Did You Know...
...that several people are credited with the invention of the flush toilet? Most people have heard of Thomas Crapper (1837-1910), the sanitary engineer who invented the valve-and-siphon arrangement that made the modern toilet possible. Another claimant to "the throne" was British inventor Alexander Cumming who patented a toilet in 1775. Then there's a nameless Minoan (a native of ancient Crete) who lived 4,000 years ago who supposedly was ahead of his time and created the first flush toilet!
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| Application No. | Application Title | Issue Date |
| 20050206501 | Labor management system and method using a biometric sensing device A system and associated method for automating labor management functions, for example, by providing one or more self-service human resources terminals (10), each having a biometric sensing device (13), where employees can securely obtain any information re... | 09/22/2005 |
| 20050205666 | Loyalty automatic merchandiser system A loyalty automatic merchandiser system comprises a vending machine capable of vending product, the vending machine having an input device for receiving identification information of a customer purchasing product from the vending machine, and a transaction controller fo... | 09/22/2005 |
| 20050199712 | Systems and methods for automatically distributing gifts to recipients on behalf of customers Systems and methods for providing gifts are described. In one exemplary embodiment, the systems and methods may include receiving financial card distribution information from a consumer, wherein the financial card distribution information identifies at least one recipie... | 09/15/2005 |
| 20050192832 | Retail sales and dispensing fuel management system The present invention extends to managing the dispensing of petroleum products. A kiosk (e.g., at a gas station) and fuel management system are connected over a network. The fuel management system maintains balances for fuel purchasing accounts that can be debited to pu... | 09/01/2005 |
| 20050184155 | Automatic payment system using RF ID tags The present invention discloses systems and methods for enabling cashless fueling transactions through the use of vehicle-based decal sticker RFID tags. The tags store a unique customer identification number as well as other frequent purchase information. When read by a... | 08/25/2005 |
| 20050178831 | Retail products storage and dispensing apparatus and method To improve space utilization at checkout counters, some preferred embodiments of the present invention employ a retail product storage and dispensing device located beneath the check-out counter. In this manner, areas beneath check-out counters that were previously eith... | 08/18/2005 |
| 20050173519 | Electronic fund transfer or transaction system An electronic fund transfer (EFT) system capable of displaying a menu including one or more user-defined custom transactions associated with an identification card so that the user can select a desired transaction by a single selection or with limited inputs. The transa... | 08/11/2005 |
| 20050173520 | Systems, methods, and apparatus for instant issuance of a credit card Systems, methods, and apparatus are provided for instant decisioning and remote dispensing of credit cards. In accordance with one implementation the system for instantly issuing a credit card includes means for receiving a credit card application from an applicant, mea... | 08/11/2005 |
| 20050167489 | Point of purchase dispensing device with container and method of using same The present invention provides a point of purchase dispensing device and a method of using the same. The point of purchase dispensing device includes a housing adapted to receive a container. A container containing a stock of a point of purchase product may be placed wi... | 08/04/2005 |
| 20050167493 | RF point of purchase apparatus and method of using same The present invention provides a checkout device that includes a purchasable item having an RFID tag affixed thereto and a scanner for detecting the RFID tag. A dispenser proximate to the scanner dispenses a point of purchase product upon selection by a user of the chec... | 08/04/2005 |
| 20050167488 | Gaming system using an automated teller machine Disclosed in this writing is an automated teller machine. The machine includes mechanisms for conducting a financial transaction as well as for providing game cards, prizes, prize money, game-card redemption receipts, and placing bets or wages as a form of internet gamb... | 08/04/2005 |
| 20050156028 | Method and apparatus for controlling rented or leased or loaned A method and apparatus relating to the renting, leasing and/or loaning of electronic equipment operable and/or controllable by a computer, wherein one entity not in physical possession and/or control of the equipment desires control over another entity which has physica... | 07/21/2005 |
| 20050156027 | Method and apparatus for vending magic, pranks, and gags A method and apparatus for vending magic, pranks, and gags through a vending machine is described. Through use of a video display, a vending machine may demonstrate performance of a magic trick, prank, or gag, enticing customers to purchase items from the machine. A use... | 07/21/2005 |
| 20050150948 | Vending machine When any one of the commodities displayed in commodity image display areas is sold out during an operation of a vending machine, a substitute commodity for a sold-out commodity is selected from among commodities other than the sold-out commodity, and a display of a comm... | 07/14/2005 |
| 20050145692 | Vending machine A vending machine which can communicate with a host computer by establishing dial-up connection to a predetermined access point, includes a control device which issues an inquiry to a communication device about all or a part of necessary information for dial-up connecti... | 07/07/2005 |
| 20050139655 | Systems and methods for the identification and presenting of information A method, system and computer readable medium for presenting information for use within a gas station, including sensing at the gas station at least an identification code on one or more identification-carrying devices; receiving at least the identification code and inf... | 06/30/2005 |
| 20050139659 | Apparatus and method for providing point of purchase products The present invention provides various apparatuses and methods that allow point of purchase products to be automatically dispensed. In an embodiment, the present invention operates with a self-scanning checkout and enables products to be dispensed with other retail item... | 06/30/2005 |
| 20050139654 | Device for customizing and dispensing contactless smart tickets The invention concerns a device for the customization and automatic dispensing of single smart contactless tickets provided with means to check the reliability of tickets and means to customize the tickets, and including a storage location for tickets in the form of a v... | 06/30/2005 |
