80results about "Apparatus for meter-controlled dispensing" patented technology

A disclosed authentication instrument is used to authorize various services at a hotel-casino complex, such as but not limited to in-room gaming, in-room sports wagering, room access, safe access, mini-bar access, Electronic Fund Transfers (EFT), player tracking services and in-room entertainment services (e.g., video games and movie channels). A smart card, an electronic token and a magnetic striped card are examples of hardware that may be used as authentication instruments. For in-room gaming, the authentication instrument may be used to authorize, in a secure and legal manner, in-room game play sessions on an entertainment terminal connected to a remote gaming machine.

There is provided a system and method for operating at least one electronic parcel compartment facility. The parcel compartment facility comprises several compartments in a number amounting to F, with which mailpieces of at least two user groups A and B having different access rights can be deposited into the compartments of the parcel compartment facility, whereby the parcel compartment facility is in communication with a central data processing unit. The occupation status of the compartments of the parcel compartment facility is transmitted to the data processing unit so that the number Y of different sizes of free compartments of the parcel compartment facility is stored in a memory of the data processing unit. The central data processing unit is also in communication with at least one mail distribution center where destination information about the mailpieces is acquired, whereby the destination information is associated with the parcel compartment facility. An exemplary method comprises specifying a period of time Z between a starting point in time and an ending point in time and storing the period of time Z in a data processing unit of the mail distribution center. The exemplary method also comprises acquiring destination information and sizes of the mailpieces in the mail distribution center using a data acquisition device. The exemplary method additionally comprises determining the X number of mailpieces whose destination information acquired during the period of time Z matches the destination information of the parcel compartment facility by the data processing unit of the mail distribution center and transmitting the number X by the data processing unit of the mail distribution center to the central data processing unit. The exemplary method further comprises comparing the number X to the number Y of free compartments and assigning X free compartments of the parcel compartment facility to a first user group A by the central data processing unit if Y≧X. The exemplary method also comprises transmitting a control command for the reservation of the X free compartments of the parcel compartment facility assigned to the first user group A by the data processing unit to a control unit of the parcel compartment facility, and subtracting the number X of reserved compartments from the number Y of free compartments for purposes of determining the number V of available compartments remaining in the parcel compartment facility. The exemplary method additionally comprises assigning at least some of the remaining available compartments V to a second user group B, if V>1 and transmitting a control command for a reservation of the compartments assigned to the second user group B from the data processing unit to the control unit of the parcel compartment facility. The exemplary method further comprises acquiring user identifications and / or mailing information through a user interface at the parcel compartment facility and associating a user and / or a mailpiece with the user groups A or B on the basis of the acquired user information and / or mailing information. The exemplary method also comprises controlling access to free compartments of the parcel compartment facility on the basis of the reservations made for the two user groups A and B and determining a point in time P by the control unit of the parcel compartment facility. The exemplary method additionally comprises canceling the reservations of compartments for the user groups A and B after the point in time P and releasing access to free compartments of the parcel compartment facility to all user groups.

A platform for supporting a network-enabled music application is configured to render the network enabled application for a user, via a user interface associated with the user, in accordance with various APIs included in the platform and used by a program developer to develop the network-enabled music application. The rendering can included recognizing that the user interface is a mobile user interface and rendering the network-enabled music application in a manner appropriate and / or optimal for the mobile user interface.

A method and system for micro-betting. One or more micro-bets can be electronically placed with respect to one or more micro-events associated with an event during a round of micro-betting. One or more wages with respect to the micro-bet(s) can be managed and controlled during the round of micro-betting. The wager(s) can be managed and controlled remotely from electronically placing the micro-bet(s) during the round of micro-betting. Additionally, a portion of a profit can be automatically obtained with respect to the round of micro-bets in exchange for the aforementioned managing and controlling of the wager(s) with respect to the micro-bet(s) during the round of micro-betting.

The invention discloses an automatic exit and entry certificate handling device and a method thereof. The device comprises a shell, a touch display screen, a digital camera, a picture color printer, a laser printer, an identity card reader, an endorsement module, a control module, a lifting chair, and a lifting part, wherein the touch display screen, the digital camera, the picture color printer, the laser printer, the identity card reader, the endorsement module and the control module are arranged on the rear part in the shell, the lens of the digital camera faces to the front part in the shell, the lifting chair and the lifting part are arranged on the front part in the shell, and the lifting part is used for driving the lifting chair to go up or down; and the touch display screen, the digital camera, the picture color printer, the laser printer, the identity card reader, the endorsement module and the lifting part are respectively connected to the control module. The device disclosed by the invention can enable users to independently apply for new exit and entry certificates and endorse exit and entry certificates for the second time, and thereby, not only is the efficiency of certificate handling increased, but also the time and energy of the users are saved.

A multiplayer interactive video gaming device is provided. The device includes a computer workstation assembly, at least one player station, and an interface assembly in operative communication with at least one data port of the computer workstation assembly and configured to receive player input messages from a plurality of the player stations and to output the player input messages to the computer workstation assembly by one or more of the at least one data ports. The interface assembly is operably associated with the at least one player station to route the player input messages from the at least one player station to the computer workstation assembly according to a predetermined protocol so that player input messages generated from simultaneous activation of a plurality of input devices are output to the computer workstation assembly without information loss.

A cabinet, a drawer assembly and an associated method are provided for controllably limiting the slideable extension of a drawer relative to a cabinet body. The cabinet is configured to store a plurality of medications and includes a cabinet body and a drawer assembly that, in turn, includes a drawer slideably disposed within the cabinet body and an extension control rod. The drawer may include a plurality of pockets for storing respective medications. The drawer may also include an outwardly extending engagement member. The extension control rod may include a plurality of outwardly extending projections that are arranged helically about the rod. As such, engagement of a projection of the extension control rod with the engagement member of the drawer limits further slideable extension of the drawer relative to the cabinet body.

A method of playing card games, according to the present invention, includes the steps of: (a) dealing a predetermined number of cards as player's cards and dealing a predetermined number of cards as banker's cards from among plural types of cards; (b) varying a predetermined card included in the player's cards to another kind of card at a predetermined timing in a case where the player's cards include the predetermined card for a duration from dealing of cards to an end of a game in (a); and (c) determining a winner or a loser by comparing hands of the player's cards with hands of the banker's cards.