Contextual user interface elements from external triggers

• US 9,373,117 B2
• Filed: 04/24/2015
• Issued: 06/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cubic Corporation
• Original Assignee: Cubic Corporation
• Inventors: Smith, Gavin R., Reymann, Steffen, Kenward, Jason
• Primary Examiner(s): Garg, Yogesh C
• Application Number:
  US14/695,363
• Publication Number:
  US 20150287126A1
• Time in Patent Office: 424 Days
• Field of Search: 705/27.1, 705/16
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/016 After-sales
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0643 Graphical representation of items or shoppers
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/52 Surveillance or monitoring of activities, e.g. for recognising suspicious objects recognising microscopic objects G06V20/69
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0014 for vending, access and use of specific services not covered anywhere else in G07F17/00 meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity G07F15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/42 for ticket printing or like apparatus , e.g. apparatus for dispensing of printed paper tickets or payment cards
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/201 Accessories of ATMs
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/211 Software architecture within ATMs or in relation to the ATM network
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/001 Interfacing with vending machines using mobile or wearable devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/002 Vending machines being part of a centrally controlled network of vending machines
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/006 Details of the software used for the vending machines
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/009 User recognition or proximity detection
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/023 Arrangements for display, data presentation or advertising
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/003 Details of a display terminal, the details relating to the control arrangement of the display terminal and to the interfaces thereto specific for a CRT G09G1/165; for a flat panel G09G3/2092
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/141 between two video terminals, e.g. videophone telephonic communication systems combined with television receiver for reception of entertainment or information matter H04M11/085
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/142 Constructional details of the terminal equipment, e.g. arrangements of the camera and the display
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 : for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

A method for retrofitting a vending machine with a video communications device includes securing a video communications device with a mounting feature of the video communications device removably coupled with a mounting location on a vending machine. The video communications device includes a video communications module for real-time interactions with a ticket office. The video communications module includes a display, a camera, a speaker, and a microphone. The video communications device includes a video communication device communications interface. The method includes electronically coupling the video communications device with a power supply of the vending machine and communicatively coupling the video communications device with the vending machine such that functions of the vending machine are controllable using the video communications device. The method includes communicatively coupling the video communications device with the ticket office for real-time video communications with the ticket office.

Claims

1. A method for providing contextual interface elements from external triggers of a transit fare vending machine, the method comprising:

receiving, at a transit fare vending machine, an input to begin a transaction associated with a transit fare media, wherein the vending machine comprises;

a plurality of hardware peripherals configured to interact with one or both of a form of payment or a transit fare; and

a plurality of speakers, wherein each speaker of the plurality of speakers is disposed proximate to a corresponding one of the plurality of hardware peripherals, and wherein the operation of each speaker is tied to the operation of the corresponding one of the hardware peripherals;

detecting a function of the transit fare vending machine, the function utilizing one of the plurality of hardware peripherals of the transit fare vending machine;

determining the one of the plurality of hardware peripherals utilized by the function;

retrieving one or more rules associated with the function and the one of the plurality of hardware peripherals;

overlaying an indication on at least a portion of a display of the transit fare vending machine in accordance with the one or more rules, the indication comprising one or both of a video or animation depicting a use of the one of the plurality of hardware peripherals in association with a completion of the function;

illuminating one or more light elements proximate to the one of the plurality of hardware peripherals to indicate the location or operation of the one of the plurality of hardware peripherals in association with the completion of the function in accordance with the one or more rules; and

emitting sound from one of the plurality of speakers positioned proximate to the one of the plurality of hardware peripherals such that a source of the sound is traceable to indicate the location or operation of the at least one of the plurality of hardware peripherals in association with the completion of the function in accordance with the one or more rules, wherein the one of the plurality of hardware peripherals comprises the corresponding one of the hardware peripherals of the one of the plurality of speakers.

2. The method for providing contextual interface elements from external triggers of a transit fare vending machine of claim 1, wherein:

detecting the function of the transit fare vending machine comprises receiving a request from a remote device of a ticket office of a transit system to perform the function.

3. The method for providing contextual interface elements from external triggers of a transit fare vending machine of claim 1, wherein:

the one or more light elements comprise a plurality of light elements; and

illuminating one or more light elements comprises flashing the plurality of lights in a linear pattern corresponding to a direction of insertion or removal of a material from the one of the plurality of hardware peripherals.

4. The method for providing contextual interface elements from external triggers of a transit fare vending machine of claim 1, wherein:

the indication comprises one or more of highlighting, an image, text, flashing a section of the display, an animation, or a video.

5. The method for providing contextual interface elements from external triggers of a transit fare vending machine of claim 1, wherein:

detecting the function of the transit fare vending machine comprises receiving an input from an input device of the transit fare vending machine, the input comprising instructions for the transit fare vending machine to perform the function.

