Abstract:
A system for managing a plurality of media includes an apparatus that houses a subset of the plurality. The apparatus may dispense media, either in raw or packaged form, and may receive media in response to customer requests and transactions, by identifying and authenticating customers and media. The apparatus may be configured to operate alone or the apparatus may interface with a host circulation system and may connect to customer and media databases within the host circulation system to manage a plurality of media greater than the subset physically housed within. Additionally, the apparatus may be used as a self check-out station for items that are not housed within. The system maintains a transactional log and may provide a transactional receipt to each customer as well as accept payment as part of a customer transaction. Additionally, the system may include a remote servicing system to maintain the apparatus.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims benefit of Provisional Application No. 60/649,199, filed on Feb. 2, 2005, entitled “Intelligent Manager for Automatically Handling and Managing Media Having a Plurality of Different Titles,” the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     The present invention relates generally to a system for managing media on which information is recorded. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus for housing a plurality of media, dispensing a medium corresponding to a request, and receiving and housing a medium returned to the system so that the returned medium is available immediately for circulation.  
         [0004]     2. Related Art  
         [0005]     Presently, libraries and other establishments that handle numerous media or media collections typically require dedicated personnel to manage such media, by performing tasks such as handling customer requests for media, and reshelving the media to the proper locations when the media are returned by customers. For example, current neighborhood libraries circulate hundreds if not thousands of compact disks (“CD”) and digital video disks (“DVD”) (referred to herein as “media” for plural units or “medium” for a single unit) to customers bearing appropriate library cards or other forms of identification. The term “library” as used herein also refers to a storage facility and/or disaster recovery establishment, or the like, where archived and/or backup media is maintained. Additionally, the term “media” as used herein also refers to storage media on which information is recorded, including, but not limited, to CDs, DVDs, diskettes, books, flash memory units, game cartridges, video cassettes, and the like. Typically, a customer brings an empty medium container identifying a requested medium to a librarian. The librarian would retrieve the requested medium from a back room or other secure area where a plurality of media are shelved. The need for the library to hold its collection of media in a secure area stems from an effort to control the distribution of the actual media and to avoid theft by customers who do not go through the proper “check out” procedures before leaving the library with the media. Because of the popularity of the free circulation of media by libraries, a dedicated librarian often is required just to handle the day-to-day traffic of requests and returns. This adds to the costs of running libraries, which usually are funded by taxes. Also, returned media generally are not immediately available for recirculation, because they need to be “logged in” as having been returned, and they also need to be reshelved so that they may be found when requested in the future. This in turn results in a delay in the availability of some media, and ultimately a lower level of service to library customers.  
         [0006]     Establishments that rent out media may follow a procedure similar to that discussed above for neighborhood libraries. Optionally, instead of storing its media collection in a secure area, an establishment may display the media on shelves, with each medium locked in its own container. A customer would bring a locked container housing a desired medium to a clerk, who unlocks the container when the customer presents proper identification and/or payment. The need for the establishment to lock its containers of media stems from an effort to avoid theft by customers who do not go through proper “check out” and payment procedures before leaving the establishment with the media. Therefore, the establishment by necessity has to employ one or more clerks to unlock containers, accept payment, and input customer rental information. Also, similar to neighborhood libraries, returned media generally are not immediately available for recirculation, because they need to be “logged in” as having been returned, and then they need to be reshelved so that customers know they are available for rental.  
         [0007]     Accordingly, there is a need for a more efficient system to house and maintain media for circulation.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     According to an embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus, referred to herein as an Intelligent Media Manager or an IMM, is designed to house a large number of media in a secure environment, and manage media transactions, including dispensing the media to authenticated users in a “self check-out” mode of the IMM. Further, the IMM is designed to accept media from users and then automatically shelve or house the media within the apparatus for future checkouts, making the media immediately available. Optionally, the apparatus is designed to automatically accept payment and provide receipts for transactions.  
         [0009]     The total number of media stored or housed in the IMM need not be fixed, but may vary. Additionally, the media housed in the IMM may vary and need not be the same from day to day, that is, each physical “slot” that houses a medium within the IMM need not be allocated for a specific medium title or medium type. Thus, the versatility of the IMM allows it to house multiple types of media at any one time, and provides for ease of loading and reloading the media housed within the IMM on a periodic basis. For example, through use of a “dynamic storage” feature, the IMM physically holds a predetermined maximum number of media but manages a greater number of media than what is physically held within. The phrase “dynamic storage” refers to the IMM&#39;s ability to manage a medium as long as the medium is defined in a host&#39;s (e.g., library&#39;s or retail establishment&#39;s) circulation system. That is, once information regarding a medium has been entered into the host&#39;s database, the IMM may determine whatever information it needs to properly track the medium without any staff (i.e., human) involvement by interfacing directly with the host&#39;s database. The dynamic storage feature of the IMM enables the host&#39;s collection of media to be far greater in number than the number of media that the IMM physically houses at any time. Accordingly, the IMM may track the media as they go through the circulation process.  
