CA2038154A1 - Coin operated video machine - Google Patents

Abstract

COIN OPERATED VIDEO MACHINE
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE:
A coin operated video machine is provided, of the sort intended for stand-alone operation in shopping malls and the like. The machine includes a tape player with a tape playing mechanism, a coin operated switch, and a television monitor. Upon actuation of the coin operated switch, pre-recorded program material is viewed on the monitor. A plurality of discrete video programs is recorded seriatim on the video tape, each having a control track; and between each pair of pre-recorded video programs there is a non-program passage.
When the non-program passage is encountered, the tape playing mechanism stops; and a new play mode is not initiated until the coin operated switch is once again actuated. The tail end of the video tape is such that when encountered, the tape playing mechanism will go into a rewind mode; and the front end of the tape has at least a short pre-recorded program material and control track so that, upon termination of the rewind mode a play mode is immediately initiated. Program material of any kind for which a prospective viewer will pay a nominal amount in coin to view may be pre-recorded on the video tape.

6032-1/abstract/Feb.26.91/sm

Description

~ 3 ~

ca~lN OPI~RA'rI~ Vl~ O 1\1A~ ITN~

FIELD OF THE INVENTION:
This invention relates to coin operated video machines. In particular, the invention relates to coin operated video machines which operate in a stand-alone mode, usually located in such places as shopping malls and the like. A plurality of pre-recorded video pro~rams 1s recorded on a video tape within the coin operated video machine, and the pre-recorded video programs are separated one from another by non-program passages between them. The pre-recorded video programs may be cartoons or other short programs of interest to persons who will pay a small amount o~ money in coin to actuate a coin operated switch to place the video machine in operati.on for the period of one pre-recorded program. The machines may be packaged as part of a small kiosk, wherehy a pr.ivate viewing area suitable only for one or two persons may be created for the use of patrons of the machine who deposit coins to activate the machi.ne.

BACK(;ROUND OF THE INVENTION:
Most shopping malls or. shopping centres may be open to the public for many hours each day, if not being always open for publi.c access. The shopping malls and centres are frequented by patrons and customers of the stores located in them, and quite often those patrons and customers may attend at the shopping mall or centre in family grouping.s.
Often, the parents of children who accompany them may wish to find a location at which their children may safely amuse thamselves for a few moments while the parent rests, has a cup of coffee, or visits a nearby store. Many parents are reluctant for .
:: .. . .

~ ~ 3 .`~

their children to attend at video arcades, especially when those children are pre-teenagers, but may have no reluctance to permit the children to spend a few moments and a few small coins watching cartoons or other interestiny or entertaining video programs.
There are very many short cartoon programs, and other moving picture programs, which are in the public domain or which can be licensed for commercial exhibition quite inexpensively. Such programs may range in playing length from three or four minutes up to as much as eight or ten minutes.
For many years, there have been available in shopping malls or shopping centres small kiosks operated by independent operators, or in some instances operated by the owners or managers of the shopping malls and the like, in which endless loops of 8 mm film may be placed in a projector to be activated by a coin operated switch. However, such ~ilm projectors and the program material on the films have very poor quality, usually no sound, and are subject to frequent breakdown of the projector or breakage o~ the film. Moreover, in some instances rather than an endless loop o~ film being used, a film may be wound on to a large reel, and operated by a timer. In such installations, placing a coin into a coin operated switch to begin operation of the film projector might result in the last few seconds of one program and the first two or three minutes of the next cartoon program, a circumstance which is not desirable and which leads to unhappy patrons. Moreover, those projectors require constant supervision, and rewinding of the film when it reaches its end.

' ', '~ :

Because of the availability of better quality video program material, either in the public domain or inexpensively, and because a video tape playing device of- a video tape player and a television monitor would normally result in better quality viewing, an opportunity arises for placement of coin operated video machines in shopping malls and centres instead of the old film projectors, with much better quality program material and much better quality viewing for patrons. The present invention recognizes those opportuni.ties, and provides for a coin operated video machine that can be obtained at relatively low capital costs but which can provide significant returns on investment because it is essentially maintenance free. Indeed, the onl~
maintenance may be the usual preventive maintenance, clearance of coin boxes and checking counters, and changing video tapes to provide fresh program material for each site at which a coin operated video machine is located.
It is not, however, simply a case of recording a few programs, dropping the tape into a video tape player, connecting the video tape player to a television, and providing some kind of coin operated switch to start playback operations. To begln with, an ordinary tape player would require always to be set in its play mode, which probably cannot be accomplished wikhout applying a jumper inside the device. If that occurs, however, an ordinary video tape player is incapable of rewinding the video tape if its control panel is constantly set in a play position.
Still further, means must be provided to initiate operation, at full speed, and at the same time ensure that the television monitor is turned on and warmed up so as to begin to show the video program at the instant when the tape moves through the -tape .

