Vending system
First Claim
1. A vending system, comprising:
- a service center including a first computer and a first video monitor; and
a plurality of vending machines, each including;
a storage section containing a product inventory,a retrieval mechanism operating in the storage section to retrieve selected products from the inventory and deliver the selected products to a vending port accessible to customers,a second video monitor,a speaker,means for driving the second video monitor and the speaker to provide audio/video programming to customers,a video camera for generating scene images of a vending machine site including customers,input means for accepting product selections and product payments made by customers, anda second computer connectable to the first computer by a telephone line and operating to control the retrieval mechanism, the driving means, the video camera, and the input means.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A vending system includes a central service center connectable over phone lines to a plurality of multi-functional vending machines for audio/video and high speed data exchanges, as well as voice exchanges between customers and a service center operator. Each vending machine includes the capability of playing music video and other audio/video presentations in predetermined order or in preferential order in response to on-site and off-site customer selections and vending customer-selected products from inventor storage, such as debit cards, CDs, tape cassette tapes and players, batteries, etc. Each vending machine also includes a printer for printing and dispensing to customers receipts, tickets, facsimile documents, etc.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A vending system, comprising:
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a service center including a first computer and a first video monitor; and a plurality of vending machines, each including; a storage section containing a product inventory, a retrieval mechanism operating in the storage section to retrieve selected products from the inventory and deliver the selected products to a vending port accessible to customers, a second video monitor, a speaker, means for driving the second video monitor and the speaker to provide audio/video programming to customers, a video camera for generating scene images of a vending machine site including customers, input means for accepting product selections and product payments made by customers, and a second computer connectable to the first computer by a telephone line and operating to control the retrieval mechanism, the driving means, the video camera, and the input means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A vending system including a central station connectable to any one of a plurality of vending machines by phone lines, each vending machine comprising:
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computer means; means for storing an inventory of different types of products available for purchase by customers; means for retrieving from the inventory and dispensing customer-selected products under control of the computer means; audio/video production means; means for storing audio/video data for retrieval and playback by said production means under control of said computer means as a series of audio/video presentations to a customer, the computer means changing a playback order of the audio/video presentations in response to customer selection of a particular audio/video presentation for playback; means including the computer means for accumulating a record of vending machine activities including customer selections; and means including the computer means for transmitting the activity record to the central station. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of vending tickets to events, comprising the steps of:
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maintaining a first database containing video data representative of views from a plurality of seats distributed throughout each of a plurality of facilities where the events are to be held; maintaining a second database containing an inventory of available tickets for seats at each of the facilities; accepting an inquiry from a customer as to ticket availability for a selected event; retrieving from the second database a menu of the available tickets for the selected event; communicating the menu to a video monitor for display to the customer; accepting a ticket selection from the customer; retrieving from the first database the video data representing the view from the seat assigned to the selected ticket; and communicating the retrieved video data to the video monitor for display to the customer. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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18. A system for vending tickets to events, comprising:
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a first memory for storing a first database containing video data representative of views from a plurality of seats distributed throughout each of a plurality of facilities where the events are to be held; a second memory for storing a second database containing an inventory of available tickets at each of the facilities; means for retrieving from the first database the video data of seat views for a selected facility; means for communicating the retrieved video data to a video monitor at a customer site for display to a customer of the seat views selected by the customer; and means for retrieving from the second database a menu of available tickets assigned to seats for which the selected seat views are representative; and means for communicating the retrieved ticket menu to the video monitor for display to the customer. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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Specification