Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
I
SYSTEMS, METHODS, AND APPARATUS FOR FACILITATING MODULE-BASED
VENDING
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0100] The present application claims the benefit of priority of U.S.
Patent Application
No. 14/516,563 filed October 16, 2014, entitled "SYSTEMS, METHODS, AND
APPARATUS FOR FACILITATING MODULE-BASED VENDING."
[0101] The present application claims the benefit of priority of U.S.
Patent Application
No. 14/516,565 filed October 16, 2014, entitled "MODULE-BASED VENDING MACHINE
SYSTEM."
[0102] The present application claims the benefit of priority of U.S.
Provisional Patent
Application No. 61/919,091 filed December 20, 2013, entitled "VENDING SYSTEMS,
METHODS, AND APPARATUS UTILIZING PRODUCT CARTRIDGES."
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0103] An understanding of embodiments described in this disclosure and
many of the
related advantages may be readily obtained by reference to the following
detailed
description when considered with the accompanying drawings, of which:
FIG. 1 is a diagram of a system according to an embodiment of the present
invention;
FIG. 2 is a diagram of a vending machine according to an embodiment of the
present invention;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a product dispensing module according to an
embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a product dispensing module according to an
embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a module coupler mechanism according to an
embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 6A and FIG. 6B are perspective views of a product dispensing module
according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a modular vending machine coupled to a product
dispensing module according to an embodiment of the present invention;
6642999
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-06-10
CA 02932937 2016-06-06
WO 2015/095669 PCT/US2014/071433
2
FIG. 8 is a top view of a product dispensing module according to an embodiment
of the present
invention;
FIG. 9 is a flowchart of a method according to an embodiment of the present
invention;
FIG. 10A and FIG. 10B are perspective views of a vending machine according to
an embodiment
of the present invention;
FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a product dispensing module being installed
or removed from a
modular vending machine according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 12 is a perspective view of product dispensing modules installed in a
modular vending
machine according to an embodiment of the present invention; and
FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a docking station and a product dispensing
module of a modular
vending system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
A. Introduction
[0104] Some embodiments of the present invention provide for vending
systems utilizing reloadable
product dispensing modules (also referred to as "product cartridges",
"cartridges" or "product dispensing
cartridges" in this disclosure). In one example, products may be loaded into
product dispensing modules,
which may then be installed into a vending machine. Such systems
advantageously provide for easier and
more efficient stocking of vending machines.
[0105] Some embodiments of the present invention provide for a reloadable
product dispensing module
facilitating easier transportation of the product dispensing module, improved
security of the product in the
product dispensing module and/or the product dispensing module itself, and/or
more efficient loading of the
product dispensing module in a vending machine.
[0106] According to some embodiments of the present invention, a vending
machine system is provided
wherein one or more components of the vending machine may be installed into,
removed from and/or
replaced in a vending machine. Such a vending machine system may be referred
to in this disclosure as a
"modular vending machine system." According to some embodiments, such
components of a modular
vending machine system may include, but are not limited to, one or more of: a
release mechanism to vend
products, a motor (e.g., to drive the release mechanism), a connection (e.g.,
an electrical connection) from a
motor and a release mechanism, a connection between a motor and the vending
machine, and/or any
combination of the foregoing components. In one example, products for
dispensing via a vending machine
CA 02932937 2016-06-06
WO 2015/095669 PCT/US2014/071433
3
may be pre-packaged into the cartridge, and the cartridge may be replaceably
coupled or otherwise
releasably secured to a frame of a vending machine (e.g., for dispensing
products from the cartridge in
exchange for payment by a vending customer).
[0107] According to some embodiments, a product dispensing module is
provided (e.g., for use in a
modular vending machine system) that comprises one or more of: a vertical
conveyor comprising a plurality
of product supporting positions in a substantially vertical arrangement (e.g.,
a helical coil, a vertical
configuration of conveyor platforms); a container connected to the vertical
conveyor, the container comprising
at least one side wall configured to retain products in the product supporting
positions of the vertical conveyor;
a coupler connected to the vertical conveyor, the coupler being configured for
coupling with a drive assembly
(e.g., a motor and/or drive shaft) for operating the vertical conveyor.
[0108] According to some embodiments, a product dispensing module may
further comprise a coupler
lock (e.g., attached to the container). In one or more embodiments, the
coupler lock is configured to
substantially prevent movement of the coupler and/or the vertical conveyor.
For example, the coupler lock
may lock the coupler from moving when the coupler is not coupled to a drive
assembly (e.g., of a vending
machine) for operating the vertical conveyor. The coupler lock may also be
configured to allow movement of
the coupler and/or the vertical conveyor to dispense products (e.g., when the
coupler is coupled to a drive
assembly of a vending machine for operating the vertical conveyor in order to
dispense purchased products
to customers). According to some embodiments, the ability to secure the
coupler and/or vertical conveyor
may provide for more secure handling of products in the product dispensing
module.
[0109] According to some embodiments, a cartridge or module for dispensing
products vertically in a
vending machine is provided, the cartridge comprising one or more of: a first
side panel and a second side
panel; a rear panel connected to the first side panel along a first edge of
the rear panel and connected to the
second side panel along a second edge of the rear panel that is opposite the
first edge; and a cartridge
coupler mechanism, connected to respective top edges of the first side panel,
the second side panel and the
rear panel. In some embodiments, the cartridge coupler mechanism may comprise
one or more of: a rotatable
coupler, a coupler housing, and a vertical dispensing coil connected to the
rotatable coupler.
[0110] In one embodiment, the cartridge module further comprises a motor
(e.g., a stepper motor
connected to the vertical dispensing coil). In a different embodiment, the
cartridge module does not comprise
a motor (e.g., a motor for driving the vertical dispensing coil may be
included in the cabinet of a modular
vending machine).
CA 02932937 2016-06-06
WO 2015/095669 PCT/US2014/071433
4
[0111] In one embodiment, the coupler housing may comprise a coupler lock
so that when in a first
position, it secures the coupler from rotating, and, when in a second
position, it allows the coupler to rotate.
[0112] According to some embodiments, a system for dispensing products is
provided, the system
comprising: (i) a product dispensing module comprising a conveyor with a
plurality of product supporting
positions, a container connected to the conveyor, and a module coupler
connected to the vertical conveyor;
and (ii) a vending unit comprising at least one drive assembly for coupling
with and/or operating a product
dispensing module, and a controller device configured to control operation of
the drive assembly (e.g., to
vend a purchased product from a product dispensing module coupled with the
vending unit). In one
embodiment, the container comprises at least one wall configured to retain
products in the product supporting
positions of the vertical conveyor. In one embodiment, the product supporting
positions are arranged in a
substantially vertical arrangement (e.g., for dispensing and/or raising
products to a product retrieval area on
purchase). In one embodiment, the module coupler is configured to couple with
a drive coupler of a vending
unit (e.g., to allow for a drive assembly to operate conveyor). According to
some embodiments, one or more
product dispensing modules may be installed in the vending unit.
[0113] According to some embodiments, the product dispensing module may
comprise a module
coupler lock attached to the container to substantially prevent movement of
the module coupler and/or the
conveyor. In one embodiment, the module coupler lock may be configured to
substantially prevent movement
of the module coupler and/or the vertical conveyor when the module coupler is
not coupled to the drive
coupler, and/or the module coupler lock may be configured to allow movement of
the module coupler and/or
the vertical conveyor (e.g., to dispense products) when the module coupler is
coupled to the drive coupler.
[0114] A modular vending machine system, in accordance with one or more of
the embodiments
described in this disclosure, may advantageously provide for one or more
benefits, including a speed of
restocking the vending machine. In one or more embodiments, if the release
mechanism and storage housing
for a vended product were interchangeable (e.g., as embodied in a reloadable
product dispensing module),
the restocking of the vended products may be done quickly and efficiently,
substantially reducing the time to
restock the vending machine and/or improving the profitability of owning or
operating a vending machine. For
example, an operator may quickly replace or restock components with full or
functional components.
[0115] According to some embodiments, modular components may also have the
ability to be shipped
to desired locations, allowing the machines to be restocked, tuned up or fixed
without deploying the vending
machine operator's labor force. In one example, cartddges and/or any other
modular component of a vending
machine may be drop-shipped (e.g., by a vending operator) to a "partner
location", such as to a customer of
CA 02932937 2016-06-06
WO 2015/095669 PCT/US2014/071433
a vending operator (e.g., to a company or location hosting one or more
installed vending machines). The
cartridge (e.g., containing products to be vended and/or one or more modular
components) may simply be
installed by a user at the partner location, such as an employee of a company
at which a vending machine
is installed. In this, the vending operator may avoid the labor requirements
necessary to restock and/or repair
vending machines using its own employees (e.g., which may result in savings to
the client of the vending
operator).
[0116] In some embodiments, a method utilizing cartridge-based vending may
comprise a user
receiving (e.g., at a partner location) a cartridge and/or other modular
components of a modular vending
machine, removing the component from the shipping container, logging into or
otherwise obtaining physical
access to the vending machine (e.g., using an electronic key providing by the
vending operator), removing a
cartridge (e.g., an empty product dispensing module) or other modular
component from the vending machine,
replacing the component with the received cartridge or component, and
returning the removed cartridge or
component back to the vending operator (e.g., by placing the component in the
same shipping container to
be drop-shipped).
[0117] Some embodiments of the present invention may also provide for
improved tracking of the
reliability and/or durability of one or more modular vending machine
components. In one example, a motor
(e.g., for dispensing vended items) may be replaced in a restocking or
maintenance process (e.g., by
replacing a cartridge including the motor). The motor may then be examined
and, after confirming the motor
is suitable and/or repairing the motor, put back into circulation in the
vending machine system. Accordingly,
this process may optimize the performance of vending machines with limited
interruptions in service. In
another example, over time the ability to monitor the performance of various
types of components and store
information about monitored components may allow for further analysis (e.g.,
to provide an understanding of
the longevity of parts, anticipate or predict failure, and/or proactively
replace parts prior to actual failure)
based on the component monitoring information.
B. Terms and Definitions
[0118] Throughout the description that follows and unless otherwise
specified, the following terms may
include and/or encompass the example meanings provided in this section. These
terms and illustrative
example meanings are provided to clarify the language selected to describe
embodiments both in the
specification and in the appended claims, and accordingly, are not intended to
be limiting.
CA 02932937 2016-06-06
WO 2015/095669 PCT/US2014/071433
[0119] Some embodiments described in this disclosure are associated with a
"control system". As used
in this disclosure, the term "control system" may generally refer to any
combination of hardware, software,
firmware, and/or microcode that is operative to carry out and/or facilitate
embodiments described in this
disclosure. For example, a control system may comprise a processor performing
instructions of a program to
facilitate management of a modular vending machine system. The control system
may comprise, according
to some embodiments, a single device and/or component, or may comprise any
practicable number of
networked devices.
[0120] Some embodiments described in this disclosure are associated with a
"network device". As used
in this disclosure, the term "network device" may generally refer to any
device that can communicate via a
network. Examples of network devices include a PC, a workstation, a server, a
printer, a scanner, a facsimile
machine, a copier, a FDA, a storage device (e.g., a disk drive), a hub, a
router, a switch, and a modem or a
wireless phone. In some embodiments, network devices may comprise one or more
network components,
such as a Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) device or module, a network
processor, and/or a network
communication path, connection, port, or cable. Some examples of network
devices may include, but are not
limited to, servers or controllers, customer devices, vending machines, input
devices, output devices, and
peripheral devices.
[0121] As used in this disclosure, the terms "server" and "controller" may
be used interchangeably and
may generally refer to any device that may communicate with one or more
vending machines, one or more
product dispensing modules, one or more cartridge docking stations, one or
more third-party servers, one or
more remote controllers, one or more customer devices, one or more peripheral
devices and/or other network
nodes, and may be capable of relaying communications to and/or from each such
device. A controller or
server may, for example, comprise one or more network devices and/or
components.
[0122] Some embodiments described in this disclosure are associated with an
"input device". As used
in this disclosure, the term "input device" may generally refer to any device
that is used to receive or process
input. An input device may communicate with and/or be part of another device.
Some examples of input
devices include, but are not limited to: a button, a key, one or more softkeys
and/or variable function input
devices, a bar code scanner, a magnetic stripe reader, a computer keyboard, a
pointing device (e.g., a
computer mouse, touchpad, and/or trackball), a keypad, a touch-screen, a
microphone, an infrared sensor,
a sonic ranger, a computer port, a video camera, a motion detector, an
accelerometer, a thermometer, a
digital camera, a network card, a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port, a Global
Positioning System (GPS)
receiver, a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) receiver, and/or an RF
receiver.
