Computer kiosk and related systems and methods
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A computer kiosk comprising:
- a kiosk enclosure;
an input device and an output device for local user interaction;
a processor and machine-readable memory stored within the enclosure; and
a communications device for communication with a remote computer system;
wherein program instructions are stored on the machine-readable memory for the processor to execute;
an interactive local user application utilizing the input device and the output device;
an applications monitor module for launching and monitoring the interactive local user application;
a hardware monitor module for monitoring and controlling power to the input device and the output device; and
a communications module for receiving outputs from the applications monitor module, and the hardware monitor module, communicating the outputs to the remote computer, receiving commands from the remote computer system and routing the commands to the applications monitor module and the hardware monitor module;
wherein the communications module receives commands relating to the operation of the input device and the output device from the remote computer system, the hardware monitor module receiving the commands from the communications module and executing the commands; and
wherein the commands include commands to power off the input device or the output device on a predetermined schedule.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Computer kiosks include input/output devices interactive user applications for local users. The operation of the interactive user applications, input/output devices and other kiosk hardware are monitored by software modules resident thereon, with status reporting to a remote computer system. The remote computer system allows users to monitor the operation of multiple, geographically disparate computer kiosks, and to remotely input commands thereto. Analytics relating to kiosk and application usage can also be captured and reported.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A computer kiosk comprising:
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a kiosk enclosure; an input device and an output device for local user interaction; a processor and machine-readable memory stored within the enclosure; and a communications device for communication with a remote computer system;
wherein program instructions are stored on the machine-readable memory for the processor to execute;an interactive local user application utilizing the input device and the output device; an applications monitor module for launching and monitoring the interactive local user application; a hardware monitor module for monitoring and controlling power to the input device and the output device; and a communications module for receiving outputs from the applications monitor module, and the hardware monitor module, communicating the outputs to the remote computer, receiving commands from the remote computer system and routing the commands to the applications monitor module and the hardware monitor module; wherein the communications module receives commands relating to the operation of the input device and the output device from the remote computer system, the hardware monitor module receiving the commands from the communications module and executing the commands; and
wherein the commands include commands to power off the input device or the output device on a predetermined schedule. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A computer kiosk comprising:
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a kiosk enclosure; an input device and an output device for local user interaction; a processor and machine-readable memory stored within the enclosure; and a communications device for communication with a remote computer system; and a charging port for a personal electronic device; wherein program instructions are stored on the machine-readable memory for the processor to execute; an interactive local user application utilizing the input device and the output device; an applications monitor module for launching and monitoring the interactive local user application; a hardware monitor module for monitoring and controlling power to the input device and the output device; and a communications module for receiving outputs from the applications monitor module, and the hardware monitor module, communicating the outputs to the remote computer, receiving commands from the remote computer system and routing the commands to the applications monitor module and the hardware monitor module; wherein the hardware monitor module also monitors and controls power to the charging port.
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12. A computer kiosk comprising:
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a kiosk enclosure; an input device and an output device for local user interaction; a processor and machine-readable memory stored within the enclosure; and a communications device for communication with a remote computer system; wherein program instructions are stored on the machine-readable memory for the processor to execute; an interactive local user application utilizing the input device and the Output device; an applications monitor module for launching and monitoring the interactive local user application; a hardware monitor module for monitoring and controlling power to the input device and the output device; and a communications module for receiving outputs from the applications monitor module, and the hardware monitor module, communicating the outputs to the remote computer, receiving commands from the remote computer system and routing the commands to the applications monitor module and the hardware monitor module; wherein at least one of the input and output devices includes the communications device, the communications device establishing a communications link with a personal electronic device in the vicinity of the kiosk enclosure used by the interactive local user application. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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15. A networked computer kiosk system comprising:
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a plurality of computer kiosks in different physical locations, each of the plurality of computer kiosks including; a kiosk enclosure; a kiosk input device and a kiosk output device for local user interaction; a kiosk processor and machine-readable memory stored within the enclosure; and a kiosk communications device for communication with a remote computer system; wherein program instructions are stored on the machine-readable memory for the kiosk processor to execute; an interactive local user application utilizing the kiosk input device and the kiosk output device; an applications monitor module for launching and monitoring the interactive local user application; a hardware monitor module for monitoring and controlling power to the kiosk input device and the kiosk output device; and a kiosk communications module for receiving outputs from the applications monitor module, and the hardware monitor module, communicating the outputs to the remote computer, receiving commands from the remote computer system and routing the commands to the applications monitor module and the hardware monitor module; and the remote computer system at a different physical location than the plurality of computer kiosks, the remote computer system including; a remote computer system input device and a remote computer system output device; a remote computer system processor and machine-readable memory; and a remote computer system communications device for communicating with the plurality of computer kiosks; wherein program instructions are stored on the machine-readable memory for the remote computer system processor to execute; a central communications module for receiving the outputs communicated by the kiosk communications modules, displaying the outputs to a remote computer system user, receiving commands from the remote computer system user, and routing the commands to the kiosk communications modules; wherein, in each computer kiosk, program instructions are stored on the machine-readable memory for the kiosk processor to further execute a kiosk analytics module for tracking usage statistics of the interactive local user application, the communications module communicating the usage statistics to the remote computer system; and wherein program instructions are stored on the machine-readable memory for the remote computer system processor to further execute a central analytics module, the analytics module compiling the usage statistics from the plurality of computer kiosks, and generating reports on the compiled usage statistics. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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Specification