摘要:
An apparatus for issuing money orders and similar instruments and for securing payment therefor is provided as a subsystem of an existing kiosk of a type including, but not limited to postal kiosks, informational kiosks, Automated Teller Machines (ATM), Point of Sale terminals (POS), vending machines and the like, or any combination thereof. Payment is secured by drawing funds directly from a customer's bank account; by drawing funds from a smart card, or by accepting currency through a bill acceptor. The apparatus further includes facilities for redeeming money orders and dispensing cash amounts corresponding thereto.
摘要:
A postage metering capability is integrated in an automated teller machine. With minimal modification and using several components of the ATM to perform functions useful in dispensing of postage, the secured environment of an ATM is used to implement numerous postage metering functions. When used with a smart card, postage value is accounted for without reference to an internal vault of the apparatus or to a postal facility, by using a vault of the smart card. The smart card may be used to dispense postage by accessing a customer's postage account at a remote center to set into the internal vault a value to be dispensed, with communication secured in accordance with information provided by the smart card. Using such information, the customer's postage account may also be accessed to recharge the vault of the smart card, rather than the internal vault. Additionally, postage may be dispensed in accordance with value inputted directly by a customer, using cash, credit-, debit-, or money-cards. The internal vault of the postage meter is used when accounting for postage dispensed in accordance with such directly inputted value.
摘要:
Labels that are conducive to the detection of bar-codes and other indicia having varying spectral emissivity values are provided. The labels include a substrate, a background layer, a thermally conductive layer and an adhesive layer. The background layer is preferably similar in visual appearance to the indicium that the label is to receive. Meanwhile, the thermally conductive layer is made from a material with high thermal conductivity that is used to substantially equalize the temperature across the label surface, thereby enabling a faster and cheaper detection of transitions of differential emissivity on the indicium surface. The adhesive layer is used for attaching the label to a document or other product.
摘要:
Systems and methods are provided for generating customized labels having electronic circuitry such as RFID circuitry. A printing system generates the label by selectively transfer printing elements (e.g., electronic circuitry, physical components, etc.) and donor layers (e.g., conductive materials, non-conductive materials, etc.) from a ribbon to a receiver (e.g., an item that receives the indicia). In addition, the printing system can program and test the label or indicia thereof, thereby providing the ability to customize each label according to predetermined criteria and to ensure that each label functions properly.
摘要:
A method for applying surface modifications in at least two patterns that differ in spectral emissivity by known amounts. The patterns form an information-encoding sequence of transitions of differential emissivity along a scan path over the patterns, that encodes a set of information. This information is decoded by a scanner sensitive to emissivity in the given portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, and sensitive to transitions in emissivity of the known amounts, when scanned along the scan path, combined with knowledge of the expected emissivity values of the patterns. This provides secure informational marking of articles and documents, including mail. The patterns may be visible, or hidden, but the emissivity values are not duplicated by standard office equipment, so authenticity of the patterns can be determined using the special emissivity scanner.
摘要:
An enclosed tank with a water inlet, a water outlet, an air inlet, and an air outlet. A flavor additive cartridge is attached in-line with the air inlet. It evaporates flavoring or other additives into the air inlet. Water is forced to flow turbulently through the tank. Simultaneously air is pumped through the tank via the additive cartridge. Turbulence induced in the water encourages pollutant gases dissolved in the water to transfer to the pumped air and then to exit the air outlet. It also encourages flavoring and/or homeopathic medicine in the additive cartridge to dissolve from the pumped air into the water. Water pressure is provided externally to the invention, such as by a water utility or house water pump. The water level in the tank is stabilized by controlling the air pressure in the tank, via various alternative means.
摘要:
An enclosed tank with a liquid inlet, a liquid outlet, a gas inlet, and a gas outlet. A liquid is forced to flow turbulently through the tank. Simultaneously a scrubbing gas is pumped through the tank. Turbulence induced in the liquid encourages gasses dissolved in the liquid to transfer to the scrubbing gas and thence to exit the gas outlet. Liquid pressure is provided externally to the invention, such as by a water utility or house water pump. The liquid inlet has a nozzle that injects the liquid against baffles in the tank to create turbulence. The liquid level in the tank is stabilized by controlling the scrubbing gas pressure. A lower layer of liquid and an upper layer of scrubbing gas are maintained in the tank as they flow through the tank together. Various liquid level stabilizing means are shown as examples. An electronic feedback system optionally controls the scrubbing gas flow rate according to the contamination level of the liquid.
摘要:
A system and method for issuing and validating tickets. The system includes a data processing system for receiving ticket request information and generating ticket information; the ticket information including encrypted validating information, a local printing system which receives the ticket information and prints the encrypted validating information on a ticket in machine readable format, and a validating system for converting the encrypted validating information into a digital format, decrypting the validating information, testing the validating information to validate the ticket and, if the ticket is valid, downloading at least a portion of the ticket information for reconciliation of accounts; that is for reconciling ticket issuance, use, and payment. The data processing system receives an itinerary from a purchaser, checks a reservation system to determine service availability and provides service availability information to the purchaser who selects appropriate services and submits ticket request information. The data processing system then generates ticket information including encrypted validating information and transmits the ticket information to the local printing system which prints a ticket having the encrypted validating information printed in a machine readable format. When the ticket is presented to a validating system the validating system converts the encrypted validating information into a digital format, decrypts the encrypted validating information, tests the validating information to validate the ticket and, if the ticket is valid, downloads at least a portion of the ticket information for reconciliation of accounts, that is for reconciliation of ticket issuance, use and payment. A number of encryption protocols for encryption of the validating information are also disclosed.
摘要:
A postage dispensing device that prints a postage indicia using a two step process. A thermal ribbon is provided which has pre-formed images on a major portion of the thermal ribbon that is applied with a hot melt ink jet printer. Inked areas are provided on the thermal ribbon where an image is generated by a dot matrix thermal printer. The pre-formed images represent non-variable portion of a postage indicia whereas the images formed by the thermal printer represent variable data of the postage indicia. The use of a hot melt ink jet printer allows one to alter the pre-formed image as required and allows a variety of colors to be used.
摘要:
A postage dispensing apparatus that prints a postage indicia using a two step process. A thermal ribbon is provided which has pre-formed images on a major portion of the thermal ribbon. A blank area is provided on the thermal ribbon so that an image is generated by a dot matrix thermal printer on the blank portion on a mail piece. The pre-formed images represent non-variable portion of a postage indicia whereas the images formed by the thermal printer represent variable data of the postage indicia.