Patent Abstract:
A vending machine product storage tray system and vending machine system having the advantages of an addressable information display proximate to the vended product stored for sale therein is exposed.

Full Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention generally relates to an information display system, more particularly an information display system for a vending machine. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Typical vending machines securely store and display vendable products for sale, generally stored on trays or within storage devices holding said products viewable to the consumer, with vendor identification and pricing information displayed upon printed media proximately associated with each product. To update such printed media information displays requires physical removal of the obsolete printed media, and then to replace this with new ones displaying the updated information. 
         [0003]    In the operation of a vending business using such machines and printed media static information displays, this physical replacement of printed media typically requires high labor content and cost, as each display must be physically accessed from within the vending machine&#39;s secure enclosure for replacement. Error of information displayed is also a weakness resulting from requiring such manual media replacement by humans. 
         [0004]    Thus there exists a need to provide a remote access means of accurately and quickly changing displayed information associated with vendable goods for sale without need for physical access to the information display media. 
         [0005]    Therefore it is an objective of the present invention to provide an addressable information display possessing an accurate and quick means for changing data desired to be displayed on a vending machine product holding tray or other storage mechanism, and to expand the capabilities of a vending machine to more thoroughly inform vending machine users about pending purchases, and for the display of other useful data or information. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    The present invention relates to a vending machine having addressable information displays located proximate to the product display trays and devices, to inform the machine&#39;s user of product order code, unit price and other useful information. 
         [0007]    In one aspect, the invention provides a vending machine product holding tray having an addressable information display. The vending machine product holding tray includes a horizontal support plane and a plurality of vertical walls, which divides the product holding tray into a plurality of dispensing lanes supporting vendable products. The vending machine product holding tray further includes an information presentation plane attached to the horizontal support plane, wherein the information presentation plane supports at least one addressable information display. 
         [0008]    In another aspect, the invention provides a remotely addressable information display module for retrofit attachment to a vending machine product holding tray. The remotely addressable information display module includes a circuit configured to receive data from remote control and a display surface. 
         [0009]    In yet another aspect, the invention provides a vending machine including a secure enclosure, vendable product holding trays, dispensing mechanisms, a product delivery and pick-up area, a remotely addressable information display and a means of inputting data. The secure enclosure stores vendable objects that are in view of potential purchasers. The vendable product holding trays hold products. Dispensing mechanisms respond to payment and selection input from potential customers, and deliver vendable products as ordered. The product delivery and pick-up area is located in the interior of an outside accessible opening. The remotely addressable information display is located proximate the vendable product held ready for delivery from the vendable product holding trays. The remotely addressable information display is resettable with new information received from an internal control device. The means of inputting data inputs data to the internal control device for updating information displayed on the addressable information display. 
         [0010]    Other aspects, objectives and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]    The accompanying drawings incorporated in and forming a part of the specification illustrate several aspects of the present invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings: 
           [0012]      FIG. 1  illustrates a vending machine product holding tray possessing printed media information display typical of the prior art; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  illustrates a vending machine product holding tray improved with an addressable information display according to a first preferred embodiment, and also illustrating alternative second and third preferred embodiments of the present invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  illustrates a vending machine product holding tray improved with an addressable information display according to a fourth preferred embodiment; 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  illustrates a vending machine product holding tray improved with an addressable information display according to a fifth preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  illustrates a vending machine product holding tray improved with an add-on addressable information display according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  illustrates a vending machine incorporating addressable information displays and various remote means of transportably storing and inputting data to change the displayed information according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
       [0018]    While the invention will be described in connection with certain preferred embodiments, there is no intent to limit it to those embodiments. On the contrary, the intent is to cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents as included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0019]      FIG. 1  is an illustration of a prior art vending machine product holding tray  100  consisting of a generally horizontal support plane  10 , or alternately a sloped plane  10   a,  and a plurality of parallel vertical wall surfaces  11  dividing the tray into a plurality of generally front to back channels or lanes. An information presentation plane  12 , located approximately at the front edge of horizontal support plane  10  allows the mounting of lane identification labels  13  and product pricing labels  14 , thus providing a vending machine user an easy method of identifying the selection callout and price of a desired vendable product contained within the vending machine. To change the price of a vendable product, the vending machine operator has to manually replace a first price label  14   a  with an alternative price label  14   b  by first removing the existing obsolete price label  14   a  and replacing it with the new price label  14   b.    
         [0020]      FIG. 2  illustrates a vending machine product holding tray  200  according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The vending machine product holding tray  200  includes a plurality of addressable price information displays, (electronic  20   a,  and mechanical/electro-mechanical  20   b  display devices) attached to the information presentation plane  12  located along the front edge of the horizontal support plane  10  of vending machine product holding tray  200 , which also displays permanent location identification labels  13 . A second preferred embodiment location identification addressable display  13   b  is also illustrated herein. The third preferred embodiment addressable display  20   c  illustrates both location  21   a  and price  21   b  information as an alpha-numeric segmented display. An alternate third preferred embodiment addressable information display method is illustrated herein as a dot-matrix display  20   d,  capable of displaying characters as well as complex shapes and animated images. 
         [0021]    The information  21 ,  21   a,    21   b  displayed on the plurality of addressable information displays  20   a - 20   d  can be automatically changed, using data retrieved from a remote controller  611  ( FIG. 6 ) or other external data storage and retrieval means not illustrated here, without having to manually attend to the display itself. Said change of information data may also be manually input via a vending machine keypad  607  ( FIG. 6 ). 
