Automatic dispensing machine and method for its operation
First Claim
1. A dispensing machine, comprising:
- a dispensing unit operable to dispense packaged and unpackaged products;
a control unit, implemented by a central processing unit, connected to one or more electrically-activated parts of the machine and provided with a memory operable to store and retrieve digital data; and
a user interface operable to show information to a user and to retrieve input commands from the user to be sent to the control unit, said user interface being a graphic user interface (GUI) comprising a graphic screen operable to display at least part of virtual buttons and virtual shelves, wherein said virtual buttons on the display are operable to send a command to the control unit related to product information displayed on said display and said virtual shelves on the display are operable to display to the user available products for dispensing, said virtual including a window panel as a virtual shelf that shows the products for sale by the dispensing machine, and, in response to the input commands from the user for choice of products from the dispensing unit or screen modification by displaying additional product information in response to the user pressing a corresponding virtual button of a desired product, the control unit controls the interface to dynamically modify the display on the graphic screen to relate to details of the input commands from the user and the dispensing unit to perform the dispensing of at least one of said packaged or unpackaged products of said available products selected by the user from the dispensing machine.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention relates to a dispensing machine, and the related operating method, comprising means for dispensing packaged and/or unpackaged edible goods/beverages, a control unit connected to one or more electrically-activated parts of the machine and provided with memory means to store and retrieve digital data, a user interface for showing information to the user and for retrieving input commands from the user to be sent to the control unit. The user interface is a graphic user interface GUI comprising a touch-panel integrated in a graphic screen capable to display multimedia content including moving images. The content and/or form of said information shown on the screen is changed by the control unit on the basis of at least one parameter related to any of the operative status of the machine, the location wherein the machine is running, the calendar date and/or the daily time, statistics indicative of previous selections made by user(s) or on the basis of the signal provided by at least one sensor of the machine detecting proximity of the user(s).
59 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A dispensing machine, comprising:
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a dispensing unit operable to dispense packaged and unpackaged products; a control unit, implemented by a central processing unit, connected to one or more electrically-activated parts of the machine and provided with a memory operable to store and retrieve digital data; and a user interface operable to show information to a user and to retrieve input commands from the user to be sent to the control unit, said user interface being a graphic user interface (GUI) comprising a graphic screen operable to display at least part of virtual buttons and virtual shelves, wherein said virtual buttons on the display are operable to send a command to the control unit related to product information displayed on said display and said virtual shelves on the display are operable to display to the user available products for dispensing, said virtual including a window panel as a virtual shelf that shows the products for sale by the dispensing machine, and, in response to the input commands from the user for choice of products from the dispensing unit or screen modification by displaying additional product information in response to the user pressing a corresponding virtual button of a desired product, the control unit controls the interface to dynamically modify the display on the graphic screen to relate to details of the input commands from the user and the dispensing unit to perform the dispensing of at least one of said packaged or unpackaged products of said available products selected by the user from the dispensing machine. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for operating a dispensing machine, comprising:
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controlling, via a control unit connected to one or more electrically-activated parts of the dispensing machine and provided with a memory storing and retrieving digital data, a user interface showing information to a user; retrieving input commands, via the user interface, from the user to be sent to the control unit, said user interface being a graphic user interface (GUI) comprising a graphic screen displaying at least part of virtual buttons and virtual shelves, wherein said virtual buttons on the display send a command to the control unit related to product information displayed on a display and said virtual shelves display to the user available products for dispensing, and said control unit changes or alters at least part of at least said virtual buttons on the basis of a the command sent from one of the virtual buttons or one or more machine related parameters, and said virtual shelves including a window panel as a virtual shelf that shows the products for sale by the dispensing machine, wherein said available products comprise packaged and unpackaged products; in response to the input commands from the user for choice of products from the dispensing machine or screen modification by displaying additional product information in response to the user pressing a corresponding virtual button of a desired product, dynamically modifying the display on the graphic screen to relate to details of the input commands from the user; and dispensing at least one of said packaged or unpackaged products of said available products selected by the user from the dispensing machine. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A dispensing machine, comprising:
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a control unit, implemented by a central processing unit, connected to one or more electrically-activated parts of the machine and provided with a memory operable to store and retrieve digital data; and a user interface operable to show information to a user and to retrieve input commands from the user to be sent to the control unit, said user interface being a graphic user interface (GUI) comprising a graphic screen operable to display at least part of virtual buttons and virtual shelves, wherein said virtual buttons on the display are operable to send a command to the control unit related to product information displayed on said display and said virtual shelves on the display are operable to display to the user available products for dispensing, said virtual shelves including a window panel as a virtual shelf that shows the products for sale by the dispensing machine, and wherein the control unit is adapted to dynamically change a number, an aspect position, and content of the virtual buttons to fit on space available on the display of the graphic screen separate from space on the display operable to display multimedia content, in response to the input commands from the user for choice of products from the dispensing machine or screen modification by displaying additional product information in response to the user pressing a corresponding virtual button of a desired product, wherein the products available for dispensing comprise packaged and unpackaged products, and wherein the control unit controls dispensing of at least one of said packaged or unpackaged products of said available products selected by the user from the dispensing machine.
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Specification