Patent Publication Number: US-2004044535-A1

Title: Systems and methods for a digital information automated teller machine

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001] 1. Field of Invention  
       [0002] This invention generally relates to systems and methods for transferring information between storage media in a retail transaction.  
       [0003] 2. Description of Related Art  
       [0004] Portable electronic devices commonly collect and transfer digital information. For example, digital telephones and portable computers are able to collect digital information from the Internet. Digital cameras capture images onto electronic media.  
       [0005] Moreover, important information is commonly transmitted between remote sites and/or devices via a network, such as the Internet.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006] As outlined above, portable digital devices commonly collect and transfer digital information. With the advent of portable digital devices, the need for memory has become a substantial issue for users of these devices. For example, these devices generally lack the memory required to process large files, and/or are unable to display the information contained in these files.  
       [0007] The limitations of memory often necessitate the time-consuming task of downloading the information stored on these devices to a separate computer, or purchasing expensive additional memory cards and RAM for these devices.  
       [0008] Moreover, digital information often cannot be processed by the portable electronic device. Therefore, a user generally needs a way to transfer files to a remote location via a network, such as the Internet.  
       [0009] This invention provides systems and methods that transfer files between storage media.  
       [0010] This invention provides systems and methods that transfer a computer file to and/or from a portable digital device to electronic media and/or paper.  
       [0011] This invention provides systems and methods that transfers a data file to and/or from storage media at a remote location accessible via a network.  
       [0012] This invention additionally provides systems and methods that enable the purchase of storage media.  
       [0013] This invention further provides systems and methods that enable the purchase of storage media containing a computer file transferred from other media.  
       [0014] In various exemplary embodiments according to this invention, a digital information automatic teller machine (ATM) charges a transaction fee for a retail transaction. In various exemplary embodiments, blank media is purchasable at the digital information ATM. The media may be electronic media, for example, CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, or floppy disks. Alternately, the media may be paper. The blank media may be purchased in any retail quantity.  
       [0015] In various exemplary embodiments, the transaction involves the transfer of data from a first storage media to a second storage media. In various exemplary embodiments, the first storage media is within and/or controlled by and in communication with the portable digital device. The ATM establishes a communication link with the portable digital device using any appropriate communication structure. In still other exemplary embodiments, the first storage media is a CD-ROM, a DVD-ROM, and/or a floppy disk and/or any other appropriate information carrying structure, device or material that is external to the digital information ATM.  
       [0016] In various exemplary embodiments, the second storage media is media sold at the digital information ATM. In various exemplary embodiments, the second storage media is a CD-ROM disk, a DVD-ROM disk, a floppy disk, and/or a sheet of paper or other visible information bearing media, and/or any other appropriate information carrying structure, device or material.  
       [0017] In various exemplary embodiments, the second storage media is controlled by a remote computer in communication with the digital information ATM along a network. In various exemplary embodiments, the network is the Internet.  
       [0018] In still other exemplary embodiments, the first storage media is controlled by a remote computer in communication with the digital information ATM via a network.  
       [0019] These and other features and advantages of this invention are described in or apparent from the following detailed description of the apparatus/systems and methods according to this invention. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0020] Various exemplary embodiments of this invention will be described in detail, with reference to the following figures, wherein:  
     [0021]FIG. 1 shows an exterior view of one exemplary embodiment of a digital information ATM according to this invention;  
     [0022]FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing one exemplary embodiment of a digital information ATM system according to this invention;  
     [0023]FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing one exemplary embodiment of the electronic media distribution device of FIG. 2 according to this invention;  
     [0024]FIG. 4 is a first exemplary embodiment of a selection apparatus usable to select a transaction type;  
     [0025]FIG. 5 is a first exemplary embodiment of a selection apparatus usable to select a media type;  
     [0026]FIG. 6 is a first exemplary embodiment of a selection apparatus usable to select a payment type;  
     [0027]FIG. 7 is a flowchart outlining a first exemplary embodiment of a method of operation of a digital information ATM according to this invention;  
     [0028]FIG. 8 is a flowchart outlining in greater detail one exemplary embodiment of the method for determining a media type of FIG. 7;  
     [0029]FIG. 9 is a flowchart outlining in greater detail one exemplary embodiment of the method for processing a payment of FIG. 7;  
     [0030]FIG. 10 is a flowchart outlining a second exemplary embodiment of a method of operation of a digital information ATM according to this invention;  
     [0031]FIG. 11 is a flowchart outlining in greater detail one exemplary embodiment of the method for uploading data from external electronic media into memory of FIG. 10;  
     [0032]FIG. 12 is a flowchart outlining in greater detail one exemplary embodiment of the method for downloading data to media from memory of FIG. 10; and  
     [0033]FIG. 13 is a flowchart outlining in greater detail one exemplary embodiment of the method for determining a remote address accessible from a network of FIG. 10. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS  
     [0034]FIG. 1 illustrates an exterior view of an exemplary embodiment of a digital information ATM  100  in accordance with the invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the digital information ATM  100  includes a digital media section  120  and a digital photocopier section  180 . The digital photocopier section  180  comprises a sheet media dispenser  182 . The sheet media dispenser  182  provides an area at which a user of the digital information ATM may receive hard copies of computer files printed on one or more pages of the sheet media or blank pages of the sheet media. The blank pages of the sheet media may be sold in any desired retail quantity.  
