Abstract: A new and efficient way of structuring databases enabling efficient query processing, reduced database storage requirements, and more flexible content targeting is described. A database is defined having bit mapped data. The data to be stored in the database is characterized as a number of binary questions. Each record comprises one or more groups of bit maps corresponding to the answers to the questions. For some types of data, there may be two or more possible values. In such cases, each possible value is itself a binary question. In some cases, there may be data which does not lend itself to characterization as binary questions. In such cases, the database includes numeric and string values. Queries of the database may be obtained through simple bit wise Boolean operations directly of the records in the database.

Abstract: A photograph printing and delivering method and system do not require external equipment, such as personal computer or the like and permits delivery of the printed products to a user of the camera. The method and system performs receiving an image data transmitted from a camera through a mobile communication network, obtaining identification of a caller transmitting the image data, performing printing for reproducing an image on the basis of the received image data, obtaining information of delivery destination, to which a printed product is to be delivered, on the basis of the caller identification, and shipping the printed product to the delivery destination based on the delivery destination information.

Abstract: A method of and an electronic apparatus for determining real-time data latency are disclosed. The method may include creating a plurality of outgoing data packets having an outgoing time stamp, a group identifier and validation information. The outgoing data packets may be transmitted onto a network. A plurality of incoming data packets may be received over the network. The incoming data packets may be validated. For each of the incoming data packets that is valid, a round-trip time delay for the incoming data packet may be calculated, and statistics for the incoming data packets may be updated based on the round-trip time delay and the group identifier included in the incoming data packet. The method may be implemented on an electronic apparatus.

Abstract: An information providing system, which transmits a passive image.such as an advertisement while providing a requested image. The passive image and the requested image, for example, information from the Internet 9, are transmitted from the information provider 4 to the terminal 1 and displayed separately on the display 8. The whole passive image is displayed in the front of the display 8.

Abstract: A mechanical ventilation system, which obtains and maintains to below threshold reduced concentrations of volatile organic compounds and common organic odors in an air stream. The air stream has a concentration of volatile organic compounds of at least 100 parts per million and a temperature of between 30° and 70° F. The mechanical ventilation system comprises a duct, an air moving apparatus and a low-pressure germicidal lamp. The duct has a volume of at least five cubic feet for temporally containing and directing the air stream. The air moving apparatus moves the air stream through the duct at a speed of at least 100 cubic feet per minute. The low-pressure germicidal lamp is installed with respect to the duct such that the germicidal lamp, when energized, will irradiate the air stream passing through the duct.

Abstract: A system for providing scheduled messages to a remote user in a batch oriented system. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a user creates and/or reads electronic mail locally. While the user creates the electronic mail, a message is displayed to the user on a portion of the local monitor, the message preferably changing in accordance with a local display schedule and stored on a local storage device. The message is preferably targeted to the particular user. When the user is ready to transmit the e-mail created and/or receive e-mail addressed to him, the user's local client establishes a connection via a modem with a remote e-mail server system. The remote e-mail server system not only receives the e-mail transmitted by the user and/or transmits e-mail addressed to the user, but also updates the user's local messages in accordance with a distribution schedule.

Abstract: There are described apparatus and methods wherein ultraviolet light kills and/or degrades and vaporizes microorganisms and organic material which naturally form over time on a heat exchanger. As this matter is eliminated, the pressure drop is decreased (i.e., airflow is increased) and the heat exchange efficiency (capacity) is increased. Less energy per Btu removed is used by the cooling system, and less energy is used by the HVAC system to move air.

Abstract: A system provides a user with free Internet network access, in which an access control system sends video advertising files to a user who gains access to the Internet through a network connection that includes a viewer program that operates independently of the user's browser and e-mail programs. The viewer receives ads from the access control system and manages an ad pool that collects multiple video advertising files. Video advertising files are downloaded when the user is not actively using the bandwidth of the Internet connection to download Internet content of the user's choosing. The viewer program periodically opens a viewer window, which opens on top of any other open windows, and in which a video ad from the ad pool is displayed. When one or more video ads are finished, the viewer window is hidden or made an inactive window for a quiet interval. At the conclusion of the quiet interval, the viewer widow is activated and the next ad in the ad pool is displayed.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for monitoring the on-line activities of an on-line user are disclosed. Information regarding the user's activities are used as a basis for targeting advertisements to the user. Monitoring is performed by a client monitoring application, which performs monitoring without intruding on the user's activities. In monitoring, URLs in the address bar of the browser application are obtained by the client monitoring application, or the stream of URLs transmitted by the browser application are obtained by the client monitoring application, or information in displayed web pages is obtained by the client monitoring application.

Abstract: A message searching and system and a terminal, which display messages to terminal users based on their individual characteristics profile, even when a plurality of users use the same terminal and even when users copy and use the same program. The system includes a message user database for storing records defining user characteristics profiles of terminal users, and a transmittal condition database for storing searching conditions for each message which may be transmitted to the terminal. This system detects a necessity to revise the user characteristics when communicating with the terminal, and revises the user characteristics if necessary. This system reads user characteristics from the message user database, and searches for appropriate messages from the transmittal condition database based on the user characteristics and characteristics associated with each message identifier. The message user database stores each user's birth date and the last system communication date.

