WO1995018427A1

WO1995018427A1 - Software vending apparatus

Info

Publication number: WO1995018427A1
Application number: PCT/AU1994/000798
Authority: WO
Inventors: Rodney Walter Blank
Original assignee: Rodney Walter Blank
Priority date: 1993-12-24
Filing date: 1994-12-29
Publication date: 1995-07-06
Also published as: AUPM317893A0

Abstract

Software vending apparatus (10) including computer means (11), data storage means (15) operatively connected to the computer means (11) and having selectable information stored thereon, selectively operable selection means (19, 20) for compiling a list of selected information from the data storage means (15) and including video display means (12) operatively connected to the computer means (11) for displaying the selectable information and/or the compiled list, data writing means (17) operable to write selected information to a customer's information storage medium and data transfer means for transferring the information represented by the compiled list from the data storage means (15) to the data writing means (17). The computer means (11) maintains the activated state of a coin or counter freed switch assembly (16) for a predetermined period of time during which the selection means (19, 20) is operable, and a further time sufficient to write the selected information from the data storage means (15) to the customer's information storage medium. The storage medium may be the form of a magnetic medium such as a floppy disk.

Description

"SOFTWARE VENDING APPARATUS"
This invention relates to software vending apparatus.

This invention has particular but not exclusive application to software vending apparatus for vending software such as programs, data, or other types of information, and for illustrative purposes reference will be made to such application. More particularly, this invention is directed towards vending of public domain software, although the invention may also may also be used for proprietary and/or licensed software.

It is to be understood that this invention could also be used in other applications, such as the vending of electronically recorded data, customised data or programs, and/or sound or video information and such like.

A vast quantity of public domain software has been written and distributed and/or stored on computer systems.

The distribution of such software is usually by purchase of magnetic media containing such software. Where public domain software is purchased from software distribution houses, the purchaser often receives unwanted software on distribution disks which may contain only one or two items of software which are required or desired to be purchased by the purchaser, thus reducing the economy in purchasing public domain software over the purchase of licensed software.

Such software may be also downloaded from a bulletin board database or such like over the public telephone network. However, the use of the telephone system and computer modems to download vast amounts of public domain computer software ties up a bulletin board from its other main use which is topical conversation between members of the bulletin board.

The bulletin board operator is only rarely compensated for the time and effort in providing the bulletin board service, and frequently has significant telecommunications costs associated with the bulletin board operation. Although a bulletin board user is able to select files for downloading, telephone usage costs can become quite significant if large amounts of information are to be downloaded. Additionally, many bulletin boards have limited visitor access, because the bulletin board operator seeks to recover operating costs by restricting what may be downloaded to registered members who must pay a membership fee before unrestricted access is given.

The present invention aims to provide software vending apparatus which will be reliable and efficient in use.

With the foregoing in view, this invention in one aspect resides broadly in software vending apparatus including:
computer means;
data storage means operatively connected to the computer means and having selectable information stored thereon;
selectively operable selection means for compiling a list of selected information from the data storage means and including video display means operatively connected to the computer means for displaying the selectable information and/or the compiled list;
data writing means operable to write selected information to a customer's information storage medium, and
data transfer means for transferring the information represented by a compiled list from the data storage means to the data writing means.

The selection means may be continuously operable, such as for the production of distribution copies of storage media, but preferably, the selectively operable selection means can be activated by a coin or counter freed switch assembly. Alternatively the selection means may be continuously operable and the data transfer means may be activated by a coin or counter freed switch assembly.

Preferably, the switch assembly is normally inactive, is activated by a coin or token, and is selectively maintained in an activated state by the computer means. Alternatively, a timer switch independent of the computer means may be included which is activated by the active switching of the switch assembly, and deactivates the switch assembly after a selected period.

The switch assembly preferably includes an interface having output means for instructing the computer means that a coin or counter has passed through the switch assembly upon the passing of a coin or counter therethrough and input means for receiving a signal from the computer means for resetting the switch assembly to its inactive state. In a preferred embodiment, the computer means maintains the activated state for a predetermined period of time during which the selection means is operable and a further time sufficient to write selected files from the data storage means to a customer's information storage medium. Alternatively, the activated state may be maintained until a predetermined quantity or number of selections or amount of data to be transferred is listed.

