Web-based common use terminal with multiple application servers

• US 7,072,937 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2002
• Issued: 07/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Northrop Grumman Corporation
• Inventors: Tondreau, Cathryne I., Schofield, Ann C., Chestnutt, Bruce G., Neebe, Mark T., Neilson, Randall K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dhih, Dung
• Assistant Examiner(s): NASH, LASHANYA RENEE
• Application Number:
  US10/099,947
• Publication Number:
  US 20020138548A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,568 Days
• Field of Search: 709201-203, 709220-222, 700241-242, 700/230, 700/237, 705400-401
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 5/18 specially adapted for controlling several coin-freed apparatus from one place
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/002 Vending machines being part of a centrally controlled network of vending machines

Abstract

A web-based common use terminal, e.g. a kiosk of an item delivery and retrieval system utilizing a web connection with one or more web servers for respective delivery service providers with any desired number of applications being separately run, depending upon the needs of a user. In a preferred embodiment, four discrete application including package pick-up, package exchange, buying postage, and club type delivery and pick-up of discrete items, are hosted while using the same system hardware.

Claims

1. A method of executing one or more independent software application programs from a common use terminal of a hardware platform, comprising the steps of:

launching an application program by browser software located in the common use access terminal;

forming a secure web based connection between the browser software and software of a web server;

providing exclusive control of the hardware platform including one or more peripheral devices associated therewith by said software of the web server for the duration of the application program; and

wherein said one or more application programs include a package pick-up application server program, and further comprising the steps of;

selecting said package pick-up application server program at the common use terminal;

requesting tracking information by the package pick-up application server program;

inputting said tracking information at the common use access terminal;

validating the tracking information by the package pick-up application server program;

sending a request to the browser by the package pick-up application server program to open a door of a storage device in the hardware platform for package pick-up;

opening the door in front of a bin containing the package tracking information by the package pick-up server application program;

receiving a pick-up confirmation from the common use access terminal by the package pick-up application server program;

returning a screen at the common use access terminal to a main screen containing a menu of the one or more software application programs; and

clearing a memory containing data entered at the beginning of the package pick-up application server program for a subsequent application.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the common use terminal comprises a kiosk.

3. A method of executing one or more independent software application programs from a common use terminal of a hardware platform, comprising the steps of:

launching an application program by browser software located in a common use access terminal;

forming a secure web based connection between the browser software and software of a web server;

providing exclusive control of the hardware platform including one or more peripheral devices associated therewith by said software of the web server for the duration of the application program; and

wherein said one or more application programs include a package exchange application server program, and further comprising the steps of;

selecting said package exchange application server program at the common use terminal;

requesting information by said exchange application server program about a package to be exchanged;

inputting the requested information at the common use access terminal;

validating the requested information by the exchange application server program;

sending a request by the exchange application server program to open a door of a storage device of the hardware platform;

opening the door for insertion of said package to be exchanged;

receiving a package exchange confirmation by the exchange application server program from the user access terminal;

returning a screen located at the common use access terminal to a screen containing a menu of said one or more application programs; and

clearing a memory containing data entered at the beginning of the package exchange application program for a subsequent application.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the common use terminal comprises a kiosk.

5. A method of executing one or more independent software application program from a common use terminal of a hardware platform, comprising the steps of:

launching an application program by browser software located in a common use access terminal;

forming a secure web based connection between the browser software and software of a web server;

providing exclusive control of the hardware platform including one or more peripheral devices associated therewith by said software of the web server for the duration of the application program; and

wherein said one or more application programs include an application server program for a club type application and further comprising the steps of;

selecting said club type application server program at the common use terminal;

requesting club member information by the club type application server program;

entering the requested club member information at the common use access terminal;

validating the member information by the club type server application program;

sending a request to the browser to open a door of the hardware platform by the club type server application program;

opening the door of the hardware platform;

receiving a confirmation of the door opening by the club type application server program from the common use access terminal;

returning a screen located at the common use access terminal to a screen display containing a menu of the one or more application programs; and

clearing a memory containing data entered at the beginning of the club type application program for a subsequent application.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the common use terminal comprises a kiosk.

7. A method of executing one or more independent software application programs from a common use terminal of a hardware platform, comprising the steps of:

launching an application program by browser software located in a common use access terminal;

forming a secure web based connection between the browser software and software of a web server;

providing exclusive control of the hardware platform including one or more peripheral devices associated therewith by said software of the web server for the duration of the application program; and

wherein said one or more application programs comprises a postage buying application server program, and further comprising the steps of;

selecting said buying postage application server program at the common use terminal;

requesting certain credit information by said buying postage application server program;

entering the requested credit information at the common use access terminal;

validating credit information by said buying postage application server program;

sending a request to the browser by the postage application server program to print postage;

printing postage at the common use access terminal;

receiving a confirmation of printed postage by the postage application server from the common use terminal;

returning a screen located at the common use access terminal to a menu containing said one or more applications; and

clearing a memory containing data entered at the beginning of the purchase postage application for a subsequent application.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the common use terminal comprises a kiosk.

