ACCESS MONITORING SYSTEMS FOR USE WITH CONSUMER-OPERATED KIOSKS AND OTHER ENCLOSURES

• US 20130063008A1
• Filed: 09/09/2011
• Published: 03/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Coinstar Asset Holdings, LLC
• Original Assignee: Outerwall Inc.
• Inventors: Martin, Douglas A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,482,413 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 312/237
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 96/00 Details of cabinets, racks or shelf units not covered by a single one of groups A47B43/00 - A47B95/00; General details of furniture doors E06B
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07749 the record carrier being capable of non-contact communication, e.g. constructional details of the antenna of a non-contact smart card
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0008 General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 3/14 Apparatus driven under control of coin-sensing elements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 1/046 with means for dealing with jamming, e.g. by bent wires
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/004 Restocking arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/001 Interfacing with vending machines using mobile or wearable devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/002 Vending machines being part of a centrally controlled network of vending machines
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/026 for alarm, monitoring and auditing in vending machines or means for indication, e.g. when empty
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/06 Coin boxes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

Systems and associated methods for monitoring and/or controlling access to interior portions of consumer-operated kiosks and other enclosures are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a consumer-operated kiosk includes an enclosure having a door movable between a closed position that prevents access to the enclosure and an open position that permits access to the enclosure. In this embodiment, an identifier, such as an RFID transponder or tag, is mounted to one of the enclosure or the door, and a reader, such as an RFID reader, is mounted to the other of the enclosure or the door. When the door is closed, the reader detects the identifier. Conversely, when the door moves away form the closed position, the reader ceases to detect the identifier and can generate/send a signal indicating that the door is open.

Claims

1. A consumer-operated kiosk, the kiosk comprising:

an enclosure;

an access structure coupled to the enclosure, wherein the access structure is movable between a first position preventing access to an interior portion of the enclosure and a second position permitting access to the interior portion of the enclosure;

an identifier mounted to one of the enclosure or the access structure;

a reader mounted to the other of the enclosure or the access structure, wherein the reader receives information from the identifier when the access structure is in the first position, and wherein the reader ceases to receive the information from the identifier when the access structure is in the second position;

a first computer operably connected to the reader; and

a clock operably connected to the first computer, wherein the reader is configured to transmit a first signal to the first computer when the access structure moves away from the first position toward the second position, wherein the reader is further configured to transmit a second signal to the first computer when the access structure moves back to the first position from the second position, wherein the first computer starts the clock and records a clock start time in response to receiving the first signal, wherein the first computer stops the clock in response to receiving the second signal, and wherein the first computer sends at least one of the clock start time and a clock stop time to a second computer located remotely from the kiosk.

2. The consumer-operated kiosk of claim 1, wherein the access structure is a door hingedly coupled to the enclosure, wherein the first position is a closed position in which the door is shut against the enclosure and the second position is an open position in which the door is rotated at least partially away from the enclosure.

3. The consumer-operated kiosk of claim 1, further comprising:

a coin counting apparatus positioned within the enclosure and configured to count consumer coins; and

a coin bin positioned within the enclosure and configured to receive coins counted by the coin counting apparatus, wherein the coin bin is accessible when the access structure is in the first position, and wherein the coin bin is inaccessible when the access structure is in the second position.

4. The consumer-operated kiosk of claim 1 wherein the identifier is operably positioned proximate the reader when the access structure is in the first position, and wherein the identifier is inoperably positioned away from the reader when the access structure is in the second position.

5. The consumer-operated kiosk of claim 1 wherein the reader wirelessly receives information from the identifier when the access structure is in the first position.

6. The consumer-operated kiosk of claim 1 wherein the reader wirelessly receives digital information from the identifier when the access structure is in the first position.

7. The consumer-operated kiosk of claim 1 wherein the identifier includes a radio receiver and a transmitter.

8. The consumer-operated kiosk of claim 1 wherein the identifier includes an RFID tag, and wherein the reader includes an RFID reader.

9. The consumer-operated kiosk of claim 1 wherein the identifier includes an RFID tag mounted to the access structure, wherein the reader includes an RFID reader mounted to the enclosure, wherein the RFID tag is operably positioned proximate the RFID reader when the access structure is in the first position, and wherein the RFID tag is inoperably positioned away from the RFID reader when the access structure is in the second position.

