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:
May. 18, 2010
Filed:
Sep. 28, 2000
Michael Langer, Bonn, GB;
Patrik Ljungström, Königswinter, DE;
Uwe Michel, Bad Honnef, DE;
Johann Reindl, Bonn, DE;
Leonhard Schmickler, Bonn, DE;
Michael Langer, Bonn, GB;
Patrik Ljungström, Königswinter, DE;
Uwe Michel, Bad Honnef, DE;
Johann Reindl, Bonn, DE;
Leonhard Schmickler, Bonn, DE;
T-Mobile Deutschland GmbH, Bonn, DE;
Abstract
A method for controlling and operating a vending machine that incorporates a mobile radiocommunication transmit/receive unit and can be called from a user's mobile telephone unit over a mobile telephone network via an abbreviated mobile telephone number affixed on the vending machine. The method includes, upon receipt of a call from the user's mobile telephone unit to the abbreviated mobile telephone number on the vending machine, establishing a connection to a bank and determining if the user has an account at that bank, and if so, whether there are sufficient funds in the user's account, if the user has an account and there are sufficient funds, prompting, via the vending machine, the user to select a merchandise item, after the merchandise item has been dispensed, generating, a billing entry in the vending machine, and settling the billing entry via a payment gateway, the step of settling comprising accessing a mini-payment account the user has opened with a bank, and determining the mini-payment account number based on the user's mobile telephone number.