Dispenser for food and/or drinks offering additional multimedia services

Abstract

 In order to offer the user a number of additional services, such as general information, bookings and purchasing on-line, the Multimedia Dispenser of Food and / or Drinks in conformity with the model comprises, in combination, two sub-systems: one to automatically dispense food and/or drinks and one to provide additional services such as on-line bookings and purchases; a variety of information regarding the economy, the stock market, current affairs, culture, sport, advertising; connection to the Internet, and so on.

Description

[0001] The present model relates to the food and/ or drinks distribution sector, and in particular to a distributing apparatus or dispensing machine, capable of supplying a wide range of additional services such as on-line information, bookings and purchases.

[0002] The necessity of being able to dispose of more and more efficient instruments and vehicles to promote products and services, is currently ever more pressing.

[0003] One of the major difficulties related to the said promotions, is to distribute on a widespread basis so as to reach the largest potential number of users or clients. A similar distribution in fact, to that performed by current vending machines which offer hot and/or cold drinks, food and/or ice creams, or tickets etc.

[0004] The innovative concept which forms the basis of the model, is that of integrating into a single apparatus, two sub-systems: one to dispense automatically food and/or drinks, and one to offer added services such as on-line booking and / or purchasing; widespread information regarding the economy, the stock market, news, culture, sport, connection to the Internet, and so on.

[0005] This has been obtained, according to the present model, intergrating into the current dispensers/distributors/vending machines of food and/or drinks, the functions of a computer or multimedia PC.

[0006] A better understanding of the innovation will be given by the following detailed description and the reference to the enclosed drawings which illustrate, purely by way of an example and not by way of a limitation, a preferred production form.

[0007] In the drawings:

figure 1 is a frontal view, in elevation, of the configurated model;

figure 2 is a frontal view of the opened configurated model, showing the inner components.

[0008] The present model essentially comprises two fundamental elements: an automatic dispenser of food and/or drinks, and a multimedia computer which interfaces with the user.

[0009] In the preferred production form which is hereby described, the model forsees an automatic dispenser able to house a multimedia computer, which is capable of communicating with the user, offering services, information or advertising.

[0010] One of the peculiarities of the innovation, is that during the periodical visits and inspections which are indespensable to supply the distributor and to perform general maintenance, appointed personnel also carries out a simple interaction task with the multimedia computer, to up-date advertising spots and/or general information run by the same or indeed to programme the timing of the outgoing messages.

[0011] Furthermore in conformity with the model which is hereby described, it is possible to furnish the multimedia computer with a telephonic interface with the exterior, of either a fixed or mobile nature, as for example a GSM communication apparatus. This will enable the computer to communicate with a Remote Centre which will thus be able to carry out checks, up-dates, and specific repair or maintenance tasks.

[0012] Moreover, the presence of the said communication apparatus, allows the Multimedia Dispenser in accordance with the model, to furnish further services such as on-line bookings and/or purchases, as well as the possibility of connecting to the internet.

[0013] Solely by way of a non limiting example, a possible hardware configuration of the computer forseen in the present innovation could be the following:

E CPU	Pentium® III 600 Mhz ;
E RAM Storage	64 MB;
E Mass Storage	Hard Disk 20 GB;
E Removable Mass Storage	CD-ROM RW;
E Graphic Interface	LCD Screen ;
E Audio Interface	Stereo Speakers (opt.);
E Input Device	Touch Screen (opt.)
E Communication Device	Modem or GSM apparatus (opt)
E Global Positioning System Device	GPS Modul (opt.);

[0014] With specific reference to the above mentioned figures, the automatic dispenser hereby described, will internally house the computer which will essentially be separated into two blocks: a Central Unit and an LCD Screen.

[0015] The Central Unit CU, also equipped with a CD player and a modem preferably of GSM specification, is placed inside a container C adequately insulated and waterproofed in order to protect the inner components from liquids and powders used in the preparation and dispensing equipment I, said container is directly installed inside the automatic dispenser of food and/or drinks. Electric power for the computer or PC is taken from the electric power sub-system A of the dispenser itself, foreseeing the eventual predisposition of a UPS unit to safeguard against sudden power cuts, which could damage the PC.

[0016] The LCD screen, will in turn be mounted internally into a specifically made housing on the front panel, in such a way as to face the outside of the distributor and be therefore easily viewed by the user.

[0017] Said front panel will be equipped with a selection sub-system S, a currently known payment sub-system P, and a dispensing area E.

