Intelligent manager for automatically handling and managing media
First Claim
1. An apparatus for managing media and media transactions comprising:
- a storage compartment for housing a plurality of media;
at least one dispensing component for dispensing at least one medium of the plurality of media;
at least one receiving component for receiving at least one medium of the plurality of media;
an internal controller for executing program code stored in at least one memory, wherein the program code instructs the controller to;
house the plurality of media in an apparatus;
identify the at least one medium;
authenticate the at least one medium;
retrieve the at least one medium;
dispense the at least one medium;
accept the at least one medium from outside said apparatus; and
rehouse the at least one medium.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system for managing a plurality of media includes an apparatus that houses a subset of the plurality. The apparatus may dispense media, either in raw or packaged form, and may receive media in response to customer requests and transactions, by identifying and authenticating customers and media. The apparatus may be configured to operate alone or the apparatus may interface with a host circulation system and may connect to customer and media databases within the host circulation system to manage a plurality of media greater than the subset physically housed within. Additionally, the apparatus may be used as a self check-out station for items that are not housed within. The system maintains a transactional log and may provide a transactional receipt to each customer as well as accept payment as part of a customer transaction. Additionally, the system may include a remote servicing system to maintain the apparatus.
80 Citations
62 Claims
-
1. An apparatus for managing media and media transactions comprising:
-
a storage compartment for housing a plurality of media;
at least one dispensing component for dispensing at least one medium of the plurality of media;
at least one receiving component for receiving at least one medium of the plurality of media;
an internal controller for executing program code stored in at least one memory, wherein the program code instructs the controller to;
house the plurality of media in an apparatus;
identify the at least one medium;
authenticate the at least one medium;
retrieve the at least one medium;
dispense the at least one medium;
accept the at least one medium from outside said apparatus; and
rehouse the at least one medium. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-
-
20. A method of managing media and media transactions comprising the steps of:
-
housing a plurality of media in an apparatus;
identifying the at least one medium;
authenticating the at least one medium;
retrieving the at least one medium;
dispensing the at least one medium;
accepting the at least one medium from outside said apparatus; and
rehousing the at least one medium. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52)
-
-
53. A method of managing media and media transactions comprising the steps of:
-
housing a plurality of media in an apparatus;
receiving a request for at least one medium of the plurality of media;
receiving a first set of instructions from an external system regarding the at least one medium;
dispensing the at least one medium in response to the first set of instructions;
accepting the at least one medium from outside said apparatus;
receiving a second set of instructions from the external system regarding the at least one medium; and
rehousing the at least one medium in response to the second set of instructions.
-
-
54. A method for managing media and media transactions comprising the steps of:
-
housing a plurality of media in an apparatus;
identifying the at least one medium;
retrieving the at least one medium; and
dispensing the at least one medium in response to the first set of instructions.
-
-
55. A method for managing media and media transactions comprising the steps of:
-
accepting the at least one medium from outside said apparatus;
identifying the at least one medium;
authenticating the at least one medium; and
rehousing the at least one medium in response to the second set of instructions.
-
-
56. An apparatus for managing media and media transactions comprising:
-
a storage compartment for housing a plurality of media;
at least one dispensing component for dispensing at least one medium of the plurality of media;
at least one receiving component for receiving at least one medium of the plurality of media;
an internal controller for executing program code stored in at least one memory, wherein the program code instructs the controller to;
house a plurality of media in an apparatus;
identify the at least one medium;
retrieve the at least one medium; and
dispense the at least one medium.
-
-
57. An apparatus for managing media and media transactions comprising:
-
a storage compartment for housing a plurality of media;
at least one dispensing component for dispensing at least one medium of the plurality of media;
at least one receiving component for receiving at least one medium of the plurality of media;
an internal controller for executing program code stored in at least one memory, wherein the program code instructs the controller to;
accept the at least one medium from outside said apparatus;
identify the at least one medium;
authenticate the at least one medium; and
rehouse the at least one medium.
-
-
58. An apparatus for managing media and media transactions comprising:
-
a connection to a central media-housing apparatus, wherein the central media-housing apparatus houses a plurality of media, wherein the connection provides for transporting at least one medium of the plurality of media between the apparatus and the central media-housing apparatus;
at least one dispensing component for dispensing the at least one medium;
at least one receiving component for receiving at least one medium;
an internal controller for executing program code stored in at least one memory, wherein the program code instructs the controller to;
identify the at least one medium;
authenticate the at least one medium;
retrieve the at least one medium from the central media-housing apparatus;
dispense the at least one medium;
accept the at least one medium from outside said apparatus; and
return the at least one medium to the central media-housing apparatus.
-
-
59. A system for managing media and media transactions comprising:
-
at least one apparatus, wherein the apparatus houses a plurality of media and further comprises;
an internal customer database; and
an internal media database;
an internal controller for executing program code stored in at least one memory, wherein the program code instructs the controller to;
house a plurality of media in an apparatus;
identify the at least one medium;
authenticate the at least one medium;
retrieve the at least one medium;
dispense the at least one medium;
accept the at least one medium from outside said apparatus; and
rehouse the at least one medium;
a host circulation system connected to the at least one apparatus; and
a remote maintenance system connected to the at least one apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (60, 61, 62)
-
Specification