The
main
components
of
the
Kiosk
application
were
a
front–end
mall
kiosk
system
and
a
back-end
information
maintenance
system.
Front
End:
Mall
Kiosk
An
easy
user
interface
was
provided
that
used
a
multimedia
approach
and
touch
screen.
It
consisted
of
the
following
subsystems.
- Advertisement
Engine:
This
subsystem
displays
advertisements
when
the
kiosk
is
idle
and
when
the
user
goes
from
one
screen
to
another.
These
advertisements
could
be
commercial,
community
and
event
oriented
announcements.
These
advertisements
could
be
from
any
source
(supplier,
tenant,
community
agency
or
any
generic
advertiser).
-
Search
Engine:
This
subsystem
provides
the
necessary
interface
to
allow
patrons
to
search
for
information
about
the
tenants
(shops)
and
their
products.
The
kiosk
has
the
capability
to
display
all
shops
and/or
goods
information
alphabetically
or
by
category.
Information
Engine:
This
subsystem
provides
the
requested
information
dynamically
with
multimedia
capabilities.
The
information
consists
of
tenant’s
details
as
well
as
the
products
and
/or
services
offered
by
them.
-
Shop
Locator:
This
subsystem
provides
a
facility
to
display
where
a
tenant
is
located.
Contact
Facilitator:
This
subsystem
provides
a
facility
to
contact
via
a
hands-free
phone
a
shop’s
manager
as
well
as
the
attendant
of
the
customer
information
service
booth.
-
Web
Browser:
The
subsystem
provides
access
to
the
World
Wide
Web
to
view
the
mall’s
Web
site
a
well
as
all
tenants’
Web
sites.
-
Help
Engine:
This
subsystem
offers
context
sensitive
help
to
guide
patrons
to
a
pleasant
and
worry-free
experience
with
the
kiosk.
-
Gift
Certificate
Generator:
This
subsystem
provides
a
means
by
which
patrons
can
buy
gift
certificates
with
their
credit
and/or
debit
card.
-
In-Mall
Server:
This
subsystem
holds
and
manages
all
the
information
used
by
the
kiosk.
It
is
also
a
part
of
a
replication
subsystem
that
will
provide
transparent
synchronization
of
the
information
between
the
front
and
back
end
systems.
Back
End:
Information
Systems
Maintenance
-
Users
are
able
to
update
tenants’
information.
-
Users
are
able
to
update
product
information.
-
Users
are
also
able
to
update
the
advertisements
(commercial,
community
and
event
announcements).
-
Users
can
access
statistics
about
the
kiosk’s
usage.
-
A
replication
subsystem
provides
the
mechanism
too
synchronize
the
mall’s
information
stores
with
that
of
the
central
server.
An
innovative
enhancement
was
the
development
of
software
to
assist
the
kiosk
user
to
find
a
particular
store
within
the
mall.
Software
on
the
kiosk’s
computer
displayed
a
map
of
the
mall
on
the
screen
and
NTG
Clarity
proprietary
Locate-It
technology
was
used
to
allow
the
user
to
select
a
store
or
other
location
on
the
map.
Map
traversal
algorithms
were
provided
to
show
the
user
the
most
convenient
route
to
the
desired
location
even
if
these
routes
involved
more
than
one
floor. |
