Abstract:
The accessibility of chair massages on an academic campus is improved by modifying an electronic currency acceptor to interface with a multi-drop bus (MDB) card reader. The electronic currency acceptor so-modified with the MDB card reader is then installed on a vending massage chair to thereby form an updated vending massage chair. The updated vending massage chair is placed at a location in a building on an academic campus.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]    The field of the invention relates to vending massage chairs, and more particularly to a method of improving the accessibility of such vending massage chairs on an academic campus by increasing the number of payment options for utilizing same. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]    Vending massage chairs are currently equipped with currency acceptors and/or credit card readers. Such vending massage chairs are placed in locations where busy consumers can purchase short chair massages. Currently, a chair massage “purchaser” is assumed to be a consumer with ready access to cash or a credit card. However, this assumption has the effect of excluding a number of possible consumers. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]    Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method that improves/increases the accessibility of vending massage chairs to a broader consumer population. 
         [0004]    Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more obvious hereinafter in the specification and drawings. 
         [0005]    In accordance with the present invention, a method is provided to improve the accessibility of chair massages on an academic campus. An electronic currency acceptor is modified to interface with a multi-drop bus (MDB) card reader. The electronic currency acceptor so-modified with the MDB card reader is then installed on a vending massage chair to thereby form an updated vending massage chair. The updated vending massage chair is placed at a location in a building on an academic campus. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
         [0006]    Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon reference to the following description of the preferred embodiments and to the drawings, wherein corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings and wherein: 
           [0007]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a dual tender assembly to include a multi-drop bus (MDB) card reader for use in the present invention; 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a side schematic view of an updated vending massage chair in accordance with an embodiment utilized by the present invention; 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a front schematic view of the updated vending massage chair illustrated in  FIG. 2 ; and 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is a side schematic view of an updated vending massage chair in accordance with another embodiment utilized by the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0011]    The present invention is a method that, when implemented in accordance with the process described herein, will make vending massage chairs more accessible to a broad consumer population to include students and other members of an academic campus population. As used herein, the term “academic campus” refers to the grounds and buildings that comprise the facilities of a college, university, boarding school, or other academic institution. Briefly, the present invention will make vending massage chairs more accessible on academic campuses by increasing the payment options that can be used to purchase time on a vending massage chair by a typical member of an academic campus. In general, this will be accomplished by equipping a vending massage chair with the capability to accept payment from a campus account card typically carried by a member of an academic campus. As used herein, the term “campus account card” refers to a smart card containing machine-readable information that identifies a campus user (e.g., student, faculty, administrator, etc.) and his/her school account. A campus account card typically functions as a debit card linked to a pre-paid account balance that can be replenished with additional deposits. 
         [0012]    Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to  FIG. 1 , a dual tender assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is shown and is referenced generally by numeral  10 . Dual tender assembly  10  includes an electronic bill acceptor  12  that has been removed from an existing vending massage chair (not shown). Bill acceptor  12  can be any of a variety of bill acceptors that generates an activation signal (designated by arrow  14 ) when a correct amount of payment (i.e., in the form of script money) has been inserted therein. In the case of a vending massage chair, activation signal  14  starts a massage session. 
         [0013]    In accordance with the present invention, dual tender assembly  10  is formed by interfacing a multi-drop bus (MDB) card reader  16  to bill acceptor  12 . Typical MDB card readers include a card swipe device that reads information from a campus user&#39;s campus account card, a communication system for transmitting the information so-read (indicated by arrow  18 ) to a campus transaction system (not shown), and a display so that a campus user can view information related to the transaction initiated when the campus account card is swiped through the card swipe device. A variety of MDB card readers having these capabilities are known in the art and are commercially available. By way of example, one such MDB card reader is the VR/MDB2 vending machine reader manufactured by Blackboard Inc. This MDB card reader provides for communication with a campus transaction system&#39;s server using an RS-485 or IP (10/100 Base-T Ethernet) connection. As used herein, the term “campus transaction system” refers to an integrated system that administers on-line, real-time commerce on an academic-campus. A widely-used campus transaction system is available from Blackboard Inc. 
         [0014]    In addition to transmitting information  18  to a campus transaction system, MDB card reader  16  provides bill acceptor  12  with a signal  20  indicative of an amount required for a chair massage. That is, signal  20  causes bill acceptor  12  to operate as if script money was inserted into bill acceptor  12 . Accordingly, upon receipt of signal  20 , bill acceptor  12  generates activation signal  14 . 
