Method and machine for dispensing coupons

• US 5,039,848 A
• Filed: 03/23/1989
• Issued: 08/13/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Inter-Ego Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Audio-Visual Concepts Incorporated
• Inventors: Stoken, Raymond G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaver, Kevin P.
• Application Number:
  US07/328,046
• Time in Patent Office: 873 Days
• Field of Search: 194/216, 194/217, 194/218, 221/2, 221/3, 221/7, 221/8, 40/444, 40/550, 235/381, 235/380, 235/375, 235/383, 235/385, 235/487, 364/479
• US Class Current: 235/381
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/387 Payment using discounts or coupons relating to marketing G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 1/02 employing selectable printing plates

Abstract

A machine is for selectively dispensing a plurality of coupons including at least two different inscriptions thereon to be respectively redeemable for at least two different promotions or bargains. The machine includes a cabinet and a display area on the cabinet indicating the different bargains capable of being acquired by redemption of the respective coupons and a specific amount of money required to obtain each respective coupon. Selection buttons mounted on the cabinet are used to select a desired one of the different bargains and the respective coupon therefor. A coin slot and collection box in the cabinet are used to receive various amounts of money. The coupons are stored in the cabinet and are aligned with a coupon dispenser which is capable of dispensing each coupon to the exterior of the cabinet through a slot. A printed circuit board in the cabinet electrically coupled to all of the components includes control circuitry which is capable of determining that the desired one of the different bargains selected by the buttons and that the amount of money for the desired one of the different bargains as selected has been deposited in the coin slot and collection box. The control circuitry then causes the coupon dispenser to dispense the respective coupon for the desired one of the different bargains.

Claims

1. A machine for selectively producing and dispensing a desired one of at least two coupons respectively including at least two different inscriptions thereon to be respectively redeemable for at least two different bargains, said machine comprising:

a cabinet;

control means in said cabinet;

a video display screen on said cabinet;

said video display screen being controlled by said control means to display specific bargain information indicating said different bargains capable of being acquired by redemption of respective said coupons and a specific amount of currency required to obtain each of said respective coupons;

selection means mounted on said cabinet for selecting said desired one of said different bargains and said respective coupon therefor;

currency deposit means in said cabinet for receiving various amounts of said currency;

means for storing a supply of paper for forming said coupons in said cabinet;

coupon dispensing means mounted in said cabinet in alignment with said supply of said paper stored therein and capable of dispensing each of said coupons to an exterior of said cabinet after production thereof;

said control means being capable of determining said desired one of said different bargains selected through said selection means and that said specific amount of said currency for said desired one of said different bargains as selected has been deposited in said currency deposit means and then causing said coupon dispensing means to dispense said respective coupon for said desired one of said different bargains;

said control means including means for altering said different bargains and said respective coupons therefor which are capable of being produced and dispensed by said machine;

said coupon dispensing means including printing means operated by said control means to selectively print on said supply of said paper for forming each of said respective coupons with a respective one of said different inscriptions for said coupons;

said printing means for printing said respective one of said different inscriptions selected through said selection means; and

said control means including selectable means for causing said printing means to print standard information independent of said bargain information as indicated on said video display screen on each said coupon being produced by and dispensed from said machine, whereby said desired one of said at least two coupons is only produced and dispensed by said machine after said selecting with said selection means and said printing by said printing means.

2. The machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein said means for altering said different bargains includes independent means for altering said specific amount of said currency required for each said respective coupon.

3. The machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein said supply of paper includes portions of a surface thereof which are pre-printed to include said portions in identical form for all said coupons.

4. The machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein said standard information includes time information and said control means includes timing means to cause said printing means to print said time information on each said coupon produced by and dispensed from said machine.

5. The machine as set forth in claim 1, further including additional display means on said cabinet independent of said video display screen and additional control means in said cabinet for selective alteration of additional information to be seen on said additional display means, wherein said additional display means is disposed at a top region of said cabinet for being seen from a distance remote from said cabinet;

said additional display means includes said additional information being provided in a sequential form; and

said additional display means includes said additional information in said sequential form independently of said selection means, said currency deposit means and said coupon dispensing means.

