Method for dynamic inventory dispensing and depletion of a vended product

Abstract

One variation of a method for dynamically pricing vended products includes: identifying a purchase pattern of a user at a vending machine; in response to an approaching sell-by date for a unit of a product loaded into the vending machine and based on the purchase pattern, setting a discount rate for the unit of the product for the user; transmitting an electronic communication to an account associated with the user, the electronic communication indicating the discount rate for the unit of the product; identifying the user in a transaction initiated at the vending machine; and in response to selection of the unit of the product from the vending machine during the transaction, initiating a payment with a payment mechanism supplied by the user according to the discount rate.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A method for dynamically depleting inventory of vended perishable products, comprising:
 identifying an initial inventory of a set of perishable products stored on an open shelf inside a vending machine;   retrieving sell-by times of the set of perishable products;   in response to a sell-by time of a particular unit of a first product in the set of perishable products falling within a threshold period of time from a current time:
 identifying a second product complementary to the first product and stored within the vending machine; 
 retrieving a transaction history of purchases from the vending machine by a group of patrons; 
 based on the transaction history, identifying a previous transaction in which a particular patron, in the group of patrons, purchased a first unit of the second product from the vending machine; 
 based on the transaction history, anticipating a predicted transaction time of a future purchase of a second unit of the second product by the particular patron from the vending machine; 
 in response to the predicted transaction time preceding the sell-by time, assigning a first discount rate for the particular unit of the first product to the particular patron; 
 transmitting an electronic communication to the particular patron prior to the predicted transaction time, the electronic communication specifying the particular unit of the first product, the first discount rate for the particular unit of the first product when purchased with a unit of the second product, the vending machine, and a time window for validity of the first discount rate, the time window preceding the sell-by time of the particular unit of the first product; and 
 maintaining an original rate for the particular unit of the first product for each other patron in the group of patrons excluding the particular patron; and 
   in response to removal of the particular unit of the first product and the second unit of the second product during a new transaction between the particular patron and the vending machine during the time window, applying the first discount rate to purchase of the particular unit of the first product in the new transaction.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein maintaining the original rate comprises, in response to purchase of the particular unit of the first product by a second patron, distinct from the first patron, during the time window, billing the second patron according to the original rate of the particular unit of the first product prior to application of the discount rate; and
 further comprising, in response to purchase of the particular unit of the first product by the second patron:
 voiding the first discount rate for the particular unit of the first product for the particular patron; and 
 notifying the particular patron of unavailability of the particular unit of the first product and invalidity of the first discount rate. 
   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein transmitting the electronic communication comprises defining the time window for validity of the first discount rate preceding the sell-by time and offset from the sell-by time by a second time window. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising, in response to expiration of the first time window prior to the purchase of the particular unit of the first product by the particular patron:
 voiding the first discount rate for the particular unit of the first product for the particular patron; and   assigning to a second patron a second discount rate for the particular unit of the first product, the second discount rate valid during the second time window.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein assigning to the second patron the second discount rate comprises:
 based on the transaction history, identifying a second previous transaction in which the second patron, in the group of patrons, purchases a third unit of the second product;   anticipating a second predicted transaction time of a second future purchase of the third unit of the second product by the second patron from the vending machine;   in response to the second predicted transaction time preceding the sell-by time, assigning the second discount rate for the particular unit of the first product to the second patron; and   prior to the second predicted transaction time, transmitting a second electronic communication to the second patron, the electronic communication specifying the particular unit of the first product, the second discount rate, the vending machine housing the particular unit of the first product, and the second time window for validity of the second discount rate.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 :
 wherein transmitting the electronic communication comprises transmitting an electronic notification to a mobile computing device associated with the particular patron; and   further comprising transmitting a receipt for the transaction to the mobile computing device in response to completion of the new transaction.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 :
 wherein identifying an initial inventory of the set of perishable products comprises inventorying a set of foodstuffs arranged on a particular shelf within the vending machine by receiving identifiers broadcast wirelessly by the set of foodstuffs comprising the particular unit of the first product;   wherein retrieving sell-by times for the set of units of perishable products comprises:
 identifying the first product comprising a first foodstuff; 
 defining the time window for validity of the discount rate for the first foodstuff preceding the sell-by time of the first foodstuff; and 
   wherein assigning the first discount rate for the particular unit comprises setting the first discount rate for the first foodstuff based on the original rate of the first foodstuff and proximity of the time window to the sell-by time of the first foodstuff.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein identifying the second product complementary to the first product comprises:
 identifying the particular unit of the first product comprising a dessert item; and   selecting the second product, comprising an entrée item complementary to the dessert item, based on a predefined compatibility relationship between the dessert item and the entrée item.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein applying the first discount rate to purchase of the particular unit comprises:
 initiating the new transaction in response to receiving a cashless payment mechanism from the particular patron; and   in response to initiating the new transaction, rendering a visual indicator on a display coupled to the vending machine, the visual indicator visually distinguishing the particular unit of the first product from other products in the set of perishable products arranged on the open shelf in the vending machine.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 :
 wherein identifying the initial inventory of a set of perishable products comprises identifying the initial inventory of the set of perishable products within the vending machine based on wireless signals received by a radio antenna arranged over the open shelf within the vending machine prior to unlocking a door of the vending machine;   further comprising:
 unlocking the door of the vending machine in response to initiation of the new transaction; 
 recording a final inventory of perishable products within the vending machine based on wireless signals received by the radio antenna following opening and closure of the door during the new transaction; 
 initiating a payment, with the cashless payment mechanism, for a difference between the initial inventory and the final inventory to complete the new transaction; and 
 in response to completion of the new transaction, clearing the visual indicator from the display. 
   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein retrieving sell-by times of the set of perishable products comprises:
 retrieving a schedule for a next delivery of additional units of the first product to the vending machine;   identifying an expiration time for the first product corresponding to when freshness of the first product declines below a preset freshness threshold; and   in response to the expiration time preceding the next delivery, defining the sell-by time of units of the first product corresponding with the expiration time of the first product; and   in response to the expiration time succeeding the next delivery, defining the sell-by time corresponding with the next delivery.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein transmitting the electronic communication to the patron comprises indicating a quantity of units of the second product currently stored in the vending machine. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 :
 wherein identifying the previous transaction comprises collecting a transaction history of the particular patron with a set of vending machines within a geographic location, the set of vending machines comprising the vending machine;   further comprising calculating a distance between the vending machine and a mobile computing device associated with the particular patron; and   wherein transmitting the electronic communication comprises transmitting the electronic communication to the mobile computing device in response to the distance between the vending machine and the mobile computing device remaining below a threshold distance.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, in response to removal of the particular unit of the first product unaccompanied by the second product during the new transaction by the particular patron:
 voiding the first discount rate; and   applying a second discount rate, less than the first discount rate, to purchase of the particular unit of the first product in the second new transaction.   
     
