Abstract: An advertising system to be used with personal computers which enables sponsors to present advertisements or commercials to a user during periods of waiting-time which are inherent in normal computer use. A segment of a software product contains one or more sponsors' audio, visual, or multi-modality messages. The advertising system chooses one of these messages and presents it to the user of the computer during the times that the user is not normally able to use the keyboard of the computer because information is being loaded up or sent out. Such times occur during the start-up of a program or during the sending of information from the computer to a peripheral device such as a printer, modem, or fax. The advertisement, or sequence of advertisements, may be chosen based upon the amount of time which the computer will need to achieve a task before being ready for new input from the user.

Abstract: An electronic auction and motor vehicle auction information system allows remote users to interactively participate in motor vehicle auction sales of motor vehicles using a personal computer. Additional user applications associated with the system permit users to access and search a system database and display data about motor vehicle auction dates and locations, vehicle inventory, industry news, and vehicle sales history.

Abstract: An automated security credit checking system for checking a credit application for fraud before a credit card is issued. The credit checking system scans the credit application, and uses an optical character recognition program to check the application. The credit checking system helps determine whether the application is legible, and whether there is a discrepancy between the post mark and the mailing address. The credit checking system automatically determines whether the application is a corporate or individual application, and whether the application is one of numerous requests from the same person, employer, or address. The credit checking system also tracks the status of each application and the route each type of application has taken, whether it is a corporate application, a suspected fraudulent application, a verified fraudulent application, or a rejected application.

Abstract: Upon receipt of a billing detail record from either an operator or automatic console, a host receiver of the fraud evaluation and reporting system of the instant invention would route a record to either a bad billed number module, a call intercept module or a fraud filter module. Depending on where the record is routed, a determination is made on whether the account number is bad or whether the account number is being used by a fraudulent user. Moreover, calls may be intercepted to determine whether specific predefined thresholds have been exceeded and whether or not subsequent calls are to be processed or denied. Furthermore, by means of the fraud filter processes, various alerts may be generated by applying thresholds relating to different products and division with the account number.

Abstract: A computer system and computer-implemented method for controlling inventory of vendors at one level of a part distribution chain. The system includes a computer programmed with software for generating order data in response to reference data indicative of sales, inventory, demographics, and/or market characteristics of or pertaining to at least two vendors at the same distribution level. The order data is indicative of one or more of a recommended inventory increase transaction (such as a reorder by a vendor of a sold part); an inventory reduction transaction (such as a return of one or more parts in stock at the vendor); and a recommended stocking level of one or more parts by the vendor. When the computer is operated by personnel of a first vendor, it receives reference data concerning at least one other vendor at the same distribution level (in addition to processing reference data concerning the first vendor.

Abstract: A Satellite Weather Modification System (SWMS) uses earth satellites to harness solar energy to modify the thermodynamics and composition of the earth's atmosphere. SWMS has three subsystems: The first subsystem includes a network of earth satellites called Satellite Engines (SEs) used to reflect solar energy and/or transform solar energy into other forms of energy beams discharged at specified locations. The media at these locations and the media through which the energy beams pass absorb these energies and change them into heat. The second subsystem includes a large network of Remote Sensing Devices (RSDs). These sensors are used to measure local media compositions, dynamic parameters and thermodynamic properties. Sensor measurements are fed back to the third subsystem, which includes a network of Ground Control Stations (GCSs). GCSs provide energy beam guidance by estimating each beam's characteristics and its aim point trajectory as functions of time.

Abstract: The electronic secretary system comprises an input section (101) for inputting operation information; a processing section (102) for performing a predetermined processing in accordance with the input information; a data storing section (103) for storing the input information; an internal state memory section (104) for memorizing the state of processing; an action description storing section (106) for storing the action description of an electronic secretary; an action data storing section (107) for storing data, such as an action image, a voice, or the like of the electronic secretary; an electronic secretary generation section (105) for deciding and generating an action of the electronic secretary in accordance with the internal state; a display section (108) for displaying an output of the processing section (102) and an output of the electronic secretary generation section (105); an interface (109) for transmitting data with other equipment; and an interpreter section 110 for interpreting the transmitted d

Abstract: A computer-based system and method for generating a medication management display comprises entering a plurality of medication names prescribed for one or more patients, with corresponding strength attributes, and alpha-numeric medication symbol attributes, into an electronic data base. An electronically stored correlation list is then accessed to associate the alpha-numeric symbol attributes to graphic symbols. This information is arranged to generate a patient medication chart displaying one or more medication names associated with its corresponding strength, directions, and graphic symbol. Adhesive graphic symbols are applied to the original medication containers that hold the medications to cross reference the actual medications with the chart. The patient medication data may also include administration comments with at least one medication which is visually displayed.