CA 02932937 2016-06-06
WO 2015/095669 PCT/US2014/071433
7
[0123] Some embodiments described in this disclosure are associated with an
"output device". As used
in this disclosure, the term "output device" may generally refer to a device
that is used to output information.
An output device may communicate with and/or be part of another device. Some
examples of output devices
may include, but are not limited to: a Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) monitor, a
Liquid Crystal Display (LCD)
screen, a Light Emitting Diode (LED) screen, a printer, an audio speaker (or
other sound or noise-producing
device), an Infra-red Radiation (IR) transmitter, an RF transmitter, a
vibration device, and/or a data port.
[0124] It should be understood that some devices may function and/or
operate as both input and output
devices. A touch-sensitive display device (or "touch screen"), for example,
may receive input by receiving
pressure and/or electrostatic indications via a display screen, and may also
provide output such as graphics,
text, and/or other data via the same display screen.
[0125] Some embodiments in this disclosure are associated with
"communication". As used in this
disclosure, the term "communication" may refer to any information, data,
and/or signal that is provided,
transmitted, received, and/or otherwise processed by an entity, and/or that is
shared or exchanged between
two or more people, devices, and/or other entities. Communications may be
external to one or more devices,
internal (e.g., within a device and/or component), wired, wireless,
continuous, and/or intermittent.
Communications may involve, for example, one or more of transmitting,
receiving, relaying, processing,
and/or otherwise interfacing with information and/or data. Some, but not all,
possible communication
networks that may be utilized for such communications include: a Local Area
Network (LAN), a Wide Area
Network (WAN), the Internet, a telephone line (e.g., a Public Switched
Telephone Network (PSTN)), a cable
line, a radio channel, an optical communications line, and/or a satellite
communications link. A variety of
communications protocols may be utilized to facilitate and/or conduct such
communications, including but
not limited to: Ethernet (or IEEE 802.3), lnternetwork Packet Exchange IPX),
Service Advertising Protocol
(SAP), Asynchronous Transfer Protocol (ATP), Bluetooth , and/or Transmission
Control Protocol
(TCP)/Internet Protocol (IP). Communications may be encrypted to ensure
privacy and prevent fraud in any
of a variety of ways that are or become known or practicable.
[0126] Devices in communication with each other need not be continually
transmitting to each other.
On the contrary, such devices need only transmit to each other as necessary,
and may actually refrain from
exchanging data most of the time. For example, a device in communication with
another device via the
Internet may not transmit data to the other device for weeks at a time.
[0127] As used in this disclosure, the terms "information" and "data" may
be used interchangeably and
may refer to any data, text, voice, video, image, message, bit, packet, pulse,
tone, waveform, and/or other
CA 02932937 2016-06-06
WO 2015/095669 PCT/US2014/071433
8
type or configuration of signal and/or information. Information may be or
include information packets
transmitted, for example, in accordance with the IP Version 6 (IPv6) standard
as defined by "Internet Protocol
Version 6 (IPv6) Specification" RFC 1883, published by the Internet
Engineering Task Force (IETF), Network
Working Group, S. Deering et al. (December 1995). Information may, according
to some embodiments, be
compressed, encrypted, and/or otherwise packaged or manipulated in accordance
with any method that is
or becomes known or practicable.
[0128] In addition, some embodiments described in this disclosure are
associated with an "indication".
As used in this disclosure, the term "indication" may be used to refer to any
indicia and/or other information
indicative of or associated with a subject, item, entity, and/or other object
and/or idea. As used in this
disclosure, the phrases "information indicative of' and "indicia" may be used
to refer to any information that
represents, describes, and/or is otherwise associated with a related entity,
subject, or object. lndicia of
information may include, for example, a code, a reference, a link, a signal,
an identifier, and/or any
combination thereof and/or any other informative representation associated
with the information. In some
embodiments, indicia of information (or indicative of the information) may be
or include the information itself
and/or any portion or component of the information. In some embodiments, an
indication may include a
request, a solicitation, a broadcast, and/or any other form of information
gathering and/or dissemination.
[0129] As used in this disclosure, the term "coupled" may generally refer
to any type or configuration of
coupling that is or becomes known or practicable. Coupling may be descriptive,
for example, of two or more
objects, devices, and/or components that are communicatively coupled,
mechanically coupled, electrically
coupled, and/or magnetically coupled. The term "communicatively coupled"
generally refers to any type or
configuration of coupling that places two or more objects, devices,
components, or portions, elements, or
combinations thereof in communication. Mechanical, electrical, and magnetic
communications are examples
of such communications. The term "mechanically coupled" generally refers to
any physical binding,
adherence, attachment, and/or other form of physical contact between two or
more objects, devices,
components, or portions, elements, or combinations thereof. The term
"electrically coupled" indicates that
one or more objects, devices, components, or portions, elements, or
combinations thereof, are in electrical
contact such that an electrical signal, pulse, or current is capable of
passing between the one or more objects,
enabling the objects to electrically communicate with one another. The term
"magnetically coupled" indicates
that one or more objects, devices, components, or portions, elements, or
combinations thereof, are within
one or more associated magnetic fields. Objects may be electrically and/or
magnetically coupled without
themselves being physically attached or mechanically coupled. For example,
objects may communicate
CA 02932937 2016-06-06
WO 2015/095669 PCT/US2014/071433
9
electrically through various wireless forms of communication or may be within
(at least partially) a magnetic
field, without being physically touching or even adjacent.
C. General Systems and Structures
[0130] Some embodiments of the present invention provide for a vending
machine. In one or more
embodiments, a vending machine may comprise one or more of: a product display
area for displaying
products (e.g., one or more types of products available for purchase via the
vending machine), a product
delivery area (e.g., for providing a customer access to a purchased product),
a product dispensing module,
a payment processing device (e.g., for facilitating and/or receiving payment
by a customer for a product), a
cabinet or other type of housing, and/or one or more product selectors (e.g.,
push buttons, an electronic user
interface) by which a customer may select a product for purchase. In one
example, a customer inserts,
swipes, or otherwise interfaces a payment device (e.g., a credit card with a
magnetic strip and/or secure chip,
a device enabled with near field communication (NFC) technology and
corresponding to a financial account)
with the payment processing device (e.g., a credit card reader device) and
selects a product using a product
selector. The selected product is dispensed from a secured location (e.g.,
from within a modular product
dispensing module where it is not accessible to the customer) into the product
delivery area (e.g., accessible
via a hinged door in the vending machine cabinet) and may be retrieved by the
customer.
[0131] According to some embodiments, a payment processing device may
comprise, for example, a
bill and/or coin payment mechanism, a user interface for providing information
for electronic payment, and/or
a payment device sensor or other type of electronic device for reading,
transmitting to and/or receiving
payment information (e.g., an account number that identifies a financial
account) from a payment device
(e.g., a credit card).
[0132] According to some embodiments, the product display area may comprise
one or more of a
window to display actual product samples, and/or an electronic display device
(e.g., a flat monitor), for
example. If the product display area comprises a display device, the product
display area may be used to
display information about products available for purchase, information about
new products, commercial
messages and other advertisements (e.g., messages associated with a current
location of the vending
machine), information associated with a current location of the vending
machine (e.g., a map, local
information, local shopping information, local transportation information,
local entertainment information),
recommended products (e.g., based on information about a customer's
transaction history and/or current
inventory), and the like. If the vending machine is installed in a vehicle or
is otherwise mobile, the information
CA 02932937 2016-06-06
WO 2015/095669 PCT/US2014/071433
associated with the current location may change as vending machine's location
changes, as described with
respect to various embodiments in this disclosure.
[0133] According to some embodiments, the product display area may comprise
a touch-screen display.
In one example, the display area displays product images and a customer may
select a product for purchase
by touching one of the displayed product images. Accordingly, in some
embodiments touch-screen display
may comprise the product selectors of the vending machine. In some
embodiments, the product images to
be displayed may be determined by a processor of the vending machine and/or by
a central controller device
in communication with the vending machine. In one example, each product for
purchase may be associated
(e.g., in a database) with a respective product image for display via the
display area if that product is available
for sale in the particular vending machine.
[0134] Referring first to FIG. 1, a block diagram of a system 100 according
to some embodiments is
shown. The various systems described in this disclosure are depicted for use
in explanation, but not limitation,
of described embodiments. Different types, layouts, quantities, and
configurations of systems described in
this disclosure may be utilized without deviating from the scope of some
embodiments.
[0135] The example system 100 which includes a controller 150 that is in
communication, via a
communications network 190, with one or more vending machines 110a, 110b,
110n. The controller 150 may
communicate with the vending machines (directly or indirectly) via a wired or
wireless medium, such as the
Internet, LAN, WAN or Ethernet, Token Ring, or via any appropriate
communications means or combination
of communications means.
[0136] Each of the vending machines may comprise one or more computers,
such as those based on
the Intel Pentium or CentrinoTM processor, that are adapted to communicate
with the controller 150.
Further, in some embodiments, a controller 150 may comprise one or more
computers, such as those based
on the Intel Pentium processor, which may or may not be located remotely to
one another or remotely to
one or more of the vending machines. Thus, in some embodiments, a controller
150 may facilitate the
transmission of data between one or more vending machines so that human
operators may remotely interact
with vending machines and/or vending machine customers. Further still, in some
embodiments, system 100
includes one or more user devices (not shown) that enable customers to
transmit data to and/or receive data
from a vending machine and/or controller.
[0137] While three vending machines 110a, 110b, 110n are depicted in the
system 100, fewer or more
vending machines may be included in a vending machine system without deviating
from the scope of one or
more embodiments. Similarly, while the vending machines 110a-n are depicted as
being in communication
CA 02932937 2016-06-06
WO 2015/095669 PCT/US2014/071433
11
with and/or coupled to a controller 150 and/or a docking station 180, fewer or
more such devices 150, 180
may be in communication with and/or coupled to any or all of the vending
machines 110a-n.
[0138] According to some embodiments, the vending machines 110a-n may be in
communication with
and/or coupled to various devices (e.g., devices 150, 170, 180) via the
Internet and/or network 190. The
vending machines 110a-n may, for example, may be in communication with the
controller 150 for transmitting
and/or receiving various types of information, such as without limitation,
information about cartridges, sales
information, product information, and/or location information.
[0139] The system 100 may comprise, for example, one or more vending
machines 110a, 110b, 110n
in communication with a controller 150 via a network 190. The network 190 may
generally comprise any
practicable and/or desirable type and/or configuration of network, such as the
Internet and/or a LAN. Any
number and type of vending machines 110a-n may be in communication with the
controller 150.
Communication between the vending machines and the controller 150, and among
the vending machines,
may be direct or indirect, such as over the Internet through a Web site
maintained by controller 150 on a
remote server and/or over an on-line data network including commercial on-line
service providers. In yet
other embodiments, the vending machines may communicate with one another
and/or controller 150 over
RF, cable TV, satellite links and the like.
[0140] In an embodiment, communication networks that may be included in
communications network
190, or that may be otherwise included as part of system 100, include: a local
area network (LAN), a wide
area network (WAN), the Internet, a telephone line, a cable line, a radio
channel, an optical communications
line, a satellite communications link. Possible communications protocols that
may be part of 100 200 include:
Ethernet (or IEEE 802.3), SAP, ATP, BluetoothTM, and TCP/IP. Communication may
be encrypted to ensure
privacy and prevent fraud in any of a variety of ways well known in the art.
[0141] In an embodiment, the controller 150 need not be employed. For
example, according to an
embodiment, a stand-alone vending machine and/or a vending machine in
communication with one or more
other vending machines may be employed without the controller 150.
Accordingly, any functions described
as performed by the controller 150 and any data described as stored on the
controller 150 may, alternatively
or in addition, be performed by or stored on one or more vending machines in
accordance with various
embodiments.
[0142] Similarly, in an embodiment consistent with Fig. 2, some of the
functionality described with
reference to Fig. 1 as being performed by one or more of the vending machines
110a, 110b, 110n may
instead or in addition be performed by system 200. Similarly, any data
described with reference to Fig. 1 as
CA 02932937 2016-06-06
WO 2015/095669 PCT/US2014/071433
12
being stored in a memory of one or more of the vending machines 110a, 110b,
110n may be instead or in
addition stored in a memory of system 200.
