System and method of aggregating data from a plurality of data generating machines

Abstract

A system and method for collecting and aggregating data from a plurality of data generating machines. The system includes a plurality of data generating machines each having a transceiver for transmitting data pertaining to a monitored sales event of each of the plurality of data generating machines via at least one of a terrestrial, Internet, satellite, and landline network. At least one first computer receives and cumulatively stores the data transmitted by each of the plurality of data generating machines. At least one second computer is operatively communicable with the at least one first computer and runs at least one application software program that analyzes the data to determine consumer buying habits and/or preferences. Advertising data can be transmitted that provides message content at least partially determined by an analysis of the data.

1 . A system for aggregating and analyzing data from a plurality of data generating machines comprising: 
 a plurality of data generating machines each transmitting data pertaining to at least one monitored sales event, said at least one monitored sales event capable of corresponding to a plurality of different products from a plurality of sales, distribution or manuacturing sources effectuated or managed by each of said plurality of data generating machines via at least one of a terrestrial, Internet, satellite, and landline network;    at least one computer, responsively connectable to said plurality of data generating machines via said at least one of a terrestrial, Internet, satellite and landline network, receiving and cumulatively storing the data transmitted by each of said plurality of data generating machines corresponding to a predetermined time period, and including at least one application software program running thereon that analyzes the aggregated data.    
   
   
       2 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of data generating machines is capable of transmitting the data utilizing a plurality of data formats, and wherein said at least one computer stores the plurality reformats and at least one of reformats and interprets the transmitted data utilizing at least one of said plurality of data formats prior to cumulatively storing the transmitted data.  
   
   
       3 . The system according to  claim 1  wherein the cumulatively stored data on said at least one computer is analyzed to determine at least one of consumer buying habits and preferences.  
   
   
       4 . The system according to  claim 1  wherein at least one of said plurality of data generating machines has at least one intelligent routing device operatively connected thereto that selects a least cost data transmission path over at least one of said at least one terrestrial, Internet, satellite and landline network.  
   
   
       5 . The system according to  claim 1  further comprising at least one gateway device performing a data transmission protocol conversion between at least one first network and at least one second network among said at least one of the terrestrial, Internet, satellite and landline networks that operatively communicate with each other.  
   
   
       6 . The system according to  claim 1  wherein a transceiver in at least one of said plurality of data generating machines transmits data using a same data transmission protocol as one of the respective terrestrial, Internet, satellite and landline networks to which it transmits.  
   
   
       7 . The system according to  claim 1  wherein each of said plurality of data generating machines comprises a processor with storage configured to accumulate data corresponding to the at least one monitored sales event occurring in each of said plurality of data generating machines, wherein a transceiver transmits the accumulated data to said at least one first computer via at least one of the respective terrestrial, Internet, satellite and landline network.  
   
   
       8 . The system according to  claim 7  further comprising at least one gateway positioned between at least one of said plurality of data generating machines and at least one of the terrestrial, Internet, satellite and landline network, wherein said at least one gateway enables the transceiver of at least one of said at least one data generating machine and the respective terrestrial, Internet, satellite and landline network to which it transmits to operatively communicate.  
   
   
       9 . The system according to  claim 7  wherein the processor is configured to accumulate, for each of said plurality of data generating machines, data corresponding to at least one of paper and/or non-paper monies deposited in and/or returned, alarm conditions, machine serial number, machine model, machine address, machine route number, machine owner, product sold, sales price, date and/or time of purchase, length of time product in machine, and number and/or types of products remaining in machine.  
   
   
       10 . The system according to  claim 7  wherein the processor is configured to accumulate, for each of said plurality of data generating machines, data corresponding to paper and/or non-paper monies deposited in and/or returned, alarm conditions, machine serial number, machine model, machine address, machine route number, machine owner, product sold, sales price, date and/or time of purchase, length of time product in machine, and number and/or types of products remaining in machine.  
   
   
       11 . The system according to  claim 1  wherein said at least one computer transmits to at least one of said plurality of data generating machines one or more audible and/or visual advertisements.  
   
   
       12 . The system according to  claim 11  wherein at least one of the one or more audible and/or visual advertisements provides message content that is provided at least partially in response to the analyzed data.  
   
   
       13 . The system according to  claim 1  wherein the application software program provides a recommended replenishment schedule and/or replenishment goods for at least one of said plurality of data generating machines.  
   
   
       14 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein a third party accesses the stored aggregated data via said at least one computer.  
   
   
       15 . A method of collecting and aggregating data from a plurality of data generating machines, the method comprising the steps of: 
 transmitting data pertaining to at least one monitored sales event associated with each of a plurality of data generating machines via at least one of a terrestrial, Internet, satellite, and landline network;    receiving the transmitted data at at least one computer;    storing cumulatively the data transmitted over a predetermined time period by each of the plurality of data generating machines; and    analyzing the cumulatively stored data.    
   
   
       16 . The method according to  claim 15  wherein the plurality of data generating machines transmits the data utilizing one of a plurality of data formats, and the at least one computer stores the plurality of data formats and at lest one of reformats and interprets the transmitted data prior to said storing step.  
   
   
       17 . The method according to  claim 15  wherein the data is analyzed to determine at least one of consumer buying habits and preferences.  
   
   
       18 . The method according to  claim 15  wherein at least one of said plurality of data generating machines has at least one intelligent routing device operatively connected thereto that selects a least cost data transmission path over at least one of said at least one terrestrial, Internet, satellite and landline network.  
   
   
       19 . The method according to  claim 15  further comprising at least one gateway device performing a data transmission protocol conversion between at least one first network and at least one second network among said at least one of the terrestrial, Internet, satellite and landline networks that operatively communicate with each other.  
   
   
       20 . The method according to  claim 15  wherein at least one application software program is used to analyze the stored data.