A method and apparatus relating to the renting, leasing and/or loaning of electronic
equipment operable and/or controllable by a computer, wherein one entity not in
physical possession and/or control of the equipment desires control over another
entity which has physical possession and/or control of the equipment. Such equipment
may comprise a washing machine, medical, office or industrial equipment, a vending
machine, etc. A central computer system includes software which enables management
and execution of financial transactions between the entities, such as debiting
or crediting of accounts held by these or other entities, or creating an invoice
for one entity to present to another entity. Information used in making these financial
transactions can be determined by analysis of information which may be communicated
to the central computer system from at least one other source. Such source may
include the control system of the controlled equipment, e.g., from a vending machine
or the computer system of an interested entity.
