Terminal for libraries and the like
First Claim
1. A library terminal comprising:
- an article receiving area arranged to receive an article;
a code reader arranged to read a code on the article when placed on the article receiving area; and
, a controller coupled to the code reader, wherein the controller is arranged to control the code reader so as to project a visible indicator onto the article receiving area and so as to change the visible indicator between first and second visible states, and wherein the controller is arranged to process a signal from the code reader corresponding to the code read by the code reader.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A library terminal permits a user to execute a loan transaction without assistance. The library terminal (i) provides a visible scan line from a bar code reader indicating the correct positioning of the bar code on a circulating item, (ii) leads a user through a loan transaction, (iii) provides an explicit feedback to a user when an article has an improper position on the article receiving area, (iv) both checks out and checks in circulating items, (v) stores fonts in bit maps of screen displays instead of in a separate font memory, (vi) integrates a security marker reader, a printer, and a controller in the same housing, (vii) processes financial transactions related to the borrowing of circulating items, and/or (viii) displays actions for helping the user to correct errors in use of the terminal.
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Citations
182 Claims
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1. A library terminal comprising:
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an article receiving area arranged to receive an article;
a code reader arranged to read a code on the article when placed on the article receiving area; and
,a controller coupled to the code reader, wherein the controller is arranged to control the code reader so as to project a visible indicator onto the article receiving area and so as to change the visible indicator between first and second visible states, and wherein the controller is arranged to process a signal from the code reader corresponding to the code read by the code reader. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A library terminal comprising:
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a display;
a transducer;
a code reader arranged to read a code on an article involved in a loan transaction; and
,a controller coupled to the display, the transducer, and the code reader, wherein the controller is arranged to control the code reader so to as read the code on the article, wherein the controller is arranged to control the display so as to lead a user through the loan transaction, and wherein the controller is arranged to control the transducer so as to provide an audible feedback having first and second on-states depending upon operation of the library terminal by the user. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A self-service library terminal comprising:
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an article receiving area arranged to receive an article;
a code reader arranged to read a code on the article when the article is placed on the article receiving area; and
,a controller coupled to the code reader, wherein the controller is arranged to process signals from the code reader and to provide an explicit feedback to a borrower when an article has an improper position on the article receiving area. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82)
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51. The self-service library terminal of claim So wherein the article of the first type has a first type code, wherein the article of the second type has a second type code, and wherein the controller is arranged to direct a user to place the article of the second type at the second article receiving area if the controller determines that the code reader reads the second type code when the article of the second type is at the first article receiving area.
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83. A method of preparing configuration data for multiple self-service library terminals and of storing the configuration data in data storage memories of the multiple self-service library terminals, wherein the multiple self-service library terminals are configured by the configuration data to interact with users during loan transactions, the method comprising the following steps:
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a) preparing the configuration data on an administration terminal; and
,b) transferring the configuration data from the administration terminal to the data storage memories of the multiple self-service library terminals. - View Dependent Claims (84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108)
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109. A library terminal comprising:
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a monitor;
a data storage memory storing screen displays, wherein the screen displays include fonts; and
,a controller, wherein the controller is arranged to control the display of the screen displays, including the fonts, on the monitor without performing font rendering from fonts stored separately from the screen displays. - View Dependent Claims (110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116)
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117. A library terminal comprising:
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a housing;
an item receiving area incorporated in the housing, wherein the item receiving area is arranged to receive a circulating item;
a video receiving area incorporated in the housing, wherein the video receiver area is arranged to receive a video;
a reader supported by the housing and arranged to read the circulating item and the video when the circulating item is placed in the item receiving area and when the video is placed in the video receiving area; and
,a controller, wherein the controller is contained with the housing, and wherein the controller is coupled to the reader. - View Dependent Claims (118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131)
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132. A self-service library terminal comprising:
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a reader arranged to read identifications on articles involved in library loan transactions; and
,a controller, wherein the controller is arranged to process signals from the reader corresponding to the identifications read by the reader, and wherein the controller is arranged to process financial credit transactions related to the library loan transactions and to remind a borrower of the borrower'"'"'s account status. - View Dependent Claims (133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138, 139, 140, 141, 142, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148, 149, 150, 151, 152)
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- 153. An arrangement comprising a self-service library terminal, a circulation system, and a communication link, wherein the communication link couples the self-service library terminal to the circulation system, wherein the self-service library terminal has a controller arranged to process a loan transaction of a borrower of a circulating item, wherein the controller stores the loan transaction during a period when the communication link between the self-service library terminal and the circulation system is down, and wherein the controller transfers the stored loan transaction from the self-service library terminal to the circulation system during a period when the communication link between the self-service library terminal and the circulation system is not down.
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155. A library terminal comprising:
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a card receiving area arranged to receive a library card;
a card reader arranged to read the library card when the library card is placed on the card receiving area; and
,a controller coupled to the card reader, wherein the controller is responsive to the card reader in order to determine incorrect library card placement on the card receiving area. - View Dependent Claims (156, 157, 158)
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159. A library terminal comprising:
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a circulating item receiving area arranged to receive a circulating item;
a scanner arranged to scan the circulating item when the circulating item is placed on the circulating item receiving area; and
,a controller coupled to the scanner, wherein the controller is responsive to the scanner in order to determine when the circulating item is in the circulating item receiving area but is not in a reference position. - View Dependent Claims (160, 161, 162, 163, 164, 165, 166, 167)
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168. A library terminal comprising:
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a first circulating item receiving area arranged to receive a first circulating item of a first type;
a first scanner arranged to read the first circulating item when the first circulating item is placed in the first circulating item receiving area;
a second circulating item receiving area arranged to receive a second circulating item of a second type, wherein the first and second types are different;
a second scanner arranged to read the second circulating item when the second circulating item is placed in the second circulating item receiving area; and
,a controller coupled to the first and second scanners, wherein the controller is responsive to the first scanner in order to determine when the second circulating item is placed on the first circulating item receiving area. - View Dependent Claims (169, 170, 171, 172, 173, 174, 175, 176)
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- 177. A self-service library terminal comprising a controller and a display, wherein the controller is arranged to detect an error state of the self-service library terminal and, while the self-service library terminal is in the error state, to notify a user through use of the display that the user may continue a transaction at the option of the user.
Specification