Method and Apparatus for Purchasing and Dispensing Products

Abstract

A system for purchasing a product that does not need to be physically present at a point-of-sale includes a point-of-sale device, a product-selection device, a data-analyzing device, an inventory-managing device, and a dispensing machine. The point-of-sale device includes apparatus for scanning or otherwise inputting a first product that is physically present at the point-of-sale. The product-selection device includes apparatus for selecting a second product that does not need to be physically present at the point-of-sale by a characteristic other than by a standardized product identification number corresponding to the second product, controller and memory apparatus for retrieving a standardized product identification number corresponding to the second product, and communication apparatus for sending the standardized product identification number of the selected second product to the point-of-sale device. The data-analyzing device receives completed purchase transaction data from the point-of-sale device and identifies the selected second product from that data. The data-analyzing device thereafter sends instructions to the dispensing machine for dispensing the second product. The inventory-managing device communicates with the product-selection device, data-analyzing device, and dispensing machine to inform customers of product availability, reserve products for customers, and maintain inventory of products.

1 . A product-selection device comprising:
 selection apparatus for selecting a product for purchase by an identifiable characteristic other than by a standardized product identification number corresponding to said product; and   memory apparatus for retrieving said standardized product identification number corresponding to said selected product.   
   
   
       2 . The product-selection device of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a first communication link for transmitting said standardized product identification number corresponding to said selected product to a point-of-sale device, and   a second communication link for receiving inventory information from an inventory-managing device and for transmitting product-selection information to said inventory-managing device.   
   
   
       3 . The product-selection device of  claim 1  wherein said product-selection device is configured to display information pertaining to available products housed in a dispensing machine. 
   
   
       4 . The product-selection device of  claim 1  wherein said selection apparatus and memory apparatus are located apart from one another. 
   
   
       5 . The product-selection device of  claim 1  wherein said product-selection device is configured to identify a customer by an identification corresponding to said customer. 
   
   
       6 . The product-selection device of  claim 5  wherein said product-selection device is further configured to retrieve previous product selections of a customer. 
   
   
       7 . A dispensing machine, comprising:
 a chamber for housing dispensable items; and   a sensor for sensing whether said chamber contains a predetermined quantity of said items.   
   
   
       8 . The dispensing machine of  claim 7 , further comprising a sensor for sensing whether said chamber contains zero of said items. 
   
   
       9 . The dispensing machine of  claim 7 , further comprising a communication link for receiving dispensing instructions and transmitting inventory data. 
   
   
       10 . The dispensing machine of  claim 7 , further comprising an input device for reading one of a button entry, a keypad entry, a touch-screen entry, a bar code, a magnetic stripe, an RFID tag, biometric data, an infrared signal, and an optical signal.