Vending machine and computer assembly

Abstract

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.

What is claimed is: 
     
       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; and   a 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 pre-selected 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 internet 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; and   a 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; and   a 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 method of increasing patronage to a dispensing machine comprising:
 providing a dispensing machine capable of dispensing a selected physical item from among a plurality of physical items stored in the dispensing machine; the machine permitting a patron to select at least one physical item to be dispensed to the patron;   providing the dispensing machine with a connection to a communication network, a video screen, at least one of a camera and a microphone; at least one of a credit information acceptor, a bill acceptor and a coin acceptor; a computer, and a patron input device to input data to the computer;   capturing at least one of video and audio of the patron with at least one of the camera and microphone;   sensing the insertion at least one of a coin, a bill, or credit information to the dispensing machine in an amount in addition to any amount necessary to dispense the selected item in order to transmit the captured at least one of video and audio of the patron to a site remote from the dispensing machine,   transmitting, in accordance with a customer input to the computer, at least one of the captured video and audio of the patron via the communication network to the site remote from the dispensing machine.    
     
     
       14. The method of claim 13, where the transmitting occurs over the internet.  
     
     
       15. The method of claim 13, wherein both video and audio of the patron are captured and both the captured video and audio are transmitted.  
     
     
       16. The method of claim 13, further comprising displaying lyrics on the video screen.  
     
     
       17. The method of claim 13, wherein the capturing comprises a live performance of the patron.  
     
     
       18. The method of claim 13, wherein the capturing simultaneously comprises recording the at least one of video and audio of the patron on a memory device.  
     
     
       19. The method of claim 18, wherein the patron can obtain the memory device from the dispensing machine.  
     
     
       20. The method of claim 13, further comprising permitting the patron to select websites that participate in accepting on-line performance.  
     
     
       21. A method of providing a customer with access to at least one of a website, a home page and a computer database via dispensing machine connectable to a communication network, said method comprising:
 providing a dispensing machine with a connection to a communication network, and at least one of a video screen or an audio communication capability;   providing the dispensing machine with a storage element for storing a plurality of physical items;   dispensing a selected physical item in response to a customer's selection of said physical item from among said plurality of physical items;   informing the customer through at least one of said video screen and said audio communication capability that the customer may access the communication network by activating a customer input device; and   allowing the customer to access said communication network in order to retrieve and/or send information, via the Internet/word wide web, to said website, said home page or said database.    
     
     
       22. The method of claim 21, wherein said communication network is the Internet.  
     
     
       23. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of periodically displaying advertising on the video screen.  
     
     
       24. The method of claim 21, wherein said audio communication capability comprises a speaker.  
     
     
       25. The method of claim 21, wherein said audio communication capability comprises a headphone.  
     
     
       26. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of accepting money in order to dispense said selected physical item.  
     
     
       27. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of accepting credit card information in order to dispense said selected physical item.  
     
     
       28. The method of claim 27, wherein the step of accepting said credit card information further comprises the step of requesting a personal identification number.  
     
     
       29. The method of claim 21, wherein the customer is provided with access to a website.  
     
     
       30. The method of claim 21, wherein the customer is provided with access to a home page.  
     
     
       31. The method of claim 21, wherein the customer is provided with access to a database.  
     
     
       32. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of generating video signals of the customer.  
     
     
       33. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of generating audio signals of the customer.  
     
     
       34. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of requesting the customer to deposit money or credit card information in order to access said website, said home page or said database.