Abstract: A self-service device in the form of a terminal (10) has a display screen (12) on which a sprite (70) such as a human character is caused to appear. In response to operation by a user of a joystick or joypad (30), the sprite moves in an animated manner, for example, appears to walk, across the display screen (12). The user can cause the sprite (70) to investigate a location. Also the sprite (70) can, in response to operation of a control key (40), effect a selected self-service operation, such as dispensing cash in an automated teller machine, for example. The use of an animated sprite (70), movable and operable under the control of a user, provides a more user-friendly interface than known arrangements such as key-controlled menu-driven displays. In another embodiment the self-service device includes a home entertainment console (402) provided with an application cartridge (432) containing software for a self-service transaction controllable by an animated sprite (70).

Abstract: A method for providing prepaid Internet Access and/or long distance including the distribution of specialized calling cards, each with a unique PIN number associated therewith. Each card entitles a recipient to limited access to the Internet, free or low cost Internet access software, and/or time limited long distance calls. The cards can be a sponsor promotion in which the card holder is automatically hot-linked into the sponsor's Internet home page where he or she is given a "guided tour". An "Enhanced Entry Server" (EES), verifies the PIN number, provides the Internet and/or long distance access and times the sponsor paid Internet access or calling time.

Abstract: A customer contact management system is described. The system can be customized in order to provide custom contact types and sub-types for the types of contacts relating to individual customers, groups of customers, and business entities. User preferences may be defined to further customize the system to provide the most convenient and time efficient searching, entry, and response actions. Prior contacts can be searched and located by generating filter criteria through the order-independent selection of contact types, contact sub-types, customer identification, and customer contact dates. Records detailing the nature of the customer contact can be stored, whether the contact is user-initiated, system-initiated, or customer-initiated. Internal messages and scripted messages are provided to assist the user of the system in conducting customer service activities. The number and frequency of the internal and scripted messages can be altered according to the experience level of the user.

Abstract: The invention is a method and system which provides consultants, business process analysts, and application developers with a unified tool with which to conduct business process analysis, design, documentation and to generate business process definitions and workflow-enabled applications. The invention may be implemented using a software system which has two functional sets. One is a set of graphical tools that can be used by a developer or business analyst to map out business processes. The second is a set of tools that can be used to document and specify in detail the attributes of each workflow definition, including roles, cycle time, conditions, of satisfaction, cost and value, associated text, forms, application data as well as detail the attributes of links between workflows required to complete a business process map, and to generate a business process definition and a workflow-enabled application.

Abstract: Labelled item keys displayed on a touch sensitive display screen of a merchandise register (e.g., a POS terminal) are dynamically changed during operation of the register in accordance with a particular sale and/or previous sales. Information regarding all traded merchandise items is retained in a memory. Sales information relating to each merchandise item is updated and reorganized within the memory during the registration of each sale. After completion of each sales registration, merchandise items are ordered according to selected sales information associated with each merchandise item. In one example, a hierarchial ranking according to sales volume is created for all traded items. In addition, a key arrangement storing memory stores key arrangement data that specifies a particular positional arrangement or layout for displaying item identification indicia within a limited number of merchandise keys that are displayed on the touch sensitive display screen.

Abstract: A method of unifying feature structures using disjunctive lazy copy links. The method begins with unification of two daughter feature structures to generate their mother feature structure. Lazy copy links point from the mother feature structure back to her daughter feature structures. If unification activates any of these lazy copy links, then a selected one of the two daughter feature structures is expanded. Expansion of a disjunctive feature structure may generate a number of alternative feature structures. If so, the alternative feature structures are examined to determine if their number can be reduced by replacing multiple feature structures with one feature structure having multiple disjunctive lazy copy links, each disjunctive lazy copy link pointing to an alternative value. Two or more feature structures can be merged together if they have the same attributes and attribute values. Unification of the two daughter feature structures then resumes, an attribute at a.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for assisting an individual in making a selection amongst a plurality of choice items. The individual selects decision components having a relevance to the selection of a choice item and assigns values to each of the decision components. The user further assigns expected satisfaction scores to each decision component of each choice item indicating the expected satisfaction to be received from the decision components. The reliability of the expected satisfaction scores are indicated by assigned reliability factors. The assigned component values, expected satisfaction values, and reliability factors are then utilized to rank each of the choice items.

Abstract: An information management apparatus dealing with waste in a waste recycling system comprises an information management device for managing information on waste of each depository, and a device of determining the waste collection method based on the information and the process volume of a recycling processor. The apparatus determines the waste collection method so that recycling products can be delivered stably.