Author: claimsbot

1. A method of dispensing instant win lottery game tickets, comprising:
receiving a ticket purchase request from a customer for an instant win lottery game ticket, the instant win lottery ticket being a preprinted ticket having a predetermined game outcome that is unknown to the customer at the time of purchase; and
responsive to receiving the ticket request, activating the instant win lottery game ticket based on a ticket radio frequency identifier (RFID) of the game ticket;
as part of activating the instant win lottery game ticket, storing additional information in a memory of the ticket RFID, the additional information being required for redemption of the ticket; and
after activating the instant win lottery game ticket, providing the game ticket to the customer.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
reading the ticket RFID from a memory of the game ticket; and
sending information contained in the ticket RFID and an activation request toward a host computer.
3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:
receiving an activation reply; and
responsive to the activation reply indicating that the game ticket is valid for dispensing, dispensing the game ticket.
4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:
responsive to the dispensing of the game ticket, updating a ticket-by-ticket inventory listing.
5. The method of claim 2, further comprising:
transmitting an excitation signal, the excitation signal to cause the game ticket to transmit the ticket RFID; and
detecting the transmitted RFID.
6. The method of claim 2, wherein the ticket RFID includes a batch number and a ticket number corresponding to the game ticket.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the lottery ticket belongs to one of a plurality of types of instant lottery tickets available to the customer for purchase, and wherein the customer purchase request includes an indication of which of the plurality of available types of instant lottery tickets is desired by the customer.
8. A method of dispensing a future draw lottery game ticket, comprising:
receiving a ticket purchase request from a customer for a future draw lottery game ticket;
responsive to receiving the ticket request, activating the future draw lottery game ticket based on a ticket radio frequency identifier (RFID) of the game ticket;
as part of activating the future draw lottery game ticket, storing additional information in a memory of the ticket RFID, the additional information being required for redemption of the game ticket; and
after activating the game ticket, providing the game ticket to the customer.
9. A method of validating preprinted instant win lottery game tickets, comprising:
receiving a validation request from a player for a preprinted instant win lottery ticket having a predetermined game outcome unknown to the player at the time of purchase of the ticket by the player, the ticket being presented by the player for redemption of a prize corresponding to the predetermined game outcome;
responsive to the validation request, reading a ticket radio frequency identifier (RFID) from a memory of a game ticket, the ticket RFID defining a validation code corresponding to the game ticket, and including additional information stored in the memory when the ticket was activated; and
responsive to reading the ticket RFID, awarding the prize corresponding to the game outcome to the player.
10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:
sending information contained in the ticket RFID toward a host computer; receiving a validation reply to the ticket RFID; and
generating a validation message based on the validation reply.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein the validation reply indicates at least whether the game ticket has been activated and whether the game ticket is a winning ticket.
12. The method of claim 9, the reading further comprising:
transmitting an excitation signal, the excitation signal to cause the game ticket to transmit the ticket RFID; and detecting the transmitted RFID.
13. The method of claim 9, wherein the validation code includes a batch number and a ticket number corresponding to the game ticket.
14. The method of claim 9, wherein the lottery ticket is an instant lottery ticket belonging to one of a plurality of types of instant lottery tickets available to the player for purchase.
15. A method of validating a future draw lottery ticket, comprising:
receiving a validation request for a future draw lottery ticket presented by a customer for redemption;
responsive to the validation request, reading a ticket radio frequency identifier (RFID) from a memory of the game ticket, the RFID defining a validation code corresponding to the game ticket, including additional information stored in a memory when the ticket was activated;
sending out information contained in the validation code towards a host computer;
responsive to the sending, receiving a validation reply to the ticket RFID indicating whether the ticket is a valid winning ticket; and
responsive to an indication that the ticket is a valid winning ticket, redeeming the ticket for a prize.
16. A method of managing a lottery ticketing system, comprising:
receiving a first message including information contained in a ticket radio frequency identifier (RFID) and an activation request, the ticket RFID defining a validation code of a lottery ticket;
responsive to the receipt of the first message, comparing the validation code to a list of known validation codes;
responsive to the comparison indicating a match between the validation code and one of the known validation codes, authorizing dispensing of the lottery ticket;
responsive to the authorizing dispensing, storing additional information in the ticket RFID;
flagging the validation code as being activated;
responsive to a request for redemption of the lottery ticket for a prize, receiving a second message including the additional information and a validation request for the lottery ticket;
responsive to the receipt of the second message, verifying that the validation code has been flagged as being activated;
responsive to the receipt of the second message, comparing the validation code to a list of winning validation codes; and
responsive to the validation code matching one of the winning validation codes and the validation request defining a proper prize based on the winning validation code, authorizing redemption of the lottery ticket.
