Patent Publication Number: US-8113421-B2

Title: Dedicated self-service return terminal and method of operating a dedicated self-service return terminal for receiving returned media on which entertainment data is stored

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     The present invention relates to media on which entertainment data is stored, and is particularly directed to a dedicated self-service return terminal and method of operating a dedicated self-service return terminal for receiving returned media, such as a digital versatile disc (“DVD”), on which entertainment data is stored. 
     A typical self-service media rental terminal for renting DVDs is capable of both dispensing a rented DVD to a customer and receiving a returned DVD from a customer. The self-service media rental terminal has a customer interface by which a customer interacts with the terminal to rent DVDs and return DVDs. A drawback in known self-service media rental terminals which are capable of both dispensing rented DVDs and receiving returned DVDs is that a customer who just wants to return a DVD has to wait in a queue with other customers who want to rent (or both rent and return) DVDs at the terminal. This wait in a queue may be quite frustrating for the customer who just wants to return a DVD, especially if the queue is relatively long. It would be desirable to provide an improved way for a customer who just wants to return a DVD. 
     SUMMARY 
     In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a dedicated self-service return terminal is provided for receiving returned media on which entertainment data is stored. The dedicated self-service return terminal comprises a reader arranged to read data associated with returned media on which entertainment data is stored, a media transporter mechanism having a media return slot for receiving returned media, a shutter mechanism having a shutter door movable between an open position which allows returned media to be inserted through the media return slot and a closed position which blocks the media return slot and prevents returned media from being inserted through the media return slot, and a controller arranged to (i) move the shutter door to the open position to allow returned media to be inserted through the media return slot when a determination is made that returned media is being returned to the correct location based upon data read from returned media, and (ii) maintain the shutter door in the closed position to prevent returned media from being inserted through the media return slot when a determination is made that returned media is not being returned to the correct location based upon data read from returned media. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In the accompanying drawings: 
         FIG. 1  is a right-front perspective view of a dedicated self-service return terminal for receiving a returned DVD on which entertainment data is stored, and which return terminal is constructed in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view similar to  FIG. 1 , and shows a back-lit message display removed to better illustrate certain internal components of the dedicated self-service return terminal; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view similar to  FIG. 2 , and shows a bare DVD being inserted into a slot of a bare disc transporter; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view similar to  FIG. 3 , and shows a cased DVD being inserted into a slot of a cased disc transporter; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view, looking approximately in the direction of arrow “X” in  FIG. 1 , and showing a left-back perspective view of the dedicated self-service return terminal; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view similar to  FIG. 5 , and shows a number of panels removed to better illustrate a removable DVD cartridge bin; 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view similar to  FIG. 6 , and showing the removable DVD cartridge bin in another position; 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view similar to  FIG. 8 , and showing the removable DVD cartridge bin in yet another position; 
         FIG. 9  is a flow diagram which depicts typical operation of the dedicated self-service return terminal of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view similar to  FIG. 1 , and showing a lower access door of the dedicated self-service return terminal in an open position; 
         FIG. 11  is a perspective view similar to  FIG. 10 , and showing the removable DVD cartridge bin of  FIG. 8  removed from the dedicated self-service return terminal; and 
         FIG. 12  is a perspective view of a system which pictorially illustrates how the DVD cartridge bin shown in  FIG. 11  is moved from the dedicated self-service return terminal to a main self-service rental terminal which is associated with the dedicated self-service return terminal. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The present invention is directed to a dedicated self-service return terminal and method of operating a dedicated self-service return terminal for receiving returned media, such as a digital versatile disc (“DVD”), on which entertainment data is stored. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a dedicated self-service return terminal  10  constructed in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. The dedicated self-service return terminal  10  is capable of only receiving returned DVDs, and is not capable of dispensing DVDs. The self-service return terminal  10  comprises an exterior enclosure  12  which has a main panel  14  to which an upper customer interface panel  16  is fastened and to which a lower front access panel  18  is hingedly fastened. A first shutter mechanism has a first shutter door  24  movable between an open position and a closed position. Also, a second shutter mechanism has a second shutter door  26  movable between an open position and a closed position. 
