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US 6,402,040 B1Granted
Ticket and method of metering the use of a facility
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Company
InventorsMelissa D. Boyd, Paul H. McClelland, Marshall Field
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A ticket including a base member, a discolorable member carried by the base member, and a discoloration system carried by the base member. The discoloration system is initially configured such that the discoloration system selectively discolors a first predetermined portion of the discolorable member in response to the application of a first energy pulse without discoloring a second predetermined portion of the discolorable member. The discoloration system is also adapted to be reconfigured by the first energy pulse such that the second predetermined portion of the discolorable member will be discolored in response to the application of a second energy pulse.
Claims35
A ticket, comprising:
- a base member;
- a discolorable member carried by the base member;
- a contact carried by the base member in spaced relation to first and second predetermined portions of the discolorable member;
- and
- a discoloration system operably connected to the contact and carried by the base member, initially configured such that the discoloration system selectively discolors the first predetermined portion of the discolorable member in response to the application of a first energy pulse to the contact without discoloring the second predetermined portion of the discolorable member, and adapted to be reconfigured by the first energy pulse such that the second predetermined portion of the discolorable member will be discolored in response to the application of a second energy pulse to the contact.
2 more elements
A ticket, comprising:
- a base member;
- a discolorable member carried by the base member and including first and second indicia respectively associated with first and second predetermined portions of the discolorable member;
- and
- a discoloration system carried by the base member, initially configured such that the discoloration system selectively discolors the first predetermined portion of the discolorable member in response to the application of a first energy pulse without discoloring the second predetermined portion of the discolorable member, and adapted to be reconfigured by the first energy pulse such that the second predetermined portion of the discolorable member will be discolored in response to the application of a second energy pulse.
1 more element
A ticket, comprising:
- a base member;
- a discolorable member carried by the base member;
- and
- a passive sequential resistor array carried by the base member, initially configured such that the passive sequential resistor array selectively discolors a first predetermined portion of the discolorable member in response to the application of a first energy pulse without discoloring a second predetermined portion of the discolorable member, and adapted to be reconfigured by the first energy pulse such that the second predetermined portion of the discolorable member will be discolored in response to the application of a second energy pulse.
1 more element
A ticket, comprising:
- a base member;
- a discolorable member carried by the base member;
- and
- a discoloration system, including a series of electrically isolated conductor members, a corresponding series of switches that selectively electrically connect the conductor members, and a corresponding series of resistors respectively associated with the conductor members, carried by the base member, initially configured such that the discoloration system selectively discolors a first predetermined portion of the discolorable member in response to the application of a first energy pulse without discoloring a second predetermined portion of the discolorable member, and adapted to be reconfigured by the first energy pulse such that the second predetermined portion of the discolorable member will be discolored in response to the application of a second energy pulse.
1 more element
A ticket, comprising:
- a base member;
- a discolorable member carried by the base member;
- and
- a discoloration system located substantially between the base member and the discolorable member, initially configured such that the discoloration system selectively discolors a first predetermined portion of the discolorable member in response to the application of a first energy pulse without discoloring a second predetermined portion of the discolorable member, and adapted to be reconfigured by the first energy pulse such that the second predetermined portion of the discolorable member will be discolored in response to the application of a second energy pulse.
1 more element
A method of metering the use of a facility by a consumer, comprising:
- providing the consumer with a ticket including a base member, a discolorable member carried by the base member, and a discoloration system carried by the base member initially configured such that the discoloration system selectively discolors a first predetermined portion of the discolorable member in response to the application of a first energy pulse without discoloring a second predetermined portion of the discolorable member and adapted to be reconfigured by the first energy pulse such that the second predetermined portion of the discolorable member will be discolored in response to the application of a second energy pulse;
- and
- applying one of the first and second energy pulses to the discoloration system after the consumer is provided with the ticket.
A method of metering the use of a facility by a consumer, comprising:
- providing the consumer with a ticket having first and second indicia;
- discoloring a first predetermined portion of the ticket associated with the first indicia after the consumer has been provided with the ticket by applying a first energy pulse to the ticket without discoloring a second predetermined portion of the ticket associated with the second indicia;
- and
- allowing the user to use the facility.
1 more element
A method of metering the use of a facility by a consumer, comprising:
- providing the consumer with a ticket;
- discoloring a first predetermined portion of the ticket by inserting the ticket into a punching device and applying a first energy pulse to the ticket with the punching device without discoloring a second predetermined portion of the ticket;
- and
- allowing the user to use the facility.
1 more element
A method of metering the use of a facility by a consumer, comprising:
- providing the consumer with a ticket including a base member, a discolorable member carried by the base member, and a discoloration system carried by the base member initially configured such that the discoloration system selectively discolors a first predetermined portion of the discolorable member in response to the application of a first energy pulse without discoloring a second predetermined portion of the discolorable member and adapted to be reconfigured by the first energy pulse such that the second predetermined portion of the discolorable member will be discolored in response to the application of a second energy pulse;
- and
- inserting the ticket into a punching device and applying one of the first and second energy pulses to the discoloration system with the punching device when the consumer uses the facility.
A ticket, comprising:
- a base member;
- a discolorable member carried by the base member;
- and
- a discoloration system carried by the base member, initially configured such that the discoloration system selectively discolors a first predetermined portion of the discolorable member in response to the application of a first electrical energy pulse to the discoloration system without discoloring a second predetermined portion of the discolorable member, and adapted to be reconfigured by the first electrical energy pulse such that the second predetermined portion of the discolorable member will be discolored in response to the application of a second electrical energy pulse to the discoloration system.
1 more element
A method of metering the use of a facility by a consumer, comprising:
- providing the consumer with a ticket including a base member, a discolorable member carried by the base member, and a discoloration system carried by the base member initially configured such that the discoloration system selectively discolors a first predetermined portion of the discolorable member in response to the application of a first electrical energy pulse without discoloring a second predetermined portion of the discolorable member and adapted to be reconfigured by the first electrical energy pulse such that the second predetermined portion of the discolorable member will be discolored in response to the application of a second electrical energy pulse;
- and
- applying one of the first and second electrical energy pulses to the discoloration system when the consumer uses the facility.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.