Vending accommodation and accessibility
First Claim
1. A method for accommodation and accessibility, comprising:
- operating a vending machine in a primary mode;
announcing instructions for entry into an accommodation mode;
before receiving an instruction to enter the accommodation mode, resetting and starting an accommodation announcement timer;
determining whether the accommodation announcement timer has expired;
when determining that the accommodation announcement timer has expired, announcing accommodation mode instructions and resetting the accommodation announcement timer;
receiving an instruction to enter the accommodation mode;
after receiving the instruction to enter the accommodation mode, entering the accommodation mode and resetting and starting an accommodation mode timer, wherein the accommodation mode is an alternative mode of operation from the primary mode designed to accommodate persons having disabilities;
announcing a selected item of a list of items available for vending;
determining, by a computing unit, whether the selected item has been selected for vending based on a touch of at least one selection button on a display; and
when determining that the selected item has been selected for vending, prompting for payment.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Vending accommodation and accessibility is described in connection with completing transactions by a machine. In certain aspects, the method includes entering an accommodation mode based on a user selection, displaying an accommodation menu comprising at least one selection button and a list of items available for vending, and announcing a selected item of the list of items available for vending. In other aspects, the method includes determining whether an item has been selected for vending based on touching at least one selection button according to instructions to a relative position of the selection button on a display screen. When determining that an item has been selected for vending, the method further includes prompting for payment to complete a transaction for the item.
36 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method for accommodation and accessibility, comprising:
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operating a vending machine in a primary mode; announcing instructions for entry into an accommodation mode; before receiving an instruction to enter the accommodation mode, resetting and starting an accommodation announcement timer; determining whether the accommodation announcement timer has expired; when determining that the accommodation announcement timer has expired, announcing accommodation mode instructions and resetting the accommodation announcement timer; receiving an instruction to enter the accommodation mode; after receiving the instruction to enter the accommodation mode, entering the accommodation mode and resetting and starting an accommodation mode timer, wherein the accommodation mode is an alternative mode of operation from the primary mode designed to accommodate persons having disabilities; announcing a selected item of a list of items available for vending; determining, by a computing unit, whether the selected item has been selected for vending based on a touch of at least one selection button on a display; and when determining that the selected item has been selected for vending, prompting for payment. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for accommodation and accessibility, comprising:
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announcing instructions for entry into an accommodation mode; before receiving an instruction to enter the accommodation mode, resetting and starting an accommodation announcement timer; determining whether the accommodation announcement timer has expired; when determining that the accommodation announcement timer has expired, announcing accommodation mode instructions and resetting the accommodation announcement timer; receiving an instruction to enter the accommodation mode; displaying an accommodation menu on a display screen, wherein the accommodation menu is displayed during the accommodation mode, which is an alternative mode of operation from a primary mode designed to accommodate persons having disabilities, the accommodation menu comprising a list of items available for vending and at least one selection button proximate to a corner of the display screen; determining whether a selected item has been selected for vending based on a multiple-press of the at least one selection button; and when determining that the selected item has been selected for vending, prompting for payment. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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16. An apparatus for accommodation and accessibility, comprising:
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a display screen having a substantially smooth surface that displays items available for vending; a speaker; and a control system configured to operate a vending machine in a primary mode, announce instructions for entry into an accommodation mode of operation for vending the items available for vending, wherein the accommodation mode is an alternative mode of operation from the primary mode designed to accommodate persons having disabilities, before receiving an instruction to enter the accommodation mode, reset and start an accommodation announcement timer, determine whether the accommodation announcement timer has expired, when determining that the accommodation announcement timer has expired, announce accommodation mode instructions and reset the accommodation announcement timer, and monitor an accommodation mode entry area proximate to a corner of the display screen for a multiple-press comprising at least two successive and independent touches of the display screen at a substantially same location on the display screen within a certain threshold time period. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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Specification