     A backlit message display  20  is provided on the upper customer interface panel  16 . The display  20  may be in the form of a liquid crystal display (LCD). The display  20  provides instructions for a customer desiring to return a DVD. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the display  20  is displaying an instruction line “PLEASE INSERT DISC BELOW”. A radio frequency identification (RFID) reader  22  is also provided on the upper customer interface panel  16 . The RFID reader  22  is located underneath the upper panel  16 , and is therefore shown in dotted line. A fixed label marked “PLEASE SCAN DISC HERE” is adjacent to the RFID reader  22 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the display  20  of  FIG. 1  is removed to better illustrate certain internal components of the dedicated self-service return terminal  10 . A bare DVD transporter  30  has a first media return slot  31  which is aligned with the first shutter door  24  ( FIG. 1 ) of the first shutter mechanism. A cased DVD transporter  32  has a second media return slot  33  which is aligned with the second shutter door  26  of the second shutter mechanism. 
     A controller  35  controls the first shutter mechanism to move the first shutter door  24  from the closed position to the opened position to allow a returned bare DVD (i.e., a DVD which is by itself without a case) to be inserted through the first media return slot  31  of the bare DVD transporter  30 . When no bare DVD is being returned, the controller  35  maintains the first shutter door  24  in the closed position. The controller  35  also controls the second shutter mechanism to move the second shutter door  26  from the closed position to the open position to allow a returned cased DVD (i.e., a DVD which is in a DVD storage case) to be inserted through the second media return slot  33  of the cased DVD transporter  32 . When no cased DVD is being returned, the controller  35  maintains the second shutter door  26  in the closed position. The controller  35  may comprise an electronic processor, microcomputer, or the like. Such devices are known and, therefore, will not be described further. 
     When a customer desires to return a bare DVD, the first shutter door  24  opens and the customer inserts the bare DVD through the first media return slot  31 . When a customer desires to return a cased DVD, the second shutter door  26  opens and the customer inserts the cased DVD through the second media return slot  33 . Structure and operation of the bare DVD transporter  30  and the cased DVD transporter  32  are known and, therefore, will not be described further. Also, structure and operation of the first and second shutter doors  24 ,  26  of the first and second shutter mechanisms are known and, therefore, will not be described further. 
     A container  34  has a chamber in which a removable disc storage bin  40  is installed when the storage bin is in use in the terminal  10 . The removable storage bin  40  includes a first bin portion  42  which is aligned with the bare DVD transporter  30  to receive bare DVDs to be returned through the bare DVD transporter. As shown in  FIG. 3 , a bare DVD  36  is shown aligned with the first media return slot  31  and is ready to be inserted through the slot into the bare DVD transporter  30  to return the bare DVD. The removable storage bin  40  also includes a second bin portion  44  which is aligned with the cased DVD transporter  32  to receive cased DVDs to be returned through the cased DVD transporter. As shown in  FIG. 4 , a cased DVD  38  is shown aligned with the second media return slot  33  and is ready to be inserted through the slot into the cased DVD transporter  32  to return the cased DVD. Each of the first and second bin portions  42 ,  44  has a linear array of shelves. The array of shelves of the first bin portion  42  and the array of shelves of the second bin portion  44  are substantially the same. 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view, looking approximately in the direction of arrow “X” in  FIG. 1 . More specifically,  FIG. 5  shows a left-back perspective view of the dedicated self-service return terminal  10 .  FIG. 6  is a perspective view similar to  FIG. 5 , and shows the main panel  14  ( FIG. 1 ) removed to better illustrate internal components of the dedicated self-service return terminal  10 . As shown in  FIG. 6 , an internal frame  48  supports a sliding mechanism  50  which, in turn, supports the container  34  for vertically sliding movement between a topmost position (as shown in  FIG. 7 ) and a bottommost position (as shown in  FIG. 8 ). The container  34  is in a default and stowed position when it is in its bottommost position shown in  FIG. 8 . The container  34  shown in  FIG. 6  is in some intermediate position between the topmost position of  FIG. 7  and the bottommost position of  FIG. 8 . When the container  34  in an intermediate position (such as shown in  FIG. 6 ) between its topmost and bottommost positions, the first and second bin portions  42 ,  44  of the storage bin  40  are in position for receiving either a returned bare DVD from the bare DVD transporter  30  or a returned cased DVD from the cased DVD transporter  32 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 6-8 , the sliding mechanism  50  comprises a pair of parallel rails  52  which extend vertically. One side of the container  34  is slidably coupled to one of the rails  52 , and an opposite side of the container is slidably coupled to the other one of the rails. A direct current (DC) motor  54  is drivingly coupled through an endless continuous belt  56  to the container  34 . The controller  35  controls the DC motor  54  in known manner to rotate in one direction to move the container  34  along the rails  52  towards the topmost position of the container ( FIG. 7 ), and to rotate in the opposite direction to move the container along the rails  52  towards the bottommost position of the container ( FIG. 8 ). 
