Provided is a method and system for the electronic distribution of product redemption coupons to remote personal computers located at users' homes. A centrally located repository, such as an online service provider or web site on the Internet, stores packages of coupon data for downloading on demand to the user's computer. The user may view, select, sort and print desired coupons from the downloaded package. The user's demographic as well as coupon selection data is provided back to the online service and coupon distributor and issuers for subsequent marketing analysis. The online service can perform subsequent coupon processing on previously downloaded coupon packages such as variation of discount amounts. The online service provider can also determine how many times a particular coupon was viewed. When the printed coupons are presented at a retail store, the discount is provided to the user. Upon redemption by the store via a coupon redeeming center, transaction data is also supplied to the coupon issuers and distributor for integration into marketing analysis. The electronic coupon system is secure due to the inclusion of user-specific identification indicia printed thereon.

Method and system for electronic distribution of product redemption coupons

A control system and apparatus for use with an ultra-fast laser is provided. In another aspect of the present invention, the apparatus includes a laser, pulse shaper, detection device and control system. A multiphoton intrapulse interference method is used to characterize the spectral phase of laser pulses and to compensate any distortions in an additional aspect of the present invention. In another aspect of the present invention, a system employs multiphoton intrapulse interference phase scan. Furthermore, another aspect of the present invention locates a pulse shaper and/or MIIPS unit between a laser oscillator and an output of a laser amplifier.

Control system and apparatus for use with ultra-fast laser

A system and method for utilizing web that is free of tractor pin feed holes comprises the driving of the web along a predetermined path within the utilization device. A web guide is provided in an upstream location from a utilization device element. The guide engages width-wise edges of the web and forms the web into a trough to stiffen the web. A drive roller and a follower roller impinge upon opposing sides of the web and rotate to drive the web through the guide. The drive roller is located adjacent to the guide according to a preferred embodiment. A registration controller is utilized to synchronize the movement of the web with the operation of the utilization device element. The controller includes a drive controller that controls the speed of either the drive roller or the utilization device element to maintain the web and the utilization device element in appropriate synchronization.

Method and apparatus for pinless feeding of web to a utilization device

A drug inspection device which makes drug inspection work extremely easy and simple. The device includes a conveyor for feeding drugs packaged in bags according to prescription data, a camera for taking pictures of drugs in the bags being fed by the conveyor, a camera monitor for displaying one after another the pictures taken by the camera, and a graphic monitor for calling image data to be prescribed from a data base and displaying the thus called data. The picture of the drugs in each bag and the image data on drugs corresponding to the drugs in each bag are displayed simultaneously on the respective monitors for a predetermined time. By visually checking the monitors, a pharmacist can easily inspect drugs.

Drug inspection device and drug packaging device

The exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides methods and systems for automatically selecting a media type for which to format Value-Bearing Item indicia based on a user's input of a secured paper control number The exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a method for selecting a media type format for which to generate value-bearing item indicia, said method comprising receiving an input of a secured paper control number, and identifying a media type format corresponding to the secured paper control number The exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a method for determining a media type for a particular unit of secured paper, said method comprising receiving an input of a media type identifier, wherein the media type identifier is displayed on the particular unit of secured paper, and retrieving from a memory storage a record corresponding to the media type identifier, wherein said record defines a media type format corresponding to the media type identifier The exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a method for identifying to a system a secured paper media type, said method comprising displaying on a particular unit of secured paper a secured paper identifier wherein the particular unit of secured paper corresponds to a particular media type, said media type characterized by a set of media type information, and recording on a database a relationship between the secured paper identifier and the corresponding media type information

Media type identification

Apparatus and method for variable opening of an envelope is disclosed. The apparatus includes a device for supporting the front panel and flap of an envelope in a plane, and a vacuum bar assembly situated above the supporting device, the assembly having a vacuum cup for gripping the back panel of the envelope. The apparatus includes a device for moving the vacuum cup downward to grip the envelope back panel and to move the cup upward a predetermined distance whereby the back panel is separated from the front panel to thereby open the envelope a predetermined amount. The apparatus also includes a measuring system for measuring the thickness of successive collations, and means responsive to the measuring system for controlling the amount of movement of the vacuum cups so that the predetermined amount of movement thereof varies from envelope to envelope to open each successive envelope only the amount required to accept the collation intended for that envelope.

