IP Library Granted Patent US 9,373,117
Granted Patent B2
US 9,373,117 · App. 14/695,363 · Granted Jun 21, 2016

Contextual user interface elements from external triggers

Inventors: Gavin R. Smith (Crawley, GB); Steffen Reymann (Reigate, DE); Jason Kenward (Guildford, GB)
Assignee: Cubic Corporation
G06Q30/016G06F3/0416G06K9/00771G06Q10/02G06Q20/18G06Q30/0641G06Q30/0643G06T11/60G07F9/006G07F9/023G07F11/002G07F17/0014G07F19/201G07F19/211G09G5/003H04N7/141H04N7/142H04N7/18H04N7/183
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,373,117
App. No.
14/695,363
Granted
Jun 21, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method for retrofitting a vending machine with a video communications device includes securing a video communications device with a mounting feature of the video communications device removably coupled with a mounting location on a vending machine. The video communications device includes a video communications module for real-time interactions with a ticket office. The video communications module includes a display, a camera, a speaker, and a microphone. The video communications device includes a video communication device communications interface. The method includes electronically coupling the video communications device with a power supply of the vending machine and communicatively coupling the video communications device with the vending machine such that functions of the vending machine are controllable using the video communications device. The method includes communicatively coupling the video communications device with the ticket office for real-time video communications with the ticket office.

Claims (64)

1. A method for providing contextual interface elements from external triggers of a transit fare vending machine, the method comprising:

receiving, at a transit fare vending machine, an input to begin a transaction associated with a transit fare media, wherein the vending machine comprises:

a plurality of hardware peripherals configured to interact with one or both of a form of payment or a transit fare; and

a plurality of speakers, wherein each speaker of the plurality of speakers is disposed proximate to a corresponding one of the plurality of hardware peripherals, and wherein the operation of each speaker is tied to the operation of the corresponding one of the hardware peripherals;

detecting a function of the transit fare vending machine, the function utilizing one of the plurality of hardware peripherals of the transit fare vending machine;

determining the one of the plurality of hardware peripherals utilized by the function;

retrieving one or more rules associated with the function and the one of the plurality of hardware peripherals;

overlaying an indication on at least a portion of a display of the transit fare vending machine in accordance with the one or more rules, the indication comprising one or both of a video or animation depicting a use of the one of the plurality of hardware peripherals in association with a completion of the function;

illuminating one or more light elements proximate to the one of the plurality of hardware peripherals to indicate the location or operation of the one of the plurality of hardware peripherals in association with the completion of the function in accordance with the one or more rules; and

emitting sound from one of the plurality of speakers positioned proximate to the one of the plurality of hardware peripherals such that a source of the sound is traceable to indicate the location or operation of the at least one of the plurality of hardware peripherals in association with the completion of the function in accordance with the one or more rules, wherein the one of the plurality of hardware peripherals comprises the corresponding one of the hardware peripherals of the one of the plurality of speakers.

2. The method for providing contextual interface elements from external triggers of a transit fare vending machine of claim 1 , wherein:

detecting the function of the transit fare vending machine comprises receiving a request from a remote device of a ticket office of a transit system to perform the function.

3. The method for providing contextual interface elements from external triggers of a transit fare vending machine of claim 1 , wherein:

the one or more light elements comprise a plurality of light elements; and

illuminating one or more light elements comprises flashing the plurality of lights in a linear pattern corresponding to a direction of insertion or removal of a material from the one of the plurality of hardware peripherals.

4. The method for providing contextual interface elements from external triggers of a transit fare vending machine of claim 1 , wherein:

the indication comprises one or more of highlighting, an image, text, flashing a section of the display, an animation, or a video.

5. The method for providing contextual interface elements from external triggers of a transit fare vending machine of claim 1 , wherein:

detecting the function of the transit fare vending machine comprises receiving an input from an input device of the transit fare vending machine, the input comprising instructions for the transit fare vending machine to perform the function.

6. The method for providing contextual interface elements from external triggers of a transit fare vending machine of claim 1 , wherein:

the one of the plurality of hardware peripherals comprises one or more of a printer, a payment reader, a fare media reader, a fare media writer, or a scanner.

7. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions embedded thereon for sharing a screen from a remote device to a transit fare vending machine, the instructions comprising computer code for causing a computing device to:

receive, at a transit fare vending machine, an input to begin a transaction associated with a transit fare media, wherein the vending machine comprises:

a plurality of hardware peripherals configured to interact with one or both of a form of payment or a transit fare; and

a plurality of speakers, wherein each speaker of the plurality of speakers is disposed proximate to a corresponding one of the plurality of hardware peripherals, and wherein the operation of each speaker is tied to the operation of the corresponding one of the hardware peripherals;

detect a function of the transit fare vending machine, the function utilizing one of a plurality of hardware peripherals of the transit fare vending machine;

determine the one of the plurality of hardware peripherals utilized by the function;

retrieve one or more rules associated with the function and the one of the plurality of hardware peripherals;

overlay an indication on at least a portion of a display of the transit fare vending machine in accordance with the one or more rules, the indication comprising one or both of a video or animation depicting a use of the one of the plurality of hardware peripherals in association with a completion of the function;

