Patents Examined by Bryan Jaketic
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Patent number: 6050387Abstract: A device and method for identifying a bank note with simple construction offering easy adjustment and a reliable performance independent of the environment under which it works. The device enables identification of a bank note printed in color with a genuine one by the method of adjusting the intensity of light emission so as to equalize sensitivity of a photoelectric transducer to a light source A and a light source B, emitting lights in different wavelengths when there is no object to be identified, detecting the difference in sensitivity of detected signals of light transmitted through or reflected by the object to be identified as output of a high-pass filter, and sampling, in a sampling circuit, a signal based on the sensitivity difference and proportional to the difference between detected value for light source A and sensitivity of light source B to conduct identification based on the sampling value.Type: GrantFiled: March 3, 1998Date of Patent: April 18, 2000Assignee: Yokohama Denshi Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Kunihide Iwaki
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Patent number: 6042471Abstract: A coin sorting apparatus comprising a combination of a separating device unit and a cover device unit, the cover device unit being operative to guide sorted coins separately and in a substantially standing position but with a slant along a path for sorting and collection. The separating device unit includes a guide wall for guiding the coins and having a plurality of adjustable sized windows for selectively receiving the coins for sorting and collection. The cover device unit has a motor-driven belt that with the guide wall defines the path and is oscillated to open and close a gap between the moving belt to effect movement of coins of variable size along the path.Type: GrantFiled: April 21, 1999Date of Patent: March 28, 2000Assignee: Asahi Seiko Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Yoshinobu Tanaka
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Patent number: 6041908Abstract: A coin handling mechanism for conveying coins to a remotely positioned coin receptor which accumulates the deposited coins. There is a liquid diverter within the mechanism for directing the flow of liquid injected through the coin entrance slot downwardly along the back of the housing to a fluid collecting chamber. A plurality of ribs at the back of the housing form channels for directing the flow of the fluid along the back of the housing. There is also provided a coin discharge chute having an adjustment mechanism to adjust the point of discharge of the coins. This compensates for variances in various vending machines and positions the coin discharge chute properly with respect to the coin receptor.Type: GrantFiled: March 11, 1998Date of Patent: March 28, 2000Assignee: Antares Applied Research, Inc.Inventors: Peter Delmenico, William R. George
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Patent number: 6039164Abstract: A system and method for providing automatic validation of fares collected is disclosed. An automatic validating farebox, being adapted for mobile use, such as in the cabin of a bus, and to provide convenient access to both patrons and an operator, includes validation mechanisms and circuitry to accept patron payment in both coin and note. All tendered payment is automatically validated as to acceptable tender as well as its value being electronically registered. Accordingly, the operator is freed from validating payment of a fare and may simply confirm that the registered value is the proper amount for the type of fare purchased. The automatic validating farebox also includes mechanisms adapted both to store accepted currency in an efficient manner as well as to present the collected currency in a manner readily acceptable for handling and counting.Type: GrantFiled: April 13, 1998Date of Patent: March 21, 2000Assignee: Agent Systems, Inc.Inventors: Brian G. Waters, Gregory E. Stoltz, Algert J. Maldanis
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Patent number: 6039165Abstract: A public telephone that has the ability to return change to a user is described. A coin changer that is advantageously sized to fit within the space available in a public telephone built to BellCore standards advantageously replaces the coin collect/reject equipment located after a "coin-discrimination" portion of conventional coin mechanisms found in such telephones. Existing public telephones may be readily retrofitted with the present coin changer. A three-position "trigate" is advantageously used to direct a coin to a return chute, or to one of two mechanical coin sorters within the coin changer. In one embodiment, each sorter is operable to sort three different coin denominations. Escrow capacity is included to temporarily store sorted coins. The sorters/escrow are advantageously readily-removable so that a first sorter may be removed and another inserted to provide sorting and escrow for other coins from other coin sets, including those from other countries.Type: GrantFiled: February 17, 1998Date of Patent: March 21, 2000Assignee: Lucent Technologies Inc.Inventor: Ronald Lee Wild
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Patent number: 6032779Abstract: Banknotes printed with magnetic ink pass through a tri-color age detector 34, and then between a pair of premagnetization rollers (10,12) having opposite magnetic polarity of such strength that the magnetic signature of all banknotes is enhanced to the same level; the notes are then stacked 50 in an electromagnetic stacker 42. Such notes, having magnetic signatures of the same level, can also be recognized and/or validated by magnetic techniques also.Type: GrantFiled: April 16, 1998Date of Patent: March 7, 2000Assignee: NCR CorporationInventors: John C. McAlister, Philip J. Heelan
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Patent number: 6030169Abstract: The present invention provides an attachment for use with a power machine. An attachment control device includes an ignition switch and a stop switch and allows a user to operate the attachment from outside the operator compartment of the power machine, when the power machine is started from the attachment control device.Type: GrantFiled: August 7, 1998Date of Patent: February 29, 2000Assignee: Clark Equipment CompanyInventors: Scott R. Rossow, Kenneth A. Brandt, Wally L. Kaczmarski, Paul A. Anderson
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Patent number: 6026946Abstract: A parking meter contains both optical detection elements, to detect the presence and the diameter of inserted coins, and conventional coils which are inductively coupled to a passing coin and which load a RF oscillator. The optical detection information is used to control the sampling of the frequency of the oscillators which are loaded by the metal in the falling coins. This provides a synergistic way to combine optical detection with electromagnetic detection to achieve compact recognition templates which readily perform difficult discrimination. Addition of a temperature compensation algorithm makes the resulting system extraordinarily insensitive to temperature-dependent variation in the permeability of a falling coin.Type: GrantFiled: March 9, 1998Date of Patent: February 22, 2000Assignee: POM, Inc.Inventor: Richard E. McCarty, Jr.