9. A method of executing one or more independent software application programs from a common use terminal of a hardware platform including a computer sub-system, comprising the steps of:

launching an application server program by browser software located in a common use access terminal by a user activating application program selection means located thereat;

forming a secure web based connection between the browser software and software of a web server which thereafter executes said application program;

said web server software assuming exclusive control of the platform including one or more peripheral devices associated therewith for the duration of the application program; and

wherein said one or more application programs include a package pick-up application server program and including the steps of;

selecting said package pick-up application program by a user at the common use terminal;

requesting tracking number information from the user by the package pick-up application server program;

inputting a tracking PIN number by the user at the common use access terminal via a bar code reader or a touch screen;

validating the PIN number by the package pick-up web server application program;

sending a request to the browser by the package pick-up server application program to open a door of a storage device in a storage sub-system of the hardware platform;

opening the door in front of a bin containing the package tracking number,

receiving a package pick-up confirmation from the common use access terminal by the package pick-up application server program;

returning a screen at the common use access terminal to a main screen containing a menu of the one or more software application programs; and

clearing a memory of the data relating to the package pick-up application program inputted by the user for a subsequent application.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the browser is Active X controlled.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the common use terminal comprises a kiosk.

12. A method of executing one or more independent software application programs from a common use terminal of a hardware platform including a computer sub-system, comprising the steps of:

launching an application server program by browser software located in a common use access terminal by a user activating application program selection means located thereat;

forming a secure web based connection between the browser software and software of a web server which thereafter executes said application program;

said web server software assuming exclusive control of the platform including one or more peripheral devices associated therewith for the duration of the application program; and

wherein said one or more application programs include a package exchange application server program and including the steps of;

selecting said package exchange application server program by a user at the common use terminal;

requesting a PIN ID number from the user by said exchange application server program;

inputting the PIN ID number by the user at the common use access terminal via a PIN pad or touch screen;

validating PIN ID information by the exchange application server program;

the exchange application server program sending a request to the browser to open a door of a storage device of the storage sub-system for a package exchange by the user;

opening the door containing the PIN ID member using controls of the browser;

receiving a package exchange confirmation by the exchange application server program from the user access terminal;

returning a screen located at the common use access terminal to a screen containing a menu of said one or more application programs; and

clearing a memory containing data relating to information for the package exchange application program for a subsequent application.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the browser is Active X controlled.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the common use terminal comprises a kiosk.

15. A method of executing one or more independent software application programs from a common use terminal of a hardware platform, comprising the steps of:

launching an application server program by browser software located in a common use access terminal by a user activating application program selection means located thereat;

forming a secure web based connection between the browser software and software of a web server which thereafter executes said application program;

said web server software assuming exclusive control of the platform including one or more peripheral devices associated therewith for the duration of the application program; and

wherein said one or more application programs include an application server program for a club type application and including the steps of;

selecting the club type application server program by the user at the common use terminal;

requesting club member information from a magnetic card of a user by the club type application at the common use access terminal;

swiping the card in a card reader by the user at the common use access terminal;

validating the member information by the club type server application program;

sending a request to the browser by the club type server application program to open a door of a storage device of the storage sub-system;

opening the door containing a package requested by the member;

receiving a package retrieval confirmation by the club type application server program from the common use access terminal;

returning a screen located at the common use access terminal to a screen display containing a menu of the one or more application programs; and

clearing a memory containing data related to the information inputted by the user at the beginning of the club type application program for a subsequent application.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the browser is Active X controlled.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the common use terminal comprises a kiosk.

18. A method of executing one or more independent software application programs from a common use terminal of a hardware platform, comprising the steps of:

launching an application server program by browser software located in a common use access terminal by a user activating application program selection means located thereat;

forming a secure web based connection between the browser software and software of a web server which thereafter executes said application program;

said web server software assuming exclusive control of the platform including one or more peripheral devices associated therewith for the duration of the application program; and

wherein said one or more application programs comprises a postage buying application server program and including the steps of;

selecting the buying postage application server program by the user at the common use terminal;

requesting credit information from the user by said buying postage application server program using the browser in the common use access terminal;

swiping a magnetic card including credit information by the user at a card reader located at the common use access terminal;

validating credit information by said buying postage application server program;

sending a request to the browser by the postage application server program to print postage;

printing postage at the common use access terminal;

receiving a confirmation of printed postage by the postage application server from the common use terminal;

returning a screen located at the common use access terminal to a menu containing said one or more applications; and

clearing a memory of the data entered by the user at the beginning of the purchase postage application for a subsequent application.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the browser is Active X controlled.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the common use terminal comprises a kiosk.