     Referring to flow diagram  100  of  FIG. 9 , typical operation of the dedicated self-service return terminal  10  will now be described. The RFID reader  22  ( FIG. 1 ) reads data from a DVD (bare or cased) intended to be returned by a customer arriving at the self-service return terminal  10  and “swiping” the DVD in front of the RFID reader (step  102 ). Based upon the data read from the DVD, the controller  35  ( FIG. 2 ) makes a determination as to whether the DVD is being returned to the correct location (steps  104  and  106 ). If the determination is negative (i.e., the DVD is not being returned to the correct location), then a message is displayed on the display  20  to inform the customer that the DVD is not being returned to the correct location (step  108 ). 
     However, if the determination in step  106  is affirmative (i.e., the DVD is being returned the correct location), then a determination is made as to whether the DVD is a bare DVD (step  110 ). If the determination in step  110  is affirmative (i.e., the DVD being returned is a bare DVD), then the controller  35  controls the first shutter mechanism to move the first shutter door  24  from the closed position to the open position to allow the bare DVD to be inserted through the first media return slot  31  into the bare DVD transporter  30  (step  120 ). The controller  35  then controls the DC motor  54  to move the container  34  from the bottommost position (i.e., its stowed position) shown in  FIG. 8  to a position such as shown in  FIG. 6  so that the returned bare DVD can be received and stored in a shelf of the first bin portion  42  of the storage bin  40  (step  122 ). After the bare DVD is received and moved into the storage bin  40 , the controller  35  controls the first shutter mechanism to close the first shutter door  24  (step  126 ). The controller  35  then controls the DC motor  54  to move the container  34  back to its stowed position shown in  FIG. 8  (step  140 ). 
     However, if the determination in step  110  is negative (i.e., the DVD being returned is not a bare DVD), then it is assumed that the DVD being returned is a cased DVD. Under this assumption, the controller  35  controls the second shutter mechanism to move the second shutter door  26  from the closed position to the open position to allow the cased DVD to be inserted through the second media return slot  33  into the cased DVD transporter  32  (step  130 ). The controller  35  then controls the DC motor  54  to move the container  34  from the bottommost position shown in  FIG. 8  to a position such as shown in  FIG. 6  so that the returned cased DVD can be received and stored in a shelf of the second bin portion  42  of the storage bin  40  (step  132 ). After the cased DVD is received and moved into the storage bin  40 , the controller  35  controls the second shutter mechanism to close the second shutter door  26  (step  136 ). The controller  35  then controls the DC motor  54  to move the container  34  back to its stowed position shown in  FIG. 8  (step  140 ). 
