System and method for communicating vending information

1 . A method for communicating vending information for a vendible media product having entertainment content therein, comprising the steps of:

receiving a plurality of vending transaction data at a vending apparatus regarding a plurality of vending transactions;

storing each of the plurality of vending transaction data in a memory;

receiving a communication request from a remotely located control center; and,

transmitting the plurality of transaction data from the memory to the control center in response to the communication request.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of:

encrypting the plurality of vending transaction data.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of:

deleting the plurality of vending transaction data from the memory after the vending transaction data has been transmitted to the control center.

4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of:

determining whether the plurality of vending transaction data exceeds a predetermined data storage threshold.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the step of transmitting the plurality of vending transaction data is based on a determination that the plurality of vending transaction data exceeds the predetermined data storage threshold.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of:

determining whether a predetermined period of time has elapsed since a prior transmission of vending transaction data.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the step of transmitting the plurality of vending transaction data is based on a determination that the predetermined period of time has elapsed since the prior transmission of vending transaction data.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of vending transaction data corresponds to a rental transaction for a digital video disc.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of vending transaction data comprises a transaction timestamp.

10 . A system for communicating vending information for a vendible media product having entertainment content therein, comprising:

a transaction network; and,

a control center controller in communication with the transaction network for receiving communications from a vending controller via the transaction network at predetermined time intervals, wherein one or more of the communications comprise a plurality of vending transaction data, and wherein each of the plurality of vending transaction data corresponds to a rental transaction for the vendible media product.

11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the vending controller determines whether the plurality of vending transaction data exceeds a predetermined data storage threshold.

12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of vending transaction data is received by the control center controller upon a determination by the vending controller that the plurality of vending transaction data exceeds the predetermined storage threshold.

13 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the vending controller determines whether a predetermined period of time has elapsed since a prior transmission of vending transaction data.

14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of vending transaction data is received by the control center controller upon a determination by the vending controller that the predetermined period of time has elapsed since the prior transmission of vending transaction data.

15 . The system of claim 10 , wherein each of the plurality of vending transaction data corresponds to a rental transaction for a digital video disc.

16 . The system of claim 10 , wherein each of the plurality of vending transaction data comprises a transaction timestamp.

17 . A system for communicating vending information for a vendible media product having entertainment content therein, comprising:

a transaction network; and,

a vending controller in communication with the transaction network for receiving a signal from a remote control center and in response thereto, transmitting a plurality of vending transaction data to the remote control center via the transaction network, wherein each of the plurality of vending transaction data corresponds to a rental transaction.

18 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the vending controller receives the signal from the remote control center in response to a prior signal transmitted from the vending controller to the remote control center.

19 . The system of claim 18 , wherein the vending controller transmits the prior signal based on a determination that a predetermined period of time has elapsed since a prior transmission of vending transaction data.

20 . A method for communicating vending information for a digital video disc having entertainment content therein, comprising the steps of:

receiving a plurality of vending transaction data, wherein each of the plurality of vending transaction data comprises a transaction timestamp and corresponds to a rental transaction for a digital video disc;

storing the plurality of vending transaction data in a memory of a vending apparatus;

encrypting the plurality of vending transaction data;

determining whether a predetermined period of time has elapsed since a first transmission of vending transaction data from the vending apparatus;

transmitting a communication request to a remote control center from the vending apparatus upon a determination that the predetermined period of time has elapsed since the first transmission of vending transaction data;

receiving at the vending apparatus a signal from the remote control center in response to the communication request;

transmitting the plurality of vending transaction data to the remote control center in response to receiving the signal; and,

deleting the plurality of vending transaction data from the memory.