Celebrity Inventors
Mark Twain (Samuel L. Clemens) received Patent No. 121,992 for "An Improvement in Adjustable and Detachable Straps for Garments." He later received two more patents: one for a self-pasting scrapbook and one for a game to help players remember important historical dates.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 4458142 | Programmed electronic keycorder unit A miniaturized card unit, resembling a standard credit card, incorporates solid state counter, a multiplexer means, and a small battery. The counter may be incremented or decremented in accordance with a direction control signal. A multiplexer in the card... | 07/03/1984 |
| 4454414 | Funds transfer system using optically coupled, portable modules A system for transferring funds in lieu of cash or other data comprises portable funds transfer modules issued by a bank or other financial institution and carried by each member who may be a vendee or vendor. A first type module (20) comprises a housing ... | 06/12/1984 |
| 4453074 | Protection system for intelligent cards There is disclosed a protection system for intelligent cards. Each card has stored in it a code which is the encryption of a concatenation of a user secret password and a common reference text. The encryption is derived by an initialization terminal which... | 06/05/1984 |
| 4450535 | System and method for authorizing access to an article distribution or service acquisition machine A system and method for distribution of articles or services, especially adapted to be secure against use by unauthorized personel, receives first and second data carriers. Each data carrier includes a processor, data storage, and interfacing circuits. A ... | 05/22/1984 |
| 4449040 | Identification code determining apparatus for use in transaction processing apparatus A transaction processing apparatus permits transaction processing when using a record medium in which customer identifying information is recorded and an identification code entered by a customer is valid. Determination of validity of an identification co... | 05/15/1984 |
| 4447714 | Dual-purpose automatic apparatus for dispensing and depositing valuable papers and other documents, such as banknotes, cheques, receipts, vouchers etc. A dual-purpose automatic apparatus for dispensing and depositing valuable papers and other documents comprises a feed means (10) for dispensing documents from an internal store (11) to an outfeed opening (12) or to a storage chamber (13) intended for docu... | 05/08/1984 |
| 4442345 | Apparatus for and method of recycling recording carriers, such as credit cards, including non-volatile erasable memories for identification data A credit card includes a memory having first and second zones in which are respectively stored variable and fixed data. The data stored in the first zone includes first, second and third bit fields respectively representing a card serial number, a card in... | 04/10/1984 |
| 4439670 | Method and device for the checking of the number of access attempts to an electronic store, notably that of an integrated circuit of an object such as a credit card or a buyer's card An access trial control device for a card, such as a financial or business transaction card or the like, which is inserted in an access terminal for use and carries a confidential code which is compared with an access code type by the user on the terminal... | 03/27/1984 |
| 4436992 | Check controlled metering device In a check controlled postage meter a computer terminal is provided for receiving a partially coded check. The check is decoded and additional information, such as register settings and subscriber identification data, is supplied by a subscriber via manua... | 03/13/1984 |
| 4434359 | Automatic bank note transaction apparatus An automatic bank note transaction apparatus comprises a first unit detachably mounted in a housing and including safes disposed at one side thereof and a second unit provided in the housing, adjacent to and detachably mounted on the first unit and connec... | 02/28/1984 |
| 4430562 | Banknote dispensing apparatus An apparatus for dispensing banknotes from a store (10) of banknotes to a receipt opening (11) accessible to a customer comprises first conveying means (13-14) for conveying banknotes to a magazine or collecting space (15), and second conveying means (16-... | 02/07/1984 |
| 4423319 | Communication link A communication link for transferring information from a data terminal with connected light pen (3), which includes a light diode (4) and a phototransistor (5) or corresponding means, to a greater computer unit. According to the invention, the communication li... | 12/27/1983 |
| 4414467 | Vending ordering terminal A terminal is provided at which a user can selectively preview or order a videocassette. The terminal comprises customer identification means for receiving information relative to the user; mode selection means enabling the user to choose a preview or ord... | 11/08/1983 |
| 4408119 | Individualized portable object such as a credit card The object requires a would-be user to supply an authorization code within a predetermined number of attempts, otherwise the object is invalidated. The object has at least one memory (1) in which the results of attempts at use are stored in permanent bina... | 10/04/1983 |
| 4405856 | Apparatus for recording identifying data concerning the use of a credit card, cheque or the like An apparatus for recording identifying data relating to the use of a credit card, cheque or the like and for dispensing a receipt disclosing at least part of such data; the apparatus comprises a housing in which a camera is mounted for taking, through a o... | 09/20/1983 |
| 4395627 | Gasoline station system for enablement of selected pumps by a credit card console located at the pump island A system for use in a gasoline station for automatic enablement of fuel dispensing means from the fuel island by a customer credit card comprising credit card reader means, customer operable keyboard means, display means, output channel means, and first p... | 07/26/1983 |
| 4395626 | Gasoline station system for enablement of selected pumps by a credit card console located at the pump island A system for use in a gasoline station for automatic enablement of fuel dispensing means from the fuel island by a customer credit card comprising credit card reader means, customer operable keyboard means, display means, output channel means, and first p... | 07/26/1983 |
| 4375032 | Transaction processing system There is provided a transaction processing system including a terminal machine for automatic cash transactions initiated with record media possessed by users, comprising means for reading data on record media inserted by users, means for detecting if the ... | 02/22/1983 |
| 4370649 | Payment responsive data display network A payment responsive system for displaying information comprises at least one remote terminal adapted to display information for a pre-determined time upon payment, a central processor adapted to control input of information and transmission to the remote... | 01/25/1983 |