[0143] One or more of the vending machines 110a, 110b, 110n may comprise,
for example, a casing
enclosing one or more of a processor, a communications device, an inventory
storage and dispensing device,
a payment processing device, an input device, an output device, and/or a data
storage device. According to
some embodiments, one or more of vending machines 110a, 110b, 110n may be
configured to perform
and/or facilitate processes in accordance with one or more embodiments
described in this disclosure.
[0144] Example vending machine 110b may comprise, for example, one or more
product cartridges
140a, 140b, 140n. Although three such product cartridges are depicted, any
number of product cartridges
may be utilized as deemed appropriate for a desired implementation. According
to one embodiment, one or
more of the product cartridges is in communication with and/or coupled a
processor of vending machine 110b
(e.g., for transmitting information to the vending machine such as, without
limitation, a cartridge ID that
identifies the cartridge).
[0145] Example docking station 180, in accordance with some embodiments,
may comprise an
apparatus configured to receive one or more cartridges (e.g., cartridge 170)
for stocking products in the
cartridge and/or receiving a cartridge ID that identifies the cartridge (e.g.,
for storing in a cartridge database
accessible by one or more of controller 150 and/or a vending machine). In one
embodiment, the docking
station 180 may transmit a cartridge ID to the cartridge 170 (e.g., for
storing the ID in a memory of the
cartridge). Any number of docking stations may be used in example system 100
as deemed appropriate for
a particular implementation.
[0146] Those skilled in the art will understand that vending machines
and/or computers in
communication with each other need not be continually transmitting to each
other. On the contrary, such
vending machines and/or computers need only transmit to each other as
necessary or desirable, and may
actually refrain from exchanging data most of the time. For example, a vending
machine in communication
with another machine via the Internet may not transmit data to the other
machine for weeks at a time.
[0147] Referring to FIG. 2, a block diagram of a system 200 according to
some embodiments is shown.
In one or more embodiments, the system 200 may comprise multiple devices
(e.g., a controller and one or
more vending machines and/or docking stations). In some embodiments, system
200 may be embodied as
a single device (e.g., a vending machine). The vending machine 200 may
comprise, for example, one or
more of a processor 205, an inventory storage and dispensing device 270, a
payment processing device 250,
an input device 260, an output device 255, a communications port 265, and/or a
data storage device 210.
CA 02932937 2016-06-06
WO 2015/095669 PCT/US2014/071433
13
According to some embodiments, the vending machine 200 may be configured to
perform and/or facilitate
processes in accordance with embodiments described in this disclosure.
[0148] In some embodiments, a casing may enclose one or more of the
components of the vending
machine 200. According to some embodiments, a suitable casing and/or cabinetry
may be constructed from
any suitable material, including but not limited to any combination of (1)
commercial grade steel (e.g., for
exterior panels and/or internal shelving), (2) transparent materials such as
glass or PlexiglasTm (e.g., for
product display windows), (3) rubber (e.g., for waterproofing insulation), (4)
plastic, and/or (5) aluminum.
[0149] According to some embodiments, the vending machine 200 may include
the processor 205 that
may be or include any type, quantity, and/or configuration of processor that
is or becomes known. The
processor 205 may comprise, for example, an Intel IXP 2800 network processor
or an Intel XEON Tm
Processor coupled with an Intel E7501 chipset. In some embodiments, the
processor 205 may comprise
multiple inter-connected processors, microprocessors, and/or micro-engines.
According to some
embodiments, the processor 205 may include or be coupled to one or more clocks
or timers (not explicitly
shown) and to the communications port 265. The processor 205 may communicate,
in accordance with some
embodiments, through the communications port 265 with other devices such as
one or more peripheral
devices, one or more servers, and/or one or more user devices (e.g., such as a
laptop computer, tablet
computer, or smartphone). The communications port 265 may, for example,
comprise any type or
configuration of communication port, cable, modem, and/or signal transceiver
that is or becomes known or
practicable.
[0150] In some embodiments, the processor 205 may also or alternatively be
in communication with
and/or coupled to any number of other components of the vending machine 200
such as the inventory storage
and dispensing device 270, the payment processing device 250, the input device
260, the output device 255,
and/or the data storage device 210.
[0151] In some embodiments, the vending machine 200 may comprise the
inventory storage and
dispensing device 216. The inventory storage and dispensing device 216 may,
according to some
embodiments, comprise any number and/or configuration of devices and/or
components that facilitate and/or
are associated with the storage and/or dispensing of products or services
available via the vending machine
200.
[0152] Product inventory storage and product dispensing functions of the
vending machine 200
configured in accordance with one or more vending machine embodiments may
include, for example, one or
more of: (i) a drive motor, (ii) metal shelves, (iii) a product delivery
system and/or area (e.g., a chute, product
CA 02932937 2016-06-06
WO 2015/095669 PCT/US2014/071433
14
tray, and/or product tray door), and/or (iv) an arrangement of product
supporting positions (e.g., single and/or
dual spiral/helical rods or coils for holding and/or dispensing items).
[0153] According to some embodiments, the vending machine 200 may comprise
the payment
processing device 250. The payment processing device 250 may, according to
some embodiments, comprise
any number and/or configuration of devices and/or components for receiving
payment and/or dispensing
change, including a coin acceptor, a bill validator, a card reader (e.g., a
magnetic stripe reader and/or
embedded chip reader), an NFC-based payment device reader, and/or a change
dispenser.
[0154] In some embodiments, a magnetic stripe card reader may read data on
a magnetic stripe of a
credit or debit card, for example, and it may cooperate with conventional POS
credit card processing
equipment to validate card-based purchases through a conventional transaction
authorization network.
Suitable card-based transaction processing systems and methods are available
from USA Technologies,
Inc. TM of Wayne, Pennsylvania. In some embodiments, a coin acceptor, bill
validator and/or change dispenser
may communicate with and/or be coupled to a currency storage apparatus (a
"hopper"; not shown) and may
comprise conventional devices such as models AE-2400, MC5000, TRC200 by Mars,
Inc. TM of West Chester,
Pennsylvania, or CoinCo TM model 9300-L.
[0155] Coin acceptors and/or bill validators may receive and validate
currency that is stored by the
currency storage apparatus. According to some embodiments, a change dispenser
may activate the return
of coinage to the customer when change is due. Such apparatus may feature
Multidrop Bus (MDB) and/or
Micromech peripheral capabilities, as are known in the art.
[0156] In another embodiment, the vending machine 200 may be configured to
receive payment
authorization and/or product selection commands or signals through a wireless
device communication
network (e.g., via the communications port 265), directly or indirectly, from
a customer device (e.g., a cellular
telephone or tablet computer). In such an embodiment, the payment processing
device 250 may comprise a
cellular transceiver operatively connected to the processor 205 to receive,
transmit, and/or process such
signals. Systems and methods allowing for the selection of and payment for
vending machine products via
cellular telephones are provided by USA Technologies, Inc. TM . Further, in
such an embodiment, a customer
cellular telephone may serve as an input device 260 and/or an output device
255, as described elsewhere in
this disclosure. Further details concerning vending machine payment processing
devices 250 are well known
in the art, and need not be described in further detail in this disclosure.
[0157] According to some embodiments, the vending machine 200 may comprise
one or more input
device 260 and/or one or more output devices 255. In some embodiments, the
input device(s) 220 may be
CA 02932937 2016-06-06
WO 2015/095669 PCT/US2014/071433
operable to receive input from (i) a customer indicating a product and/or
offer selection, from (ii) an operator
(or agent thereof) during stocking or maintenance of the vending machine 200,
and/or from (iii) a third party.
Also, the output device 255 may be configured for outputting product and/or
offer information (such as
promotions) to a customer, operator, and/or third party. The input devices
and/or output devices may
communicate with a vending machine processor 205 through any practicable
interface, such as a USB
interface.
[0158] Many combinations of input devices 260 and output devices 255 may be
employed according to
various embodiments. In some embodiments, the vending machine 200 may include
more than one input
device 260. For example, the vending machine 200 may include an exterior input
device for receiving
customer input and an interior input device for receiving input form an
operator or other user authorized to
access the interior of the vending machine (e.g., for restocking and/or
maintenance). In some embodiments,
the input device 260 may provide the dual functionality of receiving input
data from more than one type of
user (e.g., operators, customers, and authorized users at a partner location).
Likewise, a vending machine
200 may comprise more than one output device 255 (e.g., a primary display, a
secondary display, and/or an
LCD screen and several LED devices). In some embodiments, such as those which
feature touch screens
(described elsewhere in this disclosure), the functionality of both input
devices 260 and output devices 255
may be provided by a single device and/or type of device.
[0159] Many input devices 260 are contemplated. Thus, an input device 260
may comprise, for
example, one or more of the following: (i) a set of alpha-numeric keys for
providing input to the vending
machine, (ii) a selector dial, (iii) a set of buttons associated with a
respective set of item dispensers, (iv) a
barcode reader (e.g., a 1-D or 2-D barcode reader), (v) a Dual-Tone Multi-
Frequency receiver/decoder, (vi)
a wireless device (e.g., a cellular receiver; a radio-frequency receiver; an
infrared receiver; a wireless access
point or wireless router; other wireless devices), (vii) a smart card reader,
(viii) a magnetic stripe reader, (ix)
a biometric identification apparatus (e.g., an iris scanner, a retinal
scanner, a thumbprint reader, etc.), (x) a
customer device, and/or (xi) any other type or configuration of input device
260 that may be or become known
or practicable.
[0160] Likewise, many types of output devices 255 are contemplated. For
example, an output device
255 may comprise an LCD screen or device. Alternatively or additionally, the
output device 255 may comprise
one or more LED displays or devices. According to some embodiments, the output
device 255 may also or
alternatively comprise an audio module, such as an audio speaker, that outputs
information to customers
audibly.
CA 02932937 2016-06-06
WO 2015/095669 PCT/US2014/071433
16
[0161] As stated, in some embodiments, a touch-sensitive screen may be
employed to perform both
input device 260 and output device 255 functions. Suitable, commercially
available touch screens for use
according to various embodiments are manufactured by Elo TouchSystems, Inc.,
of Fremont, California, such
as Elo's AccuTouch series touch screens. Such touch screens may comprise: (i)
a first (e.g., outer-most)
hard-surface screen layer coated with an anti-glare finish, (ii) a second
screen layer coated with a
transparent-conductive coating, and/or (iii) a third screen layer comprising a
glass substrate with a uniform-
conductive coating. Further, such touch screens may be configured to detect
input within a determined
positional accuracy, such as a standard deviation of error less than plus or
minus eight hundredths of an inch
( 0.08"! 2 mm). These and other operational details of touch screens (e.g.,
drive current, signal current,
capacitance, open circuit resistance, and closed circuit resistance) are well
known in the art and need not be
described further in this disclosure.
[0162] In some embodiments, input and/or output functionality of the
vending machine 200 may be
facilitated through a wireless device configured to send data to, and/or
receive data from a user device, such
as a laptop computer or a cellular telephone. In some embodiments, such a
wireless device may comprise a
sensor that detects signals from a customer device. Such signals may include
but are not limited to radio
frequency signals and/or IR signals. Thus, in one or more embodiments, a
wireless input device 260 may
comprise a WAP or router configured to operate in accordance with an IEEE
802.11 standard, including the
802.11b and 802.11g standards, which transmit at 2.4 GHz, or the 802.11a
standard, which transmits at 5
GHz. Such a wireless device may, in some embodiments, have the capability to
"frequency hop" between
radio frequencies so as to reduce interference and/or increase security.
Encryption techniques may also or
alternatively be employed to increase the security of transmissions. Suitable
WAPs are available from
Belkin TM Corporation of Compton, California and Cisco TM Systems, Inc. of San
Jose, California. A wireless
device may, in some embodiments, be used to establish a communication link as
described in this disclosure.
[0163] Additionally, in some embodiments, an output device 255 may comprise
an audio module, such
as an audio speaker, that outputs information to customers audibly. Speakers
may comprise conventional
speakers and/or modern hypersonic speakers.
[0001] The data storage device 210 may, in accordance with some embodiments,
include any appropriate
combination of magnetic, optical and/or semiconductor memory, and may include,
for example, additional
processors, communication ports, RAM, Read-Only Memory (ROM), a compact disc
and/or a hard disk. The
processor 205 and the data storage device 210 may each be, for example: (i)
located entirely within a single
computer or other computing device; or (ii) connected to each other by a
remote communication medium,
CA 02932937 2016-06-06
WO 2015/095669 PCT/US2014/071433
17
such as a serial port cable, a Local Area Network (LAN), a telephone line, RF
transceiver, a fiber optic
connection and/or the like. In some embodiments for example, vending machine
200 may comprise one or
more computers (or processors 205) that are connected to a remote server
computer (e.g., via the
communications port 265) operative to maintain databases, where the data
storage device 210 is comprised
of the combination of the remote server computer and the associated databases.