17. The method of claim 16, further comprising: sending an activation reply toward an activation terminal, the activation reply indicating that the lottery ticket is valid.
18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:
responsive to the validation code not matching one of the known validation codes, denying dispensing authorization.
19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:
sending an activation reply toward an activation terminal, the activation reply indicating that the lottery ticket is invalid.
20. The method of claim 16, further comprising:
sending a validation reply toward a validation terminal, the validation reply indicating that the lottery ticket is a winning lottery ticket.
21. The method of claim 16, further comprising:
responsive to the validation code not matching one of the winning validation codes or the validation request not defining a proper prize based on the winning validation code, denying redemption authorization.
22. The method of claim 21, further comprising: sending a validation reply toward a validation terminal, the validation reply indicating that the lottery ticket may not be redeemed.
23. The method of claim 16, further comprising: updating a ticket tracking database based on the first message.
24. The method of claim 16, further comprising: updating a ticket tracking database based on the second message.
25. A machine readable medium comprising a set of stored instructions capable of being executed to:
receive a validation request from a player for a preprinted instant win lottery ticket having a predetermined game outcome unknown to the player at the time of purchase of the ticket by the player, the ticket being presented by the player for redemption of a prize corresponding to the predetermined game outcome;
responsive to the validation request, reading a ticket radio frequency identifier (RFID) from a memory of a game ticket, the ticket RFID defining a validation code corresponding to the game ticket, and including information stored in the memory when the ticket was activated; and
responsive to reading the ticket RFID, award the prize corresponding to the game outcome to the player.
26. The medium of claim 25, wherein the instructions are further capable of being executed to:
send information contained in the ticket RFID toward a host computer;
receive a validation reply to the information contained in the ticket RFID from the host computer; and
generate a validation message based on the validation reply, the validation reply indicating at least whether the game ticket is a valid winning ticket.
27. The medium of claim 25, wherein the instructions are further capable of being executed to transmit an excitation signal, the excitation signal to cause the game ticket to transmit the ticket RFID.
28. A system comprising:
a processor; and
a machine readable storage medium including a set of stored instructions capable of being executed by the processor to
receive a validation request from a player for a preprinted instant win lottery ticket having a predetermined game outcome unknown to the player at the time of purchase of the ticket by the player, the ticket being presented by the player for redemption of a prize corresponding to the predetermined game outcome,
responsive to the validation request, read a ticket radio frequency identifier (RFID) from a memory of a game ticket, the ticket RFID defining a validation code corresponding to the game ticket, and including additional information stored in the memory when the ticket was activated; and
responsive to reading the ticket RFID, award the prize corresponding to the game outcome to the player.
29. The system of claim 28, wherein the instructions are further capable of being executed by the processor to send information contained in the ticket RFID toward a host computer, receive a validation reply to the information contained in the ticket RFID from the host computer and generate a validation message based on the validation reply.
30. The system of claim 28, wherein the instructions are further capable of being executed to transmit an excitation signal, the excitation signal to cause the game ticket to transmit the ticket RFID.
31. An instant win lottery game ticket comprising:
a substrate including preprinted lottery game data configured to indicate a game outcome which has been determined prior to the sale of the game ticket;
a removable mask covering the game data; and
a transponder coupled to the substrate, the transponder storing a ticket radio frequency identifier (RFID) that defines a validation code of the game ticket, the validation code containing stored information required to activate the game ticket prior to sale and also containing stored information required to redeem the game ticket for a prize, the transponder including a writable memory containing additional information stored during the activation of the instant win lottery ticket.
