A vending machine for purchasing selected items by a customer. The vending machine includes a dispensing assembly for dispensing an item and a selector assembly connected to the dispensing assembly. A computer assembly having a central computer, video display screen and a modem is connected to and a
A vending machine for purchasing selected items by a customer. The vending machine includes a dispensing assembly for dispensing an item and a selector assembly connected to the dispensing assembly. A computer assembly having a central computer, video display screen and a modem is connected to and actuated by the selector for connecting the computer to an Internet site and displaying a received transmission on the video screen in response to a purchased item.
대표청구항▼
1. A vending machine for sale of items selected by a customer, said vending machine including a door for retrofitting an existing vending machine, said door comprising: a storage unit for storing a plurality of items for sale and a dispensing mechanism for dispensing the items from said storage unit
1. A vending machine for sale of items selected by a customer, said vending machine including a door for retrofitting an existing vending machine, said door comprising: a storage unit for storing a plurality of items for sale and a dispensing mechanism for dispensing the items from said storage unit;a selector device for selecting one or more of said items for sale by a customer;a payment-control device for receiving and detecting an amount of payment required for sale of an item and for actuating said dispensing mechanism when a payment is received to dispense a selected item; anda computer assembly connected to said storage and dispensing unit, selector device and payment control device and having a computer, video display screen and a communication network, whereby said computer is connected to and actuated by said selector device for automatically connecting said computer to a preselected internet site and automatically displaying information obtained from said internet site on said video screen for viewing by the customer, said computer assembly further including customer actuating means for enabling a customer to interface with said computer. 2. The vending machine of claim 1, wherein said communication network comprises a modem and said computer assembly further includes a telephone line connection for connecting said computer to said internet site. 3. The vending machine of claim 1, wherein said computer comprises software for selectively connecting said computer to a plurality of different internet site, and being connected to said selector means for automatically connecting said computer to a specific internet site in response to a selected item. 4. The vending machine of claim 1, said computer assembly further comprising data storage means connected to said selector device for displaying selected stored information in response to a selection of items by a customer. 5. The vending machine of claim 4, wherein said computer displays information from said data storage means at idle times of said vending machine. 6. The vending machine of claim 5, further comprising a speaker for broadcasting audio signals, where said data storage means transmits signals to said video screen and speaker to display advertising information from said data storage means. 7. The vending machine of claim 1, said computer further comprising user operated keypad and trackball for operating said computer to connect said computer to an internet site selected by said customer. 8. The vending machine of claim 1, said computer further including speakers for receiving audio transmissions from said internet site. 9. The vending machine of claim 1, said computer further comprising an audio display device, a microphone and audio recording device for recording audio by said customer. 10. The vending machine of claim 9, wherein said computer further comprises a camera and video recording device for recording an image of said customer. 11. The vending machine of claim 1, wherein said computer further comprises a central control unit for an audio-visual connection to an interact site;a transmission unit for transmitting an audio-visual signal from said computer to said internet site;a receiving unit for receiving audio-visual signals from said internet site; anda recording unit for recording and storing said audio-visual signals. 12. A door for retrofitting an existing vending machine for sale of items selected by a customer, said door comprising: a storage unit for storing a plurality of different items for sale and a dispensing mechanism for dispensing the items from storage unit;a selector device for selecting one or more of said items for sale by the customer;a payment-control device for receiving and detecting an amount of payment required for sale of an item and for actuating said dispensing mechanism when a payment is received to dispense a selected item; anda computer assembly connected to said storage and dispensing unit, selector device and payment control device, and having a computer, video display screen and a modem, whereby said computer is connected to and actuated by said selector device for automatically connecting said computer to a pre-selected internet site and automatically displaying information obtained from said internet address on said video screen for viewing by the customer. 13. A door assembly for use with a dispensing machine for dispensing of at least one physical item selected by a customer, said door assembly comprising: a door having a connection to a computer, a video screen and a connection to a communication network operatively connectable to at least one of an internet site, a website and a home page whereby a customer may view information on said video screen;a delivery port for dispensing said at least one physical item selected by the customer to the customer; and,an access portal on said door to the communication network for interaction of the customer with the communication network, said access portal connecting the customer to at least one of an internet site, a website, and a home page to view on the video screen in response to actuation of a money acceptor or credit card reader in an amount required to dispense said at least one physical item; said computer being connected to and actuated by a customer input device for connecting said computer to at least one of an internet site, a website and a home page in response to the customer's input upon dispensing of said at least one physical item to the customer, and displaying information obtained from said internet site, said website or said home page on said video screen for viewing by the customer. 14. A dispensing machine comprising the door assembly of claim 13, said machine further including a storage unit for storing said at least one physical item for dispensing to the customer. 15. The machine of claim 14, wherein said door further comprises a dispensing mechanism for dispensing said at least one physical item. 16. The machine of claim 14, wherein said dispensed physical item is at least one drink selected from the group consisting of drinks in cans, cups and bottles. 17. The machine of claim 14, wherein said machine is connected to an Internet service provider by a communication network system which enables two-way multimedia interactive communication with a customer. 18. The machine of claim 14, further comprising transmitting and receiving network communication means and a content uploading and downloading means to and from at least one selected from the group consisting of internet sites, websites, home pages and computer databases so as to enable communication between the customer and at least one of an owner of the machine, an operator of the machine, or a manufacturer of the selected physical item in the machine. 