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Automated business system and method of vending and returning a consumer product

  • US 8,036,774 B2
  • Filed: 12/04/2008
  • Issued: 10/11/2011
  • Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2004
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. An automated business system comprising:

  • a housing;

    a plurality of user stations accommodated by the housing, each user station having a port to dispense disc-based media and to receive disc-based media that are returned, and a user interface device;

    a common retrieval system operable to retrieve disc-based media stored in the housing and transport retrieved disc-based media to the ports of the plurality of user stations for dispensing; and

    a mobile RFID reader operable to read a RFID tag on the disc-based media as the disc-based media is retrieved from storage and at the ports,wherein the common retrieval system further comprises;

    a plurality of guide rails supported by a frame;

    a track supported by the guide rails;

    a gripper assembly supported by a carriage on a linear positioning table on the track, the carriage includinga gripper, andthe mobile RFID reader; and

    a multi-axis controller operable to transmit instructions to the linear positioning table, the carriage, and the gripper to control linear movements in the horizontal and vertical directions to move to a position to retrieve a selected disc-based media and transport the selected disc-based media to a dispense port.

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  • 6 Assignments
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