Vending Machine For Rental Services

• US 20120248183A1
• Filed: 03/31/2011
• Published: 10/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Cook, James Allen
• Original Assignee: Cook, James Allen
• Inventors: Cook, James Allen
• Application Number:
  US13/077,089
• Publication Number:
  US 20120248183A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/381
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0042 for hiring of objects

Abstract

System for renting a cellphone, ipad or other electronic device for temporary use. Plurality of cellphones, ipads or other electronic devices are categorized and barcoded. A vending machine that receives a credit card information and request to rent one of the cellphones/ipads or other electronic devices from a user, releases the cellphone/ipad or other electronic device to a bar code reader which send the barcode information to a central processing unit that creates a user account and associates it with the credit card information and initiates timer. The timer is stopped when the same barcode is received by the processing unit and the user account is retrieved, then the credit card is charged with a calculated usage by the central processing unit. A rented cellphone, ipad or other electronic device may be authorized to access a remote central server for multimedia content.

Claims

1. A vending machine for renting multimedia electronic devices, comprising:

a plurality of bar coded electronic devices which are stored according to their categories;

a barcode reader;

a credit card reader;

a user display;

a two way conveyor system; and

a computer system;

wherein said computer system is electronically connected with each functional component, and after receiving a barcode reading from said barcode reader reading of one of said electronic devices, creates a user account using said barcode as identifier, associates a credit card information sent by said credit card reader with the barcode and initiates a timer.

2. The vending machine of claim 1, wherein said computer system searches for a user account using said barcode, and once retrieving said user account, stops said timer, calculates a usage and monetary charge amount, charges said monetary amount to said credit card.

3. The vending machine of claim 1, wherein electronic devices are categorized according to their pre-installed multimedia content.

4. The vending machine of claim 1, wherein at least one of said electronic devices is a cellphone.

5. The vending machine of claim 1, wherein at least one of said electronic devices is an ipad or other electronic device

6. The vending machine of claim 1, wherein said computer system is electronically connected to a central server system via the internet.

7. The vending machine of claim 1, wherein a rented electronic device is allowed to access a central server system for multimedia content.