Patent Publication Number: US-2004044568-A1

Title: Advertising device for use on product and/or service dispensing machines, method for delivering prizes from dispensing machines by the use of said device and method for actuating said device

Description:
[0001] This invention refers to an advertising device for use in machines dispensing products and/or services, a method for delivering prices in dispensing machines by the use of said device, and method for actuating said device. The present invention preferably refers to a gaming device which can be combined with said product dispensing machines, such as machines dispensing food, beverages, and the like.  
       [0002] It is widely known that there exist machines dispensing various products, such as food, beverages, and the like. Generally said dispensing machines are located in public places, such as hospitals, fuel stations, train stations, etc. The operation of said machines is basic, since, only by inserting the money corresponding to the product displayed, selecting the same, either by a push button or by a key, the machines is then operated, either mechanically, electronically, pneumatically or by a combination thereof, so as to dispense the selected product. Some machines comprise slight variations, such as first selecting the product and then inserting the money.  
       [0003] On the other hand, machines are known which deliver prizes in exchange for an amount of money inserted, for example, machines generally located at entertainment parks and game premises. Said machines are operated in a manner similar to dispensing machines, since an amount is inserted in exchange for an expected result. The main difference between said dispensing machines and machines delivering prizes is that the latter are based on an initial configuration for the delivery of prizes, wherein such configuration is predetermined by the owner of the machine in order to deliver prizes on a pretended randomly basis.  
       [0004] To date no machines are known which combine product dispensing machines with prize delivering machines, so that at the moment of acquiring a product from a dispensing machine, users can chose to participate or not in a game to acquire a prize.  
       [0005] Therefore, is it an object of this invention to provide an advertising device for use in dispensing machines which allows the user to acquire a selected product and also to participate in a raffle-like game to get a prize.  
       [0006] For that reason, it is a further object of this invention to provide an advertising device for use on dispensing machines which will allow users to acquire the selected product and also to participate in a game.  
       [0007] It is therefor an object of this invention to provide an advertising device for use on product dispensing machines, such as food and beverages dispensing machines, where the device comprises a means for viewing the prizes, at least an actuating means and a dispensing slot, said actuating means being defined by a push button , and the device further comprising an actuating cycle including a random routine for delivering prizes.  
     
    
    
     [0008] For the better understanding of the object of this present invention, the same has been illustrated by several figures, which represent one of the preferred embodiments of the invention, as an example, and wherein:  
     [0009]FIG. 1 is a front view of the device being the object of this present invention;  
     [0010]FIG. 2 shows the initial configuration of the device of FIG. 1;  
     [0011]FIG. 3 shows the prize statistics of the device of FIG. 1;  
     [0012]FIG. 4 is a flow chart of the operations of the device being the object of this invention;  
     [0013]FIG. 5 is an example of use of the device as attached to a food dispensing machine; and  
     [0014]FIG. 6 is an alternative embodiment of the use of the device, which is in this case applied on a public telephone. 
    
