Abstract: The present apparatus is a mobile shopping cart that can automatically keep track of objects selected and carried in the cart and provide a customer using the cart information like the total price of the items carried. The cart has a radio frequency cart base station with a cart antenna connected to a radio frequency cart transceiver. Various novel embodiments of the invention produce a radio frequency field within the shopping cart that is used to communicate with radio frequency tags on objects carried in the cart. The tags contain information about the respective carried object to which the tags are attached. A program function executed by the cart circuit and/or computer controls the cart transceiver to interrogate radio frequency tags within the radio frequency field, i.e. inside the cart to gain information about the carried objects. Tags on objects external to the cart are not interrogated.

Abstract: A system for proportionally partitioning multiple groups of cells on the surface of a semiconductor chip into subregions is disclosed herein. The cell groups are separated by dividing lines, and the system comprising a calculator which determines an offset of the cut line from the dividing line; a shifter which moves the location of said groups of cells by the offset such that the cut line coincides with the dividing line; and an overflow evaluator and compensator which shifts any cells outside said region to an edge of said region.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for accessing stored ultrasound images and other digital medical images. A client application sends a request comprising information identifying a unique medical study to a server application. The information identifying a particular study can be in the form of a patient accession number and can be provided to the client application with a keyboard or an automatic information reader, such as a bar-code reader, a camera, or a voice recognition device. Upon receiving the request, the server application automatically sends the client application a digital medical image associated with the study. The client application then displays the digital medical image to the user.

Abstract: A computer implemented method for determining the set of variables that may be ambiguously defined at a point in a computer program includes first placing all variables contained in at least a portion of the computer program into the set. Next, a definition of a variable in at least a portion of the computer program is located. Then, if the definition unambiguously defines the variable, then the variable is removed from the set. Otherwise, if the definition is an ambiguous definition, then all the variables contained in the portion of the computer program are placed into the set.

Abstract: A data processing system and method are provided for allocating all charged transactions, accrued interest attributable to each charged transaction, and payments made by respective credit cardholders, to sub-accounts specifically designated by the cardholder. In particular, at the point of purchase, the cardholder specifies one or more designated sub-accounts to which the charge is to be allocated. The data processing system allocates to each designated sub-account all charges specified, as well as all interest charges that accrue as to each designated sub-account to which the interest charges are attributable. As each periodic payment is made by the cardholder, the cardholder has the capability of specifying the designated sub-account or portion thereof which is being paid. The data processing system allocates each payment to the designated sub-account(s) specified by the cardholder and calculates interest charges allocable to each designated sub-account as adjusted by each payment by the cardholder.

Abstract: Disclosed is an Internet-based referral system that enables individuals and other business entities ("associates") to market products, in return for a commission, that are sold from a merchant's Web site. The system includes automated registration software that runs on the merchant's Web site to allow entities to register as associates. Following registration, the associate sets up a Web site (or other information dissemination system) to distribute hypertextual catalog documents that includes marketing information (product reviews, recommendations, etc.) about selected products of the merchant. In association with each such product, the catalog document includes a hypertextual "referral link" that allows a user ("customer") to link to the merchant's site and purchase the product. When a customer selects a referral link, the customer's computer transmits unique IDs of the selected product and of the associate to the merchant's site, allowing the merchant to identify the product and the referring associate.

Abstract: An analyzer for maintaining and analyzing source code is disclosed. The analyzer includes a software translator for converting conventional source code into an intermediate language, slicing capability based upon weakest precondition determination, dual direction flow analysis and incorporation of a computational model to facilitate iterative code.

Abstract: A configurable peripheral management system includes a peripheral management device which comprises a microprocessor for executing peripheral management instructions stored in a persistent memory for performing operations such as polling a peripheral device. The peripheral management device is coupled to a host computer over a serial line, through which new peripheral management instructions can be downloaded for storage in the persistent memory.

Abstract: A decision support system for the selection of a diagnostic or therapeutic test or intervention, herein called studies, is supported by identifying a relative number of cases in which significant results were obtained in studies having the same indications. In particular, an ordering physician requests a study for a patient and specifies indications for the study, such as symptoms and a potential diagnosis. The number of studies performed, including those on other patients, for which results were significant for the same indications out of the total number of studies performed for the same indications is provided as feedback to the ordering physician. This feedback relates actual patient results to the appropriateness of the study. A decision support system in a health care information management system receives, from an ordering physician, an order for a study to be performed on a specified patient and indications for the study.

Abstract: In order to reduce a run time of an object program executable with a microcomputer having a fast internal RAM, the number of occurrences of each external variable in a source program is ascertained when compiling the source program. Further, the locations of first and last occurrences of each external variable are also ascertained. Thereafter, one or more external variables are determined as being assignable to the internal RAM on a basis of the number of occurrences of each external variable. Subsequently, a variable assignment information file is generated which indicates the external variable(s) to be assigned to the internal RAM and which further indicates the locations of first and last occurrences of each external variable determined to be assigned to the internal RAM.

