Patent ID: 6668210
Filing Date: 2003-12-23
Classification: G07F,Y10T

Abstract:
A vending machine for engraved medals comprising:a housing; a plurality of lighting lamps contained in the housing to provide illuminance for an image; a key board for a user to input signals for engraving a medal; a money sensing part to detect payment inserted by electrical signals; a camera fixed in the housing to take photographs of the image according to signals from a controller; ROM (read only memory) in communication with the controller and in which background images and color data as well as a control programs for controlling the vending machine are memorized; RAM (random access memory) in communication with the controller and in which data is temporarily stored including image data photographed by the camera; wherein the controller recognizes data received from key board, the money sensing part, the camera, the ROM, and the RAM, performs the control program provided by the ROM, and outputs control signals; an image processor forwards image signals output from the controller to a monitor and an exterior monitor; wherein the monitor displays messages by which the user can input necessary data including background images, a photographed image and an image to be engraved at each stage under the control of the image processor; wherein the exterior monitor is provided outside the housing and displays procedures of manufacture and a type of the medal and commercials for the vending machine under the control of the image processor; a medal supplier to provide a medal to an engraver in accordance with output signals from the controller; and wherein the engraver automatically engraves the photographed image on the medal by at least one of embossing and intaglio in accordance with control signals output from the controller.