The customer's information storage medium may be a retrievable storage medium, such as a magnetic tape, wire, optical device, hard disk, digital memory or such like, and the actuating means may be by remote access or remote control, or by switch or such like. For example, a customer may access the software vending apparatus through a computer modem, selection means and/or the actuating means may include the verification of credit card details from the customer.

Preferably the customer's storage medium is in the form of a magnetic medium such as a floppy disk or diskette and the writing means may be a floppy disk drive for a 3 inch floppy disk and/or a 5 inch floppy disk as required.

The floppy disk drive may be of the type which may read from and write to high density, and double density floppy diskettes, but may also be adapted to read from and write to single density diskettes. The floppy disk drive also preferably includes locking means for locking a customer's floppy diskette therein. Where there are disk drives for two sizes of floppy disk, the locking means may be operable to lock both disk drives, one having the floppy disk within, and the other not having a floppy disk within.

It will be appreciated that other magnetic media may be used, such as 8 inch disks, cassette tapes, worm tapes, compact disks, magnetic tapes or such like may also be used as the storage medium for information written from the writing means. Alternatively, other data recording means may be utilized, such as wire, paper punch tape, data recording cards, smart cards or such like.

The control means may be operated to permit only one floppy disk to be used in the floppy disk drive for each coin or token used in the coin changer, or be operated to permit a maximum amount or value of information to be selected.

Preferably, the actuating means includes a coin or token receiving apparatus, such as a coin changer, having a set attitude wherein the software vending apparatus may be used to transfer data from the data storage means to the floppy diskette and a reset attitude wherein the software vending apparatus is awaiting the input of a coin or token.

Suitably, the set attitude is maintained for a predetermined period of time plus a time sufficient to copy files from the data storage means to the floppy diskette after the predetermined period of time has expired. The predetermined period of time may be aborted by the provision of abort means to end the selection session.

In a typical embodiment, one or more coins are accepted by the coin changer, which further includes a coin changer interface including:
output means for instructing the computer means that a coin has passed through the coin changer upon the passing of a coin therethrough, and
input means for receiving a signal from the computer for resetting the coin changer.

Alteratively, the actuating means may be a magnetic card reader such as may be used for a credit card or electronic funds transfer at point of sale (EFTPOS), paper currency reader, key switch or such like.

The selection means may be any means for selecting one or more pieces of information from the data storage means for writing to the magnetic media upon which the information is to be written. Suitably, the selection means includes a computer program and the data for transfer is organised into software files, each of which has a unique name which is indexed and provided to a user of the software vending apparatus. The index may be printed in a readable form such as on a computer printout, but is preferably provided in user readable form on the video display means.

Suitably, the selection means further includes marking means or pointing means for selecting a software filename for writing to the floppy disk drive and user input means for instructing the computer means which data is selected for transfer. The user input means may be a keyboard for accepting commands, but preferably is a point and click input device such as a computer mouse, but more preferably, a trackball and a click button.

In a preferred form, the information stored in the data storage means is categorised into subject categories and the selection means includes a computer program including:
category display means for displaying information relevant to the categories;
library list display means for displaying filenames of files in a selected category;
selected list display means for displaying filenames of files which have been selected for writing to the floppy diskette, and
command means for receiving commands from the user input means.

Preferably the computer program includes time indication means for indicating the amount of time remaining on the timer means, file size indication means for indicating the size of a selected filename and space available indication means for indicating the amount of free space remaining on the floppy diskette if the selected files are copied from the select list to the floppy diskette.

In a further preferred form, the program includes floppy diskette writing routine for writing information associated with the filenames in the select list upon the activation of a user command or upon the expiry of the time remaining on the timer means. Additionally, the software vending apparatus may include a keyboard means, but if such is provided, is not accessible to a user of the software vending apparatus other than a supervisor. Suitably, the keyboard and computer means are placed inside a housing and the video display means, coin changer, user input means and floppy disk drive are arranged for operative access thereto. If desired, a null keyboard connector or such like may be provided where software vending apparatus includes a computer means which expects to have one connected thereto at start-up and/or operation.

The video display means is preferably physically isolated from the outside of the housing, but includes a viewing window for the operative viewing of information displayed thereon. Suitably, the trackball and click button operatively interact with the computer program to display the location of cursor means.

