Abstract: An electronic marketplace includes one or more computers supporting a market. There are fewer participants on a first side of the market than on a second side. Participants on the first side have a greater market capacity than market participants on the second side. Offers on the first side are inaccessible and offers on the second side are accessible to the participants. Offers are received from participants on the first side and participants on the second side. Each offer includes an offered price and an offered quantity. Any offers on the first side that include equal offered prices and any offers on the second side that include equal offered prices are prioritized according to a prioritization scheme, which determines the order in which they are matched with other offers. A first offer on the first side is matched with a second offer on the second side according to a relationship between offered prices associated with the first and second offers, and a strike price is determined based on the relationship.

Abstract: A product that is uniquely identifiable according to a globally unique identifier (GUID)(100) includes a class identifier (CID)(110) that uniquely identifies at least one product class in which the product is categorized (along with a plurality of other products) within a class hierarchy of a global content directory (42). The product class defines one or more attributes of the products categorized in the class. The product also includes a product identifier (PID)(120) that uniquely identifies the particular product from among the plurality of products categorized in the product class uniquely identified by the CID (110). The CID (110) and PID (120) collectively provide the GUID (100), which may be specified or determined to facilitate a commercial transaction involving the product.

Abstract: A telescoping in-use cover plate that includes at least two inter-fitting members that enable the cover to be retracted to the wall when not in use and expanded to increase the depth of the outlet cover and allow a plug to be plugged into the outlet when the cover is closed. Specific implementations allow for vertical and horizontal mounting and installation, knockouts and/or adapter plates for conversion to alternate electrical configurations.

Abstract: A method of valuing products based on demand probabilities. Products are designed by identifying product components, and combining the components in various combinations to provide standard and non-standard products. Components are valued using an algorithm that considers demand probability as well as known prices of standard products. The component values are added to determine product values and may be used to make pricing and order fulfillment decisions.

Abstract: An apparatus and method is disclosed for providing a mirror circuit for detecting a change in current of a RF power amplifier. The mirror circuit includes a voltage operably coupled with the mirror circuit, a bias circuit operably coupled with the mirror circuit, wherein the bias circuit is capable of applying a bias voltage to the mirror circuit, and an output reference signal. The output reference signal is proportional to the change of current in the RF power amplifier.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a vacuum sealer, which exhausts air from a thermal adhesive vacuum bag containing products and then heats and seals the open end of the vacuum bag. The vacuum sealer includes a lower body. An upper body is pivotably mounted to the lower body in such a way as to engage with the lower body. A heater is installed in either or both the lower body or/and the upper body, and heats and seals a vacuum bag. A vacuum space creating member is installed in either or both the lower body or/and the upper body, and isolates an end of the vacuum bag which is evacuated from an exterior, thus creating a vacuum space. A vacuum pump is coupled via a tube to an exhaust hole communicating with the vacuum space created by the vacuum space creating member.

Abstract: A telescoping in-use cover assembly or box adapter that includes at least two inter-fitting members that enable the cover to be retracted to the wall when not in use and expanded to increase the depth of the outlet cover and allow a plug to be plugged into the outlet when the cover is disclosed. Specific implementations allow for vertical and horizontal mounting and installation, knockouts and/or adapter plates for conversion to alternate electrical configurations.

Abstract: A safety outlet cover that includes a cover with a front face including plug blade apertures. The safety cover may include a cover with a front face where the front face is configured to cover the face of an electrical device except for a plurality of plug blade apertures therethrough. The cover also may include a mounting plate and a spring element formed as a single piece where the mounting plate includes a receptacle face aperture. When the cover and mounting plate are coupled at a rest position, the cover is configured to cover a plug blade socket in a receptacle face.

Abstract: A weatherproof cover plate is disclosed. A continuous ridge on the base is disclosed in association with a gasket and a biased hinge to provide additional protection against the weather. Particular implementations include an opening in the gasket and the lid. In a weatherproof bubble cover plate, a biased hinge is provided to bias the lid closed upon the base. Additionally, one or more cord catches in the base and knock-outs in the lid are disclosed. Other embodiments include bubble cover plates having gaps between the lid and the base to allow a cord to pass therethrough when the lid is close.

Abstract: In one embodiment of the present invention, a cost savings analysis system includes one or more software components. The software components collectively receive from a user one or more first inputs specifying a cost savings goal and one or more second inputs specifying a technique for generating a baseline price. The software components collectively access historical transaction data within one or more databases needed to generate a baseline price according to the specified technique, generate the baseline price, determine a variation between the generated baseline price and an actual price for each of one or more transactions corresponding to the specified cost savings goal, and compare the determined variations for the one or more transactions with the specified cost savings goal to conduct a baseline cost savings analysis.

