EP1575007A2 - Appareil multifonctionnel pour distribuer des produits ou offrir des services - Google Patents

Appareil multifonctionnel pour distribuer des produits ou offrir des services Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1575007A2
EP1575007A2 EP05100998A EP05100998A EP1575007A2 EP 1575007 A2 EP1575007 A2 EP 1575007A2 EP 05100998 A EP05100998 A EP 05100998A EP 05100998 A EP05100998 A EP 05100998A EP 1575007 A2 EP1575007 A2 EP 1575007A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
previous
services
images
image
printing
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP05100998A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP1575007A3 (fr
Inventor
Theodor Iancu
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Lorane Technical Equipment BV
Original Assignee
Lorane Technical Equipment BV
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Lorane Technical Equipment BV filed Critical Lorane Technical Equipment BV
Publication of EP1575007A2 publication Critical patent/EP1575007A2/fr
Publication of EP1575007A3 publication Critical patent/EP1575007A3/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07F—COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
    • G07F17/00—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services
    • G07F17/26—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services for printing, stamping, franking, typing or teleprinting apparatus
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07F—COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
    • G07F17/00—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services
    • G07F17/0014—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services for vending, access and use of specific services not covered anywhere else in G07F17/00

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a multifunctional apparatus for issuing products and/or services.
  • none of the prior art apparatuses allows to be used as a point for the withdrawal of a predetermined product purchased elsewhere, e.g. through the Internet or with other remote purchasing means.
  • the object of the present invention is to solve the aforesaid problems, providing a multifunctional apparatus as defined in claim 1.
  • the apparatus according to the present invention may be constructed both in the form of stand-alone "totem pole" and in the form of a multifunctional automatic booth able to provide various kinds of services.
  • the apparatus according to the present invention is designed to provide users with a service for printing photographic products and/or the like.
  • the apparatus according to the present invention is of the self-service type, to be installed in more or less capillary fashion on the urban territory.
  • the booth comprises a central control unit, interface devices, acquisition means for taking pictures and a printing unit.
  • the user who wants locally to make use of the services offered shall go to the booth and, after paying a cash consideration, shall request and obtain the service.
  • Post cards are printed at the request of the user who may choose the one or ones (s)he likes best amongst those stored in a local or also a remote database by means of a connection to the Internet or to a local network.
  • the choice may advantageously be made through means for selecting images, comprising a simple and effective user interface, described in greater detail below.
  • the user may also personalise the selected card with the addition of inscriptions, backgrounds or with the addition of his/her own digitised images, taken directly in the booth or inserted by means of external storage supports.
  • the cards thereby obtained may advantageously have their rear pre-printed like common post cards and they may also be pre-stamped.
  • the apparatus may be provided with means for issuing postal values, e.g. stamps, based on current postal fees (stored in a database able to be updated) necessary to post the card to the location indicated by the user.
  • postal values e.g. stamps
  • current postal fees stored in a database able to be updated
  • the stamps may either be printed directly on the card or may be issued and provided to the user in the form of stickers of corresponding value to be subsequently affixed onto the card.
  • the acquisition means advantageously comprise devices such as photo cameras or video cameras, preferably of the digital type.
  • the printing unit may comprise different printing devices, each able to print on a specific support (photographic paper, simple paper, die-cut, adhesive or other types).
  • the apparatus according to the present invention is constructed both in the form of a booth, of particular interest is the possibility to obtain caricatures starting from a digital image of the user's face.
  • a digital image taking device photo camera or television camera
  • an image of the user's face is captured which is then acquired and stored on a fixed storage device (hard disk).
  • the image thus stored is then processed by a specific software which subdivided into a grid of fixed dimensions (19x25 points), in order to generate a set of quadrilateral polygons (squares).
  • the user shall have the possibility of choosing among other options, each whereof corresponds to a different deformation of the grid.
  • the vertices of the squares are correspondingly "shifted" according to predefined rules, thus deforming the squares into irregular quadrilateral polygons.
  • the set of said irregular polygons is then subjected to graphic processing operations (rendering), e.g. by means of a "texture mapping” algorithm, using the set of textures obtained, thereby generating a new deformed image corresponding to the caricature of the first acquired image.
  • the final image is then stored on hard disk and displayed on a monitor, e.g. by lighting the individual pixels according to a random sequence.
  • the image thus obtained is printed in the format required by the user (as a single photo, within a post card or in yet other manners).
  • the apparatus can be designed in such a way as to provide other types of services as well.
  • an apparatus may advantageously be used for the delivery of credit instruments, e.g. prepaid telephone cards.
  • a user may select his/her telephone operator and the cutting of the desired card, to be obtained after paying the cash consideration.
  • the apparatus further comprises means for connecting to a telecommunications network.
  • devices for connecting to the Internet are advantageously provided.
  • the apparatus may be connected to a desk/operator of an office, e.g. of a Governmental Agency, and used as a point for preparing identity documents.
  • the user may go to one of the booths installed over the territory and request to obtain an identity card complete with photograph.
  • the photograph thus executed is sent in real time to the corresponding office of the Governmental Agency.
  • the user shall be provided with an identifying code, e.g. a bar code, with which, going to the operator of the office, (s)he may withdraw his/her identity card.
  • the apparatus according to the present invention also in a "totem pole” version, can also be exploited as a point for the delivery of information (tourist or otherwise) or as a point for sending/receiving and printing electronic mail messages and faxes.
  • a user who wishes to make use of the services provided by means of the present invention shall naturally access said services through the provided interface devices (e.g. a dedicated alphanumeric keyboard).
  • the provided interface devices e.g. a dedicated alphanumeric keyboard
  • the booth according to the present invention comprises additional input devices, able to receive commands for the delivery of services.
  • direct connection modules and wireless connection modules for various kinds of electronic apparatuses, e.g. cell phones, are provided.
  • the user may request and/or pay for the selected service.
  • the acquisition means comprise dedicated modules to receive data from various kinds of external storage supports.
  • data may be transferred from and to: digital photo cameras, portable PCs, palmtops, memory cards, floppy disks, CD-ROM, DVDs or other devices.
  • the data thus transferred may then be printed directly on paper support, or for example be sent via e-mail to an electronic mail address or otherwise be recorded on magnetic or optical supports.
  • An additional service which may be provided by means of apparatus according to the present invention is in fact linked to the printing of digital photographs.
  • the user who desires to print his/her own photos could in this case send them through his/her personal PC to an appropriately provided server.
  • a functionality similar to the one described above may be advantageously be provided also for multimedia contents such as videos, music or others. Said multimedia contents may also be downloaded from the Internet.
  • the product to be withdrawn would be a computer product, or rather data stored in files, which may advantageously be recorded on different supports such as floppy disks or CD-ROMs, with appropriate recording means provided for this purposes, e.g. a CD-ROM recorder.
  • the customer may also record his/her voice on the indicated supports, using musical bases that are prerecorded or downloaded from the Internet (such as karaoke).
  • the user then, going to the indicated apparatus may, following an identification and payment procedure, obtain the desired product.
  • the apparatus comprises a payment acceptance unit, able to accept payments made in different forms: cash, credit card, ATM, cell phone, bank transfer, prepaid cards.
  • one or more apparatuses according to the present invention could advantageously be installed in locations where typically prints of "snapshot” photographs are requested, e.g. tourist attractions or also sites where wedding ceremonies of parties, or conferences or similar events, take place.
  • the "official" photographer of the event could use the apparatus according to the present invention as an archive to "upload” the photographs taken during the ceremony or the event and the customers could then use the apparatus itself to display their photos, select which ones to print and then decide whether to print them right away or to order multiple copies or versions, e.g. through an on-line service.
EP05100998A 2004-03-11 2005-02-11 Appareil multifonctionnel pour distribuer des produits ou offrir des services Withdrawn EP1575007A3 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
ITRM20040128 2004-03-11
ITRM20040128 ITRM20040128A1 (it) 2004-03-11 2004-03-11 Cabina automatica multifunzionale per l'emissione di prodotti e/o servizi.

