Automated business system and method of vending and returning a consumer product

• US 9,646,451 B2
• Filed: 06/11/2004
• Issued: 05/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NCR Voyix Corporation
• Original Assignee: NCR Corporation (NCR Voyix Corporation)
• Inventors: Blust, Donald, Driscoll, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): SHAPIRO, JEFFREY ALAN
• Application Number:
  US10/866,387
• Publication Number:
  US 20040254676A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,715 Days
• Field of Search: 700231-244, 700 24, 705 7, 186 53, 720612-616, 369 3048- 3049
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0645 Rental transactions; Leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/16 for devices exhibiting advertisements, announcements, pictures or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/305 for record players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/00 Mechanisms actuated by objects other than coins to free or to actuate vending, hiring, coin or paper currency dispensing or refunding apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/069 by box-like containers, e.g. videocassettes, books
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/002 Vending machines being part of a centrally controlled network of vending machines

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.

Claims

1. A method of dispensing disc-based media from an automated machine for rent or purchase by a customer:

selecting the disc-based media;

retrieving the disc-based media utilizing a retrieval mechanism;

reading an identification tag on the disc-based media;

verifying that the retrieved disc-based media is the disc-based media that was selected prior to dispensing the disc-based media;

dispensing the disc-based media to a port for retrieval by the customer; and

upon dispensing, making an entry for tracking inventory in a digital memory, the entry utilizing identification information for the disc-based media read from the identification tag.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising identifying a user that selected the disc-based media by reading a magnetic stripe on one of a credit card, a stored value card, a debit card, a smart card, an affinity card, a membership card, and an identification card.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising automatically charging a rental or purchase fee to one of the credit card, the stored value card, the debit card, and the smart card.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising selecting a rental option to rent the selected disc-based media for a predetermined period of time.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising selecting a purchase option to purchase the selected disc-based media.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the disc-based media is a DVD.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the identification tag is a radio frequency tag.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

return of the disc-based media through the port.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

adding new stock to the kiosk by inserting a new item through the port.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

reading a radio frequency identification tag on the new item upon insertion through the access port.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

updating inventory data to include the new item.

12. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

reading the identification tag on the disc-based media upon return of the disc-based media.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein reading the identification tag occurs at the port where dispensing occurs, and further comprising:

utilizing information read during reading the identification tag to verify the dispensed disc-based media is the selected disc-based media.

14. A method of dispensing disc-based media from an automated machine for rent or purchase by a customer, the method comprising:

reading a RFID tag on each of the disc-based media;

selecting a plurality of disc-based media;

retrieving the plurality of selections utilizing a retrieval mechanism;

dispensing the plurality of selections at same time through a port for retrieval by the customer;

identifying the customer that selected the plurality of disc-based media by reading a magnetic strip on one of a credit card, a stored value card, a debit card, an affinity card, a membership card, and an identification card utilizing a card reader; and

verifying that the retrieved disc-based media is the disc-based media that was selected prior to dispensing the disc-based media by analyzing information identifying the disc-based media read from the RFID tag.