         [0010]     According to an embodiment, the IMM also interfaces with the host&#39;s back-end database or circulation system (e.g., an Information and Library Services (ILS) system or other known database system) to authenticate a customer&#39;s validity, a medium&#39;s validity, and whether the customer and/or the medium is allowed to be processed for circulation based on previously defined policies of the host.  
         [0011]     The IMM is designed to have a variety of modes for validating media and confirming that the validity of media that are checked in or returned are correct. These modes may include one or more of: (a) a barcode mode in which a barcode on a medium is read, regardless of the position or location of the barcode on the medium; (b) an RFID (radio-frequency identification) mode in which an RFID tag on a medium is read; (c) a content mode, where the tracks or content on a medium are used to validate the medium, and/or (d) an image mode in which a photographic image of a medium is taken and compared, upon-check in, automatically with a previously captured photographic image of the medium when it was checked out. Alternatively, the image mode may include displaying an image of the medium to a customer and receiving manual input from the customer as to whether the image matches the medium to be returned. Preferably, the IMM may incorporate one or more scanning devices to perform these functions, such as a dual mode IMM that scans and identifies both barcodes and RFID tags. The validation modes discussed herein are provided as examples, and one of ordinary skill in the art would easily understand that the IMM is not limited exclusively to one or more of those exemplary modes.  
         [0012]     According to another aspect of the embodiment, the IMM identifies customers via, for example, identification cards or other objects bearing unique barcode identifiers or unique RFID tag identifiers, for example. Optionally, customers may be identified via unique alpha-numeric identifiers inputted to the IMM through, for example, a keyboard, a touch-screen display, a biometric device, or the like. The IMM associates a customer with a medium that is to be checked in or checked out by the customer by associating the customer&#39;s identifier with an identifier of the medium that is to be checked in or checked out. The selected medium is then dispensed directly to the customer, either in raw form, such as a CD alone without a jewel case, or in packaged form. Optionally, the IMM may be instructed to dispense a blank or empty medium container to a customer who wishes to return a medium and may have misplaced the original medium container.  
         [0013]     Upon successful operation of the IMM by the customer, the customer may be presented with a printed receipt, which provides a written log of the customer&#39;s transaction(s). The information provided on the receipt may be defined by the host based upon the host&#39;s preferences. Additionally, the IMM may perform other transactions such as notifying a customer of late charges, notifications of library events, and retail transactions. The IMM&#39;s internal microprocessor manages and tracks which media of the host&#39;s collection are housed therein and which media have been checked out, including which customer or host personnel was last to use it through a transaction log, as well as its own status conditions necessary for its internal operation.  
         [0014]     Preferably, the IMM interfaces with customers via a touch-screen display that guides the customers through the steps of operating the IMM via video, which may be animated and may include multi-lingual voice prompts. The animated display may have different screens targeted for particular types of customers. For example, an animated video may be shown to customers who are children, or a video in which the actor is of a particular ethnicity may be shown when a corresponding language is selected by a customer at the IMM. The display of the IMM includes a browser that allows the host to obtain and display information (e.g., the latest news, alerts, weather reports, etc.) from the Internet. The browser also may be used to point to the host&#39;s intranet for promotion of internal events or to display advertisements. In addition, the IMM&#39;s display may have a virtual bulletin-board area, which allows the host to display various messages of importance as they relate to the host&#39;s business. The contents of the virtual bulletin board may be remotely and dynamically managed by the host.  
         [0015]     In yet another aspect of the embodiment, the IMM may be implemented as a single-bay kiosk, which is arranged to accommodate a single customer at a time. Alternately, an IMM may be designed as a multi-bay system, which is arranged to accommodate a plurality of customers at the same time. The multi-bay system includes a plurality of bays, each with its own display and/or its own media slot/bay.  
