Patents by Inventor John Brian Francis

John Brian Francis has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8027847
    Abstract: A system and method of refilling a prescription which uses a pharmacy kiosk. One embodiment of the system includes a touch screen located at a pharmacy, an input device in the touch screen or card reader for recording identification information from a customer, a barcode reader located at the pharmacy for reading a barcode containing prescription information from a previous transaction, a card reader or cash acceptor or check reader located at the pharmacy for receiving payment from the customer, and a computer located at the pharmacy for displaying a prompt to enter the identification information and scan the barcode using the touch screen, for recording the prescription information using the barcode reader, for determining corresponding price information for a refill of the prescription, and for processing payment for the refill from the customer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Assignee: NCR Corporation
    Inventors: John Brian Francis, John C. Goodwin, III
  • Patent number: 7870007
    Abstract: A system and method of determining interactions between medicines which includes a pharmacy kiosk. One embodiment of the pharmacy kiosk includes a display, an input device, and a computer for displaying a prompt to enter medicine identification information for a medicine, for recording the medicine identification information, for obtaining interaction information between the medicine and other medicines, and for displaying the interaction information. The computer may additionally record operator identification information, obtain prescriptions of the operator for the other medicines using the operator identification information, obtain interaction information between the medicine and the other medicines, and display the interaction information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: NCR Corporation
    Inventors: John Brian Francis, John C. Goodwin, III
  • Patent number: 7675503
    Abstract: A method of displaying information by a network kiosk which causes different information to be displayed when someone passes within a predetermined distance of the kiosk. The method includes the steps of sensing a person within a predetermined distance of the kiosk, displaying first information, timing a time period, and displaying second information if the person did not begin use of the kiosk within the time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: NCR Corporation
    Inventors: John C. Goodwin, III, John Brian Francis
  • Patent number: 7260622
    Abstract: A method of limiting access to network sites for a network kiosk which controls public operation of the kiosk. The method includes the steps of receiving a request to display the web page by the kiosk, determining an address of the web page, determining a current time, determining an unacceptable period of access to the web page, and preventing access to the web page if current time falls within the unacceptable period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2007
    Assignee: NCR Corporation
    Inventors: John C. Goodwin, III, John Brian Francis
  • Patent number: 7222184
    Abstract: A method of downloading web content which downloads and stores web content at scheduled times. The method includes the steps of determining a number of web content addresses and corresponding download times, and downloading and storing web content at the web content addresses at the download times by the kiosk, before the kiosk displays any of the web content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2007
    Assignee: NCR Corporation
    Inventors: John C. Goodwin, III, John Brian Francis
  • Patent number: 7130889
    Abstract: A method of printing information by a network kiosk which prints web page information, designed for printing on standard width paper, on narrower receipt paper. The method includes the steps of receiving a command to print information in a displayed web page, obtaining an address of the displayed web page, determining a format for printing the information on receipt paper using the address, creating a script to print the information in the format, and executing the script to print the information on the receipt paper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2006
    Assignee: NCR Corporation
    Inventors: John C. Goodwin, III, John Brian Francis
  • Patent number: 6981030
    Abstract: A method of protecting private data for a network kiosk which masks entered private data with a symbol. The method includes the steps of determining fields in the web page which contain the private data by the kiosk, and masking the private data by the kiosk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2005
    Assignee: NCR Corporation
    Inventors: John C. Goodwin, III, John Brian Francis
  • Patent number: 6757683
    Abstract: A method of downloading web content during display of a web page which downloads and stores subsequent web content from a list of web content addresses. The method includes the steps of displaying a web page by the kiosk, determining links to web content at a subsequent depth in the web page from a list of web content addresses, and downloading and storing the web content at the subsequent depth and additional depths before displaying another web page until a download limit is exceeded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2004
    Assignee: NCR Corporation
    Inventors: John C. Goodwin, III, John Brian Francis
  • Patent number: 6510990
    Abstract: A bar code processing method for a network kiosk which automatically obtains information about an item from identification information obtained from a bar code reader. The method includes the steps of displaying a web page associated with an item, displaying a prompt associated with the web page to have an operator use a bar code reader to read a bar code on the item, and receiving information from the bar code reader which identifies the item.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2003
    Assignee: NCR Corporation
    Inventors: John C. Goodwin, III, John Brian Francis
  • Publication number: 20020099791
    Abstract: A method of printing information by a network kiosk which prints web page information, designed for printing on standard width paper, on narrower receipt paper. The method includes the steps of receiving a command to print information in a displayed web page, obtaining an address of the displayed web page, determining a format for printing the information on receipt paper using the address, creating a script to print the information in the format, and executing the script to print the information on the receipt paper.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2000
    Publication date: July 25, 2002
    Applicant: NCR Corporation
    Inventors: John C. Goodwin, John Brian Francis
  • Publication number: 20020075149
    Abstract: A method of monitoring a network kiosk which sends errors to a reporting computer to facilitate quicker repairs. The method includes the steps of determining kiosk components to monitor by the kiosk, determining operating errors for a number of the kiosk components by the kiosk, storing the operating errors in a log, sending the log to a reporting computer by the kiosk, and generating an error report for service personnel from the log by the reporting computer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2000
    Publication date: June 20, 2002
    Applicant: NCR Corporation
    Inventors: John C. Goodwin, John Brian Francis
  • Publication number: 20020065931
    Abstract: A method of downloading web content which downloads and stores web content at scheduled times. The method includes the steps of determining a number of web content addresses and corresponding download times, and downloading and storing web content at the web content addresses at the download times by the kiosk, before the kiosk displays any of the web content.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2000
    Publication date: May 30, 2002
    Applicant: NCR Corporation
    Inventors: John C. Goodwin, John Brian Francis
  • Publication number: 20020065801
    Abstract: A method of downloading web content during display of a web page which downloads and stores subsequent web content from a list of web content addresses. The method includes the steps of displaying a web page by the kiosk, determining links to web content at a subsequent depth in the web page from a list of web content addresses, and downloading and storing the web content at the subsequent depth and additional depths before displaying another web page until a download limit is exceeded.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2000
    Publication date: May 30, 2002
    Applicant: NCR Corporation
    Inventors: John C. Goodwin, John Brian Francis
  • Publication number: 20020063152
    Abstract: A card data processing method for a network kiosk which automatically prompts for card data to be displayed in a web page. The method includes the steps of displaying a web page, displaying a prompt associated with the web page to have an operator use a card reader to read card data stored by an operator card, and receiving the card data from the card reader.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2000
    Publication date: May 30, 2002
    Applicant: NCR Corporation
    Inventors: John C. Goodwin, John Brian Francis
  • Publication number: 20020065914
    Abstract: A method of limiting access to network sites for a network kiosk which controls public operation of the kiosk. The method includes the steps of receiving a request to display the web page by the kiosk, determining an address of the web page, determining a current time, determining an unacceptable period of access to the web page, and preventing access to the web page if current time falls within the unacceptable period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2000
    Publication date: May 30, 2002
    Applicant: NCR Corporation
    Inventors: John C. Goodwin, John Brian Francis
  • Publication number: 20020063161
    Abstract: A bar code processing method for a network kiosk which automatically obtains information about an item from identification information obtained from a bar code reader. The method includes the steps of displaying a web page associated with an item, displaying a prompt associated with the web page to have an operator use a bar code reader to read a bar code on the item, and receiving information from the bar code reader which identifies the item.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2000
    Publication date: May 30, 2002
    Inventors: John C. Goodwin, John Brian Francis
  • Publication number: 20020063679
    Abstract: A method of displaying information by a network kiosk which causes different information to be displayed when someone passes within a predetermined distance of the kiosk. The method includes the steps of sensing a person within a predetermined distance of the kiosk, displaying first information, timing a time period, and displaying second information if the person did not begin use of the kiosk within the time period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2000
    Publication date: May 30, 2002
    Inventors: John C. Goodwin, John Brian Francis
  • Publication number: 20020065668
    Abstract: A personal information protection method for a network kiosk which hides the personal information and possibly eventually removes it from a web page. The method includes the steps of determining a field in the web page capable of accepting the personal information, determining entry of the personal information into the field by an operator, timing a time period, and preventing access to the personal information following the time period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2000
    Publication date: May 30, 2002
    Applicant: NCR Corporation
    Inventors: John C. Goodwin, John Brian Francis
  • Publication number: 20020065901
    Abstract: A method of protecting private data for a network kiosk which masks entered private data with a symbol. The method includes the steps of determining fields in the web page which contain the private data by the kiosk, and masking the private data by the kiosk.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2000
    Publication date: May 30, 2002
    Applicant: NCR Corporation
    Inventors: John C. Goodwin, John Brian Francis