Patents Examined by Jeffrey A. Shapiro
  • Patent number: 8776980
    Abstract: A bill processing machine according to the present invention includes a control portion that controls a pair of first and second sensor units. The control portion performs: a first process in which first and second reflected lights of one face of a bill are detected sequentially by first and second reflection sensors of the first sensor unit, respectively; a second process in which third and fourth reflected light of an other face of the bill are detected sequentially by first and second reflection sensors of the second sensor unit, respectively; and a third process in which first and second transmitted lights in one direction of the bill are detected by the first and second reflection sensors of the first sensor unit, respectively, and third and fourth transmitted lights in an other direction of the bill is detected by the first and second reflection sensor of the second sensor unit, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Laurel Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Eiji Nagami, Noriaki Kitagaki
  • Patent number: 8774962
    Abstract: An automated method for dispensing pharmaceuticals particularly tablets and capsules, and other small discrete objects, includes: receiving prescription information, selecting a container, labeling the container, dispensing the tablets or capsules into the labeled container, applying a closure to the filled, labeled container, and offloading the container to a designated location. Preferably, the tablets are dispensed with high speed dispensing bins that employ forced air to agitate and singulate the tablets. The other functions within the system are typically carried out at stations designed to offer speed, flexibility and precision to the dispensing operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Parata Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey P. Williams, Richard Michelli, Jasper Pollard, Simon Kelly, David Newcomb, Jess Eberdt, Pete Klein
  • Patent number: 8763779
    Abstract: A bill processing apparatus comprises a bill housing part capable of housing a bill therein and a bill conveyance mechanism that conveys the bill to the bill housing part. And in the bill processing apparatus, the bill housing part comprises a receiving port that accepts the bill conveyed by the bill conveyance mechanism and conveyor members which are capable of contacting the bill conveyed-in from the receiving port, and are driven along a conveying-in direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Universal Entertainment Corporation
    Inventor: Takao Nireki
  • Patent number: 8757348
    Abstract: A paper money input and output device includes a money input unit to which paper money is paid in, a money output unit which releases paper money to the exterior of the device, a plurality of recirculation cases which, along with storing paper money, also output stored paper money to the money output unit, a collection case which can store paper money from the money input unit or the plurality of recirculation cases, and a rejected-for-payout case which stores money which has been paid out from the recirculation cases and which has been rejected for outpayment; and, along with these units being arranged so that the thickness direction of the paper money which they receive is in the same direction, and along with them being provided in a stacked state in that direction, on one side only of a direction which is orthogonal with respect to the direction along which the money input unit, the money output unit, the collection case, the rejected-for-payout case, and the recirculation cases are provided in a stacked
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Laurel Precision Machines Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Eiichi Yoshikawa, Keiji Sakai
  • Patent number: 8762035
    Abstract: System and method for traffic mapping service are disclosed for allowing plurality of users having each a navigation device to transmit their locations to a server and optionally to signal to the server their requested destination. The system and method are further capable of calculating traffic parameters such as current traffic speed at a given road based on the momentary locations of the users. The system and method of the invention may also calculate and advise the users of preferred roads to take in order to arrive at the requested location with minimum delay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Waze Mobile Ltd.
    Inventors: Uri Levine, Amir Shinar, Ehud Shabtai
  • Patent number: 8757391
    Abstract: A garbage separation and recovery machine for beach cleaning that has mobility and can perform a garbage separation and recovery work according to the situation is provided. The garbage separation and recovery machine has a drum type sieve body (54) that is freely rotatably secured to a vehicle body frame (51) towed by a vehicle, a driving gear (92) that is freely rotatably supported by the vehicle body frame (51) and secured to an axle (52) to which right and left wheels are secured, and a mechanism portion (91) for transmitting the driving force of the driving gear (92) to the drum type sieve body (54). The mechanism portion (91) has a gear switching mechanism (95) for performing a switching operation between an automatic rotation mode in which the drum type sieve body (54) is rotated by the rotational force of the wheels (53) and a manual rotation mode in which the drum type sieve body (54) is released from the rotational force of the wheel (53) and allowed to be manually freely rotatable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Kiyono, Jun Nakajima, Tatsuo Masuda, Yasuji Hashimoto, Takanori Okuma, Tatsuhiko Asano, Tomohiro Nishida, Masato Nakata, Hiroyuki Uchida
  • Patent number: 8760296
    Abstract: Systems and associated methods for monitoring and/or controlling access to interior portions of consumer-operated kiosks and other enclosures are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a consumer-operated kiosk includes an enclosure having a door movable between a closed position that prevents access to the enclosure and an open position that permits access to the enclosure. In this embodiment, an identifier, such as an RFID transponder or tag, is mounted to one of the enclosure or the door, and a reader, such as an RFID reader, is mounted to the other of the enclosure or the door. When the door is closed, the reader detects the identifier. Conversely, when the door moves away form the closed position, the reader ceases to detect the identifier and can generate/send a signal indicating that the door is open.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Outerwall Inc.