         [0016]     Optionally, the IMM may be configured to be used as a display-only unit, in which media for circulation are not housed in the IMM but instead are kept external to the IMM. In this case, a customer uses the IMM to scan or read, for example, an empty container corresponding to a desired medium, or the customer views an inventory list of titles of media available for circulation on the IMM&#39;s touch-screen display, and makes a selection using the display. The customer then retrieves the selected medium from its location external to the IMM for the customer to pick up. The retrieval may be done manually by, for example, a librarian or a clerk, or the retrieval may be done automatically.  
         [0017]     In the automatic retrieval scenario for an IMM as a display-only unit, multiple IMMs and/or a multi-bay IMM apparatus are operatively connected to a central media-housing apparatus. This allows multiple customers to browse the host&#39;s collection of media simultaneously without feeling pressured to make a quick selection so that another customer may use the IMM. When a customer makes a selection and goes through the check-out procedure of the IMM, the selected medium is automatically retrieved from the central media-housing apparatus commonly connected to the multiple IMMs and/or the multi-bay IMM. The selected medium is then dispensed directly to the customer, either in raw form, such as a CD alone without a jewel case, or in packaged form.  
         [0018]     Alternately, the IMM may be configured to function in a “slave-only” mode, where the IMM acts as a receiving and dispensing unit only, such that the IMM may scan and/or receive an inquiry for a certain medium, but the host&#39;s circulation system manages customer authentication and validation, medium location and medium validation. In essence, the IMM is a “slave” to the host&#39;s circulation system and receives instructions from the host regarding customer and media transactions.  
         [0019]     According to another aspect of the embodiment, dispensing includes the physical handling of the media, but also may include retrieving a medium in response to a request and inserting the medium into a connected external read/write device, such as a CD-ROM tower or jukebox. For example, libraries and other establishments often maintain voluminous references on CD-ROMs. Typically, a customer sends an email to a library personnel and requests that one or more CD-ROMs be inserted into an external CD-ROM jukebox. Once the library personnel inserts the CD-ROMs into the jukebox, the customer may then access the contents of the CD-ROM over the Internet. Using the IMM, a customer or patron may access a library&#39;s Website and enter a request to access certain sources that the library maintains on CD-ROM. Upon receiving this request, the IMM locates the CD-ROM responsive to the customer&#39;s request and inserts the CD-ROM into an external CD-ROM jukebox that the IMM is connected to, thus removing the need for library personnel to manually respond to the request. The IMM may then retrieve the CD-ROM from the CD-ROM jukebox once the customer has logged off the library&#39;s Website and rehouse the CD-ROM internally.  
         [0020]     According to another aspect of the embodiment, the IMM may provide location information of a medium not housed within the media slots and/or not currently located within the immediate host location. For example, a library may have multiple branches. If a certain medium is located at a particular branch, the IMM may inform the customer of this information. Correspondingly, a customer may return a medium to an IMM at any branch associated with a particular library or host.  
         [0021]     Optionally, the IMM may include a payment feature, in which the IMM functions to automatically request and accept payment for a medium. This allows the host to be able to charge per usage (e.g., when a medium is to be checked-out) and/or to charge a fee for late return of a medium. By linking a customer&#39;s identifier (from his/her identification card, for example) with the customer&#39;s circulation and/or payment records stored in the host&#39;s database(s), the IMM enables the host to prevent customers with unpaid fees, for example, above a predetermined amount, from being able to obtain additional media.  
         [0022]     In yet another aspect of the embodiment, the IMM may include an administrative mode that is invoked via a special administrator&#39;s identification card or via a predetermined identifier inputted using the IMM&#39;s touch-screen display or keyboard. When in the administrative mode, the IMM allows the host&#39;s personnel to add/remove media housed therein, check inventory, and/or manage various other operational settings. According to one aspect of this embodiment, host personnel may use the IMM to write to or program an RFID tag placed on a medium that has yet to be written to or programmed. Thus, as the personnel is scanning barcodes on media using the IMM, the IMM also may detect an RFID tag on a medium that is “empty,” such that no information regarding the medium, the library, etc., has been written to the tag. The IMM then matches the empty RFID tag to the barcode previously scanned in to identify the medium, based on the information stored within either the host&#39;s circulation database or an internal media database maintained within the IMM. Upon achieving a successful match, the IMM writes the medium information, and any other necessary information, such as which library the medium is located, time and date stamp, etc., to the empty RFID tag. The IMM may also encrypt the RFID data as an option, and may optionally verify the programming of the RFID tag against a predefined set of programming rules.  