[0002] The data storage device 210 may generally store one or more programs
215 for controlling the
processor 205. The processor 205 may perform instructions of the program 215,
for example, and thereby
operate in accordance with some embodiments, and particularly in accordance
with the methods described
in detail in this disclosure. According to some embodiments, the program 215
may comprise any number or
type of programs that are or becomes known or practicable. In some
embodiments, the program 215 may be
developed using an object oriented programming language that allows the
modeling of complex systems with
modular objects to create abstractions that are representative of real world,
physical objects and their
interrelationships. However, it would be understood by one of ordinary skill
in the art that the embodiments
described in this disclosure can be implemented in many different ways using a
wide range of programming
techniques as well as general purpose hardware systems or dedicated
controllers.
[0003] The program 215 may be stored in a compressed, un-compiled and/or
encrypted format. The
program 215 furthermore may include program elements that may be generally
useful, such as an operating
system, a database management system and/or device drivers for allowing the
processor 205 to interface
with computer peripheral devices and/or the various components of the vending
machine 200. Appropriate
general purpose program elements are known to those skilled in the art, and
need not be described in detail
in this disclosure.
[0004] Further, the program 215 may be operative to execute a number of
invention-specific objects,
modules and/or subroutines which may include (but are not limited to) one or
more subroutines to determine
cartridge inventory (e.g., the identity and/or number of product cartridges
currently installed in a modular
vending machine), product inventory (e.g., what types of products and/or
number of items), product price
information, location information (e.g., current location) and/or transaction
history information. The program
215 may also or alternatively comprise one or more procedures for causing the
processor 205 to determine
one or more advertising messages to present to a customer based on a location
of the vending machine 200
(e.g., based on the current location of a vehicle-based vending machine, as
determined by a GPS receiver).
Examples of some of these subroutines and their operation are described in
detail with respect to the
processes described elsewhere in this disclosure.
CA 02932937 2016-06-06
WO 2015/095669 PCT/US2014/071433
18
[0005] According to some embodiments, the instructions of the program 215 may
be read into a main
memory (not explicitly shown) of the processor 205 from another computer-
readable medium (such as the
data storage device 210), like from a ROM to a RAM. Execution of sequences of
the instructions in the
program 215 may cause the processor 205 to perform the process steps described
in this disclosure. In
alternative embodiments, hard-wired circuitry or integrated circuits may be
used in place of, or in combination
with, software instructions for implementation of the processes described in
this disclosure. Thus, some
embodiments are not limited to any specific combination of hardware, firmware,
and/or software.
[0006] In addition to the program 215, the data storage device 210 may also be
operative to store one or
more databases, files, and/or tables, containing information such as (i)
cartridge database 218, (ii) product
inventory database 220, (iii) product price database 225, and/or (ii)
transaction history database 230. Any
number of data arrangements may be employed besides those suggested in FIG. 2.
For example, even
though four separate data tables, stores, files, and/or databases are
illustrated, embodiments may be
practiced effectively using fewer or more functionally equivalent databases or
similar structures. Codes
and/or identifiers, rules or parameters, transaction history data, third party
data, and/or other metrics may,
for example, be stored to facilitate the embodiments described in this
disclosure being practiced via the
vending machine 200. It will be readily understood that an object-based model
may be used to store and
manipulate one or more various data types, and likewise, object methods or
behaviors may be used to
implement one or more of the processes described in this disclosure.
[0007] It should be noted that, in some embodiments, some or all of the
functions and method steps
described in this disclosure may be performed partially or entirely by one or
more separate devices (not
explicitly shown). Separate devices for use with such an embodiment include,
but are not limited to user
devices (e.g., of partner users, operators, and/or customers) and customer
devices (PDA devices, laptop
computers, and cellular telephones). In some embodiments featuring separate
devices, such devices may
be capable of communicating, directly (e.g., via Bluetooth connectivity) or
indirectly (e.g., through a web
server or IVRU), to a control system (e.g., controller 150 of FIG. 1) in order
to facilitate inventive functionality
described in this disclosure. In some embodiments featuring separate devices,
such separate devices may
be capable of communicating with a remote computer.
[0008] FIG. 3 shows a perspective diagram of an example product dispensing
module 300 in accordance
with one or more embodiments. The product dispensing module 300 may comprise,
for example, a vertical
conveyor 302 connected to a coupler 304, which is connected to container 306.
In one example, the vertical
conveyor 302 may comprise at least one spiral or helical coil and/or screw-
type conveyor rotatably mounted
CA 02932937 2016-06-06
WO 2015/095669 PCT/US2014/071433
19
in the container 306, the longitudinal axis of which may be aligned or
oriented to provide a plurality of product
supporting positions in a substantially vertical arrangement. For example,
each product to be vended may be
placed on top of a respective loop of a helical coil so that the items are
supported in a substantially vertical
column within the product dispensing module. In some embodiments, the product
dispensing module 300
may comprise a plurality of products, with each product stored in a respective
one of the plurality of product
supporting positions of the vertical conveyor.
[0009] In another embodiment the vertical conveyor 302 may compilse one or
more conveyor belt loops.
For example, a conveyor belt loop may comprise one or more attached shelves to
support products moving
substantially vertically in the module. In one embodiment one end of the
shelves may be attached to the
conveyor belt loop with hinges such that the shelves fold down to a position
substantially in the same plane
as the loop as the loop returns to the top of the product dispensing module,
and then, when the loop returns
and moves downward, the shelves fall into a substantially horizontal
supporting position relative to the
longitudinal axis of the module and/or substantially perpendicular to the
loop's travel path.
[0010] The example product dispensing module 300 may also comprise at least
one coupler 304 configured
for coupling with a drive assembly (e.g., a motor for coupling with and
operating the vertical conveyor 302).
In one embodiment the coupler may be connected and/or be integrated with the
vertical conveyor 302. In
one example, the coupler 304 may be part of and/or may be connected to the
vertical conveyor 302 through
a side of the product dispensing module (e.g., through module coupler
mechanism 309 of FIG. 3). According
to some embodiments, the coupler 304 may be configured to couple with a drive
assembly and/or motor of
a vending machine (e.g., a modular vending machine configured to receive
replaceable product dispensing
modules) and/or of a product dispensing module. For example, in response to a
signal and/or instruction
transmitted by a controller device of the vending machine and/or a product
dispensing module, a drive
assembly may operate a vertical conveyor to dispense a purchased product
(e.g., by rotating a helical coil in
order to release or dispense a product held at a product supporting position
of the coil).
[0011] The container 306 may comprise at least one side (and/or other
retaining component) configured to
retain one or more products in the product dispensing module (e.g., in the
product supporting positions of the
vertical conveyor 302). In some embodiments, the container may be configured
with a substantially
rectangular or square lateral cross section, or the container may be
configured with a lateral cross section of
a substantially circular, triangular or elliptical shape, or may be of any
shape deemed desirable for a particular
implementation. In some embodiments, as depicted in FIG. 3, the container 306
may comprise two opposite
side walls, a third side wall (e.g., a rear side wall), and a module coupler
mechanism 309 that provides and/or
CA 02932937 2016-06-06
WO 2015/095669 PCT/US2014/071433
is integrated with a top side wall, with the vertical conveyor 302 rotatably
mounted through an opening in the
module coupler mechanism 309 to the coupler 304. In one or more embodiments,
the size of the product
dispensing module 300 may be configured to allow for a modular vending machine
with a relatively slimmer
profile.
[0012] According to some embodiments, the product dispensing module 300 may
comprise a coupler lock
308 connected to the container 306. In one embodiment, the coupler lock 308
may be configured (as
discussed in more detail in this disclosure) to substantially prevent movement
of the coupler 304 and/or the
vertical conveyor 302. For example, the coupler lock 308 may be configured to
substantially limit movement
of the coupler 304 when the coupler is not coupled to a drive assembly for
operating the vertical conveyor
302 (e.g., when the product dispensing module 300 is being filled with product
or prepared for transportation).
In another example, the coupler lock 308 may be configured to allow movement
of the coupler 304 and/or
the vertical conveyor 302 to dispense products when the coupler is coupled to
a drive assembly for operating
the vertical conveyor (e.g., when the product dispensing module 300 is
installed in a modular vending
machine). In some embodiments, the coupler 304 is rotatable (e.g., in order to
rotate the attached vertical
conveyor 302) and the coupler lock is accordingly configured to engage the
coupler to prevent the coupler
from rotating.
[0013] According to some embodiments, as depicted in FIG. 3, the coupler 304
and the coupler lock 308
may be connected to and/or integrated with a module coupler mechanism 309
(which may also function as
a top cover or side wall of the container 306) of the product dispensing
module 300. In one example, the
module coupler mechanism 309 may be formed at least in part by a module
coupler mechanism that
comprises an opening through which the vertical conveyor 302 may be connected
to the coupler 304.
[0014] According to some embodiments, at least one wall of the product
dispensing module 300 comprises
at least one pair of grooves or channels 310 configured to receive a removable
panel. For example, the depth
of the container 306 may be adjustable by use of a removable side or panel in
order to accommodate products
of various sizes in the product supporting positions. In some embodiments, the
product dispensing module
300 may comprise one or more openings 312 in the container 306 and/or module
coupler mechanism 309
for receiving a removable panel or side. In one example, as depicted in FIG.
3, the product dispensing module
300 may comprise a plurality of openings 312, each opening being associated
with a respective selectable
and/or configurable depth of the container 306 that may be selected by an
operator or other type of user as
appropriate for a particular size of product. In some embodiments, each
opening 312 may be associated with
CA 02932937 2016-06-06
WO 2015/095669 PCT/US2014/071433
21
a respective set of one or more grooves 310 for receiving and holding a panel
inserted through the
corresponding opening.
[0015] Although depicted in the example as having one or more open sides
(e.g., the open front and bottom
sides), it will be readily understood that any number of sides of the example
container 306 may be partially
or wholly covered by a respective wall portion as desired.
[0016] According to some embodiments, discussed in further detail in this
disclosure, the coupler lock 308
may be movably attached to the container 306. In one example, the coupler lock
308 may be movable from
a first coupler lock position (e.g., for engaging the coupler 304 to prevent
its movement) to a second coupler
lock position (e.g., for disengaging the coupler 304 to allow its movement).
In one embodiment, the coupler
lock 308 may be movably and/or slidably attached to or part of the module
coupler mechanism 309 and may
be slidable or may otherwise be movable from the first coupler lock position
to the second lock position. In
another embodiment, a coupler lock may be removable or detachable from the
container (e.g., in order to
disengage the coupler).
[0017] According to some embodiments, the coupler lock 308 may be configured
so that installing the
product dispensing module in a modular vending machine and/or coupling the
coupler with a drive assembly
for operating the vertical conveyor, moves the coupler from a locked position
to an unlocked position. For
example, in one embodiment, coupling the coupler with a drive assembly for
operating the vertical conveyor
causes the drive assembly and/or other portion of a vending machine to push or
otherwise move the coupler
from the first coupler lock position to the second coupler lock position.
[0018] According to some embodiments, the product dispensing module 300 may
comprise a handle
connected to the container that may be useful in handling the module and/or
aligning the module for
installation or removal. In one embodiment, the handle may be attached to
and/or part of module coupler
mechanism 309.
[0019] In some embodiments, the product dispensing module 300 may comprise a
data storage device (not
shown) storing an identifier that identifies the product dispensing module
(e.g., a module identifier that
uniquely identifies the product dispensing module). In one embodiment, the
data storage device may be
configured to be read by and/or otherwise communicate with a processing device
of a vending unit for reading
the identifier. In one embodiment, the data storage device may, when the
product dispensing module is
coupled to a drive assembly and/or installed in a modular vending machine,
connect electronically with a
processing device (e.g., an RFID reader) configured to read the data storage
device when the coupler is
coupled to a drive assembly.
CA 02932937 2016-06-06
WO 2015/095669 PCT/US2014/071433
22
[0020] FIG. 4 shows a perspective diagram of another example product
dispensing module 400 in
accordance with one or more embodiments. The product dispensing module 400 may
comprise, for example,
a vertical conveyor 402 connected to a module coupler mechanism 409 (e.g., a
mechanism comprising a
coupler, a coupler lock and/or one or more openings for receiving a removable
front panel), which is
connected to container 406. In contrast to the container 306 of FIG. 3, the
container 406 is wider, relative to
the width of the vertical conveyor 402. The configuration of the container 406
allows for storage of products
that are larger (e.g., wider) than the width of the vertical conveyor 402.
