Abstract: An electronic gift certificate dispenser device for printing and dispensing a gift certificate purchased by a credit card. A consumer approaches the device and inserts a credit card into a magnetic card reader. The consumer chooses a retailer from a menu of participating retailers and enters the gift certificate value. The machine automatically verifies the credit card, causes the account to be debited and prints the gift certificate. A plurality of gift certificate dispensing devices can be connected in a network under the control of a central processing unit. Information regarding gift certificate purchases is transferred from the devices to the central processing unit to be collated and billed to credit card accounts. The central processing unit also informs merchants of the purchase of gift certificates that will be redeemed at their stores.

Abstract: An automated purchasing control system which can be customized for a corporate customer. The system receives an authorization request over the phone lines from a remote point-of-sale terminal and processes the request using unique software. The software has a database customized to a corporate user to establish that company hierarchial structure. Elements of the hierarchial structure are independently reconfigurable, so that a company can specify different hierarchial relationships in the software for authorization, billing and reporting purposes. Different authorization tests can be established for each position in a hierarchy, with a particular position being required to pass not only its own test, but the test of elements higher in the hierarchial tree.

Abstract: A portable hand-held reader unit for reading two-dimensional information and generating an image therefrom wherein an optical axis of the reader is oriented obliquely to the surface containing the coded information. The reader includes a sensing system designed such that the rectilinear dimension of the generated image corresponding to an axis of the coded information undergoing the most distortion from oblique reading is magnified, by the lens system or the resolution configuration of the image sensor, to a greater extent than that of the rectilinear dimension undergoing the least distortion from oblique reading. Alternatively, the sensor is oriented relative to the optical axis such that the received image does not exhibit the distortion which may result from oblique reading. The coded information may contain height-to-width ratio of the coded information such that the generated image can be automatically corrected for distortion from oblique reading.

Abstract: A multi-focus optical sensing device for use in bar code scanners, photoelectric sensors and the like is disclosed. To extend the range of detection along the optical axis, without increasing the detection time, the focal point of the light beam is caused to move along the optical axis. A control and modulation circuit varies a current I.sub.f which drives an optical semiconductor serving as a light source. This changes the focal distance of a refraction lattice and so causes the focal position of the light beam emitted by light source to scan along the optical axis. This scan is repeated each time a polygonal mirror scans the light beam over the narrowest width 1/n (where n is an integer) of the bar code lines. A processing unit samples and processes the signal from a photodetector unit while the light beam is being scanned along the optical axis.

Abstract: An electronic business card system provides a compact and portable system to read and store business card data from business cards having computer readable data stored on computer readable storage media on the business cards. The electronic business card system utilizes a reader coupled to a computer control system. The electronic business card system also provides organization and manipulation capabilities for the business card data accept by the electronic business card system.

Abstract: The improved user interface for a mail processing machine includes a barcode reader and an associated chart having barcodes which are readable by the barcode reader. The barcodes are respectively associated with commands, characters, and accounts such that messages may be constructed by reading selected barcodes from the chart for inputting commands and data into the mail processing machine. The barcode messages are converted into machine commands and data inputs for operation of the machine. Barcode information may also be supplied with batches of mail for ease of entry of pertinent control data for the batch.

Abstract: An encoder of magnetic credit cards and the like includes a slot for the movement of a medium therealong where the slot is wider than the thickness of the medium. Cosequently, the medium may tilt with respect to the planes of the side walls defining the slot. Such an encoder includes a timing wheel which ensures proper encoding of data on the medium even if the medium tilts with respect to the planes of the side walls. To this end, an encoder herein includes a suspension for the timing wheel which permits the wheel to tilt to conform to any tilt assumed by a medium advancing in the slot. A leaf spring of unique design permits the requisite tilt to be realized and has been found to have surprising strength so as to permit the suspension of not only the timing wheel but also a printed circuit board to which the timing wheel may be mounted.

Abstract: A bar code scanning system such as for use in retail checkout in which the scanning system has a conveyor defining a first surface and a second surface disposed adjacent the first surface and arranged generally orthogonally thereto forming a scan volume therebetween; sets of pattern mirrors positioned adjacent the respective surfaces; and one or more laser beam sources associated with a rotating mirror polygon for producing scan patterns which are routed to the pattern mirrors and out through the respective surfaces into the scan volume.

Abstract: The media labeling system makes use of human-readable and machine-readable label indicia to automatically identify of the media type contained within each of a plurality of data storage elements that have a substantially uniform external form factor. The machine-readable indicia includes a standard 3-of-9 bar code in addition to a unique bar and space code to provide error detection for damaged or partially obliterated labels, and to help low resolution bar code interpreters to distinguish the media type label from other label indicia present on the data storage element.

