System and method for vending consumer goods in a vehicle

US11170600B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignees

• HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY · KR
• KIA MOTORS CORPORATION · KR

Inventors

• Ingmar Langer · Darmstadt, DE
• Lukas Gass · Mainz, DE
• Frank Wolf · Karlsruhe, DE
• Michael Schreiber · Frankfurt, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: May 8, 2020
• Grant date: Nov 9, 2021
• Expiry date: May 8, 2040

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G07G1/0081
• WIPO field: Control
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A system for vending consumer goods in a vehicle includes a container for storing consumable units of at least one sort of consumer goods, a sensor system including at least one first sensor configured to detect removal of a consumable unit from the container by a consumer, and a computer system connected to the sensor system via a data network. The computer system includes a user database storing a user account assigned to the consumer and a service database storing a price for each consumable unit. Each user account comprises a service payment account listing services and a corresponding amount of money due for each service. The computer system is configured to retrieve from the service database a price for the removed consumable unit and to charge the service payment account of the consumer with an amount of money corresponding to the price of the removed consumable unit.