The invention provides a system to physically dispense an item, including tangible items and/or services or features, on-site from a dispenser whereby the item to be dispensed is selected by the system based on user-specific or item-specific information. In an embodiment, the system selects the dispensed item based on both user-specific and item-specific information. In another embodiment the invention comprises a system that activates gaming features in a gaming device based on user-specific information. In another embodiment, the invention comprises a system incorporated into an interactive amusement system to activate features of a playfield based on user-specific information.

Systems and methods for online redemption of gift cards purchased through a secondary market comprises modifying a third-party application operating on a computing device to establish bi-directional communication between the third-party application and a gift card redemption application that operates on the computing device. Inject a code to the third party application to modify the visual presentation of the checkout page within the third party application to obscure gift card details when entered into the third party application to complete the transaction. Identify navigation to a checkout page within the third party application, and identify transaction completion within the third party application. Initiate recording of a transaction at the checkout page. Request payment through the gift card redemption application, access encrypted gift card details with the gift card redemption application. Monitor the third party application for completion of the transaction. Complete recording and store a record of the transaction.

Embodiments of the present invention provide systems, program products, and methods of loading a loan on a pre-paid card. A bank receives authorization from a lender to credit loan proceeds from the lender to an approved borrower on an existing pre-paid card associated with the pre-paid card processor. Next, the bank credits the loan proceeds to the pre-paid card processor for the existing pre-paid card so that the loan proceeds are released to the approved borrower and are immediately available.

A transaction card processing and activation system comprising the identification of a unique identifier corresponding to an aggregate of transaction cards of affiliated or non-affiliated card issuers and the activation of each transaction card corresponding to the unique identifier of the aggregate irrespective of the number, types, or card issuers of the transaction cards. Additionally, the present invention allows a point of sale entity to initiate the activation of each of the multiple, disparate transaction cards in the aggregate by merely processing the unique identifier associated with the aggregate.

A cigarette vending machine that dispenses a single cigarette at a time. The cigarette vending machine includes a touchscreen that allows a user to select a particular brand of cigarettes. In addition, the vending machine includes a camera and an identification reader so that the user's age can be verified, and so that the user can be verified to be the same person as the identification holder.

A credit card shaped element with a dynamic stripe which may be activated or deactivated, where the stripe is formed by a plurality of coils provided along the curve thereof, where the plurality of coils are activated in a sequential manner, where a plurality of proximity sensing coils are provided in series along the curve thereof, where the plurality of coils are formed by one coil contacted at multiple positions along its length by contact pads and where the signals fed to the coils cause an output of a reader coil to output a signals with a minimum slope or where one signal fed to one track has no peaks when the other signal is close to zero.

A method and portable apparatus for settling a transaction are provided, in which the portable apparatus may be used as a card substitute payment device for settling a transaction. Information to conduct a settlement may be stored in the portable apparatus. The portable apparatus may be, for example, a portable phone or a PDA. A transaction inquiry machine may read or receive the information from the portable apparatus, similar to that of a card reader reading a magnetic card, and transmit the information to a VAN company server or a card company server, to then request for an approval to settle the transaction.

A fuel dispenser comprises fuel flow piping defining a flow path from a source of fuel toward a fueling nozzle. A plurality of fuel handling components are disposed along the fuel flow piping. Control electronics, in operative communication with the fluid handling components, include a multi-core processor having at least two processor cores located on a common integrated circuit chip, the at least two processor cores utilizing different operating systems in an asynchronous manner.

A method for registering biometric information for use in a transponder-reader system is disclosed. The method includes steps of detecting, verifying and storing a proffered biometric sample. During detecting, a sensor detects a proffered biometric to obtain a biometric sample. During the verifying step, the biometric sample is compared with other stored samples and/or other information. During the storing step, the biometric sample is stored on a database, for use by the transponder-reader system in authorizing transactions.

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for generating rules to apply to fare transactions when a fare card reader cannot communicate with an authorization server, for generating historical data and a risk score for a fare card that are used by a fare card reader, with the rules, to determine whether to authorize access to a transit service when the fare card reader cannot communicate with the authorization server, and for selectively permitting or denying access to the transit service using the rules and the historical data or the score for a fare card.