The present invention is an improved shipping system that provides for third-party billing and shipment of a package from a first location to a second location where neither the first or second location is the location of the third-party. An embodiment is disclosed in which a pre-existing call-tag system is modified to permit third-party billing and anywhere to anywhere functionality.; L'invention...

A system and method for a computer-implemented auction in which multiple types of items are auctioned together without imposing a particular division of supply or demand among the individual types of items. In some embodiments the auction (30) provides a means or method for establishing prices for the types of items, therein the prices maintain a relationship. In other embodiments, the present inv...

A platform (1) performs process integration, in which a process receives inputs from users at user devices and involves interactions with remote data processing systems. The interactions are represented by nodes in a work flow engine (6), in which a workflow represents a complete business process. User inputs are kept to a minimum. A client application is downloaded by a manager ( 4) to the user d...

An on-line/Internet interface between the public, travel agencies, corporate travel offices and the over 9,000 car service companies to handle various back office billing and record keeping functions, to make availale chauffeured vehicle services on a basis comparable to that of other historic elements of the travel industry.; La présente invention concerne une interface en ligne sur l'Internet en...

The present invention provides methods and system for providing a party, such as an information technology professional, a response to a query initiated by the party. A plurality of experts are provided, and profile of each expert are compiled. Further, a profile relevant to the needs of each party having access to the informational services of the invention is produced. Upon the receipt of a quer...

A method and system for confidentially accessing and reporting information present on global computer networks. The present invention deterministically analyzes a set of network resources over a configurable monitoring period, thereby guaranteeing that recently published information is retrieved. The present invention includes a scalable software system that can be readily executed on a stand-alon...

A technique to produce a marketing campaign is described. The technique scores a data set of prospects using a plurality of models that estimate state transition probabilities for the prospects, with the models based on samples of potential contacts and their responses, and scores the data set with a plurality of valuation models to determine rewards gained from the prospects in the data set. The ...

A method and apparatus for automatically gathering research data for a website. The method includes identifying question in a question set that are a measure of a research metric to be gathered for the website and embedding one or more instructions in a first question in the question set. The invention includes instructions to record participant response data using a proxy server disposed between ...

In one aspect, the present invention provides an advertisement distribution system for distributiong advertisements to a multiplicity of client devices via a communications network, which system includes at least one ad server that stores the advertisements to be distributed to the client devices, each advertisement being stored in a storage location designated by a source address, and at least on...

Method and apparatus for allowing a remote site to interact with an intermediate database to facilitate access to the remote site a method for delivering information from a source on a global communication network to a second and a user location thereon. A unique code is associated with an advertising action associated with the source location. The unique code is stored in a database and routing i...

A textured elastomeric article and a method of making such an article is disclosed. The article includes a substrate body having an inside surface and a plurality of alkaline earth salt particles embedded within at least a portion of the inside surface but not extending through the thickness of the article such that no separate binder material is needed to affix the particles.

In the typical embodiments disclosed in the specification, a ballasted flocculation liquid treatment arrangement includes a mixing chamber in which liquid to be treated, flocculating agents and granular material are mixed. The mixture is supplied to the bottom of a flocculating chamber adjacent to the mixing chamber through an opening in a common wall between the chambers and is maintained in susp...

A process for treating biomedical devices, especially contact lenses, involves contacting polymeric devices containing extractables with a solvent that dissolves and removes the extractables from the devices. The devices are subjected to at least two treatments with fresh solvent to remove extractables in the devices.

The present invention refers to a process for manufacturing a nonwoven fabric of synthetic fiber with scented matter. The process consists of producing a molten mass of thermoplastic resin, inserting a base mixture into the mass containing microcapsules of a scented substance, extruding the mass and drawing the extruded filaments, and using the extruded threads to create a web of nonwoven fabric.

A signal to interference-plus-noise power ratio (SINR) measurement method for wireless communications systems which employ orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) for multicarrier data transmission is disclosed. Fast-Fourier transform (FFT)-based SINR measurements can be computed on frame-by-frame or greater interval for individual or groupings of subchannel signals. Given a known transm...

A method is provided for operating a wireless communication network (10) including a plurality of nodes (12a, 12b, 12c, 12d, 12e). Each of the nodes has a user database and is equipped to conduct authentication, authorization and accounting (AAA) functions for the network (10). The method includes employing a subset (optionally, two) of the plurality of nodes (12a, 12b, 12c, 12d, 12e) as active no...

The invention relates to novel hydrocolloid cellular solid matrices having predetermined moisture absorption properties, caloric value, biodegradability, pore size, pore density, pore distribution and structure. Certain cellular solid matrices of the invention can be used as edibles, and these can be produced as calorie-less, low calorie, high calorie and ultra-high calorie content cellular solids...

A solution film-forming method including the steps of forming a film from a polymer solution in which a polymer is dissolved in an organic solvent transporting the film formed and passing the film through a drying area in which the film is heated to volatilize the organic solvent in the film to obtain a polymer film, wherein the film is passed through the drying area under the condition of -0.05<=...

The present invention provides: a production process for a particulate water-absorbent resin with high productivity, which production process is carried out in such a manner that the particulate water-absorbent resin will contain particles with particle diameters of 150 to 850 mum (but excluding 850 mum) in an amount of not smaller than 75 weight % of the particulate water-absorbent resin after th...

An in-mold coating composition particularly useful for in-mold coating of molded nylon based substrates comprises a coreactive addition polymerizable composition of urethane-acrylate oligomer having at least two acrylate and/or methacrylate terminal groups, at least 0.2% of a sulfonic acid functional acrylate or methacrylate, at least 0.2% of acrylic and/or methacrylic acid, with the balance being...