Remote expert mode invocation

• US 9,373,118 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): Patel, Hemant
• Application Number:
  US14/695,404
• Publication Number:
  US 20150288932A1
• Time in Patent Office: 424 Days
• Field of Search: 348 1401- 1416, 370351-357
• 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 remotely controlling a function of a transit fare vending machine, the method comprising:

receiving, at a transit fare vending machine, an input to initiate audio/visual communication with a ticket office of a transit system, the input being provided by a user of the transit fare vending machine;

establishing audio/visual communication between the transit fare vending machine and the ticket office;

receiving a request to enable control of the transit fare vending machine by a remote device of the ticket office;

authenticating a user of the remote device, wherein authentication comprises receiving identity credentials associated with a user of the remote device;

providing control of the transit fare vending machine to the remote device upon authentication of the user of the remote device;

disabling control of functionality of the transit fare vending machine by all input devices of the transit fare vending machine such that the transit fare vending machine is controllable only by the remote device; and

executing one or more functions associated with a transit fare transaction based on instructions received from the remote device, the one or more functions comprising issuing a fare media.

2. The method for remotely controlling a function of a transit fare vending machine of claim 1, further comprising:

disabling control of the of the transit fare vending machine by the remote device; and

enabling at least one input device of the transit fare vending machine such that the transit fare vending machine is controllable by the user of the transit fare vending machine.

3. The method for remotely controlling a function of a transit fare vending machine of claim 1, further comprising:

enabling at least one input device of the transit fare vending machine such that the transit fare vending machine is controllable by both the user of the transit fare vending machine;

receiving, using the at least one input device of the transit fare vending machine, authentication information associated with the user of the transit fare vending machine; and

disabling the at least one input device of the transit fare vending machine.

4. The method for remotely controlling a function of a transit fare vending machine of claim 1, wherein:

a level of the control provided to the remote device is selected based in part on the authentication of the user of the remote device, wherein a higher level of control is associated with the remote device having control over a greater number of functions of the transit fare vending machine.

5. The method for remotely controlling a function of a transit fare vending machine of claim 4, wherein:

the remote device comprises a first remote device; and

the method further comprises;

transferring control of the transit fare vending machine to a second remote device, wherein a level of the control provided to the second remote device is different than the level of the control of the first remote device based on the authentication of a user of the second remote device.

6. The method for remotely controlling a function of a transit fare vending machine of claim 1, further comprising:

overlaying at least a portion of a display of the remote device on a display of the transit fare vending machine.

7. The method for remotely controlling a function of a transit fare vending machine of claim 1, wherein:

providing control of the transit fare vending machine comprises enabling control of functionality of both software and hardware components of the transit fare vending machine.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions embedded thereon for remotely controlling a function of 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 initiate audio/visual communication with a ticket office of a transit system, the input being provided by a user of the transit fare vending machine;

establish audio/visual communication between the transit fare vending machine and the ticket office;

receive a request to enable control of the transit fare vending machine by a remote device of the ticket office;

authenticate a user of the remote device, wherein authentication comprises receiving identity credentials associated with a user of the remote device;

provide control of the transit fare vending machine to the remote device upon authentication of the user of the remote device;

disable control of functionality of the transit fare vending machine by all input devices of the transit fare vending machine such that the transit fare vending machine is controllable only by the remote device; and

execute one or more functions associated with a transit fare transaction based on instructions received from the remote device, the one or more functions comprising issuing a fare media.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, further comprising instructions for causing the computing device to:

disable control of the of the transit fare vending machine by the remote device; and

enable at least one input device of the transit fare vending machine such that the transit fare vending machine is controllable by the user of the transit fare vending machine.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, further comprising instructions for causing the computing device to:

enable at least one input device of the transit fare vending machine such that the transit fare vending machine is controllable by both the user of the transit fare vending machine;

receive, using the at least one input device of the transit fare vending machine, authentication information associated with the user of the transit fare vending machine; and

disable the at least one input device of the transit fare vending machine.

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

a level of the control provided to the remote device is selected based in part on the authentication of the user of the remote device, wherein a higher level of control is associated with the remote device having control over a greater number of functions of the transit fare vending machine.

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

the remote device comprises a first remote device;

and

the non-transitory computer readable medium further comprises instructions for causing the computing device to;

transfer control of the transit fare vending machine to a second remote device, wherein a level of the control provided to the second remote device is different than the level of the control of the first remote device based on the authentication of a user of the second remote device.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, further comprising instructions for causing the computing device to:

overlay at least a portion of a display of the remote device on a display of the transit fare vending machine.

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

providing control of the transit fare vending machine comprises enabling control of functionality of both software and hardware components of the transit fare vending machine.

15. A transit fare vending machine, comprising:

a communications interface configured to send and receive data;

a memory; and

a processor configured to;

receive an input to initiate audio/visual communication with a ticket office of a transit system, the input being provided by a user of the transit fare vending machine;

establish audio/visual communication between the transit fare vending machine and the ticket office;

receive a request to enable control of the transit fare vending machine by a remote device of the ticket office;

authenticate a user of the remote device, wherein authentication comprises receiving identity credentials associated with a user of the remote device;

provide control of the transit fare vending machine to the remote device upon authentication of the user of the remote device;

disable control of functionality of the transit fare vending machine by all input devices of the transit fare vending machine such that the transit fare vending machine is controllable only by the remote device; and

execute one or more functions associated with a transit fare transaction based on instructions received from the remote device, the one or more functions comprising issuing a fare media.

16. The transit fare vending machine of claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to:

disable control of the of the transit fare vending machine by the remote device; and

enable at least one input device of the transit fare vending machine such that the transit fare vending machine is controllable by the user of the transit fare vending machine.

17. The transit fare vending machine of claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to:

enable at least one input device of the transit fare vending machine such that the transit fare vending machine is controllable by both the user of the transit fare vending machine;

receive, using the at least one input device of the transit fare vending machine, authentication information associated with the user of the transit fare vending machine; and

disable the at least one input device of the transit fare vending machine.

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

a level of the control provided to the remote device is selected based in part on the authentication of the user of the remote device, wherein a higher level of control is associated with the remote device having control over a greater number of functions of the transit fare vending machine.

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

the remote device comprises a first remote device; and

the processor is configured to;

transfer control of the transit fare vending machine to a second remote device, wherein a level of the control provided to the second remote device is different than the level of the control of the first remote device based on the authentication of a user of the second remote device.

20. The transit fare vending machine of claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to:

overlay at least a portion of a display of the remote device on a display of the transit fare vending machine.