Zhongning T Chen

US Patent:

20170011384, Jan 12, 2017

Filed:

Apr 27, 2016

Appl. No.:

15/140323

Inventors:

- San Francisco CA, US
Alexander Yancher - San Francisco CA, US
Zhongning Chen - San Francisco CA, US
Christopher Alika Ah New - San Francisco CA, US

International Classification:

G06Q 20/32
G07F 9/02
G06Q 10/08
G07F 11/38

Abstract:

One variation of a method for controlling access to products from a vending machine includes: locking a door of the vending machine; recording an initial inventory of products arranged within the vending machine based on signals received by a radio antenna arranged within the vending machine and read by a radio frequency identification reader; initiating a transaction in response to receiving a cashless payment mechanism from a patron; unlocking the door in response to authentication of the cashless payment mechanism; in response to closure of the door, recording a final inventory of products within the vending machine based on signals received by the radio antenna and read by the radio frequency identification reader; and initiating a payment with the cashless payment mechanism for a difference between the initial inventory and the final inventory to complete the transaction.

US Patent:

20170004472, Jan 5, 2017

Filed:

May 6, 2016

Appl. No.:

15/148314

Inventors:

- San Francisco CA, US
Christopher Alika Ah New - San Juan Capistrano CA, US
Zhongning Chen - San Francisco CA, US
Alex Yancher - San Francisco CA, US

International Classification:

G06Q 20/18
G06K 7/14
G06K 19/077
G06K 19/06

Abstract:

One variation of a method for processing transactions at a vending kiosk includes: at a first time, capturing a pre-transaction image of a shelf arranged within the kiosk with an optical sensor; in response to receiving payment information from a customer, unlocking a door of the kiosk; at a second time succeeding the first time, capturing a post-transaction image of the shelf with the optical sensor in response to closure of the door; detecting a difference between the pre-transaction image and the post-transaction image; based on the difference, flagging a portion of the pre-transaction image for review by a remote human operator; and, in response to identification of a product type corresponding to the difference by the remote human operator, billing the customer for a cost of the product type according to the payment information.

US Patent:

20140316875, Oct 23, 2014

Filed:

Mar 13, 2014

Appl. No.:

14/209688

Inventors:

- San Francisco CA, US
Alexander Yancher - San Francisco CA, US
Zhongning Chen - San Francisco CA, US
Christopher Alika Ah New - San Francisco CA, US

Assignee:

Pantry Retail, Inc. - San Francisco CA

International Classification:

G06Q 30/02

US Classification:

705 1425

Abstract:

One variation of a method for dynamically pricing vended products includes: identifying a purchase pattern of a user at a vending machine; in response to an approaching sell-by date for a unit of a product loaded into the vending machine and based on the purchase pattern, setting a discount rate for the unit of the product for the user; transmitting an electronic communication to an account associated with the user, the electronic communication indicating the discount rate for the unit of the product; identifying the user in a transaction initiated at the vending machine; and in response to selection of the unit of the product from the vending machine during the transaction, initiating a payment with a payment mechanism supplied by the user according to the discount rate.