    Inventor: Douglas A. Martin
  • Patent number: 8751132
    Abstract: A method for ascertaining a wheel reference speed of a wheel of a vehicle having a hydrostatic drive which uses a transfer medium, the hydrostatic drive acting at least on the one wheel, and the hydrostatic drive having an oscillating motor which may be swiveled to a pumping mode via which a torque may be applied to the wheel, and a wheel speed sensor for detecting the particular wheel speed being situated near the wheel, and the oscillating motor being appropriately adjusted while the wheel speed sensor ascertains the wheel reference speed in order to allow resistance-free flow of the transfer medium through the oscillating motor. The exemplary embodiments and/or exemplary methods of the present invention further relates to a device having arrangements for carrying out the method, and configured as a hydraulic drive control unit, for example.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Martin Grepl
  • Patent number: 8751123
    Abstract: A control device for a transmission including a clutch driven by an actuator mechanism, such as a motor, is provided. The control device controls the actuator so that the rider does not perceive generation of a braking force when the clutch is shifted from a disengaged state to an engaged state while traveling, thereby enhancing riding comfort. In performing the control to actuate a clutch from a disengaged state to an engaged state, the control device makes a determination about whether or not to restrict engagement of the clutch based on information about a rotational speed on an upstream side of the clutch and information about a rotational speed on a downstream side of the clutch. If it is determined that engagement of the clutch is to be restricted, the control device delays engagement of the clutch until the engine speed is increased to an acceptable level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toru Zenno
  • Patent number: 8748769
    Abstract: A divert assembly is described for a mailpiece sorter operative to sort mailpieces into one of a plurality of sortation bins. The divert assembly comprising a re-direct mechanism for selectively re-directing mailpieces travelling along a feed path into the sortation bin and causing each selected mailpiece to be re-directed at an angle relative to the stack of mailpieces to be accumulated in the sortation bin. The divert assembly also including a stacking assembly including a Leading Edge (LE) urge roller, a support blade, and a Trailing Edge (TE) alignment device. The LE urge roller accepts and urges each of the selected mailpieces toward a sidewall of the sortation bin while the support blade holds each of the selected mailpieces between the urge roller and the support blade and in an on-edge parallel relationship relative thereto. The support blade is moveably mounted relative to the LE urge roller to allow the accumulation of additional mailpieces between the LE urge roller and the support blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc.
    Inventors: Robert J. Allen, Thomas M. Lyga, David Purcell, Brad A. Swinford
  • Patent number: 8747194
    Abstract: A device for singularising coins of different sizes and thickness with a housing which comprises an obliquely inclined base plate is suggested. A catch element for catching and conveying coins to a further processing is rotatably arranged above the base plate. The coins are randomly present at least in the lower region of the base plate on which a collection container is fastened. A flap is arranged in the base plate, which opens and closes synchronously with the driven coin catch element for leading a caught coin further.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Walter Hanke Mechanische Werkstätten GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Hugo Girrbach, Roland Griese, Christian Trenner
  • Patent number: 8746433
    Abstract: A document handler is provided which comprises a connector 4 made up of cam guides 5 and followers 6 detachably connected to cam guides 5 to detachably attach a validator 2 to a frame 1 in document handler. Cam guides 5 are formed on a pair of side walls 41 of frame 1, and followers 6 are formed on a pair of side walls 51 of validator 2. Each cam guide 5 comprises a distal path 10 for guiding movement of follower 6 to transport validator 2 in a spaced relation to bracket 7, and an access path 11 for guiding follower 6 passed through distal path 10 to bring validator 2 to the fixed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Japan Cash Machine Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Toru Seki
  • Patent number: 8739955
    Abstract: Systems and associated methods for coin discrimination are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a method for discriminating coins includes obtaining an electromagnetic sensor signal of a coin, sampling the sensor signal, generating a fingerprint of the coin from the sampled sensor signal, and calculating an appraisal using the fingerprint and a linear discriminant vector. The appraisal can be compared to a threshold to determine whether the coin is valued or impostor. In some embodiments, the linear discriminant vector can be calculated using the valued and impostor coin populations' covariance and means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Outerwall Inc.
