Abstract: A camera unit includes a display for displaying an image to be captured; an image sensor for digitally capturing the displayed image; a card reader having a linear scanner for scanning a surface of a removable card to sense a plurality of dots printed on the surface of the removable card, the plurality of dots representing a bit pattern encoding a program script; a card interface for receiving a signal from the card reader indicative of the sensed plurality of dots printed on the surface of the card, and decoding the sensed plurality of dots into the program script; and a printer configured to print a distorted image on print media, the distorted image being a version of the captured image distorted in accordance with the program script. The card reader comprises a moulding housing therewithin a plurality of light sources, the moulding being transparent to light from the light sources and shaped to focus the light on the removable card.

Abstract: It is described a container carrier turning device for a specimen container (2) provided with an ID barcode (5) and inserted into a carrier (3) made advancing by a conveyor belt (4). The turning device comprises carrier stopping means (10) for rotatably engaging a lateral surface (21) of said carrier (3) to stop the advancing movement of the carrier while leaving it free to rotate around the container axis and carrier pressing means (14) for rotatably engaging an upper surface (20) of said carrier (3). Elastic means (12) force said carrier pressing means to a carrier engaging position. There are provided first pneumatic means (11) for moving said carrier stopping means (10) to a carrier stopping position and second pneumatic means (15) for moving said carrier pressing means (14) to a carrier disengaging position against the action of said elastic means (12). An idle bearing (16), opposite to the carrier stopping means (10), facilitates the carrier rotation.

Abstract: A card reader for reading magnetic stripe cards which are manually inserted, and withdrawn, by a user. The card is constrained to follow a path which displaces the card laterally while the card is outside the reader, and before the magnetic stripe reaches a magnetic sensor within the reader. The lateral displacement prevents an illicit magnetic sensor, positioned externally to the reader by a hacker, from reading the magnetic stripe, since the stripe is moving in an incorrect direction while the card is external to the reader.

Abstract: A system for managing shipping parcels that includes a specially adapted set of load planning tables, or, from another aspect, a set of load planning tables for use with a system for managing shipping parcels. The system includes: a planning system for providing a rated route; and a shipping database for providing stored planning information and for providing a stored rated route for shipping the parcel.

Abstract: A system for providing cash to users in a self-service environment such as in dispensing motor fuel includes a self-service dispensing machine (12). A user is enabled to dispense merchandise from the self-service dispensing machine and is also enabled to selectively receive cash value by charging the amount of such value to a monetary source associated with a machine readable article (80, 82). A user may receive cash value by presenting a printed voucher or other item to a service provider located at a facility (14) at which the service provider exchanges the voucher or other item for cash. Alternatively, cash may be dispensed to the user directly from the self-service dispensing machine.

Abstract: A transaction system (104, 144) includes a customer station (116, 146) and a service provider station (112, 148). Items such as medical items, are passed between the service provider and the customer station through item transport devices (118, 154). An enclosure (10) positioned at the customer station houses a payment terminal (16) therein. A movable cover (14) is moved responsive to inputs to a remote control device (36) at the service provider station to enable a customer at the customer station to access the payment terminal. Through inputs to the payment terminal, the customer is enabled to make payment for items that are provided to the customer by the service provider.

Abstract: A router utility and corresponding method for routing a load of one or more shipments of parcels, for use in a system for managing shipping parcels that includes a shipping database and a planning engine that provides load information for the load indicating a load identifier. The router utility includes: an input module for providing the load identifier included in the load information, and an analyzer for providing a carrier and service list.

Abstract: The invention concerns the production of contactless transmission chip card, and particularly mixed cards operating with or without contact. The method for the reliable and efficient setting of an integrated circuit module (M) and of an inductive transmission antenna (A), consists in producing the module providing connection ranges for the antenna, making an antenna with a flat coiled wire, and soldering the ends of said antenna on the module ranges, then making a plastic wafer (30) provided with an opening, the bottom of this opening being closed by an adhesive film (34). The module and the antenna are set against the wafer, and maintained by the adhesive material at the bottom of the housing. Another wafer (40) is directly mounted on the assembly.

Abstract: A card guide for holding a stack of cards to be separated, and a card picker for separating a single card from a stack of cards at a first location and moving the separated card to a second location, where each card has substantially the same thickness and substantially the same periphery. The card guide is includes a frame having a periphery sufficiently larger than the card periphery to permit the cards to readily enter the frame while remaining substantially aligned. The card guide has an open front face and an open rear face. The card guide frame includes a bottom member having a card support area with a rear edge and includes a side member having a notch extending substantially the full height of the open rear face and extending from the card support area rear edge toward the front face by a distance at least as great as the thickness of the cards. The bottom member has at least one air hole through it.

