A vending machine has an interactive customer experience. Some embodiments of the vending machine include a transparent front wall with a plurality of display units located behind the front wall. Each of the display units may contain an example of a product available for vending. Based on input received from a customer and other information, the vending machine may provide a recommendation for a product or products to select for purchase. The vending machine may highlight the recommendation by selectively illuminating the product display units that contain the recommended products.

A method and system for encouraging the selection of healthy products with a vending machine are provided. The method includes providing a vending machine that displays an inventory of products. Each product of the inventory of products includes a dispensing countdown time displayed on the vending machine. The method also includes receiving a first customer selection of a first product from the inventory of products, where the first product has a first dispensing countdown time. Additionally, the method includes actuating a countdown timer to count down to zero seconds from the first dispensing countdown time. The method also includes dispensing the first product once the countdown timer reaches zero seconds. The first product is only dispensed if a customer does not select a second product having a second dispensing countdown time before the first dispensing countdown time counts down to zero seconds.

A computer implemented method and apparatus for version independent Point of Sale Activation (POSA) product download. The method comprises accessing a database, wherein the database comprises a plurality of entries associated with a plurality of Point of Sale Activation (POSA) cards available for purchase at a retail store; retrieving, from the database, a plurality of entries associated with a previous version of a software product, wherein the previous version of the software product has not been redeemed; generating a serial number for each retrieved entry, wherein each serial number is associated with a current version of the software product; and updating, in the database, each retrieved entry with the generated serial number.

Systems and methods for intelligently allocating inventory across a network of vending machines. The systems and methods include associating vending machines with an inventory target for a product and predicting a production requirement of the product based upon the respective inventory targets. After production occurs, the systems and methods include determining a difference between an amount of the product produced by the production facility based upon the predicted production requirement. To intelligently allocate the difference, the systems and methods include calculating a percentage by which the respective inventory target of vending machines changes if the modified and modifying the inventory target for vending machines in a manner that minimizes a sum of the percentages by which the respective inventory targets changes.

Disclosed are a vending method of an intelligent vending station, an intelligent vending station, an electronic device, and a storage medium. The method comprises the following steps of: determining a target item and a target vending device according to a purchase instruction from a user; determining a target cabinet accommodating the target item and determining a target conveying device; controlling the target conveying device to acquire the target item from the target cabinet and to convey the acquired target item to a receiving area of the target vending device.

A product transfer enclosure comprising: a back door assembly; a front door assembly; an electronics module comprising a communication chip for enabling data communication over a network; and a display screen, coupled to the front door, for displaying dynamic messages based on the data communication.

The present disclosure relates to a self-service apparatus having a three-layer system architecture, which includes an application-layer device, an intermediate-layer device, and bottom-layer peripheral devices. The application-layer device is configured to provide a user interface for self-service and control the entire self-service apparatus according to an interaction with the user to provide the user with required self-service, and comprises a first processor and a first memory. The first processor executes an application program stored in the first memory and communicates with the intermediate-layer device. The intermediate-layer device comprises a terminal control module which comprises a second processor and a second memory. The second processor communicates with the bottom-layer peripheral devices, and the second processor executes a control program stored in the second memory to control operations of the peripheral devices based on an instruction from the application-layer device. The peripheral devices do not communicate with the application-layer device directly.

Aspects of the invention may involve systems, methods, and computer readable medium. In an embodiment of the invention, a computer-implemented method for paying for usage of a pay per use device may be provided. The method may transmit device identification information from the device to a server. Device setup information and vend price may be received and the vend price may be displayed. User identification may be received and transmitted to the server. An account balance value may be received and displayed on the display. A start request may be received and transmitted to the server. The device may start and an updated account balance may be displayed.

A system and a method are disclosed for providing goods and services for purchase via a self-service and communication terminal unit and providing the ordered goods from a parcel terminal that is in communication with the communication terminal unit, and confirmation of ordered services from the communication unit.

A vending machine has an interactive customer experience. Some embodiments of the vending machine include a transparent front wall with a plurality of display units located behind the front wall. Each of the display units may contain an example of a product available for vending. Based on input received from a customer and other information, the vending machine may provide a recommendation for a product or products to select for purchase. The vending machine may highlight the recommendation by selectively illuminating the product display units that contain the recommended products.