Method and system for accomplishing product detection
AssigneeCrane Co.
InventorsDavid Boyd Whitten, William Edwin Booth, Paul Kevin Griner, Brian Lee Duncan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention provides for a vending system wherein a monitoring system verifies that a product ordered by a vending customer is actually delivered through a delivery area to the customer. If the product ordered is unavailable either because of an out of stock situation or a blockage of the delivery path for that product, the present invention allows the customer to request a refund or order a second product. Additionally, the present invention helps to prevent theft of product from the vending system.
Claims33
A vending system for verifying the delivery of a ordered product comprising of:
- an ordering system for receiving a customer order of a product;
- a product delivery system for sending the product located in a first product storage position through a delivery path to a second product receiving position;
- a monitoring system located along the delivery path for detecting when the product passes through the delivery path from the first position to the second position;
- and
- a reporting circuitry electronically coupled to the monitoring system wherein the reporting circuitry reports the result of the customer's order.
A vending method for determining whether a product is delivered, the method comprising the steps of:
- sending a delivery signal to a product delivery system based on a customer-ordering event;
- monitoring a delivery path that the ordered product travels to reach a product receiving location;
- and
- determining if the product was delivered to the receiving location.
A vending machine method to deliver a product, the method comprising the steps of:
- determining that a product ordered by a customer was not delivered;
- counting the number of attempts that the product by the customer was ordered and not delivered;
- and
- taking an action based on the number of attempts that the product was ordered by the customer but not delivered.
An apparatus for monitoring a vending machine delivery area, the apparatus comprising of:
- an ordering system;
- a delivery path for a product ordered by a customer from the ordering system;
- a signal-emitting device located along the delivery path and emitting a signal;
- a signal detecting device located across the delivery path from the signal emitting device;
- and
- a logic circuit connected to the signal-detecting device, such that the logic circuit determines when a product is delivered.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.