Patents Examined by F. Ryan Zeender
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Patent number: 7912754Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for controlling an inventory of point-of-care diagnostic devices. The inventory includes a main inventory and at least one subinventory. Each device has an ambient temperature shelf life. Data associated with the devices is entered, including: the current quantity and predetermined minimum quantity of devices in the main inventory; and the current quantity and predetermined minimum quantity of devices in the subinventory. A first timestamp is associated with each device when the device is transferred from the main inventory to the ambient temperature subinventory. The first timestamp is compared to a second timestamp prior to use of the device to determine whether the device's ambient temperature shelf life is exceeded. The current quantity of devices in the subinventory is updated in response to an event that causes a change in the current quantity of devices in the subinventory.Type: GrantFiled: April 23, 2009Date of Patent: March 22, 2011Assignee: Abbott Point of Care Inc.Inventors: Jody Ann Tirinato, Michael P. Zelin, Paul Andrew Gibson, Lyudmila Zaltsman, Graham Davis
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Patent number: 7912768Abstract: A computer-based system and method calculates and facilitates revenue accrual, for making larger, less frequent payments of estimated taxes or other obligations. Payer preferences are applied to satisfy variable payment intervals, amounts, and available resources. The obligation, required payments, and set-aside schedules are recalculated as needed, under payer and/or system control. Excess accruals are minimized; set-aside schedules are configurable. The system may be self-contained, handheld, or accessed remotely. Automatic datalinks move information and command fund transfers from the payer's bank, to accrue funds and make payments to other accounts. A service host may support a plurality of payers to make set-asides and payments at various levels as needed, on an individual or batch basis, including individual taxpayer enrollment for batch file tax payments by service providers. Some embodiments can be embedded to enhance the capabilities of other systems.Type: GrantFiled: October 9, 2009Date of Patent: March 22, 2011Assignee: DynaTax Solutions, LtdInventors: Gary Evan Abeles, Alan Stuart Kaplan
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Patent number: 7912767Abstract: A tax preparation application may initiate a tax preparation process for a user. The tax preparation process may detect that the user is having difficulty with the tax preparation process and present an option to the user to contact a tax preparation professional. If the user chooses to contact a tax preparation professional, the tax preparation application may present a list of tax preparation professionals to the user and request the user select one. Subsequent to the selection of a tax preparation professional, the tax preparation process may establish a communication channel between the tax preparation application and the tax preparation professional so that the tax preparation professional may assist the user. In some embodiments, the tax preparation process may be performed on a kiosk.Type: GrantFiled: October 29, 2007Date of Patent: March 22, 2011Assignee: Intuit Inc.Inventors: Alicia D. Cheatham, Tanjanique M. Lutcher, LaTasha Y. Sims, Annette M. Williams
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Patent number: 7908190Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for applying tax legislation. In one implementation, a system is provided that includes means for receiving a request for performing a tax calculation, the request including a first mark-up language document containing transaction data. The system also includes means for performing the tax calculation and means for generating a response, wherein the response includes the first mark-up language document and a result of the tax calculation.Type: GrantFiled: August 30, 2005Date of Patent: March 15, 2011Assignee: SAP AGInventor: Achim Enenkiel
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Patent number: 7908187Abstract: A digital processing system supporting management of purchase orders according to chargeable subcontracting model in an outsourcing organization. In one embodiment, when a user provides an order for a desired quantity of an assembly type from an external organization, the digital processing system automatically raises a sales order, as originating from the external organization, corresponding to each of a set of components required for manufacturing the assembly type. On receiving a receipt indication indicating the successful delivery of the order, the digital processing system calculates a net payable amount to be paid to the external organization. Additional aspects of the invention facilitate setting up of chargeable contracting model with simulated (within the digital processing system) external organizations, planning of purchase orders, etc.Type: GrantFiled: September 26, 2007Date of Patent: March 15, 2011Assignee: Oracle International CorporationInventors: Kachireddy Venkata Sesha Muralidhar Reddy, Rajesh Krishnan, Frederic Dubois, Satoru Kengaku, Vincent Shu-Lai Chu, Prabha Seshadri, Neelam Soni, Vamshi Krishna Mutyala
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Patent number: 7904350Abstract: An exemplary embodiment of the invention relates to a method for facilitating supply chain collaboration in a network environment, said supply chain including an enterprise and at least one supplier. The method includes generating and transmitting an unconstrained forecast to a supplier; receiving a supplier capability statement in response; and generating a constrained forecast utilizing the supplier capability statement. The constrained forecast is transmitted to the supplier which responds with a formal commitment to product a needed supply indicated in the constrained forecast. The method also comprises monitoring inventory levels at a replenishment service center by a supplier based upon a formal commitment; refilling inventory items at the replenishment service center; and facilitating delivery of the inventory items to the enterprise site by transmitting a pull signal to the replenishment service center whereby inventory items are delivered in response to the pull signal.Type: GrantFiled: July 20, 2001Date of Patent: March 8, 2011Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Roberto Ayala, Michael P. Murray, Mauricio Alejandro Villalobos
