Abstract: An RFID tag and a method of its use are disclosed. One such RFID tag includes first, second, and third RFID inlays included on a tag housing, the first, second, and third RFID inlays each corresponding to a different rate identifier. The tag also includes a panel engaged with the housing and movable among first, second and third positions. The panel includes RFID shorting structures each positioned to electrically contact one of the first, second, and third RFID inlays such that, in any of the first, second, and third positions, only one of the first, second, and third RFID inlays remains active.

Abstract: Aspects provide digital media content as a function of embedded environmental impact data. When a digital multimedia item is received, an embedded environmental impact value is decoded and the item is utilized as a function of the decoded embedded environmental impact value. Some aspects account for amounts and types of energy used in creating the item to calculate an environmental impact value for the item, and the calculated environmental impact value is embedded within digital data of the item.

Abstract: Systems and methods for charging electric vehicles and for quantitative and qualitative load balancing of electrical demand are provided.

Abstract: Systems and methods which implement a rules based engine for processing items for shipping are shown. Embodiments implement a series of rules that are executed in a particular order to address decision points in processing individual items of a plurality of items for shipping. A user interface adapted to allow a user to create rules, weigh or order the rules, revise rules, enable/disable rules, etc. is provided according to embodiments. By selecting and associating various rule parameters, such as conditions, operators, and/or outcomes, through the rules interface a user may create and revise rules as desired. The rules interface of embodiments provides a hierarchical rules environment in which the resulting rules are weighted or ordered for hierarchical implementation.

Abstract: An operation control system for a wind farm having wind turbines includes: a remaining-lifetime estimation unit for estimating remaining lifetime of a component of each wind turbine; a sales-income estimation unit for estimating, for each wind turbine, an income from sales of electric power under a plurality of output control conditions; a maintenance-cost estimation unit for estimating, for each wind turbine, maintenance cost based on the remaining lifetime of the component under each of the plurality of power limit conditions; a power-limit-condition selection unit for selecting, for each wind turbine, a power limit condition that maximizes income obtained from the wind farm, based on the income from sales of electric power and the maintenance cost estimated for each wind turbine under each of the power limit conditions; and an operation command unit for sending an operation command to each wind turbine based on the selected power limit condition.

Abstract: Techniques are discussed for performing a demand reset in a wireless meter reading environment, in a manner such that demand data may not be lost. In response to receiving a command from a mobile device of a requester, a meter may store demand value(s) in a log, reset register(s) that store the demand value(s) and wirelessly provide the demand value(s) to the mobile device of the requester. Due to the lack of reliability associated with wireless communications between the meter and a requestor, the requestor may not actually receive the demand value(s). Upon receiving a subsequent command for the demand value(s), the meter may determine that the command is a replay, and provide the demand value(s) without resetting the register(s). Techniques are also discussed for generating the commands, securing the commands, and providing the commands to mobile devices in route packages.

Abstract: Systems and methods which provide a reusable shipping product comprised of a reusable shipping container and reusable shipping event code are shown. A shipper may use a user device to interact with a reusable shipping event code and/or corresponding shipping event management system for facilitating operation herein. The reusable shipping event codes of embodiments provide for shipping information used in processing an item during shipment in a configuration adapted for repeated use in shipping. A shipping event code database is preferably provided, such as at a shipping event management system, wherein shipping information associated with a corresponding shipping event code may be stored, such as for use in shipping services processing of a shipped item using a reusable shipping product of embodiments herein. The reusable shipping containers of embodiments of the invention provide shipping containers which are adapted for repeated use in shipping.

Abstract: Methods are provide for dispensing a product to a user, the product releasably incorporated within a carrier. In one embodiment, the method comprises the step of providing a first user comprising at least one storage vessel for receiving and storing fresh and at least one vessel for receiving and storing spent. The method further includes the steps of: collecting spent from a storage vessel of the first user; detecting a chemical or physical property of the collected spent; and comparing the detected chemical or physical property of the collected spent with a predetermined criteria.

Abstract: A centralized server-based system and method for managing and reserving parking spaces capable of charging an EV, that is, a plug-in hybrid or fully electric vehicle, treats sets of parking spaces as interchangeable pooled resources. An EV motorist can book a reservation with charging of the EV by specifying parking in a desired location. Parking spaces serve dual uses for parking alone or parking with charging. The parking spaces are handled as a common parking pool, such as on one side of a city block, and each space has equal access to a charging station. The server determines charging capacity availability within a time window and the motorist can choose a parking time up to or beyond, if permitted, the maximum charging time needed to charge the EV. Non-EV motorists can similarly reserve parking within a parking pool with the server ensuring optimal use of charging capacity and parking spaces.

