VENDING-KIOSK BASED SYSTEMS AND METHODS TO VEND AND/OR PREPARE ITEMS, FOR INSTANCE PREPARED FOODS
Kiosks, components, and methods are disclosed for preparing food to be vended to customers. The kiosk may be part of a multi-modal food distribution system in which the kiosk may operate in one or more various modes, including a kiosk vending mode, a constellation mode, and a cook en route mode to vend hot, prepared food to customers. The kiosks in the system may be configurable to change between each of the different modes depending upon information received by the system. The kiosk may be part of a kiosk-based food preparation system in which the kiosk vends prepared food items to customers. The kiosk may transmit information that may be used to provide replenishment to the kiosk. Such information may include the number of items vended, the number of items and/or supplies remaining, and/or a replenishment signal.
1 . A vending kiosk, comprising:
at least one cooking unit;
a plurality of vending compartments, each of the vending compartments having a respective interior and a respective opening via which items are retrievable or dispensable from the interior to an exterior of the vending kiosk, the interiors of the compartments delineated from one another;
a plurality of customer-facing doors, each of the customer-facing doors movable between a first position which prevents access to the interior of a respective one of the vending compartments from an exterior of the vending kiosk and a second position which allows access to the interior of the respective one of the vending compartments from the exterior of the vending kiosk;
at least one processor, the at least one processor communicatively coupled to control operation of the customer-facing doors.
2 . The vending kiosk of claim 1 wherein the vending kiosk is a self-propelled vending kiosk.
3 . The vending kiosk of claim 2 wherein the self-propelled vending kiosk is operable to cook food while at a destination.
4 . The vending kiosk of claim 2 wherein the self-propelled vending kiosk is operable to cook food while en route to a destination and to cook food while at the destination.
5 . The vending kiosk of claim 2 wherein the self-propelled vending kiosk is operable to cook food while en route to a destination.
6 . The vending kiosk of claim 1 wherein, for each of the vending compartments, the at least one processor-based control system unlatches or opens the customer-facing door of the respective vending compartment only if a customer or a transaction has been recognized.
7 . The vending kiosk of claim 1 wherein, for each of the vending compartments, the at least one processor-based control system unlatches or opens the customer-facing door of the respective vending compartment only if an input code is verified.
8 . The vending kiosk of claim 1 wherein, for each of the vending compartments, the at least one processor-based control system unlatches or opens the customer-facing door of the respective vending compartment only if detected biometric data has been verified.
9 . The vending kiosk of claim 1 wherein, for each of the vending compartments, the at least one processor-based control system unlatches or opens the customer-facing door of the respective vending compartment only if a pairing with an electronic device or recognition thereof occurs.
10 . The vending kiosk of claim 1 wherein, for each of the vending compartments, the at least one processor-based control system unlatches or opens the customer-facing door of the respective vending compartment only if the respective compartment is at or below a defined temperature that is sufficiently cool for the customer to handle such without causing bodily harm.
11 . The vending kiosk of claim 1 wherein, for each of the vending compartments, the at least one processor-based control system unlatches or opens the customer-facing door of the respective vending compartment only if a food item in the respective compartment is at or below a defined temperature that is sufficiently cool for the customer to handle such without causing bodily harm.
12 . The vending kiosk of claim 1 wherein, for each of the vending compartments, the at least one processor-based control system unlatches or opens the customer-facing door of the respective vending compartment only if all of the interior surfaces of the respective compartment is at or below a defined temperature that is sufficiently cool for the customer to handle such without causing bodily harm.
13 . The vending kiosk of claim 1 wherein, for each of the vending compartments, the at least one processor-based control system unlatches or opens the customer-facing door of the respective vending compartment only if there is a sufficient clearance for the customer-facing door to open.
14 . The vending kiosk of claim 1 , further comprising:
at least one of wheels or treads.
15 . The vending kiosk of claim 14 , further comprising:
at least one motor drivingly coupled to the wheels or treads.
16 . A method of operating a vending kiosk, the vending kiosk including at least one cooking unit; a plurality of vending compartments, each of the vending compartments having a respective interior; a plurality of customer-facing doors, each of the customer-facing doors movable between a first position which prevents access to the interior of a respective one of the vending compartments from an exterior of the vending kiosk and a second position which allows access to the interior of the respective one of the vending compartments from the exterior of the vending kiosk; a first plurality of latches operable to alternatively latch and unlatch respective ones of the customer-facing doors; and at least one processor-based control system, communicatively coupled to control the latches of the first plurality of latches, the method comprising:
for each of the vending compartments,
determining whether a condition or state has been met; and
unlatching the customer-facing door of the respective vending compartment only if the condition or state has been met.
17 . The method of claim 16 wherein the vending kiosk is a self-propelled vending kiosk, the method further comprising:
receiving instructions regarding a route for the self-propelled vending kiosk to travel to the vending destination; and
traversing the route to one or more vending destinations.
18 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
cooking food at the vending kiosk while at one of the vending destinations.
19 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
cooking food at the vending kiosk while en route to one of the vending destinations; and
cooking food at the vending kiosk while at one of the vending destinations.
20 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
cooking food at the vending kiosk while en route to one of the vending destinations.
21 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
cooking food at the vending kiosk while en route to one of the vending destinations, the cooking based at least in part on an estimated time of transit to at least one of the vending destinations.
22 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
cooking food at the vending kiosk while en route to one of the vending destinations, the cooking based at least in part on a dynamically updated estimated time of transit to at least one of the vending destinations.
23 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising: for each of the vending compartments, unlatching the customer-facing door of the respective vending compartment only if the respective vending compartment contains an item.
24 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising: for each of the vending compartments, unlatching the customer-facing door of the respective vending compartment only if a customer or a transaction has been recognized.
25 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising: for each of the vending compartments, unlatching the customer-facing door of the respective vending compartment only if an input code is verified.
26 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising: for each of the vending compartments, unlatching the customer-facing door of the respective vending compartment only if detected biometric data has been verified.
27 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising: for each of the vending compartments, unlatching the customer-facing door of the respective vending compartment only if a pairing with an electronic device or recognition thereof occurs.
28 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising: for each of the vending compartments, unlatching the customer-facing door of the respective vending compartment only if the respective compartment is at or below a defined temperature that is sufficiently cool for the customer to handle such without causing bodily harm.
29 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising: for each of the vending compartments, unlatching the customer-facing door of the respective vending compartment only if a food item in the respective compartment is at or below a defined temperature that is sufficiently cool for the customer to handle such without causing bodily harm.
30 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising: for each of the vending compartments, unlatching the customer-facing door of the respective vending compartment only if all of the interior surfaces of the respective compartment is at or below a defined temperature that is sufficiently cool for the customer to handle such without causing bodily harm.
31 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising: for each of the vending compartments, unlatching the customer-facing door of the respective vending compartment only if there is a sufficient clearance for the customer-facing door to open.