Wright Technologies, L.p.

Wright Food Systems, Inc.

Brother International Corporation

Duplex Printer, Inc.

Twigs, Inc.

Christopher B Wright

Stephen Bristow

Alan C Allison

Stephen D Bristow

A facsimile forwarding phone system for receiving, storing and transmitting facsimile data includes a facsimile forwarding device that receives, stores and transmits facsimile data to a remote destination device. The facsimile forwarding device generates simulated public switched telephone network (PSTN) signals and outputs them over the telephone line to the destination device, so that it appears to the destination device that it is directly attached to the public switched telephone network. The facsimile forwarding device generates a ring signal and sends it over the phone line to the destination device. Thus, it appears to the destination device that it is directly connected to the public switched telephone network, rather that to the facsimile forwarding device. The destination device may include remote facsimile machines and remote computer systems. The stored facsimile data is transmitted upon the facsimile forwarding phone system receiving a forwarding request. The forwarding request can be input on an input panel of the facsimile forwarding device or remotely.

Facsimile forwarding method and system using a simulated telephone line

A dedicated paging system having single button paging, requiring only a single press of a dedicated button on a page base to automatically page a pager associated with the page base. Information associating the page base with the pager is stored in the page base and/or a database maintained by a paging service provider with which the paging system is registered. When the dedicated button on the page base is pressed, the page base automatically calls the paging service provider. The paging service provider strips the caller identification number from the incoming call, uses the number to look up the pager identification number stored in the database, and then uses the retrieved pager identification number to send a page signal to the pager. Additionally, the paging system is automatically registered with a single press of the button. When the button is pressed, the page base automatically calls a clearinghouse. The page base uploads a pager identification number to the clearinghouse, and the clearinghouse downloads a paging service provider access telephone number to a memory within the page base. The clearinghouse stores the pager identification number and the caller identification number of the telephone line the page base is using in the paging service provider database. Where possible, the clearinghouse also uses the caller identification number to automatically access billing information associated with the number and set up a billing account for the paging service.

Automatic registration paging system

A printer has dual opposing printheads which can print in tandem on two sides of paper fed along a printing plane. The dual opposing printheads can print the same information on each side of two paper sheets fed in back-to-back (two-ply) fashion, thereby providing a document and copy simultaneously. The printer can also print different information on two sides of the same paper sheet or on each side of two paper sheets, thereby doubling the printing speed as compared to a single printhead. In a preferred embodiment, the dual opposing printheads are mounted in carriages driven reciprocatingly in tandem by one drive belt. Tandem paper feed mechanisms are arranged at one side of the printer and have respective clutch spring devices which are actuated alternately by cam surfaces on the printhead carriages so as to drive a pair of paper feed rollers with the paper fed in between them. Due to the capability for two-sided printing and elimination of the need for making carbon copies, the printer can use quiet, lightweight inkjet printheads for printing with double the usual output printing speed, as well as employ new types of one and two-ply plain paper printer forms.

Method of printing using dual opposing printheads

Printer with dual opposing printheads

A vending system employs a vending machine with a cylindrical body and removably mounted top and bottom endpieces that allow the external appearance of the machine to be changed according to the type of product to be vended. The ornamentation can be formed in shapes resembling standard types of beverage cans, bottles, and other types of containers. A preferred version of the machine has two arcuate doors on opposing sides of the machine to allow vending access and refilling on both sides of the machine. Door-mounted components, including payment mechanism, selection buttons, and dispenser slot, are arranged vertically in a line at the deepest part of the door, and an offset two-array stacking configuration of the beverage units is used to obtain an optimal storage capacity of the machine. Other versions include a full cylindrical version or a semi-cylindrical one with one door for installations allowing vending access from the front only.

Vending system having improved vending access and identification

Vending machine

An automated food vending system includes a vending machine having a plurality of stacks and dispenser mechanisms for dispensing standardized food package units, a microwave oven having a code reader located in a predetermined position in an interior cavity of the oven, and the food package units having standardized shapes corresponding to the vending stacks and to the microwave oven cavity. The food packages have a code for controlling the microwave oven printed in a predetermined position which is readable automatically by the code reader when the package unit is inserted in the oven. The dispenser mechanism has a configuration which allows it to be installed in existing vending machines for canned beverages. It may be formed as a pair of pivotable holding members spaced apart in the widthwise direction of the holding stack, or as a pair of continuous belts spaced apart in the depthwise direction of the holding stack. The interior of the oven may be shaped to hold two or more different standardized package shapes, and can have a drive element for controllably moving the package past the code reader. The food package is formed with a quadrangular-sided tray portion and a rectangular, laterally projecting lip around the upper edges of the tray portion, and has the code printed extending in a linear direction. Alternatively, the food package unit is formed with a cylindrical shape and has the code printed extending in a circumferential direction.

