GB2287343A

GB2287343A - Entertainment machines

Info

Publication number: GB2287343A
Application number: GB9504301A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Barry Allen Marchini
Original assignee: Starpoint Electrics Ltd
Current assignee: Starpoint Electrics Ltd
Priority date: 1994-03-08
Filing date: 1995-03-03
Publication date: 1995-09-13
Also published as: GB9504301D0; GB9404446D0

Abstract

An entertainment machine, such as a jukebox 10, includes a money acceptance/verification unit 12 and a keyboard 16 incorporated within a computer 18 so that a user can select a compact disk to be played by a player 22. If the user decides to buy the selection, and sufficient additional money is accepted, a device 24 can be activated for delivering a selected compact disk from a store 26 to a delivery chute 28. Other entertainment machines could be amusement with prize machines or skill with prize machines which dispense discs from a store thereof. <IMAGE>

Description

Entertainment Machines The present invention relates generally to entertainment machines and more particularly to the payout of prizes by and/or the vending of products from entertainment machines.

It is known for toys and sweets to be sold from entertainment machines in the form of so-called bubble-gum machines for children.

It is also known for cash and tokens to be paid out as prizes by entertainment machines in the form of amusement with prize (AWP) machines, such as fruit machines with spinning reels, and skill with prize (SWP) machines, such as video machines setting general knowledge questions.

An aim of the present invention is to broaden the appeal of these and other entertainment machines.

According to the present invention, an entertainment machine capable of being operated by a user to provide entertainment comprises a store for holding disks, and a device for enabling a disk to be delivered from the store either as a consequence of or independently of the entertainment provided by the machine.

It is primarily intended that the disks should be in the form of compact disks, with single or multiple music tracks, but the disks could alternatively carry other digitalised information for use with a personal computer.

The store for holding the disks, and the device for delivering the disks from the store, can be of a generally conventional construction known from standard vending machines without any provision of entertainment.

In one embodiment, the entertainment machine could be in the form of a jukebox so that a user of the jukebox could listen to a selected music track before deciding whether or not to purchase a compact disk including that selected track.

The jukebox could be in a sound-proof booth, similar to a telephone box, and the cost of listening to the selection could be deducted from the price of the compact disk, if there was a decision to purchase.

In another embodiment, the entertainment machine could be a video machine setting questions on a specific subject, with a winning player being awarded a computer disk with information about that specific subject, or more generally just being awarded a prize in the form of a disk.

It will thus be seen that the store could hold disks which were the same or different, and in the latter case the delivery device could deliver disks at random or in accordance with particular selections.

It will also be seen that the entertainment could be passive, e.g. involving listening or viewing, or could be active, e.g. involving playing a game to test speed of reaction or knowledge.

The entertainment machine could be located in any public place, such as a shopping centre or a public house.

The accompanying schematic block diagram shows an example of a jukebox constituting an entertainment machine according to the present invention.

The jukebox is constructed to allow a user to listen to a selected music track before deciding whether or not to purchase a compact disk including that selected track.

To that end, the jukebox 10 comprises a money acceptance/verification unit 12 operable to direct any rejected coins to a coin return 14. The acceptance of money activates a keyboard 16 incorporated within a computer 18 so that a user can select which compact disk is to be played. The selection is indicated on a display 20 and is actually played by a player 22. If the user decides to buy the selection, and sufficient additional money is accepted, the keyboard 16 can be used to cause the computer 18 to activate a device 24. The device 24 enables a selected compact disk to be delivered from a store 26 to a delivery chute 28.

Naturally, the present invention is not restricted to this particular embodiment.

Claims

1. An entertainment machine capable of being operated by a user to provide entertainment comprising a store for holding disks, and a device for enabling a disk to be delivered from the store either as a consequence of or independently of the entertainment provided by the machine.

2. An entertainment machine according to claim 1, in which the disks are compact disks.

3. An entertainment machine according to claim 2, in which the disks have single or multiple music tracks.

4. An entertainment machine according to any preceding claim, in which the disks are not all the same.

5. An entertainment machine which is in accordance with all of the preceding claims and is in the form of a jukebox operable to allow a user to listen to a selected music track before deciding whether or not to purchase a compact disk including that selected music track.