Facilitating vending of customer-configured pizza preparation kits

Abstract

A vending machine comprises an user interface arrangement configured for facilitating input of a customer-configured pizza preparation kit order, an order processing arrangement configured for processing the customer-configured pizza preparation kit order and a product dispensing arrangement configured for dispensing a customer-configured pizza preparation kit corresponding to the order. The processing of the customer-configured pizza preparation kit order includes determining next available pizza preparation kit product information, determining selectable ones of a plurality of system-provided pizza choices dependent upon the next available pizza preparation kit product information and facilitating display of the selectable system-provided pizza choices after determining the selectable system-provided pizza choices.

1 . A method for vending a customer-configured pizza preparation kit, comprising: 
 determining next available pizza preparation kit product information;    determining selectable ones of a plurality of system-provided pizza choices dependent upon said next available pizza preparation kit product information; and    displaying said selectable system-provided pizza choices after determining said selectable system-provided pizza choices.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 enabling customer-performed modification of said selectable system-provided pizza choices.    
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 enabling selection of at least one of said selectable system-provided pizza choices.    
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said determining next available pizza preparation kit product information includes: 
 determining inventory information for a next available pizza crust product within a pizza preparation kit vending machine; and    determining inventory information for next available topping products within a pizza preparation kit vending machine.    
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein said determining selectable ones of the plurality of system-provided pizza choices includes determining which ones of said next available pizza crust and topping products are necessary kit components for each one of said selectable system-provided pizza choices.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising: 
 enabling customer-performed modification of said selectable system-provided pizza choices, wherein said customer-performed modification includes at least one of enabling addition of at least one topping product and enabling deletion of at least one topping product.    
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising: 
 enabling selection of at least one of said selectable system-provided pizza choices.    
   
   
       8 . A vending machine, comprising: 
 means for determining next available pizza preparation kit product information;    means for determining selectable ones of a plurality of system-provided pizza choices dependent upon said next available pizza preparation kit product information; and    means for displaying said selectable system-provided pizza choices after determining said selectable system-provided pizza choices.    
   
   
       9 . The vending machine of  claim 8 , further comprising: 
 means for enabling customer-performed modification of said selectable system-provided pizza choices.    
   
   
       10 . The vending machine of  claim 8 , further comprising: 
 means for enabling selection of at least one of said selectable system-provided pizza choices.    
   
   
       11 . The vending machine of  claim 8  wherein said determining next available product information includes: 
 determining inventory information for next available pizza crust products within a pizza preparation kit vending machine; and    determining inventory information for next available topping products within a pizza preparation kit vending machine.    
   
   
       12 . The vending machine of  claim 11  wherein said determining selectable ones of the plurality of system-provided pizza choices includes determining which ones of said next available pizza crust and topping products are necessary kit components for each one of said selectable system-provided pizza choices.  
   
   
       13 . The vending machine of  claim 12 , further comprising: 
 means for enabling customer-performed modification of said selectable system-provided pizza choices, wherein said customer-performed modification includes at least one of enabling addition of at least one topping product and enabling deletion of at least one topping product.    
   
   
       14 . The vending machine of  claim 12 , further comprising: 
 means for enabling selection of at least one of said selectable system-provided pizza choices.    
   
   
       15 . A vending machine, comprising: 
 an user interface arrangement configured for facilitating input of a customer-configured pizza preparation kit order;    an order processing arrangement configured for processing the customer-configured pizza preparation kit order, wherein said processing of the customer-configured pizza preparation kit order includes determining next available pizza preparation kit product information, determining selectable ones of a plurality of system-provided pizza choices dependent upon said next available pizza preparation kit product information and facilitating display of said selectable system-provided pizza choices after determining said selectable system-provided pizza choices; and    a product dispensing arrangement configured for dispensing a customer-configured pizza preparation kit corresponding to said order.    
   
   
       16 . The vending machine of  claim 15  wherein said processing of the customer-configured pizza preparation kit order further includes enabling customer-performed modification of said selectable system-provided pizza choices.  
   
   
       17 . The vending machine of  claim 15  wherein said processing of the customer-configured pizza preparation kit order further includes enabling selection of at least one of said selectable system-provided pizza choices.  
   
   
       18 . The vending machine of  claim 15  wherein said determining next available pizza preparation kit product information includes: 
 determining inventory information for next available pizza crust products within a pizza preparation kit vending machine; and    determining inventory information for next available topping products within a pizza preparation kit vending machine.    
   
   
       19 . The vending machine of  claim 18  wherein said determining selectable ones of the plurality of system-provided pizza choices includes determining which ones of said next available pizza crust and topping products are necessary kit components for each one of said selectable system-provided pizza choices.  
   
   
       20 . The vending machine of  claim 19  wherein: 
 said processing of the customer-configured pizza preparation kit order further includes enabling customer-performed modification of said selectable system-provided pizza choices; and    said customer-performed modification includes at least one of enabling addition of at least one topping product and enabling deletion of at least one topping products.