Abstract: A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer program product for generating an energy transaction plan to manage an electric vehicle charging transaction. The energy transaction planner identifies an electric vehicle associated with a charging station and a set of principals associated with a charging transaction for the electric vehicle. The charging transaction is a transaction associated with at least one of charging the electric vehicle, storing electric power in an electric storage mechanism associated with the electric vehicle, and de-charging the electric vehicle. The energy transaction planner receives charging transaction information. The charging transaction information comprises requirements, constraints, and preferences applicable to the charging transaction. The energy transaction planner generates an energy transaction plan based on the charging transaction information. The energy transaction plan comprises terms for governing all aspects of the charging transaction.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for conducting transactions, such as standard banking transactions, using a wireless device, such as a cellular telephone, personal digital assistant, and other web-enabled wireless devices utilizing software downloaded to the wireless device. The software provides a user with interface screens on the display of the wireless device for facilitating information requests to a service provider having access to at least one account of the user.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method, a system and a server using text messages for scheduling of business appointments. A server receives an initial text message having been transmitted over a wireless network by a mobile terminal. The initial text message includes a function keyword. Based on the function keyword, the server determines a type of requested service and creates a unique page identification for a scheduler page. The server transmits toward the mobile terminal over the wireless network, a reply text message including the unique page identification. The server detects an access of the scheduler page by the mobile terminal, the access including an entry of appointment data. An appointment is scheduled in the scheduler page, using the entered appointment data.

Abstract: The present invention provides an arbitrage control system for two or more available power sources (106, 108) that enables the automatic or manual control of one or more multi-source systems (202) to take advantage of price differentials across commodities, locations and/or time. The present invention selects a power source for a device or delivery point (110) from two or more available power sources (106, 108) by analyzing market and operational data (406). A power source (106 or 108) for the device or delivery point (110) is then selected from the two or more available power sources (106, 108) based on a set of financial parameters (408). If the device or delivery point (110) is not already connected to the selected power source, one or more signals are sent (418) to switch the device or delivery point (110) to the selected power source. The arbitrage controller (102) includes a user interface (300), market interface (302), multi-source interface (304), database (306) and processor (308).

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a system and methodology for sorting and/or distributing items and articles being shipped to a receiving party through private and/or commercial delivery systems. Various characteristics of an article being shipped are obtained and assembled in a database. In an exemplary embodiment, the descriptive characteristics of the article are acquired at a first site and the processing and desired disposition of the article is determined at a second site which is physically separate from the first site. The descriptive characteristics of the article being shipped are displayed at the second site and are sufficient to identify the article to a processing individual located at the second site. The processing individual is then enabled to indicate a desired disposal of the article from the second site without being exposed to the physical article located at the first site.

Abstract: A method to model and change the state of associated content objects from one or more workflow and task management systems is provided. The method includes overlaying a business process model associated with a graphical content state overlay. A state of the content objects changes accordingly when the business process instance proceeds. Access rights are forwarded from human tasks in a business process to an associated content object. Concurrent access rights that are forwarded from multiple systems are handled. The graphical content state overlay areas include an active state overlay to graphically indicate a business process instance is active, an assessed overlay to graphically indicate a business process instance is assessed, an approval/rejected overlay to graphically indicate a business process instance has received one of an approval decision and a rejection decision, and a state archived overlay to graphically indicate a business process instance has been archived.

Abstract: The claimed subject matter relates to an architecture that can facilitate analysis, processing, or reporting in connection with energy consumption data and/or emissions or sustainability factors associated with an automation process. In particular, the architecture can obtain process-level or machine- or device-level energy consumption data collected during execution of an automation process. The data can be analyzed or processed, with general or application-specific results output to a specified recipient and/or formatted (e.g., parsed, filtered, or transformed) according to a general or application-specific scheme.

Abstract: An enhanced postal data modeling framework, in which postal data which describes characteristics of a mail sortation process is accessed, and the postal data is mapped to production management data which describes characteristics of a model production management process in an initial state and which is capable of being processed by a production management application. The production management data is input for processing by the production management application to produce forecasted production management data which predicts characteristics of the model production management process in a subsequent state, the forecasted production management data is modeled to forecasted postal data which predicts characteristics of the mail sortation process, and at least a portion of the forecasted postal data is provided to a user.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, a media content management application that allows a user to customize, assemble, distribute, and track one or more versions of media content based on semantic criteria is provided.

Abstract: An iterative method and system for performing the method are described that implement a technique to fit irregularly shaped items into a defined space. In particular, one example may take the form of a method including predetermining one or more layouts for a defined space. Each layout has a plurality of shapes. The method also includes receiving a set having a plurality of items and determining one or more configurations formed by assigning to each shape in the layout an item from the set. The items match the shapes to which they are assigned. Additionally, the method includes scoring each configuration and selecting one configuration based at least in part upon the scoring.

Abstract: Internet-based software and associated database provide group analysis overlay to monitor client-server web traffic and provide direct marketing to client group. Client car, patient, office or school sensor and interface provides overlay attribute for database comparison to classify usage pattern, location, timing, or family for targeted messaging for enhanced service from server source. Database group registry tracks client classification and provides adaptive context mapping according to set attribute relative to targeted on-line transaction.