Self-service beverage and snack dispensing using identity-based access control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-8972048-B2
Application number	US-27506208-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 20, 2008
Priority date	Nov 20, 2008
Publication date	Mar 3, 2015
Grant date	Mar 3, 2015

Abstract

A token-based system providing self-service vending of snacks or beverages. The system includes a vending machine with a controller selectively dispensing goods. A token reader is linked to the controller. Tokens are provided to users of the system that each includes access data. During use, the token reader reads the access data and provides it to the controller. The controller dispenses a unit of the goods based on the access data read from the token. The system provides token-based vending with the token being a handheld or wearable object providing the access data, such as with an RFID tag on a bracelet or pin or with a barcode or magnetic stripe on a card or room key. The vending machine may be a beverage dispenser that dispenses a drink with a user obtaining a disposable container near the dispenser and presenting their token to the token reader.

First claim

We claim:

1. A system for providing self-service vending of snacks or beverages, comprising:
a self-service vending machine with a controller selectively dispensing goods;
a token reader linked to the controller; and
a plurality of tokens each including a set of access data,
wherein the token reader reads the access data and provides the read access data to the controller,
wherein the controller dispenses a unit of the goods based on the read access data,
wherein the rea…

Assignees

• Canora David J
• Rench Scott W
• Disney Entpr Inc

Inventors

• Canora David J
• Rench Scott W

Classifications

• G07F9/026

  Physics · mapped topic

• G07F9/00 Primary

  Physics · mapped topic

• G06Q20/3278 Primary

  Physics · mapped topic

• G07F9/001

  Physics · mapped topic

• G06Q20/327 Primary

  Physics · mapped topic