Abstract: A mutual fund securitization process permitting the trading of open end mutual funds and linked derivative securities on or off the floor of a National Securities Exchange. The targeted individual open end mutual fund or group of open end mutual funds, selected through a screening process is securitized through the creation of a new, separate security. This new security is preferably a "closed end fund of funds" and linked derivative securities, which synthetically replicate the statistical relationship of the defined individual or group of open end mutual funds. The maintenance of financial records for the new security is maintained by electronically storing dividend, capital gains and income received from the open end funds which have been invested in, and calculating pro-forma financial statements to disseminate to shareholders and all relevant parties.

Abstract: An automated way for sales establishments to extend point of sale (POS) cash transactions to allow consumers to save change or transfer discretionary funds into saving or donating accounts managed by a central clearinghouse. The system includes a network composed of consumer/payors with identification cards, neutral merchants who enter data and funds into remote POS terminals, central clearinghouse that offers/process accounts, and service providers for participating consumer/account holders, i.e. nonprofit giving, travel, mutual funds, savings, etc. The network provides consumers with a seamless, convenient, and painless way to save/donate every time they spend at multiple POS counter locations.

Abstract: A system and method to enable and facilitate networked, automated, brokered auctioning of document services. A plurality of processes are executed, including a customer process representing a customer, a supplier process representing a supplier, and a broker process capable of serving as an intermediary between the customer and supplier processes. The broker process is provided with a description of a document service. Responsively to the description thus provided, an auction for the document service is conducted, as follows: A customer or supplier process submits a bid for the document service. The broker process receives bidding information including the submitted bid. The broker process attempts to establish a price for the document service responsively to the received bidding information and, if a price can be established, establishes the price. If a price is established, the broker process proposes a transaction wherein the document service is to be provided at the established price.

Abstract: A method and system for evaluating the performance of emergency medical dispatchers in adhering to a provided systematic procedure or protocol for handling emergency medical calls is described. This invention provides a systematic, objective, approach to grading the dispatcher's response and thereby providing for continuous quality assurance and improvement of the dispatcher's skills. In its preferred embodiment, this invention is performed in computer software which enhanced the evaluation process by working in association with a computerized emergency medical dispatch protocol to accumulate data and efficiently grade the performance of the dispatcher.

Abstract: A comprehensive system and methodology for incorporating origination and destination network effects into a transportation industry's vehicle assignment process. The invention utilizes a decomposition strategy to combine a simplified version of network segment-FAM with the network flow aspects of origination and destination yield management. The invention's decomposition of the problem allows for the nonlinear aspects of the targeted origination and destination market effects to be isolated in origination and destination yield management, and subsequently incorporated in the vehicle assignment model using linear approximations to the total revenue function. The system operates either in "standalone" mode, or communicably attached to remote and local databases attendant to equipment and scheduling.

Abstract: A payment unit is provided for serving a customer making a purchase. The customer has an electronic wallet containing an electronic checkbook for making payments for purchases of not less than a minimal checkbook payment sum, the electronic wallet furthermore containing an electronic purse for making payments for purchases of not greater than the value stored therein, the payment unit being part of a retail unit containing a point of sale for determining a purchase price. The payment unit includes a wallet interface for communication with the electronic wallet and a transaction manager.

Abstract: The present invention provides a modular infrastructure for electronic commerce that allows electronic financial instruments to work with a variety of different protocols. One embodiment of the present invention receives a request for an operation, and checks compatibility between the operation and available protocols for the operation to determine a set of compatible protocols. Next, the system checks compatibility between the set of compatible protocols and available instruments for the operation to determine a set of compatible instruments. If the set of compatible instruments includes at least one instrument, the system selects a compatible instrument and a corresponding compatible protocol, and uses this instrument and protocol to perform the operation.

Abstract: A health and welfare benefit enrollment and billing system and method, wherein a least one person is enrolled in at least one health and welfare benefit plan provided by at least one health and welfare benefit plan provider and a bill is generated for fees due to the at least one health and welfare benefit plan provider as a result of the enrollment of the at least one person in the at least one health and welfare benefit plan.

Abstract: A method of and system for finding and serving consumer product-related information on the Internet comprising a database serving subsystem which stores: a plurality of manufacturer identification numbers (MINs) assigned to a plurality of manufacturers of consumer products; a plurality of home-page specifying URLs symbolically linked to the plurality of MINs; a plurality of universal product numbers (UPN) assigned to a plurality of consumer products made by the plurality of manufacturers; and a plurality of product-information specifying URLs symbolically linked to the plurality of UPNs. During operation, a client subsystem transmits to the database serving subsystem, a request for information which includes the UPN assigned to the consumer product on which product-related information is being sought.

Abstract: Freight forwarders and carriers post published rate and discount information for land, sea and air bearing cargo vessels to allow customers the opportunity to evaluate competitive prices, preferably in one consolidated location (e.g., a web site). A customer navigates to the site to obtain published or discounted rate information offered by a freight forwarder or carrier. The customer may accept a posted rate, in which case the site operator notifies the freight forwarder or carrier. Alternatively, customers, freight forwarders and carriers may negotiate rates for particular lanes of interest using an online interactive auction block.

Abstract: A system for enabling access to non-HTML objects from a web browser. The system includes a database for storing non-HTML objects. A system user requests a non-HTML object from a database using a web browser. The web browser transmits the request to a server via a HTTP server and module. The server locates and retrieves the document requested. The module translates the document to a format supported by the web browser. The HTTP server communicates the translated object to the web browser over a network. The web browser then presents the translated object to the system user. The server also includes a schedule and calendar application which provides electronic scheduling and calendaring capabilities directly from the browser without having to open another application or display window.

