Interactive interface effectuated vending

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system and method which effectuates an interactive interface and protocol for interfacing a payment module (system 500 ) to and data communicating with a computing platform (computing platform 802 ), wherein the computing platform can elect to control by way of the interactive interface and protocol a vending transaction cycle or alternatively elect to monitor the payment module by way of the interactive interface and protocol allowing the payment module to control a vending transaction cycle.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A payment module for effectuating a cashless vend, said payment module comprising:
 a microcontroller;   a vending equipment interface configured to provide a connection between the microcontroller and a vending machine controller of a vending machine; and   an interactive interface configured to provide a connection between the microcontroller and a computer platform,   wherein said payment module is configured to receive data from the vending machine controller via the vending equipment interface and receive data from the computing platform via the interactive interface for the purpose of monitoring or controlling the cashless vend.   
     
     
         2 . The payment module in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising a memory device, the microcontroller configured to store the data received from the vending machine controller in the memory dev ice. 
     
     
         3 . The payment module in accordance with  claim 2 , wherein the stored data comprises data relating to a state of the vending machine, a price associated with a vending transaction, a location of a vended good, or a status of a cashless vend transaction. 
     
     
         4 . The payment module in accordance with  claim 2 , wherein the computing platform transmits a command to the microcontroller via the interactive interface, the command comprising an instruction to the microcontroller to clear the data stored in the memory device. 
     
     
         5 . The payment module in accordance with  claim 3 , wherein the stored data comprises data relating to the state of the vending machine, and the data relating to the state of the vending machine includes data indicating whether the vending machine is inactive, disabled, enabled, in session, or vending. 
     
     
         6 . The payment module in accordance with  claim 3 , wherein the stored data comprises data relating to the price associated with a vending transaction, and the data relating to the price associated with a vending transaction includes data indicating a value of a highest priced item in the vending machine. 
     
     
         7 . The payment module in accordance with  claim 6 , wherein the data relating to the price associated with a vending transaction includes data indicating a vend sale price of a vend item selected during a cashless vend. 
     
     
         8 . The payment module in accordance with  claim 3 , wherein the stored data comprises data relating to the status of a cashless vend transaction, and the data relating to the price status of a cashless vend transaction includes a clear flag, a vend pending flag, a vend approved flag, a vend declined flag, a cashless vend occurrence flag, a request vend approval flag, or a vend fail flag. 
     
     
         9 . The payment module in accordance with  claim 2 , wherein the memory device is a random access memory. 
     
     
         10 . The payment module in accordance with  claim 2 , wherein the memory device is nonvolatile. 
     
     
         11 . The payment module in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein said payment module is configured to transmit a command to the vending machine controller to begin a vending session via the vending equipment interface.