Patent ID: 6644495
Filing Date: 2003-11-11
Classification: G06Q,G07F

Abstract:
A method for processing vending machine removable, good-holding magazines in connection with a plurality of vending sites, each site having at least one of said vending machines, said method comprising the steps of:assigning to each magazine an identification code; marking said magazine with said code; establishing a plurality of price-and-location menus for said magazines, each of said menus listing the locations in a magazine of a series of goods and the sale price of each of said goods; filling said magazines in accordance with said menus; keeping a record of each of said magazines by identification numbers and related menus; assigning a set of said magazines to a route including a number of said sites; recording on a machine-readable medium, a route distribution database including magazine identification codes, menus and site identification codes; transporting said magazines to their respective sites; at each of said sites and in at least one of said vending machines, compiling an account of selling transactions out of a magazine previously installed in said vending machine; replacing said previously installed magazine with one of said transported magazines; downloading from said vending machine and onto said machine-readable medium, said compiled account; reading from said machine-readable medium and writing into said machine, a menu corresponding to said identification code; returning said previously installed magazine to a processing center; at said processing center, inventorying the contents of said previously installed magazine; and reconciling said contents with said downloaded, compiled account.