[0018] It should be noted that the choice of using an LCD screen is simply due to the fact of wishing to provide good quality vision whilst limiting encumbrance.

[0019] In consideration of the above it would be preferable, though not imperative, that the CD unit be easily accessible from the exterior or through the simple opening procedures usually carried out by the maintenance personnel of the automatic distributor.

[0020] Naturally, should the fitted screen be of the "Touch Screen" type, then sub-system S can physically be incorporated into the LCD screen itself.

[0021] Should the above described hardware pack be of a kind readily available on the market, then the software design which manages and checks the automatic distributor, can be based on an readily available operative system such as Windows®.

[0022] According to the present model, the software is preferably structured in two parts : one program to run the viewing of promotional messages, and the other to run the palimpsests ( daily programming) and up-dates.

[0023] In as far as the viewing of the promotional messages is concerned, the appliance reads off the hard disk the information contained in the palimpsest and that of the filmed messages : the palimpsest will describe the sequence and the presentation timing of the various films. For each item present in the palimpsest, a reading of the pertinent film is taken from the Mass Storage, it is then decoded and sent to the LCD for presentation.

[0024] Where an audio interface is present, the audio track of the advertisment will also be decoded, sent to the audio device and on to the speakers.

[0025] Management of the programming and updates is instead controlled by the software program which will check the Removable Mass Storage (CD- ROM) for the presence of new programming or film updates. Should an update be present, the new file with the audiovisual data will be transferred onto the hard disk together with the file containing the new programming format.

[0026] At the end of the up-date, the software program will show the new palimpsest present on the hard disk.

[0027] Moreover, in conformity with the model, further to the commercial and cultural information contained in the palimpsest, it is also possible to furnish the user with a series of other additional information which will require his active intervention, such as public transport time- tables, information concerning the city's coming cultural or sporting events and so forth.

[0028] Furthermore, thanks to the presence of the GSM apparatus, it is also possible to furnish on-line information and services, such as latest teletext news, the possibility to book and/or purchase tickets for airplanes, trains, ferries or theatres and concerts, etc.

[0029] To conclude, substituting the GSM apparatus with, for example a GPRS, it is also possible to offer the user the possibility to access the internet and all the advanatages thereof.

[0030] Given the presence of the computer, it is obvious that the running of all the well known internal automatic and mechanical components of the distributor, can be gainfully carried out by the elaboration unit or CPU of the same computer, thereby eliminating the necessity of a seperate CPU being fitted for the distributor alone.

[0031] The above having been said, in conformity with one of the peculiarities of this model, the software that runs the multimedia distributor can gainfully select the advertising messages or commercial information to be shown according to the type of product ( drink or food) chosen by the user, in this way the advertisment or information given will be even more effective.

[0032] In conclusion, it is interesting to note, that the model hereby described can gainfully substitute present dispensers of food and drink and whilst occupying the same space, offer its users a substantial number of added services.

[0033] A further advantage of the present innovation, is given by the fact that the user can take advantage of the usual "coffee break" to bring himself up to date with the latest news and to carry out chores (bookings and / or purchases of tickets, connect to the internet etc.) which would otherwise require leaving the place of work or to waste time on the telephone. As an example, the presence of a GPS positioning device, makes it possible to give the user information pertinent to the area or neighburhood he is in at that time, such as for example the quickest route to a shop or which form of public transport to take to reach destination.

[0034] The present innovation has been described and illustrated in a preferred realization form with some variables, but it is obvious that modifications or technically equivalent substitutions could be carried out by an expert in this field without however compromising the aspects of cover given by the present industrial patent.

Claims

1. A Multimedia Dispenser of food and/or drinks, characterised in that, in order to offer the user a number of additional services, information, on-line bookings and purchasing, comprises, in combination, two sub-systems: one to automatically dispense food and / or drinks and one to provide additional services such as on-line bookings and purchasing; broadcast a variety of information regarding the economy, the stock market, current affairs, culture, sport, advertising; Internet connection, and so on.

2. A Multimedia Dispenser as claimed in the previous claim, characterised in that it essentially comprises an automatic dispenser of food and / or drinks (I, E, P, S) and a multimedia computer interfaced with the user (CU, CD, LCD); said computer will run the functioning of the dispenser through a specifically designed software program.

3. A Multimedia Dispenser as claimed in the previous claim, characterised in that said multimedia computer is equipped with a telephonic interface with the exterior of fixed or radio-mobile type (GSM), which is run by the multimedia computer (CU) enabling it to communicate with a Remote Centre which in turn carries out checks, up-dates, and specific repairs and / or maintenance.