    Inventor: Daniel D. Everhart
  • Patent number: 8744735
    Abstract: An embodiment provides a traffic information generating method for generating traffic information about a road on which a vehicle travels. A vehicle speed is detected by a vehicle speed sensor at predetermined distance or time intervals. By referring to a prescribed speed, a prescribed distance, and a link determination distance, a congestion degree associated with the vehicle speed is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Aisin AW Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshio Inoguchi, Tomoyuki Zaitsu, Shinichi Yamada, Kazutaka Yoshikawa
  • Patent number: 8734208
    Abstract: A coin-separating and feeding device receives coins of different dimensions, sorts them in a sorting recess positioned on a rotating disk. A moving member is positioned within a sorting recess groove and reciprocates linearly between a sorting position for receiving a coin and a pushing-out position to feed for subsequent processing. The bulk coins are stored in a container that houses the rotating disk and an arc-shaped restrictor can surround an outer periphery of at least a portion of the rotating disk to maintain the separated coin within the sorting recess. A driving device comprising a ring shaped cam is fixedly arranged relative to the rotating disk and a pair of can followers mounted on the moving member can control the speed of the mover member including accelerating and decelerating the speed from a push-out position to a coin receiving position within the sorting recess.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Asahi Seiko Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroshi Abe, Masayoshi Umeda
  • Patent number: 8727094
    Abstract: A coin separator and rejector apparatus that will electronically release and return jammed coins, tokens, slugs and the like is disclosed. A coin separator and rejector body is described having one or more downwardly inclined coin races formed therein. The rejector body has an upstream portion and a downstream portion. The coin races further comprise a first wall and a second wall wherein at least a portion of one of the race walls is pivotally connected with the rejector body. A first sensor is located in the upstream portion of the rejector body and a second sensor located in said downstream portion of said rejector body. An actuator is in mechanical connection with the pivotal portion of the race wall. A processor is in electrical communication with the sensors and with said actuator. A coin in an upstream portion of a coin separator and rejector is detected by the first sensor and sends a signal to the processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Imonex Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Philemon L. Bruner, Kurt D. Regenbrecht, Gary L. Mee
  • Patent number: 8727691
    Abstract: A charging device for a shaft furnace, in particular for a blast furnace and a cooperating distribution chute are proposed, where the distribution chute has an elongated chute body providing a sliding channel for bulk material and two chute-mounting members attached laterally to either side of the chute body for mounting the distribution chute to the charging device, the charging device including a mechanism for rotating the distribution chute, the mechanism having a rotatable support rotor with two suspension flanges cooperating with the chute-mounting members of the distribution chute for mounting the distribution chute, where each chute-mounting member of the chute includes a hook-shaped portion that forms a suspension hook for mounting the distribution chute to the suspension flanges, each suspension flange in turn has a support configured for engagement with the hook-shaped portion of the chute along a hook engagement direction, and furthermore, each chute-mounting member includes an abutment portion tha
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Paul Wurth S.A.
    Inventors: Bruno Flora, Jeff Vandivinit, Claude Thinnes
  • Patent number: 8720665
    Abstract: In a coin feeding machine 26 which uses a rotary disk 41 rotated at an inclined posture, a removal projection 59 for removing a smaller diameter coin is provided between a feeding projection 52 and a coin support portion 53 which are provided on a surface 41a of the rotary disk 41. The removal projection 59 is disposed to be positioned on the slightly outer side of the outer edge of a coin C when the coin C whose diameter is a lower limit value of a handling target range is brought into contact with the feeding projection 52 and the coin support portion 53. The side surface of the removal projection 59 is inclined relative to the surface of the rotary disk 41. When the coin is brought onto the inclined surface of this removal projection 59, the coin drops away from the surface 41a of the rotary disk 41. A coin C1 which is smaller than the lower limit value of the handling target range is brought onto the removal projection 59, so as to be dropped from the surface 41a of the rotary disk 41 and removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Glory Ltd.
    Inventor: Masashi Itou
  • Patent number: 8720664
    Abstract: In one aspect, a validation apparatus comprises a light source capable of emitting a broadband spectrum of light for illuminating an item of currency. The validation apparatus also includes a receiver configured to receive light emitted from the light source. In another aspect, the validation apparatus also includes a transportation unit configured to transport the item of currency within the validation apparatus. In a further aspect, the validation apparatus also includes a processor configured to reconstruct a spectral response of the item of current. In this design, the light received by the receiver comprises at least a portion of light reflected by or transmitted through the item of currency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: MEI, Inc.
    Inventors: Fatiha Anouar, Gaston Baudat
  • Patent number: 8725394
    Abstract: A speed limit assistant (SLA) system includes a camera based SLA, a map based SLA, and a fusion unit. The camera based SLA is configured to determine a first set of probabilities for an input image, wherein the probabilities indicate how likely the image includes a discrete set of speed limit signs. The map based SLA is configured to determine a second set of probabilities for an input coordinate, wherein the probabilities indicate how likely the coordinate is to correspond to one of a discrete set of speed limits. The fusion unit is configured to perform a Bayesian fusion on the first and second set of probabilities to determine a final speed limit from the discrete set of speed limits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignees: Siemens Corporation, Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Claus Bahlmann, Martin Pellkofer, Jan Giebel, Gregory Baratoff