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US 7,072,937 B2Granted
Web-based common use terminal with multiple application servers
AssigneeNorthrop Grumman Corporation
InventorsMark T. Neebe, Bruce G. Chestnutt, Randall K. Neilson, Ann C. Schofield, Cathryne I. Tondreau
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A web-based common use terminal, e.g. a kiosk of an item delivery and retrieval system utilizing a web connection with one or more web servers for respective delivery service providers with any desired number of applications being separately run, depending upon the needs of a user. In a preferred embodiment, four discrete application including package pick-up, package exchange, buying postage, and club type delivery and pick-up of discrete items, are hosted while using the same system hardware.
Claims20
A method of executing one or more independent software application programs from a common use terminal of a hardware platform, comprising the steps of:
- launching an application program by browser software located in the common use access terminal;
- forming a secure web based connection between the browser software and software of a web server;
- providing exclusive control of the hardware platform including one or more peripheral devices associated therewith by said software of the web server for the duration of the application program;
- and
- wherein said one or more application programs include a package pick-up application server program, and further comprising the steps of:
- selecting said package pick-up application server program at the common use terminal;
- requesting tracking information by the package pick-up application server program;
- inputting said tracking information at the common use access terminal;
- validating the tracking information by the package pick-up application server program;
- sending a request to the browser by the package pick-up application server program to open a door of a storage device in the hardware platform for package pick-up;
- opening the door in front of a bin containing the package tracking information by the package pick-up server application program;
- receiving a pick-up confirmation from the common use access terminal by the package pick-up application server program;
- returning a screen at the common use access terminal to a main screen containing a menu of the one or more software application programs;
- and
- clearing a memory containing data entered at the beginning of the package pick-up application server program for a subsequent application.
12 more elements
A method of executing one or more independent software application programs from a common use terminal of a hardware platform, comprising the steps of:
- launching an application program by browser software located in a common use access terminal;
- forming a secure web based connection between the browser software and software of a web server;
- providing exclusive control of the hardware platform including one or more peripheral devices associated therewith by said software of the web server for the duration of the application program;
- and
- wherein said one or more application programs include a package exchange application server program, and further comprising the steps of:
- selecting said package exchange application server program at the common use terminal;
- requesting information by said exchange application server program about a package to be exchanged;
- inputting the requested information at the common use access terminal;
- validating the requested information by the exchange application server program;
- sending a request by the exchange application server program to open a door of a storage device of the hardware platform;
- opening the door for insertion of said package to be exchanged;
- receiving a package exchange confirmation by the exchange application server program from the user access terminal;
- returning a screen located at the common use access terminal to a screen containing a menu of said one or more application programs;
- and
- clearing a memory containing data entered at the beginning of the package exchange application program for a subsequent application.
12 more elements
A method of executing one or more independent software application program from a common use terminal of a hardware platform, comprising the steps of:
- launching an application program by browser software located in a common use access terminal;
- forming a secure web based connection between the browser software and software of a web server;
- providing exclusive control of the hardware platform including one or more peripheral devices associated therewith by said software of the web server for the duration of the application program;
- and
- wherein said one or more application programs include an application server program for a club type application and further comprising the steps of:
- selecting said club type application server program at the common use terminal;
- requesting club member information by the club type application server program;
- entering the requested club member information at the common use access terminal;
- validating the member information by the club type server application program;
- sending a request to the browser to open a door of the hardware platform by the club type server application program;
- opening the door of the hardware platform;
- receiving a confirmation of the door opening by the club type application server program from the common use access terminal;
- returning a screen located at the common use access terminal to a screen display containing a menu of the one or more application programs;
- and clearing a memory containing data entered at the beginning of the club type application program for a subsequent application.
11 more elements
A method of executing one or more independent software application programs from a common use terminal of a hardware platform, comprising the steps of:
- launching an application program by browser software located in a common use access terminal;
- forming a secure web based connection between the browser software and software of a web server;
- providing exclusive control of the hardware platform including one or more peripheral devices associated therewith by said software of the web server for the duration of the application program;
- and
- wherein said one or more application programs comprises a postage buying application server program, and further comprising the steps of:
- selecting said buying postage application server program at the common use terminal;
- requesting certain credit information by said buying postage application server program;
- entering the requested credit information at the common use access terminal;
- validating credit information by said buying postage application server program;
- sending a request to the browser by the postage application server program to print postage;
- printing postage at the common use access terminal;
- receiving a confirmation of printed postage by the postage application server from the common use terminal;
- returning a screen located at the common use access terminal to a menu containing said one or more applications;
- and
- clearing a memory containing data entered at the beginning of the purchase postage application for a subsequent application.
