Abstract: In one aspect, a method for optimizing a usable volume of a coin receptacle associated with a coin-processing device is provided. This method includes the steps of obtaining data from at least one sensor and adjusting, responsive to such data, an upper limit of coins which may be input into the receptacle or an available number of coins which may be input into the receptacle.

Abstract: A resilient pad for a disc-type coin processing machine is provided with a first portion with a property having a first value and a second portion with the property having a second value, wherein the first value of the property is different than the second value of the property. The property may include, for example, stiffness or coefficient of friction.

Abstract: A carton having a door and a method of making a carton having a door, the carton being adapted for automated assembly and/or loading by reducing or eliminating interference between side panels of a door and product during loading and use of the door. In an aspect of the invention, the door side panels are slidable within a protected region formed between adjacent panels of the carton.

Abstract: Systems and methods of directing parking in a parking lot include: (a) detecting the presence and/or absence of a vehicle in respective parking spaces in a parking lot having a plurality of parking spaces to monitor the availability of parking spaces; (b) identifying the space location of parking spaces that are available for use based on the detecting and monitoring steps; and (c) automatically providing the location of the identified available spaces to prospective users in substantially real-time.

Abstract: A coin processing system includes a coin input area for receiving coins from a user, and a coin processing module for receiving and counting the coins from the coin input area. The coin processing module includes a coin hopper, a coin processing area, and a foreign object removal system. The coin hopper receives the coins from the coin input area. The coin processing area receives and counts the coins from the coin hopper. The foreign object removal system is located at least partially within the coin hopper, and removes a foreign object from the coin hopper subsequent to receiving the foreign object from the coin input area.

Abstract: An automated coin tray refilling system includes a plurality of coin reservoirs and a plurality of coin dispensers for regulating the dispensing of coins from an associated one of the plurality of coin reservoirs. A collector point distribution member is adapted to receive coins from each of the plurality of coin dispensers at one portion thereof and to output the coins at another portion thereof. An interface module having an input end is disposed substantially adjacent the collector point distribution member output and includes an output end for dispensing coins. A coin interface tray is adapted to receive at least one coin tray and at least one processor is provided. The interface module and/or coin interface tray includes a drive system configured to move interface module and/or coin interface tray relative to one another.

Abstract: A method and system for processing currency bills and coins in a cash receptacle for automatically determining a batch of currency. An operator provides an amount of cash, including currency bills and coins, and indicates a target amount of cash desired to be made available in a currency batch. The system includes a resident memory for storing a mode of operation, determines a total amount of the cash, and determines a cash removal amount by comparing the total amount of the cash to the target amount. The cash removal amount is displayed to the operator for adding or removing cash to obtain the appropriate currency batch, which corresponds to the target amount.

Abstract: A removable coin storage apparatus is used in a coin processing device, and includes a removable bin for storing and transporting coins. The removable bin has a stopped position and a moving position. The coin storage apparatus further includes a brake device that is pivotally coupled to the removable bin for preventing movement of the removable bin in the stopped position. The brake device has a manually moveable element that is movable between a first position and a second position, each one of the first position and the second position corresponding to one of the stopped position and the moving position of the removable bin. The brake device also has a contact surface for exerting a frictional force on a floor surface in the stopped position of the removable bin.

Abstract: A coin discrimination sensor having an excitation coil and two detector coils arranged to detect eddy currents in a passing coin. The excitation coil is provided a composite waveform formed by adding a low frequency signal (30 KHz) with a high frequency signal (480 KHz). The two detector coils are arranged at different distances from the passing coin, and are calibrated to eliminate the common-mode voltage when no coin is present. As a coin passes by the sensor, eddy currents are induced in the coin which result in phase and amplitude shifts in the low and high frequency components of the detector signal. The low and high frequency components are separated from the detector signal, and their respective phases and amplitudes are ascertained and compared against values stored in a lookup table. These values represent the composition, thickness, and diameter characteristics of known coins, and if the signature of the processed coin does not appear in the lookup table, it can be flagged as an invalid coin.

Abstract: A coin discrimination sensor having an excitation coil and two detector coils arranged to detect eddy currents in a passing coin. The excitation coil is provided a composite waveform formed by adding a low frequency signal (30 KHz) with a high frequency signal (480 KHz). The two detector coils are arranged at different distances from the passing coin, and are calibrated to eliminate the common-mode voltage when no coin is present. As a coin passes by the sensor, eddy currents are induced in the coin which result in phase and amplitude shifts in the low and high frequency components of the detector signal. The low and high frequency components are separated from the detector signal, and their respective phases and amplitudes are ascertained and compared against values stored in a lookup table. These values represent the composition, thickness, and diameter characteristics of known coins, and if the signature of the processed coin does not appear in the lookup table, it can be flagged as an invalid coin.

Abstract: According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method for determining the denomination of a coin with a disk-type coin processing system comprises moving a coin along a coin path with a rotatable disk, generating an encoder pulse for each incremental movement of the rotatable disk, directing a light beam transverse the coin path, detecting the light beam with a light detector, developing a signal at the light detector indicating the presence of a coin in the coin path, counting a number of encoder pulses occurring while developing the signal at the light detector, and comparing the counted number of encoder pulses to a plurality of stored numbers of encoder pulses corresponding to the particular coin denominations.

