Abstract:
A media and fuel dispensing apparatus and method whereby a customer can purchase fuel and also purchase or rent a copy of a digital versatile disc (“DVD”), compact disc (“CD”), or other similar media product. In various embodiments, the media and fuel dispensing apparatus comprises a touch screen device in which the customer can select a DVD or other media product for dispensing as well as purchase fuel.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    Self service fuel pumping stations allow a customer to purchase fuel for his vehicle or other use. Such fuel pumping stations typically dispense gasoline or diesel; however, other fuels such as aviation fuel, boating fuel, or other fuels may be suitable for dispensing from such pumping stations. Such self service pumping stations typically allow the customer to pay for his purchase at the pumping station by inserting a credit card, debit card, or other method of payment into a payment device associated with the pumping station. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Described herein is a media and fuel dispensing apparatus and method whereby a customer can purchase fuel and also purchase or rent a copy of a digital versatile disc (“DVD”), compact disc (“CD”), or other similar media product. In various embodiments, the media and fuel dispensing apparatus comprises a touch screen device in which the customer can select a DVD or other media product for dispensing. The apparatus preferably comprises an inventory of popular media products such that the customer may choose from a variety of titles. Once the customer selects a DVD title and payment is confirmed, the apparatus will dispense the DVD to the customer. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0003]      FIG. 1  shows a front view of a media and fuel dispensing apparatus in one embodiment of the invention. 
           [0004]      FIG. 2  is a logical diagram of the major components of a media and fuel dispensing apparatus in one embodiment of the invention. 
           [0005]      FIG. 3  is a flowchart of a method for dispensing fuel and renting or purchasing a media product in one embodiment of the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0006]      FIG. 1  shows a front view of a media and fuel dispensing apparatus  100  in one embodiment of the invention. The apparatus  100  preferably comprises a display  101  suitable for presenting instructions or other information to the customer. In some embodiments, the display  101  comprises a liquid crystal display (“LCD”). In some embodiments, the display  101  is a touch screen device capable of receiving user input from the customer. In some embodiments, an optional input device  103  (such as a PIN pad, keyboard, and/or menu device) is present. 
         [0007]    Media and fuel dispensing apparatus  100  also comprises a fuel hose  106  for dispensing fuel to the customer. One end of fuel hose  106  is connected to the housing of the apparatus  100  and thence to a fuel tank (not pictured) which contains the fuel to be dispensed. The other end of fuel hose  106  is connected to a nozzle (not shown) suitable for dispensing fuel into the customer&#39;s vehicle or container. 
         [0008]    Preferably, media and fuel dispensing apparatus  100  further comprises a card reader  102  suitable for receiving input from a credit card, debit card, or other type of payment card. In some embodiments, card reader  102  may comprise a magnetic card reader. In other embodiments, card reader  102  may comprise an NFC (near field communications) reader and/or an RFID (radio frequency identification) reader. In yet other embodiments, card reader  102  may comprise combinations of the foregoing. In some embodiments, the media and fuel dispensing apparatus  100  may comprise a currency acceptor for accepting bills or notes. 
         [0009]    Media and fuel dispensing apparatus  100  further comprises a dispenser  105  suitable for dispensing a DVD or other media product. In some embodiments, the dispenser  105  may comprise a slot, said slot comprising mechanical actuators for pushing the DVD out of the dispenser  105 . In other embodiments, the dispenser  105  may comprise a chute or similar device for dispensing media products. 
         [0010]    Internally, the media and fuel dispensing apparatus  100  comprises a DVD storage and dispensing system  206  ( FIG. 2 ). Such systems may comprise a rack containing a plurality of shelves, each shelf containing a single DVD. Typically, each DVD is enclosed within a protective case so the DVD will not be damaged during handling by the apparatus  100 . The DVD storage and dispensing system  206  may also comprise one or more motorized grippers (not shown) that are adapted to travel to the location of a selected DVD, grip the DVD, and transport the DVD to the dispenser  105 . As known to those of skill in the art, such grippers may comprise wheels that enable the gripper to travel on one or more tracks. Such tracks may be oriented in three orthogonal directions (such as vertically, horizontally, and laterally) to enable the gripper to travel in all three dimensions within the apparatus  100 . 
         [0011]    Media and fuel dispensing apparatus  100  further preferably comprises a receipt printer/dispenser  104  for printing and dispensing paper receipts to the customer. Such printers are known to those of skill in the art and may comprise single sided or dual sided printing. 
         [0012]      FIG. 2  shows a logical diagram of the major components of a media and fuel dispensing apparatus  100  in one embodiment of the invention. The media and fuel dispensing apparatus  100  comprises one or more processors  201  for controlling operation of the apparatus  100 . Such processor  201  may comprise a general purpose processor or a specialized processor such as an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC). Apparatus  100  may also comprise a memory device  202  suitable for storing data. Such memory device  202  may comprise RAM, ROM, DRAM, SDRAM, flash memory, or the like. In addition, the media and fuel dispensing apparatus  100  optionally comprises a non-volatile data storage device  203 . Said data storage device  203  may contain data such as cryptographic keys for encoding sensitive data. 
         [0013]    The media and fuel dispensing apparatus  100  further preferably comprises an input/output (“I/O”) controller  205  suitable for operating display  101 , card reader  102 , and/or optional input device  103 . The apparatus  100  also preferably comprises a communications subsystem  204  suitable for communication over a network connection  207  to a remote computer or remote network. As discussed in more detail below, such communications may allow for the authorization and processing of the customer&#39;s payment as well as the inventory management of the DVDs or other media products stored in the apparatus  100 . 
