Abstract: A system, method and article of manufacture are provided for allowing bidding on products. A summary of user demand for a product is generated based on user input of product information. The summary is presented to a plurality of sellers of the product. Bids are received from the sellers for a price of the product. The lowest bid is selected and is presented to a reseller of the product.

Abstract: A bar code scanner is provided according to the present invention. The scanner includes a housing. A scanning portion is coupled to the housing and is operable to scan a bar code for generating an electronic representation of the bar code. A communications portion is coupled to the housing and is operable to upload the representation of the bar code to a client device of a user. A transmitting portion is coupled to the housing and is operable to transmit the representation of the bar code to a remote device, either wirelessly or through physical medium.

Abstract: A system, method and article of manufacture are provided for matching products to a textual request. Upon receiving a request for information about an item, the request is parsed to determine attributes of the item. A search of a database is performed for selecting a plurality of products each having the attributes of the item. Information about the products is retrieved and output.

Abstract: A system, method and article of manufacture are provided for alerting a user to a promotional offer for a product. A representation of a bar code is received from a user. The representation of the bar code is associated with a product. A relationship between the user and the product is generated. The relationship between the user and the product is stored in a database. A search is performed for matching a promotional offer to the product. The promotional offer is output to the user based on the relationship of the user with the product.

Abstract: A system, method and article of manufacture are provided for generating a promotional offer for a product. A form is provided. The form has one or more fields, such as a field for entering a product identification associated with the product or service, a promotion field for identifying the promotional offer, a price field, a discount field, a date field, and/or a field for an identifier of the entity or person offering the promotional offer. Information for entering in the field(s) of the form is received and entered in the field(s) for completing the form. A description of the promotional offer is generated based on the sufficiently completed form. The promotional offer is associated with the product and output to a user upon receiving a request for information about the product.

Abstract: A system, method and article of manufacture are provided for providing product information to a user, where the user may remain anonymous. A product identifier is received from a client device of a user. The product identifier is associated with a particular product. A search is made of a data store for matching the product identifier with information about the product. The product information is stored on a network data site. The user is allowed to access the product information on the network data site using a user identifier.

Abstract: A system, method and article of manufacture are provided for presenting product information. A navigation of a user is monitored. A detection is made that the user is viewing content about a product. A database having product information associated with the product is searched. Product information associated with the product is selected based on the search. The selected product information is presented for output in a second window of a display being viewed by the user.

Abstract: A system, method and article of manufacture are provided for selecting a vendor of a product. First, a textual message having a word generically referring to a product is received. The word is matched to one or more brands of product. A vendor of the brand(s) of product is selected. Information about the vendor is output.

Abstract: A system, method and article of manufacture are provided for test marketing in real time based on user polls. User input relating to requests for information about products is stored in a database. The database is searched for selecting users who have entered user input relating to at least one product. Information relating to the product(s) is presented to the selected users. Feedback is received from the users. The feedback is analyzed for determining user interest in the at least one product.

Abstract: A system, method and article of manufacture are provided for allowing selection of products while navigating multiple websites. A button is presented on a display screen that is displaying a web page of a first website, where the web page has information about a first product thereon. An identity of the first product is captured upon selection of the button. The button is presented on the display screen upon displaying a web page of a second website, where the web page of the second website has information about a second product thereon. An identity of the second product is captured upon selection of the button. The identities of the products are placed in a list. At least a portion of the list is output.

Abstract: A system, method and article of manufacture are provided for selecting a vendor based on a list of user-selected products. A plurality of product identifiers are received from a user. Each product identifier is associated with a particular product. A list of the products is generated. A search is made for vendors of the products on the list. A vendor of the products is selected based on predetermined criteria. Information about the selected vendor is output.

Abstract: A high capacity, high reliability cassette tray sheet feeding assembly for supporting a high capacity stack of sheets, and for feeding such sheets with a high degree of reliability, one at a time, in a sheet using machine. The high capacity, high reliability cassette tray sheet feeding assembly includes a cassette frame for removing and reinstalling into a sheet supply station of the sheet using machine. The cassette frame has a front end over which sheets are fed into the machine, and a forward feed corner snubber that is mounted to one corner of the front end of the cassette frame for preventing the feeding of multiple sheets at a time. The cassette frame includes a fixed position stationary base plate within the cassette frame for supporting a high capacity stack of sheets having a topmost sheet.

Abstract: A one piece molded flexible drive shaft assembly of a hardened moldable material has an elongated flexible drive shaft core having a shaft drive input end, a shaft drive output end and integrally molded therewith at each end a coupling member of a hardened moldable material to connect the input end and the output end to a drive input and a drive output respectively.

Abstract: An adjustable sheet cassette for use in apparatus feeding sheets and being movable in the apparatus from a sheet feeding position to a nonsheet feeding position, the adjustable cassette having a sheet stack support platform capable of supporting stacks of sheets of a plurality of length and width dimensions, at least one sheet edge guide movable in a path in the cassette to accommodate stacks of sheets of different length or width dimensions, the sheet edge guide having attached thereto an actuator arm having a plurality of switch actuators for selectively actuating a plurality of switches on a circuit board on the main body of the apparatus when the cassette is in sheet feeding position in the apparatus, the actuators being located to selectively actuate the switches on the main body of the apparatus which represent one of a plurality of sheet sizes, whereby when each of the switches is actuated it generates a unique resistance in the circuit on the circuit board, the resultant of these unique resistances de

Abstract: A sheet feeder with single sheet bypass sheet feeding capability has a sheet support platform for supporting a stack of sheets, at least one sheet feed roll fixedly mounted on a rotatable shaft and having a segmented feed portion for contacting and feeding the top sheet in a stack of sheets and defining therewith a sheet feeding path, sheet registration rolls downstream of the feed roll, at least one sheet bypass registration finger upstream of the registration rolls and downstream of and freely mounted about the feed roll shaft in the sheet feeding path, a sheet bypass guide rotatably mounted about the sheet registration rolls, the bypass guide having an angled sheet entrance throat to center a sheet and guide the leading edge into said bypass registration finger, the feed roll being rotatable through an opening in the bypass guide from a nonfeeding, standby position where the segmented portion is on the side of the shaft opposite the sheet support platform and a sheet feeding position where the segmented po

Abstract: A substantially U-shaped universal fastener for cooperative association with a pair of leg receptor slots in a substrate to fasten an elongated body therebetween, said fastener comprising two separated substantially parallel elongated flexible leg members joined at one end by a tying member, each of said elongated leg members having an interior and an exterior side, and on each of said interior and exterior sides, and a plurality of flanged flexible stop members vertically inclined toward said tying member.

Abstract: A sheet transport apparatus has opposed sheet transport guide baffles defining a sheet transport path having an upstream and downstream direction and, a switch adjacent the path to detect the presence of a sheet in the path, the switch having a main switch body fixedly mounted adjacent the path, a switch actuator movable between a rest position and a switch actuated position including an actuator arm having a free end and being pivotally mounted on an actuator pivot at the other end to the main switch body and movable between a position associated with the said rest position and switch actuated position, a switch actuator tip pivotally mounted to the free end of the actuator arm and movable between a first position extending the length of the arm into said path detecting the presence of a sheet in the path and a second position pivoted toward the sheet transport upstream direction out of the sheet transport path, the actuator tip being spring biased to the first position enabling positive switch actuation by