Abstract: Hospitality customer acquisition and retention costs are analyzed on a per-channel, channel-agnostic, and aggregated basis. Hotel performance is analyzed by examining net revenue by channel (accounting for each channel's contribution to operating expenses and profits), net revenue in aggregate (via net revPAR and revPAR capture metrics), and the relative benefit of sales and marketing expenses by quantifying net sales and marketing efficiency. Conceptually, this differentiation parses the relevant business into a revenue performance evaluation and a return on investment evaluation, in terms that are specific to the hospitality environment. Transaction data is analyzed from multiple hotels and each hotel's costs are mapped to a common data structure to allow for hotel-to-industry comparisons.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems; apparatus and methods for tracking or locating a person that is lost or has an emergency. Personal locating apparatus is employed comprising a plurality of buttons, and/or a keypad and display, that define an on/off element, an OK element, a help element and a 911 emergency element, wherein the elements are used to select and deselect one of a predetermined number of operational modes. A global positioning system (GPS) receiver in the apparatus processes GPS signals received from GPS satellites to generate location data indicative of the location of the apparatus. A satellite transmitter is coupled to the processor that transmits the location data and a desired operational mode signal to a remotely located processing center via one or more communication satellites.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems; apparatus and methods for tracking or locating a person that is lost or has an emergency. Personal locating apparatus is employed comprising a plurality of buttons, and/or a keypad and display, that define an on/off element, an OK element, a help element and a 911 emergency element, wherein the elements are used to select and deselect one of a predetermined number of operational modes. A global positioning system (GPS) receiver in the apparatus processes GPS signals received from GPS satellites to generate location data indicative of the location of the apparatus. A satellite transmitter is coupled to the processor that transmits the location data and a desired operational mode signal to a remotely located processing center via one or more communication satellites.

Abstract: Access privileges for a user are provided in a performance evaluation system by storing an organizational structure for an enterprise, a view and a class of services for the user. The organizational structure includes a plurality of levels and a plurality of members assigned to the levels. The view specifies the levels and the members of the organizational structure to which the user is allowed access. The class of services specify services of the performance evaluation system that the user is allowed to perform. The user has access privileges to perform services within the class of services for levels and members within the view.

Abstract: An organizational structure of an enterprise is defined in a performance evaluation system by storing a plurality of user-defined levels. A user-defined hierarchy is stored for the levels. A plurality of user-defined members are also stored. Each member is associated with a level. The performance evaluation system is operable to generate the organizational structure of the enterprise based on the user-defined levels, hierarchy, and members.

Abstract: An evaluation is generated in a performance evaluation system by defining a plurality of questions. A plurality of performance areas are defined and each associated with at least one of the questions. In response to a request for an evaluation including a performance area, questions associated with the performance area are included in the evaluation.

Abstract: A data file is imported into the performance evaluation system by storing a plurality of user-defined data elements. A user-defined configuration is stored for the data file. The configuration is operable to identify a data item in the data file and to map the data item to a data element in the performance evaluation system.

Abstract: An accelerometer comprises an electric coil pivotally mounted in a magnetic field about an axis extending perpendicular to the field for oscillatory movement substantially perpendicular to the field, in the manner of a D'Arsonval movement. Switching means in the form of a radition source and detector responds to movement of the coil assembly when on either side of a switching position to apply a constant current to the coil to move it in the direction of the switching position, thereby setting up an oscillation of the coil. Linear acceleration is measured by having an inertial mass, such as provided by mounting the coil away from its center of mass, displaced from the pivotal axis. An acceleration force acting on the mass of the oscillating coil alters the proportion of time spent at each side of the switching position to give an average current flow in the coil related to the magnitude of acceleration. More than one coil may be provided to measure acceleration along a number of axes.

Abstract: Each of first and second shallow hollow cylinders has a closed end and an open end, said cylinders being interconnected at their open ends with the first cylinder being disposed concentrically within the second cylinder. Each cylinder is rotatable through a selected arc with respect to the other cylinder between open and closed positions, the cylinders having cooperating structures which define a channel in the outer surface of the first cylinder which forms a circular arc and which lies in a plane perpendicular to the axes of the cylinders. The first cylinder has first and second oppositely disposed openings extending through the cylinder wall and lying in the plane of the channel, the second cylinder having a third opening extending through the cylinder wall which when the cylinders are in the open position is in registration both with the first opening and the channel and when the cylinders are in the closed position is out of registration with the first opening and the channel.

Abstract: Foam is produced when a reservoir is deformed by squeezing. When pressure is applied to the reservoir, a vent passage is sealed by a flexible washer, while liquid is forced up a tube and through a passage in a cylindrical member to a region at the top of that member. Air is forced through another passage and swirls into the same region to mix with the liquid. As the pressure of the mixture increases, a ball valve located above the region, is caused to open which allows discharge of the mixture. When the pressure is released, the valve is sealed and suction pulls the washer away from the vent to allow air back into the reservoir.

Abstract: Foam is produced when a reservoir is deformed by squeezing. When pressure is applied to the reservoir, a flexible washer seals a vent passage while liquid is forced up through a tube, a ball valve and outwardly through a radially slotted member, while air passes through orifices in the washer and along the outside of the slotted member to mix with the liquid. The mixture is then discharged when pressure is released, the valve is sealed and suction pulls the washer away from the vent to allow air back into the reservoir.

Abstract: A wheelchair mounted control system may be activated to enable propelling of the wheelchair at different predetermined speeds, to cause portions of the wheelchair to recline or be elevated, or to cause a signal to be generated to operate other apparatus such as a book page turner, a light switch or a television tuner, merely by positioning the neck or other skin-exposed body portion of a person in the wheelchair who is otherwise largely incapable of movement. Particular structure includes a periodic electric field source and a pair of field pickup elements adapted to be selectively contacted by the skin of a movable portion of the disabled person's body to cause, for example, activation of stepping switches and associated control relays whereby wheelchair drive motor speed is preselected and recline/elevation motor apparatus is activated for effecting the desired control of various adjustable portions of the wheelchair.