Rental system, machine and method for providing rental items

• US 20010041987A1
• Filed: 04/30/2001
• Published: 11/15/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Casio Computer Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Casio Computer Company Limited
• Inventors: Ichikawa, Kenzo
• Granted Patent: US 6,644,455 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0042 for hiring of objects
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/02 for optical devices, e.g. telescopes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00278 with a printing apparatus, e.g. a laser beam printer

Abstract

A rental system contains a plurality of rental digital cameras, and comprises a rental-item providing machine which provides users with digital cameras, respectively, and a management center which manages the digital cameras. The rental-item providing machine makes a credit inquiry about the users. The rental-item providing machine provides the users with the respective digital cameras, in accordance with a result of the credit inquiry. The rental-item providing machine sends identification information for identifying each of the contained digital cameras, to the management center. The management center manages the digital cameras, using the identification information sent from the rental-item providing machine.

Claims

1. A rental system comprising:

a rental-item providing machine which contains at least one rental item, and provides the at least one rental item to a user; and

a management device which manages the at least one rental item, and

wherein said rental-item providing machine includes

a container which contains the at least one rental item,

an identification section which is installed in said container and identifies the at least one rental item contained inside said container,

a first transmitter which transmits identification information representing the at least one rental item identified by said identification section to said management device, and

said management device manages the at least one rental item, using the identification information sent from said first transmitter.

2. The rental system according to

claim 1

, wherein said rental-item providing machine includes:

a first determiner which makes a credit inquiry about the user, thereby to determine whether to rent the at least one rental item to the user; and

an opener which provides the user with the at least one rental item by opening said container, in a case where said first determiner determines to rent the at least one rental item to the user.

3. The rental system according to

claim 2

, wherein said rental-item providing machine includes:

a memory which stores rental information representing the at least one rental item rented to the user and the user in association with each other;

a second determiner which determines whether the at least one rental item rented to a user is same as a rental item returned by the user, based on the rental information stored in said memory; and

a requesting device which requests the user to return the rented at least one rental item, in a case where said second determiner determines that the returned rental item is not the same as the at least one rental item rented to the user.

4. The rental system according to

claim 3

, further comprising an inquiry center which makes a credit inquiry about a user, and

wherein said first determiner includes

a card reader which reads out personal information of the user from a card possessed by the user, and

a second transmitter which sends the personal information read by said card reader to said inquiry center, thereby to make a credit inquiry about the user.

5. The rental system according to

claim 4

, wherein said management device includes a position detector which detects a position of the at least one rental item rented to the user.

6. The rental system according to

claim 5

, wherein said management device includes:

a third determiner which determines whether the at least one rental item is position outside a predetermined area, based on a detection result of said position detector; and

a warning transmitter which transmits a warning toward the user to which the at least one rental item is rented, in a case where said third determiner determines that the at least one rental item is positioned outside the predetermined area.

7. The rental system according to

claim 4

, wherein:

the at least one rental item is a digital camera; and

said rental-item providing machine includes a printer which prints an image photographed by the digital camera.

8. The rental system according to

claim 7

, wherein:

the digital camera includes a third transmitter which sends image data representing the photographed image;

said rental-item providing machine includes a first receiver which receives the image data sent by said third transmitter; and

said printer prints an image, using the image data received by said first receiver.

9. The rental system according to

claim 8

, wherein:

the digital camera is connectable to a cellular phone; and

said third transmitter transmits image data through said cellular phone connected to the digital camera.

10. The rental system according to

claim 9

, wherein:

said rental-item providing machine includes a plurality of rental-item providing machines within a predetermined area, and

said management device includes

a position detector which detects a position of the at least one rental item which is rented to a user,

a fourth determiner which determines said rental-item providing machine to which the user returns the digital camera, based on a detection result of said position detector, and

a controller which controls said rental-item providing machine, which is one determined by said fourth determiner, to prepare for printing an image photographed by the digital camera.

11. The rental system according to

claim 1

, wherein:

said management device includes

a fifth determiner which determines whether to add a user in a user registration list, by making a credit inquiry about the user, and

a register which registers the user in the user registration list, in-a case where said fifth determiner determines to add the user in the user registration list; and

said rental-item providing machine includes

a sixth determiner which determines whether said register registers the user to be provided with the at least one rental item in the user registration list, and

an opener which opens said container so as to provide the at least one rental item to the user, in a case where said sixth determiner determines that said register registers the user.

