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).
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Patent number: 10762736Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: May 29, 2014Date of Patent: September 1, 2020Assignee: NCR CorporationInventors: Donald A. Collins, Jr., John Paul Opay, Janry C. Amada, Peter R. Charpentier
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Patent number: 10325435Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: October 21, 2016Date of Patent: June 18, 2019Assignee: NCR CorporationInventors: Donald A. Collins, Jr., John Paul Opay, Janry C. Amada, Peter R. Charpentier
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Publication number: 20170082477Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: July 25, 2016Publication date: March 23, 2017Inventors: Anthony Zane Lee, Daniel B. Seevers, Donald A. Collins, JR.
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Publication number: 20170039795Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: October 21, 2016Publication date: February 9, 2017Inventors: Donald A. Collins, JR., John Paul Opay, Janry C. Amada, Peter R. Charpentier
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Patent number: 9410841Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: March 30, 2012Date of Patent: August 9, 2016Assignee: NCR CorporationInventors: Donald A. Collins, Jr., Peter B. Barron, Graeme Smith
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Patent number: 9313581Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: September 27, 2011Date of Patent: April 12, 2016Assignee: NCR CorporationInventor: Donald A. Collins, Jr.
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Publication number: 20150348350Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: May 29, 2014Publication date: December 3, 2015Applicant: NCR CorporationInventors: Donald A. Collins, JR., John Paul Opay, Janry C. Amada, Peter R. Charpentier
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Patent number: 9129176Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: June 21, 2013Date of Patent: September 8, 2015Assignee: NCR CorporationInventor: Donald A. Collins, Jr.
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Patent number: 9092050Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: May 31, 2012Date of Patent: July 28, 2015Assignee: NCR CorporationInventors: Janry C. Amada, Donald A. Collins, Jr.
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Patent number: 8960549Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: June 29, 2012Date of Patent: February 24, 2015Assignee: NCR CorporationInventors: Donald A. Collins, Jr., David L. Gregerson
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Publication number: 20150026064Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: October 3, 2014Publication date: January 22, 2015Inventor: Donald A. Collins, JR.
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Patent number: 8925811Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: January 29, 2013Date of Patent: January 6, 2015Assignee: NCR CorporationInventors: Donald A. Collins, Jr., Janry Amada
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Publication number: 20140374486Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: June 21, 2013Publication date: December 25, 2014Applicant: NCR CORPORATIONInventor: Donald A. Collins, JR.
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Patent number: 8880432Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: May 30, 2012Date of Patent: November 4, 2014Assignee: NCR CorporationInventor: Donald A. Collins, Jr.
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Publication number: 20140209675Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: January 29, 2013Publication date: July 31, 2014Applicant: NCR CORPORATIONInventors: Donald A. Collins, JR., Janry Amada
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Publication number: 20140001266Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: June 29, 2012Publication date: January 2, 2014Applicant: NCR CORPORATIONInventors: Donald A. Collins, JR., David L. Gregerson
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Patent number: 8612807Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: January 12, 2011Date of Patent: December 17, 2013Assignee: NCR CorporationInventor: Donald A. Collins, Jr.
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Publication number: 20130320084Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: May 31, 2012Publication date: December 5, 2013Applicant: NCR CORPORATIONInventors: Janry C. Amada, Donald A. Collins, JR.
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Publication number: 20130325661Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: May 30, 2012Publication date: December 5, 2013Applicant: NCR CorporationInventor: Donald A. Collins, JR.
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Publication number: 20130256041Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: March 30, 2012Publication date: October 3, 2013Applicant: NCR CORPORATIONInventors: Donald A. Collins, JR., Peter B. Barron, Graeme Smith