Other

Access Corporation

Remco

Ronald G Thomas

Herbert C Glesmann

W Hampton Pitts

Ronald C Thomas

A system is disclosed for monitoring and accumulating data indicative of viewer authorized pay per view TV programs at each of a plurality of remote terminals, wherein each remote terminal is coupled illustratively by non-dedicated telephone lines to a host computer at a central station. The remote terminal includes viewer actuable means for authorizing the viewing of a pay per TV program, a memory, means responsive to the authorizing of a program for storing data indicative of the authorized program into the memory, and means responsive to the authorizing of the pay per view TV program for transmitting over the telephone lines to the host computer a report message including the program data. Security features are adopted for the remote terminal of this invention to prevent the viewer interference with the monitoring and/or reporting of the report message to the host computer as by removing energization from the remote terminal and/or disconnecting the telephone lines from the remote terminal. Further, the viewer is given a preview of an authorized pay per view program, whereby the viewer will be billed for that program only if the viewer views the authorized program for a time greater than a preview period. In order to prevent a viewer from taking advantage of this monitoring and reporting system, the time of each authorizing and deauthorizing is noted and stored in memory, whereby each viewing segment between successive authorizings and deauthorizings may be calculated and stored in a total viewing time memory. Each viewer is also given a credit limit illustratively as the number of pay per view TV programs that will be authorized before further authorizing is defeated and it is necessary to update that credit limit. The remote terminal at call-in time transmits a report message to the host computer, which checks the viewer's credit and, if satisfactory, transmits or downloads a new credit limit to the remote terminal, thus permitting further authorizing of pay per view programs.

Monitoring and reporting system for remote terminals

An auxiliary lubrication pump apparatus for use with towed vehicles having an automatic transmission. The apparatus includes a lubrication pump, a selector valve, a pressure sensing unit, a pump relay and a control unit and a display unit. The control unit includes a timer for sounding an alarm to alert the driver to activate the apparatus when the engine switch of the towing vehicle has been initiated. If pressure in the lubrication cycle drops below an acceptable level, or if electrical power to the apparatus fails, an audible alarm and visual alarm will be provided to the operator of the towing vehicle.

Auxiliary lubrication pump apparatus

A beverage dispensing and metering apparatus adapted to be mounted in a stationary cabinet structure or a portable suitcase-type housing, including an electrically driven liquid pump and push-button switch for each liquid or beverage to be dispensed. The electronic controls include a timer circuit to permit the dispensing of a predetermined amount of liquid during depression of the corresponding push-button. The control circuitry permits dispensing any amount of liquid less than the predetermined amount for the period the push-button is depressed. The control circuitry also permits the dispensing of amounts of liquid greater than the predetermined amount upon re-depression of the corresponding push-button. The control circuitry further includes interlocking circuitry for the push-button switches to permit the dispensing of only one liquid at a time. The portable modification of the beverage dispensing and metering apparatus includes a retractable spout and a photoelectric safety switch to permit dispensing of liquids only when the spout is protracted.

Growing community of inventors

Nashville, TN, United States of America

Ronald G Thomas