Patent ID: 8755934
Filing Date: 2014-06-17
Classification: G06Q,G07F

Abstract:
1. A vending machine, comprising: a plurality of vending locations from which a product or service may be vended to a consumer from the vending machine, the product or service having associated therewith a price which the consumer will pay for the product in order to allow the product or service to be vended to the consumer, the plurality of vending locations configured in rows and columns, wherein at least a row or a column is designated to allow for a donation to a charity in conjunction with the purchase of the product or service in an amount designated, and at least one other row or one other column does not allow for a donation to a charity in conjunction with the purchase of the product or service; a computer processor associated with the vending machine which allows the consumer to contribute money to the charity in conjunction with the purchase of the product or service from the vending machine, wherein the product or service is located in the row or the column designated to allow for a donation, wherein the charitable donation in the amount designated will be made to the charity after the product or service in the row and the column has been chosen by the consumer, the computer processor further comprising a module for engaging in multiple accounting to allow for more than one un-linked entities to receive payments in connection with payment for the product and the donation to a charity, the un-linked entities being the charity and at least one of a group comprising an owner of the vending machine and a third party; and a module for allocating the payments between the charity and the un-linked entities and to reconcile the amounts that were for the product or service purchase from the vending machine, the donation to the charity and the payments to the third party.