The present disclosure is directed to consumer operated kiosks for providing products and/or product samples to consumers. In one embodiment, a consumer operated kiosk includes a plurality of cartridges having cavities of different sizes that can contain various products of different sizes. The cartridges include engagement features that are substantially similar or identical, and the engagement features can be gripped by a gripping mechanism on a robotic delivery system. The cartridges can have differing shapes and sizes but the gripping mechanism can grasp each of the cartridges in a similar or identical manner by grasping the associated engagement feature.
The present disclosure is directed toward methods, systems, and apparatuses for payment fulfillment. The disclosed embodiments include a payment server that receives a request from an entity (e.g., a business or organization) that wants to make a payment to a consumer. In some embodiments, a consumer can initiate a request for payment from an entity. In one embodiment, the payment server sends a notification to a consumer regarding the payment, and the consumer can respond with preferences for delivery. Based on information received from the consumer's computing device (e.g., mobile phone or computer), the payment server can send fulfillment instructions to a kiosk located within a network of kiosks. The consumer can receive payment in the form of a redeemable voucher at the kiosk after the consumer has verified his or her identity and/or input security information.
G06Q 20/12 - Architectures de paiement spécialement adaptées aux systèmes de commerce électronique
G06Q 20/18 - Architectures de paiement impliquant des terminaux en libre-service, des distributeurs automatiques, des bornes ou des terminaux multimédia
G07F 17/16 - Appareils déclenchés par pièces de monnaie pour la location d'articles; Installations ou services déclenchés par pièces de monnaie pour dispositifs présentant la publicité, des annonces, des tableaux, ou analogues
3.
SYSTEMS AND ASSOCIATED METHODS FOR EXCHANGING GIFT CARDS
The present disclosure is directed a gift card exchange server and associated systems and methods that are configured to receive information about a gift card that a user would like to sell. The gift card exchange server determines an offer for the gift card and transmits the offer to a computing device for presentation to the user. In one embodiment, if the offer is accepted, the user is queried to see if they would like the proceeds from the sale to be applied as a credit to an account, such as an on-line retailer account. If so, the server sends a message to the account indicating that a credit is to be given to the user along with an indication that the credit is conditioned upon completing a transaction and/or draining the purchased gift card of funds. The user can use the credit to purchase goods or services. However, the purchase transaction will not be consummated or the goods and services will not be shipped until the exchanged gift card is redeemed or the server computer otherwise confirms that the server system has received the value from the gift card. Once the server computer receives an indication that the card value has been received, the server computer sends a message to release a hold on the credit.
G06Q 20/34 - Architectures, schémas ou protocoles de paiement caractérisés par l'emploi de dispositifs spécifiques utilisant des cartes, p.ex. cartes à puces ou cartes magnétiques
G06Q 30/02 - Marketing; Estimation ou détermination des prix; Collecte de fonds
G06Q 30/06 - Transactions d’achat, de vente ou de crédit-bail
The present disclosure is directed a mobile computing device that is programmed to communicate with a gift card exchange server that allows a user to exchange gift cards for consideration from a remote location. The mobile computing device is configured to receive information about a gift card from a user and to transmit the information to the gift card exchange server. The gift card exchange server determines an offer for the gift card and transmits it to the mobile computing device for presentation to the user. In one embodiment, if the offer is accepted, the user is prompted to provide personal identifying information. In order to reduce fraud, the gift card exchange server also requests device specific identifying information that is unique to the mobile computing device itself and associates the device specific identifying information with the offer. In order to redeem funds, the user is asked to present the personal identifying information and the mobile device having the device specific mobile identifying information that is associated with the offer before they can be paid. The particular device specific identifying information requested may vary from transaction to transaction.
Systems and associated methods for coin discrimination are disclosed herein. Disclosed methods for discriminating coins include recognizing strings of alphanumerical characters of the coin using Optical Character Recognition (OCR). The methods can include recognizing colors and/or reflectivity of the coin using, for example, pixel thresholding algorithms. The methods can further include adding a line to an image of the coin, and measuring angles between the line and the edges on the coin. The methods can also include generating a rectangular image of the coin using, for example, a log-polar transform, generating a series of, for example, Fourier transforms from the rectangular image, and identifying spectral peak locations and intensities in the Fourier transform results. The results of the OCR, color/reflectivity recognition, angle measurement, spectral peak location, spectral peak intensity of the coin and/or other features or aspects of coins can then be compared to known values for different coins to discriminate the coins.