     
         15 . A method for dynamically depleting inventory of vended perishable products, comprising:
 identifying an initial inventory of a set of perishable products stored on an open shelf inside a vending machine;   defining sell-by times of the set of perishable products;   in response to a sell-by time of a particular unit of a first product in the set of perishable products falling within a threshold period of time from a current time:
 retrieving a transaction history of purchases from the vending machine by a group of patrons; 
 based on the transaction history, identifying a previous transaction in which a particular patron, in the group of patrons, purchased a first unit of the second product from the vending machine, the first product comprising a substitute for the second product; 
 based on the transaction history, anticipating a predicted transaction time of a future transaction of a second unit of the second product by the particular patron from the vending machine; 
 in response to the predicted transaction time preceding the sell-by time, assigning a first discount rate for the particular unit of the first product to the particular patron; and 
 transmitting an electronic communication to the particular patron prior to the predicted transaction time, the electronic communication specifying the particular unit of the first product as a substitute for the second product, the first discount rate for the particular unit of the first product, the vending machine, and a time window for validity of the first discount rate, the time window preceding the sell-by time of the particular unit of the first product; 
 maintaining an original rate for the particular unit of the first product for each other patron in the group of patrons excluding the particular patron; 
   in response to removal of the particular unit of the first product during a new transaction between the particular patron and the vending machine during the time window, applying the first discount rate to purchase of the particular unit of the first product in the new transaction.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 :
 wherein identifying the previous transaction comprises identifying the second product in a previous transaction by the particular patron, an original price of the first product greater than an original price of the second product; and   wherein assigning the first discount rate for the particular unit of the first product to the particular patron comprises assigning a discounted price to the particular unit of the first product, the discounted price of the first product greater than the original price of the second product.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 :
 wherein transmitting the electronic communication comprises notifying the particular patron of the first discount rate for the particular unit of the first product when purchased with a unit of the second product; and   wherein applying the first discount rate comprises, in response to removal of the particular unit of the first product and a unit of the second product during the new transaction, applying the first discount rate to purchase of the particular unit of the first product in the new transaction and the second unit of the second product.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein identifying the previous transaction comprises:
 identifying the particular unit of the first product comprising a first entrée item; and   selecting the second product, comprising a second entrée item distinct from the first entrée item, based on a predefined substitution relationship between the first entrée item and the second entrée item.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 locking a door of the vending machine;   at a processor arranged on the door, recording an initial inventory of products arranged within the vending machine based on signals received by a radio antenna arranged over a shelf within the vending machine, transmitted to a radio frequency identification reader arranged on the door via a cable routed through a frame of the door, and read by the radio frequency identification reader;   initiating the new transaction in response to receiving a cashless payment mechanism from the particular patron;   unlocking the door in response to authentication of the cashless payment mechanism;   in response to closure of the door, recording a final inventory of products within the vending machine based on signals received by the radio antenna and read by the radio frequency identification reader; and   initiating a payment with the cashless payment mechanism for a difference between the initial inventory and the final inventory to complete the transaction.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 :
 wherein identifying the initial inventory of the set of perishable products comprises recalling a previous final inventory following a preceding transaction, and   wherein initiating the payment with the cashless payment mechanism comprises identifying a disjoint of products between the final inventory and the previous final inventory of the preceding transaction