Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080201707 | DYNAMIC DEPLOYMENT OF CUSTOM CODE - A method and system for dynamically downloading custom code for execution within a host application is provided. A deployment system augments the manifest used for deploying managed applications to include information describing how the host application is to use the custom code, referred to as host manifest information. The deployment system reports the progress of the downloading of the manifest and the custom code to the host application. The host application can then perform appropriate host-specific processing. The host application may provide to the deployment system an interface for verifying the trust of the custom code. The deployment system also allows the host application to control the uninstalling of the custom code. | 08-21-2008 |
20080201759 | VERSION-RESILIENCE BETWEEN A MANAGED ENVIRONMENT AND A SECURITY POLICY - A method and system for enforcing a security policy that is version-independent of a managed environment when loading custom code for a host application is provided. A security system of the managed environment receives an identifier of custom code to be loaded by the host application. Before loading the identified custom code, the managed environment enforces the security policy using the security system. The security system applies the security policy expressed using a version-independent indication of identifiers of untrusted custom code. If the security system determines that the trust of the custom code is unknown, then the security system requests a trust manager associated with the host application to enforce a host application-specific security policy. When the custom code is trusted, the managed environment loads the custom code. | 08-21-2008 |
20100318968 | CATALOG-BASED SOFTWARE COMPONENT MANAGEMENT - Multiple software component identifiers are maintained in a catalog of an operating system running on a device. Each of these software component identifiers corresponds to one of multiple software components installed on the device. The catalog is accessed in response to a request regarding one of the multiple software components, and the request is responded to based at least in part on information included in the catalog. Additionally, two or more versions of a software component that are installed on the computing device can be identified. Which one of the two or more versions of the software component is an active version of the software component to be run is determined. In response to requests for information regarding the software component, information regarding the active version of the software component is returned. | 12-16-2010 |
20100325085 | Managed System Extensibility - One or more extension registrations are received for each of multiple software components installed on a computing device. The one or more extension registrations identify the software components as providers of functionality. A record of the one or more extension registrations for each of the multiple software components is maintained. Requests are received, from other software components installed on the computing device, that identify particular functionality. In response to such requests, the information regarding one or more of the multiple software components that provide the particular functionality is returned to the other software components. | 12-23-2010 |
20130305239 | Catalog-Based Software Component Management - Multiple software component identifiers are maintained in a catalog of an operating system running on a device. Each of these software component identifiers corresponds to one of multiple software components installed on the device. The catalog is accessed in response to a request regarding one of the multiple software components, and the request is responded to based at least in part on information included in the catalog. Additionally, two or more versions of a software component that are installed on the computing device can be identified. Which one of the two or more versions of the software component is an active version of the software component to be run is determined. In response to requests for information regarding the software component, information regarding the active version of the software component is returned. | 11-14-2013 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090013028 | Apparatus And Method For Monitoring And Control Of Remotely Located Equipment - A remote data acquisition and transmission system for vending machines may be provided. The system may comprise a vending machine and at least one host device. The vending machine may comprise a vending machine controller; and an Internet Protocol (IP) network interface operable to communicate operation data to and from the vending machine controller. The at least one host device may be communicatively coupled to the IP network interface via at least one IP network, and the host device may be operable to communicate operation data to and from the IP network interface. | 01-08-2009 |
20090303982 | Systems and Methods for Data Acquisition and Transmission - In a system for a field asset site having a plurality of field assets, a first transport module interfaces with a first field asset, the first transport module operable to communicate via a first transport with a communication center outside of the field asset site. A second transport module interfaces with the first field asset. A third transport module interfaces with an associated field asset and is operable to communicate via a second transport to the second transport module. Each of a plurality of audit devices interfaces with an associated field asset from which operation data is acquired by the audit device. Each of a plurality of routing modules interfaces between an associated field audit device and at least one of the second transport module and the third transport module, with each routing module operable to provide transport-agnostic communication between its associated audit device and at least one of the communication center and another audit device. | 12-10-2009 |