- : . ., :: : . : . , - ~ . . , :
: : : .~ .. .~. .: , : : . :: : `: !

2~3~

transport or tape playing mechanism oE the tape player. Thus, much more specific requirements are made, especially in respect of the nature of the video tape player and the video tape which will be placed in it, in order to meet the operating characteristics of coin operated video machines of the present invention, as discussed above.
For example, all control of the play operation of the coin operated video machine must come from actuation of the coin operated switch; however, rewind operation of the video tape to place it back at its beginning so as to replay the program material that has been pre-recorded on it, is not permitted to be u~der the control of the coln operated switch. To do so would result in an unacceptable delay between actuation of a coin operated switch and the beginning of video play, i~ the patron of the machine has first to walt or the tape to be rewound.
Still further, means must be pro~ided whereby each time a pre-recorded' video program reaches its end, the video machine must recognize that event, so that the tape player will stop its operation and be placed into a rest or stop mode, ready to once again enter its play mode upon actuation of the coin operated switch.
In an improvement Q~ the present invention, it is recognized that when a video tape of, for example, VHS format is capa~le o~
having recorded thereon 60 minutes or 90 minutes of pre-recorded program material (when replayed at the highest tape speed) or as much as 6 hours of pre-recorded program material (when replayed at the lowest tape speed), there may be a significant period of 3 or 5 minutes, or more, during which the video tape must be rewound to its beginning or front end. If a shorter tape is .

. ' :: ~
.. . . .

~33~3'i used, the rewind period i5 shorter, but is encountered much more frequently. Thus, it is desirable for means to be provided that preclude the coin operat:ed v:ideo machine frorn operating during its rewind mode -- so as to ensure full rewind of the video tape -- and an auxiliary video program source may be provided so as at least to provide some video viewing on the monitor during tape rewind. Alternat:ives which make such provisions are discussed below.
Moreover, it may be desirable for an alternate video source to provide advertising opportunities for the merchants in a shopping mall or centre, or public service announcements and the like. Thus, when a patron o~ the video machine is not occupying its surrounding kiosk to the exclusion oi all other persons, the alternate video source operates. This arrangement is also provided for, as discussed below.
Certain combined video monitor and video tape player machines are available on the market, which are used very often by marketing consultants at trade shows, and in such surroundings as department stores, where a specific (usually short) promotional video tape may continuously ~e played to promote a certain product. Other circumstances include the simple presentation of an ongoing video recording of an otherwise incessant program source such as a seascape or a tank of tropical fish. In the first instance, a particular promotional program may be recorded and placed in the tape player mechanism of the machine, and the machine set so that at the end o~ the promotional pre-recorded segment a non-program segment is encountered; and the non-program segment immediately puts the tape playing mechanism in rewind mode so that the video tape 2 ~

rewinds to its beginnir.g and the program materi.al is re-played.
A typical circumstance may be the promoti.on o~ a new perfume, for example.
In the other mode of playbac]c possible in these commercially available machines, a control i5 set so that when the end of the tape is reached, the tape rewinds and begins to re-play the program material once again. A typical circumstance may be where a video tape recording of a movie is being promoted and the movie continues simply to be re-played, or where a restful view such as a seascape or tropical fish tank may be required for any reason.
A typi;cal machine of the sort described above, having all of the limitations noted above, is available and identifi.ed as PANASONIC (TM) model AG-500. However, that machine is not capable of being operated in the manner described above to play sequential video program material that has been pre-recorded seriatim on a video tape, without very extensive modifications.
Test machines in Iceeping with the present invention have been manufactured from tho~e machines notecl immediately above, with very extensive modifications, so as to operate in keeping with the above description. Commercial machines according to the present invention are more fully discussed hereafter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:
The present invention will now be described in association with the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a typical schematic of a simple coin operated video machine i.n keeping with the present invention;

