Dynamic device and method for dispensing machines
First Claim
1. A dispensing machine system comprising:
- a plurality of servers;
a hierarchy associated with said plurality of servers, wherein said hierarchy defines a prioritization of said plurality of servers; and
a plurality of dispensing machines in communication with said plurality of servers, wherein each of the dispensing machines comprises;
i) one or more products, wherein each of the dispensing machines is operable to dispense its respective one or more products,ii) a display controller, wherein said display controller is operable to select a server from said plurality of servers in accordance with said hierarchy, wherein said display controller is adapted to communicate dynamic-content from said selected server, andiii) one or more passive content-display units in communication with said display controller, wherein said one or more passive content-display units visually displays the dynamic-content communicated from the display controller.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention relates, in general, to dispensing machines and methods and, more particularly, to dispensing machines capable of dynamic-content presentation and methods of using dispensing machines capable of dynamic-content presentation. The dispensing machine includes a content display unit that communicates with a display controller, visually displaying dynamic-content. The controller may comprise a timing means, altering the visual display as a function of the timing means. The display controller adapted to receive, store, and display dynamic-content from a plurality of servers, comprising a hierarchical control scheme to select dynamic-content from one server of the plurality of servers for display. The device may comprise a plurality of display controllers, each display controller having a type identifier, wherein each selects dynamic-content for display on its content display unit as a function of the type identifier.
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Citations
35 Claims
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1. A dispensing machine system comprising:
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a plurality of servers; a hierarchy associated with said plurality of servers, wherein said hierarchy defines a prioritization of said plurality of servers; and a plurality of dispensing machines in communication with said plurality of servers, wherein each of the dispensing machines comprises; i) one or more products, wherein each of the dispensing machines is operable to dispense its respective one or more products, ii) a display controller, wherein said display controller is operable to select a server from said plurality of servers in accordance with said hierarchy, wherein said display controller is adapted to communicate dynamic-content from said selected server, and iii) one or more passive content-display units in communication with said display controller, wherein said one or more passive content-display units visually displays the dynamic-content communicated from the display controller. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A dispensing machine system comprising:
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a plurality of dispensing machines, wherein each dispensing machine of the plurality of dispensing machines comprises one or more products, wherein each dispensing machine of said plurality of dispensing machines is operable to dispense its respective one or more products; a plurality of display controllers, wherein each display controller of said plurality of display controllers is adapted to receive and display dynamic-content, wherein each dispensing machine of said plurality of dispensing machines comprises one or more display controllers of said plurality of display controllers; a plurality of passive content-display units in communication with said plurality of display controllers, wherein each passive content-display unit of said plurality of passive content-display units is in communication with a respective display controller of said plurality of display controllers, wherein each passive content-display unit of said plurality of passive content-display units is operable to visually display information from said dynamic-content, wherein each dispensing machine of said plurality of dispensing machines comprises one or more passive content-display units of said plurality of passive content-display units; and a plurality of type identifiers, wherein each passive content-display unit of said plurality of passive content-display units is associated with one or more type identifiers of said plurality of type identifiers; wherein each display controller of said plurality of display controllers is adapted to receive, store, and display dynamic-content from a plurality of sources, wherein one or more display controllers of said plurality of display controllers comprises a hierarchical control scheme, said hierarchical control scheme being adapted to select dynamic-content from one source of said plurality of sources for display on one or more of said passive content-display units. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A method for dispensing machine advertising comprising the steps of:
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A) providing a plurality of dispensing machines, wherein each dispensing machine of the plurality of dispensing machines comprises; i) one or more products, wherein each dispensing machine of the plurality of dispensing machines is operable to dispense its respective one or more products, and ii) a content-display unit; B) associating each dispensing machine of said plurality of dispensing machines with one or more type identifiers; C) providing a plurality of display controllers, wherein each display controller of said plurality of display controllers is adapted to provide dynamic-content for a respective content-display unit; D) receiving dynamic-content from a source, wherein the source is remote relative to at least a portion of the plurality of dispensing machines; E) displaying said dynamic-content on one or more of said content-display units in accordance with said one or more type identifiers; and F) providing a plurality of servers; and G) providing a hierarchy to one or more display controllers of said plurality of display controller, wherein said hierarchy is used to select one server from said plurality of servers for dynamic-content to display by said one or more display controllers. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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Specification