         [0015]    For reasons that will become more apparent below, it may be desirable to incorporate a time delay between the generation of signal  20  and the presentation of activation signal  14  to a vending massage chair. As will be explained further below, this time delay should be sufficient to allow a campus user to swipe their campus account card in MDB card reader  16  and then get comfortably situated in the vending massage chair. Typical time delays can range from approximately 15 seconds to 1 minute. The time delay can be incorporated in one or more portions of dual tender assembly  10 . For example, a delay  22  can be installed between MDB card reader  16  and bill acceptor  12  to delay the presentation of signal  20  to bill acceptor  12 . Additionally or alternatively, a time delay  24  could be installed to delay the presentation of activation signal  14  to a vending massage chair. Note that time delay  14  could also delay the presentation of activation signal  14  to a vending massage chair in the use of a standard cash purchase. 
         [0016]    Dual tender assembly  10  is utilized in the present invention by installing same in a vending massage chair as will now be explained with the aid of  FIGS. 2 and 3 . A typical cash vending massage chair has its bill acceptor located on a front side thereof. To simplify the transformation of a typical vending massage chair to one updated for academic campus use in accordance with the present invention, dual tender assembly  10  will also typically be placed on the front side of a vending massage chair  100  as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . More specifically, MDB card reader  16  will typically be located below bill acceptor  12 . This lower positioning of MDB card reader  16  is most readily accessed by a user before sitting in vending massage chair  100 . Therefore, in order to allow a user to purchase a chair massage using MDB card reader  16  and have time to get comfortable in chair  100 , the above-described time delay(s)  22 / 24  can be incorporated in dual tender assembly  10 . Note that this lower positioning of MDB card reader  16  may not be ideal for the general population, but it is perfectly acceptable as a payment option location on an academic campus where the vast majority of potential users are young and healthy. 
         [0017]    Vending massage chair  100  updated/transformed with dual tender assembly  10  is placed in a building on an academic campus where chair massages would most likely be desired and/or of benefit. Typically, chair  100  would most likely be of interest in buildings where students spend long (and possibly stressful) periods of time working/studying. Accordingly, chair  100  could be placed in libraries and various well-known student study areas. In this way, chair  100  will readily present itself as a reward during times of hard work. By making chair  100  readily available in known study areas, students can take a deserved break without leaving their study site. Furthermore, by making the readily accessible massage chair available for use with a simple swipe of a student&#39;s campus account card, the student/consumer has the ability to make an impulse purchase. 
         [0018]    As described above, chair  100  updated/transformed with dual tender assembly  10  will typically be placed in quiet and well-lit study/work areas of an academic campus. In order to maximize the value of chair  100  to users as well as minimize distraction of potential users who may be quietly working in the vicinity of chair  100 , one or more additional features can be provided. Referring now to  FIG. 4 , two such features will be described. It is to be understood that these features are mutually exclusive even though both are shown with chair  100 . 
         [0019]    Since chair  100  is ideally placed where students will be working quietly and chair  100  typically generates some levels of vibration/noise, vibration insulation  30  can be disposed between chair  100  and a floor surface  200  on which chair  100  is placed. Vibration insulation  30  could take the form of a free-standing mat or could be coupled directly to underside regions of chair  100 . Such direct coupling of vibration insulation  30  to chair  100  has the added advantage of allowing a user to alter the position of chair  100  while maintaining the proper position of vibration insulation  30 . By reducing the introduction of vibrations into floor surface  200 , the experience of the user and potential users working near chair  100  are enhanced. That is, the user will enjoy their massage knowing they are not disturbing those working nearby. The potential users working nearby will see the enjoyment experienced by the user and be enticed to purchase their own massage. 
         [0020]    As mentioned above, chair  100  is ideally placed in study/work areas of an academic campus. Since such study/work areas are typically well-lit (e.g., large windows, fluorescent lighting, etc.), a user&#39;s massage experience could be enhanced by providing some type of shade apparatus  40  on chair  100 . Shade apparatus  40  can be any of a wide variety of light-shading devices/systems that will block some or all of the ambient light incident on a user&#39;s eyes when sitting in chair  100 . Shade apparatus  40  can include some type of adjustment mechanism that allows a user to reposition shade apparatus  40  in one or more dimensions as indicated by arrows  42 ,  44  and  46 . An added advantage of shade apparatus  40  is that a user can use it for privacy as they shield their face from view by others in the area of chair  100 . 
         [0021]    The advantages of the present invention are numerous. By adding the payment option of an MDB card reader, the market potential of a vending massage chair is increased by providing wide accessibility to users on an academic campus. Such accessibility improves life for the campus population as a readily accessible vending chair massage will enhance a student&#39;s study experience while reducing illness-causing stress. 
         [0022]    Although the invention has been described relative to a specific embodiment thereof, there are numerous variations and modifications that will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced other than as specifically described.