Patents by Inventor Philip J. Tomasi

Philip J. Tomasi has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10127518
    Abstract: A kiosk (200) dispenses and receives recorded optical disk media (214) using an interconnected (107) system central server computer (300) through an Internet Service Provider (401). The system central server (300) contains databases and processing, and is connected to a credit verification system (410). The central databases collect inventory administration information and customer data from the kiosks (200) including credit card and email addresses (105). The central server (300) initiates credit verification and sends receipts to customers via email (105). The central server (300) maintains databases that are used for remote inventory control and administration of the kiosk network. A kiosk (200) has the capability to identify a recorded disk (214) for automated restocking and may also perform quality assessment (800) of a recorded disk (214). A kiosk (200) may also provide publishing-on-demand or act as a portal for remotely served advertisement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: Redbox Automated Retail, LLC
    Inventors: William H. Barber, Philip J. Tomasi
  • Patent number: 9542674
    Abstract: A system for an automated dispensing and retrieval kiosk for recorded media includes a kiosk having a plurality of vertical racks arranged in a circular formation, each vertical rack configured for storing a plurality of recorded media. A customer interface allows a customer to select or return a recorded media. A robotic element delivers the selected recorded media from the vertical racks to a media output, at the customer interface. The element also delivers a returned recorded media from a media input at the customer interface to the vertical racks. A computer controls operation of the kiosk, and an internet interface connects the kiosk to the Internet. The kiosk may communicate with a central server and/or other kiosks of a group, to locate a requested recorded media within a kiosk of the group. Once located within the group, the requested media may be reserved for customer pick-up.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: Redbox Automated Retail, LLC
    Inventors: Philip J. Tomasi, Alva D. Cravens, Jens Horstmann, William H. Barber, John Chen
  • Publication number: 20160104141
    Abstract: A system for an automated dispensing and retrieval kiosk for recorded media includes a kiosk having a plurality of vertical racks arranged in a circular formation, each vertical rack configured for storing a plurality of recorded media. A customer interface allows a customer to select or return a recorded media. A robotic element delivers the selected recorded media from the vertical racks to a media output, at the customer interface. The element also delivers a returned recorded media from a media input at the customer interface to the vertical racks. A computer controls operation of the kiosk, and an internet interface connects the kiosk to the Internet. The kiosk may communicate with a central server and/or other kiosks of a group, to locate a requested recorded media within a kiosk of the group. Once located within the group, the requested media may be reserved for customer pick-up.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2015
    Publication date: April 14, 2016
    Inventors: Philip J. Tomasi, Alva D. Cravens, Jens Horstman, William H. Barber, John Chen
  • Patent number: 8930240
    Abstract: A kiosk dispenses and receives recorded optical media using an interconnected central server, through an Internet Service Provider. The central server has databases and processing capabilities and is connected to a credit verification system. The databases collect inventory administration information and customer data (e.g., credit card information and email addresses) from the kiosks. The central server initiates credit verification, sends receipts to customers via email and maintains databases for remote inventory-control and administration of the kiosk network. A kiosk may identify a recorded disk for automated restocking and perform quality assessment of a recorded disk. The kiosk may provide publishing-on-demand or act as a portal for remotely served advertisements. The kiosk preferably includes a rotatable carousel with a selection of DVDs. A digital camera captures a digital image of a disk barcode and internal software rotates the image to “read” the barcode, to control inventory and access issues.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Redbox Automated Retail, LLC
    Inventors: William H. Barber, Philip J. Tomasi
  • Publication number: 20140089065
    Abstract: A kiosk dispenses and receives recorded optical disk media using an interconnected system central server computer through an Internet Service Provider. The system central server contains databases and processing, and is connected to a credit verification system. The central databases collect inventory administration information and customer data from the kiosks including credit card and email addresses. The central server initiates credit verification and sends receipts to customers via email. The central server maintains databases that are used for remote inventory control and administration of the kiosk network. A kiosk has the capability to identify a recorded disk for automated restocking and may also perform quality assessment of a recorded disk. A kiosk may also provide publishing-on-demand or-act as a portal for remotely served advertisement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2013
    Publication date: March 27, 2014
    Applicant: REDBOX AUTOMATED RETAIL, LLC
    Inventors: William H. Barber, Philip J. Tomasi
  • Patent number: 8639578
    Abstract: A kiosk dispenses and receives recorded optical disk media using an interconnected system central server computer through an Internet Service Provider. The system central server contains databases and processing, and is connected to a credit verification system. The central databases collect inventory administration information and customer data from the kiosks including credit card and email addresses. The central server initiates credit verification and sends receipts to customers via email. The central server maintains databases that are used for remote inventory control and administration of the kiosk network. A kiosk has the capability to identify a recorded disk for automated restocking and may also perform quality assessment of a recorded disk. A kiosk may also provide publishing-on-demand or-act as a portal for remotely served advertisement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Redbox Automated Retail, LLC
    Inventors: William H. Barber, Philip J. Tomasi
  • Patent number: 8626614
    Abstract: A kiosk dispenses and receives recorded optical media using an interconnected central server, through an Internet Service Provider. The central server has databases and processing capabilities and is connected to a credit verification system. The databases collect inventory administration information and customer data (e.g., credit card information and email addresses) from the kiosks. The central server initiates credit verification, sends receipts to customers via email and maintains databases for remote inventory control and administration of the kiosk network. A kiosk may identify a recorded disk for automated restocking and perform quality assessment of a recorded disk. The kiosk may provide publishing-on-demand or act as a portal for remotely served advertisements. The kiosk preferably includes a rotatable carousel with a selection of DVDs. A digital camera captures a digital image of a disk barcode and internal software rotates the image to “read” the barcode, to control inventory and access issues.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: Redbox Automated Retail, LLC
