Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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ARTICLE VENDING MACHINE AND METHOD FOR EXCHANGING AN
INOPERABLE ARTICLE FOR AN OPERABLE ARTICLE
DESCRIPTION
[0001]
[0002]
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0003] The present invention relates to improvements in article dispensing
machines and
components and methods related to the same. More particularly, the present
invention relates to
a digital video disc (DVD) dispensing apparatus and method for exchanging an
inoperable article
for an operable one.
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] While the present invention is often described herein with reference to
a digital video disc
distribution system, an application to which the present invention is
advantageously suited, it
will be readily apparent that the present invention is not limited to that
application and can be
employed in article dispensing systems used to distribute a wide variety of
rentable articles.
[0005] An improved DVD dispensing machine is disclosed in commonly owned U.S.
Patent No.
7,234,609 The invention of the
7,234,609 patent and the present invention can function as a DVD dispensing
machine-based
distribution system that will typically have multiple units of each new
release per DVD
dispensing machine. The dispensing machines of the 7,234,609 patent and the
present invention
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can stock up to two thousand DVDs (movies, games or other entertainment
content), making the
system competitive with existing brick-and-mortar video rental superstores.
[0006] The dispensing machine and system of the 7,234,609 patent and the
present invention
distinguishes itself from such stores by offering major benefits not
conventionally offered by
such stores, including additional cross-marketing programs (e.g., promotional
rentals for a
certain amount of dollars spent at the hosting store) and convenience (e.g.,
open always).
[0007] The dispensing machine of the 7,234,609 patent and the present
invention yields a
competitive advantage in the DVD rental marketplace by offering consumers
cross-
marketing/promotional programs, convenience of selection (e.g., computer-based
searches for
movies and recommendations based on consumer profiles), and potentially
extended hours. The
present invention employs a more cost-effective, convenient platform than
brick-and-mortar
stores. In addition, with the present invention, DVD dispensing machines can
be situated in
hosting locations having high foot traffic, such as at a popular grocery
store, restaurant, drug
store, and/or other popular hosting locations.
[0008] The dispensing machine of the 7,234,609 patent and the present
invention can be
operated at a substantial savings over the costs associated with traditional
brick-and-mortar video
rental stores. For example, the present invention does not require hourly
employees manning the
dispensing machines or restocking them with inventories, due to the ability of
the article
transport storage units to be delivered to/picked up from host locations by
third-party delivery
services, such as traditional or contracted courier services.
[0009] Unlike brick-and-mortar stores, the dispensing machine of the 7,234,609
patent and the
present invention does not require an on-site store manager because all
operational decisions can
be made at a centralized location by a management team officed remote from the
hosting
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locations. Unlike brick-and-mortar stores, the dispensing machine of the
7,234,609 patent and
the present invention does not require significant physical space. Unlike
brick-and-mortar stores,
the dispensing machine of the 7,234,609 patent and the present invention has
low operating costs
because no heating or air conditioning is required for the dispensing machines
and they consume
a relatively low level of electrical energy. In addition, the dispensing
machine of the 7,234,609
patent has low maintenance costs and downtime.
[00010]
The dispensing machine of the 7,234,609 patent and the present invention
addresses the shortcomings of traditional brick-and-mortar stores in a
convenient and cost-
effective delivery vehicle having the added bonus of serving as an effective
promotional
platform that drives incremental sales to hosting locations. In addition, the
dispensing machine of
the 7,234,609 patent and the present invention overcomes these disadvantages
by at least
offering more new releases and older selections for any given time period, and
lower cost per
viewing with significantly more convenience than Internet-based and pay-per-
view services.
[0010] The dispensing machine of the 7,234,609 patent and the present
invention is a fully
automated, integrated DVD movie video and video game rental and/or purchase
systems. It
preferably incorporates robust, secure, scalable software that provides a
fully personalized user
experience and real-time feedback to hosting locations and advertisers,
scalable hardware that
leverages existing technologies such as touch screen, focused audio speakers
and plasma video
monitors, technology utilizing the Internet through a system website, and an
article transport
storage unit that facilitates the exchange of new DVDs for old DVDs in each
machine with
virtually no need for human intervention. These technologies and others fill
long-felt needs in the
art and give advantages over conventional video distribution options. The
dispensing machine of
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the 7,234,609 patent and the present invention functions as much as a
promotional platform as it
does a rental kiosk.
[0010] By utilizing the dispensing machines and the fully-interactive, real-
time, linked Internet
website, consumers can rent one or more DVD movie videos, video games, or
other
entertainment content directly from dispensing machines as well as indirectly
by making a rental
reservation through the website for later pickup at a conveniently located
machine. These
dispensing machines are preferably networked with each other, with the
inventory control and/or
supply office and with the system website by phone-line, DSL, or other
Internet connection at
each hosting location. Through this linked network, the rental experience for
each consumer can
be customized based on a profile for each consumer, such as via personalized
home pages and
rental screens.
