Abstract: At a computing device, contents of one or more transaction records are obtained from a record-keeping network at which a decentralized consensus-based protocol is used to store transaction records of administrator changes of various devices. Using the contents of the obtained records, an administrator of the computing device is identified, as well as a network endpoint of the administrator. A set of instructions is obtained from the endpoint and executed.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for PN correlation and symbol synchronization of a spread spectrum signal at a receiver when a symbol boundary of the spread spectrum signal is not on a PN epoch or is otherwise unknown. The method includes the operation of modulating the spread spectrum signal with a PN code to form a potentially despread signal. The potentially despread signal can be integrated for a plurality of symbol times at a rate of N integrations per symbol time to form N symbol energies per symbol for a plurality of symbols. Each of the N symbol energies can correspond to a different symbol time hypothesis. The N symbol energies from the plurality of symbols can be added respectively to form N summed symbol time hypotheses. The Nth summed symbol time hypothesis having maximum power can be found. The Nth summed symbol time hypothesis can relate to a location of the symbol boundary.

Abstract: An electronic procurement system connected to a network enables employees of an organization to electronically order goods directly from vendors. The system includes an electronic memory storing a vendor's catalog of items available for purchase, a transmitter, operatively connected to the network and to an external network, for electronically transmitting a purchase order from the system to a vendor via the external network, and a comparison unit. A record of the purchase order is stored in the memory of the system and the comparison unit compares an invoice received from the vendor with the record to determine whether there are any discrepancies.