Although the vertical conveyor 402 is
depicted as being to one side of the container 406, it will be readily
understood that the vertical conveyor 402
may be centered or may be in any position relative to the sides of the
container 406, as deemed desirable
for a particular implementation. According to some embodiments, the product
dispensing module 400 may
comprise one or grooves and/or openings (not shown) for receiving a removable
and/or adjustable panel for
adjusting the width and/or height of the portion of the container 406 in which
products may be stored.
Accordingly, some embodiments of the present invention allow for reconfiguring
the depth, height and/or
depth of the area (e.g., around the vertical conveyor 402) in which products
are stored for shipment and/or
dispensing.
[0021] FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of example components of an example
module coupler mechanism
in accordance with one or more embodiments. In accordance with one or more
embodiments, coupler lock
502 may comprise a coupler receiver 510 that defines a slot or other receiving
portion 512 configuring for
receiving, securing and/or releasing a corresponding module coupler 520 and/or
coupler stem 522, as
discussed with respect to FIG. 6A and FIG. 6B. In some embodiments, the
coupler lock 502 may further
comprise one or more lock sliders 506a, 506b configured for movably connecting
the coupler lock 502 to
coupler base 530. For example, force applied (e.g., by a user installing a
product dispensing module) to the
coupler lock 502 may be used to move the lock sliders 506a, 506b into a
position for locking or unlocking the
module coupler 520, as desired.
[0022] According to some embodiments, a handle may be attached to one or more
of the coupler lock 502,
the coupler base 530, the module coupler 520 and/or module container side 540,
and may be attached in
any manner deemed appropriate for a desired implementation or use. In one
embodiment, the coupler lock
502 of the example module coupler mechanism may further comprise a handle 504.
As depicted in the non-
limiting example of FIG. 5, in one embodiment the handle 504 may be attached
to the coupler lock 502 by
inserting handle ends 503a, 503b into handle slots 508a, 508b.
CA 02932937 2016-06-06
WO 2015/095669 PCT/US2014/071433
23
[0023] According to some embodiments, the module coupler 520 may comprise a
module coupler base 524
which, in one or more embodiments, comprises an opening, slot or other
receiver 526 for receiving and/or
coupling with a corresponding coupler or other portion of a conveyor. In one
example, as depicted in FIG. 5,
conveyor coupler stem 562 of conveyor coupler 560 may be secured in the
receiver 526 so that when the
coupler stem 522 and/or the module coupler base 524 are rotated (e.g., by a
drive assembly of a vending
machine), the conveyor coupler stem 562 also rotates, thereby rotating any
conveyor attached to the
conveyor coupler 560. For example, a portion of a vertical coil may be
configured to be inserted and secured
in channel 566 of conveyor coupler base 564 so that when the module coupler
520 is rotated, the vertical coil
also rotates (e.g., to dispense a product held in the coil).
[0024] In one or more embodiments, at least one of the module coupler 520 and
the conveyor coupler 560
may comprise at least one opening or passageway for receiving and/or securing
one or more of the module
coupler 520 and/or conveyor coupler 560, and/or for allowing the module
coupler 520 and conveyor coupler
560 to connect. As depicted in FIG. 5, openings 532, 542 allow for the module
coupler 520 to engage with
the conveyor coupler 560.
[0025] As shown in FIG. 5, in some embodiments the module coupler 520 and the
conveyor coupler 560
may be connected to one another and/or secured to one or more other components
of a module coupler
mechanism, including but not limited to coupler platform 530 and container
platform 540. Although depicted
in FIG. 5 as separate components, it will be understood that coupler platform
530 and container platform 540
may be integrated as a single component; alternatively, various features of
coupler platform 530 and/or
container platform 540 may be provided for in any number of separate
components as deemed practicable
for assembling and/or desired use.
[0026] According to some embodiments, the coupler platform 530 may comprise
one or more coupler
platform slider portions 534a, 534h for engaging with lock sliders 506a, 506b,
respectively. The lock sliders
506a, 506b may be configured to be movably connected to the coupler platform
slider portions 534a, 534b,
such as by having the lock sliders engage the coupler platform 530 at the
coupler platform slider portions
534a, 534b. In one embodiment, once assembled the coupler lock 502 may be
prevented (e.g., by means of
a retaining structure on the coupler platform 530 and/or container platform
540) from disengaging completely
from the coupler platform 530.
[0027] According to some embodiments, the coupler platform 530 and/or
container platform 540 may
comprise one or more components for storing one or more data storage or memory
devices of a module
coupler mechanism. In one example, as depicted in FIG. 5, memory device holder
536 may be configured to
CA 02932937 2016-06-06
WO 2015/095669 PCT/US2014/071433
24
secure a memory device (e.g., example RFID chip 547). In some embodiments, the
placement of the memory
device holder 536 may be configured to facilitate the electrical connection of
a memory device with a vending
machine in which a product dispensing module is installed. As discussed in
this disclosure, the memory
device may include information for a product dispensing module, including,
without limitation, an indication
of an identifier that identifiers the product dispensing module (e.g., a
unique module ID), information about
products stored in a product dispensing module and/or price information
related to products stored in a
product dispensing module.
[0028] According to some embodiments, the coupler platform 530 and/or
container platform 540 may
comprise one or more components for mounting or otherwise installing a product
dispensing module in a
modular vending machine. In one example, as depicted in FIG. 5, mounting
components 538a and 538b may
be the protruding parts of snap joints (e.g., plastic cantilever snap joints)
which, when the product dispensing
module is installed in a vending machine, will catch in corresponding
depressions in mating components of
the vending machine. Preferably, such mounting components 538a and 538b secure
the product dispensing
module sufficiently when installed to facilitate one or more of: (i) reading
of a module's memory device (e.g.,
by keeping the module's memory device in sufficient proximity to a memory
device reader of a vending
machine so that the memory device can be read successfully) and (ii) keeping
the product dispensing module
from moving, vibrating, or tilting in a way that might affect any dispensing
or other operations of the module.
Some other examples of mounting structures and module holding structures,
which may include mounting
components such as snap joints or the like, are discussed in more detail with
respect to FIG. 10B and FIG.
11.
[0029] In some embodiments, one or more fasteners 549 (e.g., screws, nails,
pins, and the like) may be
used to secure or otherwise connect components of the module coupler mechanism
together. Various types
of fasteners and suitable for connecting, for example, coupler platform 530
and container platform 540 will
be understood by those skilled in the art in light of the present disclosure.
[0030] As discussed above with respect to FIG. 3, in some embodiments a module
coupler mechanism of
a product dispensing module may comprise one or more openings 546a, 546b, 546c
for receiving a
removable panel or side of a container, allowing for the depth of the
container to be adjusted as appropriate
for products of different sizes.
[0031] FIG. 6A and FIG. 6B show perspective views of a product dispensing
module 600 according to an
embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6A shows a coupler lock 606, at a
first coupler lock position (e.g.,
a locking position), engaging a module coupler 608 with the coupler receiver
610, and substantially preventing
CA 02932937 2016-06-06
WO 2015/095669 PCT/US2014/071433
the module coupler 608 from rotating. Lock slider 612 is slidably engaged with
coupler platform slider portion
630a (not visible in FIG. 6A). FIG. 6A further shows snap joint components
638a and 638b, for snapping into
corresponding mating components of a modular vending machine (discussed in
further detail with respect to
FIG. 11). FIG. 6B shows the coupler lock 606 disengaged from the module
coupler 608. As indicated by the
arrow in FIG. 6B, the coupler lock 606 has moved or been moved from the first
coupler lock position to a
second coupler lock position (e.g., an unlocking position). The lock slider
612 has traversed (e.g., slid) along
at least a portion of the coupler platform slider portion 630a, of sufficient
distance to disengage the module
coupler 608 from the coupler receiver 610. Accordingly, the module coupler 608
may be free to rotate or
otherwise move and/or to be engaged with a drive assembly (not shown) (e.g.,
for dispensing products from
a vertical conveyor).
[0032] In accordance with some embodiments, as discussed above with respect to
FIG. 3, the product
dispensing module 600 may comprise at least one removable panel 614 (e.g.,
stored using an opening 616
in the module platform 602).
[0033] Some embodiments provide for a modular vending machine comprising one
or more types of module
holding structures for receiving, coupling with, engaging with, installing
and/or removably securing product
dispensing modules. In some embodiments, a product dispensing module may be
configured with one or
more mounting structures that correspond to and are configured to removably
engage with module holding
structures of a modular vending machine. In some embodiments, as discussed in
this disclosure, when a
product dispensing module is installed in a modular vending machine, a drive
assembly of a vending machine
is coupled to a vertical conveyor of the product dispensing module. In some
embodiments, as described in
more detail below, a modular vending machine may comprise a plurality of
positions for receiving and
removably hanging, mounting or otherwise securing a respective product
dispensing module such that the
drive assembly of the modular vending machine can operate a vertical conveyor
of the dispensing module to
dispense products (e.g., under the control of the modular vending machine)
and/or facilitate reading of a
dispensing module's identifier (e.g., from a memory device of the dispensing
module).
[0034] In one embodiment, a modular vending machine may comprise a plurality
of positions for replaceable
product dispensing modules, each position having at least one support shelf
for engaging with (e.g., inserting
into) a corresponding mounting structure of the module. In one example, the
mounting structure of the module
may comprise one or more snap joint components (e.g., cantilever snap joint
components), and the modular
vending machine may comprise the corresponding mating components of the snap
joints. In another
embodiment, a modular vending machine may comprise one or more clips, hole
portions, snap joint
CA 02932937 2016-06-06
WO 2015/095669 PCT/US2014/071433
26
components (e.g., for cantilever snap joints, annular snap joints, torsion
snap joints, or combinations thereof),
hooks, mounting posts, pegs, or the like, for engaging corresponding structure
of a vertical product dispensing
module in order to hang or otherwise mount the product dispensing module for
dispensing products (e.g., a
hole portion for receiving a hook or post of a product dispensing module to
mount or hang a vertical product
dispensing module; a snap joint clip for receiving a corresponding mounting
post of a vertical product
dispensing module snapped into the clip).
[0035] FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of an example modular vending machine
700 coupled to a product
dispensing module 704 according to one embodiment of the present invention. As
depicted in FIG. 7, in
accordance with one embodiment the product dispensing module 704 may be
mounted or installed in the
modular vending machine 700 by engaging one or more types of mounting
structures. In particular, in the
embodiment of FIG.7, when the product dispensing module 704 is mounted in the
modular vending machine
700, the support shelves 740a, 740b of the modular vending machine are
inserted into a corresponding gap
between the coupler platform 730 and the container platform 702.
[0036] As discussed in this disclosure, in some embodiments a product
dispensing module may comprise
a coupler lock. In one example, as depicted in FIG. 7, installing the product
dispensing module 704 causes
the support shelf 740b on the one side and the support shelf 740a on the other
side to contact the leading
edge of the lock sliders 712, which causes the coupler lock 706 to slide or
otherwise move away from and
disengage from the module coupler 708. As also shown in FIG. 7, in accordance
with some embodiments, a
drive assembly coupler 742 (also referred to in this disclosure as a "u
channel") engages the module coupler
708 when the product dispensing module 704 is installed. The drive assembly
coupler 742 may, in some
embodiments, be attached to a drive shaft (not shown) of a motor (not shown)
installed above the product
dispensing module. One or more of support shelves 740a, 740b may be connected
to and/or integrated with
a mounting structure 748 of the modular vending machine (e.g., to support the
weight of the support shelves
and the mounted product dispensing module).
[0037] It will be readily understood by one skilled in the art that although
the example module coupler 708
of FIG. 7 has a substantially cylindrical shape and circular lateral cross
section, and the drive assembly
coupler 742 has a "u" shape configured to receive and engage the example
module coupler, any shape of
module coupler (e.g., triangular, square) and/or corresponding shape of drive
assembly coupler may be
utilized as deemed desirable for a particular implementation.
[0038] The example modular vending machine 700 further comprises, in
accordance with some
embodiments, a memory device 720 (e.g., installed as part of the product
dispensing module 704)
CA 02932937 2016-06-06
WO 2015/095669 PCT/US2014/071433
27
electronically connected via communications component 746 of the modular
vending machine 700.
Accordingly, information stored by memory device 720 may be read from and/or
written to the memory device
(e.g., by a controller device of the vending machine and/or a server).