12 more elements
A method of executing one or more independent software application programs from a common use terminal of a hardware platform including a computer sub-system, comprising the steps of:
- launching an application server program by browser software located in a common use access terminal by a user activating application program selection means located thereat;
- forming a secure web based connection between the browser software and software of a web server which thereafter executes said application program;
- said web server software assuming exclusive control of the platform including one or more peripheral devices associated therewith for the duration of the application program;
- and
- wherein said one or more application programs include a package pick-up application server program and including the steps of:
- selecting said package pick-up application program by a user at the common use terminal;
- requesting tracking number information from the user by the package pick-up application server program;
- inputting a tracking PIN number by the user at the common use access terminal via a bar code reader or a touch screen;
- validating the PIN number by the package pick-up web server application program;
- sending a request to the browser by the package pick-up server application program to open a door of a storage device in a storage sub-system of the hardware platform;
- opening the door in front of a bin containing the package tracking number,
- receiving a package pick-up confirmation from the common use access terminal by the package pick-up application server program;
- returning a screen at the common use access terminal to a main screen containing a menu of the one or more software application programs;
- and
- clearing a memory of the data relating to the package pick-up application program inputted by the user for a subsequent application.
12 more elements
A method of executing one or more independent software application programs from a common use terminal of a hardware platform including a computer sub-system, comprising the steps of:
- launching an application server program by browser software located in a common use access terminal by a user activating application program selection means located thereat;
- forming a secure web based connection between the browser software and software of a web server which thereafter executes said application program;
- said web server software assuming exclusive control of the platform including one or more peripheral devices associated therewith for the duration of the application program;
- and
- wherein said one or more application programs include a package exchange application server program and including the steps of:
- selecting said package exchange application server program by a user at the common use terminal;
- requesting a PIN ID number from the user by said exchange application server program;
- inputting the PIN ID number by the user at the common use access terminal via a PIN pad or touch screen;
- validating PIN ID information by the exchange application server program;
- the exchange application server program sending a request to the browser to open a door of a storage device of the storage sub-system for a package exchange by the user;
- opening the door containing the PIN ID member using controls of the browser;
- receiving a package exchange confirmation by the exchange application server program from the user access terminal;
- returning a screen located at the common use access terminal to a screen containing a menu of said one or more application programs;
- and
- clearing a memory containing data relating to information for the package exchange application program for a subsequent application.
12 more elements
A method of executing one or more independent software application programs from a common use terminal of a hardware platform, comprising the steps of:
- launching an application server program by browser software located in a common use access terminal by a user activating application program selection means located thereat;
- forming a secure web based connection between the browser software and software of a web server which thereafter executes said application program;
- said web server software assuming exclusive control of the platform including one or more peripheral devices associated therewith for the duration of the application program;
- and
- wherein said one or more application programs include an application server program for a club type application and including the steps of:
- selecting the club type application server program by the user at the common use terminal;
- requesting club member information from a magnetic card of a user by the club type application at the common use access terminal;
- swiping the card in a card reader by the user at the common use access terminal;
- validating the member information by the club type server application program;
- sending a request to the browser by the club type server application program to open a door of a storage device of the storage sub-system;
- opening the door containing a package requested by the member;
- receiving a package retrieval confirmation by the club type application server program from the common use access terminal;
- returning a screen located at the common use access terminal to a screen display containing a menu of the one or more application programs;
- and
- clearing a memory containing data related to the information inputted by the user at the beginning of the club type application program for a subsequent application.
12 more elements
A method of executing one or more independent software application programs from a common use terminal of a hardware platform, comprising the steps of:
- launching an application server program by browser software located in a common use access terminal by a user activating application program selection means located thereat;
- forming a secure web based connection between the browser software and software of a web server which thereafter executes said application program;
- said web server software assuming exclusive control of the platform including one or more peripheral devices associated therewith for the duration of the application program;
- and
- wherein said one or more application programs comprises a postage buying application server program and including the steps of:
- selecting the buying postage application server program by the user at the common use terminal;
- requesting credit information from the user by said buying postage application server program using the browser in the common use access terminal;
- swiping a magnetic card including credit information by the user at a card reader located at the common use access terminal;
- validating credit information by said buying postage application server program;
- sending a request to the browser by the postage application server program to print postage;
- printing postage at the common use access terminal;
- receiving a confirmation of printed postage by the postage application server from the common use terminal;
- returning a screen located at the common use access terminal to a menu containing said one or more applications;
- and
- clearing a memory of the data entered by the user at the beginning of the purchase postage application for a subsequent application.
12 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.