AUTOMATED BUSINESS SYSTEM AND METHOD OF VENDING AND RETURNING A CONSUMER PRODUCT

• US 20070169132A1
• Filed: 03/15/2007
• Published: 07/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: NCR Corporation (NCR Voyix Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Touch Automation, LLC (NCR Voyix Corporation)
• Inventors: Blust, Donald, Driscoll, Thomas
• Application Number:
  US11/686,862
• Publication Number:
  US 20070169132A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 720/600
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0645 Rental transactions; Leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/16 for devices exhibiting advertisements, announcements, pictures or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/305 for record players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/00 Mechanisms actuated by objects other than coins to free or to actuate vending, hiring, coin or paper currency dispensing or refunding apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/069 by box-like containers, e.g. videocassettes, books
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/002 Vending machines being part of a centrally controlled network of vending machines

Abstract

System and method of dispensing disc-based media and other consumer products. A user can interact with an automated business system to select disc-based media for rental and/or purchase. The automated business system can retrieve the selection from the interior of the automated business system and dispense the selection through a port to the user. The automated business system can retrieve the selection from the port in a return process.

Claims

1. A method of returning disc-based media to a disc-based media system, the method comprising:

inserting the disc-based media in a port of the disc-based media system without regard to orientation of the disc-based media.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising automatically detecting the presence of the disc-based media at the port.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising reading a RFID tag on the disc-based media.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising comparing the read information to a transaction database to verify that the correct disc-based media has been returned.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising printing a receipt upon request.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising retrieving the disc-based media from the port and positioning the disc-based media in a storage location.

7. A method of returning disc-based media to a disc-based media system, the method comprising:

placing the disc-based media in a receptacle in the disc-based media system; and

automatically recognizing the disc-based media in the receptacle.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising automatically detecting the presence of the disc-based media in the receptacle.

9. The method of claim 7 further comprising reading a RFID tag on the disc-based media.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising comparing the read information to a transaction database to verify that the correct disc-based media has been returned.

11. The method of claim 7 further comprising printing a receipt upon request.

12. The method of claim 7 further comprising retrieving the disc-based media from the receptacle and positioning the disc-based media in a storage location in the disc-based media system.

13. A method of adding disc-based media to a disc-based media system, the method comprising:

inserting the disc-based media in a receptacle in the disc-based media system;

automatically reading a radio frequency tag on the disc-based media; and

positioning the disc-based media in a storage position, the disc-based media available for selection by a user.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising downloading one of a sound file and a video file associated with the added disc-based media.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising accessing a remote server to download one of a sound file and a video file associated with the added disc-based media.