| 4369360 | Bank note depositing apparatus A number of bank notes are inserted into the bank note entrance unit of a bank note depositing apparatus and are continuously received so that they may be inspected and counted at a high speed. After the counting operation, the bank notes are stored in a ... | 01/18/1983 |
| 4362928 | Universal document format system To reduce the number of different software packages required for document controlled systems of the type used in automated fueling systems, automated bank teller systems, and the like, a "format" character is encoded in a preestablished location on the ca... | 12/07/1982 |
| 4361754 | Record operated control system for a vending machine A record operated control system is provided for use with a vending machine and a record reading/writing apparatus having a read/write head for reading and writing data on a record during relative movement between the record and the read/write head. The c... | 11/30/1982 |
| 4359631 | Self-service terminal A self service terminal for dispensing voice and video information, printed documents, and goods; and for accepting service orders and payments therefor by currency or credit card. The terminal comprises a cathode ray tube display with mass storage for pr... | 11/16/1982 |
| 4358672 | Pay per view television control device A method and apparatus for providing access to an electrically controlled service for perdetermined periods of time employs a dual magnetically striped record medium encoded in a CRB format with data indicative of the periods of time during which access i... | 11/09/1982 |
| 4357529 | Multilevel security apparatus and method A card-encoding system and method preserves the security of the encoding process against duplication and counterfeiting of cards by securing the interactions under the control of the individual and then of the issuing institution. Multilevels of offset co... | 11/02/1982 |
| 4345146 | Apparatus and method for an electronic identification, actuation and recording system Dispensing of commodities such as bulk liquids, gases, granules and powders is monitored electronically by identifying receivers of the commodities with specific codes and relating those codes to amounts dispensed by commodity dispensers. The specific app... | 08/17/1982 |
| 4341951 | Electronic funds transfer and voucher issue system In a system for transferring electronic funds data in lieu of cash between vendees and vendors associated with a sponsoring financial institution, each vendee is provided with an identification card and a portable electronic device to be presented to the ... | 07/27/1982 |
| 4328414 | Multilevel security apparatus and method A card-encoding system and method preserves the security of the encoding process against duplication and counterfeiting of cards by securing the interactions under the control of the individual and then of the issuing institution. Multilevels of offset co... | 05/04/1982 |
| 4317028 | Subscriber check accepting and issuing apparatus An apparatus for determining the validity of an encoded check adapted to operate a metering device comprises means for accepting the encoded check. Decoding means decode the check and provide a check code responsive signal. Additionally, the apparatus inc... | 02/23/1982 |
| 4304990 | Multilevel security apparatus and method A card-coding system and method preserves the security of the encoding process against duplication and counterfeiting of cards by securing the interactions under the control of the individual and then of the issuing institution. Multilevels of offset code... | 12/08/1981 |
| 4300040 | Ordering terminal An ordering terminal for videocassette program material including a keyboard, credit card reader, TV monitor and speaker and display board. The user can order videocassette program material from the terminal and can preview proposed selection before order... | 11/10/1981 |
| 4282424 | Automatic cash dispensing machine Disclosed is an automatic cash dispensing machine whose casing has a substantially vertical front panel and a substantially horizontal top panel extending backward from the top edge of the front panel. On the horizontal top panel are a keyboard operation ... | 08/04/1981 |
| 4266121 | Receipt slip issuing apparatus Disclosed is a receipt slip issuing apparatus for an automatic transaction system in which an identification card path crosses a blank path through which a two-ply details slip blank is fed, and a transcription mechanism for transferring card-borne inform... | 05/05/1981 |
| 4258252 | Check controlled metering device A postage meter is used in conjunction with a check which serves for updating, i.e. increasing the credit register, by a predetermined sum of money. The check is keyed to the particular meter either prior to or after updating the register, and means are p... | 03/24/1981 |
| 4256955 | System for keeping account of predetermined homogeneous units A credit card system includes a credit card containing a memory for storing coded information indicative of: an identification of the use for which the article is intended, an identification of units used to keep account of operations which are performed ... | 03/17/1981 |
| 4253016 | Automatic apparatus for dispensing and receiving bank notes Disclosed is a dispensing-receiving apparatus for bank notes in which bank notes issued in accordance with an operator's designating operation and rejectable bank notes among ones received in the apparatus are both delivered through a single paying outlet... | 02/24/1981 |
| 4249163 | Automatic money dispenser and method The dispenser is operable with an identification card carrying all data necessary for dispensing of money, and either a code number or a check, also carrying all data necessary for dispensing of money, and the dispenser is connected to a central computer ... | 02/03/1981 |
| 4247759 | Self-service passenger ticketing system A system is disclosed for issuing airline tickets without the intervention of any ticket agent. The system includes a plurality of electro-mechanical ticket terminals in communication with a central computer. Each of the terminals has a card reader, a mod... | 01/27/1981 |
| 4213038 | Access security system This invention describes a system for access control, wherein a control card is presented to a control means. If the control card is authenticated, then access is gained. If it is not authenticated, access is not gained, the control card is retained, and ... | 07/15/1980 |
| 4199100 | Credit card automated system for vehicle service stations An attendant-controlled terminal, operating under the control of a conventional microprocessor, monitors and controls remote fuel pumping units, combines fuel sale information with information concerning additional sales keyboarded by the attendant, accep... | 04/22/1980 |