     Referring to  FIG. 10 , the lower front access panel  18  is shown opened and the container  34  is in its stowed position. When the lower access panel  18  is open and the container  34  is in its stowed position, the storage bin  40  can be easily removed and uninstalled from the container, such as shown by arrow “A” in  FIG. 11 . As shown in  FIG. 12 , the removed storage bin  40  can then be rotated around (as depicted by arrow “B”), and then installed into a self-service rental terminal  90  (as depicted by arrow “C”). The self-service rental terminal  90  is a full-featured DVD rental terminal at which a customer can only rent DVDs (or possibly both rent and return DVDs). As shown in  FIG. 12 , the dedicated self-service rental terminal  10  and the full-featured self-service rental terminal  90  are separate and spaced apart from each other. 
     It should be apparent that the dedicated self-service return terminal  10  described hereinabove is conveniently provided for a customer who just wants to return a DVD. The customer who just wants to return a DVD need not have to wait in line with other customers who want to either rent or both rent and return DVDs at a full-featured self-service rental terminal such as shown in  FIG. 12 . 
     Also, it should be apparent that both the first and second shutter doors  24 ,  26  are maintained in their closed positions until only after the RFID reader  22  has verified the DVD is being returned to the correct location. This helps to keep a customer from returning a DVD to the wrong location. This also helps to keep non-customers from placing junk and trash into the slots of the bare DVD transporter  30  and the cased DVD transporter  32 , and thereby vandalizing the terminal  10 . Such a vandalized terminal may be unable to operate until a service person has been called and arrives at the terminal to clean out the junk and trash. 
     Further, it should be apparent that the bottommost position of the container  34  shown in  FIG. 8  maintains the storage bin  40  at a relatively low center of gravity. This bottommost position also makes the storage bin  40  easily available for servicing when the lower front access panel  18  is opened. Although the above-description describes the bottommost position of the container  34  as being the default position of the storage bin  40 , it is conceivable that a position which other than the bottommost position be the default position. It should also be apparent that the container  34  can be positioned at numerous intermediate positions between the topmost and bottommost positions. Typically, the number of different intermediate positions is directly related to the maximum number of shelves available each of the first and second bin portions  42 ,  44  of the storage bin  40 . 
     It should also be apparent that design of the dedicated self-service return terminal  10  allows a relatively full storage bin  40  to be easily removed from the dedicated self-service return terminal  10  and then quickly moved to the full-featured self-service rental terminal  90  ( FIG. 11 ), without having to empty contents of the full storage bin. This interchangeability feature of the removable storage bin  40  allows a service person to quickly and efficiently service both the dedicated self-service return terminal  10  and the full-featured self-service rental terminal  90 . 
     The above-description describes one embodiment of the present invention. It is conceivable that the dedicated self-service return terminal may be any type of device in a publicly accessible, unattended environment. Dedicated self-service return terminals are generally public-access devices that are designed to allow a customer to return a media item (such as a bared DVD or a cased DVD) on which entertainment data is stored. Dedicated self-service return terminals typically include some form of tamper resistance so that they are inherently resilient. Dedicated self-service return terminals allow a customer to more quickly return a media item on which entertainment data is stored without having to wait in line with customers who want to rent (or both rent and return) media items on which entertainment data is stored. 
     Also, although the above-description describes entertainment media in the form of a DVD being returned, it is conceivable that other types of entertainment media may be returned. For example, the entertainment media may comprise a flash memory which stores entertainment data. As another example, the entertainment media may comprise optical media which is other than a DVD. Entertainment media may be of different technologies, different forms, or different sizes. 
     Further, although the above-description describes using a DC motor to effect movement of the removable disc storage bin between its top and bottom positions, it is conceivable that other types of motors or moving mechanisms may be used to effect movement of the removable disc storage bin. 
     The particular arrangements disclosed are meant to be illustrative only and not limiting as to the scope of the invention. From the above description, those skilled in the art to which the present invention relates will perceive improvements, changes and modifications. Numerous substitutions and modifications can be undertaken without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention. Such improvements, changes and modifications within the skill of the art to which the present invention relates are intended to be covered by the appended claims.