In another aspect, this invention resides in a method of vending software, the method including:
providing software vending apparatus as hereinbefore described whereby a customer may compile a list of selected information from the selectable information, and
enabling the customer to write the information represented by the compiled list to the customer's information storage medium upon payment of a consideration.

The method may further include operating a coin or counter freed switch assembly to activate the selection means for the software vending apparatus. The compilation of the list includes the selection of information to the list, but may further include the de-selection and re-selection of information until a desired list content is achieved.

Suitably, the method includes flagging items of information by title or such like such that an item of information may be included no more than once in the compiled list.

In order that this invention may be more readily understood and put into practical effect, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a typical embodiment of the invention, and wherein:
FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of the operational
components of the software vending apparatus;
FIG. 2 is a partly cut away view of the front, side and
top of the software vending apparatus;
FIG. 3 is a representation of a typical opening screen
as displayed on the video display means;
FIG. 4 shows the layout of a typical format screen as
displayed on the video display means;
FIG. 5 shows the layout of a typical category screen as
displayed on the video display means;
FIG. 6 shows. the layout of a typical main screen as
displayed on the video display means;

;
FIG. 7 shows the layout of a typical end session screen
as displayed on the video display means, and
FIG. 8 is a circuit diagram for a coin changer
interface.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a software vending apparatus 10 includes a computer means 11 and connected thereto a video display means 12, a keyboard 13, a floppy disk drive 16, a coin changer 17, and a trackball 19. The coin changer 17 is connected to the computer means 11 through a coin changer interface 18. The trackball 19 also has a click button 20 connected thereto and the computer until 11 includes a hard disk drive 14 and a compact disk read-only-memory (CD-ROM) drive 15.

The video display means 12, computer means 11, and keyboard 13 are enclosed within a cabinet 21. The cabinet 21 has a lower locked door 22 for access to the keyboard 13 and an upper locked door 23 for access to the remainder of the equipment. The upper door 23 has the floppy disk drive 16 and coin changer 17 mounted on it in the upper right hand corner as shown.

The cabinet 21 also has an upper panel 24 in which are mounted the trackball 19 and click button 20. The video display means 12 is viewed through an aperture in the upper panel 24, and is mounted on a sloping shelf 26.

For ease of access for installation and maintenance, the computer means 11 is mounted on a sliding shelf 25 which may slide forward when the upper door 23 is open.

The coin changing interface 18 is connected to the computer means 11 by a cable 28. It will be appreciated that a range of alterative connections or I/O ports may be used for the connection of the coin changer interface, such as the parallel port, serial port, games port or such like.

In FIG. 3, an example of an opening screen 30 is shown.

If a coin is placed in the coin changer 17 without a floppy disk in the floppy disk drive 16, then a format screen 40 such as shown in FIG. 4 is displayed on the video display means 12.

The format screen 40 includes a format message 41 giving instructions as to the procedure to be followed to format a disk if it is unformatted. The format screen 40 also includes an "Okay" button 42, a "720 k" button 43 and a "1.44
M" button 44, any one of which may be activated by moving a pointer 45 over the relevant button using the trackball 19 and pressing the click button 20 to activate the relevant routine in the program according to the respective button 42, 43 or 44 which is selected.

Once a diskette (should it be required) has been formatted, a category screen 50 such as that shown in FIG. 5 is displayed on the video display means 12. The category screen 50 includes a time remaining message 51, a category message 52, a category list 53, and a select category button 55. The pointer 45 may be moved to any one of the categories listed on the category list 53 by operative interaction with the trackball 19 and a category selected by depressing the click button 20, upon which the selected category is highlighted as shown by the selected category entry 54.

The relevant category highlighted as the selected category entry 54 is selected by placing the pointer 45 over the select button 55 and pressing the click button 20, whereupon a main screen 60 such as is shown in FIG. 6 is displayed on the video display means 12. Hereinafter, where reference is made to the activation of a button represented on the video display means 12, it may be taken to mean that the pointer 45 is located at the location where the button is shown on the video display means 12 by operation of the trackball 19 and, once the pointer 45 is so located, operatively depressing the click button 20.

The main screen 60 includes a main message box 61, a current category message 62, a library list 63, a select list 64, a new category button 66, a select file button 67, an end session button 68, a disk space message 69, a remove file button 70, a selected file description message 71, an accesses message 72, a selected file date message 73, a selected file size message 74, and the pointer 45.

