The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 01, 2006
Filed:
Aug. 20, 1999
Morris Anthony Moore, Southlake, TX (US);
Jheroen Pieter Dorenbosch, Paradise, TX (US);
Morris Anthony Moore, Southlake, TX (US);
Jheroen Pieter Dorenbosch, Paradise, TX (US);
Motorola, Inc., Schaumburg, IL (US);
Abstract
A communication network (FIG.) makes available, to a first vending machine () of a plurality of vending machines, information from nearby ones of the plurality of vending machines for coordinating product availability and vending machine location. The first vending machine then determinesthat the desired product is no longer available at the first vending machine. Thereafter, the first vending machine obtains () the information including a location of the nearby alternate vending machine for the desired product. The first vending machine then conveys () the location of the nearby alternate vending machine to a customer who wishes to purchase the desired product.