    Inventors: William H. Barber, Philip J. Tomasi
  • Publication number: 20100325001
    Abstract: A kiosk dispenses and receives recorded optical media using an interconnected central server, through an Internet Service Provider. The central server has databases and processing capabilities and is connected to a credit verification system. The databases collect inventory administration information and customer data (e.g., credit card information and email addresses) from the kiosks. The central server initiates credit verification, sends receipts to customers via email and maintains databases for remote inventory-control and administration of the kiosk network. A kiosk may identify a recorded disk for automated restocking and perform quality assessment of a recorded disk. The kiosk may provide publishing-on-demand or act as a portal for remotely served advertisements. The kiosk preferably includes a rotatable carousel with a selection of DVDs. A digital camera captures a digital image of a disk barcode and internal software rotates the image to “read” the barcode, to control inventory and access issues.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2010
    Publication date: December 23, 2010
    Applicant: NCR CORPORATION
    Inventors: William H. Barber, Philip J. Tomasi
  • Patent number: 7774233
    Abstract: A kiosk dispenses and receives recorded optical media using an interconnected central server, through an Internet Service Provider. The central server has databases and processing capabilities and is connected to a credit verification system. The databases collect inventory administration information and customer data (e.g., credit card information and email addresses) from the kiosks. The central server initiates credit verification, sends receipts to customers via email and maintains databases for remote inventory-control and administration of the kiosk network. A kiosk may identify a recorded disk for automated restocking and perform quality assessment of a recorded disk. The kiosk may provide publishing-on-demand or act as a portal for remotely served advertisements. The kiosk preferably includes a rotatable carousel with a selection of DVDs. A digital camera captures a digital image of a disk barcode and internal software rotates the image to “read” the barcode, to control inventory and access issues.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: NCR Corporation
    Inventors: William H. Barber, Philip J. Tomasi
  • Patent number: 7444296
    Abstract: A kiosk dispenses and receives recorded optical disk media using an interconnected system central server computer through an Internet Service Provider. The system central server contains databases and processing, and is connected to a credit verification system. The central databases collect inventory administration information and customer data from the kiosks including creditcard and email addresses. The central server initiates credit verification and sends receipts to customers via email. The central server maintains databases that are used for remote inventory control and administration of the kiosk network. A kiosk has the capability to identify a recorded disk for automated restocking and may also perform quality assessment of a recorded disk. A kiosk may also provide publishing-on-demand or act as a portal for remotely served advertisement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2008
    Assignee: DVDPlay, Inc.
    Inventors: William H. Barber, Philip J. Tomasi
  • Publication number: 20020046122
    Abstract: A kiosk (200) dispenses and receives recorded optical disk media (214) using an interconnected (107) system central server computer (300) through an Internet Service Provider (401). The system central server (300) contains databases and processing, and is connected to a credit verification system (410). The central databases collect inventory administration information and customer data from the kiosks (200) including credit card and email addresses (105). The central server (300) initiates credit verification and sends receipts to customers via email (105). The central server (300) maintains databases that are used for remote inventory control and administration of the kiosk network. A kiosk (200) has the capability to identify a recorded disk (214) for automated restocking and may also perform quality assessment (800) of a recorded disk (214). A kiosk (200) may also provide publishing-on-demand or act as a portal for remotely served advertisement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2001
    Publication date: April 18, 2002
    Inventors: William H. Barber, Philip J. Tomasi
  • Patent number: 4941841
    Abstract: An adapter is provided for a removable information storage device in an information storage and retrieval system or control system. There is a mounting bracket permanently installed in a half-height space and hooked up to the wires already provided for in the system. A separate box-like cartridge component permanently houses the information storage device. The cartridge has electrical connections for connecting the information storage device to a mateable connector mounted on the back face of the cartridge. The mounting bracket likewise has a complementary mateable connector mounted on it so that both connectors will plug together whenever the cartridge is fully inserted into the bracket. This completes the electrical connections and power supply between the information storage device and the system allowing the information storage device to be used as if it were permanently installed in the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 17, 1990
    Inventors: Julius C. Darden, Miguel M. Praca, Philip J. Tomasi
  • Patent number: D308052
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 1987
    Date of Patent: May 22, 1990
    Inventors: Julius C. Darden, Miguel M. L. Praca, Philip J. Tomasi
  • Patent number: RE34369
    Abstract: An adapter is provided for a removable information storage device in an information storage and retrieval system or control system. There is a mounting bracket permanently installed in a half-height space and hooked up to the wires already provided for in the system. A separate box-like cartridge component permanently houses the information storage device. The cartridge has electrical connections for connecting the information storage device to a mateable connector mounted on the back face of the cartridge. The mounting bracket likewise has a complementary mateable connector mounted on it so that both connectors will plug together whenever the cartridge is fully inserted into the bracket. This completes the electrical connections and power supply between the information storage device and the system allowing the information storage device to be used as if it were permanently installed in the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 1992
    Date of Patent: September 7, 1993
    Inventors: Julius C. Darden, Miguel M. Praca, Philip J. Tomasi