authorization code under authority of the third party;
- and
- inputting the authorization code to the CVM.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein the authorization code is input manually.
16. A method of doing business with a third party with respect to a computerized vending machine ("CVM"), the CVM having means for disabling itself from dispensing goods unless an authorization code is timely input thereto and further having a communications port enabling remote electronic communication with the CVM, comprising the following steps:
- contracting with the third party to pay the third party;
- contracting with a data management company having the exclusive right to electronically communicate with the CVM through the communications port;
- generating an authorization code under authority of the third party;
- and
- providing the authorization code to the data management company for inputting the authorization code to the CVM.
17. A method of doing business with a third party with respect to a computerized vending machine ("CVM"), the CVM having means for reversibly disabling itself from dispensing goods upon receipt of a deauthorization code and further having a communications port enabling remote electronic communication with the CVM, comprising the following steps:
- contracting with the third party to pay the third party;
- contracting with a data management company having the exclusive right to electronically communicate with the CVM through the communications port;
- generating a deauthorization code under authority of the third party;
- and
- providing the deauthorization code to the data management company for inputting the deauthorization code to the CVM.
18. A method of operating a computerized vending machine ("CVM") in conjunction with an interested third party, wherein the third party is entitled to receive at least one of either payment or data based upon actual operations carried out by the CVM, comprising the following steps:
- providing a CVM to an operator, the CVM being programmed before said providing to at least partially disabling itself from dispensing goods if an authorization code is not timely input thereto;
- making an agreement between the operator and an interested third party to at least one of either make payment or report data to the third party based upon actual operations carried out by the CVM;
- generating an authorization code under authority of the third party;
- and
- inputting the authorization code to the CVM.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein said inputting of the authorization code to the CVM at least one of prevents or reverses said at least partial disabling of the CVM.
20. A method of operating a computerized vending machine ("CVM") in conjunction with an interested third party, wherein the third party is entitled to receive at least one of either payment or data based upon actual operations carried out by the CVM, comprising the following steps:
- providing a CVM to an operator, the CVM being programmed before said providing to become at least partially disabled from dispensing goods if a de-authorization code is input thereto;
- making an agreement between the operator and an interested third party to at least one of either make payment or report data to the third party based upon actual operations carried out by the CVM;
- generating a de-authorization code under authority of the third party;
- and
- inputting the de-authorization code to the CVM.
21. The method of claim 20, wherein the actual operations carried out by the CVM upon which the agreement with the third party is based, comprises at least one of:
- a) passage of a predetermined period of time;
- b) physical re-location of the CVM;
- c) passage of a predetermined period of time between servicings;
- d) more than a predetermined amount of sales of a given type of a plurality of types of goods vendible by the CVM;
- e) more than a predetermined amount of sales of a non-branded item in a CVM primarily intended for sales of branded items;
- or
- f) sale of a predetermined sales volume of goods, or
- g) sale of a predetermined sales volume within a predetermined period of time.
22. A method of operating a computerized vending machine ("CVM") having a display portion which displays a plurality of goods of several types vendible by the CVM, comprising the following steps:
- providing a CVM to an operator, the CVM being programmed before said providing to accumulate sales data relating to each of the plurality of goods vendible by the CVM;
- and
- making an agreement between the operator and an interested third party to operate the CVM to vend the goods according to predetermined rules;
- wherein the CVM is also preprogrammed before said providing to at least partially disable vending of goods based on an internal analysis of the sales data which indicates that vending of goods will not conform to the predetermined rules.
23. The method of claim 22,
- wherein the agreement between the operator and the interested third party includes a rule to operate the CVM so that a predetermined percentage of the goods vended by the CVM are of a certain type;
- and
- wherein the CVM preprogramming causes said disabling based on an internal analysis of the sales data which indicates that vending of goods of the certain type will not comprise a predetermined minimum percentage of the total goods vended by the CVM.
24. The method of claim 23,
- wherein the CVM is preprogrammed to cease the at least partial disabling of the vending of goods, based on an internal analysis of the sales data which indicates that vending of goods of the certain type will again comprise at least the predetermined minimum percentage of the total goods vended by the CVM.
26. A method of operating a computerized vending machine ("CVM") in conjunction with an interested third party, wherein the third party is entitled to receive at least one of either payment or data based upon actual operations carried out by the CVM, comprising the following steps:
- providing a CVM to an operator, the CVM being programmed before said providing to:
- accumulate sales data relating to the vending of at least some of the plurality of goods vendible by the CVM;
- become at least partially disabled from dispensing goods if a de-authorization code is input thereto;
- making an agreement between the operator and an interested third party to report at least some of the accumulated data to the third party;
- generating a de-authorization code under authority of the third party;
- and
- inputting the de-authorization code to the CVM.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.