Cloud-based vending

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9666013-B2
Application number	US-201514869131-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 29, 2015
Priority date	Sep 29, 2015
Publication date	May 30, 2017
Grant date	May 30, 2017

Abstract

In a general aspect, a computer-implemented method can include receiving, at a computing device, a beacon signal including a vending device identifier and sending, to a cloud-based vending service, the vending device identifier. The method can further include receiving, from the cloud-based vending service, an indication of at least one product available for purchase from the vending device and receiving, at the computing device, an indication of a selected product of the at least one product available for purchase. The method can also include sending, to the cloud based service, a request to purchase the selected product and receiving, from the cloud-based vending service, a purchase token for the selected product. The method can still further include sending, to the vending device, the purchase token and receiving, from the vending device, an acknowledgment that the purchase token has been used to purchase the selected product.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:
receiving, at a computing device, a beacon signal including a vending device identifier and a random number generated by the vending device, the random number being for a single transaction;
sending, to a cloud-based vending service, the vending device identifier;
receiving, from the cloud-based vending service, an indication of at least one product available for purchase from the vending device;
receiving, at the computing device, an indication of a selected product of the at least one product available for purchase;
sending, to the cloud based service, a request to purchase the selected product, the request including the random number;
receiving, from the cloud-based vending service, an encrypted purchase token for the selected product, the encrypted purchase token being based on the random number;
sending, to the vending device, the encrypted purchase token; and
receiving, from the vending device, an acknowledgment that the encrypted purchase token has been processed by the vending device and used to purchase the selected product.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising, after receiving the acknowledgment, sending a message to the cloud-based vending service indicating that the encrypted purchase token has been used to purchase the selected product.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the beacon signal is a BLUETOOTH LOW ENERGY (BLE) beacon signal.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the vending device identifier is included in a uniform resource locator (URL).

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the vending device identifier includes a text label identifying the vending device.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the indication of the at least one product available for purchase includes receiving a web page.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the encrypted purchase token includes a hash value.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the encrypted purchase token is further based on at least one of:
the vending device identifier;
a secret, the secret being known by the vending device and the cloud-based vending service;
a current date;
a current time; and
an identifier of the selected product.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising, prior to receiving the encrypted purchase token for the selected product:
receiving, from the cloud based vending service, a request to set up an account with the cloud-based vending service; and
sending, to the cloud-based vending service, account information in response to the request to set up the account.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the request to purchase the product includes an indication of an account to be charged for the purchase.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , wherein the indication of the account to be charged for the purchase includes a session cookie.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising, prior to sending the vending device identifier:
receiving, at the computing device, a selection of the vending device from a list of vending devices, the list of vending devices being ranked based on physical proximity to the computing device.

13. A system comprising:
a vending device including a radio transceiver configured to transmit a beacon signal including an identifier of the vending device and a random number generated by the vending device, the random number being for a single transaction;
a cloud-based vending service associated with the vending device; and
a mobile computing device configured to:
receive the beacon signal and to communicate with the cloud-based vending service and the vending device to purchase a product from the vending device;
send, to the cloud-based vending service, the identifier of the vending device;
receive, from the cloud-based vending service, an indication of at least one product available for purchase from the vending device;
receive an indication of a product selection;
send, to the cloud-based vending service, a request to purchase the selected product, the request including the random number;
receive, from the cloud-based vending service, an encrypted purchase token for the selected product, the encrypted purchase token being based on the random number;
send, to the vending device, the encrypted purchase token; and
receive, from the vending device, an acknowledgment that the encrypted purchase token has been processed and used to purchase the selected product,

the vending device being configured to validate the encrypted purchase token and dispense the selected product.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the radio transceiver includes a BLUETOOTH LOW ENERGY (BLE) radio transceiver.

15. The system of claim 13 , wherein the encrypted purchase token includes a first hash value, and
validating the purchase token includes:
computing a second hash value; and
comparing the second hash value to the first hash value.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the first hash value and the second hash value are both further based on at least one of:
the identifier of the vending device;
a secret, the secret being known by the vending device and the cloud-based vending service;
a current time;
a current date; and
an identifier of the product requested for purchase.

17. The system of claim 13 , wherein sending the request to purchase the selected product includes sending a session cookie indicating an account to charge for the selected product.

18. A computer-implemented method comprising:
receiving, at a computing device, a beacon signal including a vending device identifier and a random number generated by the vending device, the random number being for a single transaction;
sending, to a cloud-based vending service, the vending device identifier;
receiving, from the cloud-based vending service, an indication of at least one product available for purchase from the vending device;
receiving, at the computing device, an indication of a selected product of the at least one product available for purchase;
sending, to the cloud based service, a request to purchase the selected product, the request including the random number;
receiving, from the cloud-based vending service, an encrypted purchase token for the selected product, the encrypted purchase token being based on the random number;
sending, to the vending device, the encrypted purchase token;
processing, by the vending device, the encrypted purchase token, the processing including validating the encrypted purchase token and dispensing the selected product; and
retaining, at the vending device, a record that the encrypted purchase token has been used to purchase the selected product.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 18 , wherein the computing device is a first computing device, the computer-implemented method further comprising:
retrieving, from the vending device by a second computing device, the record that the encrypted purchase token has been used to purchase the selected product; and
providing, to the cloud-based vending service by the second computing device, the record that the encrypted purchase token has been used to purchase the selected product.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 18 , wherein the encrypted purchase token includes a hash value, the hash value being further based on at

Assignees

• Google Inc

Inventors

• Want Roy
• Jenson Scott Arthur
• Schilit William Noah

Classifications

• G06Q20/047

  using payment protocols involving electronic receipts · CPC title

• G06Q20/327

  Short range or proximity payments by means of M-devices · CPC title

• G06Q20/3821

  Electronic credentials · CPC title

• G06Q20/0457

  the tickets being sent electronically · CPC title

• G06Q20/18

  involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals · CPC title