32. The game ticket of claim 31, wherein the transponder includes: a read only memory (ROM) storing the ticket RFID; and an antenna coupled to the ROM.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. Apparatus for releasably securing a grinding wheel or a group of grinding wheels in a spectacle-lens edging machine, comprising:
a wheel spindle having an axis and a bore extending along the axis;
a grinding-wheel-retaining shaft arranged with a close fit in the bore of the wheel spindle and being displaceable in the bore along the axis of the wheel spindle, the grinding wheel retaining shaft having a free end toward a grinding wheel;
at least one grinding wheel on the free end of the grinding-wheel-retaining shaft, the at least one grinding wheel having a width along the axis of the wheel spindle, the grinding-wheel-retaining shaft being displaceable in the bore of the wheel spindle by at least the width of the grinding wheel;
a retaining disk releasably secured to the free end of the grinding-wheel-retaining shaft for retaining the at least one grinding wheel; and
a clamping arrangement operable to axially release and retract the grinding-wheel-retaining shaft into the bore of the wheel spindle by at least the width of the at least one grinding wheel;
wherein displacement of the grinding-wheel-retaining shaft into the bore of the wheel spindle in one axial direction axially braces the at least one grinding wheel between the wheel spindle and the retaining disk, and in an opposite axial direction releases the retaining disk from the wheel spindle and wherein displacement of the grinding-wheel-retaining shaft into the bore of the wheel spindle in said one axial direction by at least the width of the at least one grinding wheel releases said at least one grinding wheel from the grinding-wheel-retaining shaft.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the retaining disk is configured to be screwed to the free end of the grinding-wheel-retaining shaft.
3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the retaining disk includes an extension to provide a bayonet connection with the free distal end of the grinding-wheel-retaining shaft.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a screw connection in the bore between the grinding-wheel-retaining shaft and the wheel spindle, wherein the grinding-wheel-retaining shaft is displaceable along the axis of the wheel spindle via the screw connection.
5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the clamping arrangement includes a headed bolt and a flanged bushing to support the headed bolt on the wheel spindle, the grinding-wheel-retaining shaft including a threaded bore to receive the headed bolt.
6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the clamping arrangement includes at least one of a hydraulic and pneumatic pistoncylinder unit to displace the grinding-wheel-retaining shaft along the bore of the wheel spindle.

1. A garbage collection method for a mobile terminal comprising:
setting at least a garbage collection condition for the mobile terminal;
converting a state of the mobile terminal from a first state to a second state when the at least one garbage collection condition is met; and
starting a garbage collection procedure while the mobile terminal is in the second state, wherein in the second state the garbage collection procedure cannot be interrupted by an external telephony event or user interaction, unless a predefined condition is met to override the second state and to return the mobile terminal back to the first state, such that in the first state the mobile terminal is responsive to external telephony events and user interaction.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
notifying a user when garbage collection procedure starts.
3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
notifying a user when garbage collection procedure is completed.
4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
reverting the state of the mobile terminal from the second state back to the first state when the garbage collection procedure is completed.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first state represents an idle state for the mobile terminal.
6. The method of claim 5, wherein in an idle state the mobile terminal can but is not performing any telephony events.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the second state represents a safe mode for the mobile terminal.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein in the safe mode the mobile terminal cannot perform any telephony events.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein a telephony event comprises at least one of communicating a message, receiving a voice call, and making a voice call.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one garbage collection condition is satisfied when the mobile terminal is in an idle state.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one garbage collection condition is satisfied when the mobile terminal comprises a clam-shell design having a flip portion, and wherein the flip portion is closed.
12. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one garbage collection condition is satisfied, when level of garbage collected exceeds a first threshold.
13. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one garbage collection condition is satisfied by way of a user interacting with the mobile terminal.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein the user may interact with the mobile terminal by way of at least one of a touch display, a microphone, and a keypad.
15. The method of claim 1, wherein a user is notified of progress of the garbage collection procedure by way of at least one of a visual alert, a voice alert, and a tactile alert.
16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
stopping the garbage collection procedure when a telephony event occurs.
17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:
converting the state of the mobile terminal from the second state to the first state.
18. A method of managing storage space in a mobile communication device, wherein the storage space is utilized to store telephony event related data, the method comprising:
monitoring the mobile communication device to detect an idle state, wherein no telephony events are pending;
switching the mobile communication device to a safe mode, wherein no telephony event may be performed by the mobile communication device; and
removing unwanted data from the storage space while the mobile communication device is in the safe mode;
wherein in the safe mode the garbage collection procedure cannot be interrupted by an external telephony event or user interaction, unless a redefined condition is met to override the safe mode and to return the mobile terminal back to a first mode, such that in the first mode the mobile terminal is responsive to external telephony events or user interaction.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein the removing step is terminated when at least a telephony event is received by the mobile communication device.
