Abstract: A device located in a vehicle for the registration of fees. It includes an activation unit for remote communications, a time counter, a sensor for sensing the traveling status of the vehicle from travel to immobility, a maneuvering unit for starting and stopping the registration of the parking time, a registration unit for the vehicle fees and preferably a signal unit for indication of whether the vehicle fees are registered. The time counter is arranged to register cost in dependence on time partly during periods when the sensor indicates movement in the vehicle and partly when the maneuvering unit indicates parking position of the vehicle, where no fee registration occurs when the sensor indicates that the vehicle is running and the maneuvering unit is not set on parking position. The sensor is an accelerometer.

Abstract: A bar code scanner for reading a bar code tag includes a collection optical system, a two dimensional array of detectors, rotating means for imparting rotational movement to the array and displacement means for varying the position of one of the collection optical system and the array along an optical axis of the collection optical system.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus means (102,104) for detecting an attempted fraudulent use of an intergrated circuit card. The invention is characterized by a card invalidation mechanism operable to render the card permanently non-usable in response to the detection of the attempted fraudulent use.

Abstract: An outdoor satellite broadcast receiving converter including a waveguide into which a broadcast electric wave enters and in which the broadcast electric wave travels in an axial direction as a first linearly polarized wave and a second linearly polarized wave. A first probe is disposed at a predetermined position and extends perpendicular to the axial direction into the waveguide for detecting the first linearly polarized wave. A substrate is disposed in the waveguide approximately 1/4 wavelength from the first probe and arranged to extend across an open end of the waveguide. A first shorting terminal for reflecting the first linearly polarized wave is formed on a first side of the substrate, and a second probe for detecting the second linearly polarized wave is formed on an opposing second side of the substrate. A metallic case is connected over the open end of the waveguide such that the substrate is positioned between a closed bottom of the metallic case and the first probe.

Abstract: A bar code reader comprises: a laser for projecting light; a polygon mirror for scanning a bar code with light from the laser; a way-in window allowing the reflecting light from the bar code to pass therethrough; and a light receiving surface including a photo diode, for receiving the reflecting light through the way-in window and transforming the reflecting light into an electrical signal, wherein the light receiving surface is formed to take a rectangle corresponding to a shape and a size of the way-in window, the light receiving surface is placed apart from the way-in window, while facing the way-in window, and no condenser lens is provided between the light receiving surface and the way-in window.

Abstract: A microfilm reader, which includes a bar code scanner, a controller, and a keyboard, receives microfilm containing documents and corresponding bar code symbols. Each bar code symbol contains data describing the contents of a respective document. The bar code scanner reads the bar code symbols located on the microfilm and transmits data representing the read bar code symbols to the controller. The controller determines whether the data received from the bar code scanner satisfies search criteria entered into the keyboard.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a chip card reader with a housing, a guide track built into the housing for receiving a chip card as well as a contact carrier on the side of the housing, the contacts thereof being able to contact corresponding contacts of the chip card in the read position of the chip card in the housing.

Abstract: A wave reflecting dish is constructed to provide a one piece unit having a hollow, watertight region between a first external surface having a paraboloidal contour and a second external surface which includes a base. Heater elements are positioned in the hollow region on a surface opposite the first external surface. Insulating material cover the heater elements and the hollow region is filled with a foam material. Snow, ice, and water drainage from the first surface is provided through a hole which extends through the unit from the first surface to the second surface. Provisions for mounting wave emitting and receiving apparatus are provided within the first surface. Attachment pads for mounting the dish on an external structure are provided on the base.

Abstract: A folded crossed grid dipole antenna element includes one or more partially or fully conductive areas in the antenna element. The conductive areas are defined by a group of conductors of the antenna element. In a further configuration, upper and lower tiers of a conventional antenna element are essentially switched and a transmission feed line is provided to the upper tier via an opening in the lower tier.

Abstract: An antenna is orientable, directional and capable of use as a transmit and/or receive antenna. It includes at least one reflector, at least one source of electromagnetic radiation including means for exciting the source with two orthogonal linear polarizations and a mechanical system for positioning and holding the source and the reflector. The orientation of the antenna is made up of depointing and rotation about a preferred direction of propagation of the radiation and the mechanical system enables such rotation while keeping the source fixed, so conserving the orientation of the orthogonal linear polarization. A preferred embodiment of the antenna includes a parabolic main reflector and a hyperbolic auxiliary reflector in a Cassegrain geometry, and the mechanical system enables rotation of both reflectors about the preferred direction of radiation and holds the source fixed to conserve the orthogonal linear polarization axes of the beam.

Abstract: A fully automatic bar code symbol reading system having an automatic (i.e., triggerless) portable bar code symbol reading device with an omnidirectional projection laser scanning engine mounted within the head portion of its hand-supportable housing, and an associated base unit positioned within the data transmission range without a physical wiring connection. The hand-supportable bar code symbol reading device produces a narrowly confined scanning volume for omnidirectional scanning of the code symbols presented, while preventing unintentional scanning of code symbols on nearby objects located outside the scaning volume.

