DVD KIOSKS

• US 20100127013A1
• Filed: 11/26/2008
• Published: 05/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Mediaport Entertainment, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Mediaport Entertainment, Inc.
• Inventors: Butler, Jon F.
• Application Number:
  US12/324,396
• Publication Number:
  US 20100127013A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 221/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/123 Shopping for digital content
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0014 for vending, access and use of specific services not covered anywhere else in G07F17/00 meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity G07F15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/16 for devices exhibiting advertisements, announcements, pictures or the like

Abstract

Distribution devices for creating and dispensing digital content to a user are described. The distribution devices (i.e., a kiosk) contain an apparatus for manufacturing and dispensing a desired medium (i.e., DVD) for any desired type of digital content or media (i.e., a movie or a song) on demand by a user. The distribution devices can be connected to any electronic communications network that allows that media to be downloaded to a specific distribution device, if needed. Thus, a user can select the media (i.e., a desired movie) that may not be currently available at that specific distribution device. That media can then be downloaded from the electronic communications network, the medium containing the media created, and then the medium dispensed to the customer. Thus, the customer'"'"'s selection of any desired media can be increased and costs for operating the distribution devices can be reduced. Other embodiments are described.

Claims

1. A distribution device for dispensing a DVD, comprising:

a connection to an electronic communications network for receiving digital content in an electronic format;

a device for converting the digital content from the electronic format onto a DVD; and

an opening for dispensing the DVD containing the digital content to a user.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the digital content comprises a movie or a video.

3. The device of claim 1, further comprising an input device allowing a user to select the desired content before it is converted.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the selection and the conversion occur on a substantially real time basis.

5. The device of claim 3, further comprising transferring the digital content to the device from another location in an electronic network after the user has made the selection.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the distribution device comprises a kiosk.

7. The device of claim 1, further comprising a device for detecting and discarding damaged DVDs.

8. A system for dispensing a DVD, comprising:

an electronic communications network containing a server; and

a kiosk containing;

a connection to the electronic communications network for receiving digital content in an electronic format;

a device for converting the digital content from the electronic format onto a DVD; and

an opening for dispensing the DVD containing the digital content to a user.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the digital content comprises a movie or a video.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the kiosk further comprises an input device allowing a user to select the desired content before it is converted.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the selection and the conversion occur on a substantially real time basis.

12. The system of claim 10, further comprising downloading the digital content to the kiosk from another location in the network after the user has made the selection.

13. The system of claim 8, the kiosk further comprising a device for detecting and discarding damaged DVDs.

14. A method for distributing DVDs to a user from a kiosk, the method comprising:

providing a kiosk containing a connection to an electronic communications network for receiving digital content in an electronic format, a device for converting the digital content from the electronic format onto a DVD, and an opening for dispensing the DVD containing the digital content to a user;

allowing a user to select any desired digital content;

converting the digital content from the electronic format onto the DVD; and

dispensing that DVD from the kiosk to the user.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the digital content comprises a movie or a video.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the selection and the conversion occur on a substantially real time basis.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising transferring the digital content to the kiosk from another location in the network after the user has made the selection.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the digital content already resides on the kiosk prior to selection.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising detecting and discarding damaged DVDs.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the user selects any desired digital content using the kiosk.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein the kiosk can detect the number of existing DVDs for any given digital content and convert that digital content from the electronic format onto the DVD prior to a user selecting that digital content.