[0011] As with any DVD rental system, from time to time a user may return a
damaged or
otherwise unplayable disk, which may later be rented out to a customer who
receives the
unplayable disk. The present invention is directed to a DVD dispensing
machines and method
for permitting a customer who receives an unplayable disk to exchange that
unplayable disk for a
playable disk. The present invention enables a user to return the unplayable
disk to the article
vending machine, indicate that the user wishes to exchange an unplayable disk
via a user
interface, and exchange the unplayable disk for a functional one. In one
embodiment, instead of
permitting an exchange when a customer returns an unplayable disk, the article
dispensing
machine may automatically reimburse the user the cost of the rental for the
unplayable disk.
100121 In certain embodiments, the article dispensing machine may first
determine whether the
customer is eligible to exchange the disk based on a customer criteria. This
may be desirable to
prevent a customer from repeatedly fraudulently claiming that a disk is
inoperable in order to
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exchange it for a new disk without paying an extra fee. This feature may also
be desirable to
limit situations in which a customer has repeated problems playing various
disks due to
deficiencies with the customer's disk player rather than due to any problem
with the disks. For
example, the article dispensing machine may not permit exchange if the
customer has used the
exchange function for more than 20% of the customer's rentals, which may
indicate that the
customer is merely using the exchange function to try to get a new rental
without paying another
fee. In some embodiments, in response to a customer request to exchange a
disk, the dispensing
machine may determine whether the vending machine contains other disks of the
same title. If
the dispensing machine does not contain another disk of the same title, the
machine may offer
the customer the option to exchange the unplayable disk for a disk of a
different title.
Alternatively, or additionally, the dispensing machine may determine which
other dispensing
machines in the area have a disk of the same title and may provide the
customer the choice to
exchange for those disks located at a different vending machine. In certain
embodiments, in
response to a request from a designated service person, the article vending
machine may be
configured to automatically purge all of the articles that have been returned
because they were
inoperable.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] FIG. 1 is an illustration of a system for communicating and processing
information in a
network of article dispending machines and dispensing apparatus;
[0014] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an article dispensing machine
constructed in accordance
with the principles of the present invention;
[0015] FIG. 3 is a partially open perspective view of a portion of the article
dispensing machine
of FIG. 2 with certain elements removed for clarity;
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[0016] FIG. 4 is a plan view of the portion of the article dispensing machine
of FIG. 3;
[0017] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of portions of the article dispensing
machine of FIG. 2 with
certain elements removed for clarity;
[0018] FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an order of operations performed by
an article
dispensing medicine for exchanging an inoperable article for an operable one;
[0019] FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a second embodiment of an order of
operations
performed by an article dispensing machine for exchanging an inoperable
article for an operable
one;
[0020] FIG. 8 is a flowchart of illustrating an order of operations performed
by an article
vending machine connected to a network for exchanging an inoperable article
for an operable
one;
[0021] FIG. 9 is a continuation of the flowchart of FIGS. 8 and 13;
[0022] FIG. 10 is a flowchart of illustrating an order of operations performed
by an article
vending machine for dispensing inoperable articles;
[0023] FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating an order of operations performed by
an article
dispensing medicine for receiving an inoperable article and providing a refund
for the cost of the
rental of the inoperable article;
[0024] FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating a second embodiment of an order of
operations
performed by an article dispensing medicine for receiving an inoperable
article and providing a
refund for the cost of the rental of the inoperable article;
[0025] FIG. 13 is a flowchart of illustrating an order of operations performed
by an article
vending machine connected to a network for receiving an inoperable article and
providing a
refund for the cost of the rental of the inoperable article;
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[0026] FIGS. 14-16 are illustrations of exemplary article browsing and search
screens for an
article dispensing machine.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0027] While this invention is susceptible of embodiments in many different
forms, there is
shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail preferred
embodiments of the
invention with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be
considered as an
exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to
limit the broad aspect of
the invention to the embodiments illustrated.
[0028] FIGS. 1-3 illustrate an article dispensing machine designated 230.
Article dispensing
machine 230 may be one of a plurality of article dispensing machines included
within an article
distribution system having a plurality of such machines situated at a
plurality of hosting
locations. The article dispensing machines of a particular article
distribution system preferably
form a network. As such, those machines are preferably in electrical
communication with each
other and with a central server or central controller.
[0029] As shown in FIG. 1, each article dispensing machine 230 includes a
dispensing machine
processor 300, also referred to herein as a vending controller, which is
connected to a user
interface control system 234 and a code reading device 370 collectively
referred to as "the
peripheral devices." The processor 300 is capable of executing various
programs to provide
input to and/or receive outputs from the peripheral devices. Suitable
processors for such use are
known to those of skill in the art. In addition, the processor is operably
connected to at least one
memory storage device 281, such as a hard-drive or flash-drive or other
suitable memory storage
device.