         [0023]     According to another embodiment, as a patron is checking in or out a medium, an IMM may program an empty RFID tag simultaneously. For example, as a patron uses the IMM to scan a barcode on a CD during check-out, the IMM also scans an RFID tag attached to the CD and may detect that the RFID has yet to be programmed. Based on the identified barcode and matching information in the host&#39;s circulation database, the IMM programs the appropriate medium identification information to the CD and may encrypt. the information while the patron is in the process of checking out the CD. The RFID programming process is transparent to the patron, who is merely going through the check-out process. By programming the RFID tags as patrons check-in and check-out media, the IMM removes the requirement of having a host staff member program the RFID tags on all media, which typically requires a separate piece of costly hardware, and can be a labor intensive and error prone process.  
         [0024]     The IMM may include a communication interface for communicating with a remote service system external to the host in order to monitor the operations of multiple IMMs from a central remote location. The service system may be, for example, at the location of the manufacturer of the IMM or at any other location of an IMM service technician. The technician, through the communication interface, can enable/disable the IMM, set up various options, perform troubleshooting operations, run usability reports, run diagnostics, and perform various other administrative functions from a remote location.  
         [0025]     In the embodiment, the communication interface of the IMM allows the service technician not only to remotely gain access to the internal microprocessor of the IMM in order to determine the state of the IMM software, but also allows the technician to remotely cause internal elements of the IMM to move and to remotely turn on/off internal video capture devices, which enable the technician to see, in real time, internal mechanical elements (moving parts) of the IMM. This allows the technician to easily diagnose and correct any problem(s) with the IMM&#39;s operation.  
         [0026]     Additionally, the remote monitoring capability may be used to allow host personnel to load media information into the IMM&#39;s internal database from a remote location, for example, from a central library office. Advantageously, the ability to monitor and manage multiple IMMs from a single location optimizes the efficiency of the IMM system and increases the efficiency of library operations.  
         [0027]     In some embodiments of the present invention, while a customer is waiting for the IMM to process one or more transactions, the IMM display-screen may provide visual and audible information to the customer. This allows the host to provide “value-added” information to its customers, such as paid advertisements, trivia, general information and/or announcements about the host, public-interest announcements, advertisements about media available for circulation, movie previews, news, etc.  
         [0028]     According to another embodiment of the present invention, in addition to providing an automated medium check-in and check-out process for customers, the IMM also may be used by customers to check out or check in other materials, such as books or audio cassettes, which typically are not housed within the IMM. For example, when installed in a library, the IMM allows a customer to request and automatically check out a desired DVD housed in the IMM as well as to routinely check out books by, for example, reading barcodes on the books. This allows the customer to perform a “one-stop” check-out process without the need to enlist the help of a librarian or the need to use different check-out stations to check out different types of media.  
         [0029]     In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the IMM may be configured to function autonomously and without access to the host&#39;s database(s) in a “stand-alone” mode. In this mode, the IMM maintains its own customer and media databases, which enables the IMM to function independent of the host, including when the host&#39;s database(s) or circulation system may be malfunctioning. For example, in the master mode, the IMM authenticates a customer by reading and verifying the customer&#39;s identifier against the IMM&#39;s internal customer database. The identifier may be validated according to predefined rules, such as the number of digits, a number/letter pattern of alphanumerics, etc.  
         [0030]     Using the stand-alone mode, the IMM may be used as a stand-alone kiosk or rental center. The IMM may be deployed at shopping malls, grocery stores, commuter stations, and other locations where people go with some regularity. Customers then have the convenience of, for example, renting a desired DVD at a bus/train station on the way home from work and returning the DVD the next morning on the way to work. Preferably, the IMM is connected to the Internet, so that maintenance and status checks may be performed remotely by a service technician.  
         [0031]     According to another embodiment of the present invention, the IMM may be configured to “feed” external play-back devices, such as a CD/DVD players, MPEG devices, such as an iPod™, data recorders, game stations, on-line storage/backup devices, etc. That is, the IMM may dispense the tracks or contents of a medium, either in part of in full, into a play-back device to play back recorded content for a predetermined fee. Alternately, the IMM may be configured to load the contents of a medium onto a website, such as a host website, where a customer may access the contents for a certain amount of time in order to download the contents for a fee or as part of the host&#39;s service agreement with the customer. Alternately, the IMM may provide a preview of contents of a selected medium to a customer to aid in the selection of media by the customer for check-out or for retail purposes.  
