Micro video assistant

• US 9,400,981 B2
• Filed: 04/03/2015
• Issued: 07/26/2016
• 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:
  US14/678,296
• Publication Number:
  US 20150287042A1
• Time in Patent Office: 480 Days
• Field of Search: 348 1401- 1416, 370259-271, 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 retrofitting an existing vending machine with a video communications device, the method comprising:

securing the video communications device to a vending machine such that a mounting feature of the video communications device is fixedly mounted to a mounting location on a housing of the vending machine, the vending machine comprising a first display screen, the video communications device comprising;

a video communications module configured to enable real-time audio/video interactions with a ticket office of a transit system, the video communications module comprising;

a second display screen;

a camera directed in front of the vending machine such that an image of a user of the vending machine is capturable by the camera;

a speaker; and

a microphone; and

a video communication device communications interface;

electronically coupling the video communications device with a power supply of the vending machine such that the video communications device receives operating power from the power supply;

communicatively coupling the video communications device with a communications interface of the vending machine such that functions of the vending machine are controllable using the video communications device, the functions comprising dispensing transit products; and

communicatively coupling the video communications device with a remote device of the ticket office using a communications interface of the video communications device to enable real-time video communications with the ticket office using the camera, the speaker, and the second display screen, and wherein the remote device communicates with the video communications device to control at least some of the functions including controlling the dispensing of at least some of the transit products from the vending machine.

2. The method for retrofitting an existing vending machine with a video communications device of claim 1, wherein:

the communications interface of the video communications device comprises a modem and network device such that the video communications device is communicatively coupled with the ticket office independent of the vending machine.

3. The method for retrofitting an existing vending machine with a video communications device of claim 1, wherein:

the video communications device is configured to overlay a portion of a screen of the remote device of the ticket office over a portion of the second display screen of the video communications device.

4. The method for retrofitting an existing vending machine with a video communications device of claim 3, wherein:

the overlaid portion of the second display screen updates in real-time when displaying dynamic information.

5. The method for retrofitting an existing vending machine with a video communications device of claim 1, wherein:

the video communications device comprises an identifier associated with the vending machine such that information associated with the vending machine and the video communications device is retrievable by the ticket office.

6. The method for retrofitting an existing vending machine with a video communications device of claim 1, wherein:

communicatively coupling the video communications device with a communications interface of the vending machine and with the ticket office enables a remote expert mode such that components of the vending machine and the video communications device are controllable using the remote device of the ticket office.

7. The method for retrofitting an existing vending machine with a video communications device of claim 1, wherein:

the video communications device is configured to;

detect an interaction with a user of the vending machine and the video communications device, the interaction comprising a body position of the user;

match the interaction with a database of interactions; and

adjust a parameter of one or both of the vending machine or the video communications device based on the matched interaction.

8. A method for retrofitting an existing vending machine with a video communications device, the method comprising:

securing the video communications device such that a mounting feature of the video communications device is fixedly mounted to a mounting location on a housing of a vending machine, the vending machine comprising a first display screen, the video communications device comprising;

a video communications module configured to enable real-time audio/video interactions with a ticket office of a transit system using a second display screen of the video communications module; and

a video communication device communications interface;

electronically coupling the video communications device with a power supply of the vending machine such that the video communications device receives operating power from the power supply;

communicatively coupling the video communications device with a communications interface of the vending machine such that functions of the vending machine are controllable using the video communications device; and

communicatively coupling the video communications device with a remote device of the ticket office to enable real-time video communications with the ticket office using the second display screen, and wherein the remote device communicates with the video communications device to control dispensing of at least some of the transit products from the vending machine.

9. The method for retrofitting an existing vending machine with a video communications device of claim 8, wherein:

the video communications module comprises a camera directed in front of the vending machine such that an image of a user of the vending machine is by the camera, a speaker, and a microphone, and wherein the second display screen comprises a touchscreen display.

10. The method for retrofitting an existing vending machine with a video communications device of claim 8, wherein:

the video communications device comprises a communications interface having a modem and wireless network components such that the video communications device is communicatively coupled with the ticket office independent of the vending machine.

11. The method for retrofitting an existing vending machine with a video communications device of claim 8, wherein:

the video communications device is configured to overlay a portion of a screen of a remote device of the ticket office over a portion of the second display screen of the video communications device.

12. The method for retrofitting an existing vending machine with a video communications device of claim 8, wherein:

the video communications device comprises an identifier associated with the vending machine such that information associated with the vending machine and video communications device is retrievable by the ticket office.

13. The method for retrofitting an existing vending machine with a video communications device of claim 8, wherein:

communicatively coupling the video communications device with a communications interface of the vending machine and with the ticket office enables a remote expert mode such that components of the vending machine and the video communications device are controllable using the remote device of the ticket office.

14. The method for retrofitting an existing vending machine with a video communications device of claim 8, wherein:

the video communications device is configured to;

detect an interaction with a user of the vending machine and the video communications device, the interaction comprising a body position of the user;

match the interaction with a database of interactions; and

adjust a parameter of one or both of the vending machine or the video communications device based on the matched interaction.

15. A system for providing video communication with a central ticket office of a transit system using existing transit fare vending machines, the system comprising:

a vending machine, comprising;

a housing having a mounting location;

a first display screen;

a power supply; and

a vending machine communications interface in communication with a ticket office of the transit system; and

a video communications device, comprising;

a video communications module configured to enable real-time audio/video interactions with the ticket office of the transit system;

a second display screen;

a video communication device communications interface; and

a mounting feature, wherein;

the mounting feature is fixedly mounted to the mounting location such that the video communications device is accessible to a user of the vending machine;

the video communications device is electrically coupled with the power supply such that the video communications device receives operating power from the power supply;

the video communication device communications interface is communicatively coupled with a remote device of the transit system such that real-time video communications with the remote device are enabled using the second display screen, and wherein the remote device communicates with the video communications device to control at least some functions of the vending machine including dispensing of at least some transit products from the vending machine.

16. The system for providing video communication with a central ticket office of a transit system using existing transit fare vending machines of claim 15, wherein:

the video communications module comprises a camera directed in front of the vending machine such that an image of a user of the vending machine is captured by the camera, a speaker, and a microphone, and wherein the second display screen comprises a touchscreen display.

17. The system for providing video communication with a central ticket office of a transit system using existing transit fare vending machines of claim 15, wherein:

the video communications device communications interface comprises a modem and wireless network components such that the video communications device is communicatively coupled with the ticket office independent of the vending machine.

18. The system for providing video communication with a central ticket office of a transit system using existing transit fare vending machines of claim 15, wherein:

the video communications device is configured to overlay a portion of a screen of the remote device of the ticket office over a portion of the second display screen of the video communications device.

19. The system for providing video communication with a central ticket office of a transit system using existing transit fare vending machines of claim 15, wherein:

the video communications device comprises an identifier associated with the vending machine such that information associated with the vending machine and video communications device is retrievable by the ticket office.

20. The system for providing video communication with a central ticket office of a transit system using existing transit fare vending machines of claim 15, wherein:

the video communications device is configured to;

detect an interaction with a user of the vending machine and the video communications device, the interaction comprising a body position of the user;

match the interaction with a database of interactions; and

adjust a parameter of one or both of the vending machine or the video communications device based on the matched interaction.