Automated business system and method of vending and returning a consumer product
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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Abstract
System and method of dispensing disc-based media and other consumer products. A user can interact with an automated business system to select disc-based media for rental and/or purchase. The automated business system can retrieve the selection from the interior of the automated business system and dispense the selection through a port to the user. The automated business system can retrieve the selection from the port in a return process.
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Citations
8 Claims
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1. An automated business system comprising:
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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 including a gripper, and the 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. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An automated business system comprising:
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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, the common retrieval system further comprising; a plurality of guide rails having a length oriented along a vertical axis; and a linear positioning table supported by the plurality of guide rails, the linear positioning table having a length oriented along a horizontal axis, the linear positioning table adapted to support a carriage operable to move horizontally along about 90 percent of the linear positioning table; 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; and a gripper supported by the carriage; wherein the mobile RFID reader is mounted and is on the gripper operable to read an RFID tag on the disc-based media both as the disc-based media is stored and dispensed.
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Specification