Upon the selection of a file name from the library list 63 and the depression of the click button 20 by operative placement of the pointer 45 over the relevant file name in the library list 63, a selected file 65 is highlighted in the library list 63 and, upon activation of the select button 67, the file name for the selected file 65 is added to the list of files in the select list 64.

If the pointer 45 is placed over a file name in the select list 64 and the click button 20 depressed, that file name is highlighted and may be removed by activation of the remove button 70.

When a file name is highlighted out of the library list 63 or select list 64, information relevant to that file name is displayed on the video display means 12 in the selected file description message 71, the accesses message 72, the file date message 73 and the selected file message 74.

Additionally, the time remaining message 51 is provided on the main screen 60 as shown. As files are added to the select list 64, the disk space remaining on the floppy diskette is calculated and displayed in the disk space message 69.

The disk space remaining is calculated by computing the sum of the space required on the diskette for the files in the select list 64, plus the amount of space required for utility programs such as, for example, decompression programs for compressed files, viewing programs, and a catalogue of all of the files on the hard disk drive 14 and/or CD-ROM drive 15.

When the time remaining is shown to be less than 30 seconds, the background to the time remaining message 51 may be highlighted in a bright colour such as yellow or red or flashing or such like. Additionally, if the disk space remaining on the disk space message 69 is less than 10% of the maximum capacity of the floppy diskette, then likewise, the disk space message 69 may be highlighted.

When the time remaining has expired, or when the end session button 68 is activated, an end session screen 75 is displayed on the video display means 12 as shown in FIG. 7.

The end session screen 75 includes an end session message 76, a copy files button 77, a current file message 78, and a files copy account message 79.

When the end session screen 75 is accessed by depressing the end session button 68, the copy files button 77 may be activated to copy the files from the select list 64 to the floppy diskette. Once all of the files have been copied, and if there is time remaining as displayed on the time remaining message 51, then the main screen 60 is displayed on the video display means 12.

Alternatively, if the end session screen 75 is displayed on the video display means 12 because the time remaining has expired, then all of the files from the select list 64 are copied onto the floppy diskette together with such utility files as hereinbefore described.

Referring to FIG. 8, the coin changer interface 18 includes a circuit 80 having a computer connector 81, a power connector 82, a coin changer connector 83 and a relay 84.

When a coin is inserted in the coin changer 17, a signal is transmitted along a signal in line 86 to terminal No. 19 of the computer connector 81, whereupon the computer means 11, under software control, transmits a setting signal along a relay signal line 89 to the relay 84.

The relay 84 thus transmits a signal along a signal out line 87 to the coin changer connector 83 whereby the coin changer 17 is set in a by-pass attitude to cause any coin inserted therein to be rejected and passed out of the coin changer 17. The coin changer 17 is supplied with power from the coin changer connector 83 through a power supply line 85.

In order that this invention may be more readily understood and put into practical effect, reference will now be made to the operation of a preferred embodiment of the software vending apparatus.

After start-up of the computer means, booting up the operating system, loading the computer program and commencing execution of same, an opening screen is displayed on the video display means having information relevant to the operation of the software vending apparatus. Upon the operative insertion of a coin into the coin changer, the video display means displays a list having all available categories and of software for selection.

If a floppy diskette has not been placed in the floppy disk drive, the video display means displays a request that a floppy diskette be inserted and an interrogatory message as to whether the floppy diskette requires formatting. If an unformatted floppy diskette is inserted into the floppy disk drive, the video display displays the interrogatory as to whether the floppy diskette requires formatting.

Upon insertion of a floppy diskette into the floppy disk drive, the integrity of the diskette, its type, and available space thereon are checked. Preferably, the floppy diskette is inserted into the floppy disk drive prior to insertion of a coin into the coin changer.

Using the trackball, the cursor, which is preferably an arrow displayed upon the video display means, may be moved to any location on the screen of the video display means.

Upon the placing of the arrow at the location where a category is displayed and operation of the click button the category is selected, and a new display is provided having a list of filenames having information relevant to the category selected, a space for selected filenames, a space for a description of the information in the selected filename, the amount of time left on the timer, the amount of space left on the floppy diskette, the size of the file selected and command buttons for selection of a filename, de-selection of a filename, re-selection of a category and ending the session.

