System and method for providing the identification of geographically closest article dispensing machines

Abstract

A system and method of searching for physical media articles available from article dispensing machines within a geographic proximity is provided. Searching may include matching keywords in search criteria or using predefined search criteria for browsing of static or dynamic listings of media content. The method includes receiving a search request including search criteria, and searching the metadata database for a physical media article matching the search criteria. The method also includes determining the availability of the matching media article at an article dispensing machine. The geographic location of article dispensing machines with available matching media articles is determined, based on personally identifying information such as an IP or MAC address. The geographic location may be limited by a proximity from an audio/visual display interface. A search result set with the matching media articles is provided, based on their availabilities.

The following is claimed: 
     
         1 . A method of searching for articles in an inventory database, the inventory database storing article inventory of each of a plurality of article dispensing machines (ADMs), the method comprising, via one or more processors:
 receiving a search request from a user operated device, the search request including search criteria having one or more requested attributes;   receiving a geographic location of the user operated device;   identifying a first ADM subset of the plurality of ADMs based on a predetermined geographical limit;   identifying one or more matching articles based on the search criteria;   identifying a second ADM subset based on the first ADM subset and the one or more matching articles, such that the second ADM subset includes ADMs that (i) were in the first ADM subset and (ii) have, in inventory, at least one of the matching articles;   when the second ADM subset includes a plurality of ADMs: ranking the second ADM subset and providing to the user operated device, the ranked second ADM subset.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: ranking the second ADM subset based on geographical proximity of each of the ADMs in the second ADM subset to the user operated device. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the inventory database includes an overall number of ADMs, the first ADM subset only includes a first number of ADMs, and the second ADM subset only includes a second number of ADMs;
 wherein the overall number is greater than or equal to the first number and the first number is greater than or equal to the second number.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the first ADM subset includes all ADMs, of the plurality of ADMs, located within the predetermined geographical proximity limit and excludes all ADMs, of the plurality of ADMs, located outside the predetermined geographical proximity limit. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second ADM subset is identified based on the first ADM subset and is not identified based on each of the plurality of ADMs. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of identifying the second ADM subset based on the first ADM subset and the one or more matching articles comprises:
 setting the second ADM subset as being equal to: ADMs of the first ADM subset having, in inventory, at least one of the matching articles.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of identifying the second ADM subset based on the first ADM subset and the matching articles comprises:
 setting the second ADM subset as being equal to: ADMs of only the first ADM subset having, in inventory, at least one of the matching articles.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 when the second ADM subset is null, identifying one or more a la carte providers based on the matching articles.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 providing, to the user operated device, a list based on the identified a la carte providers;   wherein the a la carte content providers are not article dispensing machines stored in the metadata database.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 receiving a selection from the user operated device of one of the ADMs of the second ADM subset;   updating the inventory database based on the received selection;   forwarding an instruction to the selected ADM, the selected ADM comprising: a housing storing at least one of the matching articles, at least one motor configured to dispense the at least one matching article from the housing, one or more processors, and memory storing a selected ADM inventory;   the forwarded instruction commanding the selected ADM to update the selected ADM inventory based on the received selection.   
     
     
         11 . A system for searching for articles in an inventory database storing article inventory of each of a plurality of article dispensing machines (ADMs), the system comprising one or more processors configured to:
 receive a search request from a user operated device, the search request including search criteria having one or more requested attributes;   receive a geographic location of the user operated device;   identify a first ADM subset of the plurality of ADMs based on a predetermined geographical proximity limit;   identify one or more matching articles based on the search criteria;   identify a second ADM subset based on the first ADM subset and the one or more matching articles, such that the second ADM subset includes ADMs that (i) were in the first ADM subset and (ii) have, in inventory, at least one of the matching articles;   when the second ADM subset includes a plurality of ADMs: rank the second ADM subset and provide to the user operated device, the ranked second ADM subset.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the processors are configured to rank the second ADM subset based on geographical proximity of each of the ADMs in the second ADM subset to the user operated device. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the inventory database includes an overall number of ADMs, and the processors are configured such that the first ADM subset only includes a first number of ADMs, and the second ADM subset only includes a second number of ADMs;
 wherein the overall number is greater than or equal to the first number and the first number is greater than or equal to the second number.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the processors are configured such that the first ADM subset includes all ADMs, of the plurality of ADMs, located within the predetermined geographical proximity limit and excludes all ADMs, of the plurality of ADMs, located outside the predetermined geographical proximity limit. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the processors are configured to identify the second ADM subset based on the first ADM subset and not based on each of the plurality of ADMs. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the processors are configured to identify the second ADM subset based on the first ADM subset and the one or more matching articles by:
 setting the second ADM subset as being equal to: ADMs of the first ADM subset having, in inventory, at least one of the matching articles.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the processors are configured to identify the second ADM subset based on the first ADM subset and the matching articles by:
 setting the second ADM subset as being equal to: ADMs of only the first ADM subset having, in inventory, at least one of the matching articles.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the processors are configured to:
 when the second ADM subset is null, identify one or more a la carte providers based on the matching articles.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the processors are configured to:
 provide, to the user operated device, a list based on the identified a la carte providers;   wherein the a la carte content providers are not article dispensing machines stored in the metadata database.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the processors are configured to:
 receive a selection from the user operated device of one of the ADMs of the second ADM subset;   update the inventory database based on the received selection;   forward an instruction to the selected ADM, the selected ADM comprising: a housing storing at least one of the matching articles, at least one motor configured to dispense the at least one matching article from the housing, one or more processors, and memory storing a selected ADM inventory;   wherein the forwarded instruction commands the selected ADM to update the selected ADM inventory based on the received selection;   wherein the system comprises the selected ADM.