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[0030] Article dispensing machine memory storage device 281 can include any
one or a
combination of volatile memory elements (e.g., random access memory (RAM, such
as DRAM,
SRAM, SDRAM, etc.)) and nonvolatile memory elements (e.g., ROM, hard drive,
tape,
CDROM, etc.). Moreover, article dispensing machine memory storage device 281
may
incorporate electronic, magnetic, optical, and/or other types of storage
media. Article dispensing
machine memory storage device 281 can have a distributed architecture where
various
components are situated remote from one another, but are still accessed by
processor. Article
dispensing machine memory storage device includes an article dispensing
machine database 282.
[0031] The article dispensing machines 230 preferably comprise a network of
machines in
communication with one another. As shown in FIG. 1, in the preferred
configuration, the article
dispensing machines 230 are networked with one another via a central server or
central controller
302 in a hub-and-spoke system. However, optionally, the article dispensing
machines may be
connected and communicate directly with one another, and/or subsets of article
dispensing
machines may communicate with one another directly as well as with the central
server 302.
[0032] Generally, in terms of hardware architecture, the central server 302
includes a central
processor and/or controller, central memory, and one or more input and/or
output (I/0) devices
(or peripherals) that are communicatively coupled via a local interface. The
architecture of the
central server is set forth in greater detail in U.S. Patent No. 7,234,609.
Numerous variations
of the architecture of the central server would be understood by one of skill
in the art and are
encompassed within the scope of the present invention.
[0033] Steps and/or elements, and/or portions thereof of the present invention
may be
implemented using a source program, executable program (object code), script,
or any other
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entity comprising a set of instructions to be performed. When a source
program, the program
needs to be translated via a compiler, assembler, interpreter, or the like,
which may or may not
be included within the memory, so as to operate properly in connection with
the operating
system (0/S). Furthermore, the software embodying the present invention can be
written as (a)
an object oriented programming language, which has classes of data and
methods, or (b) a
procedural programming language, which has routines, subroutines, and/or
functions, for
example but not limited to, C, C++, Pascal, Basic, Fortran, Cobol, Perl, Java,
and Ada.
frequency (RF) or other transceiver, a telephonic interface, a bridge, and a
router.
[0034] When article dispensing machine 230 is in operation, the article
dispensing machine
processor is configured to execute software stored within article dispensing
machine memory, to
communicate data to and from the dispensing machine memory, and to generally
control
operations of article dispensing machine pursuant to the software, The
software aspects of the
present invention and the 0/S, in whole or in part, but typically the latter,
are read by processor,
perhaps buffered within the processor, and then executed.
[0035] When the present invention or aspects thereof are implemented in
software, it should be
noted that the software can be stored on any computer readable medium for use
by or in
connection with any computer related system or method. In the context of this
document, a
computer readable medium is an electronic, magnetic, optical, or other
physical device or means
that can contain or store a computer program for use by or in connection with
a computer related
system or method. The present invention can be embodied in any computer-
readable medium for
use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or
device, such as a
computer-based system, processor-containing system, or other system that can
fetch the
instructions from the instruction execution system, apparatus, or device and
execute the
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instructions. In the context of this document, a "computer-readable medium"
can be any means
that can store, communicate, propagate, or transport the program for use by or
in connection with
the instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. The computer readable
medium can be for
example, but not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical,
electromagnetic, infrared, or
semiconductor system, apparatus, device, or propagation medium. More specific
examples (a
non-exhaustive list) of the computer-readable medium would include the
following: an electrical
connection (electronic) having one or more wires, a portable computer diskette
(magnetic), a
random access memory (RAM) (electronic), a read-only memory (ROM)
(electronic), an
erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM, EEPROM, or Flash memory)
(electronic),
an optical fiber (optical), and a portable compact disc read-only memory
(CDROM) (optical).
Note that the computer-readable medium could even be paper or another suitable
medium upon
which the program is printed, as the program can be electronically captured,
via, for instance,
optical scanning of the paper or other medium, then compiled, interpreted or
otherwise processed
in a suitable manner if necessary, and then stored in a computer memory.
[0036] For communication with the central server 302, article dispensing
machine 230 is
equipped with network communication equipment and circuitry. In a preferred
embodiment, the
network communication equipment includes a network card such as an Ethernet
card. In a
preferred network environment, each of the plurality of article dispensing
machines 230 on the
network is configured to use the TCP/IP protocol to communicate via the
network 301. It will be
understood, however, that a variety of network protocols could also be
employed, such as
IPX/SPX, Netware, PPP and others. It will also be understood that while a
preferred embodiment
of the present invention is for article dispensing machine 230 to have a
"broadband" connection
to the network 301, the principles of the present invention are also
practicable with a dialup
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connection using a standard modem. Wireless network connections are also
contemplated, such
as wireless Ethernet, satellite, infrared and radio frequency networks.
[0037] The central controller 302 communicates with the article dispensing
machine controllers
300 via the network 301. The central controller 302 is preferably located at a
central station or
office that is remote from the plurality of article dispensing machines 230.
