System and method for renting or purchasing digital media
First Claim
1. A method for providing a rented video on an optically readable medium, the method comprising:
- receiving a request for the rented video;
at a point of sale, writing video content on the optically readable medium;
at the point of sale, treating the optically readable medium with an opaquing layer, the opaquing layer designed to render the optically readable medium unreadable after a period of time; and
at the point of sale, providing the rented video on the optically readable medium to a customer.
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Abstract
A system and method for allowing a customer to rent or purchase a video on an optically readable medium is disclosed. In a preferred embodiment, the invention consists of a kiosk at which a customer makes a video selection and the video is written to the optically readable medium, such as a DVD, within the kiosk. By applying an opaquing layer that becomes opaque with exposure to light and/or air or due to the passage of time, the rented video becomes unreadable and the customer need not return the rented video to a video rental store. Because the video kiosk writes the video content to the DVD, the video kiosk is only limited to the number of stored blank DVDs rather than a fixed number of copies of a video as is a video rental store.
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Citations
39 Claims
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1. A method for providing a rented video on an optically readable medium, the method comprising:
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receiving a request for the rented video;
at a point of sale, writing video content on the optically readable medium;
at the point of sale, treating the optically readable medium with an opaquing layer, the opaquing layer designed to render the optically readable medium unreadable after a period of time; and
at the point of sale, providing the rented video on the optically readable medium to a customer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An apparatus for providing a rented video on an optically readable medium, the apparatus comprising:
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an electronic device to receive a request for the rented video;
an optically readable medium writer coupled to the electronic device, the optically readable medium writer for writing video content on the optically readable medium;
a coater coupled to receive the optically readable medium from the optically readable medium writer and to treat the optically readable medium with an opaquing layer, the opaquing layer designed to render the optically readable medium unreadable after a period of time;
a dispenser disposed to receive the optically readable medium with the opaquing layer, the dispenser providing the rented video on the optically readable medium to a customer; and
an input device for receiving information from the customer, wherein the dispenser provides the optically readable medium to the customer only upon authentication of the received information. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method for allowing a customer to either purchase or rent a video on an optically readable medium, the method comprising:
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receiving a request for the video;
receiving payment information;
at a point of sale, writing video content on the optically readable medium;
at the point of sale, writing sales information on the optically readable medium; and
at the point of sale, providing the video on the optically readable medium to the customer. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A method of providing digital content to a customer, the method comprising:
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receiving a request from the customer, the request including an indication of digital content and a point of sale;
receiving payment information;
at the point of sale, writing digital content on a readable medium;
at the point of sale, writing sales information on the medium, the sales information including timing information corresponding to the time and date of providing the digital content on the medium to the customer, the sales information also including the payment information;
at the point of sale, providing the medium to the customer;
receiving the medium from the customer; and
providing the customer with a payment credit, the payment credit being determined at least in part by the sales information. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35)
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36. An apparatus allowing a customer to either purchase or rent a video on an optically readable medium, the apparatus comprising:
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a housing;
means for receiving a request for the video, the means for receiving a request disposed within the housing;
means for receiving payment information, the means for receiving payment information disposed within the housing;
means for writing video content on the optically readable medium, the means for writing video content disposed within the housing;
means for writing sales information on the optically readable medium, the means for writing sales information disposed within the housing; and
means for providing the video on the optically readable medium to the customer, the means for providing disposed within the housing. - View Dependent Claims (37)
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38. A method for allowing a customer to either purchase or rent entertainment content on an optically readable medium, the method comprising:
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receiving a request for the entertainment content;
receiving payment information;
writing entertainment content on the optically readable medium at a point of sale;
writing time and date information on the optically readable medium at the point of sale;
providing the entertainment content on the optically readable medium to the customer at the point of sale; and
providing the customer with a partial payment credit if the customer returns the entertainment content on the optically readable medium to the point of sale. - View Dependent Claims (39)
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Specification