         [0032]     According to some embodiments, the media housed within an IMM may be loaded individually and the media information may be manually inputted into the IMM&#39;s internal database(s), either by host personnel or by a customer who is checking in a medium. Alternately, the media and media information may be loaded dynamically into the IMM in order to reduce the time and effort necessary to manually load each medium. Dynamic loading includes stacking the total number of media to be housed within the IMM into a physical loading component of the IMM at one time, in any order, and configuring the IMM to load each medium by (a) scanning a barcode, RFID tag, or some other medium identifier located on the medium, (b) validating the medium against either the host database or an internal IMM database, (c) allocating space within the IMM for the medium and physically placing the medium into a media slot or bay, and/or (d) updating either the internal IMM database or the host database of the success of the operation. The IMM continues this process for each medium until the entire stack is loaded. Once the load is completed, the IMM may generate a status report and may notify the host&#39;s circulation system of the completion.  
         [0033]     Alternately, the media to be loaded may be stacked in a particular order and a list of the media order may be inputted into the IMM&#39;s database or may be retrieved from the host&#39;s database. During the validation of the medium, the IMM may scan the medium&#39;s identifier and verify the identifier against the uploaded list to verify that the medium is in the proper order. Thus, dynamic loading allows a host to load media into an IMM during off-hours, without requiring staff personnel to oversee the loading. In accordance with an aspect discussed above, the dynamic loading may be monitored from a remote location, for example, by host personnel through a host website, or by an IMM technician, who is prepared to react any problems during the dynamic load.  
         [0034]     One or more IMMs may be networked together at a single location and may be configured to pass media from one IMM to another, thereby increasing the housing capacity of the media. Thus, a customer, accessing a first IMM and requesting a specific medium, may be dispensed the medium that is originally stored in another IMM, connected to the first IMM. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES  
       [0035]     The advantages, nature and various additional features of the invention will appear more fully upon consideration of the illustrative embodiments now to be described in detail in connection with the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:  
         [0036]      FIG. 1  illustrates a system incorporating an intelligent media manager apparatus, according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0037]      FIG. 2  is an illustration of a multi-bay intelligent media manager apparatus, according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0038]      FIG. 3  presents a method of use of an intelligent media manager apparatus, according to an embodiment of the present invention; and  
         [0039]      FIG. 4  presents a method of programming medium identification tags using an intelligent media manager apparatus, according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0040]      FIG. 1  schematically shows an arrangement of an IMM system  100  that incorporates an IMM  10 , according to an embodiment of the present invention. The IMM  10  may house a plurality of media in an internal storage compartment. The IMM  10  includes a controller  12 , which may reside within the IMM  10  or may be externally connected to the IMM  10 . The controller  12  preferably is an application-specific controller. Optionally, the controller  12  is a standard microprocessor programmed to perform the control functions of the IMM  10  discussed herein.  
         [0041]     As discussed above, the IMM  10  may function as a stand-alone unit. Optionally, the IMM  10  may be connected to a host system  13 , such as a host&#39;s back-end database system. The host system  13  may include storage units storing one or more databases used by the IMM  10  to validate customer identifiers, to validate media to be checked in or checked out, to request/accept credit card payments or cash, and to provide rules to the IMM  10  to specify, for example, how long a medium may circulate before it must be returned, the categories of users that are permitted to check out various types of media, etc.  
         [0042]     Optionally, the IMM  10  may be connected to a remote service location  11 , so that the IMM  10  may be monitored and maintained by remote service technicians via, for example, the Internet or a dedicated telephone line.  
         [0043]     A customer  14  may use the IMM  10  to, among other things, return (check-in) a borrowed medium, obtain (check-out) a requested medium, provide payment for a medium, and send queries to the IMM  10  regarding, for example, the number of copies of a desired medium currently in circulation. The IMM  10  may include a printer  18  to print a receipt for each transaction performed for the customer  14 .  
         [0044]     IMM  10  may include a scanning device  16  and a display  17 , wherein the customer  14  may perform transactions on the display  17 , and may scan his or her identification card using scanning device  16 , as well as scan an empty medium case for item authentication and check-out) using scanning device  16 . Media housed within IMM  10  is dispensed to the customer  14  via a media bay  15 . The media bay  15  may also receive media being checked back into the system by customer  14 . Although the IMM  10  in  FIG. 1  is shown to have a single media dispensing bay  15 , the IMM  10  instead may be a multi-bay system, which allows a plurality of customers  14  to view titles of media available for circulation, make selections, check in returned media, check out media, etc., in parallel.  
