Importance

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Abstract

A remote transaction station for the automated vending of goods and services sell products, and additionally dispenses at random special products, packaged in the size and shape of vended products but containing promotional prizes. When a special product is dispensed, the selected product is additionally dispensed, without the need to engage in a separate transaction. In one embodiment, special products are interspersed with products in the remote transaction station's inventory, and the dispensing of a special product is detected by an optical, RF, or other detector, prompting the subsequent dispensing of the selected product. In another embodiment, the products and special products are stored in separate inventories, and a special product is dispensed on command based on a pseudo-random number generator in an associated controller. In another embodiment, the remote transaction station is an information kiosk vending digital products. Dispensing of a special product is pseudo-randomly determined and the special product is selected from among available products.

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First Claim