Vending machine method and apparatus for encouraging participation in a marketing effort

A vending machine for dispensing a product to a customer, said vending machine comprising:

• means for receiving a purchase request and a payment for said product;
• means for presenting at least one question to said customer in response to said payment;
• means for receiving an answer to said question from said customer;
• means for providing a reward to said customer for answering said question;
• and
• means for dispensing said product.

A vending machine for dispensing a product to a customer, said vending machine comprising:

• a payment processing device for receiving payment for said product;
• an output device for presenting at least one question to said customer in response to said payment;
• an input device for receiving an answer to said question from said customer;
• and
• an item dispenser for dispensing said product and a product reward to said customer for answering said question.

A vending machine for dispensing a product to a customer, said vending machine comprising:

• a payment processing device for receiving payment for said product;
• an output device for presenting at least one question to said customer in response to said payment;
• an input device for receiving an answer to said question from said customer;
• a currency dispenser for providing a currency reward to said customer for answering said question;
• and
• an item dispenser for dispensing said product.

An article of manufacture comprising:

• a computer readable medium having computer readable code means embodied thereon, said computer readable program code means comprising:
• a step to receive a purchase request and a payment for said product;
• a step to present at least one question to said customer in response to said payment;
• a step to receive an answer to said question from said customer;
• a step to provide a reward to said customer for answering said question;
• and
• a step to dispense said product.

A method for dispensing a product in a vending machine to a customer, said method comprising the steps of:

• receiving a purchase request for said product;
• presenting at least one question to said customer;
• receiving an answer to said question from said customer;
• providing a reward to said customer for answering said question;
• and
• dispensing said product if said customer has answered said question.

A vending machine for dispensing a product to a customer, said vending machine comprising:

• means for receiving a purchase request for said product;
• means for presenting at least one question to said customer;
• means for receiving an answer to said question from said customer;
• means for providing a reward to said customer for answering said question;
• and
• means for dispensing said product if said customer has answered said question.

A vending machine for dispensing a product to a customer, said vending machine comprising:

• a display for presenting at least one question to said customer in response to a purchase request;
• an input device for receiving an answer to said question from said customer;
• and
• an item dispenser for dispensing said product and a product reward to said customer for answering said question.

An article of manufacture comprising:

• a computer readable medium having computer readable code means embodied thereon, said computer readable program code means comprising:
• a step to receive a purchase request for said product;
• a step to present at least one question to said customer;
• a step to receive an answer to said question from said customer;
• a step to provide a reward to said customer for answering said question;
• and
• a step to dispense said product if said customer has answered said question.

A method for dispensing a product in a vending machine to a customer, said method comprising the steps of:

• receiving a purchase request and payment for said product;
• evaluating inventory data, said inventory data specifying a quantity of a reward;
• presenting at least one question to said customer if said inventory data indicates a sufficient quantity of said reward;
• receiving an answer to said question from said customer;
• providing said reward to said customer for answering said question;
• and
• dispensing said product.

A method for dispensing products in a vending machine to a customer, said method comprising the steps of:

• receiving a purchase request for a product;
• generating an offer to provide a reward to said customer in exchange for participation in a marketing promotion;
• evaluating inventory data, said inventory data specifying a quantity of a reward;
• ensuring that said offer is not provided to said customer unless said inventory data indicates a sufficient quantity of said reward;
• and
• dispensing said sufficient quantity of said award and said product to said customer.

A method for dispensing a product in a vending machine to a customer, said method comprising the steps of:

• receiving a purchase request for said product;
• presenting a marketing promotion to said customer based on said product;
• providing a reward to said customer for reviewing said marketing promotion;
• and
• dispensing said product.

A method for dispensing a product in a vending machine to a customer, said method comprising the steps of:

• receiving a purchase request for said product;
• presenting at least one question to said customer based on said product;
• providing a reward to said customer for answering said question;
• and
• dispensing said product.

An apparatus comprising:

• a CPU;
• and
• a storage device coupled to the CPU, the storage device storing a program for controlling the CPU and the CPU operative with the program to:
• receive a purchase request and a payment for said product;
• present at least one question to said customer in response to said payment;
• receive an answer to said question from said customer;
• provide a reward to said customer for answering said question;
• and
• dispense said product.

An apparatus comprising:

• a CPU;
• and
• a storage device coupled to the CPU, the storage device storing a program for controlling the CPU and the CPU operative with the program to:
• receive a purchase request for said product;
• present at least one question to said customer;
• receive an answer to said question from said customer;
• provide a reward to said customer for answering said question;
• and
• dispense said product if said customer has answered said question.

An apparatus comprising:

• a CPU;
• and
• a storage device coupled to the CPU, the storage device storing a program for controlling the CPU and the CPU operative with the program to:
• receive a purchase request and payment for said product;
• evaluate inventory data, said inventory data specifying a quantity of a reward;
• present at least one question to said customer if said inventory data indicates a sufficient quantity of said reward;
• receive an answer to said question from said customer;
• provide said reward to said customer for answering said question;
• and
• dispense said product.

An apparatus comprising:

• a CPU;
• and
• a storage device coupled to the CPU, the storage device storing a program for controlling the CPU and the CPU operative with the program to:
• receive a purchase request for said product;
• present a marketing promotion to said customer based on said product;
• provide a reward to said customer for reviewing said marketing promotion;
• and
• dispense said product.

An apparatus comprising:

• a CPU;
• and
• a storage device coupled to the CPU, the storage device storing a program for controlling the CPU and the CPU operative with the program to:
• receive a purchase request for said product;
• present at least one question to said customer based on said product;
• provide a reward to said customer for answering said question;
• and
• dispense said product.

A computer program product comprising:

• a medium readable by a computer, the computer readable medium having:
• program code adapted to receive a purchase request and a payment for said product;
• program code adapted to present at least one question to said customer in response to said payment;
• program code adapted to receive an answer to said question from said customer;
• program code adapted to provide a reward to said customer for answering said question;
• and
• program code adapted to dispense said product.

A computer program product comprising:

• a medium readable by a computer, the computer readable medium having:
• program code adapted to receive a purchase request for said product;
• program code adapted to present at least one question to said customer;
• program code adapted to receive an answer to said question from said customer;
• program code adapted to provide a reward to said customer for answering said question;
• and
• program code adapted to dispense said product if said customer has answered said question.

A computer program product comprising:

• a medium readable by a computer, the computer readable medium having:
• program code adapted to receive a purchase request and payment for said product;
• program code adapted to evaluate inventory data, said inventory data specifying a quantity of a reward;
• program code adapted to present at least one question to said customer if said inventory data indicates a sufficient quantity of said reward;
• program code adapted to receive an answer to said question from said customer;
• program code adapted to provide said reward to said customer for answering said question;
• and
• program code adapted to dispense said product.

A computer program product comprising:

• a medium readable by a computer, the computer readable medium having:
• program code adapted to receive a purchase request for said product;
• program code adapted to present a marketing promotion to said customer based on said product;
• program code adapted to provide a reward to said customer for reviewing said marketing promotion;
• and
• program code adapted to dispense said product.

A computer program product comprising:

• a medium readable by a computer, the computer readable medium having:
• program code adapted to receive a purchase request for said product;
• program code adapted to present at least one question to said customer based on said product;
• program code adapted to provide a reward to said customer for answering said question;
• and
• program code adapted to dispense said product.