[0039] FIG. 8 shows a top view of a product dispensing module 800 comprising
another example of
mounting structures for mounting a product dispensing module in a modular
vending machine. As depicted
in FIG., one or more mounting posts 804a, 804b (e.g., connected to the module
coupler mechanism 802
and/or a container) according to one embodiment of the present invention. As
depicted in FIG. 8, the
mounting posts 804a, 804b may be configured to be releasably connected to
mounting clips 806a, 806b,
respectively. In one embodiment, the mounting clips 806a, 806b may be attached
to a vending machine
and/or docking station (not shown) and configured to have the mounting posts
snapped into the clips to
securely hold the product dispensing module 800 in the vending machine for
dispensing purchased products.
Similarly, as depicted in FIG. 8, alternatively or in addition, in some
embodiments snap joint components
838a and 838b may be configured to snap fit into corresponding depressions in
components of the vending
machine. Although the mounting posts and snap joint components are depicted in
FIG. 8 as being connected
to or part of the product dispensing module, according to some embodiments one
or more mounting clips or
other type(s) of receiving components of a snap joint may be connected to or
part of the product dispensing
module, and one or more corresponding protruding components may be part of or
connected to a vending
machine and/or docking station.
D. Example Processes
[0164] According to some embodiments, processes described in this
disclosure may be performed
and/or implemented by and/or otherwise associated with one or more specialized
and/or computerized
processing devices (e.g., the devices of FIG. 1 described in this disclosure),
specialized computers, computer
terminals, computer servers, computer systems and/or networks, and/or any
combinations thereof. In some
embodiments, methods may be embodied in, facilitated by, and/or otherwise
associated with various input
mechanisms and/or interfaces.
[0165] Any processes described in this disclosure do not necessarily imply
a fixed order to any depicted
actions, steps, and/or procedures, and embodiments may generally be performed
in any order that is
practicable unless otherwise and specifically noted. Any of the processes
and/or methods described in this
disclosure may be performed and/or facilitated by hardware, software
(including microcode), firmware, or any
combination thereof. For example, a storage medium (e.g., a hard disk,
Universal Serial Bus (USB) mass
CA 02932937 2016-06-06
WO 2015/095669 PCT/US2014/071433
28
storage device, and/or Digital Video Disk (DVD)) may store thereon
instructions that when executed by a
machine (such as a computerized processing device) result in performance
according to any one or more of
the embodiments described in this disclosure.
[0166] Referring now to FIG. 9, a flow diagram of a method 900 according to
some embodiments is
shown. The method 900 may be performed, for example, by a server computer. It
should be noted that
although some of the steps of method 900 may be described as being performed
by a server computer while
other steps are described as being performed by another computing device
(e.g., a vending machine and/or
product dispensing module), any and all of the steps may be performed by a
single computing device. Further
any steps described in this disclosure as being performed by a particular
computing device may, in some
embodiments, be performed by a human or another computing device as
appropriate.
[0167] According to some embodiments, the method 900 may comprise storing a
cartridge identifier
that uniquely identifies a cartridge (e.g., a modular product cartridge), at
910. In one or more embodiments,
storing a cartridge identifier may comprise one or more of: reading or
otherwise receiving an indication of a
cartridge identifier (e.g., from a user interface and/or docking station for
stocking the cartridge), writing an
identifier to a memory device (e.g., of a cartridge) and/or storing a
cartridge identifier in a database (e.g., of
a central server). In some alternative embodiments, the cartridge identifier
need not be unique to a specific
cartridge, but may identify a certain type or category of cartridge (e.g., all
cartridges storing the same type of
product may be designated with the same identifier). According to some
embodiments, since a cartridge's
unique ID chip may be pre-programmed by the chip manufacturer, ID chips may
have to be read and then
associated with the specific type of product that a cartridge will hold.
According to other embodiments, IDs
may be written, for example, to a memory of the cartridge.
[0168] According to some embodiments, the method 900 may comprise storing
product information
associated with the cartridge, at 920. In one or more embodiments, storing
product information may comprise
one or more of: reading or otherwise receiving an indication of information
associated with one or more
products stored in and/or designated for storage in a cartridge (e.g., from a
user interface and/or docking
station for stocking the cartridge), writing the product information to a
memory device (e.g., of a cartridge)
and/or storing production information in a database (e.g., of a central
server).
[0169] According to some embodiments, the method 900 may comprise receiving
the cartridge identifier
from a vending machine in which the cartridge is installed, at 930, and
transmitting the product information
to the vending machine, at 940. In one embodiment, as described in this
disclosure, a product cartridge may
be installed in a modular vending machine (e.g., by a user at a partner
location). A processor of the vending
CA 02932937 2016-06-06
WO 2015/095669 PCT/US2014/071433
29
machine in (wired or wireless) communication with the memory device of the
cartridge (e.g., an ID chip) may
receive the cartridge identifier from the memory device and transmit the
cartridge identifier to a central server
(e.g., along with or as part of a request for information associated with the
cartridge). The central server may
look up product information, for example, in a product information database.
According to some
embodiments, product information may comprise a respective description for one
or more types of products
contained in the cartridge and/or respective price information associated with
any products associated with
the cartridge. The vending machine may display product information, for
example, via an electronic display
device of the vending machine (e.g., to advertise products available for
purchases, including price
information).
[0170] According to some embodiments, the central server may further be
specially programmed to
receive updated product information from the vending machine and/or storing
updated product information in
association with the cartridge identifier. In one example, the product
information may comprise a number of
items sold and/or remaining in the cartridge, and/or transaction information
associated with products (e.g.,
information about product purchases made at the vending machine). In some
embodiments, the central
computer may be specially programmed to update pricing information for one or
more types of products
based on historical transaction information (e.g., based on sales trends,
amount in inventory at vending
machines, etc.).
E. Example Vending Machines
[0171] FIG. 10A and FIG. 10B are perspective views of an example modular
vending machine 1000
according to some embodiments of the present invention. The modular vending
machine 1000 preferably
comprises one or more mounting and drive assembly systems, each such system
configured to receive a
respective product dispensing module (e.g., a replaceable product cartridge).
As depicted in FIG. 10A, the
example modular vending machine 1000 may comprise a casing or cabinet
enclosing various components,
including, without limitation: one or more module supporting shelves 1040a,
1040b; one or more drive
assembly couplers 1042a, 1042b; and/or one or more motors 1050a, 1050b. As
discussed with respect to
FIG. 7, a product dispensing module may be mounted in the vending machine by
engaging the module
coupler mechanism with the supporting shelves 1040a, 1040b and the drive
assembly coupler 1042a. FIG.
10B shows a close-up view of one mounting system of the modular vending
machine 1000. The exploded
view of the drive assembly 1042a shows that the drive assembly may be mounted
on a drive shaft 1070 (e.g.,
connected to motor 1050a of FIG. 10A), and, in accordance with some
embodiments, may be separated from
CA 02932937 2016-06-06
WO 2015/095669 PCT/US2014/071433
a mounting platform by a spacer 1060. The coupler receiver 1044 preferably is
comprised to engage a
correspondingly shaped module coupler (as discussed with respect to FIG. 7) of
a product dispensing
module.
[0172] As shown in FIG. 10B, the modular vending machine 1000 may further
comprise, in accordance
with some embodiments, a communications component 1046 for communicating
and/or electrically
connecting with a memory device of a mounted product dispensing module, and
one or more mating
components 1041a, 1041b (e.g., snap joint components with depressions for
receiving corresponding snap-
fitting hooks of a product dispensing module, such as snap joint components
638a, 638b of FIG. 6). As
discussed in this disclosure, the mating components may ensure that the
product dispensing module sits
securely enough that any mechanical operation or movement of the vending
machine (e.g., by being struck,
by operation or vibration of a dispensing mechanism, or due to movement of a
vehicle in which the vending
machine is located) does not dislodge the product dispensing module.
Accordingly, information stored by the
memory device (e.g., a cartridge identifier) may be read from and/or written
to the memory device (e.g., by a
controller device of the vending machine and/or a server).
[0173] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of an example product dispensing
module 1102 being installed (or
removed) from a modular vending machine according to an embodiment of the
present invention. As depicted
in the example system of FIG. 11, the product dispensing module 1102 comprises
a coupler 1122 and snap
joint components 1038a and 1038b. The product dispensing module 1102 may be
mounted in the vending
machine by engaging the module coupler mechanism 1112 with the supporting
shelves 1040a, 1040b, which,
in accordance with some embodiments, slide between the upper and lower
platforms of the module coupler
mechanism 1112 (see, for example, the example platforms 530 and 540 of FIG.
5). Further, supporting
shelves 1040a, 1040b comprise mating components 1041a, 1041b, respectively,
each having a
corresponding depression for receiving the flexible snap joint components
1038a, 1038b, respectively. When
the product dispensing module 1102 is installed in the modular vending
machine, the flexible snap joint
components 1038a, 1038b come into contact with the inner edges of the
supporting shelves 1040a, 1040b
and are deflected before catching in the depressions of the mating components
1041a, 1041b to help secure
the product dispensing module 1102 in place. Once secured, the memory device
1147 preferably is in
communication with the memory reader device 1046 (e.g., for receiving an
identifier that identifies the product
dispensing module). If the product dispensing module 1102 is to be removed,
the configuration of the flexible
snap joint components 1038a, 1038b allows them to flex when sufficient force
is applied to disengage the
dispensing module from the supporting shelves 1040a, 1040b.
CA 02932937 2016-06-06
WO 2015/095669 PCT/US2014/071433
31
[0174] FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a plurality of product dispensing
modules installed in an example
modular vending machine 1200, according to an embodiment of the present
invention. The modular vending
machine 1200 comprises a cabinet 1206 with a hinged door 1202 providing access
to the interior of the
vending machine (e.g., for maintenance and/or restocking purposes). In
accordance with one embodiment,
the door 1202 comprises a product delivery door 1204 for allowing a user
access to a product delivery area
at the bottom of the interior of the cabinet 1206, where products drop when
dispensed by the installed product
cartridges.
[0175] As depicted in FIG. 12, the modular vending machine 1200 comprises
installed product
dispensing module 1208a coupled to motor 1220a for dispensing products stored,
for example, in a vertical
conveyor of the module. As depicted, the example vending machine has a
remaining spot to receive the
product dispensing module 1208b by coupling a module coupler with the drive
assembly coupler 1210,
thereby connecting the module (and vertical conveyor) to the motor 1220b.
[0176] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a docking station 1302 and a
product dispensing module 1300
(e.g., of a modular vending system) according to an embodiment of the present
invention. As depicted in FIG.
13, a product dispensing module 1300 may be coupled to a docking station 1302
for, without limitation:
stocking the product dispensing module and/or storing and/or updating
information associated with the
module. Various types of information and means for storing and/or updating
such information in a modular
vending system are described in this disclosure.
[0177] The docking station 1302 may comprise, in accordance with some
embodiments, one or more
of: a mounting system 1306, a support surface 1308, a display device and/or
user interface 1312, and/or one
or more supporting members 1310a, 1310b. The mounting system 1306 may comprise
one or more
supporting shelves, such as those described with respect to FIG. 7, for
receiving the module coupler
mechanism of the product dispensing module 1300. In one or more embodiments,
the mounting system 1306
preferably comprises a microcontroller configured to read the cartridge
identifier of an installed cartridge and
to facilitate transfer of identifying information to a registration software
program (e.g., hosted by a web server
and running as a web-based application over the Internet).
[0178] According to some embodiments, the support surface 1308 preferably
is slanted or at an angle
(e.g., in a range of approximately 30 to 60 degrees) relative to a horizontal
surface or floor (e.g., on which
the docking station 1302 may be placed) in order to make stocking the product
dispensing module 1300 (e.g.,
placing products in the product supporting positions of a vertical conveyor)
more convenient. It will be readily
understood that different configurations of the table surface may be
implemented as deemed appropriate.
CA 02932937 2016-06-06
WO 2015/095669 PCT/US2014/071433
32
[0179] In one or more embodiments, the docking station 1302 may comprise a
user interface 1312 (e.g.,
a touch screen device) via which a user may receive and/or input information
to the modular vending machine
system (e.g., cartridge information, product information and/or pricing
information). In one embodiment, the
docking station 1302 may comprise communications ports for communicating with
one or more server
computers, vending machines and/or product dispensing modules. According to
some embodiments, the
user interface 1312 may be embodied as a tablet computer connected to the
Internet via a Wi-Fi connection.
[0180] According to some embodiments, the docking station may be used to
initialize new cartridges
into a modular vending system (e.g., after completion of a cartridge assembly
process), and may also be
used to associate products with specific cartridges during a restocking
process.
