Controlled dispensing system and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12056993-B2
Application number	US-202318201096-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 23, 2023
Priority date	Mar 5, 2020
Publication date	Aug 6, 2024
Grant date	Aug 6, 2024

Abstract

A controlled dispensing fixture including a display screen, a scanning device, and one or more processors is configured to: obtain via the display screen or remote scanner a selection of one or more controlled products; update a user interface on the display screen based on the selection; determine whether the one or more controlled products meet a purchase limit associated with the one or more controlled products for dispensing; obtain via the scanning device consumer identification information; determine whether the consumer identification information meets an age threshold and/or an identity requirement associated with the one or more controlled products; and in accordance with a determination that (i) the one or more controlled products meet the purchase limit for dispensing, and (ii) the consumer identification information meets the age threshold and/or the identity requirement, transmit a dispensing instruction to the dispensing fixture to dispense the one or more controlled products.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A controlled dispensing system comprising:
a vending machine having or in communication with a retailer display screen;
a scanning device;
one or more processors and memory storing one or more programs to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for:
obtaining via the scanning device one or more identifiers of one or more respective controlled products requested for dispensing by the vending machine;
updating a user interface on the retailer display screen to show a first indication of the obtained one or more identifiers;
obtaining via the scanning device consumer identification information;
determining that the consumer identification information meets an age threshold and/or an identity requirement associated with the one or more controlled products;
while showing the first indication of the obtained one or more identifiers on the retailer display screen, updating the user interface on the retailer display screen to show a second indication that the consumer identification information meets the age threshold and/or the identity requirement associated with the one or more controlled products;
in accordance with the updating of the user interface on the retailer display screen to show both the first indication and the second indication, updating the user interface on the retailer display screen to cause a dispense affordance to become selectable, wherein the dispense affordance becoming selectable is conditioned on the first indication and the second indication being shown on the retailer display screen;
detecting selection of the dispense affordance; and
in accordance with the detected selection of the dispense affordance, transmitting a dispensing instruction to the vending machine to dispense the one or more controlled products.

2. The controlled dispensing system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:
obtaining clerk authentication information from a badge scan, an access card scan, or a personal identification number (PIN) entry for validating dispensing of the one or more controlled products; and
determining validity of the clerk authentication information; and
updating the user interface on the retailer display screen to show a third indication that the clerk authentication information is valid.

3. The controlled dispensing system of claim 2 , wherein:
updating the user interface on the retailer display screen to cause the dispense affordance to become selectable is further in accordance with the updating of the user interface on the retailer display screen to show the third indication.

4. The controlled dispensing system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:
evaluating a risk threshold based on a health risk score associated with the consumer;
wherein updating the user interface on the retailer display screen to cause the dispense affordance to become selectable is further in accordance with the risk threshold evaluation.

5. The controlled dispensing system of claim 1 , wherein:
updating the user interface on the retailer display screen to show the first indication includes indicating selection of a first box associated with a product selection step; and
updating the user interface on the retailer display screen to show the second indication includes indicating selection of second box associated with a consumer identification step.

6. The controlled dispensing system of claim 1 , wherein the retailer display screen is integrated into the vending machine.

7. The controlled dispensing system of claim 1 , wherein the retailer display screen is included in a point-of-sale device communicatively coupled to the vending machine.

8. The controlled dispensing system of claim 1 , wherein the retailer display screen is included in, or communicatively coupled to, a retailer machine configured to provide dispensing instructions to the vending machine.

9. The controlled dispensing system of claim 1 , wherein the scanning device is integrated into the vending machine.

10. The controlled dispensing system of claim 1 , wherein the scanning device is a handheld scanner paired to the vending machine using a wired or wireless communication link.

11. A method, comprising:
at a controlled dispensing system including a vending machine having or in communication with a retailer display screen, a scanning device communicatively coupled to the vending machine, and one or more processors and memory:
obtaining via the scanning device one or more identifiers of one or more respective controlled products requested for dispensing by the vending machine;
updating a user interface on the retailer display screen to show a first indication of the obtained one or more identifiers;
obtaining via the scanning device consumer identification information;
determining that the consumer identification information meets an age threshold and/or an identity requirement associated with the one or more controlled products;
while showing the first indication of the obtained one or more identifiers on the retailer display screen, updating the user interface on the retailer display screen to show a second indication that the consumer identification information meets the age threshold and/or the identity requirement associated with the one or more controlled products;
in accordance with the updating of the user interface on the retailer display screen to show both the first indication and the second indication, updating the user interface on the retailer display screen to cause a dispense affordance to become selectable, wherein the dispense affordance becoming selectable is conditioned on the first indication and the second indication being shown on the retailer display screen;
detecting selection of the dispense affordance; and
in accordance with the detected selection of the dispense affordance, transmitting a dispensing instruction to the vending machine to dispense the one or more controlled products.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
obtaining clerk authentication information from a badge scan, an access card scan, or a personal identification number (PIN) entry for validating dispensing of the one or more controlled products; and
determining validity of the clerk authentication information; and
updating the user interface on the retailer display screen to show a third indication that the clerk authentication information is valid.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein:
updating the user interface on the retailer display screen to cause the dispense affordance to become selectable is further in accordance with the updating of the user interface on the retailer display screen to show the third indication.

14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
evaluating a risk threshold based on a health risk score associated with the consumer;
wherein updating the user interface on the retailer display screen to cause the dispense affordance to become selectable is further in accordance with the risk threshold evaluation.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein:
updating the user interface on the retailer display screen to show the first indication includes indicating selection of a first box associated with a product selection step; and
updating the user interface on the retailer display screen to show the second indication includes indicating selection of second box associated with a consumer identification step.

16. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs configured for execution by

Assignees

• Payrange Inc

Inventors

• Patel Paresh K
• Annam Srinivas

Classifications

• G07F9/001

  Interfacing with vending machines using mobile or wearable devices · CPC title

• G07F11/72

  Auxiliary equipment, e.g. for lighting cigars, opening bottles · CPC title

• G06F21/31

  User authentication · CPC title

• G07F9/009

  User recognition or proximity detection · CPC title

• G07F7/10

  together with a coded signal {, e.g. in the form of personal identification information, like personal identification number [PIN] or biometric data} · CPC title