The central controller
302 can operate as the server for communicating over the network 301 between
the plurality of
article dispensing machines 230. The central controller 302 receives
communications and
information from the article dispensing machines 230, and also transmits
communications and
information to the machines 230. For example, when a DVD rental transaction is
performed at
the article dispensing machine 230, transaction data such as the rented DVD
title is then
transmitted from the machine 230 to the central controller 302 via the network
301. It will be
understood that central servers in general, such as the central controller
302, are often
distributed. A plurality of central servers/controllers 302 may optionally be
arranged in "load
balanced" architecture to improve the speed and efficiency of the network. To
accomplish the
implementation of multiple controllers 302, the controllers 302 may be in
communication with a
router/distributor 303.
[0038] The central controller 302 is also in communication with a central
database 304. The
central database 304 stores information regarding the transaction network,
customers and
customer transactions. For example, the central database 304 stores data
regarding the vending
inventory at each of the plurality of article dispensing machines 230. The
central database 304
also stores sales information regarding the sales quantities of the vending
merchandise stored in
the machines 230. For example, the central database 304 stores information
regarding the sales
totals for each DVD title and for each machine 230 vending location. Central
database 304 also
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stores user information and rental transaction information, such as user IDs,
PINs, the date on
which DVDs are due to be returned, and the date on which DVDs were rented from
the machines
230. Some of this information is also preferably stored in article dispensing
machine database
282. The central database 304 may also store a master inventory list of the
DVDs housed in each
of the dispensing machines.
[0039] Central database 304 is preferably a relational database, although
other types of database
architectures may be used without departing from the principles of the present
invention. For
example, database 304 may be a SQL database, an Access database or an Oracle
database, and in
any such embodiment have the functionality stored herein. Central database 304
is also
preferably capable of being shared, as illustrated, between a plurality of
central controllers 302
and its information is also preferably capable of being transmitted via
network 301. It will be
understood that a variety of methods exist for serving the information stored
in central database
304. In a preferred embodiment, .net and Microsoft Reporting Services are
employed, however,
other technologies such as ODBC, MySQL, CFML and the like may be used.
[0040] The central controller 302 and central database 304 are also preferably
accessible by a
personal computer 306. The personal computer 306 will be understood as
comprising hardware
and software consistent with marketable personal computers, such as a display
monitor, a
keyboard and mouse and a microprocessor. The personal computer also comprises
Internet
browser software such as Firefox or Internet Explorer or another such
interface. Using the
browser software, a user at the personal computer 306 can access a web
interface through the
central controller 302. To that end, central controller 302 preferably
comprises web server
software such as IIS or Apache. It will be understood that a variety of web
server software and
web browser software exists to implement the principles of the present
invention without
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departing therefrom. Through the web browser software, the personal computer
306
communicates with the central controller 302 and allows the user to login to a
central command
functionality of the central controller 302 and to view and modify data stored
in the central
database 304. The browser interface also allows the user to perform certain
system functions,
which will affect the inventory and behavior of the article dispensing
machines 230.
[0041] In a preferred embodiment, a financial server 305 is also in
communication with the
network 301. It will be understood that a variety of financial services exist
for processing
financial information via the Internet and other networks 301. Those services
allow for the
processing of credit card and debit card information, so that users of the
services do not have to
interface directly with credit and debit card companies. In FIG. 1, the
financial server 305 is
illustrated as a single server, although the financial server 305 may comprise
an entire sub-
network of financial servers 305 responsible for processing financial
information.
[0042] As shown in FIG. 2, article dispensing machine 230 includes a machine
housing 232 with
front, rear, top, bottom and side panels. The machine housing 232 is
preferably a combination
molded fiberglass and sheet metal cabinet. However, those skilled in the art
will appreciate that
the housing can be constructed from a variety of other suitable materials and
with a variety of
other suitable manufacturing techniques.
[0043] As shown most clearly in FIG. 2, a user interface portion 234 of
housing 232 includes a
card reader 240, a keypad and/or touch screen 242 and an article transfer
opening 244 sometimes
referred to herein as a receptacle. The card reader 240 is preferably designed
in known fashion to
read magnetically encoded membership and/or credit cards for authorizing the
distribution of
articles of inventory through the article transfer opening 244. Keypad and/or
touch screen 242
permits consumers and/or inventory stocking personnel to communicate with the
dispensing
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machine 230 and/or a central office linked in electrical communication with
the dispensing
machine. Keypad and/or touch screen 242 also permits consumers and/or
inventory stocking
personnel to enter appropriate commands directed to carrying out specific
machine tasks. It will
be appreciated that the optional touch screen includes a monitor made with
known technologies
making it capable of being utilized as a user interface for entry of commands
designed to carry
out machine tasks.
[0044] Furthermore, it will be appreciated that additional user interface
portions having
additional or even identical user interface components could be incorporated
within article
dispensing machine 230. For example, these components could be incorporated on
other panels
of the housing 232 of machine 230 so that the machine can be used
simultaneously by multiple
consumers, translating into more efficient distribution of articles in high
traffic areas.
