Patents by Inventor Donald A. Collins, Jr.

Donald A. Collins, Jr. has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10762736
    Abstract: Currency is selectively illuminated with Ultraviolet (UV) light, Infrared (IR) light, and/or white light in front of a camera, which may be integrated into a scanner in some embodiments. The camera takes an image of the illuminated currency and the image is presented on a screen of a display for validating the currency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: NCR Corporation
    Inventors: Donald A. Collins, Jr., John Paul Opay, Janry C. Amada, Peter R. Charpentier
  • Patent number: 10325435
    Abstract: Currency is selectively illuminated with Ultraviolet (UV) light, Infrared (IR) light, and/or white light in front of a camera, which may be integrated into a scanner in some embodiments. The camera takes an image of the illuminated currency and the image is presented on a screen of a display for validating the currency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: NCR Corporation
    Inventors: Donald A. Collins, Jr., John Paul Opay, Janry C. Amada, Peter R. Charpentier
  • Publication number: 20170082477
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a system and method of remotely sensing the fill level of liquefied gas within containers. There are many gas types which are compressed into liquid form to fit into many sizes of cylinders for many purposes. Principal gas types are nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, argon, hydrogen, helium, and acetylene. More specifically, this invention relates to an apparatus and method of remotely determining the remaining liquefied gas which is present in the cylinder and reporting it through an internet website or messaging system to the business responsible for keeping the cylinder filled. The chief benefit of the system is to eliminate two situations; 1) a replacement tank is dispatched when none is needed, and 2) the user of the tank, i.e. a restaurant, runs out of gas and there is no replacement gas available for some time. Both situations cause customer aggravation or increased costs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2016
    Publication date: March 23, 2017
    Inventors: Anthony Zane Lee, Daniel B. Seevers, Donald A. Collins, JR.
  • Publication number: 20170039795
    Abstract: Currency is selectively illuminated with Ultraviolet (UV) light, Infrared (IR) light, and/or white light in front of a camera, which may be integrated into a scanner in some embodiments. The camera takes an image of the illuminated currency and the image is presented on a screen of a display for validating the currency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2016
    Publication date: February 9, 2017
    Inventors: Donald A. Collins, JR., John Paul Opay, Janry C. Amada, Peter R. Charpentier
  • Patent number: 9410841
    Abstract: An integrated scanner, scale and touchscreen display (“integrated touchscreen scanner”) is addressed. In one alternative, the integrated touchscreen scanner further includes a printer for printing receipts, coupons and the like. The integrated touchscreen scanner is designed for flush mounting in a checkout or self-checkout stand. Keystrokes, icon selection and the like may be suitably sensed employing weigh cells in the scale of the integrated touchscreen scanner. Additionally, the display may be partitioned into a customer portion and a checker portion. This partitioning may be fixed or dynamically adjusted in response to the state of the transaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: NCR Corporation
    Inventors: Donald A. Collins, Jr., Peter B. Barron, Graeme Smith
  • Patent number: 9313581
    Abstract: A hybrid optical code scanner, system and method are presented for alerting a user when one or more events related to a handheld imaging scanner, undocked from the hybrid optical code scanner, occur. The events include moving the handheld imaging scanner beyond it communication range, keeping the handheld imaging scanner undocked beyond a predetermined period of time and activation of a switch on the handheld imaging scanner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: NCR Corporation
    Inventor: Donald A. Collins, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20150348350
    Abstract: Currency is selectively illuminated with Ultraviolet (UV) light, Infrared (IR) light, and/or white light in front of a camera, which may be integrated into a scanner in some embodiments. The camera takes an image of the illuminated currency and the image is presented on a screen of a display for validating the currency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2014
    Publication date: December 3, 2015
    Applicant: NCR Corporation
    Inventors: Donald A. Collins, JR., John Paul Opay, Janry C. Amada, Peter R. Charpentier
  • Patent number: 9129176
    Abstract: An optical code scanner is presented for assembling an image of a document from multiple images captured by the optical code scanner. A document is presented to the optical code scanner which captures multiple images where each image includes only a portion of the document. Once every part of the document has been captured in at least one image, the optical code scanner processes the images to generate a single image of the entire document.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: NCR Corporation
    Inventor: Donald A. Collins, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9092050
    Abstract: A checkout device including a multi-touch surface display which can also weigh items. An example checkout device includes a surface element for displaying transaction screens and for receiving touch inputs during a transaction, and a load cell below the surface element for producing a weight signal corresponding to a weight of an item of the transaction on the surface element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: NCR Corporation
    Inventors: Janry C. Amada, Donald A. Collins, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8960549
    Abstract: A method, apparatus and system are presented for improving a point of sale terminal by reducing the number of items a cashier must pick up and move for scanning during a purchase transaction. The point of sale terminal includes an optical code scanner that identifies an item by reading an optical code (barcode) affixed to or printed on the item. The scanner further includes a weigh scale that weighs items being scanned and a conveyor belt that moves the items across the scanner during the weighing and scanning operations. Moving the items using the conveyor belt reduces the number of items the cashier must pick up and move.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: NCR Corporation
    Inventors: Donald A. Collins, Jr., David L. Gregerson
  • Publication number: 20150026064
    Abstract: A system and method of using Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) to complete payment for goods and services. An example method of operating a transaction terminal includes identifying items selected by a customer for purchase, determining a required payment amount for the items, obtaining identification information from the customer, obtaining contact information and payment information, including bank account information and bank routing number information, from a customer profile associated with the identification information, creating a check image, sending a request for payment message providing access to the check image and the payment information to a mobile communication device of the customer using the contact information in the customer profile, and receiving a reply message from the mobile communication device authorizing payment for the items via electronic funds transfer and including a 2D barcode containing the check image and the payment information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2014
    Publication date: January 22, 2015
    Inventor: Donald A. Collins, JR.