20110173535 | MECHANISM FOR A VENDING MACHINE GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE UTILIZING XML FOR ON-THE-FLY LANGUAGE SELECTION BY AN END USER - Text for a vending machine customer interface is supplied from one of a plurality of markup language descriptions of the customer interface text contained within storage media in the vending machine. Each markup language description is configured to cause the customer interface text to be displayed in a different human language. In response to initiation of a vend transaction, the vending machine may prompt the customer to select a preferred human language in which to transact the vend and, based on the customer selection, load customer interface text from a corresponding markup language description into the customer interface display. | 07-14-2011 |
20110173568 | MECHANISM FOR A VENDING MACHINE GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE UTILIZING XML FOR A VERSATILE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE - Logic for a vending machine customer interface is supplied from one a plurality of markup language descriptions of the customer interface contained within storage media in the vending machine. Each markup language description is configured to cause the customer interface flow between different sets of application states, and content that is displayed/rendered when respective application states are activated. In response to customer selection of a particular product or class of products, based on the customer selection, the controller processes customer interface flow and content based upon a corresponding markup language description to produce the customer interface display. | 07-14-2011 |
20120022686 | RICH CONTENT MANAGEMENT AND DISPLAY FOR USE IN REMOTE FIELD ASSETS - A field asset such as a vending machine includes a coin acceptor, a bill validator, and a card reader all operatively connected to a shared bus. A rich content display device displays color graphics and an extended function adapter (EFA) coupled to the shared bus includes a rich content agent (RCA) to manage rich content displayed on the display. The RCA may include a content management agent (CMA) coupled to a rich content player that executes rich content file for display on the display device. The EFA may include a cashless agent to generate procedural state information. The CMA detects the procedural state information and controls the presentation of rich content on the display device based at least in part on the detected procedural state information. The EFA may include an analytic agent to determine a substantive state of the vending machine including an inventory state and an environmental state. | 01-26-2012 |
20120109368 | REAL-TIME TARGETED DYNAMIC CONTENT DELIVERY TO A CONSUMER VIA SERVER-DRIVEN MESSAGING - Content for display to a consumer at a vending machine is dynamically generated at a remote content server based on one or more variables maintained at the content server, and delivered in real time to the vending machine for display to the customer during a vend process. In the case of a customer loyalty program, the content may include metadata comprising an authorization code for a free vend and an associated message if the customer has accumulated sufficient reward points, or a message indicating a number of accumulated rewards points. | 05-03-2012 |
20120130536 | IMPLEMENTING SECURE, ANONYMOUS CUSTOMER INFORMATION EXCHANGE IN ONE OR MORE VENDING MACHINES THROUGH TOKENIZED CUSTOMER IDENTIFIERS GENERATED USING A ONE-WAY HASH FUNCTION - A unique, anonymous, tokenized customer identifier is derived by a one-way hash function from a credit/debit account number each time a customer provides the same credit/debit card information at a vending machine. The customer identifier thus repeatedly generated at each of the vending machines is then used to track the customer's purchase history and preferences for customer-focused programs, such as a loyalty rewards program. The customer need not carry a separate token bearing the customer identifier, but instead can automatically participate in the customer-focused programs as part of paying for a purchase. The customer may optionally remain anonymous in each program. | 05-24-2012 |
20130006413 | SYNCHRONIZATION OF TIME CRITICAL ACTIVITIES ACROSS VENDING MACHINE NETWORKS - Synchronization of activities requiring coordinated timing across a bank of vending machines, such as harmonious actuation of illumination elements, is performed by specifying, in an application layer (e.g., Zigbee) of a network protocol, actions to be synchronized to a distributed timing event and distributing notice of the specified timing event using physical and media access control layers of the network protocol. | 01-03-2013 |
20130006416 | CUSTOMER USAGE STATISTICS GATHERING WITHIN VENDING MACHINES - A vending machine is configured to collect rich customer insight information, including time-based records of the customer interaction with the vending machine during a vend transaction. Customer menu selections, brand information associated with customer payment or product selections, and promotions or displays triggering customer input are logged for analysis to provide further information regarding customer sales and promotion responses. | 01-03-2013 |
20130035787 | QUICK RESPONSE (QR) CODE GENERATION IN VENDING MACHINES OR KIOSKS FOR CUSTOMER ENGAGEMENT - Deeper customer engagement through a vending machine is provided by display of a quick response (QR) code on a customer interface display for the vending machine during a vend transaction. The customer can scan the displayed QR code with a smart phone camera to link to a website containing an advertisement, providing detailed nutritional information for a product available for vending from the vending machine, allowing collection of loyalty points or enabling reporting of a service issue or entry of a customer review. | 02-07-2013 |