[0045] Turning now to the functioning of the machine during a consumer
transaction, as a
consumer approaches an article dispensing machine, the consumer observes the
display monitor
and the user interface 234. The consumer may also observe a plasma/LCD monitor
displaying
marketing information, or a lightbox containing marketing information for
branding the vending
apparatus 230. The consumer then enters the appropriate commands at the user
interface control
234 associated with the dispensing machine to select a disk to be dispensed by
the machine. The
user interface can employ simple menus and a fixed set of keys for consumers
to make their
selections, it can employ break-resistant touch screens, or it can employ a
combination of both.
Once a selection has been made, the consumer then merely inserts his/her
magnetically encoded
dispense activation card into the card reader 240 positioned at the front of
the dispensing
machine 230 and, in response, the machine will dispense the selected disk
without the need for
further input by the consumer.
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[0046] Referring now to FIG. 3, which shows the components positioned in the
interior of
dispensing machine 230, the article dispensing machine includes a storage
device 248 which is a
carousel-style, cylindrical storage facility having a plurality of
compartmentalized rows 249
defined by circular-shaped storage racks 250 sharing a common central axis.
Each of the rows
has a plurality of compartments 369. Each storage rack 250 includes radially
extending,
angularly separated compartment panels defining article storage compartments
369 which are
designed to receive and retain flat-type pack articles, such as DVD cases, as
desired. The
compartment panels are preferably axially aligned to retain the opposing sides
of DVD cases at
the top and bottom ends thereof. In that regard, the DVD cases are preferably
retained between
successive vertical pairs of storage racks 250. The storage racks 250 are
vertically spaced by
axially extending support members 254.
[0047] A first motor 251, hereinafter referred to as the rotational motor,
rotates the storage
device 248 about a vertical axis formed by the driven shaft 252. As shown in
FIG. 4, rotational
motor 251 drives a belt 259, which in turn rotates wheels 253 and shaft 252 to
which the storage
racks 250 are attached.
[0048] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a selector arm 256 having a picker device
264 which is
capable of removing a DVD from the compartments 369, is adjacent the storage
device 248.
[0049] The selector arm 256 may further comprise a conveyor belt 374, which
contacts one of
the media products in one of the compartments 369 and conveys the product to
the article
transfer opening 244 whereby it is delivered to a user on the exterior of the
article dispensing
machine 230. The conveyor 374 is driven by a conveyor motor 372. Further
details pertaining to
the mechanics and operation of the selector arm are disclosed in commonly
owned U.S. Patent
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Nos. 7,234,609 and 7366,586 and U.S. Patent Application No. 11/863,909.
[0050] As shown in FIG. 5, the dispensing machine contains a code reading
device 370. The
code reading device may be an image capture device such as a digital camera,
or a constant
reading device such as a scanner or a digital video camera or a RF scanner.
The code reading
device is positioned to read an article identification code from an article as
the article is placed in
the receptacle 244. An article database correlates the article identification
code to certain article
information, such as, for example the title of a DVD.
[0051] A first embodiment of a method for exchanging an inoperable disk for an
operable one
400 is shown in FIG. 6. The user interface 234 presents a user returning a DVD
with the option
to request to exchange an inoperable DVD for an operable one as shown in step
402.
[0052] The user interface 234 identifies the customer via information obtained
from a card. In
this embodiment, the user interface 234 prompts the customer to insert or
swipe a membership
card into the card reader 240. Identification information is read from the
membership card,
which may be a credit or debit card, and the user is identified as shown in
step 404. User
identification may be performed by the vending machine processor 300 or the
central processor
303.
[0053] Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 7, the identification of the user may
be determined based
on the returned article. As shown in this second embodiment 450, the user
initiates the exchange
of an inoperable disk for an operable one via the user interface, step 452.
The user interface then
instructs the customer to insert the inoperable disk into the receptacle 244,
as shown in step 454.
The code reading device 370 then reads the article identifier from the disk as
shown in step 456.
The vending controller / processor then references a transaction database to
identify the customer
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to whom the disk having the article identifier has been rented as shown in
step 458. Optionally,
the user interface 234 may then request verification from the customer that
the system has
identified the correct customer.
[0054] In the embodiments shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, 400 and 450, the user's
eligibility to
perform the exchange is then determined. In a first embodiment, the user's
identification
information is checked against a customer exchange "blacklist" that identifies
users who are
prohibited from exchanging an inoperable article for an operable one as shown
in steps 406, 460.
The users may be identified on the exchange blacklist by an identification
code, for example, by
the card number of the user or by a cryptographic representation of a user
card number. The
customer exchange blacklist may be stored on the central memory 304 or it may
be stored on
both the central memory and the memories of the individual kiosks 281. If the
customer is listed
on the customer exchange blacklist, the user interface 234 notifies the
customer that he or she is
ineligible to exchange the inoperable disk for an operable one, steps 408,
462. If the customer is
not eligible for an exchange, the kiosk, via the user interface 234 may ask
the customer if he or
she wants to return the disk, as shown in step 464, at which point the normal
return procedure
would be followed.