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Patent number: 7904351Abstract: The present disclosure provides an inventory tracking method for use with semiconductor product. The method can be used to track wafer lots transferred from a front end such as a fabrication (fab) facility, to a back end such as a wafer circuit probe facility. The method includes tracking a lot of wafers being sent to the back end facility and receiving a status report from the back end facility. The status report is compared to a predetermined criteria, and the lot is designated as a first type, such as slow moving, if the status report fails to meet the predetermined criteria. A payment plan is then associated with the lot due to it being designated as slow moving.Type: GrantFiled: May 26, 2004Date of Patent: March 8, 2011Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.Inventors: Chia Ho Yang, Ming Ta Hsu, Shau Tsung Yu, Su Mei Chang, Tien Hui Chang
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Patent number: 7904339Abstract: A method and system for providing an extensible framework for a POS application is provided. A POS application may be extended using a payment format add-in, a workflow add-in, a financial services provider add-in, or a combination of add-ins. A payment format add-in provides support for a payment format not included in the payment formats built into the POS application. A workflow add-in provides a configurable workflow that can be used to extend a built-in payment format or a payment format add-in. A financial services provider add-in provides support for interacting with a financial services provider for which the POS application does not provide built-in support. Each add-in can implement, for example, logic for processing a payment transaction, a portion of a payment transaction, and configuring steps for processing a payment transaction.Type: GrantFiled: June 20, 2008Date of Patent: March 8, 2011Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Mehul Y. Shah, Himanshu Lal
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Patent number: 7898388Abstract: A system and method for gathering information from an operator of an asset is provided. The system interfaces with a management computer to provide a list of questions for response by the operator. A wireless infrastructure operates to distribute the list of questions from the management computer to the operator. The wireless infrastructure includes an asset communicator having a wireless communication device for communicating the questions, a processing unit, a storage unit for storing the questions and responses thereto, a display unit for displaying the questions, and input unit for the operator to input such responses. The processing unit is operable to prompt the operator with a first question, receive a response from the operator to the first question, select another question based on the response, and prompt the operator with yet another question.Type: GrantFiled: November 28, 2007Date of Patent: March 1, 2011Assignee: I.D. Systems, Inc.Inventors: Kenneth S. Ehrman, Michael L. Ehrman, Jeffrey M. Jagid, Joseph M. Pinzon, Yaron Hecker, Leonard Pimentel
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Patent number: 7895091Abstract: An order fulfillment and content management system and method configured to fulfill a product order for a customized adhesive cover (“skin”). In various embodiments, an order can be placed for a skin in an on-demand nature. In other words, a user can select and customize a skin over a network and the resulting skin is manufactured in accordance with that order. Furthermore, various processes can be integrated and moved in concert with one another to provide an efficient and timely fulfillment of the order. The system can also have several stake holders that can quickly review and identify any problems in an order and arrive at a quick resolution path.Type: GrantFiled: November 5, 2007Date of Patent: February 22, 2011Assignee: Skinit, Inc.Inventors: Darrin G. Hegemier, Darryl R. Kuhn
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Patent number: 7895357Abstract: A system and method for performing normalization processing and mediation processing on data. The system and method thus allows a singular system, in particular a work engine, to process and store data from several sources and to perform a mediation process, wherein received data is processed to provide customer requested output, based on a reference table which contains a registry of data identifiers and the mediation processes to be performed on data corresponding to the data identifiers.Type: GrantFiled: February 18, 2004Date of Patent: February 22, 2011Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.Inventor: Joel M. Walker
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Patent number: 7895093Abstract: A system and method is provided for utilizing proforma processing on adjustments in consolidation processes. The system comprises a proforma consolidation processor configured for consolidating at least one adjustment entry received from an adjustment journal. The proforma consolidation processor only performs consolidation on the at least one adjustment entry. The results of the proforma consolidation is then output to a pending journal. An inquiry module allows display of the pending journal along with current consolidation ledger balances. If the results of the proforma consolidation are acceptable, then a post module posts the pending journal and the at least one adjustment to the consolidation ledger.Type: GrantFiled: August 25, 2003Date of Patent: February 22, 2011Assignee: Oracle International CorporationInventors: Lisa M. Macalka, Ravindran R. Appiah, Monica Sandeep Bhat, Dale Chung-Te Chen, Lynn Christensen, Christopher Ngan, Barbara Carol Roudebush, Marlene Patricia Siebert
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Patent number: 7895089Abstract: One aspect of the present invention is a computer-implemented method for processing remanufactured part cores. The method includes receiving manufactured part core inventory information. The inventory information can include an inventory forecast and an inventory level for a number of parts. The method further includes receiving a part number of a part to be processed. The part to be processed is a member of the number of parts. The method further includes receiving one or more business rules for processing the part to be processed. A part disposition for the part to be processed is determined based on the remanufactured part core inventory information, the one or more business rules and the part number.Type: GrantFiled: September 18, 2006Date of Patent: February 22, 2011Assignee: Ford Motor CompanyInventors: Jimmy Azzouz, Thomas E Salapatek, Richard J Buiteweg