20130054016 | USING CONSUMER PROFILE INFORMATION IN VENDING AND OTHER UNATTENDED RETAIL - Consumer profile information is received wirelessly (NFC, Bluetooth, etc.) from a user device at the communications interface for a vending machine, and stored at least temporarily within the vending machine. The current vend transaction with the consumer carrying the user device is then altered based upon the received consumer profile information, to block product sales containing relevant food allergens, offer discounts tailored to the particular consumer, or enforce parental controls, among other possible personalizations of the consumer experience during the vend transaction. | 02-28-2013 |
20130103187 | "SHOPPING CART" PARADIGM FOR SINGLE- OR MULTI-VEND VENDING MACHINE TRANSACTION PROCESS FLOW - A vending machine is configured to provide a shopping cart vend transaction order-of-processing, allowing the customer to aggregate product selections before payment. The vending machine includes an enclosure configured to store a plurality of products, a user interface configured to receive inputs from a consumer; and a control system coupled to the user interface. The control system is configured to provide a virtual shopping cart that enables the customer to aggregate one or more product selections in a single vend transaction. | 04-25-2013 |
20130144432 | METHOD FOR AUTOMATED PLANOGRAM PROGRAMMING IN A VENDING MACHINE - Automatic planogram programming for a glass front snack or cold drink vending machine is accomplished using tray, product and price barcodes, each preferably a different type of barcode. Trays within the vending machine are labeled with unique barcodes, and a set of price barcodes for predetermined prices is provided together with a USB-connected scanner. The barcode label affixed to any tray is scanned by the route driver. The UPC/EAN barcodes on products are then scanned for each selection progressing across the tray, together with a price barcode for the first selection and each subsequent selection having a different price from the prior selection on the tray. Planogram data for the tray may be reviewed and corrected on a customer interface display for the vending machine before moving on to another tray, with the trays programmed in any order. The planogram for the entire vending machine is quickly and accurately programmed. | 06-06-2013 |
20140048600 | LANDING LIGHTS FOR MULTI-PURPOSE CONFIGURABLE VOTING SYSTEM - A ballot processing device flashes one or more lights of the ballot processing device in a first color when the ballot processing device is ready to receive a ballot. The ballot processing device lights a portion of the one or more lights of the ballot processing device in a second color when the ballot processing device is not ready to receive a ballot. | 02-20-2014 |
20140052505 | MULTI-PURPOSE CONFIGURABLE VOTING SYSTEM - A portable electronic voting machine is provided. The portable electronic voting machine comprises a smart panel configured to display voting process information; and a base station configured to house the smart panel. The electronic voting machine is configured to have the smart panel be removable from the base station and store voting information selected while the smart panel is removed from the base station. | 02-20-2014 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20120174149 | PROVIDING ADVERTISING CONTENT TO A USER - Advertising content is provided to a user. A set top box that is located in a first environment receives a first signal from a user device located in the first environment, wherein the first signal is encoded with commerce-related information. The set top box conveys the commerce-related information via a digital communication network to a server system located in a second environment. The server system utilizes the commerce-related information to select advertising information pertaining to the commerce-related information, and then communicates the advertising information to a device from which the user of the user device located in the first environment can access the advertising information. | 07-05-2012 |
20120174151 | PROVIDING ADVERTISING CONTENT TO A USER - A user equipment (UE) includes a location sensing mechanism, a memory for storing identity of a plurality of location co-ordinates visited by a user of the user equipment, a processor for determining preferences corresponding to the user based on the stored locations and a transceiver for communicating the preferences. | 07-05-2012 |
20120185890 | SYNCHRONIZED VIDEO PRESENTATION - A video control device is disclosed. The video control device includes a communication interface for receiving user inputs and for communicating data to users, a memory for storing information communicated with the users and a plurality of video programs and a processor for processing the inputs received by the communication interface and for streaming video to the users via the communication interface. The communication interface receives a code from a user and from at least one of a plurality of invitees that received the code from the user. The processor streams a video program corresponding to the code simultaneously to the user and to invitees submitting the code and disables navigation functions of user controls for the invitees submitting the code. | 07-19-2012 |
20120201519 | GENERATING MONTAGES OF VIDEO SEGMENTS RESPONSIVE TO VIEWING PREFERENCES ASSOCIATED WITH A VIDEO TERMINAL - Methods, video terminals, and systems are disclosed for generating a montage of video segments for display by a video terminal. At least one video viewing preference associated with the video terminal is identified. Metadata associated with video segments in at least one video file is searched to identify video segments that correspond to the identified at least one video viewing preference. A montage of the identified video segments is generated for display by the video terminal. | 08-09-2012 |