F. Additional Embodiments
[0181] According to some embodiments, a vending machine and vending machine
system are provided
with a smaller size or form factor (e.g., for use in a vehicle). In one or
more embodiments, the vending
machine accepts product cartridges of approximately 7 inches (or less) in
depth, and the cartridges include
vertical coils holding products for dispensing vertically. For example, when
vending an item a coil is rotated
to release the lowest item held by the coil.
[0182] In some embodiments, some features of the vertical product
cartridges and/or vending machine
system may include one or more of:
= male/female coupling system with "u-channel"
= integrated coupler cover/handle on cartridge
= adjustable panel on cartridge to accommodate products of different sizes
for shipping and/or
dispensing
= "slim" vertical cartridge includes vertical coil and is prestocked with
product
= vending machine does not make actual product visible to customer ¨
product information is identified
by the vending machine based on a cartridge ID that identifies the cartridge
[0183] According to some embodiments, a vending unit may comprise, but is
not limited to, six
cartridges, each containing a respective different product. In one embodiment,
each cartridge has four sides:
three solid and stationary walls, and one removable and/or adjustable front
panel. In one embodiment, the
front panel may be clear so that the product inside the cartridge is visible
to potential purchasers. In some
embodiments, each of the individual cartridges contains a variable number of
products and a vended product
CA 02932937 2016-06-06
WO 2015/095669 PCT/US2014/071433
33
is released via a coil mechanism coupled to a stepper motor of the vending
unit. The coil also acts to hold
the product in place during a non-vending state (e.g., while the cartridge is
being transported).
[0184] According to some embodiments, on top of a product cartridge is a
top cover that houses a coil
support attached to a male coupler. In some embodiments, the male coupler is
held and locked in place with
a combined coupler cover/handle apparatus. When the male coupler is locked,
for example, the coil remains
stationary, thereby keeping products stationary and "locked down" within the
cartridge during cartridge
transport and/or handling (e.g., outside of a vending machine). Upon being
inserted into a vending machine,
the u-channel support of the vending unit into which the cartridge is
inserted, disengages the coupler
cover/handle apparatus, freeing the male coupler to rotate. At the exact same
time, the insertion engages
the male coupler on the top of the cartridge with a stationary female coupler
attached to the end of a stepper
motor on the main vending unit (inside the u-channel). The corresponding fit
of the male coupler with the
female coupler connects the motor to the coil, making the cartridge ready to
vend product inside the vending
unit.
[0185] In one or more embodiments, when inserted in a vending unit an ID
chip mounted to the back of
the cartridge makes contact with one or more electronic sensors on the back of
the vending unit. This allows
the main vending unit software to identify the cartridge and know what that
particular cartridge contains. In
one embodiment, the vending unit may displays information about the cartridge
on a screen of the vending
unit along with the product price, quantity, etc.
[0186] Applicants have recognized through testing that, in accordance with
some embodiments, the
coupling mechanism and recognition of a cartridge identifier (e.g., via an ID
chip) allow the vending machine
unit to be restocked with improved efficiency and reduces the restocking time.
For example, in some timed
trials up to six cartridges may be restocked in a vending unit in less than
thirty seconds.
[0187] According to some embodiments, the modular vending machine system
allows for the ability to
update product information (e.g., via the Internet) for each specific
networked vending machine (of a plurality
of vending machines), regardless of location. In one or more embodiments,
product and price input may be
automatically updated at a vending machine via recognition of a cartridge
identifier (e.g., upon installment of
a cartridge in a vending unit).
[0188] In some embodiments, as discussed in this disclosure, each cartridge
may include or be
associated with an ID chip. Accordingly, when a cartridge is inserted into a
vending machine, the vending
machine software instructions may direct the processor to access a micro-
controller to receive the serial
number of the ID chip. This serial number is compared to a database of serial
numbers which is stored on
CA 02932937 2016-06-06
WO 2015/095669 PCT/US2014/071433
34
our server. There is a table of cartridge numbers which are cross-referenced
with product data. This info for
a specific cartridge is downloaded to the software. Upon download, all
information on user interface is
changed for that specific bay or slot. This same process occurs for each
cartridge that is inserted into the
machine. The user interface will now display the updated correct product name,
product price, product image,
and product quantity.
[0189] According to some embodiments, an ID chip for a cartridge preferably
contains a unique serial
number (e.g., a 48-bit number). When a cartridge is mounted in a docking
station, software for the docking
station instructs enables a microcontroller in electronic communication with
the ID chip to read the serial
number. The serial number is received by the processor in accordance with the
software instructions and, in
some embodiments, displayed on a display screen of the docking station.
Information about the cartridge,
such as its type and/or part number, may be selected by a user via the user
interface. According to some
embodiments, a cartridge type may be stored that indicates what type of coil
is inserted in the cartridge. The
part number may be a unique physical identifier printed on the cartridge.
[0190] In accordance with an example cartridge registration process, a
serial number, cartridge type,
and part number may identify a cartridge (e.g., an empty cartridge to be
stocked). The cartridge information
may be uploaded to a central database from a docking station. Product
information may be associated with
a cartridge through a cartridge docking station and/or another type of
interface (e.g., a web-based interface).
After product information is associated with a cartridge, then the cartridge
is ready to be inserted into a
vending unit.
[0191] According to some embodiments, a vending machine restocking process
may comprise initiating
a restocking mode, using vending machine software, which facilitates the
reading of any serial numbers of
any inserted cartridges. For example, the serial numbers may be read (e.g.,
sequentially) by a respective
microcontroller and passed to the vending machine software. The vending
machine software may then query
a central database (e.g., over the Internet) using the serial number to find
the corresponding cartridge. Upon
locating the cartridge in the database, for example, the product information
associated with the cartridge
(e.g., stored during a registration process for that cartridge) may be
downloaded to the vending machine. In
some embodiments, the product information received may be stored in a local
cache or other local memory
device to be used for any one or more of a variety of functions.
[0192] In some embodiments, one or more products and/or cartridges may be
associated with
respective colors. In one example, an energy product with red trade dress may
be associated with the color
red in product database. In accordance with one embodiment, a vending machine
may comprise lights (e.g.,
CA 02932937 2016-06-06
WO 2015/095669 PCT/US2014/071433
LED lights, RGB lights), configured in accordance with software instructions
executed by a processor of the
vending machine, to display (e.g., at a product dispensing area) the color or
colors associated with a product
that is in inventory and/or that is being dispensed. For example, the example
"red" energy product, if
purchased by a customer, may result in the vending machine causing the color
red to be displayed. According
to some embodiments, just prior to a product being released from the coil of
the corresponding module, a
processor may send a corresponding color number to a microcontroller. Based on
the color number, the
microcontroller may generate a color using RGB. In one example, a first
purchased product's color is red,
and a second purchased product's color is blue. When the first product is to
be vended, lights inside the
vending machine may turn red. Once the product is released, the lights inside
the machine turn blue for
vending the second product. In one embodiment, once all the products selected
are dispensed successfully,
the light inside the machine may turn back to a default color (e.g., white).
[0193] According to some embodiments, a user may be able to update the
product description, images,
price, quantity, and/or light color associated with a cartridge and/or
product, using a software program. The
software will communicate with the database and check for a change in any of
the above parameters and
then download the updated information.
[0194] After a cartridge's unique information has been uploaded to a
central database, for example,
product information may be associated with that cartridge through a web-based
application or web portal. In
one example, the cartridge may be found in the web portal through the physical
cartridge identifier printed on
the cartridge. When the cartridge's page on the web portal is found, its
details may be modified (e.g., by an
authorized user of the system). In one embodiment, a product to be associated
with a given cartridge may
be selected through user-selectable interface element (e.g., a drop down box)
that contains all or a subset of
the products within the system. In another example, the price of a product may
be changed to be specific to
all products in that cartridge. In another example, the number of products
contained within a specific cartridge
may be updated automatically, for example, through a text box located on the
web portal screen, to indicate
the actual quantity present.
[0195] According to some embodiments, program instructions executed by a
vending machine may
send a command to a microcontroller check how many cartridges have
successfully made contact with the
u-channels. This information may be sent to the database to store an
indication of how many cartridges are
installed within the particular vending machine.
[0196] According to some embodiments, modular vending machine systems
provide for reloadable
product dispensing modules, including, but not limited to, vertical product
dispensing modules. In some
CA 02932937 2016-06-06
WO 2015/095669 PCT/US2014/071433
36
embodiments, the modular vending machine systems comprise one or more modular
vending machines and
product dispensing modules that may be releasably mounted using module holder
structures of the modular
vending machines. In some embodiments, a central controller device may be used
for communicating with a
plurality of modular vending machines, product dispensing modules, and/or
docking stations.
G. Interpretation
[0197] Numerous embodiments are described in this patent application, and
are presented for
illustrative purposes only. The described embodiments are not, and are not
intended to be, limiting in any
sense. The presently disclosed invention(s) are widely applicable to numerous
embodiments, as is readily
apparent from the disclosure. One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize
that the disclosed invention may
be practiced with various modifications and alterations, such as structural,
logical, software, and/or electrical
modifications. Although particular features of the disclosed invention(s) may
be described with reference to
one or more particular embodiments and/or drawings, it should be understood
that such features are not
limited to usage in the one or more particular embodiments or drawings with
reference to which they are
described, unless expressly specified otherwise.
[0198] The present disclosure is neither a literal description of all
embodiments nor a listing of features
that must be present in all embodiments.
[0199] Neither the Title (set forth at the beginning of the first page of
this disclosure) nor the Abstract
(set forth at the end of this disclosure) is to be taken as limiting in any
way the scope of the disclosed
invention(s).
[0200] Throughout the description and unless otherwise specified, the
following terms may include
and/or encompass the example meanings provided below. These terms and
illustrative example meanings
are provided to clarify the language selected to describe embodiments both in
the specification and in the
appended claims, and accordingly, are not intended to be limiting.
[0201] The terms "an embodiment", "embodiment", "embodiments", "the
embodiment", "the
embodiments", "one or more embodiments", "some embodiments", "one embodiment"
and the like mean "one
or more (but not all) disclosed embodiments", unless expressly specified
otherwise.
[0202] The terms "the invention" and "the present invention" and the like
mean "one or more
embodiments of the present invention."
37
[0203] A reference to "another embodiment" in describing an embodiment does
not imply that the
referenced embodiment is mutually exclusive with another embodiment (e.g., an
embodiment described
before the referenced embodiment), unless expressly specified otherwise.
[0204] The terms "including", "comprising" and variations thereof mean
"including but not limited to",
unless expressly specified otherwise.
[0205] The terms "a", "an" and "the" mean "one or more", unless expressly
specified otherwise.
[0206] The term "plurality" means "two or more", unless expressly specified
otherwise.
[0207] The term "herein" means "in the present disclosure", unless
expressly specified otherwise.
[0208] The phrase "at least one of', when such phrase modifies a plurality
of things (such as an
enumerated list of things) means any combination of one or more of those
things, unless expressly
specified otherwise. For example, the phrase at least one of a widget, a car
and a wheel means either (i) a
widget, (ii) a car, (iii) a wheel, (iv) a widget and a car, (v) a widget and a
wheel, (vi) a car and a wheel, or
(vii) a widget, a car and a wheel.
[0209] The phrase "based on" does not mean "based only on", unless
expressly specified otherwise.
In other words, the phrase "based on" describes both "based only on" and
"based at least on".
[0210] Where a limitation of a first claim would cover one of a feature as
well as more than one of a
feature (e.g., a limitation such as "at least one widget" covers one widget as
well as more than one widget),
and where in a second claim that depends on the first claim, the second claim
uses a definite article "the" to
refer to the limitation (e.g., "the widget"), this does not imply that the
first claim covers only one of the
feature, and this does not imply that the second claim covers only one of the
feature (e.g., "the widget" can
cover both one widget and more than one widget).
[0211] Each process (whether called a method, algorithm or otherwise)
inherently includes one or
more steps, and therefore all references to a "step" or "steps" of a process
have an inherent antecedent
basis in the mere recitation of the term "process" or a like term.
Accordingly, any reference in a claim to a
"step" or "steps" of a process has sufficient antecedent basis.
