Coca-Cola Co. secures patent for m-commerce in the U.S.

U.S. consumers may soon be able to use their cellular phones to buy Cokes at vending machines now that the Coca-Cola Co. has won a patent for vending machine payments via cell phones and PDAs, according to ePaynews.com, an online electronic commerce news service.

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In the U.S., Coke expects the new patent will enable consumers to purchase from vending machines with a wireless device that communicates with a server, whether this is operated by a telephone firm, a credit or debit card issuer, or the vending operator.

Four possible transaction methods are covered by the patent, which equips the vending machine to send a "vend code" to the consumer's phone or PDA, via the server. Under the most basic m-payment option envisioned by Coke, the consumer would receive their "vend code" on their handset via a radio-frequency (RF) link from the machine. In the second option, a vending machine is fitted with an infrared receiver that processes the consumer's vend code. Two more options in the patent require the consumer to dial a phone number to obtain their vend code, while compiling transaction and inventory records as necessary.