ACCESS MONITORING SYSTEMS FOR USE WITH CONSUMER-OPERATED KIOSKS AND OTHER ENCLOSURES
16 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
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.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1-11. -11. (canceled)
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17. (canceled)
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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:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 22, 23, 24)
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19-21. -21. (canceled)
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25. A method for monitoring access to a consumer-operated kiosk, 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 method comprising:
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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 sending at least one of the clock start time and a clock stop time to a computer located remotely from the kiosk. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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Specification