     [0035] The digital media section  120  enables a user to operate the digital information ATM  100 . The digital media section  120  includes a keyboard  150  and/or any other appropriate data input device and a monitor  140 . The monitor  140  may be a touch screen monitor enabling the user to make selections directly on the screen. The digital media section  120  also includes a data input apparatus  160  that the user can use to input electronic data into the ATM  100 . The data input apparatus  160  can include any or all of a CD-ROM drive  162 , a DVD-ROM drive  164 , a floppy disk drive  166 , and an external media port  168 , as well as any other known or later developed device usable to input data from any known or later-developed electronic data storage device. The external media port  168  enables the digital information ATM  100  to directly electronically connect an external device, such as a laptop computer, a digital camera, a cell phone, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), or any other known or later-developed electronic device that is able to store, generate and/or transmit electronic data. The external media port may include an Universal Serial Bus (USB) port, a radio-frequency (RF) port, an infrared (IR) port, an RS-232 port or any other known or later-developed port usable to communicate electronic data from an external device to the digital information ATM  100 .  
     [0036] The digital media section  120  also includes an electronic media dispenser  170 , by which a user of the digital information ATM  100  may receive one or more blank or information carrying pieces of electronic media. The user may purchase any form of electronic media, such as CDs, DVDs, or floppy disks. Moreover, in various exemplary embodiments, the digital information ATM  100  may dispense electronic media from the CD-ROM drive  162 , the DVD-ROM drive  164 , or the floppy disk drive  166 .  
     [0037] In various exemplary embodiments, the digital media section includes a payment center  130 . The user of the digital information ATM  100  pays for the user&#39;s purchases of products and services via the payment center  130 . In various exemplary embodiments, the payment center  130  accepts cash, credit cards, ATM cards and/or debit cards or other appropriate known or later-developed payment devices.  
     [0038]FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a first exemplary embodiment of a system  200  for the digital information ATM  100  according to the invention. As shown in FIG. 2, the digital information ATM system  200  includes an input/output interface  230 , a controller  210 , a memory  220 , a network interface  250 , a portable electronic device interface  260 , one or more user input devices  240 , one or more user display devices  242 , a media read/write interface  270 , a payment interface  280 , a sheet media distribution device  300 , and an electronic media distribution device  290 . The input/output interface  230 , the one or more user input devices  240 , the one or more user display devices  242 , the network interface  250 , the portable electronic device interface  260  and media read/write interface  270  are interconnected by one or more data/control buses or application programming interfaces  310 . The controller  210 , the memory  220 , the payment interface  280 , the electronic media distribution device  290  and the sheet media distribution device  300  are interconnected by one or more data/control buses or application programming interfaces  320 .  
     [0039] The input/output interface  230  inputs data from the one or more user input devices  240 , the network interface  250 , the portable electronic device interface  260 , and the media read/write interface  270  and outputs data to the controller  210 . The input/output interface  230  also outputs data to the one or more user display devices  242 , the network interface  250 , the portable electronic device interface  260  and the media read/write interface  270 , the memory  220 , and receives data from the controller  210 .  
     [0040] The digital information ATM  100  may interact with a remote server via any network communication protocol. Thus, electronic data may be transferred via http or ftp. Moreover, electronic data may be e-mailed to a recipient&#39;s location, or downloaded from a user&#39;s e-mail mailbox.  
     [0041] The memory  220  includes one or more of an electronic data information portion  226 , an input/output routine portion  224 , and a device interface routine portion  222 . The electronic data information portion  226  stores electronic data to be transferred between media formats and between media and the Internet. The input/output routine portion  224  and the device interface routine section  222  store one or more control routines used by the controller  210  to operate the digital information ATM system  200 .  
     [0042] The memory  220  can be implemented using any appropriate combination of alterable, volatile or non-volatile memory or non-alterable, or fixed, memory. The alterable memory, whether volatile or non-volatile, can be implemented using any one or more of static or dynamic RAM, a floppy disk and disk drive, a writeable or rewriteable optical disk and disk drive, a hard drive, flash memory or the like. Similarly, the non-alterable or fixed memory can be implemented using any one or more of ROM, PROM, EPROM, EEPROM, an optical ROM disk, such as a CD-ROM or DVD-ROM disk, and disk drive or the like.  