[0055] In a second embodiment, instead of maintaining a blacklist, against
which the customer's
identification is checked, a customer's rental activity may be dynamically
checked for certain
eligibility criteria. A history of the customer's rental activity is stored on
the central memory
304 or, alternatively, it may be stored on both the central memory and the
memories of the
individual kiosks 281.
[0056] One such customer criterion may be the percentage of transactions that
result in
exchanges of inoperable articles. For example, a customer who has exchanged an
inoperable
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article during more than 20% of his or her rental transactions may be added to
the blacklist.
Another such criterion may be the frequency of customer exchanges. For
example, a customer
who has exchanged at least one inoperable article per week for four
consecutive weeks may be
blacklisted. Another such criterion may be the number of current rentals that
the customer has,
whereby the customer would not be permitted to perform an exchange if he or
she has more than
X number of rentals checked out. Another such criterion may be the number of
exchanges, in
which, a customer who has exchanged more than X number of times may be
blacklisted. Yet
another such criterion may be the time since the last exchange, for example a
customer may be
added to the blacklist if he or she has exchanged an inoperable article within
the past day. In
addition, a blacklist may use more than one of these criteria. For example,
customers may be
added to the blacklist if they exceed the set percentage of transactions that
result in exchanges or
if the customer has exchanged an article within the past day.
[0057] In the embodiment in which a customer blacklist is used, the above-
listed criteria may
also be used to determine when a customer is placed on the blacklist. A
customer may be
removed from the blacklist when that customer's transaction history no longer
satisfies the
blacklist criteria. For example, if a customer has been added to the blacklist
because his or her
percentage of transactions that resulted in exchanges exceeded the
predetermined threshold, the
customer may be removed from the blacklist when the customer's percentage of
rentals that
result in exchanges drops below that predetermined threshold. Alternatively, a
customer may be
removed from the blacklist manually by a customer service person with access
to and permission
to edit the blacklist via a personal computer in communication with the
central server.
[0058] If the customer is determined to be ineligible for an exchange in
process 400, as shown in
step 410, the user interface 234 instructs the customer to insert the
inoperable disk into the
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receptacle 244. The system then reads the article identifier from the disk
using the code reading
device 370, as shown in step 412. An article identifier database which may be
stored on the
kiosk memory 281, is accessed to determine the type of the article, which, in
the case of a DVD
or the like is representative of the title of the article, and which may be
represented by a code.
Once the type of the returned article is determined (the title of the DVD),
the system accesses an
inventory database which may be stored on the kiosk memory 281 to determine
whether the
article dispensing machine contains another article of the same type, herein
referred to as an
"identical replacement article" steps 414, 466. If the article dispensing
machine contains one or
more identical replacement articles available, the article dispensing machine
dispenses one of the
replacement articles, as shown in steps 416, 418, 468, 470. As shown in steps
420, 472, the
article dispensing machine also updates its article inventory database to
identify the returned
inoperable article as "inoperable" 420, 472. Articles in the inventory
database marked as
"inoperable" are unavailable for rental. Once the user has inserted the
inoperable DVD into the
receptacle 244, the inoperable DVD is transferred via the transfer mechanism
256 to an open
storage slot 369 in the vending machine.
[0059] If the article dispensing machine does not contain one or more
identical replacement
articles available for rental, in one embodiment, the user interface 234
prompts the user to select
another non-identical replacement article from the inventory of the article
dispensing machine, as
shown in steps 422, 474. FIGS. 12-14 show exemplary article selection and
browsing screens of
a user interface. The user then proceeds to select a non-identical replacement
article in steps
424, 476, which may be vended to the user at no extra cost, steps 426, 478.
[0060] As shown in FIGS. 11-13, in an alternative embodiment, the article
dispensing machine
may provide the customer with a refund or credit corresponding to the cost of
the rental of the
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article instead of providing a replacement article in response to the
consumer's request to return
the inoperable article. FIG. 11 shows an order of operations 800 for an
article dispensing
machine configured to identify the customer based on information obtained from
a customer
identification card or the like, determine if the customer is eligible for a
refund, and, if so,
provide a credit or refund to the customer. Specifically, in step 802, the
article dispensing
machine receives the customer initiation of a return of an inoperable article
for a refund via a
user interface 234. The system then identifies the customer based on
information received from
a customer identification card or the like, as described above and as shown in
step 804. Using
the customer identification, the article dispensing machine then determines if
the customer is
eligible for a refund for the customer's return of an inoperable disk, as
shown in step 806. As
discussed above, such a determination may be based on a customer blacklist or
the customer's
rental activity. If the customer is ineligible for the refund, the article
dispensing machine notifies
the customer accordingly, as shown in step 808.
