GB2289971A

GB2289971A - Automatic dispenser with multimedia interface arrangement

Info

Publication number: GB2289971A
Application number: GB9510654A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Esposti Pier Luigi Degli; Paolo Piattica
Original assignee: Zanussi Vending SpA
Current assignee: Electrolux Zanussi Vending SpA
Priority date: 1994-06-01
Filing date: 1995-05-25
Publication date: 1995-12-06
Also published as: IT1267724B1; ITPN940034A1; GB9510654D0; ITPN940034A0

Abstract

An automatic dispenser, eg for food and/or drinks, comprises functional devices for carrying out a dispensing operation, an interface with the user, and a series of sensors and a control system connecting the functional devices to the interface, the interface with the user comprising devices capable of permitting multi-media interaction between the user and the dispenser by means of a video and acoustic diffusers. The control system may be interconnected with an internal mass memory and a plurality of internal and/or external data banks. The interface may comprise means for interaction in multi-lingual modes, or means for audio-visual advertising.

Description

AUTOMATIC DISPENSER WITH MULTIMEDIA INTERFACE ARRANGEMENT The present invention concerns an automatic dispenser, in particular for drinks, suitable for installation in a public place to permit direct use on the part of the users thereof by means of payment with coins, tokens, magnetic cards or the like.

Automatic dispensers are apparatuses which have been widespread for some time now. They are normally equipped with an interface with the user comprising: a) a menu for selection of the available products, b) a data input module, and c) an information module.

The selection menu presents in the form of letters or symbols the types of products available which can be selected by the user, with an indication also of possible exhaustion thereof. The data input module may be a numerical keyboard or a series of push-buttons corresponding to the available selections. The information module normally comprises a digital or alphanumeric display which represents the selection made and the phases for delivery of the product requested.

The current automatic dispensers therefore only make available to the user who is meant as a consumer the items of information and commands which are strictly necessary for them to achieve a supply of the desired product.

However the term 'user' is intended in this patent to mean any person who works with the automatic dispenser, that is to say not only a consumer of the products, but also a technician/maintenance man or in any event a person who manages the apparatus.

It is noted therefore that an automatic dispenser affords a very limited operative option in terms of dialogue which is due to the reduced capacity of the interface while the electronic art has developed substantial data processing and communication capacities.

The aim of the present invention is to overcome the limitations of the current automatic dispensers, making such apparatuses more greatly interactive with all the persons who come into contact therewith. In particular the aim is to make the conversation with the apparatus more enticing and pleasant and interesting for the consumer, in such a way as to increase sales, and more complete and articulate for the operator/maintenance man in such a way as to assist with an simplify the operations involved.

The invention also aims to make the dispenser capable of providing a further service: advertising in audio-visual form.

Special attention is then to be directed to handicapped persons, permitting them easy access to the automatic dispensers, for example by accepting voice commands, guiding the various phases in respect of interaction with acoustic signalling of having reached the zone for introducing the coins or the zone of the drinks supply opening.

The invention also seeks to make available, including from a distance, to the technician/maintenance man a series of items of information relating to the operative conditions of the apparatus, signalling abnormal situations and possibly the necessary instructions to provide a remedy therefor and affording him the possibility of exchanging with the operative base a series of items of useful service information (locations to be visited, maintenance instructions etc.).

Finally the invention seeks to make it possible for the manager to collect, including from a distance, the analytical data relating to use of the apparatus, such as partial or total receipts, exhaustion of stocks, consumption of water, electrical power etc.

Finally the invention seeks to convert an automatic dispenser into a multi-functional apparatus for the user, adding to its operative capacity a series of services which are additional to or independent of its specific task, by means of the use of a multimedia interface.

According to the present invention there is provided an automatic dispenser, substantially comprising functional devices for carrying out a dispensing operation in its interior and an interface with the user, and a series of sensors and a control system which functionally connect the functional devices to said interface, wherein the interface with the user comprises a plurality of devices capable of permitting multimedia interaction between user and the automatic dispenser by means of a video and acoustic diffusers.

Other, optional, features of the invention are defined in the sub claims.

The invention will be further described by way of non-limitative example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a simplified diagrammatic view of the functional groups of an automatic dispenser according to the invention, and Figure 2 is an expanded diagrammatic view of the main functional components of the automatic dispenser of Figure 1, relating to the interface towards the user and the interface towards the functional devices of the apparatus.

The automatic dispenser according to the invention is diagrammatically shown in the form illustrated in Figure 1.

In Figure 1 the functional groups of the apparatus are indicated by the reference numeral 10. Those groups are absolutely known and conventional; for example, for a dispenser for hot drinks, they comprise: metering devices for powders, infusers, devices for producing and delivering hot water, etc. The functional groups 10 are controlled by a control system 11 which is also of known type, comprising for example one or more electronic microprocessor electronic cards with suitable software program.

The control system 11 receives from the functional groups 10 a series of items of information by means of sensors 12 (for temperature, pressure etc.) which detect the conditions of operation of the apparatus to permit possible corrections, such as modifications to the calibrations of the apparatus. The control system 11 is also connected to interact with an internal mass (random access) memory 13 and with a series of data banks 14, including remote data banks, as will be seen hereinafter.