Abstract: A system and method of printing a document and encoding information in a magnetic strip on the document wherein all the information to be printed and encoded is received from a single information source by the printer of the system. The document is printed with machine readable codes on a form having a magnetic strip. The printed codes are read by the system and used to magnetically encode information in the magnetic strip on the document. A system embodying the invention may also include a slitter for separating a printed and magnetically encoded document into sections, and a binder to bind plural documents or sections.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for decoding profiles which fail to resolve narrow elements in multi-width symbols, first begins by identifying which elements in the profile are resolved. Second, the distances between the centers of the resolved elements are determined. Third, closure boundaries are determined, and the widths of resolved elements are determined at the closure boundary. The type of resolved element is determined based on its measured width. Thereafter, a unit distance is determined for 1-wide narrow elements unresolved in the profile. Based on the unit distance and the width of two adjacent resolved elements, a matrix is constructed for determining the number of narrow elements unresolved between two resolved elements. Based on the measured center distances, the resolved element widths and the matrix, all of the unresolved narrow elements are identified in the profile and the profile is subsequently decoded.

Abstract: An optical scanner module for directing a light beam to scan an optically encoded symbol includes an optical element mounted for oscillatory motion to scan the light beam in one direction by a flex element capable of torsional flexure. This oscillatory motion is induced by the interacting magnetic fields established by a permanent magnet mounted to the flex element and an electromagnetic coil driven by an AC current. Bidirectional light beam scanning is achieved by mounting an assembly of the flex element, optical element and permanent magnet to one or more additional flex elements for oscillatory motion to scan the light beam in a second direction. This oscillatory motion is induced by the inclusion of an additional permanent magnet and/or electromagnetic coil.

Abstract: A non-scanning type optical reading apparatus for reading patterns such as a bar code. The optical reading apparatus comprises an imaging lens for imaging a bar code as a pattern to be read, a CCD line sensor for reading the information of the image of the pattern, and a light damping mirror and/or filter that is provided between the pattern and the CCD line sensor. The central part of the light damping mirror filter is denser than the periphery to achieve a uniform distribution of light on the sensor. According to one embodiment, the filter is a bandpass filter.

Abstract: Disclosed is a fully automatic bar code symbol reading system having an hand-supportable laser bar code reading device. The system has a number of operative states including, an object detection state, bar code presence detection state and a bar code symbol decoding state. During bar code symbol presence detection state, the visible laser scanning beam produced from the hand-supportable device flickers at a rate which improves the visual conspicuousness of the laser scanning beam in the scan field. The flicker characteristics of the laser scanning beam makes it substantially easier for the user to visually align the laser scanning beam with the bar code symbol on the detected object. Consequently, reading bar code symbols is made substantially easier using the automatic laser bar code symbol reading device of the present invention.

Abstract: A filing system is provided for locating a particular file contained in a file holder which contains a plurality of files. The apparatus includes a machine-readable code mounted on each of the files, a guide attached to each file holder, a scanner for reading the codes on the files in a file holder, and an indicator for indicating when the particular machine-readable code corresponding to the particular file is located. The apparatus uses an improved bar code in which character boundaries are eliminated and the numbers of ONE's and ZERO's in a code are variable, resulting in increased data density. The unique numeric values which result from the improved bar code sparsely populate the possible range of values, and therefore a mapping algorithm is provided to map the bar code values to a sequential numeric system for case of use.

Abstract: A bar code disabling system for disabling a bar code to prevent reading of the bar code. The purpose of disabling the bar code is so that the bar code cannot be used to direct containers to the wrong locations when the bar codes are utilized for optical scanning and sorting.

Abstract: A card reader maintenance system includes a card reader and a maintenance apparatus.

Abstract: A multiple depth of field optical scanner which produces a plurality of scan beams having different focal distances. The optical scanner includes a laser beam having a centerline, a mirrored spinner having a plurality of facets with different curvatures, a detector, and a microcontroller. The optical scanner may additionally include a deflector mirror for changing the direction of the laser beam, collecting optics for equalizing the optical coupling of the reflected light across the field of view of the facets, a distance selection circuit for instructing the microcontroller within the scanner to decode bar code information from a predetermined range of focal distances and an amplification circuit for amplifying the electrical signals from the detector enough to produce other electrical signals having substantially equal amplitudes. The microcontroller may also include the feature of reducing laser power when the scan beams focus more than a predetermined distance from the centerline of the laser beam.

Abstract: The optical scanning head comprises two or more LEDs which are oriented to emit light at different angles so that a fan of light is created. A "dark room" encloses the LEDs, a lens assembly, and the spacing between the lens assembly and the detector, a linear CCD array. The portion of the dark room that extends between the lens assembly and the detector has a plurality of baffles formed therein to capture scattered light, preventing this scattered light from becoming noise at the detector. The lens assembly includes, along with a plurality of focusing lenses, a combination of a generally elliptical aperture, or "cat's eye, and a rectangular obscuration. The combination prevents the central lobe of the Airy disk generated by the incoming light from being transmitted to the detector. This results in the incoming information being carried in the outer lobes or rings, increasing the angular separation of the lines of the bar code.

Abstract: A magnetic medium processing apparatus includes a magnetism reading head for reading magnetic data recorded in a ticket, a peak value detector for detecting peak values of a signal output from the reading head, and a display for displaying the digital peak values detected by the peak value detector. Monitoring the state of reading by the reading head prevents unstable reading of magnetic data irrespective of whether the reading head is worn out.