Abstract: An electronic fund transfer system comprises a transaction server, a first mobile electronic device operated by a first user, and a second mobile electronic device operated by a second user. The transaction server stores user profiles, including financial account details and other personal details, for each of the first user and the second user, and further stores therein a list of first users associate with a premise. The second mobile electronic device is operable to obtain from the transaction server the list of first users associated with the premise. The second mobile electronic device is further operable by the second user to select one first user from the list and effect a transfer of funds from the second user to the selected first user. The transfer of funds from the second user to the selected first user is effected without any of the financial account details and other personal details of the first user being provided to the second user.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for detecting a fault condition on a power system. By rectifying power system phase voltages to produce a rectified waveform, and filtering the rectified waveform or a representation of the rectified waveform through a finite gain synchronous band pass filter to generate a synchronous band pass filter output waveform that indicates the magnitude of a predefined harmonic frequency component, a fault condition on a power system can be identified.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for detecting a fault condition on a power system. By rectifying power system phase voltages to produce a rectified waveform, and filtering the rectified waveform or a representation of the rectified waveform through a finite gain synchronous band pass filter to generate a synchronous band pass filter output waveform that indicates the magnitude of a predefined harmonic frequency component, a fault condition on a power system can be identified.

Abstract: A system includes a single common graphical user interface for a network of home appliances, comprising a communication window and a task window, both of which are connected to the network. A communication window includes agent utterance bubbles associated with a software agent, and user utterance bubbles associated with a user of the appliances. The agent utterance bubbles display agent utterances, and the user utterance bubbles display user utterances to be selected by the user in response to the agent utterances. A task window includes a selection window for selecting tasks and appliances, and an application program interface for a selected task and appliance. A network of home appliances includes several home appliances connected to an appliance controller by a network. The appliance controller includes the single common graphical user interface.

Abstract: The method of communications via e-mail with media file attachment incorporates advanced communications methods into an e-mail system while enhancing the delayed conversation effect inherent in communications via e-mail reply. User messages are recorded in media files and attached to e-mail letters. The media files include identification information associating the user message with an e-mail conversation, and are stored according to a predetermined scheme. Incoming file attachments are examined to determine first whether they are designated for use in this invention, and if so, second whether they are media files that are part of an existing conversation. If an incoming media file is designated as part of an existing conversation, links corresponding to past media files associated with the conversation are displayed. Designated media files that are not associated with an existing conversation are stored for reference in future conversations.