# US 2019/0167016 A1 · Merchandiser with on-product financial payment system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0167016 A1 - Document ID: US20190167016A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/264,422 - Filed: 2019-01-31 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2014-10-24 - Assignees: Leer, Inc. - Applicants: Leer, Inc. - Inventors: William M. Huffar; Stephen J. Dieter; Terry D. Matt; John A. Miller; Nicholas A. Truesdale - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190167016A1 ## CPC - A47F 10/02: for self-service type systems, e.g. supermarkets (A47F10/06 takes precedence; hand-carts B62B; baskets B65D) - F25C 5/24: {for storing bins (ice bins F25C5/182)} - F25D 11/04: specially adapted for storing deep-frozen articles (F25D11/02 takes precedence) - F25D 17/042: {Air treating means within refrigerated spaces (air conditioning in general F24F)} - G06Q 20/18: involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals - G06Q 20/208: {Input by product or record sensing, e.g. weighing or scanner processing} - G07F 9/006: {Details of the software used for the vending machines} - G07F 9/105: {Heating or cooling means, for temperature and humidity control, for the conditioning of articles and their storage (dispensers for food articles requiring a processing by temperature treatment or conditioning before they are ready for dispensing G07F17/0064)} - G07F 11/62: in which the articles are stored in compartments in fixed receptacles - F25D 2317/0417: using an UV-lamp - F25D 2331/801: Bags - A47F: SPECIAL FURNITURE, FITTINGS, OR ACCESSORIES FOR SHOPS, STOREHOUSES, BARS, RESTAURANTS OR THE LIKE; PAYING COUNTERS - F25C: PRODUCING, WORKING OR HANDLING ICE - F25D: REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (refrigerated showcases A47F3/04; thermally-insulated vessels for domestic use A47J41/00; refrigerated vehicles, see the appropriate subclasses of classes B60 - B64; containers with thermal insulation in general B65D81/38; heat-transfer, heat-exchange or heat-storage materials, e.g. refrigerants, or materials for the production of heat or cold by chemical reactions other than by combustion C09K5/00; thermally-insulated vessels for liquefied or solidified gases F17C; air-conditioning or air-humidification F24F; refrigeration machines, plants, or systems F25B; cooling of instruments or comparable apparatus without refrigeration G12B) - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G07F: COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS (coin sorting G07D3/00; coin testing G07D5/00; {handling coins or paper currencies apart from payment activated apparatus G07D; payment architectures, schemes or protocols G06Q20/00}) ## Abstract A merchandiser for storing a product for purchase by a customer is disclosed. The merchandiser includes a housing defining a cavity; a door coupled to the housing; a platform located in the cavity for holding the product; a load cell structured to measure a mass of the product; and a controller communicably coupled to the load cell. The controller is structured to unlock the door based on a validation of payment information of the customer, determine a weight of product removed during a transaction for the product, determine a type of the product removed from the ice merchandiser based on the determined weight, and determine an amount of currency required for the transaction for the product based on the determined type of product removed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A merchandiser for storing a product for purchase by a customer, the merchandiser comprising: a housing defining a cavity; a door coupled to the housing; a platform located in the cavity for holding the product; a load cell structured to measure a weight of the product; and a controller communicably coupled to the load cell, wherein the controller is structured to unlock the door based on a validation of payment information of the customer, determine a weight of product removed during a transaction for the product, determine a type of the product removed from the merchandiser based on the determined weight, and determine an amount of currency required for the transaction for the product based on the determined type and weight of the product removed. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The merchandiser of claim 1, wherein the load cell is located at least one of within and outside of the cavity. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The merchandiser of claim 1, wherein the load cell is included with the platform. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The merchandiser of claim 1, wherein the controller is structured to receive only a payment card, the payment card including at least one of a credit card, a debit card, and a rewards card. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The merchandiser of claim 1, wherein the controller is structured to determine an initiation of the transaction for the product based on receiving a payment card. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The merchandiser of claim 1, wherein the controller is structured to determine a completion of the transaction for the product based on at least one of an input indicating that the transaction is complete and a constant weight of product remaining in the merchandiser being detected for a preset amount of time. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The merchandiser of claim 1, further comprising a display and a payment card reader. ### Claim 8 A merchandiser for storing a product for purchase by a customer, the merchandiser comprising: a housing that defines a cavity for storing the product; a controller for facilitating a transaction for the product at the merchandiser, the controller comprising one or more processors coupled to one or more memory devices, the one or more memory devices having instructions stored therein that are executable by the one or more processors to cause the one or more processors to: unlock a door of the merchandiser to enable a removal of the product based on a validation of payment information of the customer determine a weight of product removed during a transaction for the product; determine a type of product removed from the merchandiser based on the determined weight; and determine an amount of currency required for the transaction based on the determined type and weight of the product removed during the transaction. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The merchandiser of claim 8, further comprising an input/output device, the input/output device structured to receive an input including at least one of a type of product to be purchased, an amount of the type of product to be purchased, an initiation of the transaction for the product, a confirmation that the transaction for the product is complete, and one or more pieces of identifying information of the customer to validate the transaction. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The merchandiser of claim 8, wherein the merchandiser further includes one or more load cells, wherein the one or more load cells are structured to measure or acquire data indicative of the weight of product removed during the transaction. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The merchandiser of claim 8, wherein the one or more load cells are located outside of the cavity. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The merchandiser of claim 8, wherein the one or more load cells are located within the cavity. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The merchandiser of claim 8, wherein the instructions that are executable by the one or more processors further cause the one or more processors to remove inaccurate weight data from use in the determination of the weight of product removed. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The merchandiser of claim 8, wherein the instructions that are executable by the one or more processors further cause the one or more processors to determine a constant weight of product remaining in the merchandiser for a preset period of time. ### Claim 15 (depends on 8) The merchandiser of claim 8, wherein the door is unlocked for a predefined period of time following the validation of the payment information of the customer. ### Claim 16 A method of operating a merchandiser, the method comprising: receiving an initiation of a transaction; validating the transaction; unlocking a door of the merchandiser to enable a removal of a product during the transaction based on the validation; receiving weight data corresponding to a weight of product stored in the merchandiser; determining that the transaction is complete; determining a weight of product removed during the transaction based on the weight data; determining a type of product removed from the ice merchandiser based on the determined weight of product removed; and charging a customer for the determined weight and type of product removed during the transaction. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the transaction is initiated by receiving at least one of an input to begin the transaction and a reception of a payment card by the merchandiser. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the payment card includes at least one of a credit card, a debit card, and a rewards card. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein determining that the transaction is complete is based on at least one of receiving an input indicating that the transaction is complete and the weight data indicating that a constant weight of product is remaining in the merchandiser for a preset period of time after the transaction has been initiated. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising unlocking the door for a predefined period of time following the validation.