Did You Know...
...that one person who claimed to be the inventor of the television is Russian emigre Vladimir Zworykin? In 1929 David Sarnoff, founder of RCA, asked Zworykin what it would take to develop TV for commercial use. He said: a year and a half and $100,000. In reality, it took 20 years and $50 million! Before his death in 1982 at the age of 92, Zworykin said of his invention: "The technique is wonderful. It is beyond my expectations. But the programs! I would never let my children even come close to this thing."
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7388465 | Tampering detector and system disabler A vehicle disablement device detects whether it has been tampered with. If the vehicle disablement device determines that it has been tampered with, the vehicle disablement device sends a signal to a tamper disabler. The tamper disabler is then able to disable the v... | 06/17/2008 |
| 7363252 | Mobile telephone A portable telephone including a transmission and reception unit, a control unit, a speaker, a display unit, a code reader unit, an operation input section, a microphone and a storage unit. The storage unit includes a telephone number memory, a password-data memory,... | 04/22/2008 |
| 7337956 | System and method for facilitating the purchase of goods and services A system and method for facilitating commercial transactions between a consumer and a supplier of goods at a point of sale and authorized by a credit holder. The credit holder possesses a communications device for prestoring transaction information in a data base. T... | 03/04/2008 |
| 7316352 | System and method for locked code on a radio frequency identification tag A radio frequency identification (RFID) tag system includes a coupler/controller subsystem and a memory. The coupler/controller subsystem wirelessly receives and transmits at least one user signal and at least one master signal. The memory is electrically coupled to... | 01/08/2008 |
| 7275994 | Game machine having wireless communication capability A video game machine is provided with wireless functionality. The wireless functionality may be built-into the video game machine or may be provided by a device that is removably attachable to the video game machine. The wireless functionality enables, among other t... | 10/02/2007 |
| 7205958 | Image display apparatus and camera and image communication system The camera reads identification information of the user, which is contained in an identification card, through a card reading part. The camera connects automatically to a server designated in accordance with the read identification information through a communicatio... | 04/17/2007 |
| 7170390 | Method and apparatus for conditioning access for a remotely-accessible device A method and apparatus for conditioning the access of a user of a remotely-accessible device, which tracks and monitors objects, by using a preprogrammed expiration time and date and comparing that to a reliable time and date source, such as a time and date received... | 01/30/2007 |
| 7164363 | Article identification device A user-friendly article identifying device capable of retaining voice data associated with a tag. The device contains a tag reading section; a voice data input section; a storage section; a determining section; a voice data replay section; and a controller for gover... | 01/16/2007 |
| 7150393 | Automated banking machine system and method A wireless ATM system (30) comprises one or more wireless ATMs (32, 34, 36) that are operative to wirelessly communicate with a wireless ATM server (38). The wireless ATMs each include a wireless network interface (41). The wireless ATM s... | 12/19/2006 |
| 7139560 | Stimulus-dependent electronic device Herein is disclosed a method, system, and apparatus for dettering theft of portable electronice devices. A portable electronic device is rendered incapable of properly operating after being powered down, without at least some exposure for some time to a given stimul... | 11/21/2006 |
| 7123128 | Pre-installed appliance and method for purchasing the same A limited-use appliance is disclosed which has at least one input device for generating an input signal and a controller associated with the input device and receiving the input signal. The controller initiates at least one limited-use function of the appliance upon... | 10/17/2006 |
| 7110512 | Method and apparatus for providing prepaid local telephone services A system and method for providing prepaid dialtone services. The system includes a prepaid dialtone service center having an applications server that maintains a prepaid dialtone subscriber database including subscriber identification and service period information.... | 09/19/2006 |
| 7091882 | Automated exchange for determining availability of assets shareable among entities An automated exchange for determining the availability of mobile assets that are shareable among mobile asset users. The automated exchange includes a plurality of mobile asset sources for providing mobile assets of one or more types, a data center for providing the... | 08/15/2006 |
| 7051929 | Secure credit card having daily changed security number A secure credit card having daily changing security number is disclosed. The upper half portion of the secure credit card has a magnet strip and its thickness is same as a normal credit card, so it can be read by a credit-card reader. The bottom half portion of the ... | 05/30/2006 |
| 7009490 | Efficient lock and key system A method and system is disclosed for allowing users to consolidate a large number electronic keys (for operating mechanical locks) in electronic key assemblies. These electronic keys are easily duplicated, added to, removed, backed up, or upgraded. The electronic ke... | 03/07/2006 |
| 6965323 | Communal vehicle system In a motor vehicle sharing system for managing motor vehicles parked in a parking area and renting the motor vehicles to users, the motor vehicle is provided with a detector for detecting the start and end of motor vehicle rental, and a usage data measuring section ... | 11/15/2005 |
| 6930587 | Arrangement of entrance unit for protected areas In a protected area (1), equipped by an electronic lock (2) and by a reading device (3) of chip cards (4), connected to a discriminating unit (5), a user terminal (7) is located, which connected to an evaluation center (6... | 08/16/2005 |
| 6926204 | Secure electronic device This invention relates to a secure electronic device comprising: at least an electronic circuit (10) containing information to be protected, an energy source (11); at ... | 08/09/2005 |
| 6870467 | Tampering detector and system disabler A vehicle disablement device detects whether it has been tampered with. If the vehicle disablement device determines that it has been tampered with, the vehicle disablement device sends a signal to a tamper disabler. The tamper disabler is then able to disable the v... | 03/22/2005 |