Abstract: Parking reservation systems and methods for a parking lot having a plurality of individual parking spaces include an electronic database of an inventory of available parking spaces; and at least one processor in communication with the electronic database. The processor can be configured to: (a) accept user input regarding a request for a reserved parking space; (b) automatically reserve a parking space for a patron upon receipt of a payment therefor; (c) generate a confirmation of the reservation for the patron; and (d) automatically adjust the database of the inventory of available spaces based on the reservation. Other systems and methods are configured to identify parking lots with vacancies in a geographical region of interest.

Abstract: Systems and methods of directing parking in a parking lot include: (a) detecting the presence and/or absence of a vehicle in respective parking spaces in a parking lot having a plurality of parking spaces to monitor the availability of parking spaces; (b) identifying the space location of parking spaces that are available for use based on the detecting and monitoring steps; and (c) automatically providing the location of the identified available spaces to prospective users in substantially real-time

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatuses are disclosed for enabling a telecommunications network with data storage capability. A data connection is established to a storage device. The storage device is associated with a telecommunications network facility. Customer-defined electronic data is communicated to the storage device via the data connection. At least some of the electronic data may be managed according to a service level agreement.

Abstract: A fan speed control system (200) for an electronic equipment enclosure comprises means for determining temperature (201, 202, 203, 210, 211) at a plurality of locations within the enclosure, means for determining operating parameters (201, 202, 203, 212) for the fan control system, means for setting operating speed (201) of at least one cooling fan, and means for exchanging information signals (205, 217, 218) relating to fan speed control system operation with an external controller. A method is also provided for controlling fan speed for an electronic equipment enclosure comprising the steps of determining temperature at a plurality of locations within the enclosure, determining operating parameters for the fan control system, setting operating speed of at least one cooling fan, and exchanging information signals relating to fan speed control system operation with an external controller.

Abstract: The present invention is connected across a sense resistor which carries a current of interest. A first pair of cross-coupled switches are connected between the sense resistor and respective input capacitors, and a second pair of cross-coupled switches are connected between the input capacitors and the inputs of an amplifier having differential inputs and outputs. Feedback capacitors are connected between each of the amplifier's outputs and inputs. A control circuit operates the cross-coupled switches in accordance with a switching cycle, during which the connections between the sense resistor and the input capacitors are interchanged, after which the connections between the input capacitors and the differential amplifier are interchanged. When so arranged, the sensed voltage is sampled on the input capacitors and transferred to the feedback capacitors to produce a differential output voltage Vout from the differential amplifier which is proportional to the current of interest.

Abstract: A fan speed control system (200) for an electronic equipment enclosure comprises means for determining temperature (201, 202, 203, 210, 211) at a plurality of locations within the enclosure, means for determining operating parameters (201, 202, 203, 212) for the fan control system, means for setting operating speed (201) of at least one cooling fan, and means for exchanging information signals (205, 217, 218) relating to fan speed control system operation with an external controller. A method is also provided for controlling fan speed for an electronic equipment enclosure comprising the steps of determining temperature at a plurality of locations within the enclosure, determining operating parameters for the fan control system, setting operating speed of at least one cooling fan, and exchanging information signals relating to fan speed control system operation with an external controller.

Abstract: A carton having a door and a method of making a carton having a door, the carton being adapted for automated assembly and/or loading by reducing or eliminating interference between side panels of a door and product during loading and use of the door. In an aspect of the invention, the door side panels are slidable within a protected region formed between adjacent panels of the carton.

Abstract: A four current transistor temperature sensor comprises a p-n junction, preferably the base-emitter junction of a bipolar transistor, which is driven with four different currents in a predetermined sequence. Each of the four currents induces a respective base-emitter voltage, which is measured. The temperature of the transistor is calculated based on the values of the four driving currents and the four measured base-emitter voltages. The four driving currents (I1, I2, I3 and I4) are preferably arranged such that I1=2*I3, I2=2*I4, I1/I2=A and I3/I4=A, where A is a predetermined current ratio. I1 and I2 produce respective base-emitter voltages which are subtracted from each other to produce &Dgr;Vbe1, and I3 and I4 produce respective base-emitter voltages which are subtracted from each other to produce &Dgr;Vbe2. When so arranged, the difference between &Dgr;Vbe1 and &Dgr;Vbe2 is entirely due to the effect of series base and emitter resistances rb and re.

Abstract: An operating circuit (1) for controlling the speed of a cooling fan motor (3) for computer cabinetry (7), and for determining an under-speed condition in the fan motor (3) comprises a control circuit (15) which controls a variable output signal generator circuit (18) for outputting a pulse width modulated signal corresponding to the desired fan speed for switching a switching circuit (8) in a power supply circuit of the fan motor (3) for pulse width modulating the power supply to the fan motor (3). A monitoring resistor (R1), a capacitor (C1) and a circuit (12) provides a tachometer signal to the operating circuit (1). A gate circuit (22) gates the second and fourth pulses of the tachometer signal to a counter (20) which counts clock pulses from a clock signal generating circuit (19) between the rising edges of the second and fourth pulses which are in turn stored in a register (23) for comparison with a reference count by a comparator (25).