Article vending machine and method for exchanging an inoperable article for an operable article

摘要

An article vending machine in a network of article vending machines capable of exchanging an inoperable rental article received from a user for an operable replacement article. The article dispensing machine checks customer identification information against one or more customer rental criteria to determine if the customer is eligible to exchange an inoperable article for an operable one. The article vending machine searches for an identical replacement article within an inventory of the machine itself and within inventories of the networked article vending machines. Alternatively, the article vending machine may provide a refund for the inoperable article.

主权项

1. An article vending machine configured to receive an inoperable article and provide a refund for rental of the inoperable article, the article vending machine comprising:
a user interface configured to receive, from a customer, a request to initiate a return of an inoperable article for a refund; a receptacle for receiving the inoperable article; a selector arm for transferring articles within the article vending machine, the selector arm being configured to: engage the inoperable article at a first position proximate to the receptacle, transfer the inoperable article from the first position to a second position within the first article vending machine, and disengage the inoperable article at the second position; an inventory comprised of a plurality of articles; a memory containing a database identifying each inoperable article that has been received; and a processor in communication with the user interface and the memory, and configured using program code to: determine if the customer is eligible to receive a refund for a rental cost of the inoperable article, if the customer is eligible, provide a refund for the rental cost of the inoperable article, receive a request from a service person via the user interface to purge all inoperable articles, and in response to the request to purge, access the database to identify each article identified as inoperable, and provide for removal, from the second position, each of the identified inoperable articles.