Method and apparatus for vending a combination of products
View Patent ↗A method and apparatus for delivering a plurality of products from a vending machine is disclosed. The method generally allows an offer for a package to be output, in which the package defines a plurality of products, including a selected product. An apparatus is also disclosed to carry out the method steps of the present invention.
1. A method comprising:
maintaining a database of at least one upsell price, said upsell price corresponding to an upsell product;
generating a credit amount, the credit amount representing an amount of deposited currency;
receiving a product identifier corresponding to a selected product;
determining a product price corresponding to the selected product;
determining a round-up amount representing a difference between the credit amount and the product price;
comparing the round-up amount with at least one of the upsell prices in the database; and
if the round-up amount corresponds to a compared upsell price,
identifying at least one upsell product in the database which corresponds to the compared upsell price, and
providing an offer for the identified upsell product.
2. A method, comprising:
receiving, at a vending device, a payment amount;
receiving a product identifier identifying a first product dispensed at the vending device;
determining a first price for the first product;
determining a round-up amount representing a difference between the payment amount and the first price;
identifying an at least first upsell offer corresponding to the round-up amount, the at least first upsell offer corresponding to an upsell product; and
providing an offer for the upsell offer.
3. A vending machine, comprising:
a memory configured to store:
a database of at least one upsell price, the upsell price corresponding to an upsell product;
a credit amount representing an amount of deposited currency;
a product identifier corresponding to a selected product;
an input device configured to receive the product identifier; and
a processor configured to:
generate the credit amount;
determine a product price corresponding to the product identifier;
determine a round-up amount representing a difference between the credit amount and the product price;
compare the round-up amount with at least one of the upsell prices in the database; and if the round-up amount corresponds to a compared upsell price,
identify at least one upsell product in the database which corresponds to the compared upsell price, and
providing an offer for the identified upsell product.
4. A vending machine, comprising:
a memory, configured to store:
a received payment amount;
a product identifier; and
at least a first upsell offer;
an input device, configured to receive the product identifier; and
a processor, configured to:
determine a first price of a first product identified by the product identifier;
determine a round-up amount representing a difference between the received payment amount and the first price;
identify the at least first upsell offer corresponding to the round-up amount, the at least first upsell offer corresponding to an upsell product; and provide the at least first upsell offer.
5. A vending apparatus, comprising:
means for receiving a payment amount;
means for receiving a product identifier identifying a first product dispensed at the vending apparatus;
means for determining a first price for the first product;
means for determining a round-up amount representing a difference between the payment amount and the first price;
means for identifying an at least first upsell offer corresponding to the round-up amount, the at least first upsell offer corresponding to an upsell product; and
means for providing the at least first upsell offer.