A system is provided that authenticates the identity and age of a user, that offers at least one age-restricted product for sale to the user, that enables the user to purchase the at least one product via a mobile application, that provides the at least one purchased product at a physical product locker at a location convenient to the user to travel to, that again authenticates the identity and age of the user at the physical location of the product locker prior to dispensing the product, and that, upon authentication of the user’s identity and age, releases the product to the user.

In a method for advanced identification of a customer, a customer may remotely place an order, intending to later go to a store to pick up the ordered item. The store may have a pick-up area (e.g., at the back of the store) where the customer can go to pick up the ordered item. To save the customer time, the customer may be identified when she enters the store so that an employee can obtain her ordered item and have it ready to pick up by the time the customer walks through the store and arrives at the pick-up area.

A system includes one or more memory devices storing instructions, and one or more processors configured to execute the instructions to perform steps of a method. The system may provide an augmented environment that facilitates a transaction. The system may store profile data including user payment or user profile information. The system may then receive environmental data, and identify one or more action items in the environmental data. In response to this identification, the system may augment the environmental data by adding virtual environmental data, and then provide this virtual environmental data to a device to create an augmented environment. The system can then receive user input data, and provide purchase request data to a merchant terminal in response to those inputs.

A method for remotely controlling a CO.sub.2 gas cylinder vending machine system, the method including displaying a remote vending machine user interface on a display of a user device, receiving on the user device user input indicating a desire to engage with the vending machine system to perform at least one of the following operations (a) return a CO.sub.2 cylinder; (b) purchase a CO.sub.2 cylinder; or (c) exchange a CO.sub.2 cylinder. The method including transmitting the user input over a communications network to a communications interface of the vending machine system, receiving the user input at the communication interface of the vending machine system and controlling the vending machine system, by a controller, based on the received user input.

A vending machine system for exchanging CO.sub.2 gas cylinders, the system including a controller in communication with a user interface, a payment system and an array of bin assemblies, wherein each one of the bin assemblies is shaped to at least partially receive an end of a CO.sub.2 gas cylinder and includes a locking system for releasably securing therein a CO.sub.2 gas cylinder, said system for performing the steps of (a) receiving user input through the user interface; and (b) if the user input represents a desire to exchange a CO.sub.2 gas cylinder, then the system performs the steps of (i) receiving payment from the user through the payment system for a replacement CO.sub.2 gas cylinder; (ii) receiving a CO.sub.2 gas cylinder in a first one of said bin assemblies; and (iii) the locking system releasing a full CO.sub.2 gas cylinder located in a second one of said bin assemblies for collection by the user.

A vehicle includes a controller, programmed to responsive to identifying a first user via a mobile device, load a first non-person entity associated with the first user from the mobile device to configure vehicle settings, the first non-person entity including a driver setting, a first entertainment setting and a second entertainment setting; and responsive to identifying a second user entering the vehicle, switch from the first entertainment setting to a second entertainment setting.

Methods and systems are disclosed including a semi-automated propane canister distribution system for distributing and exchanging propane canisters, comprising a system controller; one or more cabinet system having a cabinet controller and a cabinet with a first compartment separated from a second compartment, the first compartment having a first door and the second compartment having a second door, the first door and the second door having an open position and a closed position with a locked state and an unlocked state; a detection device; a remote display; and a remote controller device in communication with the system controller and/or the cabinet controller.

A computer implemented system and method for providing user-based on-demand laundry services includes providing a peer-to-peer laundry service platform and configuring the platform to identify a plurality of client accounts and a plurality of service provider accounts. The platform detects when either a client account or a service provider account is selected, and detects a notice of availability by at least one service provider account for laundry services. After receiving a search query from the client account, which identifies a quantity of the laundry, the platform identifies one or more available service provider accounts and selects from among them a proximal service provider account. The search query is reported to the proximal service provider account, which sends an acceptance query. the platform detects a completion signal, and processes a payment from the client account to the proximal service provider account.

This invention relates to systems and methods for authenticating transactions using a mobile device based primarily on the introduction of a layer of middleware and wherein the Payment Networks, Merchants, Issuing Banks, Credit Reporting Bureaus, Insurance Companies, Healthcare Providers may customize the implementation of the services based on individual strategy and consumer preferences.

A method for transmitting a data set from an operating device to a drinks preparation machine includes by the operating device: registering an input or a selection, which specifies the data set; by the drinks preparation machine, triggered by the user: transmitting a machine address of the drinks preparation machine to the operating device (4); by the operating device: receiving the machine address and transmitting the data set and the machine address to a coordination server; by the coordination server: storing the machine address and, assigned thereto, the data set; by the coordination server: transmitting this data set to the drinks preparation machine; by the drinks preparation machine: storing the data set and/or executing an action according to the data set.