Patent ID: 8311867

Claim:
A system-implemented method for selecting one or more vending machines for being serviced in a predefined service period SP 1 , the system comprising circuitry, wherein the vending machines are located at a plurality of locations, and at least one location has more than one vending machines, the method comprising: (1) selecting, by the system controlled by the circuitry, vending machines according to one or more first selection rules for selecting the vending machines, wherein an application of the one or more first selection rules to a vending machine results in the machine being selected or unselected for being serviced in the service period SP 1 ; (2) for at least one location L 1 comprising at least a vending machine VM 1 and a vending machine VM 2 , wherein the vending machine VM 1 has been selected according to the one or more first selection rules, and wherein the vending machine VM 2 has been unselected according to the one or more first selection rules, determining, by the system controlled by the circuitry, if one or more second selection rules apply to the vending machine VM 2 , each second selection rule being a rule for selecting a vending machine, wherein an application of the one or more second selection rules to a vending machine results in the vending machine being selected or unselected for being serviced in the service period SP 1 , at least one second selection rule taking into account hardness data associated with the vending machine or the vending machine's location, the hardness data being indicative of at least one hardness factor h which indicates one or more of: hardness of reaching the vending machine's location; hardness of reaching the vending machine at the vending machine's location; hardness of servicing the vending machine at the vending machine's location; wherein the at least one second selection rule applies to the vending machine if the hardness data indicates that: at least one hardness factor h of the factors (i) and (ii) is greater than a respective threshold value or is greater than or equal to the respective threshold value, or an increasing function depending on each hardness factor h is greater than a respective threshold value or is greater than or equal to the respective threshold value; wherein: (3) selecting, by the system controlled by the circuitry, the vending machine VM 2 for being serviced in the service period SP 1 if the one or more second selection rules apply to the vending machine VM 2 .