    
     [0015]FIG. 1 shows the advertising device being the object of this invention and generally referred to as  1 , which comprises a prize viewing means  2 , an actuating means  3  and a dispensing slot  4 , said prize viewing means  2  being a LCD displayer, while actuating means  3  is defined by at least a push button  5 . Said push button  5  represents a push button which actuates device  1 .  
     [0016] In this particular embodiment, the device  1  is commanded by an algorithm. Said algorithm performs the drawing by lots according to an initial configuration. In fact, and with reference to FIG. 2, the program controlling device  1  starts the configuration of parameters. Said parameters define the results obtained by device  1  according to the selecting option. As shown is said FIG. 2, the fields to be configured are in this case those related to the frequency with which prizes are given.  
     [0017] Once initial parameters are configured, the program starts the device, such as shown in FIG. 1. The basic operation of device  1  is started by selecting one of the products arranged within the dispensing machine. The prize-displaying screen  2  shows a simulated movement resembling that made by slot machines, and which will be stopped by the algorithm control at some of the indicated prizes. It is to be noted that said simulated movement can be replaced by any other device, either mechanical or digital, representing some kind of raffle game, such as a rotating ball which is then stopped at a point or the like, in a mechanical pattern or a digital representation thereof on a LCD screen, such as in this present case. Depending on the option indicated by the raffling device, the user can play again or not, or can take a prize or not. It is to be further noted that the prize can be printed on a ticket dispensed by said slot  4 .  
     [0018] With reference now to FIG. 3, device  1  also comprises an option for viewing results, which helps to keep a statistical control and to adjust the number of prizes delivered in relation with use of said device  1 . Said option is not shown to the user in general, but, instead, only maintenance staff has access thereto.  
     [0019] Regarding FIG. 4, the same shows a flow chart representing the interaction of device  1  with dispensing machine  7 . In fact, the cycle starts in chart  10 , where the money is inserted and the product is then selected in chart  11 . It is to be noted that these two steps can be alternated depending on the kind of dispensing machine in use. Further to step  11 , the cycle goes to step  12 , which comprises the execution of the program, going then to step  13 , which determines the prize to be given. In case the cycle continues to step  14 , which is a bonus option, the process then proceeds to printing of the said bonus in step  19  and then continues to step  21 , which determines whether the money inserted is exact or not. If the money amount is not exact, the cycle continues to step  22 , which delivers the change and goes on to step  24 . If the inserted money is correct, the cycle continues to step  24  to deliver the selected product and the cycle then ends at step  25 .  
     [0020] If a product with a bonus is determined at step  13  (step  15 ), the cycle continues up to step  23 , where the inserted money is reimbursed, the product is then dispensed at step  24  and the cycle ends at step  25 .  
     [0021] As another possible alternative in step  13 , a higher prize can be obtained (step  16 ), in which case the cycle continues with the printing of a bonus at step  20  and then continues to step  23  for the reimbursement of money, and then to step  24  for delivery of the selected product, the cycle finally ending at step  25 . As an alternative to step  20 , instead of proceeding to step  23 , the cycle can continue at step  21  to determine whether the inserted money has been exact or not.  
     [0022] If step  13  determines that the cycle is to continue at step  17 , the same defines a new execution of the program, where the cycle goes back to step  12  in order to re-start the cycle of device  1 . Finally, step  13  can have the option to continue the cycle at step  18  where a prize is delivered, thereby causing the cycle to continue at step  21  up to the end of the cycle at step  25 .  
     [0023] It is important to note that prizes at steps  14 ,  15 ,  16 ,  17  and  18  are only example of prizes, which can be configured in any possible manner, depending on the kind of machine in which said device  1  is to be applied.  
     [0024] As an example of application of the said device  1  of the present invention, the same can be applied on a dispensing machine, such as shown in FIG. 5. In fact, in this particular case device  1  of the present invention is applied to a dispensing machine  7 . At the time the user inserts the money in said dispensing machine  7 , he selects the desired product thereby simultaneously actuating device  1 . Prior to delivery of the product, in case the combination generated by the algorithm defines a prize, the user can take the prize and then withdraw the selected product. Said prize can be previously configured, i.e., the same can be a product equal to the acquired by the original purchase, a percentage of the value inserted for the second purchase, etc. It is to be noted that options for prizes delivered by device  1  can be made according to needs of the machine owner.  
     [0025]FIG. 5 shows an alternative application of device  1 , where in this particular case the same is applied on a public telephone. In fact, the telephone presents a single product with different values according to the kind of phone call to be made. The service can be paid, as already known, by coins, tokens, debit or credit cards, intelligent cards and the like. The user inserts the money and uses the service, when the use finishes using the service, he hangs the handset and device  1  is automatically actuated and executes its internal program, the result of which being then indicated. Said result can be indicated in two manners. If the service is paid by credit or debit card, the device reports the prize discount to the phone or collecting mechanism, which estimates the balance to be paid. Debiting is made for the balance, or the total and a bonus. In case the service is paid in cash (coins or tokens), device  1  informs the prize discount to the telephone or collection mechanism, which estimates the balance to be paid and reimburses money if necessary once the operations comes to an end.  
     [0026] It is to be further noted that said device  1  can be programmed in situ by locating a program through means such as a portable computer or the like, or it can be also programmed at the place of assembly thereof, thereby allowing configurations to be made as required by use, once the device has been installed in, for example, a dispensing machine.