Author: claimsbot

1. A media processing device that is communicably connected to a host computer, reads information continuously from a plurality of processed media according to instructions from the host computer, and sends the read information to the host computer, the media processing device comprising:
a communication state management unit that monitors the communication state between the host computer and the media processing device;
a status management unit that instructs interrupting the continuous reading process when communication with the host computer becomes disabled while the continuous reading process is running; and
a reading control unit that deletes read data that has not been sent to the host computer.
2. The media processing device described in claim 1, wherein:
the reading control unit executes a software reset process in response to a communication disabled report.
3. The media processing device described in claim 1, wherein:
the communication state management unit sends a communication disabled report to the status management unit when disconnection of a cable connecting the host computer is detected.
4. The media processing device described in claim 1, wherein:
the communication state management unit sends a communication disabled report to the status management unit when the communication state management unit detects that the operating system of the host computer has entered a sleep mode.
5. The media processing device described in claim 1, wherein:
the status management unit reports interruption of the continuous reading process to the reading control unit when a report is received from the communication state management unit.
6. The media processing device described in claim 1, wherein:
the media processing device and the host computer communicate using the Universal Serial Bus (USB) protocol.
7. A control method for a media processing device that is communicably connected to a host computer, reads information continuously from a plurality of processed media according to instructions from the host computer, and sends the read information to the host computer, the control method comprising steps of:
monitoring the communication state between the host computer and the media processing device;
interrupting the continuous reading process when communication with the host computer becomes disabled while the continuous reading process is running; and
deleting read data that has not been sent to the host computer.
8. The control method for a media processing device described in claim 7, wherein:
when communication with the host computer becomes disabled while the continuous reading process is running, a software reset process is executed in response to a communication disabled report.
9. The control method for a media processing device described in claim 7, wherein:
the communication disabled state is when a cable connecting the host computer is disconnected.
10. The control method for a media processing device described in claim 7, wherein:
the communication disabled state is when the operating system of the host computer has entered a sleep 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. A microneedle patch support, comprising:
a housing having a perimeter defining an internal area;
an elevated hub disposed within the internal area;
wherein the microneedle patch support is sized and dimensioned to support a microneedle patch in such a way that the microneedle patch rests on the elevated hub, and any needles extending from the microneedle patch do not make contact with the microneedle patch support.
2. The microneedle patch support of claim 1, wherein the perimeter defining the internal area is substantially circular in shape.
3. The microneedle patch support of claim 1, wherein the elevated hub is disposed at a location that is substantially at a center point of the internal area.
4. The microneedle patch support of claim 1, wherein the elevated hub comprises a substantially mesa shape with a hollow center at a substantially flat portion of a top of the elevated hub.
5. The microneedle patch support of claim 1, wherein the elevated hub has a hollow center.
6. The microneedle patch support of claim 1, further comprising a removably attached sealing cover extending across the housing and sealing the internal area closed.
7. The microneedle patch support of claim 6, wherein the sealing cover is adhered to the support housing using a chemical adhesive or a heat seal.
8. The microneedle patch support of claim 1, wherein the internal area is sterilized.
9. The microneedle patch support of claim 1, wherein the support is configured in such a way that the support protects a microneedle patch from inadvertent contact during storage or handling of the support.
10. The microneedle patch support of claim 1, wherein the support is sealable with a microneedle patch disposed therein.

1: A bearing unit comprising:
a bearing having an inner ring fitted to an inside member, an outer ring fitted to an outside member, and a plurality of rolling elements disposed between the outer ring and the inner ring; and
a transmitting direction shifting member for transmitting an axial force from at least one of the inner ring to the outside member and the outer ring to the inside member when the axial force transmitted from at least one of the inside member and the outside member to at least one of the inner ring and the outer ring becomes at least a predetermined value.
2: The bearing unit according to claim 1,
wherein the inside member is a rotary shaft and the outside member is a housing, wherein said transmitting direction shifting member includes: an inner ring spacer disposed at the rotary shaft side and restricting an axial movement of the inner ring and an outer ring spacer disposed at the housing side and restricting an axial movement of the outer ring, and wherein said transmitting direction shifting member is structured so that an elastic deformation amount of the inner ring, the outer ring, the rolling elements and the inner ring spacer becomes to a level that the inner ring abuts onto the outer ring spacer when the axial force acting on the inner ring becomes at least a predetermined value.
3: The bearing unit according to claim 1,
wherein the inside member is a fixed shaft and the outside member is a rotating cylindrical body, wherein said transmitting direction shifting member includes an inner ring spacer disposed at the fixed shaft side and restricting an axial movement of the inner ring and an outer ring spacer disposed at the rotating cylindrical body side and restricting an axial movement of the outer ring, and wherein said transmitting direction shifting member is structured so that an elastic deformation amount of the inner ring, the outer ring, the rolling elements and the inner ring spacer becomes to a level that the outer ring abuts onto the inner ring spacer when the axial force acting on the outer ring becomes at least a predetermined value.
4. A bearing unit comprising two bearings, an inner ring spacer and an outer ring spacer disposed between the bearings, wherein the bearings both include an inner ring fitted to a rotary shaft, an outer ring fitted to a housing, and a plurality of rolling elements disposed between the outer ring and the inner ring; and
a transmitting direction shifting member for transmitting an axial force from at least one of the inner rings to the housing and the outer rings to the rotary shaft when the axial force transmitted from at least one of the rotary shaft and the housing to at least one of the inner rings and the outer rings becomes at least a predetermined value.
5. A main spindle device of a machine tool, comprising:
a main spindle driving to rotate a tool fitted to a tip portion thereof; a draw bar unit disposed in said main spindle and clampingunclamping the tool with respect to the tip portion of said main spindle; a housing supporting said main spindle; and a bearing unit disposed between said housing and said main spindle includes: an inner ring fitted to the main spindle, an outer ring fitted to the housing, and a plurality of rolling elements disposed between the outer ring and the inner ring; and
a transmitting direction shifting member for transmitting an axial force from at least one of the inner ring to the housing and the outer ring to the main spindle when the axial force transmitted from at least one of the main spindle and the housing to at least one of the inner ring and the outer ring becomes at least a predetermined value.