10. The consumer-operated kiosk of claim 9 wherein the RFID tag is positioned directly in front of the RFID reader when the access structure is in the first position.

25. The consumer-operated kiosk of claim 1 wherein the first computer also records a time interval between the clock start time and the clock stop time in response to receiving the second signal.

26. The consumer-operated kiosk of claim 1 wherein the second computer is located at a remote central facility for managing operations of a plurality of kiosks, and wherein the first computer sends the clock start time, the clock stop time, and a kiosk identifier to the second computer.

11. (canceled)

15. A method for monitoring access to a commercial enclosure, the commercial enclosure having a door movable between a closed position preventing access to an interior portion of the commercial enclosure and an open position permitting access to the interior portion of the commercial enclosure, the method comprising:

attaching an identification device to one of the enclosure or the door;

attaching a reading device to the other of the enclosure or the door;

when the door is in the closed position, detecting the identification device with the reading device, and communicating first information from the reading device to a processor, wherein the first information is associated with the door being in the closed position;

when the door is moved to the open position, communicating second information from the reading device to the processor, wherein the second information is associated with the door moving to the open position; and

in response to receiving the second information at the processor, recording a time associated with the door moving to the open position.

12. The method of claim 15 wherein detecting the identification device includes wirelessly detecting the identification device.

13. The method of claim 15 wherein attaching an identification device includes attaching an RFID tag, and wherein attaching a reading device includes attaching an RFID reader.

14. The method of claim 15 wherein attaching an identification device includes attaching an RFID tag to the door, and wherein attaching a reading device includes attaching an RFID reader to the enclosure.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

communicating the time from the processor to a computer located remotely from the commercial enclosure.

22. The method of claim 15 wherein the commercial enclosure houses a machine for providing a consumer service, and wherein the method further comprises temporarily disabling the machine from providing the consumer service in response to receiving the second information at the processor.

17. (canceled)

18. A method for monitoring access to a commercial enclosure, the commercial enclosure having a door movable between a closed position preventing access to an interior portion of the commercial enclosure and an open position permitting access to the interior portion of the commercial enclosure, the method comprising:

attaching an identification device to one of the enclosure or the door;

attaching a reading device to the other of the enclosure or the door;

when the door is in the closed position, detecting the identification device with the reading device, and communicating first information from the reading device to a processor, wherein the first information is associated with the door being in the closed position;

when the door is moved to the open position, communicating second information from the reading device to the processor, wherein the second information is associated with the door moving to the open position;

in response to receiving the second information at the processor, starting a clock;

in response to subsequently receiving the first information at the processor, stopping the clock; and

recording the time interval between the starting of the clock and the stopping of the clock.

19. A system for monitoring access to a consumer-operated kiosk in a network of consumer-operated kiosks, the kiosk having an enclosure and a door movable between a closed position preventing access to an interior portion of the enclosure and an open position permitting access to the interior portion of the enclosure, the system comprising:

means for generating a first wireless signal, wherein the means for generating are attached to one of the enclosure or the door;

means for responding to the first wireless signal by sending a second wireless signal back to the means for generating, wherein the means for responding are attached to the other of the enclosure or the door;

wherein when the door is in the closed position, the means for generating receives information from the means for responding, wherein the information is associated with the door being in the closed position;

wherein when the door is moved to the open position, the means for generating ceases to receive the information from the means for responding, wherein the failure to receive the information is associated with the door moving to the open position;

means for determining a door open time based on the information received by the means for generating from the means for responding;

means for associating the door open time with a kiosk identifier; and

means for sending the door open time and the kiosk identifier to a remote computer.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the means for generating include means for generating an electromagnetic field, and wherein the means for responding include means for responding to the electromagnetic field

21. The system of claim 19 wherein the means for generating include a radio frequency transceiver and the means for responding include a radio frequency transponder.

23. The system of claim 19, further comprising:

means for determining a door closed time based on the information received by the means for generating from the means for responding;

means for determining an amount of time the door was open based on the door open time and the door closed time; and

means for sending the door open time and the amount of time to the remote computer.

24. The system of claim 19, further comprising:

means for determining a door closed time based on the information received by the means for generating from the means for responding;

means for determining an amount of time the door was open based on the door open time and the door closed time;

means for determining a date based at least on the door open time; and

means for sending the date, the door open time and the amount of time to the remote computer.