System and method for communicating vending information

a technology of information communication and vending machine, applied in the field of system and method for communicating vending information, can solve the problems of less rentals, increased customer dissatisfaction, and inability to automate the access of the vending machine, and achieve the effect of reducing time and expense and reducing losses

Inactive Publication Date: 2006-11-23
REDBOX AUTOMATED RETAIL
View PDF99 Cites 14 Cited by
  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0018] The present invention provides a removable article transport storage unit for the handling of articles of inventory. The unit has a particularly simple, yet reliable, construction for use in article dispensing machines. This aspect of the present invention makes it particularly suitable for use in association with DVD dispensing machines.
[0049] Further benefits of the present invention are to substantially reduce the time and expense involved in the stocking and maintenance of article dispensing machines situated at a plurality of hosting locations over a given period, and to reduce any losses due to pilferage of articles.

Problems solved by technology

Internet based video rental services have been plagued by their inability to meet the demands of consumers for new video releases during peak viewing times, leading to increased customer dissatisfaction.
Pay-per-view video services offer only limited selections to viewers during any time period, resulting in significantly less rentals per any given period of time.
In addition, conventional drawers do not permit automated access to the article dispensing machines.

Method used

the structure of the environmentally friendly knitted fabric provided by the present invention; figure 2 Flow chart of the yarn wrapping machine for environmentally friendly knitted fabrics and storage devices; image 3 Is the parameter map of the yarn covering machine
View more

Image

Smart Image Click on the blue labels to locate them in the text.
Viewing Examples
Smart Image
  • System and method for communicating vending information
  • System and method for communicating vending information
  • System and method for communicating vending information

Examples

Experimental program
Comparison scheme
Effect test

Embodiment Construction

[0108] While this invention is susceptible of embodiments in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail preferred embodiments of the invention with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the broad aspect of the invention to the embodiments illustrated.

[0109]FIGS. 1-5 illustrate an article dispensing machine generally designated 30. Article dispensing machine 30 is one of a plurality of article dispensing machines included within an article distribution system having a plurality of such machines situated at a plurality of hosting locations. The article dispensing machines of a particular article distribution system preferably form a network. As such, those machines are preferably in electrical communication with each other and with a central office from which inventory decisions can be made.

[0110] In a preferred applicatio...

the structure of the environmentally friendly knitted fabric provided by the present invention; figure 2 Flow chart of the yarn wrapping machine for environmentally friendly knitted fabrics and storage devices; image 3 Is the parameter map of the yarn covering machine
Login to view more

PUM

No PUM Login to view more

Abstract

A system and method for communicating vending information for a digital video disc is provided. A plurality of vending transaction data is received, wherein each of the plurality of data comprises a transaction timestamp and corresponds to a rental transaction for a digital video disc. The plurality of vending transaction data is stored in a memory of a vending apparatus, and is encrypted. It is determined whether a predetermined period of time has elapsed since a first transmission of transaction data from the vending apparatus, and a communication request is transmitted upon such determination to a remote control center. A signal is received at the vending apparatus from a control center in response to the communications request, and a plurality of vending transaction data is transmitted to the remote control center in response to receiving the signal.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60 / 674,011, filed Apr. 22, 2005, which is incorporated herein by reference. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 824,781, filed on Apr. 15, 2004, is also incorporated herein by reference.TECHNICAL FIELD [0002] The invention relates to a system and method for communicating vending information for a vendible media product having entertain content therein. More particularly, the present invention provides a method for receiving and storing a plurality of vending transaction data, receiving a communication from a remote control center and in response thereto transmitting the plurality of transaction data. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] While the present invention is often described herein with reference to a digital video disc distribution system, an application to which the present invention is advantageously suited, it will be readily apparent that the p...

Claims

the structure of the environmentally friendly knitted fabric provided by the present invention; figure 2 Flow chart of the yarn wrapping machine for environmentally friendly knitted fabrics and storage devices; image 3 Is the parameter map of the yarn covering machine
Login to view more

Application Information

Patent Timeline
no application Login to view more
Patent Type & Authority Applications(United States)
IPC IPC(8): A61F13/15
CPCG06Q10/06311G06F17/602G06Q20/18G06Q20/204G06Q20/387G06Q30/02G06Q30/0201G06Q30/06G07F7/069G07F9/026G07F9/10G07F11/00G07F11/002G07F11/04G07F11/165G07F11/26G07F11/48G07F11/50G07F11/54G07F17/0042G07F17/16G07F17/26G06Q10/087G06Q20/127G06Q30/0238G06Q30/0645G07F9/023G07F11/007G07F11/62G07F17/005G07F9/001G07F9/002G07F11/004
Inventor HOERSTEN, ERIC
Owner REDBOX AUTOMATED RETAIL
Who we serve
  • R&D Engineer
  • R&D Manager
  • IP Professional
Why Eureka
  • Industry Leading Data Capabilities
  • Powerful AI technology
  • Patent DNA Extraction
Social media
Try Eureka
PatSnap group products

Browse by: Latest US Patents, China's latest patents, Technical Efficacy Thesaurus, Application Domain, Technology Topic.

© 2024 PatSnap. All rights reserved.Legal|Privacy policy|Modern Slavery Act Transparency Statement|Sitemap