Abstract: An addressing method and a system for assigning network addresses such that access to a network resource remains local. This is accomplished by allocating a local network address in favor of a remote network address. A process executing on a processor makes a request for a network address. A local network address is located in memory of the processor executing the process. The local network address is assigned, if available. Otherwise, a remote network address located in the memory of another processor is assigned. Preferably, the network address request contains information about on which processor the requesting process is running. Using this information, the present invention is able to select a network address that resides in the local memory of that processor. The network address allocation system of the present invention includes a network address allocator that uses the method of the present invention as outlined above.

Abstract: Facilitating customs planning and clearance including creating in an international customs server, in response to a signal communicated through a client device coupled for data communications through at least one internet connection to the international customs server, a customs planning record; creating, in dependence upon the customs planning record, a customs declaration form for a destination country; and submitting the customs declaration form to a customs declaration forms database for the destination country.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for conducting counseling over the Internet. A server is provided for establishing, controlling and tracking sessions which may include plural patients and one counselor or one counselor and one patient. Each counselor may be simultaneously involved in plural sessions, i.e., it appears to each individual patient that he/she is engaged in one on one counseling. Counselors are thereby able to increase their workload while also able to track their time per patient counseled in order to bill appropriately.

Abstract: In a wireless telecommunications network, when a wireless telephone user is placed on an on-hold status by the other party, additional information/data is downloaded (pushed) to the telephone user's display screen on their telephone using a wireless application protocol to the user's web-enabled telephone. There are thus parallel connections established—the voice connection and the data connection downloading the web page.

Abstract: Managing subscriber access to online subscription services providing online subscribers or potential new subscribers access to a subscription or trial subscription content at a normal level of service during the subscription period but, after the subscription has expired, providing a decreased level of service during a post-expiration period. The level of service may be decreased incrementally by reducing the content available to a subscriber, downloading the subscription content at a slower than normal rate, delivering certain features in black and white instead of color, deleting sound files, disabling any inter-active features, or any combination of these features. A subscription server manages the various databases and downloads subscription content to the online subscribers. The databases contain information about the subscribers and instructions for the subscription server to follow in granting normal or reduced access to the subscription content.

Abstract: A system and method for preventing at least in part a server overload. A server may send a request to one or more routers located on the server side of a network system to block, i.e., filter, packets of data that may exceed the capacity of the server to service. The one or more routers located on the server side may block, i.e., filter, those packets of data as well as propagate the request to block those packets of data to one or more neighboring routers which may be located on the client side of the network system. The one or more neighboring routers may then block those packets of data that may exceed the capacity of the server to service and/or propagate the request to block those packets of data to their one or more neighboring routers.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for augmenting a reservation system to provide user defined customized services are provided. The apparatus and method allow a user to enter parameters describing a customized service that the user wishes to obtain with regard to a reservation request. The parameters are then processed by the reservation system to determine if the requested customized service is within the rules and regulations of the reservation system. If the customized service is within the rules and regulations, the reservation system determines which service provider, if any, provides the requested service. A request is then sent to the service provider requesting the customized service. If the service provider responds with an acknowledgment that the service provider can provide the service, the reservation system accepts the customized service request and informs the user of the acceptance and any additional cost for the customized service.

Abstract: A system and a method for reducing postage cost to a customer are provided. A customer request input to subsidize postage is received. In response to the request a list of a plurality of third party advertisements is provided. A customer selection input corresponding to at least one of the third party advertisements is received. Subsidized postage and the selected third party advertisement are provided to the customer.

Abstract: A method, program, and system for augmenting digital rights management are provided. The invention comprises associating two fields with an electronic document. The first field identifies the current owner of the electronic document, and the second field contains information about previous ownership of the electronic document. If ownership of the electronic document is transferred from the current owner to a subsequent owner, the current owner's name in the first field is replaced with the subsequent owner's name. In addition, information about the subsequent owner is added to the ownership history field.

Abstract: This invention is a method and system for reserving a facility or service after the cancellation of an initial reservation for the facility of service. The system for this invention comprises a reservation center that contains reservation information about multiple facilities and services that available for use. This information includes times, quantity and quality of the facilities and services that are available. Also included in this reservation center is information about the users that are interested in reserving and using the currently reserved facility or service. The system of the present invention also includes remote devices that the potential users possess. The reservation center will use a particular remote device for a corresponding use to alert the user there has been a cancellation and that the facility or services is available for use by the alerted user. The primary user and all backup users can use the Internet capabilities to communicate with the reservation center.

Abstract: This invention provides a method and system to support dynamic pricing at a reasonable cost. In this context, dynamic pricing means there may be different prices for individual customers that want to purchase the same product. The price discounts in stores are typically for all customers or for a group or member customers. Stores usually do not have a practice of granting individualized pricing for particular items. However, for some products that may have slow sales, the store may be willing to consider a price by an individual customer that desires that product. This invention enables a store to tailor price discounts to an individual person.

