Vending access to the internet, business application software, e-commerce, and e-business in a hotel room

• US 6,604,087 B1
• Filed: 07/14/1999
• Issued: 08/05/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: USA Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: USA Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Kolls, H. Brock
• Primary Examiner(s): Hafiz, Tariq R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MEINECKE DIAZ, SUSANNA M
• Application Number:
  US09/352,989
• Time in Patent Office: 1,483 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14, 705/1, 705/26, 705/231-244, 700/231-244, 235/235, 235/381, 235/382, 340/5.2, 340/5.21, 340/5.4, 340/5.41, 340/5.42, 340/5.5, 340/5.51, 340/5.52, 340/5.53, 340/5.54, 340/5.55, 340/5.6, 340/5.61, 713/183, 713/200-202
• US Class Current: 705/14.51
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/327 Short range or proximity payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0253 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 5/18 specially adapted for controlling several coin-freed apparatus from one place
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/001 Interfacing with vending machines using mobile or wearable devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/002 Vending machines being part of a centrally controlled network of vending machines
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/026 for alarm, monitoring and auditing in vending machines or means for indication, e.g. when empty

Abstract

The present invention relates to a universal advertising and payment system and method for networking, monitoring and effectuating electronic commerce and controlling vending equipment. The system can effectuate electronic commerce and interactive advertising at the point of sale. Vending equipment can include vending access to the Internet, business application software, e-commerce, and e-business in a hotel room. In addition, vending equipment includes copiers, phones, facsimile machines, printers, data-ports, laptop print stations, notebook computers, palmtop computers (PALM PILOT), microfiche devices, projectors, scanners, cameras, modems, communication access, cellular phones, personal data assistants (PDA'"'"'s), pagers, vending machines, personal computers (PC), PC terminals (NET PC), and network computers (NC). Vending equipment can be networked to each other through a first network, programmable and accessible by a PC, server, point of sale (POS) system, property or management information system (PMS/MIS), and networked to a second network. The first network and second network can be the same network. Complete control of a vending machine'"'"'s functionality including usage, control, diagnostics, inventory, and marketing data capture can be effectuated locally or by remote connection to the network. Remote connection to the network includes Internet type connections, telecommunication (telephone, ISDN, ADSL), VSAT satellite, and other wire and wireless transmission.

Claims

1. A public access electronic commerce system for controlling access to a computer network and usage of a personal computer, comprising:

a computer network interface linked to said personal computer and said computer network;

a public access electronic commerce terminal connected to said personal computer, said public access electronic commerce terminal including;

identification means for i) accepting at least one of a plurality of identification inputs from a user and ii) effectuating selectively a dynamic identification interchange of said at least one of a plurality of identification inputs from said user, to effectuate payment or transaction processing and for controlling access to said personal computer and said computer network, and

means for determining a non-use period of said public access electronic commerce terminal;

a universal server connected to said computer network, said universal server including;

a plurality of data regarding a plurality of users stored therein,

means for communicating a plurality of satisfying criteria to said public access electronic commerce terminal, said satisfying criteria including a plurality of data regarding an ability to pay for usage of said personal computer and said computer network by said user,

means for recording user usage of said personal computer and or said computer network, and

means for transmitting said user usage to another universal server;

means for generating an error condition of said public access electronic commerce terminal based on an output of said non-use determining means;

means for determining if at least one of a system limit and an authorization limit of said user is at least one of reached and exceeded;

means for reauthorizing said user based on an output of said determining means; and

means for reprocessing said user usage based on said reauthorization.

2. An operationally controlled data-port connection in accordance with claim 1, wherein said a plurality of software operating on a PC is a transaction control device.

3. The system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said public access electronic commerce terminal includes a debit card terminal.

4. The system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said public access electronic commerce terminal includes a credit card terminal.

5. The system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said public access electronic commerce terminal is a computer terminal.

6. The system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said public access electronic commerce terminal includes a coin and or cash acceptor.

7. The system in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a plurality of communication means.

8. The system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said computer network interconnects with a point of sale system.

9. The system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said computer network interconnects with a property management system.

10. The system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said computer network interconnects with a management information system.

11. The system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said public access electronic commerce terminal includes a touch screen.

12. The system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said public access electronic commerce terminal includes a plurality of pushbuttons.

13. The system in accordance with claim 1 further comprising means for communicating with a plurality of computing devices.

14. The system in accordance with claims 13 wherein, said plurality of other computing devices includes a hand-held personal digital assistant.

15. The system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said public access electronic commerce terminal includes a magnetic card reader.

16. The system in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a modem.

17. The system in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a light emitting diode indicator means for optically communicating a plurality of status conditions.