In addition the control system 11 receives items of information and commands from the user by way of an interface 15 which will be described hereinafter and which permits the user to use the apparatus in a more suitable and complete manner.

The items of information that the automatic dispenser with multimedia interface, including in multilanguage modes, can supply to the user may be for example as follows: For a consumer user: a) menu of the available selections, with indications relating to the qualitative and quantitative composition of the product; b) advice, for example dietetic, relating to the available products; c) instructions necessary for use of the automatic dispenser; d) data relating to the automatic dispenser (internal temperature of the water, hardness of the water, etc.); e) items of information of general utility such as date, time meteorological conditions, railway timetables, horoscope etc; f) advertising messages with recurrence intervals which may or may not be programmed; g) transmission of radiotelevision news and bulletins such as teletext, traffic conditions etc; h) service communications; and i) fiscal receipts and slips.

For a technician/maintenance man: a) state of the apparatus by way of monitoring of the sensors which are internal thereto, which can indicate exhaustion of a product, the values in respect of temperature, pressure or humidity, possible faults or failures etc; b) display of the maintenance handbook for the apparatus, which is stored in an internal data bank; c) record of the maintenance operations containing dates, the length of time taken for the maintenance operations, the operations performed etc; d) service communications; and e) fiscal documents.

For the manager: a) situation in terms of sales and revenue, with partial and general totals; b) statistical data relating to the consumers, maintenance operations etc; c) signalling in regard to alarms in the even of attempts to tamper with the apparatus.

All those items of information are normally transmitted on a monitor, and also with audio communication, in particular for the consumer and the technician/maintenance man, but they can be transmitted by the telematique path to the operative management and coordination base.

Naturally the information relating to use of the apparatus is freely available to the consumers while the information relating to the state of the apparatus and the sales data are available only to the technician and the manager by way of suitable access and interrogation codes.

Looking now at the diagrammatic view in Figure 2, described therein in greater detail are the main components which make up the interfaces (12 and 15 in Figure 1) with the user and the functional devices of the apparatus.

References 121 to 131 indicate a series of sensors which transmit to the control system 11 the current items of information relating to the state of operation of the operative members of the apparatus, in such a way as to permit corrections which are automatic or are to be carried out by the technician/maintenance man to maintain or restore the correct operating parameters of the apparatus.

References 132 and 133 indicate two or more counters which supply the control system 11 with items of information necessary for correct management of the apparatus.

All those components are of a type which is known in the art and do not need to be described in greater detail.

The control system 11 is obviously to contain suitable software for managing the items of information coming from the interfaces 12 and 15.

References 151 to 162 indicate a series of devices which permit interaction between the user and the automatic dispenser.

As will be seen, the arrangement includes a sensor 151 for sensing the presence of the user, which for example can permit the monitor of the apparatus to be switched on.

Subsequently, by means of keyboard 152 or the touch device 153, the user will select the data to be inputted or to be requested for use of the apparatus. If the data are presented by means of the monitor 154 (including with a touch-screen), a video control device 170 will be provided.

If the data are inputted by means of a microphone 156 and emitted by means of acoustic boxes 155, a voice synthesizer 171 and an audio control device 172 will be provided.

The data can also be inputted by means of magnetic cards which are processed by means of data transfer and emitted by means of a printed support etc. by way of the interfaces 157-162.

The interfaces 157-162 between the user 16 and the control system 11 of the apparatus are of various types (using infra-red rays, optical fibres etc.), in accordance with the various services requested by the user, and corresponding control devices 177-183 are provided.

For example, in the case where the user might desire to use the automatic dispenser as a terminal for telefax or telephone communications, the interface of the automatic dispenser is provided with a telefax transmission device 180 with an associated modem and a telephone 190 of cellular type, with associated control 181.

It will be appreciated that the automatic dispenser according to the present invention can be equipped with further devices than those described hereinbefore; for example it may include a printer to provide the user with documentation in respect of the data requested from the apparatus.

In substance therefore the aims and advantages of the present invention are embodied in the transformation of an automatic dispenser into a multi-functional apparatus which is interactive with the user in an easier and more complete manner than the known dispensers.

Claims

1. An automatic dispenser, substantially comprising functional devices for carrying out a dispensing operation in its interior and an interface with the user, and a series of sensors and a control system which functionally connect the functional devices to said interface, wherein the interface with the user comprises a plurality of devices capable of permitting multimedia interaction between user and the automatic dispenser by means of a video and acoustic diffusers.

2. An automatic dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the control system is interconnected with an internal mass memory and with a plurality of internal and/or external data banks.

3. An automatic dispenser according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the interface with the user comprises means for multimedia interaction in multi-lingual modes.

4. An automatic dispenser according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the interaction devices comprise means for presentation of the items of information capable of permitting a conversational interaction between the user and the dispenser to conduct a dispensing operation.

5. An automatic dispenser according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the interface comprises means for audio-video advertising presentation by means of the screen.

6. An automatic dispenser according to any one of the preceding claims which is for dispensing drinks and/or foods.

7. An automatic dispenser according to any one of the preceding claims and which is coin- or token- operated.

8. An automatic dispenser constructed and arranged to operate substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to, and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.