Electronic newspaper vending machine

• US 6,295,482 B1
• Filed: 06/26/1996
• Issued: 09/25/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Tognazzini, Bruce
• Primary Examiner(s): Grant, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, RAMESH B
• Application Number:
  US08/670,932
• Time in Patent Office: 1,917 Days
• Field of Search: 221/154, 221/129, 221/131, 221/195, 700/231, 700/232, 700/233, 700/234, 700/235, 700/236, 700/237, 700/238
• US Class Current: 700/233
• 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 20/327 Short range or proximity payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/16 for devices exhibiting advertisements, announcements, pictures or the like

Abstract

A newspaper vending machine is equipped with a computerized control and an infrared (IR) communications transceiver. A user equipped with an IR transceiver may download an electronic copy of an article, an electronic copy of the newspaper itself or a network address where these may be obtained. The IR link is also used to transfer digital cash or payment authorizations to the vending machine in exchange for the information.

Claims

1. Apparatus for dispensing electronic versions of part or all of a newspaper, comprising:

a. a vending machine for dispensing copies of a printed newspaper;

b. a transceiver; and

c. a computer, connected to said vending machine and said transceiver, configured to respond to a query from a user received over said transceiver, for providing information related to said newspaper over said transceiver to said user.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said transceiver is an infrared transceiver.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said computer is further configured to dispense a copy of a printed newspaper when payment is received over said transceiver.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the information related to said newspaper is one or more of an article from the newspaper, a network address or a digital copy of said newspaper.

5. Apparatus for receiving information relating to a newspaper from a vending machine equipped with a transceiver, comprising:

a. a transceiver; and

b. a computer, connected to said transceiver, configured to send a query to said vending machine over said transceiver and to receive information related to said newspaper over said transceiver from said vending machine.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 in which said transceiver is an infrared transceiver.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 including the functionality of a personal digital assistant.

8. A method of retrieving information from an information vending machine equipped with a transceiver, comprising the steps of:

a. providing an element for performing the step of sending a query to said transceiver; and

b. providing an element for performing the step of receiving requested information from said vending machine via said transceiver.

9. The method of claim 8 in which said query includes a password.

10. The method of claim 8 in which said query includes subscription information and a password valid for one or more editions of the newspaper.

11. The method of claim 8 in which information received from said vending machine includes at least one of (1) an electronic copy of the newspaper or (2) a network address where an electronic copy may be obtained.

12. The method of claim 8 in which said information includes options including at least one of (1) purchasing an electronic article, (2) purchasing an entire electronic newspaper, (3) purchasing a printed copy of said newspaper (4) subscriber access and (5) exiting the system.

13. The method of claim 8 in which payment for said information includes transfer of digital cash to said vending machine.

14. A method of servicing a vending machine equipped with a wireless short range transceiver, comprising the steps of:

a. providing an element for performing the step of sending a query to said vending machine over said transceiver; and

b. providing an element for performing the step of receiving service information from said vending machine over said transceiver if the person sending said query is an authorized service person.

15. The method of claim 14 in which said service information includes service options including one of loading the vending machine with one or more new information products, collecting electronic cash, selecting maintenance and utility routines, and exiting.

16. A system for requesting and providing information related to a newspaper, comprising;

a. a vending machine equipped with a transceiver for providing information upon request, and

b. a portable computing unit equipped with a transceiver for requesting information from said vending machine and receiving requested information from said vending machine over said transceiver.

17. The system of claim 16 in which the transceivers of said vending machine and said portable computing unit are infrared transceivers.

18. The system of claim 16 in which said portable computing unit is linked to a network over a wireless link.

19. The system of claim 16 in which payment for requested information is made by transferring digital cash from said portable computing unit to said vending machine.

20. A computer program product for retrieving information from an information vending machine, comprising:

a. a memory medium; and

b. a computer program stored on said memory medium, said computer program containing instructions for (a) sending a query to said information vending machine; and

(b) receiving said information from said vending machine over a wireless link.

21. A computer program product for sending information to a portable computing device, comprising:

a. a memory medium; and

b. a computer program stored on said memory medium, said computer program containing instructions for (a) receiving a query from said portable computing device; and

(b) dispensing said information to said portable computer device over a wireless link in response to a payment received over said wireless link.