Abstract: A smart card that allows for the categorization of expenses at the time they are incurred and the automatic generation and storage of information concerning the date, payee, and amount of the transaction. A single smart card is utilized to record and categorize transactions as they occur by transaction identities. These transaction identities are business or personal classification, cash, check, or credit card type transactions, and expense categories. The smart card has a alphanumeric display and a keyboard for selecting the class, type, and category. These items are selected by the entry of numbers on the keyboard but textual information is displayed to identify these items in response to the entered numbers. A program in a personal computer is used to specify the class, type, and categories along with the textual information in the smart card via a smart card reader. These specifications correspond to a spreadsheet that has been entered on the personal computer by the user of the smart card.

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: An improved matching system for trading instruments in which the occurrence of automatically confirmed trades is dependent on receipt of match acknowledgement messages by the host computer (200) from all counterparties (KS A, KS B) to the matching trade. The host computer (200) matches like bids and offers provided thereto by the various keystations (KS A, KS B) in accordance with a predetermined matching criteria. Each of the keystations (KS A, KS B) includes a trade status timer (300, 302) and a display (310, 312) for timing receipt of a confirmed trade and/or ticket generation message from the host (200) after the keystation (KS A, KS B) has sent a match acknowledgement message and for displaying an "unconfirmed trade" status message awaiting receipt of the "confirmed trade" indication from the host (200). An alarm and a display message is provided at the keystation (KS A, KS B) when the "confirmed trade" indication is not timely received.

Abstract: Electronic data processing system for preparation of electronically filed tax returns and authorization and payments of refunds based on the data supplied in those returns. Electronic data processing programs are provided for creating an electronic tax return that is filed with a tax collecting authority. At the same time as the electronic tax return is created a loan application is processed to create an electronic deposit/loan account for the tax filer at an authorized credit institution. The tax filer can receive a loan or use the tax refund as collateral for a secured credit card. As early as the day after completion of the tax return and loan application, the tax filer receives initial refund payment from the loan account. The authorized credit institution electronically files the electronic tax return with the tax collecting authority which processes the return and transfers by electronic fund transfer the refund amount to the deposit/loan account at the authorized credit institution.

Abstract: A hand held electronic book is adapted to receive any number of replaceable cartridges. Each cartridge holds an alternate text and requires a separate set of functions. A predetermined set of function keys on the keyboard of the electronic book at predetermined positions are color coded. Each cartridge of a set of replaceable cartridges has the same number of similarly positioned and similarly color coded key-like designations. These designations provide an indication of the new function that the corresponding key on the keyboard has when the book accesses the cartridge involved. Thus color and position are the codes used to select the function indicated on the cartridge to the key on the keyboard that performs the function.

Abstract: A system for managing steel inventories in order to reduce the time and expense associated with selling prime and secondary steel that is no longer needed for the original intended application. The system permits sellers to post detailed specification of an item for sale and permits buyers to browse or search the posted inventory to locate items filling specific needs. A buyer may bid on part or all of an item posted and the seller may accept or reject any bid. The buyer and seller engage in an auction by electronic mail and optionally by facsimile. The detailed specifications of the item may be expressed in a variety of unit of measure. Regardless, of unit of measure used by a seller in posting an item, the system performs the necessary conversions to display information to an interested buyer in a unit of measure set by the buyer. A hierarchial menu structure permits ease of use in selecting available options during posting or bidding an item.

Abstract: A system for developing a plan for distribution of items from an origin to a plurality of destinations uses an indication of an estimated number of books to be sent to the destinations to obtain a first total cost estimate representing the total cost of distributing the estimated number of items from the origin to the destinations using a first distribution system. The system obtains a second total cost estimate representing the total cost of distributing the estimated number of items from the origin to the destinations using a combination of the first and second distribution systems and compares the first cost estimate to the second cost estimate. If the first cost estimate is greater than the second cost estimate, a distribution plan is obtained from an indication of an actual number of items to be distributed whereby at least one of the items is to be sent to its destination using the first and second distribution systems.

Abstract: A system and method for providing on demand access to information related to a movie while the movie is being presented to a user, where the movie was generated from the movie related information, are described. The system operates by presenting the movie to the user, and then receiving from the user a query pertaining to the movie. The system determines a frame of the movie that was being presented to the user when the user issued the query (the system may extract this information from the query, or may extract this information from the movie itself). The system identifies, as specified by the query, portions of the movie related information relating to the frame, and retrieves those portions of the movie related information. These retrieved portions of said movie related information are presented to the user. Also discussed is a manager to enable users to create personalized versions of movies, and personalized collections of items.

Abstract: In a spread sheet calculation apparatus, a spread sheet data table stores spread sheet data such as a sales table, a calculation formula table stores calculation formulas defining the calculation of the spread sheet data and a display device displays the spread sheet data and the calculation formula. When a desired area on a display screen is designated by an input device to enter data, a calculation formula control unit searches for a calculation formula which relates to the designated area from the calculation formula table and executes the calculation formula. A spread sheet data control unit updates the data of related areas of the spread sheet data table. A reference area extracting unit extracts the area which is to be updated by the calculation formula, and a display attribute control unit changes a display attribute (for example, meshing) of the data of the corresponding area in the spread sheet data table.

Abstract: The present is an integrated computerized system and method of telecommunication user account management. The invention creates, maintains, processes and analyzes data regarding individual users for telecommunication services. Billing for individual users is generated. The user data is analyzed and reports for all or part of the user data are prepared and generated. Ancillary functions are enabled, including word processing, editing, e-mail, and other functions. The invention is applicable to subscriber telecommunication services, and pay-for-use services, and the user may be a subscriber or a non-subscriber. The invention is applicable to multi-channel telecommunication services, or single channel multi-service telecommunications, or single channel single service telecommunications.

Abstract: A "Nest-Egg" mortgage which combines the benefits of a conventional home mortgage, a home equity loan, and an individual retirement account ("IRA"), including a method and computer system for operating and implementing same.

Abstract: The Currency Exchange Network transaction management and accounting system assists businesses, employees, and consumers to engage in productive economic activity that is not supported by traditional cash- and credit-based transaction systems. The system functions as a currency exchange between the non-cash, volunteer and barter economies and the mainstream cash economy. This dual-currency system handles transactions for goods and services using a combination of cash and Community Economic Development Scrip, a new currency based on non-cash service credits.

Abstract: A language processing system using object networks in a computer system which manages and processes as objects the data to be operated on and the functions operating on the data. The objects are classified roughly into noun objects and verb objects. An object network expressing the noun objects as nodes and the verb objects as branches is used as a reference model. In the reference model, when the content of a function of a verb object is made to act on a noun object existing at a certain node, a noun object in the direction of the branch corresponding to the name of the verb object, which is the object to be processed, is obtained, permitting a system for a specific field of application to be easily constructed.

Abstract: A slot table contains (1) all possible sentence patterns (VPs), arranged in rows, which a predicate in an input sentence can take, and (2) arguments of the VPs expressed as slot conditions in slots positioned in a finite number of positions. A grammatical case pattern table contains columns corresponding to respective grammatical cases of the basic patterns arranged in the order in which the cases appear in a basic pattern before shifting; all the grammatical case patterns are expressed as binary values representing existing/non-existing ones of the respective grammatical cases in respective rows corresponding to the grammatical case patterns. The binary values are added up to numbers of the position information in the basic pattern, and the grammatical cases, which correspond to columns that correspond to the last number among numbers of the binary values, are treated as grammatical cases for arguments of the VP.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for handling a complaint and associated response in a computer by way of a telecommunications network is provided. The complaint handling method includes the steps of receiving a complaint, notifying the subject of the complaint, receiving a response to the complaint from the subject, and storing the complaint and associated response on a publicly accessible computer bulletin board.

Abstract: An iterative method of determining the topical content of a document using a computer. The processing unit of the computer determines the topical content of documents presented to it in machine readable form using information stored in computer memory. That information includes word-clusters, a lexicon, and association strength values. The processing unit beings by generating an observed feature vector for the document being characterized, which indicates which of the words of the lexicon appear in the document. Afterward, the processing unit makes an initial prediction of the topical content of the document in the form of a topic belief vector. The processing unit uses the topic belief vector and the association strength values to predict which words of the lexicon should appear in the document. This prediction is represented via a predicted feature vector.

Abstract: The present invention proves an electronic dealing system, which electronically performs matching processing between information on transaction orders placed by order side customers and information on transaction orders placed by hit side customers so as to establish transactions the electronic dealing system detects orders for which hit requests have been made, but for which transactions have failed to be established for a long period of time and eliminates those orders from the electronic dealing market. Further, when transactions fail to be established due to factors other than the transaction price and the transaction amounts, other customers which would help establish the transactions between order side and hit side customers are found so as to increase the number of transactions which are established.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to a computer implemented method that allows continued use of data files containing data encoded in a first coded character set while the data is gradually transliterated to a second coded character set. An intermediate coded character set is created that includes the required character symbols and associated character codes of the first coded character set and the corresponding pairs of character symbols and character codes from the second coded character set. The intermediate coded character set facilitates continued access to the data files which, during the process of gradual migration, will contain first coded character set character codes and second coded character set character codes. The intermediate coded character set further allows application software to selectively transliterate data encoded under the first coded character set to second coded character set character codes.

Abstract: A system and method for paying bills without requiring interaction with the payors disclosed. The system includes a payor control interface, a communications interface, a bill generator, and a TCF message generator. The bill generator generates bill records from payor and payee information stored within the system for recurring bills. The bill generator may also generate bill records from the payor and payee information and from bill data messages received from payees. The generated bill records are used by the TCF message generator to generate the EFT messages for transferring funds electronically between payors and payees. Payors may alter the payment amount and date for a bill as well as reverse payment of a bill already paid. Payees are also able to alter recurring bill records or may present bill data so that bill records reflecting variable obligation amounts may be generated.

Abstract: Disclosed is a data processing apparatus by which, when an output level is designated and code conditions indicating target items at the time of extracting an output record are designated in the desired order in association with a plurality of items to obtain a desired slip, records that match with a plurality of code conditions are read from a predetermined file and are output in the designated order in association with the output level. Therefore, records that match with a plurality of code conditions will be grouped into a hierarchical structure as specified by simply designating code conditions indicating the target items in association with a plurality of items at the time of extracting the output level and output records.