Method and device for accessing, controlling and purchasing a product through a dispenser

Abstract

Various technologies described herein pertain to an automated dispenser including a dispensing portion, a motion sensor, a receiver module, and a control module. The control module initiates motion sensing by the motion sensor in response to receipt of an activation signal from a network server by the receiver module. The dispensing portion dispenses a product in response to the motion sensor sensing an absence, presence or motion of an object.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A apparatus for controlling dispensing of a product from an automated dispenser, the apparatus comprising:
 an identifier near the automated dispenser configured to be communicated by near field communication; and   a hardware-implemented receiver module configured to:
 receive an activation signal from a mobile application executing on a mobile device to activate the automated dispenser after to the mobile device reads the identifier; 
 transmit a request to a network server to authorize a dispense request in response to the receipt of the activation signal; and 
 receive an authorization response from the network server in response to the request. 
   
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the identifier is a near-field communication chip. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the request comprising payment information in order to authorize the dispense request. 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , the hardware-implemented receiver module further configured to permit a dispense request and dispense the product from the automated dispenser in response to the authorization response indicating an authorized status. 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 24 , the hardware-implemented receiver module further configured to transmit a confirmation response to the mobile application indicating a purchase confirmation upon dispensing of the product from the automated dispenser. 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein the dispense request is communicated from a user. 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein the dispense request is communicated by the mobile application executing on the mobile device. 
     
     
         28 . A computing system for controlling an automated dispenser by way of network communication, the computing system comprising:
 a processor;   a unique identifier associated to the automated dispenser configured to uniquely identify the automated dispenser and be read by a mobile device; and   a hardware-implemented receiver module configured to:
 receive an activation signal from a mobile application executing on a mobile device to activate the automated dispenser in response to reading the identifier; 
 transmit a request to a network server to authorize a dispense request in response to the receipt of the activation signal; and 
 receive an authorization response from the network server in response to the request. 
   
     
     
         29 . The computing system of  claim 28 , wherein the identifier is read by the mobile device via proximity determined GPS. 
     
     
         30 . The computing system of  claim 28 , wherein the identifier indicates the GPS location of the automated dispenser. 
     
     
         31 . The computing system of  claim 28 , wherein the hardware-implemented receiver module further configured to: permit a dispense request and dispense the product from the automated dispenser in response to the authorization response indicating an authorized status. 
     
     
         32 . The computing system of  claim 31 , wherein the hardware-implemented receiver module further configured to: transmit a confirmation response to the mobile application indicating a purchase confirmation upon dispensing of the product from the automated dispenser. 
     
     
         34 . The computing system of  claim 31 , wherein the authorized status indicates that a user of the mobile device has sufficient credits in an account to pay for at least one product stored within the automated dispenser. 
     
     
         35 . The computing system of  claim 28 , wherein the request comprising payment information such as user credit card information. 
     
     
         36 . The computing system of  claim 31 , wherein the dispense request is communicated from manually by a user. 
     
     
         37 . A non-transitory computer storage medium which stores an executable code module that directs a client computing device to perform a process comprising:
 reading an identifier associated with the automated dispenser, the identifier configured to be communicated by near field communication; and   transmitting an activation signal from the client computing device to the automated dispenser to activate the automated dispenser in response to reading the identifier.   
     
     
         38 . The non-transitory computer storage medium of  claim 37 , further comprising: permitting the automated dispenser to dispense the product responsive to a dispense request following receipt of the activation signal. 
     
     
         39 . The non-transitory computer storage medium of  claim 38 , further comprising: transmitting a confirmation response to the client computing device indicating a purchase confirmation upon dispensing of the product from the automated dispenser. 
     
     
         40 . The non-transitory computer storage medium of  claim 38 , wherein the dispense request is communicated from a user.