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Patent number: 7890372Abstract: An electronic point-of-sale authorization device is removably attachable to an auxiliary register system for verifying the identity of a user during point-of-sale transactions. The device may include a user interface, a microprocessor coupled with a memory, displays, fingerprint and card readers, an electronic pen and a communication link. The device may further include a mechanism for pivotally oscillating the housing and a mechanism for linearly reciprocating a telescopic support rod. A user interface may be communicatively linked to the pivotally oscillating mechanism and linearly reciprocating mechanism such that the housing may pivotally oscillate about a pivot axis while the support rod telescopically reciprocates along a vertical axis respectively. In addition, the housing may be freely rotated about the pivot axis while each of the support rod and the mounting bracket remain at static positions.Type: GrantFiled: July 31, 2009Date of Patent: February 15, 2011Inventor: Doreen C. Boxer
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Patent number: 7889384Abstract: A method for managing complex payload using on a point of sale (POS) printer is described. The complex payload includes a plurality of commands. The method includes organizing at least a portion of the commands into a single entity. The single entity corresponds to more than one command, though need not contain all of the commands. The method also includes providing a payload identifier corresponding to the single entity. The payload identifier indicates a correspondence between the commands for the single entity and the single entity.Type: GrantFiled: June 3, 2004Date of Patent: February 15, 2011Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Gerald H. Armentrout, Phuc K. Do, Bobby R. Hargett, Jr., E. Michael Maximilien
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Patent number: 7890389Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable medium are disclosed for releasing stock requests to a storage facility, such as a warehouse. Such systems, methods and computer-readable medium may generate a condition record reflecting a predetermined set of conditions to be met by the attributes of a stock request, receive the stock request including one or more attributes about a stock item, determine whether the attributes of the received stock request meet the conditions of the condition record, associate a wave template of the condition record with the stock request if a determination is made that the stock request does meet the condition record, and create a wave object based on each stock request associated with the wave template. The wave object may then be released to the warehouse for fulfillment of each stock request associated with the wave object.Type: GrantFiled: May 17, 2005Date of Patent: February 15, 2011Assignee: SAP AGInventors: Orit Harel, Malkiel Hadari, Alexander Mandel, Joachim Epp, Ziv Holzman
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Patent number: 7885947Abstract: A solution (200) for discovering inventory information in a data processing system is proposed. For this purpose, a corresponding discovery request is submitted (A1) to an inventory tool (200); the discovery request specifies a selected query pattern for the desired inventory information (for example, all the files included in a specific directory). Multiple providers (210)—such as of the interactive, cached or monitor type—are available for executing the required discovery operation. A predictive model (220) is associated with each provider; the models are used to estimate (A2,A3a,A3b-A4) the expected performance of the different providers for discovering the inventory information (according to the selected query pattern). In this way, it is possible to select (A5-A9) the provider, among the available ones, which is best suited for this purpose. The selected provider is then invoked (A10-A12) to discover the inventory information matching the selected query pattern.Type: GrantFiled: May 31, 2007Date of Patent: February 8, 2011Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Pescuma Michele, Luigi Pichetti, Alessandro Scotti
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Patent number: 7885866Abstract: A time-phased reutilization of configured products is provided. Partially configured products are detected. Each partially configured product is analyzed to determine if the partially configured product is a valid partially configured product, suitable for being modified into other configurations. A time phased management process is applied to the valid partially configured product.Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 2006Date of Patent: February 8, 2011Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Steven C. Erickson, Ivory Wellman Knipfer, Jeffrey George Komatsu, John Walter Marreel, William Robert Taylor
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Patent number: 7881967Abstract: A method of product configuration validation prior to ordering is described. The present method is comprised of receiving a product configuration transmitted from a procuring computer system. The product configuration is received by a computer system. The computer system is configured to cause the distribution of a product utilized in said product configuration to said procuring computer system. The product configuration is compared with parameters relative to functionality of said product when in said product configuration. The functionality parameters are stored on the computer system. The comparing is for validating the product configuration.Type: GrantFiled: February 14, 2003Date of Patent: February 1, 2011Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.Inventors: Subramanian Srinivasan, Deepak Bhargava, Rama Chinta
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Patent number: 7876197Abstract: Methods and systems for preventing unauthorized use of a mobile asset are described. The method for providing access to the mobile asset can include providing a control device on the mobile asset. The control device is in communication with the mobile asset to selectively control whether the mobile asset is enabled for operation. The method also includes storing data in the control device that identifies a group of potential operators who are permitted to operate that mobile asset. This stored data includes unique password data for each potential operator in the permitted group. Further, the method includes receiving an identifier and password from an accessing operator and comparing by the control device of the received identifier to the stored data to order confirm that the accessing operator is a potential operator.Type: GrantFiled: November 28, 2007Date of Patent: January 25, 2011Assignee: I.D. Systems, Inc.Inventors: Kenneth S. Ehrman, Michael L. Ehrman, Jeffrey M. Jagid, Joseph M. Pinzon, Yaron Hecker, Leonard Pimentel