Abstract: A fluid filtration system is disclosed herein. The filtration system includes a main tubular housing defining an interior chamber and having an outlet opening at a top end thereof and an inlet opening at a bottom thereof. A tubular inlet housing extends vertically into the interior chamber of the main housing through the inlet opening of the main housing. The tubular inlet housing has a hollow interior filled with shards of permanent magnets, a plurality of outlet portals located in the interior chamber proximate the bottom of the main housing, and an inlet opening at a bottom thereof. An inlet conduit is connected to the inlet opening of the tubular inlet housing. An adjustable fluid pump and can force the fluid from a supply of fluid to be filtered upwards through the inlet conduit at varying speeds. A permeable but compact horizontal layer of medium capable of trapping particulates is provided in the interior chamber of the main tubular housing adjacent the tubular inlet housing.

Abstract: Flow of water is in the same direction during a water-filtering cycle and a filter-cleaning cycle. That feature leads to an especially simple, economical and effective system for (a) producing filtered water and (b) cleaning, during a filter-cleaning cycle, the filter that cleans the water of particulates. No backwash is needed. Forward wash filter cleaning makes use of principles of physics, man-made equipment, and attraction of black sand (e.g., sand containing magnetite) to magnets. Those elements are combined in a novel way to (a) constrain the sand in a compact but permeable filtering layer and (b) allow a forward wash filter-cleaning cycle by simply flowing water through a layer of particulate-laden black sand after the layer has been made less compact by being disrupted during the filter-cleaning cycle. In other words, particulates previously trapped during a water-filtering cycle are washed away in forward-flowing, particulate-laden water during the filter-cleaning cycle.

Abstract: A floating filtration apparatus prevents harm to marine life when seawater is withdrawn from an ocean. The apparatus has a floating framework that largely surrounds a space into which water rises from below to find its own level. The water passes through a porous filter as it moves upward into the space, thus producing filtered water that has had marine life gently screened out. A continuous flow of filtered water is achieved when the filtered water in the space is pumped away and new, unfiltered water from below passes upward through the filter and into the space. Water pumped away from the apparatus does not contain marine life that could be killed in the pipes and pumps that bring seawater to cool a power plant or supply a desalination facility.

Abstract: A comprehensive system effectuates global electronic commerce on the Internet across frontiers of nations, cultures, and languages. Referral Websites serving various locales offer Buyers the opportunity to view products for purchase. A Buyer selects categories of products for viewing by using drop-down menus that organize products into a clear taxonomy that can be expressed across all languages. Having selected a category of products for viewing, a Buyer receives, from a multi-version relational database, a version of marketing information about each product. The version is one automatically sent from the database to match the Buyer's language, culture, and nationality, as deduced from the use of a particular Referral Website. A shopping cart allows Buyers to select a product for purchase in an interactive way that encourages completion of the purchase. Products can be offered with custom options and in wholesale quantities. Personalized Web pages allow comprehensive customer service after a sale.

Abstract: A comprehensive system effectuates global electronic commerce on the Internet across frontiers of nations, cultures, and languages. Referral Websites serving various locales offer Buyers the opportunity to view products for purchase. A Buyer selects categories of products for viewing by using drop-down menus that organize products into a clear taxonomy that can be expressed across all languages. Having selected a category of products for viewing, a Buyer receives, from a multi-version relational database, a version of marketing information about each product. The version is one automatically sent from the database to match the Buyer's language, culture, and nationality, as deduced from the use of a particular Referral Website. A shopping cart allows Buyers to select a product for purchase in an interactive way that encourages completion of the purchase. Products can be offered with custom options and in wholesale quantities. Personalized Web pages allow comprehensive customer service after a sale.

Abstract: A comprehensive system effectuates global electronic commerce on the Internet across frontiers of nations, cultures, and languages. Referral Websites serving various locales offer Buyers the opportunity to view products for purchase. A Buyer selects categories of products for viewing by using drop-down menus that organize products into a clear taxonomy that can be expressed across all languages. Having selected a category of products for viewing, a Buyer receives, from a multi-version relational database, a version of marketing information about each product. The version is one automatically sent from the database to match the Buyer's language, culture, and nationality, as deduced from the use of a particular Referral Website. A shopping cart allows Buyers to select a product for purchase in an interactive way that encourages completion of the purchase. Products can be offered with custom options and in wholesale quantities. Personalized Web pages allow comprehensive customer service after a sale.