         [0045]     The following is a list, in no particular order, of functions and functional units of the IMM  10 :  
         [0046]     Display  17 — 
         [0047]     The display  17  may be the primary, but not necessarily the only, means of communication between customer  14  and the IMM  10 . Preferably, the display  17  is a touch-screen device that receives commands and other inputted information from the customer, and that provides audio and video information to the customer.  
         [0048]     Media Bay  15 — 
         [0049]     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the media bay  15  is a portion of the IMM  10  from which a requested medium is dispensed to a customer during a check-out process. The media bay  15  also functions to accept a medium returned to the IMM  10  during a check-in process.  
         [0050]     Scanning Device  16 — 
         [0051]     The IMM  10  may include a scanning device  16  for reading customer identifiers, for example, from identification cards. For example, the scanning device  16  may read a barcode on a customer&#39;s identification card. Data included in the barcode is used by the IMM  10  to authenticate the customer. Authentication may include comparing the barcode data with information stored in a host&#39;s database(s), if the IMM  10  is connected to the host system  14 , or comparing the barcode data with information internally stored in the IMM  10 . The scanning device  16  also may be used to read control cards presented by host personnel to cause the IMM  10  to perform administrative control functions.  
         [0052]     Additionally, the scanning device  16  may be used to read a medium identifier located on, for example, a container for a medium that customer  14  wants to check out. For example, the scanning device  16  may read a barcode on the medium container. Data included in the barcode is used by the IMM  10  to retrieve and dispense the desired medium to customer  14 . Similarly, the scanning device  16  may be used to read an identifier, such as a barcode, on a medium being returned.  
         [0053]     RFID Scanner  19 — 
         [0054]     Instead of, or in addition to, the scanning device  16 , the IMM  10  may include an RFID scanner  19  for reading RFID tags on control cards, identification cards, and/or medium containers. Additionally, the RFID scanner  19  may be used to read RFID tags affixed to media. The RFID scanner  19  may also be a dual-mode scanner that reads and writes to RFID tags when the tag is empty.  
         [0055]     Customer Authentication— 
         [0056]     The IMM  10  may interface with and may be connected to (wirelessly or with wires) a host&#39;s back-end database system  13  to authenticate a customer  14  as well as to validate the customer&#39;s policy credentials as they relate to whether the customer is permitted check out or check in a medium. Alternatively, the IMM  10  may operate autonomously, independent of the host&#39;s back-end database system  13 , and thus, may house a customer authentication database within.  
         [0057]     Medium Authentication— 
         [0058]     The IMM  10  may interface with and may be connected (wirelessly or with wires) to the host&#39;s back-end database system  13  to authenticate a medium in conjunction with the customer&#39;s policy credentials. That is, the IMM  10  determines whether a requested function for a medium (e.g., check in or check out) is permitted for a customer based on the host&#39;s policies with respect to that customer. For example, if, the customer is authenticated to be a child (i.e., under the age of 18 years), a medium authenticated to be a DVD for a movie that is rated for persons over the age of 18 years would not be permitted by the IMM  10  to be checked out by that customer. Alternatively, the IMM  10  may operate autonomously, independent of the host&#39;s back-end database system  13 , and thus, may house a medium authentication database within.  
         [0059]     Medium Validation— 
         [0060]     The IMM  10  provides multiple levels of medium validation as a medium is being checked-in, i.e., the area of the IMM  10  that houses media available for circulation. These levels may include the ability to do any or all of: (a) read a barcode on a container holding a medium or on the actual medium itself, regardless of the barcode&#39;s position thereon; (b) read an identifying RFID tag affixed to the medium, (c) capture an image of the medium and compare the captured image either manually or automatically with a previously captured image of the medium when it was checked out. Although only three means of identification are disclosed, one of ordinary skill would recognize that the present invention is not limited to the above three means.  
         [0061]     Printer  18 — 
         [0062]     The IMM  10  optionally includes a printer  18  for printing a receipt that describes a transaction. For example, after the customer  14  returns a medium to the media bay  15 , and after the customer  14  and the medium are authenticated, the printer  18  prints a receipt indicating, for example, the title of the medium that was returned, the date of the return, and the customer&#39;s name. The printer  18  also may be used by the host to provide information to the customer  14 . For example, when the customer  14  checks out a medium, the receipt may indicate the date that the medium must be returned to the host, the title of the medium, the customer&#39;s name, and the date the medium was checked out. In addition, the printer  18  may be used by the host as a revenue generating device by printing out coupons along with the standard receipts described above. The printer  18  may be any known type of printer, and may be integrated with the IMM  10  or a stand-alone unit that is connected (wirelessly or with wires) to and controlled by the IMM  10 . Optionally, the printer  18  may include a function for printing RFID tags, photographic images, etc. as part of the medium validation process described above.  