Abstract: Data processing for novel form of relationship management links, supervises, and balances depositors, marketing agents, financial intermediaries, mortgage brokers, and borrowers in an inflation-adjusted financing program. Funds are deposited in participating financial institutions in return for certificates of deposit yielding a fixed rate of interest, plus principal growth at a yearly rate equal to that year's rate of growth in the Consumer Price Index-All Urban Consumers, All Items. Funds on deposit are loaned to borrower, either directly or through brokers, at a rate calculated by adding three components: a fixed debt service rate, a fixed constant interest rate, and an inflation factor interest rate which reflects the effects of inflation on the outstanding loan balance.

Abstract: A graphical user interface to a method and system for configuring office furniture includes interface objects for obtaining configuration criteria from a user; presenting the user with at least one typical configuration satisfying the criteria; selecting a typical configuration from the at least one typical configuration; modifying aspects of the selected typical configuration to produce a modified configuration; and checking the validity of the modified configuration. The configuration criteria include conferencing criteria; privacy criteria; power criteria; communications criteria; storage criteria; and area criteria. A typical can be modified by adding, deleting, or repositioning a component, changing the fabric or finish or the shape or size of the component. A cluster configuration based on the typical configuration is formed. The entire product line can be changed. At any time the entire typical or cluster configuration can be checked for validity and priced.

Abstract: A POS terminal receives an order for a food product. The POS terminal in turn selects a complementary product based on the food product. The selected complementary product has an age within a predetermined age range, such as between seven and ten minutes since the product was assembled. The POS terminal outputs an offer to substitute the complementary product for the food product. In one embodiment, the substitution is performed with no additional charge, so the customer will pay the price of the food product for the complementary product if he accepts the offer. The customer's response to the offer is received. If the response indicates acceptance of the offer, then the complementary product is sold in place of the food product.

Abstract: A baggage ATM is provided at curbside at an airline terminal to allow passengers to check bags without the assistance of a baggage agent. The baggage ATM reads an identification card provided by the passenger to verify the passenger's reservation by accessing a passenger record in central storage, verifies the passenger identity by comparing graphic data obtained by fingerprint or retina scan with similar graphic data stored in the passenger record, and issues baggage tags bearing identifying data to the passenger for each bag to be checked. The identifying data on the baggage tags is stored in the passenger record. At the destination terminal, an exit gate is provided with a card reader which reads the passenger identification card to access the passenger record and a scanner that reads the identifying data on the baggage tags. If the identifying data read from a tag does not match the identifying data stored in the passenger record, the passenger is not allowed to leave with that bag.

Abstract: A speech recognition system is disclosed useful in, for example, hands-free voice telephone dialing applications. The system will match a spoken word (token) to one previously enrolled in the system. The system will thereafter synthesize or replay the recognized word so that the speaker can confirm that the recognized word is indeed the correct word before further action is taken. In the case of voice activated dialing, this avoids wrong numbers. The token itself is not explicitly recorded; rather, only the lefemes may be recorded from which the token can be reconstructed for playback. This greatly reduces the amount of disk space that is needed for the database as well as provides the ability to reconstruction data in real time for synthesis use by a local name recognition machine.

Abstract: A computer system is programmed for setting and reporting product delivery dates. The invention includes a step of maintaining a customer preferences database having delivery and reporting preferences for individual customers. The preferences include preferred early and late delivery limits, preferred performance measurement species, and desired advance delivery times. The invention further includes a step of creating a customer order entry for a particular customer. The customer order entry includes a customer-requested delivery date supplied by the customer. A customer-preferred ship date is calculated for the customer order entry based at least in part upon the customer-requested delivery date and at least in part upon the particular customer's specified desired advance delivery time. The customer order entry is then routed to an order scheduler.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for automatic credit evaluation and loan processing is disclosed. The apparatus includes a central processing unit which has capabilities for communicating with off-site remote access terminals. The central processing unit also includes facsimile transmission capabilities as well as capabilities for communicating with credit bureau computers. Mass storage capabilities are included for storing program modules executable on the central processing unit and for maintaining databases. Program modules are provided for remote access security, credit bureau information processing, credit scoring, message display, and facsimile generation. In operation, the central processing unit is accessed from a remote terminal, loan application information is entered into the remote terminal, credit bureau information is accessed by the apparatus, credit scoring is performed, and a loan application is approved or declined.

Abstract: A method and system that enables service providers to receive an order from a mobile customer, receive customer location information from a location determination system, and schedule the completion of the customer's order to coincide with the customer's arrival at a local facility able to satisfy the customer's order. In one embodiment, the mobile customer is associated with a tracking device connected to a mobile location determination system that determines the customer's location, which is then given to the service provider. The service provider uses the customer's location to determine a local facility that can satisfy the customer's order. The service provider transmits the order to the local facility and schedules the fulfillment of the order to coincide with the customer's arrival at the local facility. To further expedite the order, customers may pay electronically for the service in advance.

Abstract: The invention presents a method for conducting an on-line bidding session to accumulate a collective bid for a property. The bidding session is conducted over a computer network that includes a central computer, a number of remote computers, and communication lines connecting the remote computers to the central computer. According to the method, at least one bidding group is registered in the central computer. The bidding group can be an association, institution, or group of investors formed for the purpose of bidding together for the property. The bidding group has a total bid for the property which is tracked in the central computer. The central computer receives bids entered from the remote computers by members of the bidding group. Each bid includes an individual bid amount which is contributed to the total bid of the group to accumulate the collective bid for the property.