         [0022]      FIG. 3  illustrates a vending machine product holding tray  300  according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. An addressable information display  30  is attached to the information presentation plane  12  approximately located along the front edge of the horizontal support plane  10  of vending machine product holding tray  300 . The information  31 ,  32  displayed on the addressable information display  30  can be changed automatically, using for example a remote controller  611  ( FIG. 6 ) without having to manually attend to the display itself. The illustrated addressable information display  30  substantially covers the front face of information presentation plane  12  maximizing said addressable information display area to display other additional information, lane identification  32  as directed by the remote controller. 
         [0023]      FIG. 4  illustrates a vending machine product holding tray  400  according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. Addressable information displays  20  and  40  attached to the information presentation plane  12  located approximately along the front of the horizontal support plane  10  of vending machine product holding tray  400 . This embodiment includes a horizontal row of a plurality of price display modules  20  displaying individual product pricing  21 , which can be controlled using, for example, a remote controller  611  ( FIG. 6 ). The price displays  20  alternate position with lane identification labels  13 , beneath which a secondary addressable display  40  is sized to the horizontal length of information display plane  12 . The secondary display  40 , as shown in  FIG. 4  is a matrix display of light emitting diodes  41  that displays illuminated information  42  for presentation in response to signals received from a remote controller  611  ( FIG. 6 ). The secondary addressable display  40  may be attached via a hinge connection (not illustrated herein) to the bottom edge of the information presentation plane  12 , thus to provide movement to a secondary addressable display  40  and to prevent blockage of product delivery from adjacent product holding trays (not illustrated herein). An alternate secondary addressable display  43  is shown as at least one dot-matrix display LCD panel  44 , providing additional information display capability, for example, higher resolution character or image display  45  and an animation in multiple colors. 
         [0024]      FIG. 5  illustrates a sixth embodiment, wherein a prior art vending machine product holding tray  500  is improved by the addition of an addressable display  40  attached to the bottom edge of the information display plane  12 . The secondary display  40 , is illustrated here as a matrix display of light emitting diodes  41  that presents illuminated information  42 , wherein the information  42  can be changed using a remote controller  611  ( FIG. 6 ) and is attached to the bottom edge of the information display plane  12 . The secondary display  40  includes at least one multiple electrical conductor  43  terminating in electrical connector  44 , which attaches to the vending machine controller, (not illustrated herein) to complete the circuit to transfer display information from the remote vending machine controller  611  ( FIG. 6 ) to the addressable information display  40 . The secondary addressable display  40  may be attached via a hinge connection (not illustrated herein) to the bottom edge of information presentation plane  12 , thus to provide movement to secondary addressable display  40  and to prevent blockage of product delivery from adjacent product holding trays (not illustrated herein). 
         [0025]      FIG. 6  illustrates a vending machine  600  having a secure enclosure cabinet  601  and having a lockable access  602 . Machine  600  stores vendable products  604  for sale and displays them on said first embodiment trays  200  with addressable pricing displays  20  of the present invention viewable behind window  603 . The vending machine  600  has a control panel  604  where a customer can make a payment via a bill acceptor  605  or via coin slot  606  before inputting their selection&#39;s order code via keypad  607 . An internal control unit of the vending machine  600  calculates any change to be given, and the vending machine  600  delivers the calculated change in a coin return cup  609  after delivering the vended product  604  to a delivery area located behind the pickup access door  610 . Pressing coin return button  608  cancels a credit, and returns all unused cash to the coin return cup  609 . The price codes for displays  20  may be inputted to the control unit of the vending machine  600  via the keypad  607  or via a remote wireless input device  611 . Also illustrated is a second remote input device  612  communicating information to addressable displays  20  via a communication cable  612   a  and connector  613   b.  Alternatively, price codes may be inputted to the control unit of the vending machine  600  via the connected bill acceptor  605  by inserting a card  613  having optical  613   a  and/or magnetic  613   b  data encoded thereon, or via a cellular phone  614 , a solid-state memory device  615  or a modem (not illustrated herein). The remote wireless input device  611  may send input data via any sonic or electromagnetic wave, including but not limited to, visible and invisible light as well as radio waves such as those used in RFID circuits. 
         [0026]    All references, including publications, patent applications, and patents cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each reference were individually and specifically indicated to be incorporated by reference and were set forth in its entirety herein. 
         [0027]    The use of the terms “a” and “an” and “the” and similar referents in the context of describing the invention (especially in the context of the following claims) is to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. The terms “comprising,” “having,” “including,” and “containing” are to be construed as open-ended terms (i.e., meaning “including, but not limited to,”) unless otherwise noted. Recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein. All methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g., “such as”) provided herein, is intended merely to better illuminate the invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention unless otherwise claimed. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non-claimed element as essential to the practice of the invention. 
         [0028]    Preferred embodiments of this invention are described herein, including the best mode known to the inventors for carrying out the invention. Variations of those preferred embodiments may become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description. The inventors expect skilled artisans to employ such variations as appropriate, and the inventors intend for the invention to be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein. Accordingly, this invention includes all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto as permitted by applicable law. Moreover, any combination of the above-described elements in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the invention unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context.

Technology Classification (CPC): 6