Abstract: A method and system for making available syndicated content on-line from a variety of content providers while enforcing the exclusivity requirements for each of the content providers. The method prevents conflict between the exclusivity requirements, expressed as distribution parameters, of the different content providers by examining the proposed distribution parameters before the content is accepted for distribution. New content is rejected if its distribution parameters are in conflict with the existing content. The content is distributed to a purchaser if there are no conflicts between the distribution parameters for the requested contents and purchaser properties. Purchaser properties may include such items of information as purchaser identification, geographical location, income, age, business classification, demography or combinations thereof.

Abstract: A method and system for managing the transfer of data in parallel through multiple sockets. The present invention facilitates the use of multiple sockets and avoid monopolization of a socket by releasing the socket as soon as data from a client request has been sent to a server application. The present invention also includes a novel socket assignment technique that assigns only available sockets. This novel socket assignment technique avoids bottlenecking and delays due to socket contention and increases efficiency. The socket assignment technique of the present invention can assign sockets using a round robin technique, which assigns a server application to a first available socket, a random technique, which assigns a server application randomly to an available socket, or a user-defined technique, which assigns a thread to an available socket as determined by a user.

Abstract: A pre-boot multicast address management protocol for a computer network. This novel protocol includes an address conflict-clearing process that ensures that the same multicast address is not given to separate clients desiring different boot information. This address conflict-clearing technique alleviates any addressing conflicts and address duplication problems and enables multiple boot negotiation server processes to be present on the same network. The novel protocol of the present invention also provides a means for a boot negotiation server process and a multicast file server process to communicate in a bi-directional manner. Thus, the boot negotiation server process and the multicast file server process can communicate by sending messages and responses back and forth between each other. This communication feature allows the boot negotiation server process and the multicast file server process to reside on separate computers within the network.

Abstract: A system in which a DHCP server executes a recovery routine after detecting a corrupted IP address state database. The routine determines whether an IP address is assigned to a DHCP client by querying an IP address/port reserved for DHCP clients. If the response suggests the absence of a DHCP client, the address is marked as BAD. If the response suggests the presence of a DHCP client, the IP database is updated appropriately. The query may comprise sending a TCP/IP packet to the IP address and port and monitoring for an ICMP error message. In another embodiment requiring a protocol extension, the DHCP server issues a DHCP supported query to each IP address that responds to a ping command. The DHCP clients supporting this protocol extension will respond to the query by returning all of the DHCP configuration information that was acquired before the IP address state database crashed.

Abstract: A method, computer system and computer program product for pricing access to e-content. The method includes tracking one or more usage characteristics of an individual's access to e-content, wherein the one or more usage characteristics are selected from the group consisting of the quantity of e-content accessed, the quantity of time spent accessing the e-content, the nature of the e-content, and combinations thereof. The individual is charged a price that is determined as a predetermined function of the one or more usage characteristics. The method may further comprise establishing, storing and updating a usage profile for the individual. The method may also comprise transmitting the e-content from a server to a computer along with a usage tracker for performing the step of tracking one or more usage characteristics, and accepting return of the e-content from the computer along with the one or more usage characteristics.

Abstract: A method, system and program for brokering and facilitating consumer projects in an electronic system are provided. A buyer submits a project request to a broker system. The broker system distributes the project request to multiple prospective manufacturers from among a catalog of manufacturers. Manufacturers submit bids and other indicators of the feasibility of manufacturing the project. The broker system facilitates obtaining a manufacturer who can feasiblely manufacture the project request. The buyer selects a preferred manufacturer from among those obtained by the broker server, such that a buyer's project request is brokered to multiple manufacturers and a preferred manufacturer is then procured to produce the project.

Abstract: The present invention is a system and method for using a communications network in arranging transportation of goods according to a buyer's preferences. The invention uses a computer system and network, and may use server computers, and a buyer's client computer. The invention involves receiving a request or order to purchase goods, along with a request for shipment of the goods via a buyer's preferred delivery agency, and fulfilling the request or order by shipping said goods via said buyer's preferred delivery agency. One aspect of the present invention is a method for using a communications network in arranging shipment of goods according to a buyer's preferences. Another aspect of the present invention is a system for executing the method of the present invention. A third aspect of the present invention is as a set of instructions on a computer-usable medium, or resident in a computer system, for executing the method of the present invention.

Abstract: The present invention is a method and system for facilitating a transaction among a buyer and two or more sellers. The invention uses a computer system and a communications network such as the Internet. Typically the transaction will involve the sale of a bundle of items, including goods or services (or both), and a combination of e-coupons or other incentives such as price discounts. The invention involves defining a bundle of items, identifying a buyer, communicating to the buyer information about the bundle, tracking the buyer's purchases of items in the bundle, and providing combined incentives to the buyer for purchasing items in the bundle. A buyer may request a predefined bundle, or a customized bundle. One aspect of the present invention is a method for providing bundled incentives to a buyer via a communications network. Another aspect of the present invention is a system for executing the method of the present invention.

Abstract: A method, system and program for managing customization of projects prior to manufacture in an electronic commerce system is provided. An order system distributes a project offer to potential customers. A selection of potential customers return orders in response to the project offer, wherein each order includes customized selections by the customer. Manufacture of the project is then customized according to the order responses, such that a selection of potential customers control customization of a project.