2 ~ , Figure 2 is a slmple schernatic showing the nature of pre-recorded program and non-progl.am segments on a video tape so as to be useful in machines according to the present invention;
Figure 3 is a sequence diagram showing simple operation of a coin operated video machine according to the present invention;
and Figure 4 is a sequence diagram of a more complicated video machine, having considerable other alternative features, but otherwise bei.ng substantially as defined herein.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS:
A simple coin operated video machine in keeping with the present invention :is shown generally at 10 in Figure 1. It includes, as its principal components, a coin operated switch 12, a control unit 14 (shown for si.mplici.ty as being an external device), a counter 16, and a combined unit 1.8 identified as a TV/VTP. The TV portion 20 is a TV or video monitor; the video tape piayer portion is idelltified at 22, and includes a tape player mechanism.
Additionally shown in Fi.gure 1 are an auxiliary video source 24, and a line 26 which indicates the presence of an ~nd-of-tape (EOT) signal.
Briefly, the coin operated video machine 10 is intended to play pre-recorded video program material on video tapes. Figure 2 shows a typical -tape 30 having pre-recorded program segments 32, 34, and 36 recorded seriatim. Typically, each pre-recorded program segment has different program materi.al and is of a different length than all of the other pre-recorded program segments. Between the program segments are non-program segments, shown typically at 38 and 40. The end of the video tape 30 has a :; : ~ :-.: : : .

2 ~ S~

different segment identified at 42, the nature of which is significantly different than that of the video tape material, as discussed hereafter.
The video tape player portion 22 has a video tape playing mechanism in it, comprising a tape transport through which a video tape passes in keeping with the usual arrangement for video tape cassettes. A video tape cassette is placed in the video tape playing mechanism of video tape player 22.
The video tape playing mechanism has three modes of operation. Its first mode of operation is the play mode, in which pre-recorded program material on the video tape is played for viewing on the video monitor 20. The second mode is the stop mode, in which the video tape is not being played; and the third mode is the tape rewind mode, i.n which the video tape is rewound within the video tape playing mechanism.
Referring now to Figure 3, the play mode is shown in the sequence diagram at 50, the stop mode i.s shown at S2, and the rewind mode is shown at 5~. Other sequences, and the operating lines between them, are discussed hereafter.
Returning to Figure 2, each program segment 32, 3~, or 36, has with it a control track 44, which has the same nature for each program se~ment although the program material i5 different in each case~ The pre-recorded control track 44 is readable by the tape playing mechanism of the video tape player 22 so as to maintain the video tape player 22 when it is in its play mode 50 in that play mode for so long as the control track is present.
~owever, it is noted that the non-program passages or segments do not have a pre-recorded control track. At the ~eginning or front end of the video tape 30 -- the direction that the video tape . . ~.-. . .

-: : : ' ~3~

follows when the video tape player is in its play mode is indicated by arrows 46 -- there is a further short pre-recorded video program 48, having its own control track 44, and followed by a further non-program segment 49.
The coin operated switch 12 is actuated by placing a coin or coins of suitable denomination in it. At that time, the start sequence 56 in Figure 3 is initiated, and a start signal as shown at 51 initiates the play mode 50. As each program segment passes through the vi.deo tape playi.ng mechanism of the video tape player 22, the play mode 50 continues for so long as the control track 44 is present. However, when any of the non-program passages are encountered, a stop/reset signal S3 is sent by the video tape playing mechanism to place the video tape player in its stop mode 52. It should be noted that, in general, a timeout circuit is provided in the video tape player 22 such that the stop signal 53 is not generated until a predetermined passage of time -- usually about 3.0 seconds -- has gone by.
When the video tape 30 reaches its tail end, segment 42 is encountered. That segment 42 is, for example, transparent so that a light sensitive operating switch may be activated only when light passes through the transparent segment 42. In any event, the nature of the se~ment 42 is such that its presence is noted by the video tape playing mechanism of video tape player 22, and a rewind signal 5S is generated whereby the video tape player is forced to go into its tape rewind mode 54. However, when the rewind mode 54 ends, the video tape 30 has been rewound to its beginnin~ or front end, at which pOillt the pre-recorded video program segment 4~ is encountered. That immediately places the video tape player 22 in its play mode once again, as noted by ~ ~ . ,, :,, : , '' ': ~ ' .'`: ' ` : ' the signal at 57. However, in general the pre-recorded video program segment 48 i.s quite short in duration, so that after only a few seconds or so the non-program segment 49 is encountered and a new stop/resets signal 53 is generated to place the video tape player once again in its stop mode 52.
In the event that a power interruption has been encountered, as shown at 59 in Figure 3, the coin operated video machine 10 is arranged so that upon power being restored, the machine is in its full stop mode 52. In that case, only operation of the coin operated s,witch 12 will re-initiate the play mode 50 of the machlne.
It :is conve~n:ient that when the stop mode 52 has been encountered, a visual signal such as a yreen LED may be illuminated. This is shown at 61 in Figure 3, and is indicative of a ready state of the machine. Likewise, when the machine is in its rewind mode 5~1, a red LED as :irldicated at 63 may be illuminated.
It will be noted that the l.~D's are also shown in Figure 1, as are all of the sequence signals. However, in Figure 1 there is also shown a counter 16, connected to the control unit 14 by line ~3. The counter 16 is arranyed to operate each time the coin operated switch 12 is actuated, so that the owner or operator of the machine may determine the number of times that the machine has been used~ The operation of the counter is quite independent of the number and value of the coins that may be in a coin box 13 associated with the coin operated switch 12. This is because the coin box 13 may be emptied quite frequently, but it may be valuable to the owner or operator, or the mall manager, to know the cumulative total of the number. of times that the coin ~.0 ;

; . : :.

operated video machine of the present invention has been operated by its patrons. For that reason, an independent pow~r supply 17 may be provided for the counter 16. Moreover, an interlock can be arranged so that a relay in the counter 16 must first close beore the coin operated switch 12 can be operable.
It follows, therefore, that the power supply to the coin operated video machine i5 always present. However, operation of the machine is effected only by actuation of the coin operated switch 12, by depositing coinage in the proper amount.
There may also be provided an auxiliary video source 24.
Its purpose is s,:impl.y l:o pLovide a video s:igllal to the video monitor 20 when the video tape player 22 is not operating. Thus, for example, the auxili.ary v:ideo source 24 might be a solid state video chip, a computer floppy disk, a video disk (such as a laser disk), or even another video tape player. It could operate at all times when the video tape player 22 is not operating, and thereby provide advertisements for merchants in the shopping mall where the video machine is located, public service announcements, and the like. Arrangements are made, o~ course, that immediately upon the video tape player 22 being put into its play mode 50, a signal 23 is sent along a stop/start line to the aùxiliary video source 24, to terminate the video signal 25. When the video tape player 22 again goes into its stop mode 52, a further signal is sent along the stop/start signal line 23 to toggle the auxi liary video source 24 once again into operation, to send a video signal 25 to the video monitor 20.

., : ,: . .,, :

, : " ' ' ~

~8~

It miyht also be noted that the coin operated switch 12 of Figure 1 mi.ght be substituted by a coin operated switch 62 of Figure 4. It will be noted that: the upper portion of Figure 4 replicates Figure 3, and that like reference numerals are used.
However, it will be noted that the coin operated switch 62 may have two modes identifi.ed as "1" and "2", being such that the value of coins deposited -- say, w:ithin a particular period of tirne, or using specific coinage -- will involse either operating mode "1" o~ operating mode "2". When operating mode "1" is invoked, the operation of- the circuits and the apparatus i5 as described above with reference to Figure 3. However, the sequence diagram of Figure 4 illustrates that in the event o~
operating mode "2" being invo]sed, a further start signal 63 is generated to the auxiliary video source 24. That auxiliary video source 24 may be a second video tape player 64, a laser disk player G6, a video chip 68, or a flopp~ clisls drive 70. In any event, the start signal 63 :i.nvokes operation of one or the other of the alternative auxiliary video sources shown in Figure 4 ~if present) and a stop signal 65 is generated to ensure that the video playing mechanism of the video tape player 22 is i.n its stop mode 52.
obviOusly~ when a coin operated video machine of the present invention is placed in a lsiosk or other commerc.ial embodiment, all of the components except the video screen of the TV monitor 20 are hidden from view and inaccessi.ble to the public. Suitable cabinetry, with locks and other security means are provided accordingly.