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1575007A2 true EP1575007A2 (fr) 2005-09-14
EP1575007A3 EP1575007A3 (fr) 2006-08-30

Family

ID=34814965

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP05100998A Withdrawn EP1575007A3 (fr) 2004-03-11 2005-02-11 Appareil multifonctionnel pour distribuer des produits ou offrir des services

Country Status (2)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1575007A3 (fr)
IT (1) ITRM20040128A1 (fr)

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5539453A (en) * 1991-09-28 1996-07-23 Pmi Photomagic Ltd. Photographic self-portrait installations
US20010044747A1 (en) * 2000-02-05 2001-11-22 Diebold, Incorporated System and method for dispensing digital information from an automated transaction machine
US20020118948A1 (en) * 2001-02-23 2002-08-29 Jones Michael J. Storing and sharing of content

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5539453A (en) * 1991-09-28 1996-07-23 Pmi Photomagic Ltd. Photographic self-portrait installations
US20010044747A1 (en) * 2000-02-05 2001-11-22 Diebold, Incorporated System and method for dispensing digital information from an automated transaction machine
US20020118948A1 (en) * 2001-02-23 2002-08-29 Jones Michael J. Storing and sharing of content

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
VENKAT KRISHNAMURTHY AND MARC LEVOY: "Fitting Smooth Surfaces to Dense Polygon Meshes" PROC. SIGGRAPH '96, [Online] 1996, XP002388348 Retrieved from the Internet: URL:http://graphics.stanford.edu/papers/su rfacefitting/surf_fit.pdf> [retrieved on 2006-07-03] *

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
ITRM20040128A1 (it) 2004-06-11
EP1575007A3 (fr) 2006-08-30

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