Abstract: A bracket for routing cables in a cable management system that has a mounting portion which is used to mount the bracket to the cable management system and is provided on a mounting end of the bracket. The bracket also has a holding portion that has a plurality of apertures which are to hold the cables. Each of the apertures are provided at a different distance from the mounting end of the bracket.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for capturing the full dynamic and multi-dimensional nature of the asset allocation problem through applications of stochastic dynamic programming and stochastic programming techniques. The system and method permit one to consider many rebalancing periods, many asset classes, dynamic cash flows, and a general representation of investor risk preference. The system and method further provide a novel and general framework for representing investor preference by representing utility by directly modeling risk aversion as a function of wealth. The system and method demonstrate how the optimal asset allocation depends on the investment horizon, wealth, and the investor's risk preference and how optimal asset allocation therefore changes over time depending on cash flow and the returns achieved.

Abstract: An insurance enrollment and underwriting method includes providing a first user interface with one or more controls for enabling a user to specify one or more health conditions in an enrollment application for pet health insurance. Data representing one or more health conditions specified through the first user interface is received. That data is electronically processed. Each condition is electronically flagged as a condition that is acceptable, precluded, or for manual review. A dollar limit of coverage for each of a plurality of diagnoses in lieu of one or more exclusions is calculated. The plurality of diagnoses include one or more diagnoses related to one or more of the health conditions. Where all conditions are and flagged as acceptable or determined to be acceptable following a manual review, an active policy is packaged to include coverage for each of the plurality of diagnoses up to each diagnosis' corresponding dollar limit of coverage.

Abstract: A system, method, and computer program product are provided for the creation of enhanced securities. Enhanced bonds are backed by the security of a credit default swap contract without the need for separate purchase thereof. Building on this approach, multi-obligor securities can also be credit enhanced to provide a single security reflecting the position of the multi-obligor securities and a backing credit default swap contract.

Abstract: Current practice in class action litigation entails a series of arbitrary assumptions about fundamental parameters that may not meet Daubert standards of scientific evidence. A new theoretically-grounded microstructure trading model (TMTM) method and arrangement determines retained shares for use in damages calculations for securities fraud cases and complies with Daubert standards. In particular, the TMTM method classifies trades as “buys” or “sells”, as well as estimates trading intensity using the bid-ask spread. The TMTM method has been found to yield more accurate estimates of retained shares than heretofore.

Abstract: Disclosed is a novel system and method that provides real time information to an insurance adjuster. The system obtains information related to an insured item which has an outstanding claim. Information includes the cost to repair a specific item, the salvage value of the item, and the cost to replace the item. The system then compares the information related to the insured item from an economic perspective to determine whether it should be repaired or replaced. Since the system is objective, it reduces the reliance on subjective human factors such as collusion and lack of expertise. As a result, the system reduces the number of fraudulent and inaccurate transactions related to the specific item.

Abstract: The invention concerns a multiparty accounts receivable and accounts payable system that allows business trading partners to use a single, shared system for both accounts receivable and accounts payable management. The system allows participants to use the substantial amount of financial and cash flow information captured by the system to borrow more efficiently by permitting lenders to view this information. Furthermore, the system provides a confirmation process to convert existing debt obligations into a new, independent payment obligation due on a date certain and free of any defenses to the underlying contract. The confirmed debt obligations provide a better source of working capital for the participants, or can be converted into electronic promissory notes. The system provides an electronic exchange for electronic promissory notes, allowing participants to raise working capital in various ways, for example, by selling them.

Abstract: A transaction account is disclosed that includes attributes of a checking or savings account in that, for example, an account holder earns interest on a positive balance in the account. The transaction account additionally includes attributes of a credit-card-type account in that the account holder owes interest on a negative balance in the account. With such an account having the positive and negative balance attributes of checking or savings accounts and of credit-card-like accounts, the account holder or customer may manage the account more efficiently than by maintaining multiple accounts. The financial institution may save costs resulting from the overhead associated with maintaining numerous accounts for the same customer. Finally, the financial institution may benefit from charging a credit-card-like transaction fee to merchants that accept the card even if the transaction results in a positive balance in the transaction account.

Abstract: A bag support apparatus has a first support member, a first arm slidably received in the first support member so as to be movable between a retracted position and an extended position, a second support member, and a second arm slidably received in the second support member so as to be movable between a retracted position and an extended position. The first arm is linked to the second arm such that a movement of the first support member toward the second support member causes the first and second arms to move toward the retracted position and such that a movement of the first support member away from the second support member causes and first and second arms to move to the extended position. A scissor mechanism is linked to the first and second support members and to the first and second arms.

Abstract: A device for assembly of a connecting rod on the casing of a turbo-engine including: a clevis fixed to the casing and including at least two coaxially bored lugs; a shaft traversing the bores of the lugs to which the suspension member is fixed, in a manner which is mobile in radial rotation, via a ball joint surrounding the shaft; and a connecting device which holds the shaft in place in the lugs of the clevis and is capable of being driven in rotation about the axis of the bores, is disclosed. The ball joint and the connecting device are configured such that the rotation of the connecting device about the axis of the bore of the lugs causes an offset of the axis of rotation of the connecting rod in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the bores.