20. The method of claim 18, wherein the switching step is performed when a first condition is satisfied.
21. The method of claim 20, wherein the first condition is satisfied according to a command input to the mobile communication device to manage the storage space.
22. The method of claim 20, wherein the first condition is satisfied when the free space in the storage space has reached a minimum threshold.
23. A mobile communication device comprising:
a user interface module for controlling user interface features of the mobile communication device;
a file system module for controlling garbage management of data stored in the mobile communication device’s storage space; and
a mode control module for switching the mobile communication device from a first mode to a second mode,
wherein in the second mode the garbage management procedure cannot be interrupted by an external telephony event or user interaction, unless a predefined condition is met to override the second mode and to return the mobile terminal back to the first mode, such that in the first mode the mobile terminal is responsive to external telephony events or user interaction.
24. The mobile communication device of claim 23, wherein the first mode comprises an idle mode.
25. The mobile communication device of claim 23, wherein the second mode comprises a safe mode.
26. The mobile communication device of claim 23, wherein the file system module removes garbage from the mobile communication device’s storage space, when the mode control module switches the mobile communication terminal from the first mode to the second mode.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. An electrical system comprising:
a body including two intertwined helically wound runners, wherein a first runner is coupled to a second runner by struts, wherein the body is arranged in a toroidal shape; and
a first conductive wire spirally wound around at least one runner of the body.
2. The electrical system of claim 1, wherein the first conductive wire is spirally wound around the first runner such that the first conductive wire is arranged in a helical shape having an axis that coincides with the first runner.
3. The electrical system of claim 1, wherein the first conductive wire is spirally wound around two runners.
4. The electrical system of claim 1, further comprising a second conductive wire spirally wound around the second runner, wherein the first conductive wire is spirally wound around the first runner.
5. The electrical system of claim 1, wherein the struts do not conduct electricity between the first runner and the second runner.
6. The electrical system of claim 1, wherein an outward surface of at least one runner comprises structural elements arranged to guide the first conductive wire.
7. The electrical system of claim 1, further comprising:
an alternating current source arranged to electrically couple with the first conductive wire, wherein the alternating current source operates between 0 Hz and 40 GHz.
8. The electrical system of claim 1, wherein the runners are arranged in between 2 and 10000 revolutions in the body.
9. The electrical system of claim 1, wherein the runners are coupled with between 2 and 100 struts per revolution.
10. The electrical system of claim 1, wherein the struts have a length between 1 nm and 1 m.
11. The electrical system of claim 1, wherein the first conductive wire is spirally wound such that the first conductive wire revolves around at least one runner between 2 and 10000 times per revolution.
12. The electrical system of claim 1, wherein the surface of the runners is conductive.
13. The electrical system of claim 1, wherein at least one runner comprises magnetic properties.
14. The electrical system of claim 1, wherein the planar shape of the body is one of a circle, an oval, a triangle, a square, an angular shape, or a polygon.
15. The electrical system of claim 1, further comprising a protective cover around the body, wherein the cover comprises a toroidal shape.
16. The electrical system of claim 1, wherein revolutions of the runners comprise a varying diameter along the body.
17. An electrical system comprising:
a body including two intertwined helically wound runners arranged in at least two complete revolutions per runner, wherein a first runner is coupled to a second runner by struts, wherein the body is arranged in a toroidal shape; and wherein the struts do not conduct electricity between the first runner and the second runner;
a first conductive wire spirally wound around the first runner of the body such that the first conductive wire is arranged in a helical shape having an axis that coincides with the first runner;
a second conductive wire spirally wound around the second runner of the body such that the second conductive wire is arranged in a helical shape having an axis that coincides with the second runner; and
a current source arranged to electrically couple with the first conductive wire and the second conductive wire such that electrical power is supplied to the first conductive wire and the second conductive wire.
18. The electrical system of claim 17, wherein the current source supplies a first alternating current to the first conductive wire and a second alternating current to the second conductive wire.