Vending machine and method for marketing a computer readable work of art
First Claim
1. A method for promoting an artist, the method comprising the following steps:
- (a) receiving personal data entered into a vending machine at a point of sale, said personal data including details of a specific recipient to whom computer readable data produced in the guise of said artist is to be sent, and (b) using said personal data to format in real time a personalized computer readable message created in the guise of the artist and dedicated to the specific recipient so as to form a computer readable data string that may be dispensed by the vending machine without requiring real time interaction by the artist.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A vending machine for marketing a computer readable work of art stored on or in association therewith at a point of sale, wherein personal data relating to a specific recipient is received by the vending machine, which uses the personal data to format in real time a personalized computer readable message created by a sponsor dedicating the computer readable work of art to the specific recipient without requiring real time interaction by the sponsor. The sponsor may be the author of the work of art or a person who purchases the personalized work or art as a gift for the recipient. The personalized computer readable message is then merged with the computer readable work of art in real time so as to form a composite computer readable data string that may be dispensed by the vending machine. The composite computer readable data string may be copied to a portable data carrier for dispensing by the vending machine, or it may be communicated to the specified recipient electronically. If desired, the computer readable work of may be art stored on a server remote from the vending machine and the server may personalize the computer readable message.
11 Citations
49 Claims
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1. A method for promoting an artist, the method comprising the following steps:
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(a) receiving personal data entered into a vending machine at a point of sale, said personal data including details of a specific recipient to whom computer readable data produced in the guise of said artist is to be sent, and (b) using said personal data to format in real time a personalized computer readable message created in the guise of the artist and dedicated to the specific recipient so as to form a computer readable data string that may be dispensed by the vending machine without requiring real time interaction by the artist. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 25)
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14. A method for promoting an artist, the method comprising the following steps carried out by a vending machine at a point of sale:
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(a) receiving personal data including details relating to a specific recipient, (b) uploading the personal data to a server coupled to the vending machine, (c) receiving from the server in real time a computer readable data string including a personalized computer readable message created in the guise of the artists and being dedicated to the specific recipient without requiring real time interaction by the artist, and (d) supplying the computer readable data string to the specific recipient.
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15. A program storage device readable by machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for promoting an artist, the method comprising the following steps:
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(a) receiving personal data entered into a vending machine at a point of sale, said personal data including details of a specific recipient to whom computer readable data produced in the guise of said artist is to be sent, and (b) using said personal data to format in real time a personalized computer readable message created in the guise of the artist and dedicated to the specific recipient so as to form a computer readable data string that may be dispensed by the vending machine without requiring real time interaction by the artist. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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16. A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein for promoting an artist, the computer program product comprising:
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computer readable program code for causing the computer to receive personal data entered into a vending machine at a point of sale, said personal data including details of a specific recipient to whom computer readable data produced in the guise of said artist is to be sent, and computer readable program code for causing the computer to use said personal data to format in real time a personalized computer readable message created in the guise of the artist and dedicated to the specific recipient so as to form a computer readable data string that may be dispensed by the vending machine without requiring real time interaction by the artist.
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17. A vending machine for promoting an artist, the vending machine comprising:
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a user interface for receiving personal data including details relating to a specific recipient, and a message formatter for using said personal data to format in real time a personalized computer readable message created in the guise of the artist and being dedicated to the specific recipient so as to form a computer readable data string that may be dispensed by the vending machine without requiring real time interaction by the artist.
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26. A method for marketing a computer readable work of art stored on or in association with a vending machine at a point of sale, the method comprising the following steps:
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(a) receiving personal data including details relating to a specific recipient, (b) using said personal data to format in real time a personalized computer readable message created by a sponsor dedicating the computer readable work of art to the specific recipient without requiring real time interaction by the sponsor, and (c) merging the personalized computer readable message with the computer readable work of art in real time so as to form a composite computer readable data string that may be dispensed by the vending machine. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 49)
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40. A method for marketing a computer readable work of art stored on or in association with a vending machine at a point of sale, the method comprising the following steps carried out by the vending machine:
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(a) receiving personal data including details relating to a specific recipient, (b) uploading the personal data to a server coupled to the vending machine, (c) receiving from the server in real time a composite computer readable data string including a personalized computer readable message created by a sponsor dedicating the computer readable work of art to the specific recipient and being merged with the work of art without requiring real time interaction by the sponsor, and (d) supplying the composite computer readable data string to the specific recipient.
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41. A program storage device readable by machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for marketing a computer readable work of art stored on or in association with a vending machine at a point of sale, the method comprising the following steps:
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(a) receiving personal data including details relating to the specific recipient, (b) using said personal data to format in real time a personalized computer readable message created by a sponsor dedicating the computer readable work of art to the specific recipient without requiring real time interaction by the sponsor, and (c) merging the personalized computer readable message with the computer readable work of art in real time so as to form a composite computer readable data string that may be dispensed by the vending machine.
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42. A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein for marketing a computer readable work of art stored on or in association with a vending machine at a point of sale, the computer program product comprising:
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computer readable program code for causing the computer to receive personal data including details relating to the specific recipient, computer readable program code for causing the computer to use said personal data to format in real time a personalized computer readable message created by a sponsor dedicating the computer readable work of art to the specific recipient without requiring real time interaction by the sponsor, and computer readable program code for causing the computer to merge the personalized computer readable message with the computer readable work of art in real time so as to form a composite computer readable data string that may be dispensed by the vending machine.
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43. A vending machine for marketing a computer readable work of art, the vending machine comprising:
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a user interface for receiving personal data including details relating to a specific recipient, a message formatter for using said personal data to format in real time a personalized computer readable message created by a sponsor dedicating the computer readable work of art to the specific recipient without requiring real time interaction by the sponsor, and a merging unit coupled to the message formatter for merging the personalized computer readable message with the computer readable work of art in real time so as to form a composite computer readable data string that may be dispensed by the vending machine. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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Specification