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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8172066 | Apparatus for receiving and dispensing documents of value An apparatus for accepting and for outputting documents of value is provided with a checking device for checking the authenticity of fed documents of value, an entrance transport device for transporting documents of value along a transport path past the checking dev... | 05/08/2012 |
| 8109378 | Bottled water distribution method and bottle return apparatus Method and apparatus for bottled beverage distribution. Apparatus includes bin, means for receiving bottles, sensor and receipt dispenser. Method of selling includes providing an inventory, assigning identification indicia, assigning first and second purchase prices... | 02/07/2012 |
| 8096397 | Method and system for handling empty packaging A method and a system for determining the remuneration for the return of identifiable empty packaging to a receiving point, wherein the empty packaging (7; 8) is identified with respect to at least one selected characteristic thereof, for example, dimension, ... | 01/17/2012 |
| 7748511 | Vending system for wheeled vehicles A system for vending wheeled vehicles, such as strollers for children. The system includes a vehicle station having a series of docking ports with an operator's console connected thereto. Each docking port has a lock and release mechanism for engaging a striker pin ... | 07/06/2010 |
| 7641036 | Apparatus, systems and methods for accepting payment at a sales device One embodiment of the present invention provides for a method comprising determining sales data associated with a sales device (e.g., a vending machine) and adjusting a level of sensitivity of a currency validator based on the sales data. ... | 01/05/2010 |
| 7637365 | Car wash with responsive bonus function A car wash includes a controller having an input element and an output element. The input element is configured to receive an input representing a payment. The output element is in operative communication with the input element, and is configured to assign an output... | 12/29/2009 |
| 7444296 | Disk dispensing and retrieval system and associated methods 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... | 10/28/2008 |
| 7434674 | Dispensing system for a wheeled device A dispensing system for wheeled devices has a plurality of receiving slots, which may be assembled in a suitable pattern so that any wheeled device having a bar or a receiving latch secured thereto may be mounted in the dispensing system by sliding the receiving lat... | 10/14/2008 |
| 7393134 | Parking meter A parking meter includes a microcontroller and a timer coupled with a microcontroller. A mechanism for accepting payment by coin, credit card or both is coupled with the microcontroller for accepting payment for use of an associated parking space. The microcontrolle... | 07/01/2008 |
| 7350715 | Tracking electronic devices Tracking electronic devices that are equipped with tracking tags and that are stored in designated locations. The position of a reading device is monitored as it traverses the designated locations of the electronic devices and is activated to interrogate the trackin... | 04/01/2008 |
| 7316615 | Method and apparatus for monitoring casinos and gaming A system automatically monitors playing and wagering of a game, including the gaming habits of players and the performance of employees at least partially by tracking the movement of chips bearing identifiers. A chip tray reader images the contents of a chip tray, w... | 01/08/2008 |
| 7316351 | Marking a deposit item In order to identify an item, on which a return deposit can be imposed, an element, which can at least be read in the radio frequency range and/or optionally one which can be switched or activated, are/is provided on the item. This element is activated optionally be... | 01/08/2008 |
| 7315828 | Method of and system for delivering combined social expression cards and gift certificates A method of and system for producing combined social expression cards and gift certificates for delivery to recipients is implemented in a Web-based client-server environment in which remotely located customers use standard Web browsers to access a Web server. The W... | 01/01/2008 |
| 7311222 | Drug dispenser A drug dispenser which can easily align drugs when filling it with the drugs. In a drug dispenser in which a lowermost drug of a plurality of drugs (100) stacked in a vertical direction and contained in a drug case (1) is pushed out in a horizontal dir... | 12/25/2007 |
| 7292158 | Method and system for detecting and rewarding the returning of shopping carts A method and a system for detecting and rewarding the returning of shopping carts to the supermarket collection points is provided. During shopping, a first signal A is generated. When a shopping cart is returned, a signal B is generated. These two signals A and B a... | 11/06/2007 |
| 7275991 | Slot machine with ticket-in/ticket-out capability A gaming apparatus which comprises a slat machine capable of accepting either paper currency, preprinted coupons, or cash out slips. The slot machine also includes a printer that prints and dispenses cash out slips which include a bar code representing a unique iden... | 10/02/2007 |
| 7267614 | Gaming token having a variable value A system installed in a casino allows gambling chips in the casino to have variable values. Each chip has an electronic circuit installed in it to store a chip identifier and data indicative of a value currently associated with the chip. Slot machines and other devi... | 09/11/2007 |
| 7258220 | Token purchasing device A token purchasing device that can automatically change the number of tokens purchased for a given price based on time, date, and day of the week information. The token purchasing device includes a banknote accepting unit for accepting a banknote and outputting a ba... | 08/21/2007 |
| 7251546 | Programming presets in a vending machine A vending machine apparatus comprising a housing defining an internal cavity and an article storage area where predetermined groups of stored articles are located at predetermined positions within the housing. An article retrieval device is associated with the housi... | 07/31/2007 |
| 7251617 | Method and apparatus for managing subscriptions A subscription system allows a customer to establish a subscription to a product with any of a number of retailers by establishing the subscription through a controller or central system. In one embodiment, a subscription is established by first receiving informatio... | 07/31/2007 |
