Patent US2371964A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6181981B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Apparatus and method for improved vending machine inventory maintenance
Assignee: Vending Management Services Ltd
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Filing: 1996-05-15
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Granted: 2001-01-30
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Expires: 2016-05-15
Abstract
Abstract Inventory maintenance is improved for a system of one or more vending machines by providing one or more vending machines with unique identifiers, and means for collecting and transmitting information concerning goods dispensed and other status to a remote location where processing means provide an efficient service schedule.
Inventors
- 👤 Steve Varga
- 👤 Bryan Eagle, III
- 👤 Richard Desmarais
- 👤 Robert Cowling
- 👤 Michael D. Lemieux
- 👤 John Hall
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 17:08
CPC Classifications
G; G07; G07F; G07F9/00; G07F9/02; G07F9/026; G06; G06Q; G06Q10/00; G06Q10/08; G06Q10/087; G06Q10/0872; G06Q10/08726; G07F5/00; G07F5/18; G07F9/002; G06Q10/0877; G06Q10/08772
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 37
Claim 1
Independent Claim
109 words
A vending machine, comprising: a compartment for storing a predetermined quantity of goods to be dispensed; a dispenser for dispensing individual ones of said goods from said compartment; a counter for counting said individual ones of said goods dispensed by said dispenser so as to generate a total of goods dispensed in response to said dispenser; a machine identifier which uniquely identifies said vending machine; a communications network for transmitting a signal comprising said unique identifier and said total number of goods dispensed; and a remote processor electrically coupled to said communications network for receiving said transmitted signal to calculate capacity and velocity and to determine a service period.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
109 words
A vending machine, comprising: a compartment for storing a predetermined quantity of goods to be dispensed; a dispenser for dispensing individual ones of said goods from said compartment; a counter for counting said individual ones of said goods dispensed by said dispenser so as to generate a total of goods dispensed in response to said dispenser; a machine identifier which uniquely identifies said vending machine; a communications network for transmitting a signal comprising said unique identifier and said total number of goods dispensed; and a remote processor electrically coupled to said communications network for receiving said transmitted signal to calculate capacity and velocity and to determine a service period.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
A vending machine as recited in claim 1 , in which said communications network further comprises an antenna and transmitter.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
94 words
An apparatus for monitoring and reporting vending machine activity, comprising: a plurality of monitoring points within the vending machine; a processing unit for converting data collected from said monitoring points into a plurality of messages conforming to a uniform standard; a communications network for communicating said plurality of messages; a power supply electrically coupled to said processing unit and to said communications network for providing power thereto; and a remote processor electrically coupled to said communications network for receiving said plurality of messages to calculate capacity and velocity and to determine a service period.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
94 words
An apparatus for monitoring and reporting vending machine activity, comprising: a plurality of monitoring points within the vending machine; a processing unit for converting data collected from said monitoring points into a plurality of messages conforming to a uniform standard; a communications network for communicating said plurality of messages; a power supply electrically coupled to said processing unit and to said communications network for providing power thereto; and a remote processor electrically coupled to said communications network for receiving said plurality of messages to calculate capacity and velocity and to determine a service period.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein said plurality of monitoring points within the vending machine comprises AC voltage signals.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein said plurality of monitoring points within the vending machine comprises signals from switches.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein said plurality of monitoring points within the vending machine comprises signals from motors.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein said uniform standard comprises the Direct Exchange Uniform Communication Standard (DEX/UCS).
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein said communications network further comprises: a modem electrically coupled to said communications network.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein said communication network comprises a one-way communications network.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein said one-way communications network further comprises an alarm network for transmitting alarm messages.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein said modem comprises a network radio modem.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein said power supply comprises an AC power supply.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
108 words
In a monitoring and reporting system including a vending machine and an apparatus for receiving a plurality of messages containing product information, an improvement comprising: a plurality of monitoring points within the vending machine; a processing unit for converting data collected from said monitoring points into a plurality of messages conforming to a uniform standard; a communications network for communicating said plurality of messages; a power supply electrically coupled to said processing unit and to said communications network for providing power thereto; and a remote processor electrically coupled to said communications network for receiving said plurality of messages calculate capacity and velocity and to determine a service period.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
108 words
In a monitoring and reporting system including a vending machine and an apparatus for receiving a plurality of messages containing product information, an improvement comprising: a plurality of monitoring points within the vending machine; a processing unit for converting data collected from said monitoring points into a plurality of messages conforming to a uniform standard; a communications network for communicating said plurality of messages; a power supply electrically coupled to said processing unit and to said communications network for providing power thereto; and a remote processor electrically coupled to said communications network for receiving said plurality of messages calculate capacity and velocity and to determine a service period.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
18 words
The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein said uniform standard comprises the Direct Exchange Uniform Communication Standard (DEX/UCS).
