Patents Examined by Ali Sharifzada
  • Patent number: 8028911
    Abstract: A hand-operated document processor has a base for receiving a document containing magnetic ink character data to be read and recognized. A manually operated moving magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) subsystem includes a MICR read head and is attached to the base. Movement of the subsystem causes the MICR read head to pass over the magnetic ink character data on the document. MICR reading and recognition logic receives the signal from the MICR read head. A spring/cylinder mechanism includes a spring providing the force necessary to drive the moving MICR subsystem, and includes a dashpot composed of a piston and cylinder arranged such that the spring moves the MICR subsystem across the document being processed and drives the piston in the cylinder, thereby damping the motion of the MICR subsystem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Burroughs Payment Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Sammy C. Hutson, Michael J. Moore, John C. Gudenburr
  • Patent number: 8028912
    Abstract: In one embodiment of the present invention, a reading device and a method for determining an identity code is disclosed arranged at a package for a product. At least one embodiment of the present invention is based on capacitive measurements performed in capacitors formed between antennas of the reading device and communication areas of the identity code. The reading device is provided with an antenna or activation element for decoupling or minimizing perturbation signals generated in an electrically conductive foil of the package.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: ACREO AB
    Inventors: Petronella Norberg, Joakim Haglund, Staffan Nordlinder
  • Patent number: 8025220
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for cardholder localization based on transaction data. In general, a determination of one or more possible base locations of a cardholder of a payment card may be initiated. Transactions of the cardholder may be associated with merchant customer base location profiles, where each of the merchant customer base location profiles models a distribution of base locations of customers with which a merchant has had a transaction. The one or more possible cardholder base locations may be derived from the merchant customer base location profiles. The one or more possible cardholder base locations may be used to determine a home or office location of a cardholder where such information is not otherwise available, to determine whether a cardholder has moved from a stated address, to determine if a cardholder has multiple residences, to detect fraud, and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Assignee: Fair Isaac Corporation
    Inventors: Matthias Blume, Bruce D. Harris
  • Patent number: 8011586
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to reduce a processing time and make a printed image look better in appearance in processing of printing a two-dimensional code again. In order to achieve the above-described object, an apparatus according to the present invention includes decoding unit for decoding a non-upright two-dimensional code in a manuscript image, and synthesis unit for creating a two-dimensional code by using information obtained by the decoding, to synthesize the two-dimensional code in an upright state onto the manuscript image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hirochika Sato
  • Patent number: 7992771
    Abstract: In a document-management device which supports a task of electronizing paper documents and registering electronic data of the documents to an existing system having a user interface provided to register electronic data, a request receiving unit receives a code assignment request from a user when a user interface screen corresponding to an electronic-data registration site of the existing system is displayed on a client. A code generating unit generates a site identifying code identifying the registration site of the existing system after the code assignment request is received. A screen generating unit generates a screen containing an image of the site identifying code, the screen provided for the user to print an automatic registration request page which is scanned simultaneously with scanning of the paper documents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yohei Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 7967196
    Abstract: A mobile device having a time controlled electronic wallet is disclosed. The mobile device comprises a processor and an electronic wallet application that executes on the processor. The electronic wallet application enters a ready-to-pay mode, initiates a ready-to-pay timer when entering the ready-to-pay mode, transmits the confidential information when in the ready-to-pay mode based on receiving contactless communication, and leaves the ready-to-pay mode when the ready-to-pay timer expires.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Christopher J. Bierbaum, Allison A. DiMartino, Robert H. Miller, Elizabeth Roche, Jason Whitney, Kevin Zhu
  • Patent number: 7954699
    Abstract: A transaction such as a withdrawal or deposit may be divided into multiple smaller transactions based on an amount of currency associated with the transaction. For example, in a withdrawal, a container in which withdrawn funds are to be placed may be of limited size. Thus, multiple containers may be needed to withdraw the requested funds. Accordingly, each container may be assigned or associated with a different transaction. Each transaction may be created automatically, for example, upon completion of a previous transaction. Additionally, a number of transactions needed may be determined automatically. Thus, a user might only need to initiate the overall transaction process. Initiation may be based on manual input or triggered using an identification device such as an RFID tag, iris scan, card swipe and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Bank of America Corporation
    Inventors: William Thomas Sanders, Daniel Christopher Bohen, Amy Baker Folk
  • Patent number: 7950586
    Abstract: An improved smart card is provided, which is adapted for easy extraction from a smart card socket, or example, in a mobile telephone. Facilitating the easy extraction is a structural deviation in the plane of at least one of the sides of the smart card to enable an increase of an external force on the smart card to thereby cause the extraction of the smart card from a socket. The structural deviation may be a change in the thickness of the smart card or a roughened surface in the smart card's enclosure. The smart card may be a SIM card. Also provided is a method of extracting a smart card from a socket, which method may include the steps of engaging a structural deviation in the plane of at least one side of the smart card's enclosure and applying a force to the engaged structural deviation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: SanDisk IL Ltd.
