Patents by Inventor Mark D. Stephen

Mark D. Stephen 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: 11288931
    Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods are provided herein for facilitating financial services through point of sale (POS) systems. A system for facilitating financial services comprises a retail central computer system and a POS system. The POS system is configured to receive an input to switch from a retail mode to a financial services mode, receive, from the card reader, debit card information from a debit card associated with an account of a customer, transmit the debit card information and the cash amount to the retail central computer system, and remove the debit card information from a memory of the POS system. The retail central computer system is configured to encrypt the debit card information received from the POS system, generate a load cash request message, and remove the debit card information from the memory device after encrypting the debit card information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC
    Inventors: Andrew B. Louderback, Mark D. Stephens, Peter H. Blair
  • Publication number: 20210383654
    Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods are provided herein for facilitating financial services through point of sale (POS) systems. A system for facilitating financial services comprises a retail central computer system and a POS system. The POS system is configured to receive an input to switch from a retail mode to a financial services mode, receive, from the card reader, debit card information from a debit card associated with an account of a customer, transmit the debit card information and the cash amount to the retail central computer system, and remove the debit card information from a memory of the POS system. The retail central computer system is configured to encrypt the debit card information received from the POS system, generate a load cash request message, and remove the debit card information from the memory device after encrypting the debit card information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2020
    Publication date: December 9, 2021
    Inventors: Andrew B. Louderback, Mark D. Stephens, Peter H. Blair
  • Publication number: 20210198057
    Abstract: A compacting system compacts particulate matter in open-top railroad gondola cars rolling on rails. The compacting system comprises a compacting station adjacent the rails and a scanning system that scans the gondola cars as they move along the rails toward the compacting station. The scanning system transmits data of the gondola car to an electronic control system. The compacting station has at least one compaction member, e.g., a plate structure or a roller, configured to contact an upper surface of the particulate matter in the gondola cars. The electronic control system controls the compacting station so that the compaction member engages with and applies force to the upper surface of the particulate matter in the gondola car so as to compress the particulate matter in the gondola. A method for compacting particulate matter in a gondola car is also shown.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2021
    Publication date: July 1, 2021
    Inventors: Charles Wayne Nyquist, Mark D. Stephen, Zachary Johnston Renner, Michael A. McCurdy
  • Patent number: 10974917
    Abstract: A compacting system compacts particulate matter in open-top railroad gondola cars rolling on rails. The compacting system comprises a compacting station adjacent the rails and a scanning system that scans the gondola cars as they move along the rails toward the compacting station. The scanning system transmits data of the gondola car to an electronic control system. The compacting station has at least one compaction member, e.g., a plate structure or a roller, configured to contact an upper surface of the particulate matter in the gondola cars. The electronic control system controls the compacting station so that the compaction member engages with and applies force to the upper surface of the particulate matter in the gondola car so as to compress the particulate matter in the gondola. A method for compacting particulate matter in a gondola car is also shown.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: Crown Products & Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles Wayne Nyquist, Mark D. Stephen, Zachary Johnston Renner, Michael A. McCurdy
  • Publication number: 20180170693
    Abstract: A compacting system compacts particulate matter in open-top railroad gondola cars rolling on rails. The compacting system comprises a compacting station adjacent the rails and a scanning system that scans the gondola cars as they move along the rails toward the compacting station. The scanning system transmits data of the gondola car to an electronic control system. The compacting station has at least one compaction member, e.g., a plate structure or a roller, configured to contact an upper surface of the particulate matter in the gondola cars. The electronic control system controls the compacting station so that the compaction member engages with and applies force to the upper surface of the particulate matter in the gondola car so as to compress the particulate matter in the gondola. A method for compacting particulate matter in a gondola car is also shown.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2018
    Publication date: June 21, 2018
    Inventors: Charles Wayne Nyquist, Mark D. Stephen, Zachary Johnston Renner, Michael A. McCurdy
  • Patent number: 9908724
    Abstract: A compacting system compacts particulate matter in open-top railroad gondola cars rolling on rails. The compacting system includes a compacting station adjacent the rails and a scanning system that scans the gondola cars as they move along the rails toward the compacting station. The scanning system transmits data of the gondola car to an electronic control system. The compacting station has at least one compaction member, e.g., a plate structure or a roller, configured to contact an upper surface of the particulate matter in the gondola cars. The electronic control system controls the compacting station so that the compaction member engages with and applies force to the upper surface of the particulate matter in the gondola car so as to compress the particulate matter in the gondola. A method for compacting particulate matter in a gondola car is also shown.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: Crown Products & Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles Wayne Nyquist, Mark D. Stephen, Zachary Johnston Renner, Michael A. McCurdy
  • Publication number: 20140007782
    Abstract: A compacting system compacts particulate matter in open-top railroad gondola cars rolling on rails. The compacting system comprises a compacting station adjacent the rails and a scanning system that scans the gondola cars as they move along the rails toward the compacting station. The scanning system transmits data of the gondola car to an electronic control system. The compacting station has at least one compaction member, e.g., a plate structure or a roller, configured to contact an upper surface of the particulate matter in the gondola cars. The electronic control system controls the compacting station so that the compaction member engages with and applies force to the upper surface of the particulate matter in the gondola car so as to compress the particulate matter in the gondola. A method for compacting particulate matter in a gondola car is also shown.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2013
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Applicant: Crown Products & Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles Wayne Nyquist, Mark D. Stephen, Zachary Johnston Renner, Michael A. McCurdy
  • Patent number: 8549997
    Abstract: A compacting system compacts particulate matter in open-top railroad gondola cars rolling on rails. The compacting system comprises a compacting station adjacent the rails and a scanning system that scans the gondola cars as they move along the rails toward the compacting station. The scanning system transmits data of the gondola car to an electronic control system. The compacting station has at least one compaction member, e.g., a plate structure or a roller, configured to contact an upper surface of the particulate matter in the gondola cars. The electronic control system controls the compacting station so that the compaction member engages with and applies force to the upper surface of the particulate matter in the gondola car so as to compress the particulate matter in the gondola. A method for compacting particulate matter in a gondola car is also shown.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Crown Products & Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles Wayne Nyquist, Mark D. Stephen, Zachary Johnston Renner, Michael A. McCurdy
  • Publication number: 20110126723
    Abstract: A compacting system compacts particulate matter in open-top railroad gondola cars rolling on rails. The compacting system comprises a compacting station adjacent the rails and a scanning system that scans the gondola cars as they move along the rails toward the compacting station. The scanning system transmits data of the gondola car to an electronic control system. The compacting station has at least one compaction member, e.g., a plate structure or a roller, configured to contact an upper surface of the particulate matter in the gondola cars. The electronic control system controls the compacting station so that the compaction member engages with and applies force to the upper surface of the particulate matter in the gondola car so as to compress the particulate matter in the gondola. A method for compacting particulate matter in a gondola car is also shown.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2009
    Publication date: June 2, 2011
    Inventors: Charles Wayne Nyquist, Mark D. Stephen, Zachary Johnston Renner, Michael A. McCurdy