Abstract: An inventory and tracking system based on a labeling system is disclosed. Labels are provided for affixation to the product or product container. Each label includes, in addition to the standard information associated the product, a hologram associated with the product and a machine readable code. The machine readable code on each unit of product includes at least one set of unique machine readable identifiers that uniquely identifies each product unit. In addition, the hologram can include the trademark of the manufacturer or supplier, to permit the consumer to ascertain at a glance that the product originates from a source of known quality. The label on each unit is scanned before shipment and the destination of each unit of product is entered and stored.

Abstract: An identification system is provided for identifying a plurality of object-based transponders (14, 16, 18, 20) using an interrogator (10). The interrogator (10) includes a transmitter for transmitting an interrogation signal to the transponders, a receiver for receiving identification signals from the transponders, and processor means (21) for determining the individual and correct receipt of an identification signal. The transponders operate on the basis of backscatter modulation, and include a detector for detecting the presence of an interrupt signal from the interrogator. Control logic responsive to the detector is arranged to cease signal transmission from the transponder if the transponder completes transmission of the identification signal without receiving an interrupt signal during such transmission.

Abstract: A surface marking system for providing a surface with a reflective marking for inspection by a vision system. The surface marking system comprises at least one corner cube cavity formed in the surface to be marked, the at least one corner cube cavity comprises three substantially planar surfaces, each of the three substantially planar surfaces extending perpendicular to one another. The three substantially planar surfaces intersecting one another at a point common to all of the three substantially planar surfaces and a ridge is formed between each of the mating adjacent pairs of the three substantially planar surfaces. An impact tool with the desire geometry or etched art work is employed to form the corner cube cavities.

Abstract: An electronic payment system in which a buyer purchases a product by sending an electronic payment order to a seller is enhanced to provide product survey information. An additional entity, an evaluator, collects product survey information from buyers that have previously purchased products from the seller and provides product survey information to prospective buyers upon request. Various schemes are disclosed for allowing the evaluator to verify that a buyer providing product survey information has actually purchased the product from the seller. In one verification scheme, the buyer generates an authentication code as a one-way function of a randomly generated secret value and includes the authentication code in the payment order. When the buyer later provides survey information to the evaluator, it includes the secret value along with the survey information.

Abstract: An element which can be plugged into an electronic data processing (EDP) device, for receiving a user card which is equipped with components, including at least one of a processor and/or data memory, a frame having an exterior form, which is designed to accommodate the user card, a first interface for transferring data between the element and the EDP device, and a second interface formed by contacts on the user card and on the frame, for transferring data to and from the user card. The exterior form of the frame is that of a diskette so that it can be inserted into a diskette station of an EDP device. The first interface between the element and the EDP device is designed in a standard fashion, so that data can be transferred using a standard read/write device already present in the diskette station of the EDP device.

Abstract: A holographic laser scanning system comprising: a housing of compact construction; a plurality of laser beam sources; a holographic scanning disc supporting a plurality of holographic optical elements having fringe structure of variable spatial frequency; a plurality of laser beam folding mirrors disposed about the holographic scanning disc; a plurality of light focusing surfaces disposed below the holographic scanning disc; and a plurality of photodetectors disposed at the focal points of the light focusing surfaces. During laser beam scanning operations, each laser beam is transmitted through the outer edge portion of each holographic optical element at an angle of incidence substantially greater than twenty-three degrees relative to a normal vector drawn thereto, preferably forty-three degrees.

Abstract: The present invention utilizes photosensitive arrays for decoding optically readable portable data files. The invention accomplishes focusing, controlling image exposure, capturing data files, and processing information contained within optically readable portable data files.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a data processing and retrieval system for use in a self-checkout system utilized in a retail facility. A plurality of customers are provided with a portable data collecting terminal having a bar code reader. Once the data is collected using the portable terminal, a record of the session is uploaded to a customer's data file upon the entry of an authorization code. In the event errors occur during data entry or in the entry of the authorization codes, a customer service desk is provided which assists the customer in completing the transaction.

Abstract: A threshold gate with registration embedded in the threshold logic is disclosed. A go-to-NULL network and a go to-data network receives data input having an asserted state and a NULL state. A directive or acknowledge signal is received by the embedded registrations network. The directive signal indicates whether an asserted state or the NULL state is desired at the output signal line. A data processing network is coupled to the go-to-NULL network to provide an output signal based upon the go-to-NULL network, the go-to-data network and the registration network. The go-to-data network provides a network of switches that cause an asserted state at the output signal line when a number of the data inputs in the asserted state exceeds a predetermined threshold and the acknowledge signal is in the asserted state. The go-to-NULL network provides a network of switches that cause a NULL state at the output signal line when all of the data inputs are in the NULL state and the acknowledge signal is in the NULL state.