illuminate one or more light elements proximate to the one of the plurality of hardware peripherals to indicate the location or operation of the one of the plurality of hardware peripherals in association with the completion of the function in accordance with the one or more rules; and

emit sound from one of the plurality of speakers positioned proximate to the one of the plurality of hardware peripherals such that a source of the sound is traceable to indicate the location or operation of the at least one of the plurality of hardware peripherals in association with the completion of the function in accordance with the one or more rules, wherein the one of the plurality of hardware peripherals comprises the corresponding one of the hardware peripherals of the one of the plurality of speakers.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7 , wherein:

detecting the function of the transit fare vending machine comprises receiving a request from a remote device of a ticket office of a transit system to perform the function.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7 , wherein:

the one or more light elements comprise a plurality of light elements; and

illuminating one or more light elements comprises flashing the plurality of lights in a linear pattern corresponding to a direction of insertion or removal of a material from the one of the plurality of hardware peripherals.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7 , wherein:

the indication comprises one or more of highlighting, an image, text, flashing a section of the display, an animation, or a video.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7 , wherein:

detecting the function of the transit fare vending machine comprises receiving an input from an input device of the transit fare vending machine, the input comprising instructions for the transit fare vending machine to perform the function.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7 , wherein:

the at least one of the plurality of hardware peripherals comprises one or more of a printer, a payment reader, a fare media reader, a fare media writer, or a scanner.

13. A transit fare vending machine comprising:

a communications interface configured to send and receive data;

a plurality of hardware peripherals configured to interact with one or both of a form of payment or a transit fare;

a plurality of speakers, wherein each speaker of the plurality of speakers is disposed proximate to a corresponding one of the plurality of hardware peripherals, and wherein the operation of each speaker is tied to the operation of the corresponding one of the hardware peripherals;

a memory; and

a processor configured to:

receive an input to begin a transaction associated with a transit fare media;

detect a function of the transit fare vending machine, the function utilizing one of the plurality of hardware peripherals of the transit fare vending machine;

determine the one of the plurality of hardware peripherals utilized by the function;

retrieve one or more rules associated with the function and the one of the plurality of hardware peripherals;

overlay an indication on at least a portion of a display of the transit fare vending machine in accordance with the one or more rules, the indication comprising one or both of a video or animation depicting a use of the one of the plurality of hardware peripherals in association with a completion of the function;

illuminate one or more light elements proximate to one of the plurality of hardware peripherals to indicate the location or operation of the one of the plurality of hardware peripherals in association with the completion of the function in accordance with the one or more rules; and

emit sound from one of the plurality of speakers positioned proximate to the one of the plurality of hardware peripherals such that a source of the sound is traceable to indicate the location or operation of the at least one of the plurality of hardware peripherals in association with the completion of the function in accordance with the one or more rules, wherein the one of the plurality of hardware peripherals comprises the corresponding one of the hardware peripherals of the one of the plurality of speakers.

14. The transit fare vending machine of claim 13 , wherein:

detecting the function of the transit fare vending machine comprises receiving a request from a remote device of a ticket office of a transit system to perform the function.

15. The transit fare vending machine of claim 13 , wherein:

the one or more light elements comprise a plurality of light elements; and

illuminating one or more light elements comprises flashing the plurality of lights in a linear pattern corresponding to a direction of insertion or removal of a material from the one of the plurality of hardware peripherals.

16. The transit fare vending machine of claim 13 , wherein:

the indication comprises one or more of highlighting, an image, text, flashing a section of the display, an animation, or a video.

17. The transit fare vending machine of claim 13 , wherein:

detecting the function of the transit fare vending machine comprises receiving an input from an input device of the transit fare vending machine, the input comprising instructions for the transit fare vending machine to perform the function.

Assignments (5)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 30, 2025
From: ALTER DOMUS (US) LLC
To: CUBIC CORPORATION; CUBIC DIGITAL SOLUTIONS LLC; NUVOTRONICS, INC.
Reel/Frame 072281/0176 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST AT REEL/FRAME 056393/0281 Recorded Jul 28, 2025
From: BARCLAYS BANK PLC, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: CUBIC CORPORATION; CUBIC DEFENSE APPLICATIONS, INC.; CUBIC DIGITAL SOLUTIONS LLC (FORMERLY PIXIA CORP.)
Reel/Frame 072282/0124 →
FIRST LIEN SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 26, 2021
From: CUBIC CORPORATION; PIXIA CORP.; NUVOTRONICS, INC.
To: BARCLAYS BANK PLC
Reel/Frame 056393/0281 →
SECOND LIEN SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 26, 2021
From: CUBIC CORPORATION; PIXIA CORP.; NUVOTRONICS, INC.
To: ALTER DOMUS (US) LLC
Reel/Frame 056393/0314 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 22, 2015
From: SMITH, GAVIN; REYMANN, STEFFEN; KENWARD, JASON
To: CUBIC CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 035761/0038 →
Continuity (7)
Continuation 14678296 · Apr 3, 2015
Provisional Application 61974919 · Apr 3, 2014
Provisional Application 61977515 · Apr 9, 2014
Provisional Application 61977521 · Apr 9, 2014
Provisional Application 61977525 · Apr 9, 2014
Provisional Application 61978037 · Apr 10, 2014
Related Publication 20150287126A1 · Oct 8, 2015