Patent ID: 8463430

Claim:
A vending system for vending machines, retail displays, and automated retail stores, the system comprising: a lighting display module comprising: a rigid display case that provides a housing; an array of primary product display tubes disposed within the housing containing products offered for vending, the display tubes visibly associated with the display case and arranged in a geometric pattern of rows and columns; lighting means for selectively illuminating display tubes; selection sensor means associated with each product display tube for detecting customer selections; proximity sensor means for detecting the proximity of a customer or potential customer; a plurality of touchable product viewing areas, one viewing area associated with each product display tube so that a user can initiate a vend by touching a viewing area proximate a displayed product associated with a selected display tube to be selected thereby actuating said selection sensor means; a computer for activating and controlling the display module to respond to said selection sensor means and/or said proximity sensor means to initiate varying lighting effects in response, the computer comprising a touch screen; software for controlling said computer and said touch screen such that the touch screen can enable selection of a product in addition to said selection sensor means and the module can detect the presence of a customer or potential customer; and, means for actuating said lighting means in response to said software.