Abstract: A portable hand held bar code dataform reader is disclosed. The reader includes a main body portion configured to be held in an operator's hand and a bar code reader module portion rotatably secured to the main body portion. The bar code reader module portion is selectively rotated by the operator to facilitate reading bar code dataforms which are at varying orientations and heights with respect to the operator. An actuation switch is located on a surface facing the operator and is position to be actuated by the thumb of the hand holding the reader.

Abstract: An IC card includes a first auxiliary read-only memory containing identification data and a second auxiliary read/write memory. Under control of a host system, a write operation is performed into both the first and second auxiliary memories and only the data in the second auxiliary memory is updated. The host system reads the data from each of the first and second auxiliary memories and a data matching block in the host system checks each of the data against the data in a memory in the host system. Access to the main memory of the IC card is authorized only when the checking results in a match.

Abstract: An IC card for credit transactions and a credit transactions apparatus and method using the IC card are provided. In an IC card for credit transactions includes a data memory portion and a controlling portion for reading out or recording data in the data memory portion, the data memory portion includes a user information area for recording information on the identification of a user, a transaction limit information area for recording information on the off-line transaction limit of the user, and a transaction particulars information area being divided into a plurality of sub-areas and for recording information on the transaction particulars of the user.

Abstract: In an aerial arrangement with a monopole aerial having a radiator and a counterweight, in which the radiator and the counterweight are each connected at opposite feed points to one conductor of a lead, a largely circular azimuthal pattern is obtained while avoiding the irradiation of the vehicle passenger compartment by using at least two parallel-connected monopole aerials interconnected via a line transformer.

Abstract: An optical scanning system for reading indicia of differing light reflectivity has an optical scan module which is adapted to be mounted on a finger of a user. A first peripheral module, preferably in the form of a wrist watch, has a receiver which detects the reflected light. A second peripheral module, mounted on the other arm of the user, communicates with the first module by radio frequency transmission. According to other aspects of the invention, the light detector may be mounted in a housing which is separate and part from the optical scan module. According to another aspect, a laser pointer or scanner is mounted to a ring which is arranged to be worn on a single finger of the user.

Abstract: A portable data collection device. The device includes an imaging assembly including a two dimensional (2D) photosensor array. The imaging assembly is selectively actuatable with a first trigger for reading a target dataform in the imaging assembly's target area and actuatable with a second trigger for capturing a color image of the target object in the target area. The imaging assembly further includes compression circuitry for compressing digital data representative of the target area when the imaging assembly is actuated to capture an image of the target area. The device also includes a viewing assembly to aid an operator in aiming and positioning the device with respect to a target dataform or target object. In one embodiment of the viewing assembly, a liquid crystal display screen is affixed to a pivoting member. When the viewing assembly is actuated an image of the target area is displaced on the display screen.

Abstract: A quadrifilar antenna is comprised of four radiators which, in the preferred embodiment, are etched onto a radiator portion of a microstrip substrate. The microstrip substrate is formed into a cylindrical shape such that the radiators are helically wound. Also etched onto the microstrip substrate is a feed network that provides 0.degree., 90.degree., 180.degree. and 270.degree. signals to the antenna radiators. The feed network utilizes a combination of one or more branch line couplers and one or more power dividers to accept an input signal from a transmitter and to provide therefrom the 0.degree., 90.degree., 180.degree. and 270.degree. signals needed to drive the antenna. For receive operations, the feed network utilizes these same components to receive the 0.degree., 90.degree., 180.degree. and 270.degree. signals from the antenna radiators and to provide a single output signal to a communications receiver.

Abstract: An encoded symbol reader for reading and decoding an image of an encoded symbol is capable of operating in three modes and has a CCD, a display, and a light source. In each mode, the reading of an encoded symbol is initiated by a trigger switch. In the first mode, the CCD, display and light source are continuously driven and remain in an ON state. In the second mode, the CCD, display and light source are turned OFF when a decoding operation is completed after the trigger switch is released. In the third mode, the CCD, display, light source are turned OFF after a predetermined period has elapsed after the decoding operation is completed and the trigger switch is released. While operating in the third mode, during the predetermined interval, the re-reading of another symbol can be immediately executed without having to wait for the components to warm up.

Abstract: An EPL having a two-dimensional (2-D) bar code reader which reads a two-dimensional bar code label on a back side of an overlay. The two-dimensional bar code label is situated adjacent the two-dimensional bar code reader when the overlay is installed. The two-dimensional bar code label may contain data for the item associated with the electronic price label or programming instructions for controlling the electronic price label. The two-dimensional bar code reader is activated by a switch only when necessary to read a new two-dimensional bar code label. The switch may be activated manually or remotely by a computer coupled to the electronic price label.