  • Patent number: 8925811
    Abstract: A checkout system including a rotating barcode reader. In an example embodiment, the checkout system includes a base, a platform rotatable with respect to the base, a substantially circular top plate mounted to the platform including a window; and a barcode reader on the platform adjacent the window. The substantially circular top plate and the barcode reader are rotatable with the platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: NCR Corporation
    Inventors: Donald A. Collins, Jr., Janry Amada
  • Publication number: 20140374486
    Abstract: An optical code scanner is presented for assembling an image of a document from multiple images captured by the optical code scanner. A document is presented to the optical code scanner which captures multiple images where each image includes only a portion of the document. Once every part of the document has been captured in at least one image, the optical code scanner processes the images to generate a single image of the entire document.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2013
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Applicant: NCR CORPORATION
    Inventor: Donald A. Collins, JR.
  • Patent number: 8880432
    Abstract: A system and method of using Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) to complete payment for goods and services. An example method of operating a transaction terminal includes identifying items selected by a customer for purchase, determining a required payment amount for the items, obtaining identification information from the customer, obtaining contact information and payment information, including bank account information and bank routing number information, from a customer profile associated with the identification information, creating a check image, sending a request for payment message providing access to the check image and the payment information to a mobile communication device of the customer using the contact information in the customer profile, and receiving a reply message from the mobile communication device authorizing payment for the items via electronic funds transfer and including a 2D barcode containing the check image and the payment information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: NCR Corporation
    Inventor: Donald A. Collins, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20140209675
    Abstract: A checkout system including a rotating barcode reader. In an example embodiment, the checkout system includes a base, a platform rotatable with respect to the base, a substantially circular top plate mounted to the platform including a window; and a barcode reader on the platform adjacent the window. The substantially circular top plate and the barcode reader are rotatable with the platform.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2013
    Publication date: July 31, 2014
    Applicant: NCR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Donald A. Collins, JR., Janry Amada
  • Publication number: 20140001266
    Abstract: A method, apparatus and system are presented for improving a point of sale terminal by reducing the number of items a cashier must pick up and move for scanning during a purchase transaction. The point of sale terminal includes an optical code scanner that identifies an item by reading an optical code (barcode) affixed to or printed on the item. The scanner further includes a weigh scale that weighs items being scanned and a conveyor belt that moves the items across the scanner during the weighing and scanning operations. Moving the items using the conveyor belt reduces the number of items the cashier must pick up and move.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2012
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Applicant: NCR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Donald A. Collins, JR., David L. Gregerson
  • Patent number: 8612807
    Abstract: An entertainment kiosk error handling and troubleshooting method which facilitates correct of errors from a remote computer. An example method includes operating a camera for capturing images within the entertainment kiosk by a processor within the entertainment kiosk, detecting an error by the processor, associating recently captured images with the error, and sending an alert to a remote computer by the processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: NCR Corporation
    Inventor: Donald A. Collins, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20130320084
    Abstract: A checkout device including a multi-touch surface display which can also weigh items. An example checkout device includes a surface element for displaying transaction screens and for receiving touch inputs during a transaction, and a load cell below the surface element for producing a weight signal corresponding to a weight of an item of the transaction on the surface element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2012
    Publication date: December 5, 2013
    Applicant: NCR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Janry C. Amada, Donald A. Collins, JR.
  • Publication number: 20130325661
    Abstract: A system and method of using Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) to complete payment for goods and services. An example method of operating a transaction terminal includes identifying items selected by a customer for purchase, determining a required payment amount for the items, obtaining identification information from the customer, obtaining contact information and payment information, including bank account information and bank routing number information, from a customer profile associated with the identification information, creating a check image, sending a request for payment message providing access to the check image and the payment information to a mobile communication device of the customer using the contact information in the customer profile, and receiving a reply message from the mobile communication device authorizing payment for the items via electronic funds transfer and including a 2D barcode containing the check image and the payment information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2012
    Publication date: December 5, 2013
    Applicant: NCR Corporation
    Inventor: Donald A. Collins, JR.
  • Publication number: 20130256041
    Abstract: An integrated scanner, scale and touchscreen display (“integrated touchscreen scanner”) is addressed. In one alternative, the integrated touchscreen scanner further includes a printer for printing receipts, coupons and the like. The integrated touchscreen scanner is designed for flush mounting in a checkout or self-checkout stand. Keystrokes, icon selection and the like may be suitably sensed employing weigh cells in the scale of the integrated touchscreen scanner. Additionally, the display may be partitioned into a customer portion and a checker portion. This partitioning may be fixed or dynamically adjusted in response to the state of the transaction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Applicant: NCR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Donald A. Collins, JR., Peter B. Barron, Graeme Smith