Abstract: A data carrier is shown having at least two integrated circuits disposed one on the other in the carrier in a partial area, at least one of the circuits being able to communicate with external devices via coupling elements. To make communication between the integrated circuits as simple as possible, the integrated circuits have communication units permitting communication between the circuits via a nongalvanic, contactless coupling.

Abstract: A bar code scanner includes aseparate transmitter and receiver, each being able to ultrasonically transmit and receive data, respectively. The receiver transmits an acknowledgement signal when a protocol is received, and sends the acknowledgement signal to the transmitter which, unless it receives the acknowledgement signal, will retransmit the protocol a predetermined number of times. The transmitter includes a receiver which monitors an ultrasonic frequency band for a time period in which transmission by the transmitter is not allowed. The time period corresponds to a time when another ultrasonic signal in the ultrasonic frequency band is detected by the receiver of the transmitter. Transmission by the transmitter is allowed as soon as the another ultrasonic signal is no longer detected by the receiver of the transmitter.

Abstract: The new bar code symbology under the present invention directly encodes one symbol character for each human readable character in known 16-bit data character encoding standards such as Unicode. The symbology employs six bars and six spaces for each symbol, and has a total width of 21 modules for each symbol character, and thus is a (21,6) symbology. Bars and spaces in symbol characters having greater than six modules in width are eliminated, as are bounding strings of more than six adjacent one-wide elements. As a result, the symbology is wand scannable, readily printable, and can be read when out-of-focus. Parity codes are employed, to enable Hamming distances between symbol characters to be maximized, and thereby improve data security of the symbology (e.g, the total width of all bars in each symbol character is equal to an even number). As a result, the present symbology preferably encodes 80,077 data characters.

Abstract: The invention is a method and apparatus for imprinting a microscopic code on a small surface, such as the edge of a magnetic disk, or the head used to read or write information to the disk and a magnetic disk imprinted with such microscopic identification codes. The invention provides a way to identify products using microscopic codes, such as bar codes, by using a laser to imprint such microscopic bar codes on a product. The identification meets the stringent cleanliness requirements of the computer industry without generating debris, and so is exceptionally suited for use in identifying hard disks and heads used in a disk drive.

Abstract: A parking fee system includes a parking fee register in which information is maintained on one or more vehicles known to the system for which payment is made for parking, a vehicle-specific identification device from which a vehicle code of a vehicle is machine readable, and a control device for automatically reading the vehicle code from the vehicle-specific identification device for transmitting a control request message containing the vehicle code to the parking fee register, and for receiving a control information message reporting on the payment or non-payment of the parking fee and for notifying a user of the device of the information included in the control information message.

Abstract: An automatic addfare machine of the present invention receives plural passenger tickets inserted by a user for the fare adjustment, calculates a total amount of addfare amounts of respective passenger tickets and displays it to the user. The fare adjustment process is executed based on cash or a money card inserted by the user and the displayed total amount. After the addfare processing, this automatic addfare machine issues fare adjustment tickets corresponding to the number of tickets inserted to the user after the fare adjustment process.

Abstract: An identification and information storage device, for attachment to an article to be identified, includes: a magneto-optical strip, formed on a substrate and attached to the article, which is adapted to store first information readable by the reflecting and modifying of the polarization state of a light beam directed thereon; and an optically detectable pattern portion including an optical bar code for storing second information relating to the identification of the article, wherein the magneto-optical strip is positioned in a known location relative to the optical bar code such that on visual identification of the bar code the location of the magneto-optical strip can be found.

Abstract: A bias current servo loop for a magneto-resistive recording head detects distortion in the read signal from the MR head, and adjusts the operating point for the head to minimize the distortion. The distortion is detected by monitoring the second harmonic of a digitized sample of the read signal. A running average of the digitized amplitude of the second harmonic is generated by a digital bandpass filter. The root mean square of the running average of the digitized amplitude of the second harmonic is estimated. The estimated RMS value is compared against a reference value indicative of minimum distortion and the difference between the estimated RMS value and the reference value is used to adjust the bias current.

Abstract: A card type input/output interface device includes a first connection part for transferring data between a main body of an electronic device and the card type input/output interface device, a second connection part which is coupled to the first connection part and transfers data between an external device and the card type input/output interface device, and a card supporting the first and second connection part. The first connection part is accommodated in the main body when the card type input/output interface device is inserted into a slot provided in the main body.