         [0063]     Wireless I/O— 
         [0064]     The IMM  10  may be designed to have the option of connecting to the host&#39;s back-end database system through standard wires/cables or wirelessly by any known wireless protocol. For example, the IMM  10  may have a wired connection to the host&#39;s LAN using standard cables, or may have a wireless connection to the host&#39;s LAN using known wireless technology. Preferably, the IMM  10  is connected to the Internet via, for example, the 802.11a/b/g wireless protocol, which enables a service technician from the remote service location  11  to remotely assist in the installation and/or maintenance of the IMM  10  (using internal imaging devices and sensors) without having to travel to the location of the IMM  10 . Additionally, software upgrades may be installed remotely by the service technician via this connection.  
         [0065]     Imaging Device— 
         [0066]     As discussed above, an imaging device may be used for the validation of media that are being checked in or checked out to/from the IMM  10 , as well as for remote diagnostic evaluations in which a service technician remotely views images/video captured by the imaging device(s) to perform troubleshooting and maintenance. The imaging device also may be utilized for slot calibration and maintenance of the IMM  10 . For example, the service technician may proxy (remotely take control of) the IMM  10  from the remote service location  11  and cause the electromechanical components of the IMM  10  to make physical adjustments based on images/video viewed remotely.  
         [0067]     As shown in  FIG. 2 , an IMM  10  may have multiple patron stations. In  FIG. 2 , the IMM  10  has at least two displays  17 , two scanning devices  16 , and two media bays  15 . This arrangement allows more than one patron  14  to utilize the IMM  10  at any time. Accordingly, the internal database of the IMM  10  may process multiple patron transactions at a time.  
         [0068]      FIGS. 3 and 4  present methods of use of an IMM in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. The steps of each method need nor occur in the order presented, and some of the steps may occur essentially simultaneously.  FIG. 3  presents a process flow of using an IMM  10 , according to an embodiment of the present invention. In  FIG. 3 , a customer or patron  14  is identified, at step S 1 , using either the scanner  16 , a touch-screen on the display  17 , a keyboard, or some other means of accepting scanned or inputted information. Once the patron&#39;s information is acknowledged and processed, at step S 2 , the IMM  10  contacts the host&#39;s database to authenticate the inputted information, as well as to obtain the customer&#39;s credentials, which dictate the next course(s) of action for the IMM  10 , such as go/no-go, account status information, etc. The IMM  10  also may update its internal transaction log and/or transaction and customer databases.  
         [0069]     Once the IMM  10  has completed the patron authentication process satisfactorily, at step S 3 , an item or medium identification is requested by patron  14 , for example, by using scanner  16  to scan an item container with an item identifier, such as a barcode, affixed. Optionally, the patron  14  may used the RFID scanner  19  to scan and read an affixed RFID tag in as a means of item identification. Alternately, the patron  14  may request a specific item by making a selection off the display  17 . The IMM  10  queries the host&#39;s database  13  using the scanned barcode and/or RFID tag, or the display selection. At step S 4 , the IMM  10  queries the host&#39;s database  13  to authenticate the requested item, including, ascertaining the current status and location of the requested item, whether it is allowed to be processed as requested by the patron  14 , and, coupled with the patron&#39;s information, whether the action requested by the patron  14  (e.g., check in or check out) complies with the host&#39;s existing policies. Assuming that the item authentication is successful, at step S 5 , the IMM  10  retrieves the item from the IMM&#39;s internal item-housing area (check-out mode), and delivers the requested item to the patron  14  via the media bay  15 , at step S 6 . Accordingly, if the dispensed item is not retrieved by the patron  14  within a pre-determined amount of time from the media bay  15 , the item is taken back inside the IMM  10 , stored, and the item transaction is invalidated.  
         [0070]     Optionally, if the patron  14  is requesting an item not housed within the IMM  10 , the IMM  10  will provide the location of the requested item to the patron  14 . Alternately, if the patron  14  is checking out an item already retrieved, such as, for example, a book or magazine, the IMM  10  also may serve as an automated check-out facility.  