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. A system for providing coupons to a consumer on demand, the system comprising:
a host computer system;
a database maintained in computer memory of the host computer system, the database containing a plurality of coupon keywords each one of which is associated with a business, and coupon data for coupons of the business, the coupon data including coupon description and a convenience fee;
a communications interface connected to the host computer system, the communications interface providing communication between the host computer system and a mobile communications device;
a random coupon code generator associated with the host computer; and
program instructions stored in the computer memory of the host computer system, the program instructions allowing the host computer system to:
receive a message from a mobile communications device via the communications interface, the received message including a message keyword;
query, in response to the received message, the database to match the message keyword with one of the plurality of coupon keywords;
send, in response to the received message, coupon data of the coupons of the business associated with the matched coupon keyword and coupon acceptance data to the mobile communications device via the communications interface;
receive a coupon acceptance message from the mobile communications device via the communications interface indicating acceptance of a coupon associated with sent coupon data of a coupon of the business;
generate a random coupon code via the random coupon code generator;
store the generated random coupon code in the database;
associate the generated random coupon code to the business;
send, in response to the coupon acceptance message, the generated random coupon code to the mobile communications device via the communications interface;
bill the convenience fee of the coupon data of the accepted coupon to an account associated with the mobile communications device via the communications interface; and
receive usage information from the business via the communications interface indicating that the generated random coupon code has been used at the business.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the random coupon code generator is configured to generate a random alphanumeric coupon code.
3. The system of claim 2, wherein the generated random alphanumeric coupon code comprises a generated random seven-digit alphanumeric coupon code.
4. The system of claim 1, wherein the program instructions allow the host computer system to store the received usage information in the database.
5. The system of claim 4, further comprising:
an analytical dashboard module associated with the host computer system, the analytical dashboard module generating data regarding the usage information; and
the communications interface further provides communication between the host computer system and an Internet communications device;
wherein the analytical dashboard module is accessible to the business by the Internet communications device via the communications interface.
6. The system of claim 5, wherein the analytical dashboard module is customizable by the business through the Internet communications device via the communications interface.
7. The system of claim 5, wherein the analytical dashboard module is available to the business by an Internet graphical user interface via the communications interface.
8. The system of claim 5, wherein the analytical dashboard module automatically sends real-time reports regarding the usage information to the business via the communications interface.
9. The system of claim 1, wherein the program instructions further allow the host computer system to receive SMS messaging from the mobile communications device via the communications interface, the SMS messaging including the message keyword.
10. The system of claim 1, further comprising:
a coupon creator associated with the host computer system, the coupon creator accessible to the business via the communications interface and allowing the business to create coupons for free.
11. The system of claim 10, further comprising:
a merchant registration system associated with the host computer system, the merchant registration system allowing the business, via the communications interface, to register the business with the host computer for free, and to access the coupon generator for free.
12. In a system having a host computer system, a database maintained in computer memory of the host computer system, and a communications interface connected to the host computer system, the communications interface providing communication between the host computer system and a mobile communications device, a method of providing coupons on demand to a consumer, the method comprising:
allowing the database to contain a plurality of coupon keywords each one of which is associated with a business, and coupon data for coupons of the business, the coupon data including coupon description and a convenience fee;
receiving a message from a mobile communications device via the communications interface, the received message including a message keyword;
querying, in response to the received message, the database to match the message keyword with one of the plurality of coupon keywords;
sending, in response to the received message, coupon data of the coupons of the business associated with the matched coupon keyword and coupon acceptance data to the mobile communications device via the communications interface;
receiving a coupon acceptance message from the mobile communications device via the communications interface indicating acceptance of a coupon associated with sent coupon data of a coupon of the business;
generating, in response to the coupon acceptance message, a random coupon code via a random coupon code generator associated with the host computer system;
storing the generated random coupon code in the database;
associating the generated random coupon code to the business;
sending the generated random coupon code to the mobile communications device via the communications interface;
billing the convenience fee of the coupon data of the accepted coupon to an account associated with the mobile communications device via the communications interface; and
receiving usage information from the business via the communications interface indicating that the generated random coupon code has been used at the business.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein the random coupon code generator is configured to generate a random alphanumeric coupon code.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein the generated random alphanumeric coupon code comprises a generated random seven-digit alphanumeric coupon code.
15. The method of claim 12, further comprising:
storing usage information in the database.
16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:
providing an analytical dashboard module associated with the host computer system, the analytical dashboard module generating data regarding the usage information; and
allowing the analytical dashboard module to be accessible to the business by an Internet communications device via the communications interface.
17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:
allowing the analytical dashboard module to be customizable by the business through the Internet communications device via the communications interface.
18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:
allowing the analytical dashboard module to be available to the business by an Internet graphical user interface via the communications interface.
19. The method of claim 16, further comprising:
automatically sending real-time reports from the analytical dashboard module regarding the usage information to the business via the communications interface.
20. The method of claim 12, further comprising:
receiving SMS messaging from the mobile communications device via the communications interface, the SMS messaging including the message keyword.
21. The method of claim 12, further comprising:
providing a coupon creator associated with the host computer system, the coupon creator accessible to the business via the communications interface and allowing the business to create coupons for free.
22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:
providing a merchant registration system associated with the host computer system, the merchant registration system allowing the business, via the communications interface, to register the business with the host computer for free, and to access the coupon generator for free.