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US 12,277,538 B2Granted
Self-service print kiosk
OwnerKevin M Dyerinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A self-service point-of-sale kiosk is provided with a printer and access to a database (on-site or remote) with images that can be selected and printed on-demand. The consumer can search the database at the kiosk via an interactive display (user interface “UI”) disposed on the enclosure of the kiosk or via a mobile app or website. One or more images from the database can be selected at the UI and printed, rolled, and packaged within the enclosure of the kiosk. Alternately, the user can upload an image to the memory of the kiosk via a port on the enclosure or via Internet connection. The packaged image is dispensed out of the kiosk to the user within minutes. Payment for the printed image can be processed at the kiosk as well, or via an Internet connection to the kiosk service system.
Claims20
A self-service point-of-sale kiosk, comprising:
- an enclosure;
- a printer disposed within the enclosure;
- at least one roll of paper disposed within the enclosure and configured to be fed into the printer for printing;
- a paper cutter disposed within the enclosure and configured to cut the at least one roll of paper before, during, or after printing by the printer to a predetermined size;
- a print cooling system including a perforated plenum disposed within the enclosure and configured to dry a printed image output from the printer, the print cooling system configured to be activated by the printed image passing a sensor;
- a packaging system disposed within the enclosure, configured to roll the printed image output from the printer onto a roller shaft and to wrap the rolled printed image in a wrapper for delivery, the packaging system configured to be activated by the printed image passing the sensor, and wherein the packaging system uses positive forced air pressure through a perforated tube to move the printed image off of the roller shaft;
- a processor disposed within the enclosure and communicatively coupled to the printer, the processor configured to send a user-selected image to the printer for printing;
- a network adapter communicatively coupled to the processor and configured to wirelessly communicate via the Internet to download the user-selected image for printing;
- a memory disposed within the enclosure and communicatively coupled to the processor, the memory configured to temporarily store the user-selected image for printing;
- a remote database of images communicatively coupled to the processor via the network adapter;
- and
- an interactive display disposed on the enclosure and communicatively coupled to the processor, the interactive display configured to receive user input and to display text and images from the processor and to relay a user request to the processor for a download from the remote database.
9 more elements
A self-service point-of-sale kiosk, comprising:
- an enclosure;
- a printer disposed within the enclosure;
- paper stock disposed within the enclosure and configured to be fed into the printer for printing;
- a paper cutter disposed within the enclosure and configured to cut the paper stock before, during, or after printing by the printer to a predetermined size;
- a print cooling system including a perforated plenum disposed within the enclosure and configured to dry a printed image output from the printer, the print cooling system configured to be activated by the printed image passing a sensor;
- a packaging system disposed within the enclosure, configured to roll the printed image output from the printer onto a roller shaft and to wrap the rolled printed image in a wrapper for delivery, the packaging system configured to be activated by the printed image passing the sensor, and wherein the packaging system further comprises a vacuum to hold the printed image to the roller shaft;
- a processor disposed within the enclosure and communicatively coupled to the printer, the processor configured to send a user-selected image to the printer for printing;
- a network adapter communicatively coupled to the processor and configured to wirelessly communicate via the Internet to download the user-selected image for printing;
- a memory disposed within the enclosure and communicatively coupled to the processor, the memory configured to temporarily store the user-selected image for printing;
- a remote database of images communicatively coupled to the processor via the network adapter;
- and
- an interactive display disposed on the enclosure and communicatively coupled to the processor, the interactive display configured to receive user input and to display text and images from the processor and to relay a user request to the processor for a download from the remote database.
9 more elements
A self-service point-of-sale kiosk, comprising:
- an enclosure;
- a printer disposed within the enclosure;
- at least one roll of paper disposed within the enclosure and configured to be fed into the printer for printing;
- a paper cutter disposed within the enclosure and configured to cut the at least one roll of paper before, during, or after printing by the printer to a predetermined size;
- a print cooling system including a perforated plenum disposed within the enclosure and configured to dry a printed image output from the printer, the print cooling system configured to be activated by the printed image passing a sensor;
- a packaging system disposed within the enclosure, configured to roll the printed image output from the printer onto a roller shaft, and to wrap the rolled printed image in a wrapper for delivery, the packaging system configured to be activated by the printed image passing the sensor, and wherein the packaging system further comprises a vacuum to hold the printed image to the roller shaft;
- a processor disposed within the enclosure and communicatively coupled to the printer, the processor configured to send a user-selected image to the printer for printing;
- a network adapter communicatively coupled to the processor and configured to wirelessly communicate via the Internet to download the user-selected image for printing;
- a memory disposed within the enclosure and communicatively coupled to the processor, the memory including a local database of user-selectable images, the memory further configured to temporarily store the user-selected image for printing;
- a remote database of images communicatively coupled to the processor via the network adapter;
- and
- an interactive display disposed on the enclosure and communicatively coupled to the processor, the interactive display configured to receive user input and to display text and images from the processor and to relay a user request to the processor for a download from the remote database.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.