Vehicle Vending Machine

Abstract

Systems, methods, non-transitory processor-readable storage media, and devices of the various embodiments enable a vehicle vending machine to retrieve a vehicle from a storage location and deliver the vehicle to a delivery bay for delivery to a customer. Various embodiments may include a vehicle vending machine including a tower, a robotic carrier, a corridor extending from the tower, a plurality of delivery bays positioned along the corridor, a customer interaction kiosk, and/or a video system. In various embodiments, the vehicle vending machine may further include a lighting system.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A vehicle vending machine, comprising:
 a plurality of lighting fixtures;   a plurality of areas of the vehicle vending machine each having at least one lighting fixture of the plurality of lighting fixtures; and   a controller connected to the plurality of lighting fixtures and configured to control the plurality of lighting fixtures to illuminate at least a portion of each of the plurality of areas.   
     
     
         2 . The vehicle vending machine of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured control at least one lighting fixture of the plurality of lighting fixtures to illuminate at least the portion of at least one area of the plurality of areas based on movement of a vehicle relative to the least one area. 
     
     
         3 . The vehicle vending machine of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured control the plurality of lighting fixtures to illuminate at least the portion of each of the plurality of areas based on movement of a vehicle relative to at least two areas of the plurality of areas. 
     
     
         4 . The vehicle vending machine of  claim 3 , wherein each of the at least two areas of the plurality of areas are of a different type of area. 
     
     
         5 . The vehicle vending machine of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of areas includes at least two of a ground floor, an upper floor, a top floor, a vehicle preparation area, a loading area, a tower, a lift-able shuttle, a delivery bay, a transparent wall, a storage location, or a center portion of the tower. 
     
     
         6 . The vehicle vending machine of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured control the plurality of lighting fixtures to illuminate at least the portion of each of the plurality of areas including controlling at least one of an order of turning the plurality of lighting fixtures on and off, illuminations for the plurality of lighting fixtures, or positions for the plurality of lighting fixtures. 
     
     
         7 . The vehicle vending machine of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured control the plurality of lighting fixtures to illuminate at least the portion of each of the plurality of areas such that operations of the vehicle vending machine are illuminated. 
     
     
         8 . The vehicle vending machine of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured control the plurality of lighting fixtures to illuminate at least the portion of each of the plurality of areas such that movement of a vehicle between a storage location in a tower and a delivery bay is illuminated. 
     
     
         9 . The vehicle vending machine of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured control the plurality of lighting fixtures to illuminate at least the portion of each of the plurality of areas such that movement a vehicle by a lift-able shuttle is illuminated. 
     
     
         10 . A method for operating a vehicle vending machine, comprising:
 controlling a plurality of lighting fixtures to illuminate at least a portion of each of a plurality of areas of the vehicle vending machine wherein the plurality of areas each have at least one lighting fixture of the plurality of lighting fixtures.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein controlling the plurality of lighting fixtures to illuminate at least the portion of each of the plurality of areas of the vehicle vending machine comprises controlling at least one lighting fixture of the plurality of lighting fixtures to illuminate at least the portion of at least one area of the plurality of areas based on movement of a vehicle relative to the least one area. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein controlling the plurality of lighting fixtures to illuminate at least the portion of each of the plurality of areas of the vehicle vending machine comprises controlling the plurality of lighting fixtures to illuminate at least the portion of each of the plurality of areas based on movement of a vehicle relative to at least two areas of the plurality of areas. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the at least two areas are of a different type of area. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of areas includes at least two of a ground floor, an upper floor, a top floor, a vehicle preparation area, a loading area, a tower, a lift-able shuttle, a delivery bay, a transparent wall, a storage location, or a center portion of the tower. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein controlling the plurality of lighting fixtures to illuminate at least the portion of each of the plurality of areas of the vehicle vending machine comprises controlling at least one of an order of turning the plurality of lighting fixtures on and off, illuminations for the plurality of lighting fixtures, or positions for the plurality of lighting fixtures. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein controlling the plurality of lighting fixtures to illuminate at least the portion of each of the plurality of areas of the vehicle vending machine comprises controlling the plurality of lighting fixtures to illuminate at least the portion of each of the plurality of areas such that operations of the vehicle vending machine are illuminated. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , controlling the plurality of lighting fixtures to illuminate at least the portion of each of the plurality of areas of the vehicle vending machine comprises controlling the plurality of lighting fixtures to illuminate at least the portion of each of the plurality of areas such that movement of a vehicle between a storage location in a tower and a delivery bay is illuminated. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein controlling the plurality of lighting fixtures to illuminate at least the portion of each of the plurality of areas of the vehicle vending machine comprises controlling the plurality of lighting fixtures to illuminate at least the portion of each of the plurality of areas such that movement of a vehicle by a lift-able shuttle is illuminated. 
     
     
         19 . A vehicle vending machine, comprising:
 means for controlling a plurality of lighting fixtures to illuminate at least a portion of each of a plurality of areas of the vehicle vending machine where the plurality of areas each have at least one lighting fixture of the plurality of lighting fixtures.   
     
     
         20 . The vehicle vending machine of  claim 19 , wherein means for controlling the plurality of lighting fixtures to illuminate at least the portion of each of the plurality of areas of the vehicle vending machine comprises means for controlling at least one lighting fixture of the plurality of lighting fixtures to illuminate at least the portion of at least one area of the plurality of areas based on movement of a vehicle relative to the least one area. 
     
     
         21 . The vehicle vending machine of  claim 19 , wherein means for controlling the plurality of lighting fixtures to illuminate at least the portion of each of the plurality of areas of the vehicle vending machine comprises means for controlling the plurality of lighting fixtures to illuminate at least the portion of each of the plurality of areas based on movement of a vehicle relative to at least two areas of the plurality of areas. 
     
     
         22 . The vehicle vending machine of  claim 21 , wherein the at least two areas are of a different type of area. 
     
     
         23 . The vehicle vending machine of  claim 19 , wherein the plurality of areas includes at least two of a ground floor, an upper floor, a top floor, a vehicle preparation area, a loading area, a tower, a lift-able shuttle, a delivery bay, a transparent wall, a storage location, or a center portion of the tower. 
     
     
         24 . The vehicle vending machine of  claim 19 , wherein means for controlling the plurality of lighting fixtures to illuminate at least the portion of each of the plurality of areas of the vehicle vending machine comprises means for controlling at least one of an order of turning the plurality of lighting fixtures on and off, illuminations for the plurality of lighting fixtures, or positions for the plurality of lighting fixtures. 
     
     
         25 . The vehicle vending machine of  claim 19 , wherein means for controlling the plurality of lighting fixtures to illuminate at least the portion of each of the plurality of areas of the vehicle vending machine comprises means for controlling the plurality of lighting fixtures to illuminate at least the portion of each of the plurality of areas such that operations of the vehicle vending machine are illuminated. 
     
     
         26 . The vehicle vending machine of  claim 19 , means for controlling the plurality of lighting fixtures to illuminate at least the portion of each of the plurality of areas of the vehicle vending machine comprises means for controlling the plurality of lighting fixtures to illuminate at least the portion of each of the plurality of areas such that movement of a vehicle between a storage location in a tower and a delivery bay is illuminated. 
     
     
         27 . The vehicle vending machine of  claim 19 , wherein means for controlling the plurality of lighting fixtures to illuminate at least the portion of each of the plurality of areas of the vehicle vending machine comprises means for controlling the plurality of lighting fixtures to illuminate at least the portion of each of the plurality of areas such that movement of a vehicle by a lift-able shuttle is illuminated.