| 7243853 | Method and system for facilitating memory and application management on a secured token A system including a secured token having a plurality of applets. Each applet supports a plurality of commands and is capable of being instantiated to create one or more applet instances. Each applet instance is capable of supporting the same plurality of commands t... | 07/17/2007 |
| 7233241 | Low stock alert system A low product stock display system for detecting at least one of fully stocked, partially stocked, and empty (no stock) shelf has been described. The presence/absence of stock can be detected by conductive contact sensors, inductance sensors, weight sensors, optical... | 06/19/2007 |
| 7225911 | Bill handling machine A bill handling machine comprises a storing box for storing bills of plurality of different categories together, an instruction input unit for receiving a recovery instruction to recover bills belonging to a specific category among the categories, a sorter that in r... | 06/05/2007 |
| 7222363 | Device independent authentication system and method A system is disclosed which facilitates authentication processes with web-enabled wireless devices, including those that do not support the use of cookie files. To facilitate such authentication, a web server analyzes an HTTP request file from a communication device... | 05/22/2007 |
| 7216799 | Terminal providing system A plurality of terminals (40) that are provided to users, and a providing device (20) are placed at a providing place (2). The providing device includes a memory that stores information concerning the plurality of terminals (40). The prov... | 05/15/2007 |
| 7218225 | System and method for detecting and rewarding the return of a supermarket trolley or a luggage trolley taken from a trolley park A system and a method for detecting and rewarding the return of supermarket carts or luggage carts taken from a cart stand. Each cart is provided with a contactless, preferably optically identifiable, individual mark, by which the cart is identified when it is retur... | 05/15/2007 |
| 7199709 | Cart fleet management system A hand-operated cart constructed for carrying luggage or packages includes a frame including a cargo area, and cart wheels connected to the frame and connected to a handrail arranged for manually displacing the cart. The cart also includes a distance sensor construc... | 04/03/2007 |
| 7175516 | Poultry processing hub and belt assembly This invention relates to a hub and belt assembly for driving a poultry de-feathering machine and more particularly to a multiple bearing heat dissipating hub driven by a serrated timing belt. The hub assembly incorporates seals along a drive shaft to reduce wear ca... | 02/13/2007 |
| 7154375 | Biometric safeguard method with a fob A method for facilitating biometric security in a transponder-reader transaction system is provided. The method includes determining if a transaction violates an established rule, such as a preset spending limit. The method also includes notifying a user to proffer ... | 12/26/2006 |
| 7092010 | Image photographing system The present invention provides an image photographing system, which permits a user to easily photograph images and place, orders for printing. A digital still camera is rented to the user with a prepaid card affixed thereto, the prepaid card serving to write the num... | 08/15/2006 |
| 7086589 | Smart connections The invention provides a method of controlling access to an object (16), such as a product for sale. The object (16) or its packaging (110) is secured, for example to a sales console (12,68) by use of connecting means (26). The con... | 08/08/2006 |
| 7085727 | Movie rental and notification system An automated movie rental and notification system includes a computer having a movie database containing hold and reservation lists and movie records. The system receives rental requests, each request including a selected movie title, reservation mode, reservation t... | 08/01/2006 |
| 7069274 | Method and apparatus for cataloguing and scripting the display of informational content A digital department system is disclosed. The digital department system of the present invention includes a network management center, a network operating center that is coupled to the network management center, a multimedia server, a multicasting transmission mediu... | 06/27/2006 |
| 7055821 | Coin rolling game apparatus There is provided a gaming apparatus in which a player rolls a coin or token down a chute and across a playing field to a jackpot opening. The playing field has coin or token catches for a falling coin or token. The closer the coin or token gets to the jackpot openi... | 06/06/2006 |
| 7058581 | System and method of distributing and returning products The present invention comprises a product distribution and return system which includes a return mailer dispensed with a product from a vending machine. The product is returnable in the return mailer to a return center in another location. In another embodiment, a m... | 06/06/2006 |
| 7029167 | Parking meter A parking meter includes a microcontroller and a timer coupled with a microcontroller. A mechanism for accepting payment by coin, credit card or both is coupled with the microcontroller for accepting payment for use of an associated parking space. The microcontrolle... | 04/18/2006 |
| 7028827 | Coin counter/sorter and coupon/voucher dispensing machine and method A coin sorting and counting machine and a method for operating it to automatically dispense cash vouchers based on the value of the counted coins, manufacturers' coupons and store coupons. Coins are placed in a hopper tray. When the hinged tray is lifted, the coins ... | 04/18/2006 |
| 7025258 | Ball bearing actuation mechanism A ball bearing actuation mechanism includes a circular gauge wheel rotatably mounted in an interior chamber of a housing below an inlet passage and adjacent to outlet and overflow discharge openings of the housing and a curved retainer wall mounted to the housing in... | 04/11/2006 |
| 7024453 | Reconfigurable audiovisual previewing system and method of operation A reconfigurable audiovisual previewing system includes a user interface module, a media communications module, and a plurality of application programs. One of the plurality of application programs is selected and configures the interface module to identify the prod... | 04/04/2006 |
| 6975205 | Cart return credit system A system and method for providing an incentive to a customer of a store to return a shopping cart to a cart return location. The system generates a cart return signal. The system determines whether a cart is being removed from or returned to the cart corral. Alterna... | 12/13/2005 |