System and method for remotely dispensing media discs

摘要

A system for dispensing media discs includes a storage system comprising a plurality of shelves for storing the media discs, a dispense system for dispensing the media discs to consumers, a disc transfer system for moving the media discs from the disc storage system to the dispense system, a control system operably connected to the disc transfer system to selectively activate the disc transfer system to move the media discs from the disc storage system to the dispense system, and a user interface system operably connected to the control system. The shelves are configured to store uncovered media discs.

主权项

1. A dispensing system for dispensing media discs to users comprising, in combination:
a control system having a processor directing identification of a series of uncovered prerecorded media discs using an optical disc identification system to read identifying data from the series of uncovered prerecorded media discs and directing a disc transfer system to store the identified uncovered prerecorded media discs in desired assigned locations in a disc storage system with each said assigned location and identity of the content of the media disc stored in memory in the control system, a user interface system operably connected to the control system and including at least one browsing and selection station operable by a user, each said station having a listing of said media discs of different content stored in memory of the control system and prompting the control system to direct initiation of selection and dispensing of selected uncovered prerecorded media discs from a dispensing system in response to a user selection at a station, the control system also programmed to initiate the disc transfer system to move media discs selected by the user at a station of the user interface between the disc storage system and the dispensing system, and the disc transfer system comprising a first disc transfer device configured to transfer an uncovered prerecorded media disc from the optical disc identification system to a transfer location and a second disc transfer device configured to transfer the uncovered prerecorded media disc between the transfer location and the disc storage system, and wherein the first disc transfer device is further configured to transfer the uncovered prerecorded media disc from a stack in one of four holding locations to the optical disc identification system, wherein each holding location adapted to hold a different stack of the uncovered prerecorded media disks.