Abstract: Upon the sale of merchandise by a vending machine, encrypted point information expressing prescribed points is presented to a user. The user transmits the presented point information, together with identification information for the user, to a center device by means of the user's portable telephone set. The center device decrypts the transmitted and encrypted point information, stores and manages points corresponding to the point information for the user, and offers prescribed service to the user based on the points stored and managed for the user.

Abstract: A UV curing apparatus and method is provided for enhancing UV curing of inks, coatings and adhesives having UV photo initiators therein by subjecting the UV curable inks, coatings or adhesives to UV light at different wavelengths. Preferably, the UV LED assemblies are alternated in rows and emit light at a wavelength between 180 nm and 420 nm. A row of UV-LED assemblies which emit light in the visible spectrum can be included so a user can visually see if the apparatus is working. A cooling system can be provided for maintaining the UV-LED assemblies at a desired temperature to maintain light intensity and the UV LED assemblies are placed at a distance from the UV curable product which will provide a uniform pattern of light diverging from the UV-LED chips of at least 50% the power output of the UV-LED chips at a viewing cone angle of 2?1/2. Still further the apparatus can be combined with an ink, coating or adhesive having photo initiators that are activated by light at more than one wavelength.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for loading water bottles into a water cooler. The apparatus includes a cradle adapted to assume a horizontal position to receive a horizontally disposed water bottle that is laterally rolled into the cradle, a hinge adapted to rotate the cradle and received water bottle to a vertical position so that a water delivery aperture of the water bottle is disposed on a bottom side of the water bottle and an energy absorbing control arm assembly adapted to lower the rotated water bottle into the water cooler.

Abstract: A biased-assisted sign mounting system is for mounting a sign to a structure, that includes a vertical upright post having a face having a plurality of vertically extending, spaced apart openings. The mounting system includes a spine adapted to mount to the vertical post. The spine has a face portion. Upper and lower sign mount portions are mounted to the spine. At least one of the mount portions has a biasing element securing portion. Upper and lower arms are mounted to respective upper and lower sign mount portions. The arms each have a pivot defining collinear axes. One of the upper and lower arms has a biasing element securing portion. A biasing element operably connects one of the arms to its respective mount portion such that the arm is pivotal between first and second positions and is biased toward the first and second positions by the biasing element. A floating insert mounts the spine to the upright.

Abstract: A mount for securing an associated object such as a sign to a supporting structure having wall defining an opening therein and having an outer surface and an inner surface, includes a mounting element adapted to receive the object. The mounting element has a body having an opening therein that is defined by edges. The opening has a predetermined shape. The body has a pair of resilient fingers extending rearwardly from the body. The fingers define portions of the edges of the opening in the body. A wedge has a base and a pair of resilient legs depending from the base. The wedge has a predetermined shape adapted for receipt in the body opening. The legs each have a notch formed therein. The mounting element is positioned with the resilient fingers in the supporting structure wall opening with the fingers locked to the supporting structure wall and the wedge is received in the body opening to interfere with the mounting element fingers flexing inward, securing the mounting element to the support structure.

Abstract: An automatic call distribution system is adapted to connect a telephone call of a caller to an agent station through a public switched telephone network (PSTN) where call information identifiers received from the PSTN are repopulated. The method includes the steps of receiving the incoming telephone from the PSTN, transferring the incoming call to a voice response unit (VRU), requesting, by the VRU, predetermined data from the caller, receiving, by the VRU, the requested predetermined data, repopulating a portion of the call information identifiers with repopulated data corresponding to the predetermined data, transferring the incoming telephone call back to the automatic call distribution system from the VRU along with the repopulated data retained within the call information identifiers, routing the transferred call to the agent station, displaying the repopulated data.

Abstract: A valve body (12) has an inlet opening (22) and an outlet opening (24) interconnected by a fluid passageway (28, 30) having a flow aperture (34). The valve comprises a diaphragm (14) (typically of the duckbill type) that is located across the flow aperture (34) and has slits in a collapsible aperture (39). This prevents backflow from the outlet to the inlet. The valve has an actuator (16) in the form of a plunger for influencing the fluid flow. Also disclosed is a pressure release valve whereby a high pressure on the outlet side can partially collapse the aperture (39) to temporality vent fluid from the high pressure outlet side.

