How to properly connect to a simple device when others are also interested

We've hooked up an RFDuino to control a candy machine so we can find the
URL with the Physical Web, load the web page, fire up webbluetooth, connect
and offer a simple UI to dump out some candy.

Fun, neat and simple.  Except....

If you don't dismiss the webpage, the connection stays open.... meaning
that no one else can connect (at least with the current implementation)
This is clearly bad. There are actually two questions here, one technical
one UX:


*1) Simultaneous Access *Is it possible to make the connection stateless so
>1 person can 'connect' to it and use a service? An example here would be a
game where you'd like multiple people to connect to a device and each one
could push a button to make noise. Silly example but I'm trying to explore
a 'public use' type interaction.


*2) Sequential Access*For a vending machine, you probably *do* want to lock
out other users until they are 'done' but what is done? After they buy
something, they might want o buy something else. The only solution, I can
see is to aggressively disconnect (when they hit the buy button) but if
they want to select something else reconnect quickly. Giving them the
illusion of being connected permanently.


Scott

  Scott Jenson   |   Chrome UX  | scottj@google.com | +1 650 265-7174