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Patent number: 6021882Abstract: A token for use with a token operated device includes a plurality of predetermined optical characteristics. The plurality of predetermined optical characteristics are disposed in a substantially radially symmetrical manner with respect to the token, and each of the optical characteristics have the property of a facet wherein an effective surface normal of said facet is a line along a predetermined vector angle with an elevational angle ranging preferably between 30.degree. and 60.degree.. An azimuthal angle of the facet surface is other than substantially along a radial line of the token or substantially along a line tangent to an annular ring centered on the token such that a token operated device can validate the predetermined optical characteristics substantially independent of token orientation.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 1998Date of Patent: February 8, 2000Assignee: IDX, Inc.Inventors: Scott Juds, Dave Dauterman
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Patent number: 6019209Abstract: A medium or bill reserving apparatus of the invention receives and reserves at least one individually transferred medium or bill, and discharges the reserved media in a batch. The apparatus is formed of an accumulating wheel having an outer surface and a groove portion opened in the outer surface to receive a tip of the medium for holding. The accumulating wheel is rotated from a medium standby position to a medium release position. A clamper is formed in the accumulating wheel to clamp the tip of the medium introduced into the groove portion and to release the medium at the medium release position, and a medium-accumulating section is formed outside the accumulating wheel for accumulating the medium released at the medium-release position.Type: GrantFiled: April 2, 1998Date of Patent: February 1, 2000Assignee: Fuji Electric Co., Ltd.Inventors: Toshio Hara, Hiroharu Yamamoto, Isao Kidokoro, Mamoru Yamagata, Katumi Ooe, Tetuji Kawasaki, Kazuya Nakayama, Yukihiro Takano, Tatuhiko Sonehara, Takanori Yamada
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Patent number: 6019208Abstract: A device for validating the authenticity of a document uses changes in capacitance due to the presence of an electrically conductive security thread extending across the document. The device uses a drive arrangement for moving of a document such as a bank note, past a sensing arrangement which senses changes in capacitance due to movement of a security thread therepast. A frequency generator produces a high frequency time varying oscillator signal and provides this signal to an elongate oscillator electrode extending across the path of movement. A lead elongate measuring electrode is electrically conductive and positioned in front of the oscillator electrode and extends across said path and a trailing elongate measuring electrode is positioned behind the oscillator electrode and extends across the path. The signals from the measuring and the oscillator electrode are provided to a signal processing arrangement.Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 1997Date of Patent: February 1, 2000Assignee: Cashcode Company Inc.Inventor: Barchuk Vladymir
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Patent number: 6019207Abstract: The invention describes an improved currency handling machine for use with a vending machine cabinet having at least one access door, said currency handling machine comprises a combination of: 1. a currency funnel mounted on the access door, 2. a frame mounted for rotation about an axis in spaced relationship to the access door, 3. a currency acceptor mounted on the rotating frame, 4. a currency stacker mounted on the rotating frame and mounted in currency receiving relationship to the currency acceptor, and 5. locking means to align an input lip of the currency acceptor with an output lip of the currency funnel to maintain a predetermined alignment and predetermined gap between the currency funnel and the currency acceptor when the access door is closed.Type: GrantFiled: November 13, 1997Date of Patent: February 1, 2000Inventor: Joseph W. Cole
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Patent number: 6012564Abstract: A paper processing apparatus has a conveyance unit for conveying a paper at a conveyance velocity according to an operation mode, and a discriminating unit adapted to vary a discrimination processing for the paper in accordance with the conveyance velocity.Type: GrantFiled: April 15, 1998Date of Patent: January 11, 2000Assignee: Fujitsu LimitedInventor: Masanori Mukai
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Patent number: 6004200Abstract: A coin bag spout assembly (25) includes a clip member (26) having an open side and a tubular spout member (27) which pivots through the open side of the clip member (26) for easy removal of filled coin bags.Type: GrantFiled: December 1, 1997Date of Patent: December 21, 1999Assignee: Brandt, Inc.Inventors: Kenneth G. Ebenhoch, Joseph P. Hanus
