A system and method for providing payments is disclosed. A method can include establishing a wireless link between a mobile device and a merchant device. After an instruction is displayed on the mobile device, a combination of a first type of input and a second type of input are received on the mobile device, first type of input including at least one button press of a physical button and the second type of input received from a user to confirm a payment for the purchase. Based on the inputs, payment data is retrieved from a memory of the mobile device. The method includes receiving the payment data at the merchant device to make the purchase, wherein receiving the payment data, via the wireless link, at the merchant device to make the purchase is performed according to a protocol for communicating the payment data to the merchant device.

System configuration data characterizing a configuration of a fueling station system that includes a fueling station controller and an electronic fueling station component, each located at a fueling station, can be received. Component configuration data characterizing a configuration of the electronic fueling station component can be received. A query can be determined based on the received component configuration data and the received system configuration data. The query can be provided to a remote database, and the remote database can be configured to determine, based on the received query, operation data characterizing data required to operate the fueling station system. The operation data can be received from the remote database. The fueling station controller and the electronic fueling station component can be configured to operate based on the received operation data and the received system configuration data. Related apparatus, systems, methods, techniques, and articles are also described.

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.

A pill-dispensing system includes a base including a first processor and a storage, a container for pills carried by the base, and a dispenser mechanism. A data store includes an authorization code and instructions. A second processor is coupled to the data store, is in communication with the first processor, and is programmed to receive from the first processor a code associated with the container, compare the code to the authorization code, and retrieve and serve the instructions to the first processor upon the code matching the authorization code. The first processor is programmed, upon receiving the instructions from the second processor, to download to the storage the instructions that when executed by the first processor cause the first processor to effectuate a dispensing of pills from the container by the dispenser mechanism.

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 processing apparatus obtains sales information from a control box of the vending machine which is connected to the computer via an interface compliant with an RS-232C standard, generates data of a screen corresponding to a specific path and including the sales information of the vending machine on a basis of the obtained sales information and transmits the data to a terminal, when having received a display request including a designation of the specific path, from the terminal.

Provided herein are automated article dispensing systems having inventory management capabilities, and methods for managing inventory of articles in automated dispensing systems. In particular, the systems and methods disclosed herein utilize an inventory management assembly which includes one or more sensors configured to detect directly or indirectly one or more parameters related to quality and/or quantity the articles and an inventory management processing module configured to compute inventory related data based at least on the one or more parameters.

Systems and methods for operating a vending machine and/or kiosk. The methods comprise: detecting a presence of a person in a seat of the vending machine; obtaining a full or partial body heat map for the person that was created based on sensor data generated by at least one sensor of the vending machine or at least one sensor located in proximity to the vending machine (the full or partial heat map showing relative temperatures of different parts of a body of the person); selecting at least one vending service parameter for the vending machine using information obtained based on the full or partial body heat map; and causing the vending machine to provide the person with a vending service in accordance with the at least one vending service parameter that was selected.

The present invention provides a dispenser interface, associated methods and systems, and dispensers employing the dispenser interface and associated systems and methods. An example embodiment provides a method of configuring a communication interface of a dispenser controller configured to control a dispenser for dispensing hygiene products or other products. The method comprises operatively connecting a communication controller to the communication interface of the dispenser controller; and transmitting, via the communication interface and from the communication controller and to the dispenser controller, configuration information, the configuration information comprising at least one of: a communication protocol, instructions indicating dispenser information to be communicated in association with the occurrence of at least one type of dispenser event, instructions associated with how to communicate dispenser information associated with at least one type of dispenser event to the communication controller, and a priority indicator associated with at least one type of dispenser event.

A method of registering devices (2), in particular access control devices or payment or vending machines, on a server (3) of a system where the device (2) which is to be registered generates a public and a private key with asymmetrical cryptology. The device (2) subsequently transmits a registration request, signed with the device's private key, containing at least one device ID, the device's public key and the login details of a technician. The server (3) verifies the registration request using the device's public key and, after verification, assigns the device (2) to a ‘data reception room’ where no operational communication with the server (3) occurs. Subsequently, the device (2) is cleared for communication by a technician logged in to the server (3). The device is assigned to an area of the server memory for operationally cleared devices, and a notification of registration is transmitted to the device (2).