The filenames displayed are preferably in a compressed format, such a ".ZIP", ".LZH", ".ARC" format or such like.

In a preferred form, the available files are in a list on the left side of the screen, the select list is a corresponding list on the right side of the screen and the description of the filename selected is provided on the screen in a panel between the select list and the list of available files.

The time remaining is displayed in the top right hand corner of the screen, the diskette space remaining in the bottom right hand corner and the category that has been selected in a panel below the description panel.

In a preferred form, there is also provided an access panel showing the number of times that the selected filename has been copied onto previous users' diskettes so that the current user may assess the popularity of the selected file.

Accordingly, a user may fill up the diskette until only smaller files may be selected, but, if a particularly desired file is required, may deselect or remove sufficient files from the select list to permit the particularly desired file to be selected. The display further warns the user when the time remaining is getting low or the diskette is nearly out of space by changing the background colour of the timer panel and/or the available space panel.

Once the time has expired, or if the session is ended by activating the end session button, the selected files, if any, are copied from the data storage means or memory of the computer means to the floppy diskette in the floppy disk drive. If any information is already on the diskette, then it is erased.

In a typical embodiment, the computer means includes a 386DX-40 central processing means and the data storage means includes a 120 megabyte hard disk and hard disk drive but it will be appreciated that other types of computers may be used.

Typically the computer means further includes 128 kilobytes of cache memory and 4 megabytes of random access memory. Where a keyboard is provided, it would only be used for I/O to the computer for the purpose of maintenance and such like. When the computer means first boots up it has to check to see if there is a keyboard connected to it, however, the boot up routine may be adjusted to by-pass the keyboard.

It will of course be realised that the above has been given only by way of illustrative example of the invention and that all such modifications and variations thereto as would be apparent to persons skilled in the art are deemed to fall within the broad scope and ambit of the invention as claimed in the appended claims.

Claims

1. Software vending apparatus including: computer means; data storage means operatively connected to said computer means and having selectable information stored thereon; selectively operable selection means for compiling a list of selected information from said data storage means and including video display means operatively connected to said computer means for displaying said selectable information and/or said compiled list; data writing means operable to write selected information to a customer's information storage medium, and data transfer means for transferring the information represented by a compiled list from said data storage means to said data writing means.

2. Software vending apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said selectively operable selection means is activated by a coin or counter freed switch assembly.

3. Software vending apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said switch assembly is normally inactive, is activated by a coin or token, and is maintained in an activated state for a predetermined period by said computer means.

4. Software vending apparatus as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3, wherein said switch assembly includes an interface having output means for instructing said computer means that a coin or counter has passed through said switch assembly upon the passage of a coin or counter therethrough and input means for receiving a signal from said computer means for resetting said switch assembly to its inactive state.

5. Software vending apparatus as claimed in claim 3 or claim 4, wherein said computer means maintains said activated state for a predetermined period of time during which said selection means is operable and a further time sufficient to write listed files from said data storage means to a customer's information storage medium.

6. Software vending apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein data writing means includes a floppy disk drive whereby a customers information storage medium is a floppy diskette.

7. Software vending apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein said floppy disk drive includes locking means for locking said floppy diskette therein.

8. Software vending apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said selection means includes a computer program and the data for transfer is organised into software files, each of which has a unique software filename which is indexed and accessible to a user of said software vending apparatus in user readable form on said video display means.

9. Software vending apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein said selection means includes flagging means for flagging a selected software filename for writing to said floppy disk drive and user input means for instructing said flagging means.

10. Software vending apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein said user input means includes a point and click input device.

11. Software vending apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein said point and click device respectively includes a trackball and a click button.

12. Software vending apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said computer means excludes keyboard means.

13. Software vending apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, and including a housing for containing said computer means, said video display means and said data writing means.

14. Software vending apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein said housing includes a viewing window for the operative viewing of information displayed said video display means.

15. A method of vending software, the method including: providing software vending apparatus as claimed in claim 1; compiling a list of selected information from information available on the data storage means, and writing the selected information according to the compiled list to the customer's information storage medium.

16. The method as claimed in claim 15, and including operating a coin or counter freed switch assembly to activate the selection means for the software vending apparatus.

17. The method as claimed in claim 15 or claim 16, and including flagging items of information by title such that an item of information may be included no more than once in the compiled list.