G07D 5/00 - Vérification spécialement adaptée à la détermination de l'identité ou de l'authenticité des pièces de monnaie, p.ex. pour séparer les pièces qui ne peuvent pas être acceptées ou qui sont en monnaie étrangère
G07D 5/02 - Vérification des dimensions, p.ex. de l'épaisseur, du diamètre; Vérification de la déformation
6.
OPTICAL COIN DISCRIMINATION SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR USE WITH CONSUMER-OPERATED KIOSKS AND THE LIKE
Systems and associated methods for optical coin discrimination are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a method for discriminating coins includes obtaining a digital image of a coin, identifying the outline of the coin using a suitable algorithm, and determining the diameter of the coin using the outline of the coin. The method of this embodiment further includes generating a rectangular image of the coin using, for example, a log-polar transform, generating a series of, for example, Fourier transforms from the rectangular image, and identifying spectral peak locations and intensities in the Fourier transform results. The diameter of the coin, spectral peak location, spectral peak intensity of the coin and/or other aspects of the coin can then be compared to known values for different coins to discriminate the coin.
Systems and methods for providing coupons, including targeted coupons associated with, for example, loyalty programs and the like from coin counting kiosks are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a method for providing a coupon includes receiving coins from a consumer and counting the coins to determine a value. The method further includes providing a voucher to the consumer that is redeemable for cash and/or merchandise. The method can further include providing a coupon to the consumer that is based at least in part on prior purchase information associated with the consumer.
Consumer operated kiosks for coin counting and/or providing various products and services are described herein. In various embodiments, the kiosks can provide the consumer with the ability to review and select various favorite options for utilizing coin value and other forms of value and to sort same. Other embodiments provide the ability for the user log in to a social networking website to share and compare their experiences on the kiosk with others via the social network.
G07D 9/00 - Comptage de pièces de monnaie; Manipulation de pièces de monnaie non prévue dans les autres groupes de la présente sous-classe
G06Q 20/18 - Architectures de paiement impliquant des terminaux en libre-service, des distributeurs automatiques, des bornes ou des terminaux multimédia
G07F 5/00 - Mécanismes actionnés par des pièces de monnaie; Verrouillages
9.
MOBILE COMMERCE PLATFORMS AND ASSOCIATED SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CONVERTING CONSUMER COINS, CASH, AND/OR OTHER FORMS OF VALUE FOR USE WITH SAME
Systems and methods for converting consumer coins, cash, and/or o forms of value for use with mobile commerce platforms implemented on, example, smart phones, PDAs, and other mobile devices. In one embodimen method for implementing a mobile commerce account on a mobile device inclu receiving coins and/or other funds from a user at a consumer-operated kiosk. method can further include counting the coins and/or other funds to determin value, and then communicating at least a portion of the value from the kiosk to hand-held mobile device for deposit in the mobile commerce account.
G06Q 20/18 - Architectures de paiement impliquant des terminaux en libre-service, des distributeurs automatiques, des bornes ou des terminaux multimédia
G06Q 40/04 - Transactions; Opérations boursières, p.ex. actions, marchandises, produits dérivés ou change de devises
10.
CONSUMER OPERATED KIOSK FOR SAMPLING BEAUTY PRODUCTS AND ASSOCIATED SYSTEMS AND METHODS
The present disclosure is directed to consumer operated kiosks for sampling products and associated systems and methods. In one embodiment, for example, a method of selling beauty products can include providing a consumer operated kiosk including an inventory of product samples. The product samples correspond to products available for purchase by consumers at a point of sale in a retail establishment. The method can further include displaying product information related to the product samples on the kiosk, and receiving a user selection corresponding to at least one of the product samples. The method can also include receiving payment for the selected product sample, and dispensing the selected product sample to the user from the kiosk.
Systems and methods for calibrating a coin sensor are disclosed herein. An auto-calibrating coin sensor configured in accordance with one embodiment of the disclosure includes a movable carrier holding at least one test coin or other test object. The carrier can move the test object past or through the coin sensor to calibrate the coin sensor. Embodiments of the present technology can include rotatable and linearly moveable carriers that are configured to move an attached test object through a coin sensor. Additionally, auto-calibrating coin sensors in accordance with the present technology can be configured to initiate an auto-calibration based on the commencement of a coin counting session, a set schedule, a temperature change, and/or other events.
Apparatuses, systems, and methods for separating debris from coins and the like from customer-operated kiosks and other machines. A debris diverter including a motor, a rotating bobbin, and at least one vane is positioned over a coin track with the vane spaced apart from the coin track by a predetermined distance to permit objects smaller than the predetermined distance to pass by the debris diverter and to contact objects larger than the predetermined distance.
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