US2010004781A1PendingUtilityA1

System for vending physical and information items

65
Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: Aug 22, 2000Filed: Aug 7, 2009Published: Jan 7, 2010
Est. expiryAug 22, 2020(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Jay S. WalkerDaniel E. Tedesco
G07F 11/004G06Q 20/10G07F 17/16G07F 17/0014G07F 9/02G06Q 20/105
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Claims

Abstract

A vending machine handles a purchase transaction by receiving a payment, receiving a product selection from the customer, and dispensing the product indicated by the product selection. As part of the same transaction, the vending machine offers an information item such as an audio recording or a video recording. The vending machine also receives from the customer a destination address, which may be an e-mail address. The vending machine or a system of which it is part transmits the information item to the received destination address.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . A method of operating a vending machine, comprising:
 receiving a payment;   receiving a product selection;   offering an information item;   receiving a destination address;   dispensing a product indicated by the product selection; and   transmitting the information item to a location specified by the received destination address.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising selecting the information item before said offering step. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said selecting the information item is based on the received product selection. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said payment is received in the form of currency. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said product selection is received via a push button on the vending machine. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said offering occurs before said receiving the payment. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said offering occurs after said dispensing. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising providing change only if said information item is not accepted. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the information item is a video recording. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the information item is an audio recording. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the product is one of a beverage and a snack. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the destination address is an e-mail address. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said offering includes displaying a notice at said vending machine.

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