12. The rental system according to

claim 11

, wherein said rental-item providing machine includes:

a memory which stores rental information representing a user and at least one rental item rented to the user in association with each other;

a seventh determiner which determines, based on the rental information stored in said memory, whether a rental item returned by a user is same as the at least one rental item rented to the user; and

a requester which requests the user to return the at least one rental item rented to the user, in a case where said seventh determiner determines that the returned rental item is not same as the at least one rental item rented to the user.

13. The rental system according to

claim 12

, further comprising an inquiry center which makes a credit inquiry about a user, and

wherein said fifth determiner includes

a card reader which reads out personal information of the user from a card which is held by the user, and

a fourth transmitter which makes a credit inquiry about the user, by transmitting the personal information read out by said card reader to said inquiry center.

14. The rental system according to

claim 13

, wherein said management device includes a position detector which detects a position of the at least one rental item rented to the user.

15. The rental system according to

claim 14

, wherein said management device includes:

an eighth determiner which determines whether the at least one rental item is positioned outside a predetermined area, based on a detection result of said position detector; and

a warning transmitter which transmits a warning toward a user to which the at least one rental item is rented, in a case where said eighth determiner determines that the at least one rental item is positioned outside the predetermined area.

16. The rental system according to

claim 13

, wherein:

the at least one rental item is a digital camera; and

said rental-item providing machine includes a printer which prints an image photographed by the digital camera.

17. The rental system according to

claim 16

, wherein:

the digital camera includes a fifth transmitter which transmits image data representing an image photographed by the digital camera;

said rental-item providing machine includes a second receiver which receives the image data transmitted by said fifth transmitter; and

said printer prints an image using the image data received by said second receiver.

18. A rental-item providing machine comprising:

a container which contains at least one rental item;

a first determiner which determines whether to provide a user with the at least one rental item, by making a credit inquiry about the user; and

an opener which opens said container so as to provide the user with the at least one rental item, in a case where said first determiner determines to provide the user with the at least one rental item.

19. The rental-item providing machine according to

claim 18

, further comprising:

a memory which stores rental information representing a user and a rental item rented to the user in association with each other;

a second determiner which determines, based on the rental information stored in said memory, whether a rental item returned by a user is same as a rental item rented to the user; and

a requester which requests the user to return the rented rental item, in a case where said second determiner determines that the returned rental item is not same as the rental item rented to the user.

20. The rental-item providing machine according to

claim 19

, wherein said first determiner includes:

a card reader which reads out personal information of the user from a card which is held by the user; and

a first transmitter which transmits the personal information read out by said card reader to a predetermined credit inquiry center, thereby to make a credit inquiry about the user.

21. The rental-item providing machine according to

claim 20

, further comprising a checker which checks a fundamental function of the returned rental item.

22. The rental-item providing machine according to

claim 21

, wherein:

the rental item is a digital camera; and

said rental-item providing machine further includes a printer which prints an image photographed by the digital camera.

23. The rental-item providing machine according to

claim 22

, wherein:

said digital camera includes a second transmitter which transmits image data of the photographed image;

said rental-item providing machine includes a receiver which receives the image data transmitted by said second transmitter; and

said printer prints an image using the image data received by said receiver.

24. A method for providing a rental item, comprising the steps of:

determining whether to provide a user with a rental item, by making a credit inquiry about the user to which the rental item is rented; and

providing the user with the rental item, by opening a container which contains the rental item, in a case where it is determined to provide the user with the rental item.

25. The method according to

claim 24

, further comprising the steps of:

storing rental information representing a user and a rental item rented to the user in association with each other;

determining, based on the rental information, whether a rental item returned by a user is same as a rental item rented to the user; and

requesting the user to return the rented rental item, in a case where it is determined that the returned rental item is not same as the rented rental item.

26. A rental system comprising:

a management device which is used by an operator, and determines whether to provide a user with a rental item; and

an inquiry center which makes a credit inquiry about a user who intends to rent a rental item, and

wherein said management device includes

a card reader which reads out personal information of the user from a card which is held by the user,

a first transmitter which transmits the personal information read out by said card reader to said inquiry center, thereby to make a credit inquiry about the user,

a determiner which determines whether to provide the user with the rental item, in accordance with a result of the credit inquiry made by said first transmitter, and

an instructor which instructs the operator to provide the user with the rental item, in a case where said determiner determined to provide the user with the rental item.

27. The rental system according to

claim 26

, wherein:

the rental item is a digital camera; and

said management device includes a printer which prints an image photographed by the digital camera.

28. The rental system according to

claim 27

, wherein:

the digital camera includes a second transmitter which transmits image data of the photographed image;

said management device includes a receiver which receives the image data transmitted by said second transmitter; and

said printer prints an image using the image data received by said receiver.