Abstract: A system for facilitating a financial transaction between a prospective transactor and a transactee has an identity and account verifying facility for verifying the identity of the prospective transactor and an account that the prospective transactor has with a financial institution, the identity and account verifying facility being operated by an independent verifier. The identity and account verifying facility includes a storage means for storing an identifier of the prospective transactor and details of at least one account held by the transactor at the financial institution. An identifier input means is provided whereby the transactor enters his identifier when he subscribes to the service.

Abstract: The present invention provides a financial transaction facilitating device for facilitating a financial transaction at an ATM, point of sale station, via the Internet or to login to a financial account by generating a PIN in response to a correct biometric identifier being supplied. Also provided are a financial transaction processing facility, a method of facilitating a financial transaction and a method of processing a financial transaction.

Abstract: An electronic financial transaction system has an identifier designation determining means for determining a designation of an identifier supplied by a prospective transactor in accordance with his circumstances; and a response means for implementing a predetermined response according to the designation of the identifier. The designation can be either “normal” or “duress”. If a “normal” identifier is given then the transactor is allowed a normal suite of transactions. If a “duress” identifier is given then no transactions are permitted, the transactor's account is frozen, and personnel are alerted to assist the transactor. Alternatively, limited transactions are permitted and the personnel alerted.

Abstract: A system for facilitating a financial transaction between a prospective transactor and a transactee has an identity and account verifying facility for verifying the identity of the prospective transactor and an account that the prospective transactor has with a financial institution, the identity and account verifying facility being operated by an independent verifier. The identity and account verifying facility includes a storage means for storing an identifier of the prospective transactor and details of at least one account held by the transactor at the financial institution. An identifier input means is provided whereby the transactor enters his identifier when he subscribes to the service.

Abstract: a primary account number (“PAN”) of a conventional credit or debit account with a bank or other financial institution is emulated or simulated, which incorporates, in encrypted form, the actual account number. The simulated PAN may also incorporate an amount to be debited from that account. Thus, an account number and an amount are encrypted and mapped into a string of digits which appears to be a valid PAN. The actual account number and the transaction amount are thus embedded in the simulated PAN. The simulated PAN is then processed by existing financial transacting infrastructure, with the issuing bank knowing that it is not a PAN and that the appropriate digits are to be decrypted to provide the embedded account number and the embedded amount. In one application, a transactor wishing to effect a financial transaction, generates a simulated PAN and supplies it to a supplier of goods or services from whom he wishes to purchase said goods or services.

Abstract: A water heater comprising a housing defining a water heating chamber, at least a portion of the housing being metallic, and a metallic heating element disposed in the housing for heating the water, wherein the metallic portion of the housing and a metallic heating element are electrically connected such that the metallic portion of the housing is cathodic and the metallic heating element is anodic and current flows from the metallic heating element, through the water, to the metallic portion of the housing. A system for treating water is also disclosed and comprises the water heater and a collector disposed in the housing for collecting solid precipitates deposited from the water. Methods for heating and treated water are also disclosed.

Abstract: Anti-slip floor tiles are provided which are textured with a pattern of spikes. The spikes are preferably pyramidal or conical in shape. The height, angle, and base width of the spikes are important to slip resistance coefficients. Preferred spike dimensions range from about 0.2 to about 3.0 mm in height and from about 0.8 to about 3.0 mm in base width (or diameter). Further, a process for manufacturing an anti-slip floor tile which is textured with a pattern of spikes is provided. The tile is manufactured by pressing a powder on a mold, drying the resulting tile, and then firing the pressed tile at a high temperature. The surface texture is formed by the punch of the mold press which includes spike shaped indentations being the negative of the surface of the tile.