     [0043]FIG. 3 illustrates a first exemplary embodiment of an electronic media distribution device  290  of the digital information ATM  200 . The device  290  comprises a media storage device  292 , a media transfer device  294 , and a media distribution interface  296 . The media storage device  292 -stores both packaged quantities of electronic media and individual pieces of electronic media. This electronic media includes floppy disks, CD-ROMs, DVD-ROMs and/or any other known or later-developed electronic media. The media distribution interface  296  enables a user of the digital information ATM  200  to collect the media that has been purchased. In various exemplary embodiments, the media distribution interface  296  also enables the user to insert external electronic media into the digital information ATM  200 . The media transfer device  294  transfers media from the media storage device  292  to the media distribution interface  296 . In various exemplary embodiments, the media transfer device  294  also transfers media from the media distribution interface  296  to one or more of the CD-ROM drive  262 , the DVD-ROM drive  269 , the floppy disk drive  266 , or any other implemented known or later developed device usable to interface with a electronic data storage device.  
     [0044]FIG. 4 illustrates a first exemplary embodiment of a selection apparatus  400  usable to select a transaction type available at a digital information ATM  100  using the ATM system  200 . The selection device  400  may be, for example, a touch screen or a display device displaying a graphical user interface, a series of buttons or any other known or later-developed device usable to select a desired type of transaction. The selection apparatus  400  includes a “purchase blank media” selection portion  410 , an “upload a file to remote server” selection portion  420 , a “download a file from remote server” selection portion  430 , and a “transfer a file from digital device to alternate media” selection portion  440 . Thus, a user of the digital information ATM  100  may purchase blank electronic media or paper, in any desired quantity. Moreover, the user of the digital information ATM  100  has the choice of uploading a file to a remote server, downloading a file from a remote server via the network interface  250 , or transferring a file from any media format or external digital device to any media format supported by the digital information ATM  100 . Thus, for example, a user may transfer data from a CD-ROM via the digital information ATM  100  to a DVD-ROM. The user may alternatively transfer data from a digital camera via the portable electronic device interface  260  to any digital media supported by the digital information ATM  100 . The user may also transfer any information able to be represented visually to hard copy via the sheet media distribution device  300 .  
     [0045]FIG. 5 illustrates a first exemplary embodiment of a selection apparatus  500  usable to select a media type from the media types available at the digital information ATM  100 . The media selection apparatus  500  includes a CD-ROM selection portion  510 , a DVD-ROM selection portion  520 , a floppy disk selection portion  530 , a sheet media selection portion  540 , and an electronic device selection portion  550 .  
     [0046]FIG. 6 illustrates a first exemplary embodiment of a selection apparatus  600  usable to select a payment type in accordance with the invention. The payment selection apparatus  600  includes a cash selection portion  610 , a credit card selection portion  620 , an ATM card selection portion  630 , and a debit card selection portion  640 . In various exemplary embodiments, a user may purchase a digital information ATM debit card that is usable only at digital information ATMs.  
     [0047]FIG. 7 is a flowchart outlining a first exemplary embodiment of a method for operating a digital information ATM according to this invention. As shown in FIG. 7, operation of the method begins in step S 100 , and continues to step S 200 , where a transaction type is determined. Various exemplary transaction types were identified in FIG. 4. Then, in step S 300 , a media type is determined using the exemplary media identified in FIG. 5. Next, in step S 400 , payment for the purchase is processed using the exemplary payment types identified in FIG. 6. Then, in step S 500 , data is transferred from an external electronic device or digital media to an internal media type or Internet. Operation then continues to step S 600 , where operation of the method ends.  
     [0048]FIG. 8 is a flowchart outlining in greater detail one exemplary embodiment of the method for determining the media type of FIG. 7. As shown in FIG. 8, operation of the method begins in step S 300 , and continues to step S 310 , where a determination is made whether the user is transferring data from external media. If the user is not transferring data from an external media, then operation continues to step S 320 . Otherwise operation jumps to step S 330 .  
     [0049] In step S 320 , a determination is made whether the user has selected sheet media as the source of the data. If the user has selected sheet media, operation jumps to step S 370 . Otherwise operation continues to step S 330 . In step S 330 , a determination is made whether the user has selected a CD-ROM as the source of the data. If not, then processing continues to step S 340 . Otherwise, operation jumps to step S 370 . In step S 340 , a determination is made whether the user has selected a DVD-ROM as the source of the data. If not, then processing continues to step S 350 . Otherwise, operation jumps to step S 370 . In step S 350 , a determination is made whether the user has selected a floppy disk as the source of the data. If not, then processing continues to step S 360 . Otherwise, operation jumps to step S 370 . In step S 360 , a determination is made whether the user has selected an external electronic device as the source of the data. The external device may be any data processing or data capturing device that stores information on digital media. Thus, the device may be a digital camera, a PDA, a cell phone, a portable computer or any other known or later-developed appropriate device. If not, then no selection has been made by the user. In this case, operation returns to step S 310 . Otherwise, operation continues to step S 370 .  