18. The system in accordance with claim 1 for use with a vending machine, further comprising an equipment control means coupled between said vending machine and said computer network for controlling usage of said vending machine.

19. The system in accordance with claim 1 for use with a vending machine, wherein a fixer public access electronic commerce terminal is coupled to said vending machine, said further public access electronic commerce terminal further comprising a vend counter control means for monitoring, counting, and controlling a cycle event of said vending machine.

20. The system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said public access electronic commerce terminal further comprises a keyboard control means for controlling a computer keyboard.

21. The system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said public access electronic commerce terminal includes a mouse control means for controlling usage of a computer mouse.

22. The system in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a printer control means for controlling usage of a printer.

23. The system in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a hardware security interface means.

24. The system in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a voice capture and recognition means.

25. The system in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a biometric reader means.

26. The system in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a PCMCIA interface.

27. The system in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a room access device interface coupled to said computer network to grant said user access to at least one secure area.

28. The system of claim 1, further comprising handwriting capture and recognition means.

29. The system according to claim 1, wherein said public access electronic commerce terminal includes a microphone.

30. The system in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a speaker.

31. The system in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a camera.

33. The system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said access to said computer network is through said personal computer.

34. The system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said universal server further includes means for transmitting said user usage to a computer linked to said universal server through said computer network.

40. The system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said means for generating said error condition is part of said universal server.

41. The system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said means for generating said error condition is part of said public access electronic commerce terminal.

32. A public access electronic commerce system connected to a computer network and accessible by a user in a hotel room, said system comprising:

a computer network interface;

a personal computer in said hotel room connected to said computer network interface;

a public access electronic commerce terminal connected to said personal computer, said public access electronic commerce terminal including;

identification means for i) accepting at least one of a plurality of identification inputs from said user and ii) effectuating a selective dynamic identification interchange of said at least one of a plurality of identification inputs from said user, for controlling user operation of said personal computer in said hotel room, said public access electronic commerce terminal including means for allowing said user to use said personal computer based on an ability of said user to pay for usage of said personal computer based on said dynamic identification interchange,

means for recording a plurality of data regarding user usage of said personal computer, and

means for determining a non-use period of said public access electronic commerce terminal;

a universal server connected to said computer network for communicating a satisfying criteria to said public access electronic commerce terminal, said universal server including means for recording personal computer usage activity by said user, and said satisfying criteria being indicative of said ability of said user to pay for usage of said personal computer;

means for generating an error condition of said public access electronic commerce terminal based on an output of said non-use determining means;

means for determining if at least one of a system limit and an authorization limit of said user is at least one of reached and exceeded;

means for reauthorizing said user based on an output of said determining means; and

means for reprocessing said user usage based on said reauthorization.

35. The system in accordance with claim 32, wherein said public access electronic commerce terminal further includes means for controlling access to said computer network.

36. A public access electronic commerce system for controlling access to a computer network and usage of a personal computer, comprising:

a computer network interface linked to said personal computer and a computer network;

a public access electronic commerce terminal coupled to said personal computer, said public access electronic commerce terminal including;

a) identification means for accepting at least one of a plurality of identification inputs from a user and for effectuating a selective dynamic identification interchange of said at least one of said plurality of identification inputs, to effectuate payment or transaction processing for access to said computer network and usage of said personal computer, and for controlling access to said personal computer and said computer network based on said dynamic identification interchange, and

b) means for determining a non-use period of said public access electronic commerce terminal;

a universal server connected to said computer network, said universal server including;

a plurality of data regarding a plurality of users stored therein,

means for recording user usage of said personal computer and or said computer network;

means for transmitting said user usage to another universal server;

means for generating an error condition of said public access electronic commerce terminal based on an output of said non-use determining means;

means for determining if at least one of a system limit and an authorization limit of said user is at least one of reached and exceeded;

means for reauthorizing said user based on an output of said determining means; and

means for reprocessing said user usage based on said reauthorization.

37. The system in accordance with claim 36, wherein a plurality of interactive advertising content is provided between said universal server and said personal computer through said network, said plurality of interactive advertising content selected for distribution to said personal computer based upon said dynamic identification interchange, said plurality of interactive advertising content is selectively stored locally within said universal server.

38. The system in accordance with claim 36, wherein said user is presented with special pricing or promotional offers based on said dynamic identification interchange.

39. The system in accordance with claim 36, wherein said personal computer is reconfigured with a predetermined set of user preferences based on said dynamic identification interchange.

42. The system in accordance with claim 36, wherein said means for generating said error condition is part of said universal server.

43. The system in accordance with claim 36, wherein said means for generating said error condition is part of said public access electronic commerce terminal.