1:~

': ', ' :

2~g~

Moreover, it is clear that the auxiliary video source -- or more especial 1y ~ any one of the prospective auxiliary video sources including a laser or other video disk player, a videochip, or a floppy disls drive -- might be substituted for the primary video tape player. Thus, operation of the video machine of the present invention may invoke, in the first instance, operation of a video source other than a video tape player per se .
There has been described a coin operated video machine of the sort that may be found particularly in shopping malls and the like, where relatively short video pro~rams may be played by the deposit of modest amounts of coin in a coin operated switch to actuate the play mode of the machine. Spec:ific examples have been discussed, but it is clear that the spirit and scope of the present invention are defined by the appended claims.

b:6032-lls~eci~ic/Har.13.911s~

: :::,: ::. : ,

Claims (15)

1. A coin operated video machine for playing pre-recorded video program material on a video tape, comprising a video tape player, a coin operated switch, and a television monitor:
wherein said video tape player has a video tape playing mechanism in which a video tape is placed to be played;
wherein said video tape play mechanism has a play mode in which pre-recorded program material on said video tape is played for viewing, a stop mode in which said video tape is not being played, and a tape rewind mode in which said video tape is rewound;
wherein a plurality of discrete video programs is pre-recorded seriatim on said video tape, with a plurality of non-program passages arranged one each between consecutive video programs, and each of said non-program passages is at least of a pre-determined length;
wherein each of said pre-recorded video programs has with it a pre-recorded control track which is readable by said tape playing mechanism of said video tape player when in its play mode so as to maintain said video tape player in that play mode for so long as said control track is present;
wherein each of said non-program passages does not have with it a pre-recorded control track;
wherein the front end of said video tape has at least a short pre-recorded video program thereon from the beginning of said tape;

wherein the tail end of said video tape is of such a nature that its presence at said tape playing mechanism is noted thereby and causes said tape playing mechanism to go into its tape rewind mode;
wherein said coin operated switch is adapted to put said video tape playing mechanism into its play mode when said coin operated switch is actuated; and wherein said television monitor is adapted for viewing each video program when said video tape player is in its play mode.

2. The coin operated video machine of claim 1, wherein a counter is provided to maintain a record count of each operation of said coin operated switch.

3. The coin operated video machine of claim 1, wherein when said video tape playing mechanism is in its tape rewind mode, an auxiliary video source is operated in a play mode so as to provide a video signal to said television monitor.

4. The coin operated video machine of claim 1, wherein when said video tape playing mechanism is in its stop mode, an auxiliary video source is operated in a play mode so as to provide a video signal to said television monitor.

5. The coin operated video machine of claim 1, wherein visual signals are provided to indicate whether actuation of said coin operated switch will be successful.

6. The coin operated video machine of claim 1, wherein a visual signal is given when said tape playing mechanism is in its tape rewind mode.

7. The coin operated video machine of claim 1, wherein a further auxiliary video source is provided to be a source of at least one further pre-recorded video program;
and wherein said coin operated switch can produce two different output signals depending on the value of coins used to operate it;
whereby either said video tape player or said further auxiliary video source is operated in a play mode so as to provide a video signal to said television monitor.

8. The coin operated video machine of claim 1, wherein each of said non-program passages has video snow.

9. The coin operated video machine of claim 1, wherein the prerecorded control track comprises a tone or other signal which is not noticeable to the viewer during video playback; and wherein each non-program passage has recorded on it a different tone or different digital signal, distinguishable by said tape playing mechanism so as to invoke the stop mode thereof.

10. The coin operated video machine of claim 3, where said auxiliary video source is chosen from the group consisting of a prerecorded video solid state chip, a second video tape player, a computer floppy disc, a video disc.

11. The coin operated video machine of claim 4, where said auxiliary video source is chosen from the group consisting of a prerecorded video solid state chip, a second video tape player, a computer floppy disc, a video disc.

12. The coin operated video machine of claim 7, where said auxiliary video source is chosen from the group consisting of a prerecorded video solid state chip, a second video tape player, a computer floppy disc, a video disc.

13. The coin operated video machine of claim 1, wherein each prerecorded program material has a playing time of at least three minutes; and wherein each non-program passage on said video tape has a playing time of at least three seconds at the same tape speed as the immediately preceding video program segment.

14. The coin operated video machine of claim 2, wherein said counter is an electrically driven counter having an external power supply which is independent of the power supply for said video tape player and said television monitor.

15. The coin operated video machine of claim 5, wherein one distinguishing visual signal is given when said video tape play mechanism is in its stop mode; and wherein a separate and distinguishable visual signal is given when said video tape play mechanism is in its rewind mode;

whereby it can be determined that actuation of said coin operated switch will be successful only when said visual signal indicating that said video tape play mechanism is in its stop mode is being given.