METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR PROVIDING PRODUCTS, SUCH AS DIGITAL CONTENT INCLUDING GAMES, RING TONES, AND/OR GRAPHICS; AND SERVICES, SUCH AS COMPUTER NETWORK SERVICE INCLUDING INTERNET SERVICE

• US 20150170124A1
• Filed: 02/23/2015
• Published: 06/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Coinstar Asset Holdings, LLC
• Original Assignee: Outerwall Inc.
• Inventors: Sorenson, Timothy N., Evans, Mark L.
• Application Number:
  US14/628,965
• Publication Number:
  US 20150170124A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: G06Q 20/381 Currency conversion
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 3/00 Sorting a mixed bulk of coins into denominations
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 3/10 provided by sieves arranged in series
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 3/128 Rotary devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 5/00 Testing specially adapted to determine the identity or genuineness of coins, e.g. for segregating coins which are unacceptable or alien to a currency
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 9/008 Feeding coins from bulk
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 1/00 Coin inlet arrangements; Coins specially adapted to operate coin-freed mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 1/04 Coin chutes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/00 Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/42 for ticket printing or like apparatus , e.g. apparatus for dispensing of printed paper tickets or payment cards
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/83 Notification aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/84 Types of notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/00 Prepayment of wireline communication systems, wireless communication systems or telephone systems using a coded card to authorise calls from a telephone set H04M1/675
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/02 Coin-freed or check-freed systems , e.g. mobile- or card-operated phones, public telephones or booths
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/10 Account details or usage
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/20 : with provision for recharging the prepaid account or card, or for credit establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/22 : Bandwidth or usage-sensitve billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/81 : Notifying aspects, e.g. notifications or displays to the user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/8129 : Type of notification

Abstract

Methods and systems for exchanging various forms of value, including coins, paper currency, credit, and/or debit, for Internet service and digital content. Such digital content can include, for example, online games and content for mobile phones. In one embodiment, a value exchange machine includes a coin input region, a coin sorting/counting apparatus, a card reader, and a communications facility configured to communicate with a remote computer network. A user wishing to purchase Internet service, for example, can visit the value exchange machine, select the desired transaction, and pay for the Internet service with coins, paper currency, a credit card, a debit card, and/or bank account funds. After confirming payment, the value exchange machine can issue a code to the user, for example, on a card enabling the user to obtain the Internet service.

Claims

1-43. -43. (canceled)

44. A method for providing digital content for down-loading, the method comprising:

providing a kiosk having;

a user interface; and

a funds input portion;

displaying a plurality of types of digital content for down-loading;

receiving a selection of at least one of the displayed types of digital content from a user via the user interface;

receiving funds from the user via the funds input portion to purchase the selected digital content

at least partially in response to receiving the funds from the user, communicating with a digital content provider to enable the purchase of the selected digital content, wherein the digital content provider is remote from the kiosk;

in response to receiving confirmation from the digital content provider that the purchase of the selected digital content has been enabled, providing the user with a unique code;

receiving the unique code from the user via a computer separate from the kiosk; and

at least partially in response to receiving the unique code, down-loading the selected digital content from the digital content provider to the computer separate from the kiosk.

45. The method of claim 44 wherein providing a kiosk having a funds input portion includes providing a kiosk having a coin-receiving region, and wherein receiving funds from the user via the funds input portion includes receiving a plurality of randomly oriented coins of arbitrary denomination in the coin-receiving region of the kiosk.

46. The method of claim 44 wherein providing a kiosk having a funds input portion includes providing a kiosk having a card reader, and wherein receiving funds from the user via the funds input portion includes reading information off of a magnetic strip on a card swiped through the card reader by the user.

47. The method of claim 44 wherein providing a kiosk having a funds input portion includes providing a kiosk having a bill acceptor, and wherein receiving funds from the user via the funds input portion includes receiving at least one bill from the user via the bill acceptor.

48. The method of claim 44, further comprising receiving account information from the user, wherein the account information identifies an account of the user related to the purchase of the digital content.

49. The method of claim 44 wherein providing the user with means to obtain digital content includes providing the user with means to obtain digital content for use with a telephone.

50. The method of claim 44 wherein providing the user with means to obtain digital content includes providing the user with means to obtain at least one of ring tones and voice-mail greetings for use with a telephone.

51. The method of claim 44 wherein providing the user with means to obtain digital content includes providing the user with means to obtain picture messages for use with a telephone.

52. The method of claim 44 wherein providing the user with means to obtain digital content includes providing the user with means to obtain digital content via the Internet.

53. The method of claim 44 wherein providing the user with means to obtain digital content includes providing the user with a code for obtaining digital content via the Internet.

54. The method of claim 44 wherein providing the user with means to obtain digital content includes providing the user with a wallet-sized card including a code for obtaining digital content via the Internet.

55. The method of claim 44 wherein providing the user with means to obtain digital content includes providing the user with a code for obtaining access to games via the Internet.