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Patent number: 6003652Abstract: A money receiving-paying machine of an integral structure includes a thin compact circulation type bill receiving-paying process portion and a thin compact circulation type coin receiving-paying process portion aligned side by side. The circulation type bill receiving-paying process portion includes a circulation type bill housing portion for sequentially housing bills regardless of their denominations, and a returning-bill transferring path for returning a bill to the circulation type bill housing portion by a first changeover gate when a bill has been identified as not necessary even if the bill is discharged in circulation. The bills are transferred in a bill short-side direction. The circulation type bill receiving-paying process portion includes rotation type coin receiving cylinders according to denominations positioned in an inclined bill or substantially horizontal state, so that upright coins can be housed therein in an orderly stacked state.Type: GrantFiled: December 30, 1997Date of Patent: December 21, 1999Assignee: Fuji Electric Co., Ltd.Inventors: Susumu Murata, Tetsuji Kawasaki, Toshinori Henmi
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Patent number: 6003651Abstract: A gaming device is provided with detectors configured to substantially reduce the potential for unauthorized manipulation of a coin output system. A pair of detectors can be used to output an error signal when the sequence or timing of detector blockages departs from that which would be expected from normal coin movement. A second optical detector is configured to provide a signal used to output an error signal when the second detector detects radiation or light during a time that a first detector is also detecting light from a paired radiation source. An error signal is preferably output when an optical detector is blocked for a period of time which exceeds a maximum blockage threshold, and preferably the threshold may be dynamically adjusted.Type: GrantFiled: November 13, 1997Date of Patent: December 21, 1999Assignee: International Game TechnologyInventors: Daniel J. Waller, Joseph R. Hedrick, Ted M. Gail, Ben Elie Isaac
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Patent number: 6000520Abstract: A control circuit of a money-handling unit receives an input from a coin sensor, and detects whether liquid is present by detecting the occurrence of a false signal caused by liquid shorting the output of the sensor. Two different thresholds of conductivity can be used to detect whether liquid is present and to distinguish between high conductivity liquids and low conductivity liquids. The control circuit carries out different courses of action to respond to the liquid depending on the conductivity. Either a temporary or permanent shut down is selected.Type: GrantFiled: March 5, 1998Date of Patent: December 14, 1999Assignee: Mars, IncorporatedInventors: Stephen John Dillon, Andrew Mir
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Patent number: 6000521Abstract: An automatic vending machine having a bill input inlet disposed at a predetermined position of a front cabinet, a bill discriminating apparatus embedded inside of the front cabinet at an identical height level to the bill input inlet for discriminating the authenticity of a bill induced through the bill input inlet and for storing the bill, wherein the bill input inlet is constructed of an opening and closing structure, the inlet comprising: a door inducing member installed between upper side of the bill input inlet and the bill discriminating apparatus being connected to the front; a bill input inlet door disposed to slide toward the door inducing member; and a door control unit for opening the bill input inlet door by being hitched and stopped with the stopping pin for a predetermined time duration after the door is pushed up open and released and for closing the door as it falls down by its weight with the stopping pin being raised, thereby conveniently inserting a bill only by using one hand of a customerType: GrantFiled: April 24, 1998Date of Patent: December 14, 1999Assignee: Kwangju Electronics Co., Ltd.Inventor: Il-Du Jung
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Patent number: 5996765Abstract: A vending mechanism for a vending machine, including the steps of: if a user first selects an article by using an article selection panel after putting money into the vending machine, dispensing the user with the selected article; and if the user selects another article second by using the srticle selection panel and the remainder of the input money is more than the price of the second-selected article while supplying him or her with the first-selected article, dispensing him or her with the second-selected aritcle.Type: GrantFiled: November 20, 1997Date of Patent: December 7, 1999Assignee: Kwangju Electronics Co., Ltd.Inventor: Jeong-Pyo Ock
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Patent number: 5997395Abstract: A reduced-size coin sorter for sorting coins of mixed diameters is set forth. The sorter includes a coin-driving member and a coin-guiding member. The lower surface of the coin-guiding member forms a plurality of exit channels for guiding coins of different diameters to different exit stations along the periphery of the coin-guiding member. The coin sorter includes an integral base member which concentrically and circumferentially mounts both the rotatable disc and the sorting head. The unitary base member also provides a mounting structure for the electronics and the motor.Type: GrantFiled: March 17, 1998Date of Patent: December 7, 1999Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corp.Inventors: Joseph J. Geib, Scott D. Casanova, Bogdan Kowalczyk, Glenn C. Gray, Steven S. Kuhlin