         [0071]     Alternately, the IMM  10  may perform steps S 1  through S 4  in response to a patron  14  who wishes to return an item. Upon successful patron authentication at step S 2 , the patron may use either the scanner  15  or the display  17  to identify the item to be returned. For example, patron  14  may use the scanner  15  to scan a barcode or some other identifying means on the item, at step S 3 . The IMM  10  then authenticates the item at step S 4 , and upon successful authentication, accepts the returned item from the patron  14 , at step S 7 . At step S 8 , the IMM  10  deposits the item into a slot in the item-housing area of the IMM  10 .  
         [0072]     According to another option, the IMM  10  may perform steps S 1  and S 2  and then immediately accept an item into the media bay  15  placed by the patron  14 , at step S 7 . The item validation includes determining whether the accepted item is a pre-defined item within the host&#39;s circulation system and whether the accepted item had been checked-out previously to the patron  14 . Item validation may occur, for example, by scanning the contents of the item, by scanning an identifier barcode or RFID tag on the item, or by scanning an image of the item and comparing the scanned image to a previously captured image of the item. Once the accepted item has been verified, at step S 8 , the IMM  10  deposits the item into a slot within the item-housing area of the IMM  10 .  
         [0073]     Upon completion of the patron&#39;s transaction, the IMM  10  displays a request to the patron  14  as to whether there are more items to check-out or check-in, at step S 10 . If yes, the process flow repeats after the step of authenticating a patron (step S 2 ). Alternately, the IMM  10  may be configured to repeat the process beginning with the step of authenticating the patron  14  (step S 2 ) in prevent other patrons from using another patron&#39;s identification credentials to either check-in or check-out an item. If the patron  14  has completed all desired transactions, the IMM  10  may provide the patron  14  with a receipt of the patron&#39;s transactions, at step S 11 , using printer  18 .  
         [0074]     Throughout the steps of  FIG. 3 , the IMM&#39;s display  17  and the various patron-interaction controls (such as voice prompting, internal logs, report logs, remote automation controls, etc.) are updated as to the status and steps of the process flow. Thus, the display  17  and audio features of the IMM  10  may be used to provide the patron  14  the status of the patron&#39;s transactions in real-time. Additionally, the display  17  may be used as an advertising space to display ads, host information, notices, etc., while the patron  14  is using the IMM  10 .  
         [0075]      FIG. 4  presents a method of programming RFID tags using the IMM  10 . As patron  14  begins to check in or check out an item, the patron  14  uses the scanner  16  to scan the barcode affixed to an empty item case to identify the item, at step S 3 . The IMM  10  identifies the item by querying the host&#39;s database  13  using the scanned barcode. Simultaneously, the RFID scanner  19  scans an RFID tag affixed to the item, and, at step S 12 , the IMM  10  determines whether the RFID tag has been programmed or is empty. If the RFID tag has been previously programmed, then, the process continues similarly to the process of  FIG. 3 , with the IMM  10  querying the host&#39;s database to authenticate the item, at step S 4 , and upon successful item authentication, the IMM  10  either retrieves the item for check-out, at step S 5 , or the IMM  10  accepts the item being checked in by patron  14 , at step S 7 .  
         [0076]     If the IMM  10  detects that the RFID tag scanned by RFID scanner  19  is empty, the IMM  10  begins to program the RFID tag, and may do so while the patron  14  is executing the item check-in or check-out process. Using the item identification information retrieved from the host database  13  in step S 3 , the IMM  10  writes the item identification information to the RFID tag at step S 13 , along with other process information, such as date and time, library branch identifier and information regarding the patron  14 . Optionally, the RFID tag data may be encrypted for security purposes. Once the IMM  10  has completed programming the RFID tag, at step S 14 , the IMM  10  validates the RFID tag using a set of predefined rules to verify that the RFID tag was programmed properly and is functioning. Steps S 13  through S 14  may occur simultaneously with steps S 4 , S 5 , and S 7 , thus, the programming of the RFID tag is transparent to the patron  14  and does not hinder nor delay the patron&#39;s transactions.  
         [0077]     At step S 10 , the IMM  10  displays a request to the patron  14  as to whether there are more items to check-out or check-in, and if so, the process repeats. If the patron  14  has completed the desired transactions, the IMM  10  then may update the host database  13  as well as an internal database of the transactions performed for the patron  14 , at step S 15 , and generates a receipt of the patron&#39;s transactions for patron  14 , at step S 11 , using printer  18 .  
         [0078]     While the present invention has been described with respect to what is presently considered to be the preferred embodiment(s), it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiment(s). To the contrary, the invention is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. The scope of the following claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures and functions.