Automated food vending system

An automated food vending system includes a vending machine having a plurality of stacks and dispenser mechanisms for dispensing standardized food package units, a microwave oven having a code reader located in a predetermined position in an interior cavity of the oven, and the food package units having standardized shapes corresponding to the vending stacks and to the microwave oven cavity. The food packages have a code for controlling the microwave oven printed in a predetermined position which is readable automatically by the code reader when the package unit is inserted in the oven. The dispenser mechanism has a configuration which allows it to be installed in existing vending machines for canned beverages. It may be fromed as a pair of pivotable holding members spaced apart in the widthwise direction of the holding stack, or as a pair of continuous belts spaced apart in the depthwise direction of the holding stack. The interior of the oven may be shaped to hold two or more different standardized package shapes, and can have a drive element for controllably moving the package past the code reader. The food package is formed with a quadrangular-sided tray portion and a rectangular, laterally projecting lip around the upper edges of the tray portion, and has the code printed extending in a linear direction. Alternatively, the food package unit is formed with a cylindrical shape and has the code printed extending in a circumferential direction.

Wheel for toy vehicles

An automated transaction system employs portable rate cards having embedded memories for storing rate information corresponding to different services, and a terminal which receives an inserted rate card and operates to calculate the value of an item requested at the terminal by a user using the information stored in the rate card, and to dispense the requested item having the calculated value. In the preferred system, the rate cards are used for different postal carriers or different services of one carrier, and the item dispensed is a printed postmark corresponding to the value calculated and the selected carrier or service. The system also employs portable program cards which store programs for generating waybill forms used by different postal carriers or different postal services. The waybill generating program of a program card inserted in the terminal controls the display of the corresponding waybill form on the terminal display and the input of information to be printed on the resulting waybill.

Automated transaction system with insertable cards for downloading rate

An automated transaction system employs microprocessor-bearing user cards each issued to a respective user for maintaining a history of user account transactions and a user account balance, microprocessor-bearing master cards issued to vendors for maintaining a history of master account transactions and a master account balance, and terminals in which a user card and a master card are inserted for performing account transfer transactions wherein value from the account balance of one card is debited and the account balance of the other card is correspondingly credited. A transaction history recorder is used to produce or record the transaction history stored in the card for the user of the vendor. In the preferred embodiment, each master card is assigned to a respective terminal of a vendor and maintains a history of the transactions executed at that terminal between the master card and user cards presented for transactions at the terminal.

Automated transaction system with insertable cards for transferring

An automated transaction system employs a terminal for printing a value indicia, such as a postmark, on an article. The terminal contains a modular printer unit which has a printhead and a dedicated microprocessor physically permanently bonded together such that the printhead microprocessor cannot be physically tampered with without disabling the printhead. The modular printer unit includes a first supply of visible ink and a second supply of invisible ink, and an internal program for printing the value indicia with visible ink and an authentication code, which uniquely corresponds to the value indicia, with invisible ink. The invisible value indicia can be subsequently verified as authentic by machine reading of said invisible authentication code and comparing the authentication code for correspondence to the value indicia.

Automated transaction system with modular printhead having print

An automated transaction system employs a card maintaining an account balance and a terminal for dispensing an article of value and debiting the card's balance. The card has a secure, resident microprocessor which executes an interactive handshake recognition procedure with a secure, resident microprocessor in the value dispensing section of the terminal prior to actuating a requested transaction. In the preferred form, the handshake procedure operates by an exchange of encrypted words between the card microprocessor and the dispenser microprocessor using corresponding encryption algorithms and a secret key number, and the card microprocessor providing a command signal to the dispenser microprocessor only upon successful completion of the procedure. The automated transaction system is particularly suitable as a postage metering terminal having a postmark printer as the value dispensing section. Postage is printed only if the handshake procedure is executed between the card microprocessor and the printer microprocessor. The postal terminal also receives a rate card for computing postage automatically, and prints an invisible authentication mark along with the postmark to discourage counterfeiting. The terminal can be configured to print standard form waybills for postal and private carrier services by loading waybill information from an IC ROM services card. The balance in the user card is refilled in a refilling terminal using a master card which maintains a master account balance and a supervisor card which is in the custody of an authorized person.

Growing community of inventors

San Francisco, CA, United States of America

Christopher B Wright