19. The machine of claim 14, wherein the actuation is of a credit card reader. 20. The machine of claim 14, further comprising means for accepting payment. 21. The machine of claim 20, wherein the payment comprises at least one of coins, bills and credit cards. 22. The machine of claim 14, further comprising an amount deposit acceptor. 23. The machine of claim 14, further comprising a payment control device. 24. The machine of claim 14, further comprising software for browsing the Internet. 25. The machine of claim 14, further comprising means to display advertising when the machine is idle. 26. The machine according to claim 14, wherein said at least one physical item selected is a drink. 27. The machine according to claim 26, wherein the drink is a cold drink. 28. The machine according to claim 26, wherein the drink is a hot drink. 29. The machine of claim 14, further comprising a speaker for playing audio signals. 30. The door assembly of claim 13, further comprising an interface to a communication network to access an on-line computer service, wherein said service is capable of transmitting and receiving, via a communication network, a request for service by a customer and a response to said request. 31. The door assembly of claim 13, further comprising a speaker for playing audio signals. 32. The door assembly of claim 13, further comprising at least one of a microphone or a camera. 33. A method of attracting greater patronage to a vending machine for vending physical items, said method comprising: providing a vending machine with a door assembly for vending at least one physical item to a customer, the door assembly comprising a door with a video screen, at least one of a credit card reader or a money acceptor; and at least one customer input device;connecting a customer to at least one predetermined website and displaying information from the at least one predetermined website on the video screen in response to actuation of the money acceptor or credit card reader in an amount required to vend said at least one physical item;upon vending of the at least one physical item to the customer, permitting the customer to send and/or retrieve information to/from at least one website of the customer's choice on the Internet/world wide web through interaction of the customer with said at least one customer input device of said vending machine, with the customer's choice of website being displayed on the screen. 34. The method of claim 33, wherein at least one predetermined website displays at least one of informational, entertainment or advertising content. 35. The method of claim 33, further comprising the step of incorporating a timing device into the machine to limit the time the customer is operatively connectable, via the Internet, to the at least one predetermined website. 36. The method of claim 33, wherein the customer input device is at least one selected from the group consisting of a keypad, trackball and mouse. 37. The method of claim 33, wherein the vending is in response to actuation of a credit card reader and a check of a personal identification number. 38. A method of providing a customer with access to at least one of a website, a home page and a computer database via a dispensing machine connectable to a communication network, said method comprising: 1.) providing a dispensing machine with a connection to a communication network; and at least one of a video screen or an audio communication capability;2.) providing the dispensing machine with a storage element for storing a plurality of physical items;3.) actuating a money acceptor or credit card reader of the dispensing machine;4.) selecting a physical item to be dispensed from the dispensing machine from among the plurality of physical items contained in the storage element;5.) dispensing the selected physical item to the customer;6.) informing the customer through at least one of the video screen and the audio communication capability that the customer may access the communication network by activating a customer input device; and,7.) upon the customer's actuation of the customer input device, permitting the customer to access the Internet/world wide web via the communication network in order to retrieve and/or send information to said website, said home page or said database. 39. The method of claim 38, wherein the communication network is the Internet. 40. The method of claim 39, wherein the customer is provided with access to a website. 41. The method of claim 39, further comprising the step of requesting the customer to deposit money or credit card information in order to visit other websites or homepages. 42. The method of claim 38, further comprising the step of recording a video of the customer. 43. The method of claim 38, further comprising the step of recording audio of the customer. 44. The method according to claim 38, further comprising the step of periodically displaying advertising on the video screen. 45. A method of attracting greater patronage to a dispensing machine for dispensing physical items, said method comprising: providing a dispensing machine with a connection to a communication network;providing the dispensing machine with a door assembly for dispensing at least one physical item to a customer, the door assembly comprising a door with at least one of a credit card reader or a money acceptor; and at least one customer input device;actuating the credit card reader or the money acceptor in an amount sufficient to pay for said physical item to be dispensed;dispensing of the at least one physical item to the customer; and, in response to user actuation of a customer input device, permitting the customer to send and/or retrieve information over the Internet/world wide web via the communication network through interaction of the customer with said at least one customer input device of said dispensing machine and by the payment of an additional amount in excess of the amount required to dispense the at least one physical item. 46. The method of claim 45, further comprising the step of permitting the customer to connect to at least one predetermined website selected by at least one of an owner or operator of the machine or the manufacturer of the physical item and displaying information from the at least one predetermined website on the video screen based upon a customer input to the customer input device. 47. A door assembly for use with a dispensing machine for dispensing of at least one physical item selected by a customer, said door assembly comprising: a door having a connection to a computer, a video screen and a connection to a communication network operatively connectable to a computer database whereby a customer may view information from the computer database on said video screen;a delivery port for dispensing said at least one physical item selected by the customer to the customer; and,an access portal on said door to the Internet/world wide web via the communication network for interaction of the customer with the Internet/world wide web via the communication network, said access portal connecting the customer to a computer database over the Internet/world wide web via the communication network in response to actuation of a money acceptor or credit card reader in an amount required to dispense said at least one physical item; said computer being connected to and actuated by a customer input device for connecting said computer to said computer database in response to the customer's input upon dispensing of said at least one physical item to the customer, and displaying information obtained from said computer database on said video screen for viewing by the customer. 48. The door assembly according to claim 47, further comprising a data storage unit configured to display advertising on the video screen when the machine is idle.
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