Abstract: A bill deposit/withdrawal machine for performing deposit or withdrawal of bills according to a transaction includes a deposit/withdrawal port for performing deposit or withdrawal of bills; a bill discriminating unit for discriminating bills, bill accepting boxes for accepting bills transported from the deposit/withdrawal port or accepting bills to be transported to the deposit/withdrawal port and a bill transport path for connecting the deposit/withdrawal port to the bill accepting boxes through the bill discriminating unit and transporting bills. The deposit/withdrawal port and the bill discriminating unit are disposed in an upper part of the bill deposit/withdrawal machine, and the bill accepting boxes are disposed in a lower part of the bill deposit/withdrawal machine.

Abstract: A locking device is proposed for scanner having an optical module. The optical module has a base and an image scanning means arranged on one side of the base. A locking hole and a mounting portion for the locking device are provided at predetermined locations on the image scanning means and the base, respectively. The mounting portion is a through hole piercing the base. The locking device is arranged within the mounting portion and the upper portion of the locking device is engaged within the locking hole. By using a locking device wherein the upper end thereof detaches from the locking on the scanner when the lower end thereof is pivotally rotated by the pushing force from table, the scanning means of the scanner can move laterally. The image scanning means is not shifted during portage.

Abstract: A hand-held optically readable information set reader having one or more photosensor arrays, at least one information set illuminator, and an information set image transfer system for projecting a readable image of an information set onto the one or more photosensor arrays.

Abstract: A card carrier including pairs of rollers disposed at predetermined spacings along a card conveyer passageway such that the respective pairs of rollers hold both sides of a card therebetween. A driver including a single motor, a power transmission including a plurality of timing pulleys and a plurality of timing belts for transmitting the drive force of the motor to all the rollers, and power interrupting means including a clutch mechanism disposed between the power transmission and the motor for transmitting the drive force of the motor to the power transmission when the motor arrives at a predetermined rated rotational speed and a brake mechanism for stopping the operation of the power transmission instantaneously. When the motor arrives at the rated rotational speed, the clutch mechanism is actuated to drive all the rollers. When the card is to be stopped at a predetermined position, the drive force of all the rollers is stopped instantaneously by the clutch mechanism and the brake mechanism.

Abstract: In an inserter system, an apparatus for bar code scanning includes a scanner, a travel bar attached to a frame of an inserter, and adjustable brackets for slidably fastening said scanner to the travel bar. The travel bar is positioned wherein said scanner is moveable transverse to a paper path travelled by a sheet having a bar code symbol thereon. The apparatus further includes a plate attached to the adjustable brackets, and nylon and hook type fasteners for fastening the scanner to the plate. A transparent medium deck is positioned between the scanner and the paper path. The transparent medium deck is resistive to abrasion and has optical characteristics which would allow scanning by the scanner through the transparent medium deck.

Abstract: An information recording and reproducing apparatus comprising a movable shuttle on which an information recording medium is mounted, a movable head for reproducing or recording information from or on the information recording medium mounted on the shuttle, a shuttle lock mechanism for locking the shuttle, a head lock mechanism for locking the head, and a drive source and a link member for commonly driving the shuttle lock mechanism and the head lock mechanism.

Abstract: In a card reader for reading information from a card which may contain the information as optical, magnetic, electronic or physical data, inside a casing is provided a carriage which carries the card and is adapted to be conveyed from an outer position to an inner position by a linear drive mechanism. By not using a pair of drive and pinch rollers as opposed to conventional card readers, the card is free from contaimination by the rollers, and the operation reliability of the card reader is improved. Further, the elimination of rollers also contributes to the reduction in the overall height of the card reader. The clamp mechanism for securing a card to the carriage may be provided with interlocking means which prevents the movement of the carriage until a card is securely gripped by the clamp mechanism.

Abstract: Apparatus for capturing a card and/or reading and/or writing data bits on a record stripe of the card, including a carriage for supporting a card inserted into the apparatus via a slot, the carriage being bidirectionally selectively driven past a transducer on elongated guide means by a motorized rotatable screw threadably engaging the carriage. A card clamp assembly is associated with the carriage for clamping an inserted card thereto when the carriage is located in other than its home position, whereat positive transfer of a card between the insertion slot and carriage occurs, which home position is proximate the card insertion slot. Stationarily mounted cams cooperating with cam followers of the card clamp assembly deactivate the clamp when the carriage is in its home position to facilitate transfer of an inserted card to and from the carriage.

Abstract: A multipurpose board has a frame circumferentially supporting at least three transparent plates with segregating clearances between the transparent plates. Particles only partially fill each segregating clearance, the particles in the respective segregating clearances having different physical properties. When the board is moved, particle flow in each segregating clearance permitted by the only partial filling thereof forms varieties of wave-like combinations when movement is stopped, which are visible three dimentionally through the transparent plates.