초록 ▼

An unattended automated rental system for articles such as video cassettes includes a storage unit with electrically locked bins for containing rental articles. Each bin and its article has an identification code strip. A customer terminal having a keyboard and display monitor controlled from a comp

An unattended automated rental system for articles such as video cassettes includes a storage unit with electrically locked bins for containing rental articles. Each bin and its article has an identification code strip. A customer terminal having a keyboard and display monitor controlled from a computer permits a customer to review available articles, reserve articles, and select articles for rental. A control module operated by the computer unlocks a selected bin. An article returned to a bin is checked by the control module for its code strip and, if correct, locks the bin. The customer terminal checks customer identification and receives payments. Remote selection terminals may be provided to permit receiving of article information and reservation of articles to be rented.

대표청구항 ▼

An unattended article rental system comprising: (a) a plurality of article storage bins for storing articles to be rented, and for receiving articles being returned; (b) an identification system including a first identification code device disposed in each of said bins and second identification code

An unattended article rental system comprising: (a) a plurality of article storage bins for storing articles to be rented, and for receiving articles being returned; (b) an identification system including a first identification code device disposed in each of said bins and second identification code device associated with each article in a bin wherein the identification of a bin matches the identification of an article assigned to such bin; (c) a plurality of remote controlled locks, one of said locks associated with each of said bins; (d) a control module connected to said identification system and said remote controlled locks; (e) a customer terminal having at least one keyboard and at least one display monitor; and (f) a computer connected to receive inputs from said keyboard and connected to said control module, said computer programmed to direct said control module to unlock a remote controlled bin lock in accordance with a selection entered into said keyboard, and to lock a bin receiving an article having a code device matching said bin code device.