Abstract: A water heater comprising a housing defining a water heating chamber, at least a portion of the housing being metallic, and a metallic heating element disposed in the housing for heating the water, wherein the metallic portion of the housing and a metallic heating element are electrically connected such that the metallic portion of the housing is cathodic and the metallic heating element is anodic and current flows from the metallic heating element, through the water, to the metallic portion of the housing. A system for treating water is also disclosed and comprises the water heater and a collector disposed in the housing for collecting solid precipitates deposited from the water. Methods for heating and treated water are also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention is related to a system for measuring the state of corrosion of a buried metallic strictures, such as a pipe line, characterized in that said measurement system allows said corrosion measurement simultaneously and continuously in time on several locations of said buried structure. The measurement system comprises a measuring cable (1), itself comprising several current electrodes (2) and several measuring electrodes (3), several addressable switching devices (20) and an electrical bus (6), a reference electrode (5) and a control system (4) comprising an embedded controller (8), an interface board (9) and a measurement board (7), wherein said measurement board (7) comprises an AC and/or DC voltage generator (50) and a voltage measurement device (51). The present invention is also related to the use of said measurement system for various corrosion measurements and for a number of applications not related to corrosion.

Abstract: A motorcycle tire including a highly convex tread joined by two sidewalls of low height to two beads, each bead being reinforced by an inextensible annular element around which is anchored a carcass reinforcement formed of textile reinforcement elements forming with the circumferential direction an angle of between 70° and 90°, the carcass reinforcement being radially surmounted by a crown reinforcement formed of at least one ply of circumferential reinforcement elements, located radially between the carcass reinforcement and the radially outermost ply of the crown reinforcement, and of two plies of elements of textile material, which are crossed from one ply to the next and forming with the circumferential direction angles of between 65° and 85°.

Abstract: A motorcycle tire including a highly convex tread joined by two sidewalls of low height to two beads, each bead being reinforced by an inextensible annular element around which is anchored a carcass reinforcement formed of textile reinforcement elements forming with the circumferential direction an angle of between 70° and 90°, the carcass reinforcement being radially surmounted by a crown reinforcement formed of at least one ply of circumferential reinforcement elements, located radially between the carcass reinforcement and the radially outermost ply of the crown reinforcement, and of two plies of elements of textile material, which are crossed from one ply to the next and forming with the circumferential direction angles of between 65° and 85°.

Abstract: A system for controlling a gaming operation comprises a secure processing and memory apparatus in the form of a smart card, together with non-secure input and display means connectable to the smart card. The memory of the smart card stores software controlling the operation of the game and also data relating to gains or losses of the player. Input signals generated by the player are processed within the secure processor and all operations which can influence the outcome of the game are carried out within the secure processor so that the system is not susceptible to tampering, even when used in a non-secure environment. Thus, the system allows gaming to take place in hotel rooms and other non-secure locations, with secure betting and allocation of winnings.

Abstract: A gamma camera equipped with at least two radiation detectors inclined in relation to each other and a patient-carrier bed including a platform which includes a window that is more transparent to radiation than the rest of the platform. The platform includes two parts defining the window therebetween and connected to each other by a lateral arch.

Abstract: An impressed current corrosion protection system comprises a distributed anode in the form of a conductive core (4) covered with a conductive polymeric coating (6) and surrounded by packed coke (8) contained within a polymeric jacket (18). This outer jacket is typically a fabric having a specified resistance to acid conditions and chlorine conditions.

Abstract: Size dispersion in paper stock is improved by treatment of cellulose water slurry with cationizing compounds and mixing a sizing product, either neat or in solution, with the water and injecting the mixture in droplet form into said cellulose water slurry before, during or after the paper web formation whether said paper web is dry or not and drying the paper web, an apparatus for carrying out the improved process is included.

Abstract: A binder suitable for use in electrodes is prepared by distilling a residue boiling above 200.degree. C from steam cracking to give a material with a KS softening point of 55.degree. - 90.degree. C and thermally ageing the material to increase the KS softening point to 80.degree. - 100.degree. C.The residue may be obtained from the steam cracking of naphtha. The thermal ageing may be carried out by heating under reflux or by recycling the residue at the base of the distillation column.The binder preferably has a KS softening point of 88.degree. - 100.degree. C a density above 1.20, a Conradson carbon index of 45 - 60, a beta resin content of 20 - 35% wt and an alpha resin content below 10% wt.