Abstract: In the communication network for distributing messages such as advertisements to terminal users, an information providing system provides the suitable information to each user. The system includes a terminal connected to a communications network, a user database for storing the characteristics of each user, a message database for storing messages, and a transmittal condition database for storing the user characteristics of the class of suitable recipients for each message. A message searcher searches for messages from the transmittal condition database based on the characteristics read out from the user database. A reader reads the retrieved messages from the message database and a transmitter transmits the messages to the terminal. An adder increases the value of a parameter associated with each user when the transmitted message is displayed on the terminal. A detector detects whether the user is active, and a stop means prevents the value of the parameter from being increased when the user is inactive.

Abstract: A multifunction peripheral periodically stores its status information and a Host periodically receives this status information and stores it in a database in the Host. A technician may select some or all of the information to be provided to the technician on the occurrence of a number of trigger conditions. The technician may set the trigger conditions from any of the reportable status conditions. The Host automatically will connect to a remote monitoring computer designated by the technician and provide the selected information. The Host can also save the selected information to a removable storage medium.

Abstract: A terminal emulation program for an IBM host is described. The program can record scripts (mini-programs) of IBM host sessions. For each action or event, as desired, the program records an appropriate script. Scripts may be created for connecting to and disconnecting from the IBM host, for sending key strokes, for sending playback-time inputs, for awaiting a certain screen, and for importing displayed IBM host data. The scripts are stored in a file on a PC and may be replayed either from the terminal emulator, from Windows, or via OLE.

Abstract: A method of identifying computer screens is disclosed. The method is particularly useful in identifying IBM host screens in script creation and playback. According to the method, a signature is composed for a given screen. The signature comprises characteristics of a given screen which differentiate that screen from substantially different screen displays. For an IBM host screen, signature composition is based upon the screens protected fields. The protected fields are further processed by removing transient information such as the date and time.

Abstract: In a networked system having workstations, file servers and intelligent peripheral devices, the intelligent peripheral devices are capable of determining information concerning their device status and communicating the device status information via a communications line. The file server obtains the device status information from the peripheral device and stores this information as a file readable by the workstations.

Abstract: A pipelined bus which can support more than one channel between data sources and data destinations at a time. The bus includes an arbitration bus, a command bus and a data bus. In accordance with the bus protocol, different channels may access the various bus components in the same clock cycle. For example, the data source of one channel may issue a command on the command bus to its selected data destination to get ready to receive data while at the same time, a data source of a second channel actually transmits data on the data bus to its selected data destination. During the same clock cycle, a third data source can be selected by the arbitration bus to initiate or resume a channel.

Abstract: A method of recognizing correspondence between a pre-recorded sample announcement and the identical pre-recorded reference announcement is shown. The reference pre-recorded sample announcement is characterized in terms of: (1) Start of speech (SP) where the transition from silence to voicing occurs, (2) average frame power (AFP) for each power frame length of a voicing segment of speech (3) silence gap length (SGL), the duration of non-voicing between two consecutive voicing segments and (4) end of speech (EOS). The sample pre-recorded announcement is also characterized in terms of SP, AFP, SGL, and EOS. The SP, AFPs, SGLs, and EOS of the reference pre-recorded announcement is compared with that of the sample pre-recorded announcement to determine if a match exists.

Abstract: In accordance with the invention, a traveler can use a portable computer to automatically retrieve voice mail from a PBX-based voice mail system or a telephone answering machine. The computer has a modem, an audio output system (e.g., SoundBlaster card and speakers) and a special program. During a training phase of the method, the program creates a script of normal interaction with the voice mail system. The script is used during a message retrieval phase to retrieve voice mail messages. Multiple scripts may be recorded. During the retrieval phase of the method, the program uses word spotting to compare prompts received from the voice mail system to prompts in the script to ensure that the process is working properly. The program can create script commands for: dialing the voice mail system; entering a mail box number and password; making appropriate selections to listen to new messages; recording the messages from the voice mail system into the portable computer; and disconnecting from the voice mail system.

Abstract: A method and apparatus wherein a germicidal lamp's tube is positioned in a particular manner relative to the HVAC system such that the system coil and drain pan components are subjected to UVC radiation and an increased flux density of photons emitted therefrom, and the photons are continuously reflected and directed within and through the coil until absorbed. In this manner the flux density of the photons is increased, as well as the dosage of the photons actually applied to a surface or airborne microorganism, minimizing the occurrence of HVAC-sourced bioaerosols and effectively and efficiently killing the mold and bacteria that grow on the coil and in the drain pan of a HVAC system without producing a secondary contaminant.

Abstract: Devices and methods for analyzing a subject's personality are provided using an automated personality analyzer. A subject's responses to a predefined quiz, responses to flashcards, a monograph, or a monologue, is used to determine the subject's likely personality type. The subject's choice and usage of words, and in particular certain "key words", are categorized, scored, and weighted in accordance with an aspect of the invention. The sums of these weighted scores are used to compare the subject to predefined pure personality type, so as to gain insight to the subject's psychological state and personality.