    Inventor: Alfredo Fernandez
  • Patent number: 7946487
    Abstract: A method for authenticating a pharmaceutical product, the pharmaceutical product being associated with packaging having disposed thereon or therein coded data including a number of coded data portions, each coded data portion being indicative of an identity of the pharmaceutical product and at least part of a digital signature of at least part of the identity. The method includes having a computer system receive indicating data from a sensing device, the sensing device being responsive to sensing of the coded data to generate indicating data at least partially indicative of the identity of the pharmaceutical product and the signature part. The computer system determines the identity at least one determined signature part and uses these to authenticate the pharmaceutical product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventors: Kia Silverbrook, Paul Lapstun
  • Patent number: 7938324
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for counting stock stored in hierarchical levels at a facility is described. The method includes receiving count initiation information at a counting module. The count initiation information includes at least one parameter associated with stock to be counted and one or more hierarchical levels for the stock to be counted. The method also includes receiving quantity information associated with the one or more hierarchical levels, and generating count results based on the received quantity information. In certain embodiments, the quantity information can be received by multiple count activity objects associated with the counting module. Each count activity object can independently track separate portions of the quantity information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: SAP AG
    Inventors: Noam Tamarkin, Adi Chibel, Eli Pripaz Cohen, Yuval Morad, Nir Pachter
  • Patent number: 7926711
    Abstract: Systems and methods of attracting and retaining customers of a Banking institution through an incentive program is disclosed, comprising: operating a promotional program, comprising the dispensing of a indicia redeemable for a prize, and wherein the dispensing of the indicia is accomplished through the use of an automated teller machine (ATM); and operating a rewards program, wherein upon a customer completing a triggering behavior, a specified reward is granted to the customer. Systems and methods of operating a promotional program for customers of a Banking institution is also disclosed, wherein the method comprises dispensing a indicia redeemable for a prize, and wherein the dispensing of the indicia is accomplished through the use of an automated checking machine (ATM).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.
    Inventors: Robert Cameron Taylor, Jeffrey J. Pilarcik
  • Patent number: 7905402
    Abstract: Provided is a goods information providing terminal that includes an authentication unit authenticating a user based on bio information including a user's fingerprint and initiating a user session when the user is authenticated; a goods information request unit requesting a goods management server that manages goods information and information on the location of goods from a radio frequency identification (RFID) attached to the goods to provide the goods information and the information on the location of the goods; a goods information display unit displaying to the user the goods information or the information on the location of the goods acquired from the goods management server; and a goods processing unit acquiring goods information including how to contact a seller from the goods management server, and contacting an associated agency including the seller when the goods need to be repaired or exchanged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
    Inventors: Ji Young Kwak, Ji Yong Kim, Sung Ho Ahn, Kyung Hee Lee
  • Patent number: 7900838
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a generation unit configured to encode data and generate a two-dimensional code image; a clipping unit configured to clip an image which fits in a two-dimensional code image display area, from the two-dimensional code image generated by the generation unit; a first display control unit configured to display the image clipped by the clipping unit in the two-dimensional code image display area; a change unit configured to change a size of the two-dimensional code image display area to be equal to or larger than a size of the two-dimensional code image generated by the generation unit according to an instruction from a user; and a second display control unit configured to display the two-dimensional code image generated by the generation unit in the two-dimensional code image display area whose size is changed by the change unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Noboru Hamada, Naohiro Taguchi
  • Patent number: 7900844
    Abstract: The invention described herein represents a significant advancement in user configurable and reconfigurable RFID readable data input. A writing substrate includes a wireless energy transmission circuit and a plurality of switchable contacts. When or after a user writes on the substrate, it can be sense remotely to produce a map of the writing which provides input a character recognition process. Thus a user can write anything they wish to create data and control processes on a cheap, disposable user interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Inventor: Ray M. Alden
  • Patent number: 7900819
