Dynamic information storage or retrieval – Information location or remote operator actuated control – Selective addressing of storage medium
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-04
2001-12-04
Klimowicz, William (Department: 2652)
Dynamic information storage or retrieval
Information location or remote operator actuated control
Selective addressing of storage medium
36
Reexamination Certificate
active
06327230
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a mechanism for processing and transporting compact disks in a disk recording and dispensing system. The disk process and transport mechanism here comprises a disk copying and dispensing apparatus for a host system such as a compact disk vending machine.
Marketing of digital information has gone through many transformations, blending techniques common to the entertainment industry and the business software industry. Application software was frequently carried on a series of floppy disks and sold in boxes containing the disks and reference materials, such as user manuals. Some entertainment software, such as computer gameware, was similarly packaged, often with minimal written material on pamphlets. The bulky packaging of computer boxware is wasteful of resources, including the space required to transport and display such wares.
Similarly, music recordings were traditionally sold in albums having a sleeve or casing sized to the vinyl recording disk. When digitized recordings on compact disks were first marketed, the smaller compact disks were marketed in plastic jewel cases with elongated cardboard display backing, in part to utilize display racks and shelves designed for the larger vinyl albums. Only after consumer protest over the wasteful packaging techniques, were compact disks commonly marketed in cases without the wasteful cardboard extensions.
With the development of inexpensive laser recording devices for writing data to compact disks, it became possible to record digital data or digitized information onto a compact disk that became a permanent record. While subsequent developments permit compact disks to be rewritten, the write once read many times process for digitized compact disks is preferred by many content providers as an unalterable medium for sale to ultimate consumers.
The obvious advantage of recording compact disks at the place of purchase is the elimination of an inventory, since the content data or information can be stored in a memory or master disk and used as needed to generate a recorded copy on demand.
When copies are made on blank compact disks, only an inventory of disk blanks need be maintained for a variety of different content items. While this has the disadvantage of using an unidentifiable copy, this deficiency can be cured by inclusion of a label printer in the apparatus for printing content identifying labels on the printed disks. The label printer can be of any conventional type used for generating disk labels, such as ink jet printers or thermal transfer printers. Decorative graphic material can be included in the labels which are printed directly on a prepared surface of the disk.
It is an object of this invention to provide a versatile compact disk copying and dispensing apparatus that can be incorporated into a variety of different disk production devices. In particular, the apparatus of this invention is adapted to be utilized in a compact disk vending machine for dispensing disks to consumers upon selection and payment.
In a preferred embodiment, the disk copying and dispensing apparatus includes a printer wherein the copying feature includes copying digital data to the disk, and copying digitally stored label data on the disk as printed label.
In addition, the dispensing feature includes alternate mechanisms for issuance of the copied disk after purchase, including an activated ramp guide to a pickup bin and an extendible tray. The extendible tray is designed for customer removal of the conveyed disk or for automatic removal by a mechanical means, for example, for transport to another processing station. Such a station may comprise a packing station where the copied and printed disk is placed into a sleeve, cartridge, jewel case, envelope or other packing device before delivery to the customer.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This apparatus of this invention relates to compact disk process and transport mechanisms and in particular to a disk copying and dispensing apparatus adapted to be incorporated into a vending machine.
The vending machine in the described embodiment is designed to dispense music recordings on data carriers of different types including CD disks, cartridges, including disk and tape cartridges, and cards, such as flash cards, PCMCIA cards or MP3 cards. The apparatus of this invention is a device having a controller responsive to commands from the host machine. Here the disk copy process is initiated by a user in the selection and payment of an item which activates the copying and automatic dispensing of items including the recorded compact disks handled by the mechanism of the subject copying and dispensing apparatus.
The copying and dispensing apparatus herein described, can be incorporated into different types of dispensing systems for different types of products on disk carriers, such as business and entertainment software, videos, audios and other digitized material.
To properly identify the products dispensed, the apparatus includes a label printer. Additionally, the apparatus includes disk parking stations to enhance the versatility of the invented slave machine to the commands of different host machines.
For example, the label printer may optionally print on unprinted or preprinted labels, selecting disks from one disk storage station or another. Alternately, a dispensable software application program may require a plurality of disks and it is preferred that the group of disks be recorded and printed as a batch before the dispensing sequence is initiated to dispense a series of disks in a batch or within a brief period. Additionally, different complexities in the printing operation and recording operation may result in mismatches in the timing of print cycles and recording cycles allowing disks finished one task to be stored before being transported to the following task.
Furthermore, since the disk copying and dispensing apparatus may be adapted to different disk recording systems, the apparatus utilizes a dispensing tray that also serves as a storage station. Alternately, an automatically positionable guide chute for processed disks directs a processed disk to a customer pickup bin in the vending machine or to a collection container for batch pick-up or transport to another processing station.
Additionally, because a preferred use of the apparatus is in a vending machine for a retail establishment, it is an object of this invention that the copying and dispensing apparatus be compact and modular in form. The apparatus includes a unitary housing frame having a small foot-print for installation into the host system.
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Drynkin Alexander V.
Hess William M.
Miller David B.
Copypro, Inc.
Klimowicz William
Richard Esty Peterson Patent Attorney
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