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein said power supply comprises an AC power supply.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein said communications network further comprises: a modem electrically coupled to said communications network.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein said communication network comprises a one-way communications network.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein said modem comprises a network radio modem.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein said one-way communications network further comprises an alarm network for transmitting alarm messages.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
186 words
A method for scheduling service intervals for a vending machine, comprising the steps of: a) selecting for scheduling a vending machine comprising at least one supply column for holding a supply of at least one product, and at least one selection button b) storing the number of supply columns, the capacity of each of said supply columns, the relationship between each of said supply columns and each of the selection buttons for said vending machine, and a resupply trigger level for each product for said vending machine in storage means c) storing an initial inventory value for each product d) calculating the total capacity of the vending machine e) obtaining the total velocity of each product f) calculating a preferred column capacity for each product by multiplying the product's total velocity by the total capacity for the vending machine, and dividing the result by the total product velocity for all products for the vending machine g) determining a service period for the vending machine by projecting the time at which the initial inventory of each product will fall below the resupply trigger level of said product.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
186 words
A method for scheduling service intervals for a vending machine, comprising the steps of: a) selecting for scheduling a vending machine comprising at least one supply column for holding a supply of at least one product, and at least one selection button b) storing the number of supply columns, the capacity of each of said supply columns, the relationship between each of said supply columns and each of the selection buttons for said vending machine, and a resupply trigger level for each product for said vending machine in storage means c) storing an initial inventory value for each product d) calculating the total capacity of the vending machine e) obtaining the total velocity of each product f) calculating a preferred column capacity for each product by multiplying the product's total velocity by the total capacity for the vending machine, and dividing the result by the total product velocity for all products for the vending machine g) determining a service period for the vending machine by projecting the time at which the initial inventory of each product will fall below the resupply trigger level of said product.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
105 words
A method for scheduling service intervals for a vending machine, comprising the steps of: selecting for scheduling a vending machine comprising at least one supply column for holding a supply of at least one product, and at least one selection button; storing user parameters; and calculating the velocity of each product, and in which said user parameters further comprise the number of supply columns, the capacity of each of said supply columns, the relationship between each of said supply columns and each of said selection buttons for said vending machine, and a resupply trigger level for each product for said vending machine in storage means.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
105 words
A method for scheduling service intervals for a vending machine, comprising the steps of: selecting for scheduling a vending machine comprising at least one supply column for holding a supply of at least one product, and at least one selection button; storing user parameters; and calculating the velocity of each product, and in which said user parameters further comprise the number of supply columns, the capacity of each of said supply columns, the relationship between each of said supply columns and each of said selection buttons for said vending machine, and a resupply trigger level for each product for said vending machine in storage means.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method as recited in claim 21 , in which said user parameters are stored in computer readable format.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
111 words
A method for scheduling service intervals for a vending machine, comprising the steps of: selecting for scheduling a vending machine comprising at least one supply column for holding a supply of at least one product, and at least one selection button; storing user parameters; calculating the velocity of each product; and calculating a capacity for each product, and in which said user parameters further comprise the number of supply columns, the capacity of each of said supply columns, the relationship between each of said supply columns and each of said selection buttons for said vending machine, and a resupply trigger level for each product for said vending machine in storage means.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
111 words
A method for scheduling service intervals for a vending machine, comprising the steps of: selecting for scheduling a vending machine comprising at least one supply column for holding a supply of at least one product, and at least one selection button; storing user parameters; calculating the velocity of each product; and calculating a capacity for each product, and in which said user parameters further comprise the number of supply columns, the capacity of each of said supply columns, the relationship between each of said supply columns and each of said selection buttons for said vending machine, and a resupply trigger level for each product for said vending machine in storage means.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method as recited in claim 23 , in which said user parameters are stored in computer readable format.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method as recited in claim 23 , further comprising the step of determining a service period for said vending machine.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method as recited in claim 25 , in which said user parameters are stored in computer readable format.
Claim 33
Independent Claim
86 words
A method for scheduling service intervals for a vending machine, comprising the steps of: selecting for scheduling a vending machine comprising at least one supply column for holding a supply of at least one product, and at least one selection button; storing user parameters; calculating the velocity of each product; and calculating a capacity for each product, wherein said step of calculating a capacity for each product further comprises calculating the total capacity of the vending machine; and calculating a preferred column capacity for each product.
Claim 34
Independent Claim
86 words
A method for scheduling service intervals for a vending machine, comprising the steps of: selecting for scheduling a vending machine comprising at least one supply column for holding a supply of at least one product, and at least one selection button; storing user parameters; calculating the velocity of each product; and calculating a capacity for each product, wherein said step of calculating a capacity for each product further comprises calculating the total capacity of the vending machine; and calculating a preferred column capacity for each product.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
52 words
The method as recited in claim 27 , in which said step of calculating a preferred column capacity for each product further comprises multiplying the product's total velocity by the total capacity for the vending machine, and dividing the result by the total product velocity for all products for the vending machine.
Claim 36
Independent Claim
100 words
A method for scheduling service intervals for a vending machine, comprising the steps of: selecting for scheduling a vending machine comprising at least one supply column for holding a supply of at least one product, and at least one selection button; storing user parameters; calculating the velocity of each product; calculating a capacity for each product; and determining a service period for said vending machine, wherein said step of determining a service period for said vending machine further comprises projecting the time at which the initial inventory of each product will fall below a resupply trigger level for the product.
Claim 37
Independent Claim
100 words
A method for scheduling service intervals for a vending machine, comprising the steps of: selecting for scheduling a vending machine comprising at least one supply column for holding a supply of at least one product, and at least one selection button; storing user parameters; calculating the velocity of each product; calculating a capacity for each product; and determining a service period for said vending machine, wherein said step of determining a service period for said vending machine further comprises projecting the time at which the initial inventory of each product will fall below a resupply trigger level for the product.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2004-01-30 | 2004-07-31 | 2005-01-30 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-01-30 | 2008-07-31 | 2009-01-30 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-01-30 | 2012-07-31 | 2013-01-30 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |