Automatic transaction system with a dynamic display and methods of its operation

• US 5,831,862 A
• Filed: 08/05/1996
• Issued: 11/03/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Crane Payment Innovations, Inc. (Crane Company)
• Original Assignee: Mars Incorporated
• Inventors: Hetrick, Michael C., Ross, Robert D., Mars, Frank
• Primary Examiner(s): RUGGIERO, JOSEPH F
• Application Number:
  US08/692,261
• Time in Patent Office: 820 Days
• Field of Search: 364/479.02, 364/479.04, 364/479.06, 364/479.07, 395/222, 395/227, 395/228, 395/229, 340/825.35, 221/2, 221/5, 221/6, 221/8, 221/9, 235/381, 705/22, 705/27, 705/28, 705/29
• US Class Current: 700/232
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/023 Arrangements for display, data presentation or advertising
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/026 for alarm, monitoring and auditing in vending machines or means for indication, e.g. when empty

Abstract

An automatic transaction apparatus, such as a vending machine, containing a current inventory of products for purchase and including a display unit. The current product inventory stored in the apparatus is monitored and representations of products appearing on the display unit are changed in response to monitoring the current product inventory. Methods of operating the automatic transaction apparatus are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method of operating an automatic transaction apparatus providing a plurality of product types for purchase and including a display unit, the method comprising:

monitoring an inventory of each product type currently stored in the apparatus; and

changing automatically representations of products appearing on the display unit in response to monitoring the inventory of the product types currently stored in the apparatus, wherein changing representations of products comprises displaying on the display unit representations only of products currently stored in the apparatus.

2. A method of operating an automatic transaction apparatus providing a plurality of product types for purchase and including a display unit, the method comprising:

monitoring an inventory of each product type currently stored in the apparatus including monitoring the current availability of various product types for delivery from the apparatus; and

changing automatically representations of products appearing on the display unit in response to monitoring the inventory of the product types currently stored in the apparatus, wherein changing the representations of products comprises displaying on the display unit representations only of products currently available for delivery from the apparatus.

3. A method of operating an automatic transaction apparatus providing a plurality of product types for purchase and including a display unit, the method comprising:

monitoring an inventory of each product type currently stored in the apparatus; and

changing automatically representations of products appearing on the display unit in response to monitoring the inventory of the product types currently stored in the apparatus, wherein changing the representations of products comprises changing alpha-numeric representations of products appearing on the display unit.

4. A method of operating an automatic transaction apparatus providing a plurality of product types for purchase and including a display unit, the method comprising:

monitoring an inventory of each product type currently stored in the apparatus; and

changing automatically representations of products appearing on the display unit in response to monitoring the inventory of the product types currently stored in the apparatus, wherein changing the representations of product types appearing on the display comprises removing from the display unit representations of products that are not currently available for purchase from the apparatus.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein changing the representations of products comprises changing images of products appearing on the display unit.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the images are still images.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the images are dynamic images.

8. The method of claim 4 wherein changing the representations of products comprises changing representations of products appearing on the display unit of a vending machine.

9. The method of claim 4 wherein the apparatus comprises a plurality of product dispensers, the method further comprising storing each product type in a respective one or more of the product dispensers, wherein monitoring comprises generating a signal indicating the presence or absence of products in each product dispenser.

10. An automatic transaction apparatus comprising:

a front panel;

a display unit located on the front panel for displaying representations of product types available for purchase from the apparatus;

a vend dispensing unit for dispensing a selected one of the product types;

detectors for monitoring an inventory of each product type currently stored in the apparatus; and

a processor for controlling the display unit in response to signals generated by the detectors so as to display on the display unit representations only of products currently stored in the apparatus.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising second detectors for monitoring the current availability of various product types for delivery from the apparatus, wherein the processor controls the display unit to display representations only of products currently available for delivery from the apparatus.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the display unit comprises a flip screen.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the display unit comprises a video screen.

14. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the display unit comprises a flat screen display.

15. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the display unit comprises one or more cathode ray tubes.

16. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the display unit comprises a rear projection display.

17. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the display unit comprises a touch screen which a customer uses to select one of the products for purchase.

18. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the display unit comprises an interactive overlay which a customer uses to select one of the products for purchase.