Abstract: The invention relates to a procedure for processing data, especially transaction data, in an electronic payment system, whereby the electronic payment system includes a minimum of one payment terminal, a collections device and a transaction system. During the procedure, a data record is generated with header data (1), a payment transaction is executed by the minimum of one payment terminal (2), information concerning the payment transaction is stored in the data record (3), the data record is flagged as a shadow data record (6), and an additional data record with additional header data is generated (7), whereby the additional data record is generated before a further payment transaction (8) begins.

Abstract: A postage evidencing system including a plurality of domains for partitioning a population of postage meters according to an operating characteristic, a data center, a postage meter in operative communication with the data center and a printer in operative communication with the postage meter. The postage meter is initialized to operate in a particular domain while the printer is capable of operating in each of the plurality of domains. To update or enable a domain in the printer, the postage meter transmits an indication of the particular domain to the data center. Then, the data center encrypts the indication and transmits the indication to the postage meter which in turn forwards the encrypted indication to the printer. The printer decrypts the encrypted indication and using the indication enables a respective domain in the printer corresponding to the particular domain of the postage meter. A method for updating domains in a postage evidencing system is also provided.

Abstract: A system and method for replacing a self insurance with insurance, employing a premium financing mechanism with a payout pattern determined in consideration of an estimated payout of the self insurance to pay for the insurance, identifying employers for whom leaving self insurance may be desirable, and, in one preferred embodiment, analyzing data and generating documents and/or computer-readable data files pertaining to such a premium financing mechanism.

Abstract: An intelligent real time tool to assist a computer programmer during the writing and/or maintenance of a computer program. The tool generates assist windows that contain program related information that the programmer can use to construct a programming language statement and/or to obtain real time information about a programming language statement. An assist window can be automatically displayed as determined by the tool itself, and/or manually displayed on demand in response to a user input command. An assist window displays two general categories of information including but not limited to selection menu information based on a partial compilation of all programming language statements, and informational displays based on a partial compilation and a reverse parse of an immediate programming language statement.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods and devices for processing data frames representative of audio information in digitized and compressed form. The method comprises the steps of classifying successive data frames into frames containing speech sounds and non-speech sounds, altering parameters of the data frames identified as containing non-speech sounds for eliminating or at least substantially reducing artifacts that distort the acoustic background noise. In addition, the data frame identified as containing non-speech sounds are low-pass filtered. Finally, a signal level compensation is effected to avoid undesired fluctuations in the signal level.

Abstract: Methods, systems and computer program products generate a computer program design for an object oriented application using a modeling tool. The computer program design is mapped to a data model in an object oriented environment. The computer program design is mapped to the data model using a mapping convention that includes name space mapping, class specification and programming model mapping. Using the mapping convention, a generated computer program design may be mapped to the data model without reference to any specialization from the programming model, with default specializations from the programming model, or with developer customizations of specializations from the programming model.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus and computer program products for automated visual inspection of regions of interest of a product utilizing an automated visual inspection device having a constrained viewing area are provided according to the present invention. Particularly, inspection of regions of interest on a product utilizing a constrained viewing area characterized as a view minimization problem is minimized by translating the view minimization problem into a set-covering problem and a traveling salesman problem. Known heuristics are applied to the set-covering problem and the traveling salesman problem to minimize the number of views required to view the regions of interest and to minimize the distance of travel between the views. Apparatus and computer programs products are also provided which minimize inspection time in a like manner.

Abstract: A value dispensing system includes: a printing mechanism for printing an indication of value; a microprocessor including a real time clock mechanism, the microprocessor initiating printing of the indication of value by the printing mechanism; a device for electrically connecting the value dispensing system to a primary power source and for utilizing power received from the primary power source to operate the microprocessor and the printing mechanism; a back-up power source which supplies backup power to the microprocessor to enable continued operation of the real time clock only when the value dispensing system has been disconnected from the primary power source; wherein the microprocessor is programmed to 1) disable operation of the printing mechanism upon a failure of the backup power source and in response to reconnection of the primary power source to the value dispensing system, 2) require resetting of the real time clock as a prerequisite for reenabling the operation of the printing mechanism subsequent

Abstract: A system is described in which a drug distribution center operates a computer software drug inventory management program in electronic communication with a health care provider computer software program for drug and health care supply distribution to patients. The system incorporates low unit dose measure drug and supply packaging including bar codes for automatically tracking drug information. The system further includes hand held drug information collection units for collecting the drug and supply information from the bar coded packages. The system provides complete drug and supply tracking from the drug supplier to a nursing station automated drug/supply dispensing machine.

Abstract: A method of verifying electronic payments generated using a key unknown to the verifier. In anticipation of accepting electronic payments, a seller requests and receives from a bank a conversation key and a first set of electronic verifiers for a first set of electronic payments from a customer. Each verifier allows authentication of an associated electronic payment without revealing the private key used by the customer to generate the electronic payments. Prior to initiating a transaction or series of transactions, the customer requests payment information from the seller for use, along with the master key, in generating electronic payments Afterward, when the customer pays with an electronic payment, the seller authenticates the electronic payment using one of the verifiers. The seller responds to the buyer's request if the electronic payment is authenticated.