| 20050133593 | Electronic equipment point-of-sale activation to avoid theft In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, an electronic device is displayed for purchase by a user and includes a controller and a protected area for storing a key and a bar code associated with and for identifying the device including a password unique... | 06/23/2005 |
| 20050133592 | Automatic dispensing machine of cards and card like goods Dispensing more than one card or card like good is prevented to prevent issuing a duplicate with an automatic dispensing machine of card or card like good having a table which supports the piled up card or card like good. A sucking device is located over the table and p... | 06/23/2005 |
| 20050127170 | Cash dispensing automated banking machine with adjustable chest hinge A secure enclosure for an automated banking machine includes a safe chest portion and a moveable door. The door has mounted thereon a locking bolt work mechanism which is operable to secure the door in a closed position. The door is mounted to the chest with the use of ... | 06/16/2005 |
| 20050121513 | Cash dispensing automated transaction machine and method A system for connecting transaction services to an ATM (10, 500) that includes a network (20). A user interface service (12) and a lookup service (22) are in operative connection with the network. Transaction services such as a printer servic... | 06/09/2005 |
| 20050113966 | Article dispensing system and method of dispensing articles A system for dispensing articles to a consumer. The system has a first station at which articles having an assigned cash value are dispensed. The first station a) has a first terminal at which a user identification related to an account can be input to process a user re... | 05/26/2005 |
| 20050109842 | System for vending physical and information items A vending machine handles a purchase transaction by receiving a payment, receiving a product selection from the customer, and dispensing the product indicated by the product selection. As part of the same transaction, the vending machine offers an information item such ... | 05/26/2005 |
| 20050098625 | Products and processes for promoting multiple transactions at a retail establishment According to an embodiment of the invention, products and processes are disclosed for receiving, via a point-of-sale terminal that is not a vending machine, an indication of a set of products which a customer desires to purchase. At least one product is offered to the c... | 05/12/2005 |
| 20050098626 | Automated will call system A will call system for automating the management of storage and retrieval of items, preferably medical prescriptions. The automated system provides informational control of all items in the system. The automated will call monitors the length of time an item remains in t... | 05/12/2005 |
| 20050098622 | Dispensing of currency An apparatus includes a cassette having a chamber to hold a stack of bills, a feeding mechanism to withdraw bills from the stack and feed them to an exit of the cassette, and elements to mount and unmount the cassette on a currency dispenser, the feeding mechanism inclu... | 05/12/2005 |
| 20050091161 | Automated banking system for dispensing money orders, wire transfer and bill payment A method and apparatus are provided for conducting transactions through a financial network using a document such as a check or money order at an unattended automated machine. For security purposes a signature detector detects the signature and the user uses a card to o... | 04/28/2005 |
| 20050082364 | Systems and methods for banking transactions using a stored-value card Systems and methods for banking transactions use a kiosk to perform financial services. The kiosk dispenses a stored-value card. The kiosk determines a stored-value account related to a stored-value card for a user. The kiosk then receives user instructions for a bankin... | 04/21/2005 |
| 20050061869 | Device and method for the production and the sale of dough pieces A device for the production and the sale of dough pieces comprises at least a first supply bin for keeping a pre-determined first quantity of the raw dough pieces. A first recording unit serves the recording of a customer request. A display device serves the display of ... | 03/24/2005 |
| 20050061873 | Methods and apparatus for electronic book distribution A system for electronic distribution of books and other media. The system includes a number of self-service stations from which a customer can select and order items and download the ordered item to a portable reader a or smart card. The system may include cryptoprocess... | 03/24/2005 |
| 20050035193 | Automated document cashing system An automated document cashing system is provided with an automated machine that cashes monetary transaction documents such as checks, money orders, and that makes deposit entries into the bank account of the user after validation of the user and monetary transaction doc... | 02/17/2005 |
| 20050035197 | Vending machine with electronic payment media One of a number of automatic vending machines run by one or more operators accepts payment for the goods it dispenses by creditable and debitable cash card, also called smart card. The machine includes a currency acceptor that writes on the card the sum in bank notes re... | 02/17/2005 |
| 20050023342 | Method and apparatus for dispensing flexible cards A support unit supports a plurality of flexible cards arranged in a stack. A pickup unit adjacent to the stack of flexible cards attracts a first card from the stack of cards, bending the flexible card. A transporting unit adjacent to the pickup unit receives and moves ... | 02/03/2005 |
| 20050006464 | Cash dispensing automated banking machine with adjustable fascia bezel An automated banking machine (10) is provided. The automated banking machine may include a fascia (50) in operative connection with a frame (110). The machine may include a plurality of hardware devices which are accessible through the fascia. The h... | 01/13/2005 |
| 20050006465 | Electronic security device for automated teller machines and card reader driver including such device This electronic device comprises an optoelectronic sensing barrier (7) transversely aligned to the card-in/card-out passage (4), further comprising an electronic circuit (10) which is connected to said sensing barrier (7); and providing compa... | 01/13/2005 |
| 20050001025 | Method and system for purchasing personal recording media A system for purchasing a personal recording media includes a first station for converting at least one data composition and a data information corresponding thereto to predetermined signals and for transmitting the signals, and a receiving device for receiving the sign... | 01/06/2005 |
