摘要 |
A method and apparatus are disclosed relating to the renting, leasing and/or loaning, etc. of electronic equipment operable and/or controllable by a computer, wherein one entity not in physical possession and/or control of the equipment wishes to have some control over another entity that has physical possession and/or control of the equipment. Such equipment may comprise a washing machine, medical, office or industrial equipment, vending machines, etc. A central computer system includes software which enables management and execution of financial transactions between the entities. Such transactions may include debiting or crediting accounts of various other entities or creating a bill or invoice for one entity to present to another entity. Information used in making this financial transaction is determined from analysis of information which may be communicated to the central computer system from at least one other source. Other sources may include, the control system of the controlled equipment, such as from a vending machine or, for example, the computer network or system of an involved or interested entity.
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