The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 10, 2017
Filed:
Dec. 18, 2015
Redbox Automated Retail, Llc, Bellevue, WA (US);
Philip J. Tomasi, Newbury Park, CA (US);
Alva D. Cravens, Truckee, CA (US);
Jens Horstmann, Santa Clara, CA (US);
William H. Barber, Thousand Oaks, CA (US);
John Chen, Cupertino, CA (US);
Redbox Automated Retail, LLC, Bellevue, WA (US);
Abstract
A system for an automated dispensing and retrieval kiosk for recorded media includes a kiosk having a plurality of vertical racks arranged in a circular formation, each vertical rack configured for storing a plurality of recorded media. A customer interface allows a customer to select or return a recorded media. A robotic element delivers the selected recorded media from the vertical racks to a media output, at the customer interface. The element also delivers a returned recorded media from a media input at the customer interface to the vertical racks. A computer controls operation of the kiosk, and an internet interface connects the kiosk to the Internet. The kiosk may communicate with a central server and/or other kiosks of a group, to locate a requested recorded media within a kiosk of the group. Once located within the group, the requested media may be reserved for customer pick-up.