Rental contract timer system
First Claim
1. A rental contract timer system for permitting the operation of rental equipment only during a rental period encoded on a medium which may be encoded at a remote location comprising:
- decoding means for decoding said encoded medium;
switching means for putting said rental equipment in operable and inoperable conditions; and
computer means for directing said switching means to put said rental equipment in operable condition only during the rental period as decoded by said decoding means.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Rental equipment such as television sets are provided with a timer which operates a relay to connect power to the equipment only during the time for which rental has been paid. The timer includes a magnetic reader head and decoder to produce digital signals corresponding with a magnetic strip which has been encoded with rental period and identifying information at the location where the rent is paid. The timer contains a real-time clock and a microprocessor to compare the current time with the time in the rental period. A power supply for the timer derives energy from the same power lines used for the rental equipment, but a battery is also provided to power the clock alone when the power supply is not energized. Displays of the current time and rental expiration time are provided, as well as visible and audible alarms to warn of the approach of the end of the rental period.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A rental contract timer system for permitting the operation of rental equipment only during a rental period encoded on a medium which may be encoded at a remote location comprising:
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decoding means for decoding said encoded medium; switching means for putting said rental equipment in operable and inoperable conditions; and computer means for directing said switching means to put said rental equipment in operable condition only during the rental period as decoded by said decoding means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. In a rental contract timer system wherein operation of rental equipment is enabled by a control thereon and said control is directed to enable operation for a rental period specified by instructions encoded on a medium which may be encoded at a remote location, an improved control comprising:
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decoding means for decoding the instructions of the medium to determine the rental period; switching means for putting the rental equipment in operable and inoperable conditions; timing means to produce signals representing the current time; and computer means for comparing the current time with the rental period and for directing said switching means to keep said rental equipment in operable condition only during the rental period. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A rental contract timer for use in a system permitting the operation of rental equipment only during a rental period encoded on a medium which may be encoded at a remote location comprising:
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a relay operatively connected to control the transmission of electrical power to the rental equipment; a real-time clock; and circuit means for comparing the time of said real-time clock with the rental period encoded on the medium and to direct said relay to transmit power to the rental equipment during the rental period and to not transmit power to the rental equipment after the expiration of the rental period. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification