Patent ID: 6711465
Filing Date: 2004-03-23
Classification: G07C,G07F

Abstract:
A method of permitting only authorized users to use an automated vending machine, comprising the steps of:providing each of the authorized users with an identification card that contains age data and fingerprint data of the authorized user; providing a vending machine having an identification card reading device and a finger print scanner, wherein said vending machine vends an age restricted product selected from a group consisting of cigarettes and alcoholic beverages; reading said age data and said fingerprint data from an identification card inserted into said identification card reading device in said vending machine by a potential user; scanning an actual fingerprint from the potential user using finger print scanner; comparing scanned actual fingerprint of the potential user to said fingerprint data contained on said identification card; enabling the vending machine if said scanned actual fingerprint of the potential user matches said fingerprint data contained on said identification card and if said age data contained on said identification card indicates that the potential user is older than some predetermined minimum age.