6. The machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein said specific bargain information displayed by said video display screen is different from said respective one of said different inscriptions and said standard information which are printed by said printing means.

7. The machine as set forth in claim 6, wherein said specific bargain information includes a simultaneous display of said different bargains on said video display screen.

8. A method of selectively producing and dispensing a desired one of at least two coupons respectively including at least two different inscriptions thereon to be respectively redeemable for at least two different bargains, which said method comprises the steps of:

displaying bargain information on a video display screen including an indication of said different bargains and each respective said coupon thereof;

selecting said desired one of said respective coupons;

printing at least a corresponding inscription of said different inscriptions on said selected one of said respective coupons;

said printing including standard inscription on all said coupons which said standard inscription is in addition to said corresponding inscription and independent of said displaying of said bargain information on said video display screen.

said printing of said corresponding inscription and said standard inscription being performed after said selecting;

dispensing said desired one of said respective coupons with said corresponding inscription thereon after said printing said at least said corresponding inscription and said standard inscription; and

said displaying and said printing being performed by selective programming means for establishing of each of said different bargains for which said respective coupons can be redeemed.

9. The method of selectively producing and dispensing said selected one of said respective coupons as recited in claim 8, wherein said step of displaying also includes an indication of an amount of currency required for said selected one of said respective coupons and said step of selecting includes depositing said amount of currency in said machine.

10. The method of selectively producing and dispensing said selected one of said respective coupons as recited in claim 8, including the step of selective programming said selective programming means for establishing said standard inscription for said step of printing.

11. The method of selectively producing and dispensing said selected one of said respective coupons as recited in claim 8, including the step of additional displaying of additional information regarding said bargains which said additional information is unaltered by and independent of said displaying, said selecting, said printing, and said dispensing.

12. The method of selectively producing and dispensing said selected one of said respective coupons as recited in claim 11, including the step of selectively altering said additional information for said additional displaying.

13. The method of selectively producing and dispensing said selected one of said respective coupons as recited in claim 8, including the step of selectively altering said displaying and said printing through said selective programming means for altering said different bargains.

14. A machine for selectively producing and dispensing a desired one of at least two coupons respectively including at least two different inscriptions thereon to be respectively redeemable for at least two different bargains, said machine comprising:

a cabinet;

control means in said cabinet;

a video display screen on said cabinet controlled by said control means to display bargain information about said different bargains capable of being acquired by redemption of respective said coupons;

selection means mounted on said cabinet for selecting said desired one of said different bargains and said respective coupon therefor;

means for storing a supply of paper in said cabinet;

coupon dispensing means mounted in said cabinet in alignment with said supply of said paper and capable of dispensing each of said coupons after said producing thereof to an exterior of said cabinet;

control means in said cabinet capable of determining said desired one of said different bargains selected through said selection means and then causing said coupon dispensing means to dispense said respective coupon for said desired one of said different bargains;

said coupon dispensing means including printing means operated by said control means to selectively print on said paper of said supply each of said respective coupons with a selected one of said different inscriptions for said desired one of said respective coupons corresponding with said desired one of said bargains selected through said selection means;

said control means including selectable means for causing said printing means to print standard information on each of said respective coupon being produced by and dispensed from said machine; and

said standard information being different from and independent of said bargain information displayed on said video display screen.

15. The machine as set forth in claim 14, wherein said control means includes means for altering said different bargains and said respective coupons therefor which are capable of being produced by and dispensed from said machine.

16. The machine as set forth in claim 14, wherein said paper includes pre-printed information thereon and said pre-printed information is included on said each of said respective coupons produced by and dispensed from said machine.

17. The machine as set forth in claim 14, wherein said video display screen displays a specific amount of currency required to obtain each of said respective coupons, said selection means includes currency deposit means for receiving various amounts of said currency, and said control means is capable of determining that said specific amount of said currency for said desired one of said different bargains as selected has been deposited in said currency deposit means prior to said producing and said dispensing of said respective coupon.

18. The machine as set forth in claim 14, further including additional display means on said cabinet independent of said video display screen and additional control means in said cabinet for selective alteration of additional information to be displayed on said additional display means, wherein said additional information is displayed on said additional display means independently of said selection means and said coupon dispensing means.