    Abstract: A method of authenticating product packaging is disclosed. The packaging has disposed thereon coded data portions. Each coded data portion is indicative of an identity of the packaging and a part of a digital signature of at least a part of the identity of the packaging. The digital signature comprises a plurality of signature parts. The method starts by receiving indicating data from a sensing device. The sensing device is responsive to sensing one of the coded data portions to generate the indicating data which is indicative of the identity of the packaging, the part of the signature, and a signature part identifier. A determined signature is determined using the identity of the packaging. A determined signature part is determined using the determined signature and the signature part identifier. The packaging is authenticated by comparing the determined signature part and the part of the signature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventors: Kia Silverbrook, Paul Lapstun
  • Patent number: 7896244
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of managing a stock replenishment system in a way that explicitly controls the in-stock rate. Also provided by the present invention is a method of managing a collection of stock replenishment systems in a way that the combined in-stock rate of the collection is controlled to a selected value. In addition, the present invention provides a method to set up a collection of stock replenishment systems in replenishment software systems in an identical fashion while controlling the combined in-stock rate. The methods of the present invention use point-of-sale data to determine packages-per-shopper rates, which are used as one of the inputs to statistical models of multiple-day retail sales.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Ziti Technologies Limited Liability Company
    Inventor: Kevin Lee McCormick
  • Patent number: 7866549
    Abstract: The invention is a system component which may be installed in systems used to, in an automated fashion, acquire and process identification data from sources such as drivers licenses. The novel component is typically installed between the reader and the processing unit of such systems. Preferably the novel component replaces the cabling between the reader and processing unit. In this configuration, the component adds an electronic module placed serially in the cable. The electronics module accepts raw data from the reader in a variety of formats, and decodes and re-formats the data in a pre-determined format understood by the processing unit. Thus the novel component allows the system to accept multiple data formats without extensive re-programming of the processing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Picacho Partners LLC
    Inventors: Wayne Worthington, Brett Stallard
  • Patent number: 7854377
    Abstract: A data collection system includes: a contact information acquisition unit, for obtaining contact information; a state recognition unit, for obtaining, based on contact information acquired by the contact information acquisition unit, state information concerning the state of a equipment; a state coding unit, for transforming into coded contact associated information the state information obtained by the state recognition unit; and an output unit, for transmitting to an output apparatus contact information obtained by the contact information acquisition unit and for transmitting to a network apparatus contact associated information obtained by the state coding unit. With this arrangement, information concerning the operation of a equipment can be easily obtained, without requiring the reconstruction of a equipment or a great change in a sequence program, such as a programmable controller, mounted in the equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2010
    Assignee: Omron Corporation
    Inventors: Toru Fujii, Manabu Tsuda
  • Patent number: 7823771
    Abstract: An information card includes two display panels as a user interface, which constitute a card body, and display visible information constituted by a portrait image and ID information. An internal memory is incorporated in a card body, for storing verification information of that the visible information has been verified externally. Furthermore, a mode selector selectively sets an employee ID card mode or driver license mode. The display panels change over the visible information according to the employee ID card mode or driver license mode. Also, an interface is accessed by a rewriting digital still camera to rewrite the portrait image. The interface receives an encrypted form of the image data from the digital still camera. A microcomputer decrypts the image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: FUJIFILM CORPORATION
    Inventor: Youichi Sawachi
  • Patent number: 7823774
    Abstract: An apparatus and method automatically verifies online transactions, such as credit card charges, made by a customer of a bank or financial institution. A browser “plug-in” is used to monitor a first party use of the internet to detect online transactions and create transaction data. The transaction data is forwarded to the financial institution to correlate with transaction data received independently from the other party in the transaction. The financial institution can provide the customer with alerts, such as online purchase warnings, if there are problems or discrepancies between the data from the first party and the data provided by the second party. The transaction data can also be used in other ways to provide information to the financial institution's customers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Cary Lee Bates, Jason J. Illg