Patents by Inventor Eric J. Hoersten

Eric J. Hoersten has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10810822
    Abstract: An article dispensing machine capable of performing an inventory audit of a portion of the inventory and automatically pausing the inventory audit in response to a customer transaction request and method for performing the same are shown. After completing the customer request, the article dispensing machine resumes the inventory auditing process. The article dispensing machine thereby remains available for customer use during the inventory auditing process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: REDBOX AUTOMATED RETAIL, LLC
    Inventors: Eric J. Hoersten, William E. Caputo, Thomas Franklin Smith, William Martinka, Jim Polubinski, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20180158272
    Abstract: An article dispensing machine capable of performing an inventory audit of a portion of the inventory and automatically pausing the inventory audit in response to a customer transaction request and method for performing the same are shown. After completing the customer request, the article dispensing machine resumes the inventory auditing process. The article dispensing machine thereby remains available for customer use during the inventory auditing process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2018
    Publication date: June 7, 2018
    Inventors: Eric J. Hoersten, William E. Caputo, Thomas Franklin Smith, William Martinka, Jim Polubinski, JR.
  • Patent number: 9886809
    Abstract: An article dispensing machine capable of performing an inventory audit of a portion of the inventory and automatically pausing the inventory audit in response to a customer transaction request and method for performing the same are shown. After completing the customer request, the article dispensing machine resumes the inventory auditing process. The article dispensing machine thereby remains available for customer use during the inventory auditing process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: Redbox Automated Retail, LLC
    Inventors: Eric J. Hoersten, William E. Caputo, Thomas Franklin Smith, Jr., William Martinka, Jim Polubinski, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20130131863
    Abstract: An article dispensing machine capable of performing an inventory audit of a portion of the inventory and automatically pausing the inventory audit in response to a customer transaction request and method for performing the same are shown. After completing the customer request, the article dispensing machine resumes the inventory auditing process. The article dispensing machine thereby remains available for customer use during the inventory auditing process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2012
    Publication date: May 23, 2013
    Applicant: Redbox Automated Retail, LLC
    Inventors: Eric J. Hoersten, William E. Caputo, Thomas Franklin Smith, JR., William Martinka, Jim Polubinski, JR.
  • Publication number: 20120290423
    Abstract: A system and method for selling a rental media product having entertainment content therein via an automated vending machine are provided. The method receives a request from a user, the request identifying the rental media product, retrieves, from a database, product rental information relating to the rental media product, wherein the product rental information comprises a product release date, a last maximum out-of-rent value, a sold-out date value, and a current on-hand count, determines whether the product rental information satisfies a set of sales decision criteria, wherein the set of sales decision criteria includes a product release date threshold, a last maximum out-of-rent value threshold, a sold-out date requirement, and a current on-hand count threshold. The method further provides an offer to sell the rental media product if the plurality of sales decision criteria is satisfied, and vends the rental product from a vending apparatus to the user if the user accepts the offer for sale.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2012
    Publication date: November 15, 2012
    Applicant: Redbox Automated Retail, LLC
    Inventor: Eric J. Hoersten
  • Publication number: 20110004536
    Abstract: An article vending machine capable of performing an inventory audit and automatically pausing the inventory audit in response to a customer transaction request and method for performing the same are shown. After completing the customer request, the article vending machine resumes the inventory auditing process. The article vending machine thereby remains available for customer use during the inventory auditing process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2010
    Publication date: January 6, 2011
    Applicant: RedBox Automated Retail, LLC
    Inventors: Eric J. Hoersten, Franz Kuehnrich, William E. Caputo
  • Publication number: 20090089187
    Abstract: An article vending machine capable of performing an inventory audit and automatically pausing the inventory audit in response to a customer transaction request and method for performing the same are shown. After completing the customer request, the article vending machine resumes the inventory auditing process. The article vending machine thereby remains available for customer use during the inventory auditing process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2007
    Publication date: April 2, 2009
    Applicant: RedBox Automated Retail, LLC
    Inventors: Eric J. Hoersten, Franz Kuehnrich, William E. Caputo