US Patent No: 5,442,567

Number of patents in Portfolio can not be more than 2000

Apparatus and method for electronically dispensing personalized greeting cards and gifts

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ATTORNEY / AGENT: (SPONSORED)
 

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Abstract

A vending machine which allows a customer to design and personalize a greeting card also allows the customer to integrate an electronically vendable gift along with or directly onto the card. A stand-alone kiosk includes a credit card verifier, an alphanumeric keyboard, a video screen, a color printer printing on blank or partially printed card stock, and a gift calculator and vender, all controlled by a CPU. Examples of gifts available through the machine include chances at telephone games, such as SPELLIT, gift certificates, long distance toll free return telephone calls, lottery tickets, and, where sports gaming is legal, bets on the gift recipient's favorite sports team. Any or all of these gifts can be printed directly onto the personalized card.

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First Claim

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Patent Owner(s)

  • Assignment data not available. Check USPTO

International Classification(s)

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  • [Patents Count]

Inventor(s)

Inventor Name Address # of filed Patents Total Citations
Small, Maynard E 1205 San Francisco Tower, 2510 Grand Ave., Kansas City, MO 64108 12 1523

Cited Art

Patent Info (Count) # Cites Year
 
FIRST PACIFIC EQUITY, INC. (2)
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5,056,029 Method and apparatus for manufacturing and vending social expression cards 65 1989
 
Republic Money Orders, Inc. (2)
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4,699,532 Method and apparatus for dispensing money orders 42 1986
 
BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA (1)
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CRAWFORD, ANDREW S., 523 SUNSET, ANN ARBOR (1)
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Dataflow Computer Corporation (1)
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HALLMARK CARDS, INCORPORATED (1)
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INTELLECTUAL TECHNOLOGY, INC. (1)
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INTER*ACT SYSTEMS, INCORPORATED (1)
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MAN ROLAND DRUCKMASCHINEN AG (1)
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NIPPON CONLUX CO., LTD. (1)
4,809,837 Control device for a vending machine and gift certificate for use thereon 71 1987
 
PVI, Inc. (1)
5,017,953 Automatic photographic apparatus and automatic frame dispensing machine 19 1989
 
R. R. Donnelley & Sons Company (1)
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RCA LICENSING CORPORATION, TWO INDEPENDENCE WAY, PRINCETON, NJ 08540, A CORP. OF DE (1)
5,036,293 Oscillator for use with video signal time scaling apparatus 12 1990
 
RIVERSIDE BAN (1)
5,243,174 Method and apparatus for generating gift certificates 118 1991
 
SANYO ELECTRIC CO., LTD. (1)
4,733,362 Drug dispensing apparatus with a printer having programmable format 105 1985
 
SOFTMAT LLC (1)
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The Savings Spot, Ltd. (1)
4,896,791 Coupon dispensing system 121 1988
 
WELCOME LABELS CORPORATION (1)
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WELCOME LABELS, INC. (1)
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Other [Check patent profile for assignment information] (3)
5,043,889 Automated golf sweepstakes game 44 1989
5,133,560 Spelling game method 9 1990
5,143,279 Gift card and envelope 19 1990

Patent Citation Ranking

Forward Cites

Patent Info (Count) # Cites Year
 
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8,103,549 System, program product, and associated methods to autodraw for micro-credit attached to prepaid card 15 2011
8,392,299 Transfer account systems, computer program products, and associated computer-implemented methods 0 2011
8,392,330 Transfer account systems, computer program products, and computer-implemented methods to prioritize payments from preselected bank account 0 2011
8,260,678 Machine, methods, and program product for electronic order entry 1 2011
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8,244,637 Pre-paid card transaction computer to load a loan on a pre-paid card 9 2012
8,386,375 System, method, and program product for foreign currency travel account 0 2012
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NCR CORPORATION (3)
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6,536,663 Self service kiosk which dispenses vouchers 32 2000
 
THE WESTERN UNION COMPANY (3)
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American Greetings Corporation (2)
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CHASE MANHATAN BANK USA, N.A. (2)
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HALLMARK CARDS, INCORPORATED (2)
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SILVERBROOK RESEARCH PTY LTD (2)
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WABK Corporation (2)
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AmazingMail, Inc. (1)
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Automated Business Companies (1)
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BANK ONE, DELAWARE, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION (1)
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Civic-DDI, LLC (1)
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DATAFLIGHT EUROPE A/S (1)
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8,364,520 Method for measuring effectiveness of sampling activity and providing pre-market product feedback 0 2009
 
MEI, INC. (1)
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MIDAMERICAN GIFT CERTIFICATE (1)
6,464,137 Document dispensing system 0 2000
 
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New View Technologies, Inc. (1)
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OTOMO SOLUTIONS LLC (1)
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RELIZON CANADA INC. (1)
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Southeast Phonecard, Inc. (1)
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The American Floral Company (1)
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THE GOLUB CORPORATION (1)
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UBIQ INCORPORATED (1)
6,202,155 Virtual card personalization system 39 1998
 
Other [Check patent profile for assignment information] (9)
5,640,447 Debit calling label 62 1993
5,687,087 Card printing and dispensing system 50 1995
5,513,117 Apparatus and method for electronically dispensing personalized greeting cards and gifts 369 1995
6,691,871 Message-blanket package and delivery system thereof 1 2000
6,464,583 Method and system for providing electronically placed wagers for another 21 2000
6,902,480 Method and system for providing electronically placed wagers for another 3 2002
7,290,705 System and method for personalizing and dispensing value-bearing instruments 5 2004
7,770,788 Method and system for creating and delivering group messages 0 2006
8,351,190 Self-contained greeting card kiosk apparatus 0 2010