Abstract: A projection exposure machine comprises a projection lens with a lens arrangement and at least one stop. The lens arrangement comprises a group of optical elements which is arranged between the stop and the image plane. An optical element of the group situated close to the image plane has a thickness of at least 6.5% of the entire stop diameter.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for processing an insurance claim. The method includes the steps of receiving a claim for a loss from an insured through an Internet connection and determining a policy type from the claim. The method further includes the steps of retrieving a set of keywords based upon the policy type, matching the retrieved set of keywords with words contained within the received claim, assigning an adjuster to the claim when any matched words of the matching step meets a predetermined criteria and paying the claim without assigning the claim to an adjuster when the matching does not meet the predetermined criteria and any auxiliary criteria.

Abstract: An electrical resistor structure overlies a substrate and comprises a composite resistor having a first resistor of relatively low resistance and a second resistor of relatively high resistance overlying the first resistor. First and second electrodes make contact with the composite resistor at spaced locations, and a bond pad overlies the second resistor at a position between the electrodes. A metallized fiber is soldered a to a metal bond pad by providing a stacked resistor structure beneath the bond pad, disposing a solder preform over the bond pad, disposing the metallized fiber over the bond pad, and flowing a current through the stacked resistor structure. The stacked resistor structure, when subjected to a current flowing generally along a first axis, is characterized by a temperature profile that has first and second peaks on either side of the bond pad.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for guiding a conversation between an agent of a call center and a client of the call center towards one of a plurality of goals of an organization controlling the call center. The method includes the steps of recognizing a voice content of the client of the call center, correlating the recognized voice content with a first goal of the plurality of goals of the call center and presenting script to the agent of the call center based upon the correlated goal of the call center.

Abstract: A safety net system is configured for mounting to a rack having a pair of spaced apart upstanding posts, in which the upstanding posts have open tops and holes formed in side walls thereof. The safety net system includes a pair of spaced apart uprights, upper and lower mounts operably connecting each upright to a respective rack post and an upper element extending between and mounted to the uprights at about an upper portion of the uprights. A net extends between and is mounted to the uprights and mounted to the upper element. The net is removably mounted to the uprights and to the upper elements and the uprights are variably mountable to the rack posts to vary a height of the net above the posts.

Abstract: A method includes receiving an inbound call from a caller to a device. A plurality of outbound calls are initiated from the single device based on information received from the inbound call.

Abstract: A baton scabbard for stowing various length batons enables insertion into and removal of a baton from the scabbard through lateral movement of the baton. The scabbard includes a generally C-shaped housing that supports a pair of laterally spaced snap-action latching mechanisms mutually cooperable in response to entry of a baton to effect a snap-action retention of the baton within the housing. A belt or strap attachment is pivotally connected to the housing for attaching the scabbard to a user's belt and permits the housing and a baton held therein to be selectively oriented relative to the user irrespective of the length of the baton.

Abstract: A flashlight having a light-emitting diode light source with first and second leads extending therefrom, a power source, a power source frame enclosing at least a portion of the power source; a housing containing the light source and power source, a switch located adjacent the power source and operable to close a circuit including the light source and the power source, and wherein one or all of the following may be included 1) a keyring extension extending from a power source frame or the housing with the keyring extension having an opening whereby an article can be attached to the keyring extension and includes a keyring lock wherein upon exerting a force against the keyring lock, the keyring lock is opened to permit the article to be attached to the keyring extension; 2) the housing is comprised of translucent material; and 3) the housing includes at least one side cover which is not integral with the housing and the at least one side cover being selected from anodized aluminum, anodized metal, anodized met

Abstract: A water-insoluble polymeric oxidizing medium is contemplated that has a plurality of polymerized N-pyridinium vinylbenzyl triiodide or tribromide moieties whose pyridinium rings bear two substituents, R1 and R2, that are independently a hydrido or a C1–C4 alkyl group, and correspond in structure to the formula A process for preparing aseptic water and an apparatus useful for carrying out that process, both of which utilize a contemplated polymeric oxidizing medium are disclosed, as are processes for oxidizing trivalent arsenic or antimony to pentavalent arsenic or antimony and for removing arsenic from water. Alumina particles containing meta-periodate, iron or manganese are also disclosed that can be used to sorb pentavalent arsenic and antimony, as well as cobalt and mercury.