US3870866A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Fee charging system
Assignee: Paperless Accounting Inc
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Filing: 1972-08-09
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Granted: 1975-03-11
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Expires: 1992-08-09
Abstract
Abstract Method and apparatus are provided for assessing the aggregate cost of services rendered to a person, whereby the cost parameters are primarily a distance magnitude, a time magnitude or a combination of both. An electrically or electronically coded token having a prepaid value is employed, whereby the means is provided for reading the prepaid value, determining the aggregate cost of the service, and encoding the token which is the previous value reduced by the cost of services. The token is then returned to the user. The means provided is adapted to determine varying unit rates per time, distance, or both.
Inventors
- 👤 John W Halpern
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 22:21
CPC Classifications
G; G07; G07F; G07F7/00; G07F7/02; G06; G06K; G06K19/00; G06K19/04; G06K19/06; G06K19/067; G06K19/07; G06K19/0723; G06K19/077; G06K19/07749; G06K7/00; G06K7/10; G06K7/10009; G06K7/10316; G06K7/10326; G06K7/10336; G06Q; G06Q20/00; G06Q20/30; G06Q20/34; G06Q20/343; G06Q20/3437; G07B; G07B15/00; G07B15/02; G07F17/00; G07F17/0014; G07F7/08; G07F7/0866; H; H04; H04M; H04M17/00; H04M17/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
134 words
An apparatus for the automatic changing of service fees in pay token operated stations, with the pay token having a recorded value, wherein a service charge is determined as a function of units expended including: a. means for translating numbers of units expended into numbers of service charge units; b. means for storing said service charge units in a first memory circuit; c. means for reading and storing the recorded value of a pay token in a second memory circuit; d. means for relating the contents of said first memory circuit and said second memory circuit, so as to derive a residual value as a difference signal representing the recorded value of the pay token minus the service charge; and e. means for replacing said value of the pay token by said residual value.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
134 words
An apparatus for the automatic changing of service fees in pay token operated stations, with the pay token having a recorded value, wherein a service charge is determined as a function of units expended including: a. means for translating numbers of units expended into numbers of service charge units; b. means for storing said service charge units in a first memory circuit; c. means for reading and storing the recorded value of a pay token in a second memory circuit; d. means for relating the contents of said first memory circuit and said second memory circuit, so as to derive a residual value as a difference signal representing the recorded value of the pay token minus the service charge; and e. means for replacing said value of the pay token by said residual value.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
134 words
An apparatus for the automatic changing of service fees in pay token operated stations, with the pay token having a recorded value, wherein a service charge is determined as a function of units expended including: a. means for translating numbers of units expended into numbers of service charge units; b. means for storing said service charge units in a first memory circuit; c. means for reading and storing the recorded value of a pay token in a second memory circuit; d. means for relating the contents of said first memory circuit and said second memory circuit, so as to derive a residual value as a difference signal representing the recorded value of the pay token minus the service charge; and e. means for replacing said value of the pay token by said residual value.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
134 words
An apparatus for the automatic changing of service fees in pay token operated stations, with the pay token having a recorded value, wherein a service charge is determined as a function of units expended including: a. means for translating numbers of units expended into numbers of service charge units; b. means for storing said service charge units in a first memory circuit; c. means for reading and storing the recorded value of a pay token in a second memory circuit; d. means for relating the contents of said first memory circuit and said second memory circuit, so as to derive a residual value as a difference signal representing the recorded value of the pay token minus the service charge; and e. means for replacing said value of the pay token by said residual value.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
167 words
An apparatus for the automatic charging of service fees in pay stations, having communication lines between telephone exchange equipment and call box equipment, employing a pay token having electrically operable means for storing data including: a. a generator of pay pulses in the exchange equipment, the pulse rate of which is proportional to the call charge per unit of time; b. a pay pulse receiving means for selectively receiving the pay pulses and converting them into input signals of a pulse counter; c. a first pulse counter to receive and store said input signals; d. receiving means for positioning the pay token; e. sensor devices which are included as a part of the receiving means for reading data from the data storage means on the pay token and producing an electrical signal reflecting a prepaid value; f. a second pulse counter to receive and store prepaid value data from the pay token; and g. a comparator to compare the contents of the first and second pulse counters.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
167 words
An apparatus for the automatic charging of service fees in pay stations, having communication lines between telephone exchange equipment and call box equipment, employing a pay token having electrically operable means for storing data including: a. a generator of pay pulses in the exchange equipment, the pulse rate of which is proportional to the call charge per unit of time; b. a pay pulse receiving means for selectively receiving the pay pulses and converting them into input signals of a pulse counter; c. a first pulse counter to receive and store said input signals; d. receiving means for positioning the pay token; e. sensor devices which are included as a part of the receiving means for reading data from the data storage means on the pay token and producing an electrical signal reflecting a prepaid value; f. a second pulse counter to receive and store prepaid value data from the pay token; and g. a comparator to compare the contents of the first and second pulse counters.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
68 words
An apparatus for automatic charging of service fees as set forth in claim 2, wherein are included: a. a gating circuit connected to comparator output terminals which are operative in controlling the gate so as to pass a ''''pay-answer'''' pulse for transmission over the communication line to the central equipment when the contents of the second pulse counter is equal or larger than that of the first counter.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
37 words
An apparatus for the automatic charging of service fees as set forth in claim 2, wherein: a. the pay pulse receiving means is a tuned circuit, and the converting means is a rectifier and a first relay.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
