Determining the availability of purchasable items in a network environment

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide for a method, system and article of manufacture for operating vending machines. In general, a plurality of vending machines are nodes of a network. Each node is configured to send, receive and process signals carrying inventory, pricing, reservation and/or refund information. In particular, a first signal is sent to one or more nodes requesting inventory/price information from other nodes. Those nodes carrying the product may reply with a second signal. In this manner, the location of vending machines carrying one or more items specified by a customer may be determined. In another embodiment, vending machine items may be reserved from a remote location. In still another embodiment, vending machines may be configured to provide refunds under controlled conditions. A consumer may request a refund in cases where the consumer was improperly charged for goods are services that were not provided.

1 . A vending machine system, comprising:
 a command input interface for receiving user commands;   a network interface configured to support a network connection with a network of vending machines; and   a processor connected to the command input interface and the network interface, and configured to:
 receive a purchase order for the vending machine item, the purchase order being submitted by a customer, wherein a record of the purchase order is recorded and includes an identification of the customer and the purchase order; 
 receive a payment amount for the vending machine item; 
 receive an electronic refund request for at least a portion of the payment amount, wherein the refund request comprises an identification of the customer and the purchase order; and 
 determine whether to refund the portion based on the identification of the customer, wherein the customer is identified by determining if the identification of the customer and the purchase order in the refund request matches the identification of the customer and the purchase order in the record of the purchase order. 
   
   
   
       2 . The vending machine of  claim 1 , wherein determining whether to refund the portion comprises:
 transmitting via the network interface a request for the item at another vending machine in the network of vending machines; and   receiving a response indicative of whether the item is available at least one other vending machine;   if the item is available at least one other vending machine, providing an option to the customer to retrieve the item at the at least one other vending machine, in lieu of receiving a refund of the portion of the payment amount.   
   
   
       3 . The vending machine of  claim 1 , wherein determining whether to refund the portion comprises determining whether the customer is a repeat customer based on the identification of the customer. 
   
   
       4 . The vending machine of  claim 1 , wherein determining whether to refund the portion comprises determining whether the customer has previously requested a vending machine refund within a predetermined time period based on the identification of the customer. 
   
   
       5 . The vending machine of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to refund the portion if customer information corresponding to the identification of the customer stored in a database satisfies refund conditions. 
   
   
       6 . The vending machine of  claim 1 , wherein the refund conditions comprise a threshold number of purchases made by the customer. 
   
   
       7 . The vending machine of  claim 1 , wherein determining whether to refund the request comprises determining whether the customer's money is lodged in a coin acceptor. 
   
   
       8 . The vending machine of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 determine whether the customer has made a repeated number of requests;   if so, prevent the customer from making additional purchases at the vending machine and prevent the customer from making additional purchases at other vending machines in the vending machine network.   
   
   
       9 . The vending machine of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 grant the refund request, wherein granting the refund request comprises issuing the customer a retrieval identification number, wherein the retrieval identification number may be input into another vending machine in the vending machine network to retrieve another vending machine item of a same type as the ordered vending machine item.