Abstract: A system and method for providing a market on-close operation for a market is provided. Buy orders and sell orders for tradeable assets are obtained. A time of market close is obtained. A respective buy order is matched to a respective sell order, but without a price. The respective order quantity match is locked-in without a price. A close price for the tradeable asset in the given primary market is obtained and the quantity match is executed. A fill message is transmitted to the respective buyer and the respective seller with the quantity matched and the close price for the tradeable asset.

Abstract: An automated bid proxy for online auctions transmits user-initiated bids to an online auction facility using dynamically adjusted bid times that vary from the user-specified or auction-specified bid times. This dynamic adjustment may advantageously distribute large bid loads over a time interval in order to reduce the peak load that is actually experienced by the automated bid proxy at times of high bid volume.

Abstract: A system and method are provided to implement real-time bidding using instant messaging. In one embodiment, real time messaging may be provided through IM messaging via an IM server over the internet, between a client and a web-based commerce system. The IM server may be provided by various service providers. In another embodiment, real-time messaging between a client and a web-based commerce system may take place over a P2P network provided by a service provider e.g. Skype. The real time messages may include notification messages communicated from the commerce system to a client. A notification message may include an outbid alert message. The real time messages may include re-bid messages communicated from a client to the commerce system.

Abstract: A merchant/seller portal enables sellers of auction items on Internet auction sites to obtain cash payments from buyers identified only by their buyer pseudonyms. The portal includes an open network interface, a seller database in which data associated with a seller are stored, a buyer manager for verifying auction purchase data received from a merchant terminal, an auction site manager for verifying auction transaction data with an auction site server, and an auction payment manager for communicating data messages with an auction payment server to transfer funds for a verified auction transaction.

Abstract: Retail consumers may hedge the price of volatile commodities such as gasoline via the advance purchase of a policy, which may be represented by a hedge card. The card may be priced to cover uncertainty in the price of the commodity over a defined future period, plus a small profit for the card issuer, optionally plus a pre-paid residual cash value. The card may permit the purchase of a defined amount of the commodity at a price not to exceed a defined ceiling over the defined future period. The card issuer may contact with one or more fuel providers to apportion the risks and benefits of the hedge card. In the alternative, the card issuer may contract with the consumer only, and may rebate commodity purchase amounts in excess of the defined price ceiling directly to the hedge card holder.

Abstract: The present invention relates to product claims management solutions, and in particular, to methods and systems for maintaining purchase records and product repair, replacement, and refund claims processing. The user experience in performing claims management is simplified and enhanced over existing methods.

Abstract: The interactive credential system and method has a database containing employee-employer-applicant surveyed information, industry specific criteria, such as insurance loss history and account performance, an authorization code for authorizing access to the database and a control device, operatively associated with the database, for presenting weighted scores. The system further includes a surveyed party processor operatively associated with the control device, and wherein the surveyed party processor is capable of transmitting the authorization code to view the surveyed information. The system also has a participant processor that is capable of requesting authorization to download the employee-employer-applicant information, including weighted scores computed from the system's algorithms processed from industry specific parameters.

Abstract: Disclosed is a novel system and method that provides real time information to an insurance adjuster. The system obtains information related to an insured item which has an outstanding claim. Information includes the cost to repair a specific item, the salvage value of the item, and the cost to replace the item. The system then compares the information related to the insured item from an economic perspective to determine whether it should be repaired or replaced. Since the system is objective, it reduces the reliance on subjective human factors such as collusion and lack of expertise. As a result, the system reduces the number of fraudulent and inaccurate transactions related to the specific item.

Abstract: A process that provides protection to an entity against the risk that a third party experiences a credit-related problem as a result of, or following a fortuitous, identifiable, insurable event, where the entity is exposed to the credit risk of the third party. The process may comprise the step of entering into, by the entity, an insurance agreement with an insurer, wherein the obligations of the insurer under the insurance agreement are triggered upon the occurrence of both (1) a credit-related problem of the third party and (2) the event. The entity may be, for example, a person or a business. Where the entity is an insurance provider, the insurer may be a reinsurer, and the insurance agreement between the two may be a reinsurance agreement. The credit-related problem of the third party may be a solvency problem or a failure to borrow a certain amount of money on the part of the third party.

Abstract: A method and system for financial modeling to predict the amount of liquidity needed to support a portfolio of assets that is being financed in the commercial paper market, or any other market that is sensitive to the provision of liquidity. As the ability to access these markets is related to the rating of the assets, the model simulates rating movements over time and uses historical funding information of like assets to make estimates of future funding needs. Many aspects of the funding (draw) process are simulated (i.e., likelihood of draw, likelihood of continuing draw, and extent of draw amount). The result of the model is an estimate of reduced liquidity needs that is less than if the underlying assets were guaranteed individually, providing economic savings for the liquidity provider. A model is also described that predicts the required characteristics of a group of institutions jointly functioning as liquidity provider to the pool.