Abstract: A computer-implemented system (10) for conducting automatic negotiations stores profiles for parties (12, 14) to the negotiation, each profile specifying values for one or more parameters being negotiated, the values reflecting a desirable outcome of the negotiation for the associated party (12, 14). A matching server (16) accesses an offer from a first party (12, 14) containing values for one or more of the parameters being negotiated and computes a distance between the offer values and the profile values of a second party (12, 14). If the distance is acceptably small, the matching server (16) causes the offer to be accepted by the second party (14, 12) to conclude the negotiation.

Abstract: Determining a policy parameter for an entity of a supply chain includes establishing attributes of the entities of the supply chain. Attribute segments are established for each attribute, where an attribute segment includes one or more values of the corresponding attribute. Rules are formulated using the attribute segments to define policy groups, and policy parameters are assigned to each policy group. A policy group corresponding to an entity is identified in accordance with the rules. The policy parameters assigned to the identified policy group are determined and selected for the entity.

Abstract: A cellulosic ethanol production process. An implementation of a process for producing fuel ethanol and biodiesel from cellulose may include: providing a raw cellulose stream by mixing a waste cellulose stream and an algae cellulose stream, hydrolyzing the raw cellulose stream to form a hydrolyzed cellulose stream, liquefying the hydrolyzed cellulose stream to produce a formed sugars stream and one or more liquefaction byproduct streams, fermenting the formed sugars stream to produce a raw ethanol stream by reacting the sugars stream with a yeast feed in at least one fermenter, separating the raw ethanol stream to form a fuel ethanol stream, producing an algae stream by reacting at least one of the one or more liquefaction byproduct streams with algae in at least one algae bioreactor, and reacting the algae stream in at least one biodiesel reactor to produce the algae cellulose stream and a biodiesel stream.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, a system and method for matching buyers and sellers in a marketplace accepts limit bids and offers into a central system. Periodically, an optimizing algorithm is executed to match buyers and sellers. The algorithm utilizes techniques to maximize global utility. After buyers and sellers are matched, a transaction price is calculated for each pairing. The transaction price is selected to ensure that each participant executes the transaction at that participant's best effective transaction price.

Abstract: A method for cleaning a pool surface is carried out by structure having a protruding nozzle assembly mounted in a side wall of a swimming pool in communication with a source of water for ejecting through a nozzle of a nozzle housing a stream of water at a predetermined angle relative to the adjacent side wall surface. During each erection and retraction of the nozzle housing precipitated by initiation and cessation of water flow to the nozzle assembly, the nozzle housing rotates incrementally to provide a plurality of streams of water defining a fan-like area from each nozzle as such nozzle comes into fluid communication with an opening in a cover enclosing the nozzle housing. Each nozzle is canted to a different angle above the adjacent pool surface to assist in cleaning sloping parts of the side wall/bottom surface junction and to assist in cleaning any adjacent structures extending from the side wall.

Abstract: Implementations of an electrical device cover may include a base unit having an electrical device aperture therein configured to accommodate a face of a first electrical device and at least one box mounting screw aperture therein. A portion of the base unit may be configured to cover a portion of the face of the first electrical device of a first electrical device type when the electrical device cover is installed over the first electrical device and may be configured to expose a face of a second electrical device of a second electrical device type different from the first electrical device type when the electrical device cover is installed over the second electrical device.

Abstract: An electrical device cover assembly with a base unit having an electrical box, where the electrical box has an electrical device opening on a front side of the electrical box. Particular implementations may include a cover plate slidably coupled into the electrical device opening of the electrical box over the electrical device. A sleeve may be slidably coupled into the electrical device opening and be slidable with respect to the cover plate. The sleeve may also have a sleeve mounting feature and at least one sleeve hinge member. A lid having at least one hinge member may be included with the lid coupled to the at least one sleeve hinge member by the at least one hinge member.

Abstract: Embodiments for lighted see-through displays include a plurality of light elements positioned thereon at select points arranged to convey information. The light elements may be selectively lit to provide fixed or moving information, or may even be programmed to change or even display like a marquee or even a television. Particular embodiments of the invention employ a lightweight, flexible substrate to support the light elements. Other embodiments employ one or more comparatively rigid substrates supporting rows of light elements. Particular applications for the lighted sign embodiments include display in vehicle windows such as police vehicle windows, construction and utility vehicle windows, and school bus and public transportation windows. Global Positioning System and radio signal receiver components allow for regional display of pertinent information in particular embodiments of the invention.

Abstract: An electronic commerce system (10) includes a shared product data repository (34) that includes static product data for one or more products. The static product data is associated with dynamic product data stored in one or more seller databases (32). The system also includes a global content directory (42) that includes a plurality of product classes organized in a hierarchy. Each product class categorizes a number of products and is associated with one or more attributes of the products categorized in the product class. At least one of the product classes has one or more associated pointers that identify the shared product data repository (34). The system further includes a search interface (45) that communicates a search query to the shared product data repository (34) to search static product data stored in the shared product data repository (34) identified by one of the pointers.