[0212] When an ordinal number (such as "first", "second", "third" and so
on) is used as an adjective
before a term, that ordinal number is used (unless expressly specified
otherwise) merely to indicate a
particular feature, such as to distinguish that particular feature from
another feature that is described by the
same term or by a similar term. For example, a "first widget" may be so named
merely to distinguish it from,
e.g., a "second widget". Thus, the mere usage of the ordinal numbers "first"
and "second" before the term
6642994
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-06-10
CA 02932937 2016-06-06
WO 2015/095669 PCT/US2014/071433
38
"widget" does not indicate any other relationship between the two widgets, and
likewise does not indicate any
other characteristics of either or both widgets. For example, the mere usage
of the ordinal numbers "first"
and "second" before the term "widget" (1) does not indicate that either widget
comes before or after any other
in order or location; (2) does not indicate that either widget occurs or acts
before or after any other in time;
and (3) does not indicate that either widget ranks above or below any other,
as in importance or quality. In
addition, the mere usage of ordinal numbers does not define a numerical limit
to the features identified with
the ordinal numbers. For example, the mere usage of the ordinal numbers
"first" and "second" before the
term "widget" does not indicate that there must be no more than two widgets.
[0213] As used in this disclosure, a "user" may generally refer to any
individual and/or entity that
operates a device. Users may comprise, for example, customers, operators,
partner location employees, etc.
[0214] Some embodiments may be associated with a "user device" or a
"network device". As used in
this disclosure, the terms "user device" and "network device" may be used
interchangeably and may generally
refer to any device that can communicate via a network. Examples of user or
network devices include a
personal computer (PC), a workstation, a server, a printer, a scanner, a
facsimile machine, a copier, a
personal digital assistant (PDA), a storage device (e.g., a disk drive), a
hub, a router, a switch, and a modem,
a video game console, or a wireless phone. User and network devices may
comprise one or more
communication or network components.
[0215] Some embodiments may be associated with a "network" or a
"communication network". As used
in this disclosure, the terms "network" and "communication network" may be
used interchangeably and may
refer to any object, entity, component, device, and/or any combination thereof
that permits, facilitates, and/or
otherwise contributes to or is associated with the transmission of messages,
packets, signals, and/or other
forms of information between and/or within one or more network devices. In
some embodiments, networks
may be hard-wired, wireless, virtual, neural, and/or any other configuration
or type of network that is or
becomes known. Networks may comprise any number of computers and/or other
types of devices in
communication with one another, directly or indirectly, via a wired or
wireless medium such as the Internet,
LAN, WAN or Ethernet (or IEEE 802.3), Token Ring, RF, cable TV, satellite
links, or via any appropriate
communications means or combination of communications means. In some
embodiments, a network may
include one or more wired and/or wireless networks operated in accordance with
any communication
standard or protocol that is or becomes known or practicable. Exemplary
protocols for network
communications include but are not limited to: the Fast Ethernet LAN
transmission standard 802.3-2002
published by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE),
Bluetooth TM, Time Division Multiple
CA 02932937 2016-06-06
WO 2015/095669 PCT/US2014/071433
39
Access (TDMA), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Global System for Mobile
communications (GSM),
Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE), General Packet Radio Service
(GPRS), Wideband CDMA
(WCDMA), Advanced Mobile Phone System (AMPS), Digital AMPS (D-AMPS), IEEE
802.11 (WI-Fl), IEEE
802.3, SAP, the best of breed (BOB), system to system (S2S), or the like.
Communication between and/or
among devices may be encrypted to ensure privacy and/or prevent fraud in any
one or more of a variety of
ways well known in the art.
[0216] Devices that are in communication with each other need not be in
continuous communication
with each other, unless expressly specified otherwise. On the contrary, such
devices need only transmit to
each other as necessary or desirable, and may actually refrain from exchanging
data most of the time. For
example, a machine in communication with another machine via the Internet may
not transmit data to the
other machine for weeks at a time. In addition, devices that are in
communication with each other may
communicate directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries.
[0217] As used in this disclosure, the term "network component" may refer
to a network device, or a
component, piece, portion, or combination of a network device. Examples of
network components may
include a Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) device or module, a network
processor, and a network
communication path, connection, port, or cable.
[0218] As used in this disclosure, the terms "information" and "data" may
be used interchangeably and
may refer to any data, text, voice, video, image, message, bit, packet, pulse,
tone, waveform, and/or other
type or configuration of signal and/or information. Information may comprise
information packets transmitted,
for example, in accordance with the Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPv6)
standard as defined by "Internet
Protocol Version 6 (IPv6) Specification" RFC 1883, published by the Internet
Engineering Task Force (IETF),
Network Working Group, S. Deering et al. (December 1995). Information may,
according to some
embodiments, be compressed, encoded, encrypted, and/or otherwise packaged or
manipulated in
accordance with any method that is or becomes known or practicable.
[0219] In addition, some embodiments described in this disclosure are
associated with an "indication".
The term "indication" may be used to refer to any indicia and/or other
information indicative of or associated
with a subject, item, entity, and/or other object and/or idea. As used in this
disclosure, the phrases
"information indicative of' and "indicia" may be used to refer to any
information that represents, describes,
and/or is otherwise associated with a related entity, subject, or object.
lndicia of information may include, for
example, a code, a reference, a link, a signal, an identifier, and/or any
combination thereof and/or any other
informative representation associated with the information. In some
embodiments, indicia of information (or
CA 02932937 2016-06-06
WO 2015/095669 PCT/US2014/071433
indicative of the information) may be or include the information itself and/or
any portion or component of the
information. In some embodiments, an indication may include a request, a
solicitation, a broadcast, and/or
any other form of information gathering and/or dissemination.
[0220] "Determining" something may be performed in a variety of manners and
therefore the term
"determining" (and like terms) includes calculating, computing, deriving,
looking up (e.g., in a table, database
or data structure), ascertaining, recognizing, and the like.
[0221] A "processor" means any one or more microprocessors, Central
Processing Unit (CPU) devices,
computing devices, microcontrollers, digital signal processors, or like
devices. Examples of processors
include, without limitation, Pentium TM by Intel, Athlon TM by AMD, or Apple
Inc.'s A6 processor.
[0222] When a single device or article is described in this disclosure,
more than one device or article
(whether or not they cooperate) may alternatively be used in place of the
single device or article that is
described. Accordingly, the functionality that is described as being possessed
by a device may alternatively
be possessed by more than one device or article (whether or not they
cooperate). Where more than one
device or article is described in this disclosure (whether or not they
cooperate), a single device or article may
alternatively be used in place of the more than one device or article that is
described. For example, a plurality
of computer-based devices may be substituted with a single computer-based
device. Accordingly,
functionality that is described as being possessed by more than one device or
article may alternatively be
possessed by a single device or article. The functionality and/or the features
of a single device that is
described may be alternatively embodied by one or more other devices that are
described but are not
explicitly described as having such functionality and/or features. Thus, other
embodiments need not include
the described device itself, but rather can include the one or more other
devices that would, in those other
embodiments, have such functionality/features.
[0223] A description of an embodiment with several components or features
does not imply that any
particular one of such components and/or features is required. On the
contrary, a variety of optional
components are described to illustrate the wide variety of possible
embodiments of the present invention(s).
Unless otherwise specified explicitly, no component and/or feature is
essential or required.
[0224] Further, although process steps, algorithms or the like may be
described or depicted in a
sequential order, such processes may be configured to work in one or more
different orders. In other words,
any sequence or order of steps that may be explicitly described or depicted
does not necessarily indicate a
requirement that the steps be performed in that order. The steps of processes
described in this disclosure
may be performed in any order practical. Further, some steps may be performed
simultaneously despite
CA 02932937 2016-06-06
WO 2015/095669 PCT/US2014/071433
41
being described or implied as occurring non-simultaneously (e.g., because one
step is described after the
other step). Moreover, the illustration of a process by its depiction in a
drawing does not imply that the
illustrated process is exclusive of other variations and modifications, does
not imply that the illustrated
process or any of its steps is necessary to the invention, and does not imply
that the illustrated process is
preferred.
[0225] It will be readily apparent that the various methods and algorithms
described in this disclosure
may be implemented by, e.g., appropriately- and/or specially-programmed
general purpose computers and/or
computing devices. Typically a processor (e.g., one or more microprocessors)
will receive instructions from
a memory or like device, and execute those instructions, thereby performing
one or more processes defined
by those instructions. Further, programs that implement such methods and
algorithms may be stored and
transmitted using a variety of media (e.g., computer-readable media) in a
number of manners. In some
embodiments, hard-wired circuitry or custom hardware may be used in place of,
or in combination with,
software instructions for implementation of the processes of various
embodiments. Thus, embodiments are
not limited to any specific combination of hardware and software.
[0226] Accordingly, a description of a process likewise describes at least
one apparatus for performing
the process, and likewise describes at least one computer-readable medium
and/or computer-readable
memory for performing the process. The apparatus that performs a described
process may include
components and/or devices (e.g., a processor, input and output devices)
appropriate to perform the process.
A computer-readable medium may store program elements and/or instructions
appropriate to perform a
described method.
[0227] The term "computer-readable medium" refers to any medium that
participates in providing data
(e.g., instructions or other information) that may be read by a computer, a
processor, or a like device. Various
forms of computer-readable media may be involved in carrying data, including
sequences of instructions, to
a processor. For example, sequences of instruction (i) may be delivered from
RAM to a processor, (ii) may
be carried over a wireless transmission medium, and/or (iii) may be formatted
according to any one or more
of various known formats, standards, or protocols (some examples of which are
described in this disclosure
with respect to communication networks).
[0228] Computer-readable media may take many forms, including but not
limited to, non-volatile media,
volatile media, and transmission media. Non-volatile media may include, for
example, optical or magnetic
disks and other types of persistent memory. Volatile media may include, for
example, DRAM, which typically
constitutes the main memory for a computing device. Transmission media may
include, for example, coaxial
CA 02932937 2016-06-06
WO 2015/095669 PCT/US2014/071433
42
cables, copper wire, and fiber optics, including the wires that comprise a
system bus coupled to the processor.
Transmission media may include or convey acoustic waves, light waves, and
electromagnetic emissions,
such as those generated during RF and IR data communications. Common forms of
computer-readable
media include, for example, a floppy disk, a flexible disk, a hard disk,
magnetic tape, any other magnetic
medium, a CD-ROM, DVD, any other optical medium, a punch card, paper tape, any
other physical medium
with patterns of holes, a RAM, a PROM, an EPROM, a FLASH-EEPROM, a Universal
Serial Bus (USB)
memory stick or thumb drive, a dongle, any other memory chip or cartridge, a
carrier wave, or any other
medium from which a computer can read.
[0229] The term "computer-readable memory" may generally refer to a subset
and/or class of non-
transitory computer-readable medium that does not include intangible or
transitory signals, waves,
waveforms, carrier waves, electromagnetic emissions, or the like. Computer-
readable memory may typically
include physical, non-transitory media upon which data (e.g., instructions or
other information) are stored,
such as optical or magnetic disks and other persistent memory, DRAM, a floppy
disk, a flexible disk, hard
disk, magnetic tape, any other magnetic medium, a CD-ROM, DVD, any other
optical medium, punch cards,
paper tape, any other physical medium with patterns of holes, a RAM, a PROM,
an EPROM, a FLASH-
EEPROM, USB devices, any other memory chip or cartridge, and the like.
[0230] Where databases are described, it will be understood by one of
ordinary skill in the art that (i)
alternative database structures to those described may be readily employed,
and (ii) other memory structures
besides databases may be readily employed. Any illustrations or descriptions
of any sample databases
presented in this disclosure are illustrative arrangements for stored
representations of information. Any
number of other arrangements may be employed besides those suggested by, e.g.,
tables illustrated in
drawings or elsewhere. Similarly, any illustrated entries of the databases
represent exemplary information
only; one of ordinary skill in the art will understand that the number and
content of the entries may be different
from those described in this disclosure. Further, despite any depiction of the
databases as tables, other
formats (including relational databases, object-based models, hierarchical
electronic file structures, and / or
distributed databases) could be used to store and/or manipulate the described
data. Likewise, object methods
or behaviors of a database may be used to implement one or more of various
processes, such as those
described in this disclosure. In addition, the databases may, in a known
manner, be stored locally and/or
remotely from a device that accesses data in such a database. Furthermore,
while unified databases may be
contemplated, it is also possible that the databases may be distributed and/or
duplicated amongst a variety
of devices.
CA 02932937 2016-06-06
WO 2015/095669 PCT/1JS2014/071433
43
[0231] The present disclosure provides, to one of ordinary skill in the
art, an enabling description of
several embodiments and/or inventions. Some of these embodiments and/or
inventions may not be claimed
in the present application, but may nevertheless be claimed in one or more
continuing applications that claim
the benefit of priority of the present application. Applicants intend to file
additional applications to pursue
patents for subject matter that has been disclosed and enabled but not claimed
in the present application.