20120210340 | WEB TO VIDEO-ON-DEMAND SYSTEM, AUTHENTICATION ENGINE AND METHOD FOR USING SAME - A system, an authentication engine and a method are described herein for authenticating an end user and associating their set-top box with a third party web based application to stream a third party video to the set-top box. In one example, the end user may utilize a client device (e.g., computer, laptop computer, smart phone) to access via the internet the third party video provider which lists a number of videos that the end user could watch on their television. The end user would select one of the videos to watch and then their cable provider would stream the video to the end-user's set-top box to be displayed on their television. To enable this service, the authentication system authenticates the end user and associates their set-top box with the third party video provider's web based application. | 08-16-2012 |
20120272261 | LOCATION BASED USER AWARE VIDEO ON DEMAND SESSIONS - A cable backend and a method are described herein for enabling a user with a location-aware mobile device to have at least partial control of a closest cable device (e.g., set top box, cable application) associated with a closest television. The closest cable device does not need to be associated with the user's home television but instead can be any cable device that is associated with a television located for instance at a stranger's house, an airport, a bar, or wherever. | 10-25-2012 |
20130212614 | LOCATION BASED USER AWARE VIDEO ON DEMAND SESSIONS - A system and a method are described herein for enabling a user with a location-aware mobile device to have at least partial control of a closest set top box associated with a closest television. The closest set top box does not need to be associated with the user's home television but instead can be any set top box that is associated with a television located for instance at a stranger's house, an airport, a bar, or wherever. | 08-15-2013 |
20140109119 | LOCATION BASED USER AWARE VIDEO ON DEMAND SESSIONS - A system and a method are described herein for enabling a user with a location-aware mobile device to have at least partial control of a closest set top box associated with a closest television. The closest set top box does not need to be associated with the user's home television but instead can be any set top box that is associated with a television located for instance at a stranger's house, an airport, a bar, or wherever. | 04-17-2014 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20110298375 | Power Factor Control For An LED Bulb Driver Circuit - A light-emitting diode (LED) bulb has a shell and a base attached to the shell. An LED is within the shell. A driver circuit provides current to the LED. The driver circuit has a power factor control circuit that includes a tracking circuit configured to produce a tracking signal indicative of the voltage of the supply line. The power factor control circuit also includes a switch-mode power supply (SMPS) controller having an input pin and an output pin. The tracking circuit is connected to the input pin. Based on the signal at the input pin, the SMPS controller is configured to change a duty cycle of an output signal on the output pin. | 12-08-2011 |
20120313520 | POWER FACTOR CONTROL FOR AN LED BULB DRIVER CIRCUIT - A light-emitting diode (LED) bulb has a shell and a base attached to the shell. An LED is within the shell. A driver circuit provides current to the LED. The driver circuit has a power factor control circuit that includes a tracking circuit configured to produce a tracking signal indicative of the voltage of the supply line. The power factor control circuit also includes a switch-mode power supply (SMPS) controller having an input pin and an output pin. The tracking circuit is connected to the input pin. Based on the signal at the input pin, the SMPS controller is configured to change a duty cycle of an output signal on the output pin. | 12-13-2012 |
20130257302 | DIMMER COMPATIABLE LED BULB DRIVER CIRCUIT - A light-emitting diode (LED) bulb for use with a leading-edge dimmer includes a shell and an LED contained within the shell. A base is attached to the bulb for connecting the LED bulb to an electrical socket. A driver circuit is configured to provide current to the LED. The driver circuit has an input filter circuit that includes a first inductor. In response to the input filter receiving a switched AC voltage from a leading-edge dimmer set to dim at 50%, the first inductor is configured to saturate. In response to an undimmed AC voltage from the leading-edge dimmer, the first inductor is configured to not saturate. The input filter also includes a bridge rectifier connected to the first inductor. | 10-03-2013 |
20130271000 | POWER FACTOR CONTROL FOR AN LED BULB DRIVER CIRCUIT - A light-emitting diode (LED) bulb has a shell and a base attached to the shell. An LED is within the shell. A driver circuit provides current to the LED. The driver circuit has a power factor control circuit that includes a tracking circuit configured to produce a tracking signal indicative of the voltage of the supply line. The power factor control circuit also includes a switch-mode power supply (SMPS) controller having an input pin and an output pin. The tracking circuit is connected to the input pin. Based on the signal at the input pin, the SMPS controller is configured to change a frequency of an output signal on the output pin. | 10-17-2013 |
20140265835 | THREE-WAY LED BULB DRIVER - An LED bulb is described. The LED bulb comprises a shell, a plurality of LEDs within the shell, a driver circuit connected to the plurality of LEDs, and a base connected to the shell. The driver circuit comprises a first input to receive AC voltage, a second input to receive AC voltage, a neutral input, a power supply circuit connected to the plurality of LEDs, and a brightness control circuit. The brightness control circuit is connected to the first input, the second input, and the power supply circuit. The brightness control circuit is configured to output a modified AC voltage to the power supply circuit. The modified AC voltage is created by blocking a portion of a cycle of AC received by the first or second input. The blocked portion is based on whether the first input, the second input, or the first and second inputs are both hot. | 09-18-2014 |