Vending Machine Wireless Payment and Inventory Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vending machines operate offline, limiting the ability to provide customized services and accurate inventory control, leading to issues with stock management and continuous purchases due to potential misalignment between payment and product selection, especially when multiple users attempt to purchase products simultaneously.
Innovation Solution
A vending machine system that includes a legacy payment module, wireless communication module, and control module, allowing communication between a user terminal and the vending machine for continuous product selection and payment through a user application, enabling customized services and accurate inventory management by disregarding control signals from legacy payment modules and using short-range wireless communication for product discharge and price updates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a time limit is set very short to prevent product discharge before selection, then the problem of premature product discharge is solved, but continuous purchase cannot be supported
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by establishing wireless communication connection and completing payment processing before the user physically approaches the vending machine. The user application pre-selects products and transmits selection information to the control module in advance, so that when the user arrives at the machine, the product is already ready for discharge without requiring a short time limit at the machine interface.
2Device complexity
If vending machines operate offline with legacy payment modules, then hardware complexity is reduced, but customized services and accurate inventory control cannot be provided
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a user application as an intermediary between the user and the vending machine system. The application runs on the user's mobile device and handles product selection, payment processing, and communication with the vending machine's control module. This intermediary approach allows sophisticated online-to-offline services, customized product recommendations, and accurate inventory tracking without modifying the core hardware of the vending machine itself.
3Device complexity
If administrators manually input product quantities when filling vending machines, then device complexity is minimized, but inventory control accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements self-service inventory management where the control module automatically tracks product quantities by receiving selection information and payment data from user applications. When products are dispensed, the control module updates inventory levels automatically without requiring administrator intervention. This automated self-monitoring system ensures accurate inventory control while minimizing the need for manual data entry and complex inventory management procedures.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables continuous product purchases without canceling wireless communication, provides customized services based on user preferences, and improves inventory management by allowing administrators to input price and product information remotely, reducing stock-out issues and supporting bundle discounts.
Implementation Method 1
The wireless communication module may communicate with the user terminal through short-range wireless communication to pay for a product
Data Source
AI summary
A vending machine system includes: a vending machine including at least one legacy payment module configured to process payment using a credit card, a wireless communication module configured to pay for a product by communicating with a user terminal through short-range wireless communication, and a control module configured to discharge a product when the product is selected and paid for; a service server configured to provide information of the vending machine; and a user terminal configured to execute a user application to request the vending machine connected thereto through short-range wireless communication to receive information about products on sale of the vending machine from the service server, display a list of products on sale, and discharge a selected product after payment of the selected product. Products may be purchased continuously through the user application without canceling short-range wireless communication established with the vending machine.