[0061] If, on the other hand, the article dispensing machine determines that
the customer is
eligible to return the inoperable disk for a refund in step 806, the machine
then instructs the
customer via the user interface 234 to insert the unplayable disk into the
receptacle 244 as shown
in step 810. Once the disk has been received by the article dispensing
machine, as shown in step
812, the code reader 370 reads an article identifier from the disk to
determine the identity of the
disk as described in detail above. As shown in step 813, the article
dispensing machine then
proceeds to refund the cost of the rental for the inoperable disk to the
customer's account. The
instruction to provide a customer refund is transmitted from the article
dispensing machine 230
to a financial server 305 and may be sent via the central server 302. As shown
in step 820, the
article dispensing machine inventory is updated to reflect that the returned
article is inoperable.
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[0062] As shown in step 814, the article dispensing machine also determines if
there is another
article having the same title in the machine's inventory. If the article
dispensing machine has an
article of the same title, i.e. an identical replacement article, in its
inventory, the machine offers
the customer the option to rent one of the identical replacement articles via
the user interface
234, as shown in steps 816 and 818. If, on the other hand, the machine does
not have an
identical replacement article in its inventory, it offers the customer the
option to select and rent a
different article, as shown in steps 822-826.
[0063] FIG. 12 shows an order of operations 850 similar to that shown in FIG.
11, but, instead
of identifying the customer based on information obtained from a customer
card, customer
identification is based on the identity of the returned article, as described
above with respect to
FIG. 7. Specifically, in step 852, the article dispensing machine receives the
customer initiation
of a return of an inoperable article for a refund via a user interface 234.
The system then
receives the inoperable article from the customer via receptacle 244, as shown
in step 854.
[0064] Once the disk has been received by the article dispensing machine, as
shown in step 856,
the code reader 370 reads an article identifier from the disk to determine the
identity of the disk
as described in detail above. The vending controller / processor then
references a transaction
database to identify the customer to whom the disk having the article
identifier has been rented
as shown in step 858. Using the customer identification, the article
dispensing machine then
determines if the customer is eligible for a refund for the customer's return
of an inoperable disk,
as shown in step 860. As discussed above, such a determination may be based on
a customer
blacklist or the customer's rental activity. If the customer is ineligible for
the refund, the article
dispensing machine notifies the customer accordingly, as shown in step 862,
and may offer the
customer the option to return the article without a refund, as shown in step
864.
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[0065] If the customer is eligible to return the article for a refund, as
shown in step 860, the
article dispensing machine then proceeds to refund the cost of the rental for
the inoperable disk
to the customer's account, as shown in step 865. The instruction to provide a
customer refund is
transmitted from the article dispensing machine 230 to a financial server 305
and may be sent via
the central server 302. As shown in step 872, the article dispensing machine
inventory is
updated to reflect that the returned article is inoperable.
[0066] As shown in step 866, the article dispensing machine also determines if
there is another
article having the same title in the machine's inventory. If the article
dispensing machine has an
article of the same title, i.e. an identical replacement article, in its
inventory, the machine offers
the customer the option to rent one of the identical replacement articles via
the user interface
234, as shown in steps 868 and 870. If, on the other hand, the machine does
not have an
identical replacement article in its inventory, it offers the customer the
option to select and rent a
different article, as shown in steps 874-878.
[0067] As shown in FIGS. 8, 13 and 9, and processes 600 and 900, optionally,
the article
dispensing machine may offer the customer the choice to search the inventories
of remotely
located vending machines for one or more identical replacement articles
located at those remote
vending machines and generate a list of remote article vending machines at
which an identical
replacement article is available. A database of the inventory of the remote
article vending
machines may be stored at the central memory 304. A copy of the inventory
database may also
be stored on the memory of the local kiosk 281. The user interface 234 may
provide the
customer with the option to select from the list of remote article vending
machines at which an
identical replacement article is available and reserve one of the identical
replacement articles at a
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remote vending machine. A further discussion of searching and remotely
reserving articles
follows.
[0068] FIGS. 8 and 13 shows an order of operations 900 and 600 similar to
those operations in
FIGS. 7 and 12, respectively, but in FIGS. 8 and 13, if an identical
replacement article is not
present in the vending machine to which the article was returned, instead of
or in addition to
offering to the customer the option to rent a different article, the article
dispensing offers the
customer the option to search neighboring vending machines for articles having
the same title as
the returned article, as shown in step 602.
