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 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 plurality of service doors, each of the service doors movable between a first position which prevents access to the cooking unit from the interior of a respective one of the vending compartments and a second position which allows access to the cooking unit from the interior of the respective one of the vending compartments; a first plurality of latches operable to alternatively latch and unlatch respective ones of the customer-facing door; a second plurality of latches operable to alternatively latch and unlatch respective ones of the service doors; and at least one processor-based control system, communicatively coupled to control the latches of the first plurality of latches and the second plurality of latches, the method comprising:
for each of the vending compartments,
determining a condition or state of the service door of the respective vending compartment; and
unlatching the customer-facing door of the respective vending compartment only if the condition or state of the service door of the respective vending compartment is at least one of latched or closed.
2 . The method of claim 1 , 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.
3 . The method of claim 1 , 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.
4 . The method of claim 1 , 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.
5 . The method of claim 1 , 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.
6 . The method of claim 1 , 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.
7 . The method of claim 1 , 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.
8 . The method of claim 1 , 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.
9 . The method of claim 1 , 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.
10 . The method of claim 1 , 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.