     [0050] In step S 370 , the selected media type is extracted based on the selection made by the user. Operation then continues to step S 380 , where operation of the method returns to step S 400 .  
     [0051]FIG. 9 is a flowchart outlining in greater detail one exemplary embodiment of the method for processing a payment of FIG. 7. As shown in FIG. 9, operation of the method begins in step S 400 , and continues to step S 410 , where the cost of the transaction is determined. The cost of the transaction is based on the cost of the media plus the cost of any Internet fee plus any transaction costs and standard ATM charges. The Internet usage charge may be time-based or based on a per-use basis. Then, in step S 420 , the payment type is determined. As discussed in relation to FIG. 6, in various exemplary embodiments, payment may be made by cash, credit card, ATM card, debit card or any other appropriate payment method. Next, in step S 430 , payment for the digital information ATM transaction is accepted. Then, in step S 440 , operation of the method returns to step S 500 .  
     [0052]FIG. 10 is a flowchart outlining a second exemplary embodiment of a method for operating a digital information ATM according to this invention. As shown in FIG. 10, operation of the method begins in step S 1000 , and continues to step S 1100 , where a determination is made whether the user of the digital information ATM is purchasing blank media. If so, operation jumps to step S 2200 . Otherwise, operation continues to step S 1200 .  
     [0053] In step S 1200 , a determination is made whether the user is transferring data between media or a portable electronic device. If so, operation jumps to step S 2000 . Otherwise, operation continues to step S 1300 .  
     [0054] In step S 1300 , a determination is made whether the user is transferring data from a remote server. If so, then processing jumps to step S 1800 . Otherwise, operation continues to step S 1400 .  
     [0055] In step S 1400 , a determination is made whether data is to be uploaded to a remote target via a network. If not, operation returns to step S 1100 . Otherwise operation continues to step S 1500 . In step S 1500 , a remote target is determined. Next, in step S 1600 , the data is input from the external media or the portable digital device. Then, in step S 1700 , the input data is uploaded to the remote location determined in step S 1500 .  
     [0056] In step  1800 , a remote target is determined. Next, in step S 1900 , data is downloaded from the remote location determined in step S 1800  to memory. Then, operation of the method continues to step S 2100 .  
     [0057] In step S 2000 , data is uploaded from the external media to memory. The data may be in the form of one or more electronic files. Operation continues to step S 2100 .  
     [0058] In step S 2100 , data is transferred to internal media from internal memory. Operation of the method continues to step S 2300 .  
     [0059] In step S 2200 , a media type to be dispensed is determined. Operation of the method continues to step S 2300 .  
     [0060] In step S 2300 , payment for the transaction is processed. Next, in step S 2400 , any media purchased in the transaction is dispensed. Then, in step S 2500 , operation of the method ends.  
     [0061]FIG. 11 is a flowchart outlining in greater detail one exemplary embodiment of a method for uploading data from an external media or device according to the invention. As shown in FIG. 11, operation of the method begins in step S 2000 , and continues to step S 2010 , where the media type to be read from is determined. The media may be determined by user input, or may be determined automatically when electronic media is inserted into the digital information ATM. The communication link may be established using any protocols well known in the art. Next, in step S 2020 , a communication link is established with the determined media. Next, in step S 2030 , the data on the determined media is read from the external media. Then, in step S 2040 , operation of the method returns to step S 2100 .  
     [0062]FIG. 12 is a flowchart outlining in greater detail one exemplary embodiment of a method for downloading data to electronic or sheet media. As shown in FIG. 12, operation of the method begins in step S 2100 , and continues to step S 2110 , where the media type to receive the data is determined. Next, in step S 2120 , a communication link with the determined media is established. Next, in step S 2130 , the data is output to the media determined in step S 2110 . Then, in step S 2140 , operation of the method returns to step S 2200 .  
     [0063]FIG. 13 is a flowchart outlining in greater detail one exemplary embodiment of a method for determining a remote target on a network according to this invention. As shown in FIG. 13, operation of the method begins in step S 1800 , and continues to step S 1810 , where an address entry is input. The address entry may correspond to an e-mail address, an IP address, or any other known or later-developed network address. In fact, the address may be any identifier for a computer accessible via the network. Next, in step S 1820 , the address information is extracted. Then, in step S 1830 , operation of the method returns to step S 1900 .  
     [0064] While this invention has been described in conjunction with the exemplary embodiments outlined above, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the exemplary embodiments of the invention, as set forth above, are intended to illustrative, not limiting. Various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.