[0069] As shown in FIG. 9, once a request to search the inventory of remote
article dispensing
machines has been initiated in step 604 the system receives a location
identifier, as shown in step
606. The location identifier identifies the location of the user. The location
identifier can be
received from several sources. First, the location identifier can be received
manually from a user
at the vending location. In that embodiment, the user interface 234, at the
vending apparatus 230
requests that the user provide the location identifier. The user then supplies
the location
identifier using the keypad or touch screen. An exemplary touch screen numeric
key pad is
shown as 420 in FIG. 14. In that embodiment, the location identifier can be
data that is easy to
recall for the user, such as a zip code. In another embodiment, the location
identifier is received
automatically, from the vending controller 300. The vending controller in that
embodiment is
provided with data identifying its own location, such as an address, an
intersection, a global
positioning identifier or other coordinate data identifying its physical
location. Alternatively, the
each article dispensing machine may have a unique identifier associated with
that machine. The
central server may have a database stored on the central server memory that
correlates a set of
parameters associated with the unique identifier for each dispensing machine,
including the
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location of the machine. In this embodiment, the central processor may use the
unique identifier
for each machine to look up the parameters of the article dispensing machine,
including its
location, on the database.
[0070] Next, as shown in step 608, the user interface may optionally request
that the user limit
the geographic range of the search by inputting a location search parameter.
For example, the
user may request that the search be limited to locations within a 5 mile
radius or a specific zip
code. The kiosk then receives that user entered location search parameter in
step 610.
[0071] Next, in step 612, optionally the location identifier and the search
parameter may be
transmitted from the vending controller 300 to the central server 302. In
essence, the vending
controller 300 requests of the central server 302 the location of identical
replacement articles. In
steps 614 and 616, the central server 302 queries the database 304 to
determine the location of
the identified identical replacement articles. A query is performed on the
database 304 to
determine a vending apparatus 230 inventory having an identical replacement
article. The results
of the query are then sorted according to their location, and are ranked
according to the locations
that are closest to the location identifier. For example, the first result
will be the location of a
vending apparatus 230 that is one block away, the second result will be the
location of a vending
apparatus 230 that is 1 mile away, and so on. Further, optionally the system
may be configured
to transmit any predetermined number of locations. For example, the system may
transmit to the
user only one recommended location having the requested vendible media
product, or the system
may suggest any number of locations having the product, wherein the
suggestions are ranked in
order of proximity to the location identifier. Alternatively, the locations of
a certain number of
vending apparatuses within a certain distance may be displayed to the user and
an indicator may
identify to the user which of those locations has the identical replacement
article in stock.
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[0072] In step 618, the location of a vending kiosk 230 or locations of
multiple kiosks having the
requested vendible media product in their vending inventory is received by the
vending kiosk
230 at the first location from the central server. In step 620, the location
or locations can be
displayed on the touch sensitive display 234 at the vending apparatus 230.
Then, in step 622, the
system generates an interface at the first location from which the user can
reserve the identical
replacement article, located at the second location. Thus, the user interface
at the first vending
apparatus 230 allows the user to reserve the identical replacement article
from the inventory at a
second, remotely located vending apparatus 330. The user reserves the
identical replacement
article via the user interface at the first vending location, and the
transaction data is transmitted
to the central server 302, and then to a vending controller 300 at the second
remote vending
location which reserves the article for pick up by the customer as shown in
step 624. The user
interface then provides the customer instructions for retrieving the reserved
article at the remote
kiosk, as shown in step 626.
[0073] Then, at the remote vending location, the vending controller 300
receives user
identification, such as a credit card or identification card passed through
the card reader 240 or,
alternatively, a PIN provided by the user using the keypad 242. When the
vending controller 300
at the second vending location has confirmed the identity of the user, the
vending controller 300
generates a signal to deliver the identical replacement article to the user at
the second vending
location.
[0074] If the search for remote vending machines having an identical
replacement article, step
614, within the user designated search parameters does not result in any
available locations,
optionally the user interface may offer the customer the option to modify the
location search
parameters, as shown in step 628. If the customer opts to modify the search
parameters, a new
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search is conducted using the modified parameters. If the customer opts not to
modify the search
parameters, the customer may be given the option to select a non-identical
replacement article, as
shown in steps 630, 632.
[0075] In another aspect of certain embodiments shown in FIG. 10 as process
700, an article
vending machine may be configured to automatically dispense all of the disks
that have been
identified as inoperable to a service person. The vending machine is
configured to receive a
command from an authorized service person instructing the vending machine to
dispense all of
the disks that have been designated as inoperable step 702. The processor
references the
inventory database to identify each disk that has been identified as
inoperable, step 704. The
transfer mechanism 256 then removes the inoperable disks from their storage
slots one at a time
and vends each disk from the receptacle, step 706. The inventory database is
updated to reflect
that the vended inoperable disks have been removed from the article vending
machine, step 708.
[0076] Any process descriptions or blocks in figures represented in the
figures should be
understood as representing modules, segments, or portions of code which
include one or more
executable instructions for implementing specific logical functions or steps
in the process, and
alternate implementations are included within the scope of the embodiments of
the present
invention in which functions may be executed out of order from that shown or
discussed,
including substantially concurrently or in reverse order, depending on the
functionality involved,
as would be understood by those having ordinary skill in the art.
[0077] While the specific embodiments have been illustrated and described,
numerous
modifications come to mind without significantly departing from the spirit of
the invention, and
the scope of protection is only limited by the scope of the accompanying
Claims.
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