6. The method for providing contextual interface elements from external triggers of a transit fare vending machine of claim 1, wherein:

the one of the plurality of hardware peripherals comprises one or more of a printer, a payment reader, a fare media reader, a fare media writer, or a scanner.

7. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions embedded thereon for sharing a screen from a remote device to a transit fare vending machine, the instructions comprising computer code for causing a computing device to:

receive, at a transit fare vending machine, an input to begin a transaction associated with a transit fare media, wherein the vending machine comprises;

a plurality of hardware peripherals configured to interact with one or both of a form of payment or a transit fare; and

a plurality of speakers, wherein each speaker of the plurality of speakers is disposed proximate to a corresponding one of the plurality of hardware peripherals, and wherein the operation of each speaker is tied to the operation of the corresponding one of the hardware peripherals;

detect a function of the transit fare vending machine, the function utilizing one of a plurality of hardware peripherals of the transit fare vending machine;

determine the one of the plurality of hardware peripherals utilized by the function;

retrieve one or more rules associated with the function and the one of the plurality of hardware peripherals;

overlay an indication on at least a portion of a display of the transit fare vending machine in accordance with the one or more rules, the indication comprising one or both of a video or animation depicting a use of the one of the plurality of hardware peripherals in association with a completion of the function;

illuminate one or more light elements proximate to the one of the plurality of hardware peripherals to indicate the location or operation of the one of the plurality of hardware peripherals in association with the completion of the function in accordance with the one or more rules; and

emit sound from one of the plurality of speakers positioned proximate to the one of the plurality of hardware peripherals such that a source of the sound is traceable to indicate the location or operation of the at least one of the plurality of hardware peripherals in association with the completion of the function in accordance with the one or more rules, wherein the one of the plurality of hardware peripherals comprises the corresponding one of the hardware peripherals of the one of the plurality of speakers.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein:

detecting the function of the transit fare vending machine comprises receiving a request from a remote device of a ticket office of a transit system to perform the function.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein:

the one or more light elements comprise a plurality of light elements; and

illuminating one or more light elements comprises flashing the plurality of lights in a linear pattern corresponding to a direction of insertion or removal of a material from the one of the plurality of hardware peripherals.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein:

the indication comprises one or more of highlighting, an image, text, flashing a section of the display, an animation, or a video.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein:

detecting the function of the transit fare vending machine comprises receiving an input from an input device of the transit fare vending machine, the input comprising instructions for the transit fare vending machine to perform the function.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein:

the at least one of the plurality of hardware peripherals comprises one or more of a printer, a payment reader, a fare media reader, a fare media writer, or a scanner.

13. A transit fare vending machine comprising:

a communications interface configured to send and receive data;

a plurality of hardware peripherals configured to interact with one or both of a form of payment or a transit fare;

a plurality of speakers, wherein each speaker of the plurality of speakers is disposed proximate to a corresponding one of the plurality of hardware peripherals, and wherein the operation of each speaker is tied to the operation of the corresponding one of the hardware peripherals;

a memory; and

a processor configured to;

receive an input to begin a transaction associated with a transit fare media;

detect a function of the transit fare vending machine, the function utilizing one of the plurality of hardware peripherals of the transit fare vending machine;

determine the one of the plurality of hardware peripherals utilized by the function;

retrieve one or more rules associated with the function and the one of the plurality of hardware peripherals;

overlay an indication on at least a portion of a display of the transit fare vending machine in accordance with the one or more rules, the indication comprising one or both of a video or animation depicting a use of the one of the plurality of hardware peripherals in association with a completion of the function;

illuminate one or more light elements proximate to one of the plurality of hardware peripherals to indicate the location or operation of the one of the plurality of hardware peripherals in association with the completion of the function in accordance with the one or more rules; and

emit sound from one of the plurality of speakers positioned proximate to the one of the plurality of hardware peripherals such that a source of the sound is traceable to indicate the location or operation of the at least one of the plurality of hardware peripherals in association with the completion of the function in accordance with the one or more rules, wherein the one of the plurality of hardware peripherals comprises the corresponding one of the hardware peripherals of the one of the plurality of speakers.

14. The transit fare vending machine of claim 13, wherein:

detecting the function of the transit fare vending machine comprises receiving a request from a remote device of a ticket office of a transit system to perform the function.

15. The transit fare vending machine of claim 13, wherein:

the one or more light elements comprise a plurality of light elements; and

illuminating one or more light elements comprises flashing the plurality of lights in a linear pattern corresponding to a direction of insertion or removal of a material from the one of the plurality of hardware peripherals.

16. The transit fare vending machine of claim 13, wherein:

the indication comprises one or more of highlighting, an image, text, flashing a section of the display, an animation, or a video.

17. The transit fare vending machine of claim 13, wherein:

detecting the function of the transit fare vending machine comprises receiving an input from an input device of the transit fare vending machine, the input comprising instructions for the transit fare vending machine to perform the function.