         [0014]    The media and fuel dispensing apparatus  100  also comprises a DVD dispensing subsystem  206 . Such a subsystem  206  may comprise one or more grippers adapted to travel on tracks or rails as described above. Apparatus  100  also preferably comprises a fuel dispensing subsystem  208  adapted for pumping fuel from one or more storage tanks into the customer&#39;s vehicle via fuel hose  106 . Such a fuel dispensing subsystem  208  may comprise one or more pumps for pumping fuel, as known to those with skill in the art. 
         [0015]    As shown in  FIG. 2 , the various components of the media and fuel dispensing apparatus  100  are preferably connected to one another by way of a data communications bus. This bus allows the processor  201  to communicate with the other subsystems of the media and fuel dispensing apparatus  100 . As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, a plurality of busses or other interconnections may be used in place of the single bus shown in  FIG. 2 . 
         [0016]    In alternate embodiments, media and fuel dispensing apparatus  100  may be separated into two housings, the first housing comprising the fuel dispensing subsystem  208  and the second housing comprising the DVD storage and dispensing subsystem  206 . In some such embodiments, the media and fuel dispensing apparatus may be operated by a single touch screen display  101  located in either housing. Specifically, in such embodiments, the customer can order fuel and order DVD(s) or other media item(s) using the single touch screen display  101 . In some embodiments, the dual-housing media and fuel dispensing apparatus  100  may be operated by a single input device  103 . In such embodiments, the customer can order fuel and DVD(s) using the single input device  103 . 
         [0017]    Turning to  FIG. 3 , a method for dispensing fuel and renting/purchasing a DVD from a media and fuel dispensing apparatus  100  is shown. At step  301 , the customer inserts his credit card, debit card, or other payment card into card reader  102 . In some embodiments, the media and fuel dispensing apparatus  100  may comprise an optional slot for receiving currency (including notes and/or coins). In some embodiments, the card reader  102  may comprise an NFC reader or an RFID reader. In some embodiments, the apparatus  100  may comprise an input device  103  adapted to receive a personal identification number (“PIN”) from the customer for use in validating the customer&#39;s debit card or credit card. In some embodiments, the customer may insert currency (notes and/or coins) into the apparatus  100  for payment. 
         [0018]    At step  302 , the apparatus  100  validates the customer&#39;s method of payment. If the method of payment is a credit card or debit card, the processor  201  of apparatus  100  will preferably utilize communication subsystem  204  to contact a remote server over network  207 . The remote server (not shown) will authorize or deny the customer&#39;s method of payment based on the customer&#39;s credit limit, the amount of funds in the customer&#39;s bank account, or other criteria. If the customer&#39;s transaction is denied, then the apparatus  100  will not permit the customer to purchase fuel or a DVD. 
         [0019]    If the customer&#39;s method of payment is approved, the method proceeds to step  303  where the processor  201  of apparatus  100  will send a signal to the fuel dispensing subsystem  208  to permit the customer to being pumping fuel. 
         [0020]    At step  304 , the display  101  of apparatus  100  will present a menu or other user interface to the customer for purchasing or renting a DVD or other media item. In some embodiments, the display  101  will present an advertisement to the customer encouraging him to rent a DVD. Such an advertisement may contain one or more clips of movies or other media products that are currently available in the apparatus&#39;s  100  inventory. In some embodiments, the apparatus  100  may comprise an optional audio speaker for playing sounds associated with said advertisement. In some embodiments, the display  101  will present a graphical user interface to the customer, allowing the customer to select DVDs for purchase or rental from the apparatus  100 . As discussed above, the display  101  may comprise a touch screen device capable of receiving input from the customer. In some embodiments, an input device  103  may be used to select DVDs for purchase or rental. 
         [0021]    At step  305 , the apparatus  100  will receive and process a selection of one or more DVDs from the customer for purchase or rental. At step  306 , the processor  201  of apparatus  100  will process the payment for the selected DVD(s). In some embodiments, the apparatus  100  will wait until the customer completes pumping fuel before processing the payment. In such embodiments, the apparatus  100  may process the payment for the fuel and the selected DVD(s) simultaneously. In some embodiments, the processor  201  of apparatus  100  will utilize communication subsystem  204  to contact a remote server over network  207  to finalize the payment. 
         [0022]    At step  307 , the processor  201  will send a signal to the DVD dispensing subsystem  206  to dispense the selected DVD(s). As described above, DVD dispensing subsystem  206  may comprise a rack of shelves, with each shelf containing a single DVD. The DVD dispensing subsystem  206  may further comprise a gripper adapted to travel along tracks or rails inside the apparatus  100  to retrieve DVDs and transport them to a dispenser  105 . The customer can then retrieve the selected DVD(s) from the dispenser  105 . 
         [0023]    At step  308 , the apparatus  100  may optionally print a receipt and dispense the receipt to the customer utilizing receipt printer/dispenser  104 . Preferably, the receipt will contain an itemized bill of the customer&#39;s total purchase, including line items for the purchased fuel and the rented/purchased DVD(s). The receipt may also contain a due date for when the DVD(s) must be returned. 
         [0024]    Those skilled in the art will understand that the steps shown in  FIG. 3  do not need to be performed in the order presented and that variations in the order of the steps may be permitted. 
         [0025]    Accordingly, while the invention has been described with reference to the structures and processes disclosed, it is not confined to the details set forth, but is intended to cover such modifications or changes as may fall within the scope of the following claims.