Apparatus and method for variable opening of envelopes

In a device for processing documents being transported therethrough along a document feed path, an aligner apparatus comprising: first and second guide walls, each guide wall positioned parallel to the document feed path and facing the other guide wall forming an alley along the document feed path in which the documents are relieved of interdocument forces allowing bottom edge alignment of the documents with the document feed path, the guide walls forming a plurality of openings, each opening in the first guide wall being in alignment with an opening in the second guide wall; and a trap assembly comprising first and second trap levers, each trap lever mounted along the document feed path on a side of the guide wall opposite the document feed path, each trap lever received by one of the plurality of openings in the guide walls and each trap lever opposing the other trap lever and positioned to, when actuated, cause opposing forces on one-another in order to grab the documents as they move along the feed path in the aligner apparatus so as to control the gap between the documents. The trap lever configured with a resilient pad and an air gap to reduce noise when the lever is actuated and contacts the document.

Aligner mechanism for a mail handling system

A two-stage document singulating apparatus includes first and second singulators disposed along a document feed path. The first singulator acts to separate individual documents from a stack which are subject to a stack advance mechanism force. The second singulator separates multifeeds that pass through the first singulator and which are no longer subject to the stack advance mechanism force.

Two-stage document singulating apparatus for a mail handling system

A nudger including apparatus for applying a feed force to a lead mailpiece of the stack of mixed mail to feed the lead mailpiece of the stack along a mailpiece feed path, the applying apparatus being moveable between first and second positions; structure for biasing the applying apparatus against a face of the lead mailpiece thereby generating a stack force against a stack of mixed mail; and a stack advance mechanism for moving the stack of mixed mail so that the face of the lead mailpiece contacts the applying apparatus; wherein at times when the applying apparatus is in the first position the stack advance mechanism moves the stack of mixed mail in the direction of the applying apparatus causing the applying apparatus to move from the first position to the second position against the biasing structure such that the stack force increases causing a corresponding increase in the feed force; and further wherein at times when the applying apparatus is in the second position the stack advance mechanism stops moving the stack of mixed mail and the applying apparatus continuously feeds mailpieces away from the stack of mixed mail along the mailpiece feed path thereby continuously reducing the size of the stack of mixed mail so that the biasing structure gradually moves the applying apparatus from the second position to the first position and the stack force gradually decreases during movement of the applying apparatus from the second position to the first position

A nudger for a mail handling system

The present invention is directed to, in a general aspect, a nudger for a mixed mail feeder and, in particular, to an apparatus and method of providing and detecting proper position in a stack of mixed mail. The apparatus, generally, comprises a nudger arm for detecting proper positioning of the mailpiece and a lean detection arm for detecting proper lean of the mailpiece with respect to the nudger. The method comprises generally, a determination that when the lean detection arm and the nudger arm are in a position indicating that the lead mailpiece is in the proper position, the stack of mixed mail is decelerated and fed to, for example, a separator, for further processing. The deceleration is performed at a slow rate and provides for a predetermined amount of over travel by the stack of mixed mail. This ensures proper contact of the lead mailpiece with the nudger rollers for feeding the mailpieces for further processing. The nudger rollers continue to feed the lead mailpieces until one or both of the lean detection arm and the nudger arm move out of the position(s) for proper mailpiece feeding.

Eric A. Belec

Papers

Apparatus and method for variable opening of envelopes

Aligner mechanism for a mail handling system

Two-stage document singulating apparatus for a mail handling system

A nudger for a mail handling system

Method and apparatus for detecting proper mailpiece position for feeding