Store display window connected to an electronic commerce terminal

• US 6,611,810 B1
• Filed: 06/17/1999
• Issued: 08/26/2003
• 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:
  US09/335,460
• Time in Patent Office: 1,531 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14, 705/26, 705/1, 700/231-244
• US Class Current: 705/14.23
• 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 30/0222 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0235 constrained by time limit or expiration date
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0239 Online discounts or incentives
• 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 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• 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 retail store applications including point of sale transactions, and window display transactions. Additionally, the present invention relates to transacting e-mail, e-commerce, and e-business and for communicating voice and data. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a universal advertising and payment system and method for networking, monitoring and effectuating e-mail, e-commerce, and e-business and controlling vending locations and equipment. The system can effectuate electronic commerce and interactive advertising at the point of sale in this instance in retail stores as a point of sale device and in storefront window displays. Vending locations and equipment includes point of sale systems, property management systems, management information systems, and retail stores including credit card processing terminals and retail store window display areas. In addition, vending equipment can include copiers, phones (public, private, cellular), facsimile machines, printers, data-ports, laptop print stations, notebook computers, palmtop computers (PALM PILOT), microfiche devices, projectors, scanners, cameras, modems, communication access, personal data assistants (PDA'"'"'s), pagers, and other vending machines, personal computers (PC), PC terminals (NET PC), and network computers (NC). Vending locations and 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.

Claims

1. A store display window for displaying displays of incentive-based advertising of products to a user, comprising:

an electronic commerce terminal operationally connected to said store display window for allowing the user to select at least one of said products, said electronic commerce terminal facilitating an incentive-based purchase of one or more of said products, said electronic commerce terminal includes;

a controller for controlling said display of said incentive-based advertising on said store display window;

identification means coupled to said controller for accepting an identification from said user;

dynamic information interchange means for dynamically interchanging said user identification for a further form of user identification;

equipment control means interconnected with said controller for interfacing said controller to said store display window;

storage means in communication with said controller for storing a plurality of incentive-based advertising terms for an incentive for said user;

comparison means for comparing said user selection to said terms for said incentive;

controlling means for controlling a delivery of said incentive to said user in response to said comparison means;

first determining means for determining whether a period of non-use of said electronic commerce terminal has occurred;

second determining means for determining if said period of non-use exceeds a predetermined time period and generating an output signal;

generating means for generating an error message based on said output signal from said second determining means;

third determining means for determining if at least one of a system limit and a authorization limit of said user is at least one of reached and exceeded and generating an output based on said determination;

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

means for reprocessing said incentive-based purchase based on said reauthorization.

2. The store display window according to claim 1, wherein said store display window displays interactive advertising and information related to electronic mail, an electronic commerce transaction, and/or an electronic business transaction.

3. The store display window according to claim 1, wherein said electronic commerce terminal includes a debit card terminal.

4. The store display window according to claim 1, wherein said electronic commerce terminal includes a credit card terminal.

5. The store display window according to claim 1, wherein said electronic commerce terminal includes a coin and or cash acceptor.

6. The store display window according to claim 1, wherein said store display window includes a touch screen.

7. The store display window according to claim 1, wherein said store display window includes a plurality of pushbuttons.

8. The store display window according to claim 1, wherein said electronic commerce terminal further comprises an infrared communication means for communicating with other electronic commerce terminals.

9. The store display window according to claim 1, further comprises a magnetic card reader.

10. The store display window according to claim 1, wherein said electronic commerce terminal further comprises a light emitting diode indicator means connected with said controller for optically communicating to said user a plurality of status conditions.

11. The store display window according to claim 1, wherein said electronic commerce terminal further comprises a hardware security interface means connected with said controller.

12. The store display window according to claim 1, wherein said electronic commerce terminal further comprises a voice/handwriting capture and recognition means connected with said controller.

13. The store display window according to claim 1, wherein said electronic commerce terminal further comprises a biometric reader means connected with said controller.

14. The store display window according to claim 1, wherein said product is a service.

15. The store display window according to claim 1, further comprising a transaction control device connected with said controller for receiving financial data of said user necessary to purchasing at least one product.

16. A store display window for displaying advertising of products to a user, comprising:

an electronic commerce terminal operationally connected to said store display window for allowing said user to select at least one of said products, said electronic commerce terminal facilitating a purchase of one or more of said products, said electronic commerce terminal includes;

a controller for controlling said display of said advertising on said store display window;

identification means coupled to said controller for accepting an identification from said user;

dynamic identification interchange means for dynamically interchanging said user identification for a further form of user identification;

equipment control means interconnected with said controller for interfacing said controller to said store display window;

storage means in communication with said controller for storing a plurality of advertising terms for said user based on said further form of user identification;

comparison means for comparing said user selection to said advertising terms;

controlling means for controlling a delivery of an incentive to said user in response to said comparison means;

first determining means for determining whether a period of non-use of said electronic commerce terminal has occurred;

second determining means for determining if said period of non-use exceeds a predetermined time period and generating an output signal;

generating means for generating an error message based on the output signal from said second determining means;

third determining means for determining if at least one of a system limit and a authorization limit of said user is at least one of reached and exceeded and generating an output based on said determination;

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

means for reprocessing said incentive-based purchase based on said reauthorization.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said incentive is in the form of at least one of i) a coupon for said products, ii) a promotional reward, and iii) a special pricing for said producers.