| 6696981 | Apparatus for managing entry and exit of a shared vehicle The apparatus for managing the entry and exit of a shared vehicle, comprises: a vehicle position detector provided in the shared vehicle; a position determining device for determining whether the position of the shared vehicle is within an entrance area o... | 02/24/2004 |
| 6636145 | Vehicle sharing system and method with parking state detection A shared vehicle system includes a central facility, at least one vehicle distribution port facility and a plurality or fleet of vehicles, each having a vehicle subsystem. In general, the central station and port facility and the vehicle subsystems commun... | 10/21/2003 |
| 6535143 | Vehicle detection system A transponder is selectively mounted on a vehicle. The transponder receives its operation energy through magnetic coupling with the loop coil when the vehicle comes over the loop coil, and transmits predetermined information specific to the vehicle to the... | 03/18/2003 |
| 6529725 | Transaction security apparatus and method A transaction security apparatus and method including an input device for inputting transaction data, a processing device for processing the transaction data and for generating a first signal corresponding to the transaction, and a transmitter for transmi... | 03/04/2003 |
| 6469615 | Locking device for tools and equipment The operating control device can be use on equipment such as hand tools, electronics or fuel pumps. An input device enables the input of user access codes and a readout panel monitors the equipment status. A control member is in communication with the inp... | 10/22/2002 |
| 6329901 | Electronic vehicle key An electronic vehicle key has a radio receiver for receiving radio call information which is transmitted by a control center, and a key communication device for communicating with a vehicle communication device in an associated vehicle, signals transmitte... | 12/11/2001 |
| 6243029 | Parkulator photo parking The invention is a method of monitoring and assessing a fee for parking a vehicle in a toll parking location where the user pays only for the actual parking time used. The invention includes providing indicia for a toll parking location and unique indicia... | 06/05/2001 |
| 6157315 | Vehicle rental system After confirmation that a user is an authorized user by bringing a user certification into proximity to a user discrimination device, following the guidance of a touch panel display device, a desired two wheeled electric vehicle is selected. A key is retr... | 12/05/2000 |
| 6157313 | Method and apparatus utilizing a multifunction remote appliance sensor A system (10) utilizing a multifunction remote appliance sensor that remotely senses a status of an appliance (20) and that locks and unlocks the appliance. The system includes a selective call receiver (50) for receiving status information from the appli... | 12/05/2000 |
| 6044260 | Method of controlling the number of messages received by a personal messaging unit A subscriber's PMU (Personal Messaging Unit) (14) determines when the number of incoming messages is likely to be excessive by counting the incoming messages and comparing their number and rate of receipt to stored thresholds. The subscriber is alerted wh... | 03/28/2000 |
| 6026868 | Transponder distinction in a fueling environment The present invention solves these problems by providing a fueling system capable of distinguishing between types of transponders based on the type of signals transmitted or information transmitted therein. Based on the type of transponder, the system may... | 02/22/2000 |
| 5995133 | Method for changing a rating code with a macro function key and receiving apparatus having a function for blocking out a program A received television program is blocked out when a rating of the program is not within a scope of a preset rating. The preset rating code can be easily changed with a macro function key. A function of the macro function key is registered, and a rating co... | 11/30/1999 |
| 5991738 | Automated credit card processing An automated payment system particularly suited for purchases over a distributed computer network such as the Internet. In such a distributed computer network, a merchant or vending computer contains certain promotional information which is communicated t... | 11/23/1999 |
| 5986565 | Individual recognition system An individual recognition system uses a mobile communication apparatus to more securely conduct financial data transactions. A call number stored in a mobile communications apparatus is read by a terminal unit and transmitted to a computer. The computer c... | 11/16/1999 |
| 5960416 | Real time subscriber billing at a subscriber location in an unstructured communication network A system and method are provided for real time subscriber billing at a subscriber location in an unstructured communication network. Account information is stored for at least one subscriber at the subscriber location. A determination is made, based on th... | 09/28/1999 |
| 5936221 | Smart card system and method for transferring value A stored value system and method comprising a central server apparatus (10), one or more value added terminals (12), and one or more money-activated machines (14). The value added terminal (12) is designed to read smart cards (16) and to add cash value to... | 08/10/1999 |
| 5864306 | Detection regions for transponder tracking Data transmissions between a transponder and a reader of a toll collection system are minimized while the transponder moves through a communication zone of the system. A plurality of dimensionally programmable detection regions, are defined within the com... | 01/26/1999 |
| 5862222 | System at a vehicle for debiting at automatic fuelling System for automatic fuelling of a vehicle and debiting for fuel obtained. A transponder is provide on the vehicle for the positioning of a fuelling robot and includes coded information to be utilized for the debiting function.... | 01/19/1999 |
| 5689100 | Debit card system and method for implementing incentive award program A debit card system for implementing an incentive award program for a customer having participants. A plurality of debit cards, each assigned to one participant and having a unique account number corresponding to an award account of the participant is par... | 11/18/1997 |
| 5638646 | Traveler's quarters The present invention is a short-term rest facility for travelers that can be erected within existing transportation terminal structures such as airports, bus terminals, train stations, and the like. The traveler's quarters of the present invention has pr... | 06/17/1997 |
| 5615110 | Security system for non-cash transactions When a non-cash transaction occurs, the corresponding computer account writing system will be in operation. The computer account writing system outputs information signals which include the transaction (non-cash instant payment) information and the privat... | 03/25/1997 |
