US 11,887,444 B2
Vending machine control system, control device and control method
Mijung Kim, Tokyo (JP); and Jinling Chen, Tokyo (JP)
Assigned to Rakuten Group, Inc., Tokyo (JP)
Appl. No. 17/059,120
Filed by Rakuten Group, Inc., Tokyo (JP)
PCT Filed Mar. 16, 2020, PCT No. PCT/JP2020/011558
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Nov. 25, 2020,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/186516, PCT Pub. Date Sep. 23, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0058907 A1, Feb. 24, 2022
Int. Cl. G07F 9/00 (2006.01); G06V 40/10 (2022.01)
CPC G07F 9/009 (2020.05) [G06V 40/10 (2022.01); G07F 9/001 (2020.05)] 7 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A vending machine control system comprising:
at least one memory configured to store program code; and at least one processor configured to access the program code and operate as instructed by the program code,
wherein the program code comprises:
detection code configured to cause the at least one processor to detect a user within a predetermined distance from a door of a vending machine when the door is in a locked state;
orientation determination code configured to cause the at least one processor to determine whether the user's body is facing toward the door;
acquisition code configured to cause the at least one processor to acquire information confirming the user's ability to settle a purchase of a product from the vending machine;
determination code configured to cause the at least one processor to determine, based on the acquired purchase settlement information, whether the user has a payment capability; and
first control code configured to cause the at least one processor to cause the door to change to an unlocked state based on detecting that the user is within the predetermined distance, determining that the user has the payment capability, and determining that the user's body is facing toward the door.