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Patent US10621809
Issued 2020-04-14
Digital Currency Enabled Vending Machine
A vending machine is described that uses digital currency transactions to enable a user to purchase items from their portable computing device. Using a control system in communication with various components of the vending machine and an internet connection for communicating with a remote digital currency system, such as a bitcoin network, a digital currency processing system executes digital currency transactions and stores the resulting digital currency in a transaction storage repository. The control system initiates dispensing of purchased items based on communication from the digital currency processing system.
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- 1. A vending machine comprising:
a display area within the vending machine, the display area including a plurality of items for purchase; an input/output (I/O) vending interface on an exterior of the vending machine configured for a user to transmit an item selection and payment information to the vending machine via a visual format data information code, and further configured to initiate dispensing of a purchased item of the plurality of items for purchase from the display area of the vending machine; a transaction storage repository for storing at least one digital currency transaction; a communication pathway between the vending interface and a digital currency processing system associated with the vending machine and a plurality of nodes independent of the vending machine for settlement of the at least one digital currency transaction using a subset of an available digital cryptocurrency, the digital currency processing system including a blockchain ledger having the at least one digital currency transaction stored on the vending machine and a plurality of redundant blockchain ledgers stored on the plurality of nodes; wherein the digital currency processing system is configured for a user to initiate the at least one digital currency transaction, executing an item purchase digital currency transaction and communicating resulting payment information for the item selection to the vending interface via the vending machine, and propagating a plurality of redundant blockchain ledgers of the user initiated digital currency transaction to the plurality of nodes after executing the item purchase digital currency transaction, and wherein the at least one digital currency transaction and the item purchase digital currency transaction are stored in the transaction storage repository and settled with the digital currency processing system; and a user initiated digital currency transaction interface whereby the digital currency processing system receives the at least one digital currency transaction from a portable computing device of the user, wherein the at least one digital currency transaction is received in the visual format data information code, and wherein the visual format data information code comprises a QR code and the user initiated digital currency transaction interface comprises a QR code reader connected to the vending interface; whereby the purchased item is dispensed by the vending machine.
- 18. A system comprising:
a vending machine housing an inventory of products therein, and configured for conveying a product of the inventory to a user; an input/output (I/O) vending interface on an exterior of the vending machine configured for a user to transmit payment information to the vending machine via a visual format data information code for initiating conveying of the product of the inventory to the user; a transaction storage repository for storing at least one digital currency transaction; a communication pathway connecting the dispensation system and the vending interface to a digital currency processing system associated with the vending machine and a plurality of nodes independent of the vending machine for settlement of the at least one digital currency transaction using a subset of an available digital cryptocurrency, the digital currency processing system including a blockchain ledger having the at least one digital currency transaction stored on the vending machine and a plurality of redundant blockchain ledgers stored on the plurality of nodes; wherein the digital currency processing system is configured for a user to initiate the at least one digital currency transaction, executing a product purchase digital currency transaction and communicating resulting payment information to the vending interface via the vending machine, and propagating a plurality of redundant blockchain ledgers of the user initiated digital currency transaction to the plurality of nodes after executing the product purchase digital currency transaction, and wherein the at least one digital currency transaction and the product purchase digital currency transaction are stored in the transaction storage repository and settled with the digital currency processing system, wherein the dispensation system conveys the product to the user after the product purchase digital currency transaction is executed; and a user initiated digital currency transaction interface whereby the digital currency processing system receives the at least one digital currency transaction from a portable computing device of the user, wherein the at least one digital currency transaction is received in the visual format data information code, and wherein the visual format data information code comprises a QR code and the at least one digital currency transaction interface comprises a QR code reader connected to the vending interface.
- 19. A system comprising:
an input/output (I/O) vending interface on an exterior of the vending machine configured for a user to transmit a product selection and payment information to the vending machine via a visual format data information code, and further configured to providing instructions to convey a product to a user; a transaction storage repository for storing at least one digital currency transaction; a communication pathway between the vending interface and a digital currency processing system associated with the vending machine and a plurality of nodes independent of the vending machine for settlement of the at least one digital currency transaction using a subset of an available digital cryptocurrency, the digital currency processing system including a blockchain ledger having the at least one digital currency transaction stored on the vending machine and a plurality of redundant blockchain ledgers stored on the plurality of nodes; wherein the digital currency processing system is configured a user to initiate the at least one digital currency transaction, executing a product purchase digital currency transaction and communicating resulting payment information to the vending interface via the vending machine, and propagating a plurality of redundant blockchain ledgers of the user initiated digital currency transaction to the plurality of nodes after executing the product purchase digital currency transaction, and wherein the at least one digital currency transaction and the product purchase digital currency transaction are stored in the transaction storage repository and settled with the digital currency processing system; and a user initiated digital currency transaction interface whereby the digital currency processing system receives the at least one digital currency transaction from a portable computing device of the user, wherein the at least one digital currency transaction is received in the visual format data information code, and wherein the visual format data information code comprises a QR code and the at least one digital currency transaction interface comprises a QR code reader connected to the vending interface.