4. A Multimedia Dispenser as claimed in the previous claim, characterised in that the said GSM apparatus enables the same dispenser to offer further services of on-line booking and/or puchasing as well as the possibility of connecting to the Internet.

5. A Multimedia Dispenser as claimed in the previous claim, characterised in that the hardware configuration of the computer is the following:

• CPU   Pentium® III 600 Mhz;

• RAM   Storage 64 MB;

• Mass   Storage Hard Disk 20 GB;

• Removable Mass   Storage CD-ROM RW;

• Graphics Interface   LCD Screen;

• Audio Interface   Stereo Speakers ;

• Input Device   Touch Screen ;

• Communication Device   Modem or GSM apparatus;

• General Positioning System Device   GPS Modul;

6. A Multimedia Dispenser as claimed in one or more of the previous claims, characterised in that the computer is essentially divided into two blocks: Central Unit (CU) and Video Screen (LCD).

7. A Multimedia Dispenser as claimed in the previous claim, characterised in that the Central Unit is placed inside a container ( C ) adequately insulated and waterproofed to protect the internal components from liquids and powder, said container is installed directly into the automatic destributor of food and / or drinks.

8. A Multimedia Dispenser as claimed in one of the claims from claim 2 onwards, characterised in that electric power for the computer or PC is taken from the supply sub-system

( A ) of the same distributor.

9. A Multimedia Dispenser as claimed in the previous claim, characterised in that the electrical supply circuit for the PC is equipped with a UPS unit to prevent unforseen power cuts from possibly damaging the same PC.

10. A Multimedia Dispenser as claimed in claim 5, characterised in that the LCD screen is mounted into a specifically made housing on the front panel, in such a way as to face the outside of the distributor and be therefore easily viewed by the user. The said front panel is also equipped with a selection sub-system ( S ), a currently known payment sub-system (P), and a dispensing area (E).

11. A Multimedia Dispenser as claimed in claim 5, characterised in that the Removable Storage Unit (CD) is installed in such a way as to be easily accessible from the outside or through the routine opening operations usually carried out by maintenance personnel.

12. A Multimedia Dispenser as claimed in claim 2, characterised in that it is equipped with a software programme structured in two parts : one programme to control the showing of advertising messages, and one to control the daily programming ( palimpsests ) and updates thereof.

13. A Multimedia Dispenser as claimed in the previous claim, characterised in that for the viewing of advertising 'spots', the apparatus will read from the hardisk both the palimpsest (programming) and which advert to run: the palimpsest describes the sequence and timing with which the spots should be shown ; for each item present in the palimpsest the pertinent film is selected and read off the Mass Storage, decoded and sent to the LCD screen for viewing.

14. A Multimedia Dispenser as claimed in the previous claim, characterised in that where an audio interface is present, the audio track of the advertising spot is decoded, sent to the audio device and on to the speakers.

15. A Multimedia Dispenser as claimed in claim 2 or 12, characterised in that the software which runs the palimpsests (programming) and the up-dates, is capable of checking the Removable Mass Storage (CD-ROM) for the presence of new films and/or programming sequences ; should updates be thus present, the system is up-dated after checking its congruency, and the new files, complete with audio tracks, are installed onto the hard-disk together with the new programming sequences.

16. A Multimedia Dispenser as claimed in claim 5, characterised in that through the modem or the apparatus for external communication (GSM), information and services are supplied live, such as "latest news" from teletext, and the possibility to book and/or purchase tickets for airplanes, trains, ferries, or for theatre shows, concerts etc.

17. A Multimedia Dispenser as claimed in the previous claim, characterised in that using for example a GPRS apparatus instead of the GSM, the user will be able to connect to the Internet and enjoy all the advantages thereof.

18. A Multimedia Dispenser as claimed in one of the claims from claim 2 onwards, characterised in that the running of all the well known internal automatic and mechanical components of the dispenser, is completely carried out by the elaboration unit (CU)
of the same computer, thus eliminating the necessity of installing a separate CPU for the dispenser alone.

19. A Multimedia Dispenser as claimed in one of the previous claims, characterised in that the software which runs the Multimedia Dispenser selects the advertising spots or commercial information to be shown in function of the type of product chosen (food or drink); thus obtaining an even greater impact for the spot or for the information given to the user.

Drawing