Coupon dispensing machine with feedback

• US 5,305,197 A
• Filed: 10/30/1992
• Issued: 04/19/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: IE&E Industries, Inc.
• Original Assignee: IE&E Industries, Inc.
• Inventors: Axler, Mark W., Zink, Donald J., Nansour, Anthony L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Envall, Jr., Roy N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TKACS, STEPHEN R
• Application Number:
  US07/969,022
• Time in Patent Office: 536 Days
• Field of Search: 40/447, 40/448, 40/541, 40/545, 40/611, 312/223.2, 312/223.3, 340/573, 364/400, 364/401, 364/479, 371/16.3, 371/16.5
• US Class Current: 705/14.4
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• 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: G07G 5/00 Receipt-giving machines cash registers giving receipts G07G1/00

Abstract

A system for printing consumer selected items includes a central computer, a display of various types of consumer items, a keyboard interfaced with the central computer to allow a consumer to select one of the displayed items, a printer enabling an item to be printed in response to the consumer selection, and a sensor interfaced with the central computer to sense the presence of a consumer in the vicinity of the system. The system further includes a memory which stores the types and amounts of consumer items ordered and further records the operation of the sensor to determine how often the consumer is in the vicinity of the system.

Claims

1. A system for printing consumer selected items comprising:

a central computer, a keyboard, a printer, a display of various items to be selected by a consumer, a sensor interfaced with said computer to sense the presence of a consumer in the vicinity of said system, and a consumer attractant system;

said computer interfaced to receive inputs from said keyboard, and causing particular consumer items to be printed by said printer in response to said keyboard signal, said keyboard being keyed to correspond to various items displayed on said display, said sensor sensing the presence of consumers in the immediate vicinity of said system, and said computer receiving signals from said sensor and controlling said consumer attractant system in response to said sensed presence of consumers in the immediate vicinity.

2. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein said sensor means the presence of a consumer by motion.

3. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein said consumer attractant system is a scroll sign which scrolls messages, and said scroll sign being changed from attractant to instructional messages when a consumer is sensed in the vicinity.

4. A system as recited in claim 3, wherein said consumer attractant system also includes audio signals.

5. A system as recited in claim 3, wherein an advertisement is positioned between frame members positioning said scroll sign above said printer and keyboard.

6. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein said display is a paper sign.

7. A system as recited in claim 6, wherein lights are positioned rearwardly of said paper sign to illuminate the items displayed on said paper sign.

8. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein a display cabinet houses the claimed members, and there is at least one advertisement mounted on said cabinet and secured by a lock screw.

9. A system for printing consumer selected items, comprising:

a central computer, a keyboard, a printer, a display of various items to be selected by a consumer, a sensor interfaced with said computer to sense the presence of a consumer in the vicinity of said system, a consumer attractant system;

said computer interfaced to receive inputs from said keyboard, and causing particular consumer items to be printed by said printer in response to said keyboard signal, said keyboard being keyed to correspond to various items displayed on said display for selection by the consumer, said sensors sensing the presence of consumers in the immediate vicinity of said system, and said computer receiving signals from said sensor and controlling said consumer attractant system in response to said sensed presence of consumers in the immediate vicinity; and

a memory which stores the types and amounts of consumer items selected, and further records the operation of the sensor to determine how often a consumer is in the vicinity of the system.

10. A system as recited in claim 9, wherein there is means to periodically change the displayed consumer items, and offload the stored data from the memory to a consumer operator.

11. A system as recited in claim 10, wherein the means to periodically change the displayed consumer items and offload the previously stored data from said memory includes a floppy disk which is periodically changed.

12. A system as recited in claim 9, wherein said computer is interfaced with a telephone line to transmit new information to the memory and offload the previously stored information.

13. A system as recited in claim 9, wherein a watchdog timer monitors various operation functions of the system, and resets the system should errors be detected, and the occurrence of a system error being stored in said memory.

14. A system as recited in claim 9, wherein a cabinet to enclose the claimed members includes at least a first door having a first lock and enclosing said computer, and a second door having a second lock and enclosing said printer.

15. A system as recited in claim 9, wherein a power test light is operating when the system is properly powered, and said power test light being visible through a slot formed in said first door.

16. A method for printing consumer selected items, comprising the steps of:

(A) displaying a plurality of consumer items which may be selected by a consumer;

(B) permitting the consumer to select one of the display items and input that selection to a computer;

(C) printing an item in response to a consumer selection;

(D) storing said consumer selection in a memory;

(E) changing the items to be displayed, offloading the previously stored information to a system operator;

(F) monitoring the proper operation of said system, storing said monitored operation in said memory; and

(G) monitoring the presence of consumers in the vicinity of said system, storing said monitored presence in said memory.

17. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein the actual display is a paper display that is changed when the displayed items in the memory is also changed.

18. A dispensing system for dispensing printed consumer items, comprising:

a cabinet;

a consumer display including a hard paper copy of a plurality of consumer items to be selected, a light source positioned behind said display to illuminate said display;

a consumer keypad input with numbers, keyed to particular consumer items, displayed on said display, a central processing unit receiving signals from said keypad and printing selected consumer items on a printer mounted within said cabinet, a floppy disk drive for sending data relative to the consumer items displayed to said computer; and

a scroll sign for sending messages to consumers, said scroll sign being positioned vertically above the remainder of said cabinet.

19. A system as recited in claim 18, wherein frame members position said scroll sign vertically above the remainder of said cabinet, and an advertisement is placed between said frame members.

20. A system as recited in claim 18, wherein a selectively openable door is positioned vertically beneath the printer and keypad, an advertisement being positioned within said door, said door comprising a backing board and a frame, both said backing board and said frame being pivotal relative to said cabinet, and said frame member being selectively removable from said backing board to allow changing of said advertisement.