60 words
An apparatus for the automatic charging of service fees as set forth in claim 4, wherein said call box has a transmitter, comprising: a. a second relay for receiving the pay-answer pulse to insert a resistance between communication lines and call box transmitter and receiver, so as to reduce the d.c. current level for the duraTion of a pay-answer pulse.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
58 words
An apparatus for the automatic charging of service fees in pay stations, as set forth in claim 2, including: a. interrogation means in the Exchange equipment for transmitting a desired number of pay pulses to the pay station equipment; b. means in the telephone exchange equipment for counting, storing and displaying ''''pay-answer'''' pulses echoed from the pay station.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
36 words
An apparatus for the automatic charging of service fees in pay stations, as set forth in claim 6, including: a. means in the telephone exchange equipment for resetting the pay pulse counter in the pay station.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
44 words
An apparatus for the automatic charging of service fees in pay stations, as set forth in claim 7, wherein: a. the resetting means is a third relay responsive to an increase in the d.c. current in one of the wires of the communication line.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
55 words
An apparatus for the automatic charging of service fees in pay stations, as set forth in claim 2, including: a. a rest position for said pay token in which it neither transmits nor receives data; b. a manual trigger button arranged on actuation to release the token from its resting position to recover the token.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
53 words
An apparatus for the automatic charging of service fees in pay stations, as set forth in claim 9, including: a. current supply circuits actuated by said pay token, when in its resting position, to furnish operating power to the counters, comparator, and sensor devices of the fee charging apparatus in the pay station.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
39 words
An apparatus for the automatic charging of service fees in pay stations as set forth in claim 2, including: a. display means to show to the pay station user the contents of the pay pulse counter in digital form.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
37 words
An apparatus for the remote charging of service fees in pay stations as set forth in claim 2, including: a. display means to show to the pay station user the contents of the pay token value counter.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
38 words
An apparatus for the remote charging of service fees in pay stations as set forth in claim 2, including: a. indicator means to indicate when the pay pulse counter approaches the count level of the token value counter.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
39 words
The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said indicator means comprises a plurality of lamps coupled to the data token storing means for indicating the status of the contents stored in the pay token relative to a predetermined threshold value.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
44 words
An apparatus for the remote charging of service fees in pay stations, as set forth in claim 2, wherein: a. the electrically operable storage means on the pay token is a layer of magnetically susceptible material, and the sensor means are magnetic read/write heads.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
73 words
An apparatus for the automatic charging of service fees in pay stations as set forth in claim 2, including: h. difference means for producing signals reflecting the difference between the contents of the pay pulse counter and the contents of the token value counter; i. recording means coupled to said difference means for recording in the token said signals reflecting said difference; and j. sensor means for initiating operation of said difference means.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
76 words
The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said receiving means provides a rest position for said pay token in which said token neither transmits nor receives data and includes a manual trigger button arranged on actuation to release the token from its resting position to recover the token; and wherein said sensor means includes means exposed to the token after having been released from its resting position for generating an operation initiating signal for said difference means.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said sensor means includes manually actuatable means for generating an operation initiating signal for said difference means.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
187 words
A system for the automatic charging of service fees in pay stations, having communication lines between telephone exchange equipment and call box equiPment, said system comprising: a. a generator of pay pulses in the exchange equipment, the pulse rate of which is proportional to the call charge per unit of time; b. pay pulse receiving means associated with said call box equipment for selectively receiving said pay pulses and converting said pay pulses into call box output signals; c. a pay token having a vlaue storing counter; d. receiving means for positioning said pay token; e. sensor means included in said receiving means for converting said call box output signals into pay token input signals; f. means in said pay token for altering the value stored in said counter in response to said input signals; g. means in said pay token for generating a signal in response to said input signals when said value in said counter exceeds a pre-determined threshhold value; and h. means responsive to said token output signals for generating a pay answer pulse for transmission over the communication lines to the exchange equipment.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
187 words
A system for the automatic charging of service fees in pay stations, having communication lines between telephone exchange equipment and call box equiPment, said system comprising: a. a generator of pay pulses in the exchange equipment, the pulse rate of which is proportional to the call charge per unit of time; b. pay pulse receiving means associated with said call box equipment for selectively receiving said pay pulses and converting said pay pulses into call box output signals; c. a pay token having a vlaue storing counter; d. receiving means for positioning said pay token; e. sensor means included in said receiving means for converting said call box output signals into pay token input signals; f. means in said pay token for altering the value stored in said counter in response to said input signals; g. means in said pay token for generating a signal in response to said input signals when said value in said counter exceeds a pre-determined threshhold value; and h. means responsive to said token output signals for generating a pay answer pulse for transmission over the communication lines to the exchange equipment.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-03-10 | 1978-09-09 | 1979-03-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-03-10 | 1982-09-09 | 1983-03-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-03-10 | 1986-09-09 | 1987-03-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |