Abstract: Techniques are provided for an auction system that is used for pricing and allocating equity securities. Information about an offering to accept bids for equity shares is provided to qualified potential purchasers and non-qualified potential purchasers. Bids front potential purchasers for equity shares are received through a communication network. Bids are accepted and offered to be accepted only from qualified potential purchasers. A non-qualified potential purchaser submits a bid through a qualified potential purchaser. A clearing price for the offered shares is determined based on the received bids. Prospective investors who bid a price above the clearing price are allocated all of the shares for which they bid. Prospective investors who bid a price equal to the clearing price are allocated a pro-rata allocation of the shares for which they bid. No shares are allocated to prospective investors who bid a price below the clearing price.

Abstract: A processing system for charge request data issued from a charge requesting organization performs collective processing of the request data without generating payment slips. This system includes filter means for extracting a contractor number of a charge paying organization from a contractor code of the requesting organization included in the request data, the contractor code of the requesting organization includes the contractor number of the paying organization and other management data formatted within the contractor number of the paying organization, the other management data include a charge request amount for each day of payment and for each account of the paying organization. This system also includes request data processing means for preparing request data for each day of payment including the contractor number of the paying organization and the charge request amount for each account of the paying organization, each type of charge, each requesting organization and each contractor.

Abstract: In a computer controlled user-interactive display system interface through which the user may easily access stored search queries to database via a displayed search query tree, there is formulation and presentation of the tree of queries in a manner enabling user-interactive rearrangement of the tree. The displayed tree has a plurality of selectable nodes, each node representative of a stored search query, arranged in a hierarchical order indicative of the order of searching by said query. An interactive user input is enabled to rearrange said tree to a different hierarchical order, and the resulting rearranged tree with the different hierarchical order is displayed. In this manner, different users of said interface may access data from said database in an order relative to their respective needs. The invention may be most advantageously used with queries in structured query language and in relational databases.

Abstract: Software validation and distribution methods and apparatus are disclosed. These can include storing biometric identification information received from a customer in a customer storage area, receiving a biometric identification signal in response to customer interaction with a biometric interface, and detecting a match between the biometric identification signal and the identification information stored in the customer storage area. The customer can then be permitted to use the software.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of creating, purchasing and selling the real estate brokerage commissions typically collected upon the sale of real property. A property owner sells, for a certain consideration, the assignable option to be the owner's broker when the owner decides to resell the property. The compensation paid may be in the form of cash or an equivalent incentive. The option has an expected return associated with it that will vary depending upon a number of factors including, but not limited to, the value of the property and the predicted amount of brokerage commission to be earned upon resale of the property. The option can be sold through securitization or some other method. The option can also become a traded commodity and form the basis for a real estate options and futures market.

Abstract: A method and system for issuing a sponsor funded stored value card. A sponsor company funds an account associated with the stored value card. The stored value card is issued to a cardholder, who can withdraw funds from the account, but cannot deposit additional funds in the account. A sponsor funded stored value card may reduce expenses and difficulties associated with written checks.

Abstract: When data is simply input without being aware of describing a program language (e.g., COBOL or FORTRAN), the data input meaning is detected, and software for this data processing is automatically applied and prepared. Various types of worksheets corresponding to the business logic terms and data input positions are stored in a business data file. When an operation unit is operated and data is input to the data input position, the input data is stored as rule setting data. When application data corresponding to the rule setting data is input through the operation unit, a business logic applying section determines the use software in accordance with the corresponding business logic term.

Abstract: A system and method for effectuating Electronic Funds Transfer credit messages. The main structural components of the system include a Payment Portal Processor (PPP), an Internet Pay Anyone (IPA) Account, a Virtual Private Lockbox (VPL) and an associated Account Reporter, the existing EFT networks, and a cash card for accessing a VPL or IP account. The PPP is a software application that provides a secure portal for accessing (linking to) either the user's Demand Deposit Account (DDA) or an IPA account and can be combined with the functionality of a traditional digital Wallet. Consumers use a PPP enhanced Wallet to fund their account, shop on the web, pay bills, pay anyone, store electronic receipts and transaction history, and check their recent PPP enhanced Wallet activity. The IPA account is a special purpose account with limited functionality for making electronic payments in the form of EFT credit messages.

Abstract: This invention describes a method and system for automated assistance with investment decisionmaking. In particular, the invention relates to assisting retail customers with setting investment objectives, modifying those objectives, and making investments, based on the customer's profile, portfolio, and investment preferences. The invention also comprises a system and method for providing a tutorial aspect intended to assist an account representative, through interactive visual aids, with explaining or questions by a user using the investment decisionmaking method and system. The invention also comprises a method and system for system administration of the investment decisionmaking system.

Abstract: The present invention comprises methods and compositions for making a silver-containing antimicrobial hydrophilic material. More particularly, the present invention comprises methods and compositions for stabilized silver antimicrobial devices comprising a matrix comprising a polymer network and a non-gellable polysaccharide, and an active agent. The matrix may be formed into any desired shape for its desired uses.

Abstract: A server-side mechanism together with an optional client-side decompression process enhance server content delivery. The server-side mechanism preferably comprises a pair of processes: a daemon process and a servlet process. The daemon process recursively compresses directories of content (HTML, graphics files, and the like) while instances of the servlet process, in parallel, serve content. When a target directory is completely compressed, the files which previously existed in an uncompressed state are either archived or deleted. The servlet process interprets the compressed objects, resolving the connection between the client and server, and serves out the requested content. If the request originates from a client that is not enabled to decompress files, the servlet decompresses the requested files on-the-fly. When supported on a given client machine, the client process decompresses the streaming content for use on the client system.

Abstract: A computer-based system is disclosed for creating a portfolio of assets and executing trades in the assets to modify the portfolio. An embodiment of the disclosed system includes a first processor interfaced with an investor's PC to select a plurality of assets to be in the investor's portfolio based on the investor's indicated preferences, to manage the portfolio in accordance with market changes and changes in the investor's indicated preferences, and to electronically place at least one asset trading order in accordance with the investor's indicated preferences. An embodiment of the system also includes a communication interface coupled to the processor and coupled to a plurality of other investors by which the processor electronically places the at least one order.

Abstract: A method for permitting the electronic delivery of digital content. Metadata is acquired which has been previously associated with content. Promotional metadata is extracted for use with a electronic store. At least one of the metadata is altered to create offer data. And at least one of the metadata is altered to create transaction data. In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a computer readable medium is described to carry out the above method.

Abstract: In an effort to increase charitable giving, a method of systematically linking investing with giving by designing a fee structure within an investment whereby a part of the fee is automatically transferred to a donor-advised account within a charitable community foundation. A charitable liaison will usually introduce a donor to this process of charitable giving/investing. In addition, the donor will often have an investment advisor. Both the charitable liaison and the investment advisor will receive a part of the fee associated with the investment. If the form of investment is a mutual fund, then the fund manager will also be compensated from a part of the fee. In an alternative method, a credit card or debit card may also be utilized to systematically link charitable giving with consumer purchases.

Abstract: A uniform service platform is provided for medical diagnostic systems. The platform includes modality interface modules which may be adapted for various system modalities, including magnetic resonance imaging modalities, computed tomography modalities, x-ray modalities, and so forth. A server coordinates the exchange of operational parameter data between the systems and external circuitry, such as a remote service facility. A browser displays user-viewable pages for viewing, requesting and receiving service information. A communications module permits the exchange of service data between a system on which the platform is installed and remote circuitry. The platform may further include a subscription module for verifying subscription and access rights, such as for security purposes. Certain portions of the platform, including the user-viewable pages and modality interface components may be specifically tailored or adapted to the modality of a system on which the platform is installed.

Abstract: Instantiation of tiered software applications running on an Internet or Intranet computer system, including a method of instantiation and a program product for instantiation. The method, and program product are particularly useful in instantiation of multi-tiered applications having a user interface tier on the client, browser, or remote computer, from a meta data repository containing attributes and values of the attributes.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an in-vehicle interface allowing occupants of the vehicle to place orders from within the vehicle for items provided by a quick-serve restaurant before or after the vehicle reaches a typical order entry position associated with the quick-serve restaurant. Occupants in the vehicle are provided a menu on a display of an in-vehicle interface. The occupants may select any number of desired items to form an occupant order. The occupant order is stored and/or transmitted directly or indirectly to the quick-serve restaurant for processing. Financial information may be sent along with the customer order to effect payment for the occupant order. Preferably, the occupant order is transmitted directly to communication electronics in or associated with a fuel dispenser in an environment associated with a quick-serve restaurant. The dispenser electronics will forward the occupant order to the quick-serve restaurant for processing.

Abstract: A server computer for a data communication system and adapted to transmit a document via a network, such as the Internet or an intranet, to a client computer in response to a request therefrom. The server includes an article memory for storing a plurality of article documents and respective bibliographic data; processing circuitry for receiving from a system administrator and storing an article document selection rule, and for retrieving from the article memory a subset of the plurality of article documents and assembling a table of contents-type document from at least part of each of the subset of article documents. The subset of article documents is selected according to the respective bibliographic data using the article document selection rule. Transmission circuitry is responsive to the request for transmitting the assembled document onto the network for delivery to the client computer.

Abstract: A method and system for conducting electronic online auctions between a plurality of potential bidders using differential index bidding is disclosed. The originator of the auction specifies one or more indexes as the basis for establishing a competitive price point. The index can be a published market index, or a proprietary price array developed by the buyer. The bidders specify bids as a percentage or absolute amount off of the one or more indexes. The originator of the auction compares the submitted bids and provides feedback to the bidders.

Abstract: A method for providing rapid recovery from a network file server failure through the use of a backup computer system. The backup computer system runs a special mass storage access program that communicates with a mass storage emulator program on the network file server, making the disks or other mass storage devices on the backup computer system appear like they were disks on the file server computer. By mirroring data by writing to both the mass storage of the file server and through the mass storage emulator and mass storage access program to the disks on the backup computer, a copy of the data on the file server computer is made. Optionally, selected portions of the data read through the mass storage emulator program can be altered before being returned as the result of the read operation on the file server. In the event of failure of the file server computer, the backup computer can replace the file server, using the copy of the file server's data stored on its disks.