Abstract: A method, program and system for facilitating a request for proposal (RFP) in an electronic marketplace are provided. The method comprises posting the content of the RFP in an electronic marketplace. A portion of the RFP is sent to at least one of a plurality of primary and secondary marketplace participants (i.e. general contractors and subcontractors). In one embodiment, primary and secondary participants can directly access the RFP posted in the electronic marketplace. The primary and secondary participants can then attach their proposals directly to the RFP so that other marketplace participants may examine the proposals. In another embodiment, access to the posted proposals might be restricted to specific parties, rather than all marketplace participants.

Abstract: An apparatus, system and method for providing open source translations of media via a data network are provided. With the apparatus, system and method, users may upload translations of media to a server which then makes these translations available to other users for download. The uploading of the translation may be in the form of a complete file or may be performed in realtime while the user is receiving the media at his/her client device. The apparatus, system and method further provide a mechanism by which a submitter of the translation may be compensated based on the number of times the translation is downloaded. In addition, the apparatus, system and method provide a mechanism by which a translation may be converted from one format to another, such as from an audio format to a text format.

Abstract: A system, method, and computer program product for providing a post-sale customer service facility is disclosed. The present invention provides a commercial web site in which an inventory of products sold to a customer is maintained. The customer can use the inventory to look up information from the seller or manufacturer regarding the product or can engage in interactive information exchange with the seller's web site concerning the product.

Abstract: A medication package and method, system, and computer program product for making same is provided. In one embodiment, medications are grouped into dosage groups. Each dosage group contains at least one element of medication, such as a pill or capsule. Furthermore, each element of medication in a dosage group should be taken by a patient at substantially the same time as other elements of medication in the same dosage group. Each dosage group of medication is placed into a separate compartment in a package. The compartments of the package are covered and labeled with an indication of the time for which the associated medications within the compartment should be taken by a patient. The compartments are covered in such a manner such that removal of a dosage group from the package provides an indication to a patient that the medications in the dosage group have been taken by the patient.

Abstract: A method, program and system for aligning students and teachers according to dominant learning and teaching styles are provided. The invention comprise creating a menu of learning styles, and a second menu of teaching styles. Students are then tested using each learning style contained in the first menu, and the test scores are entered into a student database. Teachers are also tested using each teaching style contained in the second menu, and a database is then created for the teacher test scores. Using the student and teacher test scores, the system calculates a best-fit match between students and teachers according to corresponding learning and teaching styles.

Abstract: An apparatus, system and method for monitoring testing environments from a remote location are provided. More specifically, a mechanism for proctoring tests to users from a remote location as a test administration service is provided. With this mechanism, test environment data is obtained from sensor devices in the user's testing environment and forwarded to a proctor workstation. A human proctor may monitor the user's test environment to determine if cheating is taking place. The testing environment data may be recorded along with test input data from the user's client device for later use should cheating be suspected. Moreover, the administering of the test may be done by a third party as a test administration service to which a test developer may subscribe. Alternatively, the users of the test administration service may be billed for their individual use of the test administration service.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for managing cookies in a data processing system. In response to a selected event, a cookie file is requested from a source in which the cookie file contains a set of cookies of previously obtained cookies and is associated with a user. The cookie file is received in which the cookies are to access Web sites.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system and method for a utility or a service vendor to provide electricity via a class of service. The system and method provide a mechanism by which power is supplied to customers via prioritized classes of importance wherein the point of utilization communicates with the electrical power supply network and provides information for the utility to determine whether or not power needs to be supplied to a specific outlet or appliance during various electrical demand or rate periods.

Abstract: The present invention is a system and method that reduces the taxpayer's burden of tax preparation and provides greater accuracy in the calculation of tax return figures. The invention provides for a centralized data repository service which collects tax information on behalf of the citizenry (a financial recording service provider), indexes the data by a personal identifier, and allows the taxpayer to either recall the data for use on yearly income tax returns or enables the government or a third party to access the data, prepare the taxpayer's tax return and file the tax return with the appropriate governmental taxing authority.

Abstract: A caller-controlled barge-in telephone service, managed by telephone systems, intercepts telephone calls directed to instantly busy telephone lines predesignated as objects of this service, and: 1) verifies that the called line is a respectively predesignated object of this service and that the caller is entitled to invoke the service relative to that line; and 2) forms a bridging connection between the caller and parties to a telephone call instantly busying the called line. Verification that a caller is entitled to the service can be implemented by playing a voice announcement requesting the caller to speak or key in an authorization code. If the caller fails to respond or returns an invalid code, the caller is either disconnected or transferred to a voice mail service. Disconnection of the caller may be preceded by a voice announcement (e.g. a spoken “goodbye”).

Abstract: A packet router for a data packet transmission network, wherein routers offer priority services of the type required for isochronous handling of data representing real-time voice, includes a Quality of Service (QoS) management system for ensuring that guarantees associated with such priority service can be met with a high degree of certainty. This management system provides prioritized queues including a highest priority queue supporting reservations for the priority service suited to isochronous handling. The highest priority queue and other queues are closely monitored by a QoS manager element for states of near congestion and critical congestion. While neither state exists, filler packet flows are promoted from lower priority queues to the highest priority queue, in order to keep the latter queue optimally utilized. If all lower priority queues are empty at such times, dummy packets are inserted as filler flows.

Abstract: A system/method is disclosed for screening telephone system callers, using speaker-dependent text-independent voice recognition, to either prevent excessive fraudulent use of certain telephone system lines (or radio channels) or to selectively restrict classes of service allowed for different users of a common line. The voice recognition process is configured to provide an extent of mismatch indication, between a voice sample taken from a caller immediately using the protected line (or channel) and a recorded reference voice sample, which indication corresponds to the probability that the instant caller is not the same as the person who provided the reference sample. The extent of mismatch indication is compared to a mismatch limit value which can be set to a different magnitude for each call. Different actions are taken depending upon whether the extent of mismatch indication is or is not larger than the limit value.

Abstract: A record playback system includes a display showing elapsed time of a record playback operation together with symbols indicating occurrences of certain sequences of sound during the playback operation, the symbols positioned to indicate times at which respective sequences of sounds occur. In a preferred application, the records reproduced in the system are audible voice-mail messages, the specific sequences of sounds are numbers or sets of numbers spoken consecutively during the message, and the symbols representing such numbers are printed characters corresponding to respective numbers. In the preferred application, the messages are centrally recorded at a server of a computer network and distributed to individual client computers via the network.

Abstract: A newly developed computer adapter and call routing system allow for cable television networks (or other broadband networks) to offer digital telephony services seamlessly; i.e. in a manner such that a user receiving the service is unaware of any difference between that service and comparable telephone services presently supported by the public switched telephone network (PSTN). The adapter attaches to a computer, one or more telephones, the PSTN, and the broadband network. During utility power outages, switch circuitry in the adapter connects attached devices directly to lines in the PSTN, so that existing power support functions of the PSTN are fully utilizable. At other times, the adapter conditionally routes outgoing telephone calls from the attached devices to either the PSTN or cable network. Conditions determining the routing of outgoing calls can be set by users and also determined automatically (e.g. as logical functions of called numbers).

Abstract: This invention allows customers and other users of the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) to enable, disable or modify special services provided by the network. The PSTN is defined here as all equipment world wide (land-based, radio or other) enabling ordinary telephone users to connect to other telephone users, but excludes private telephone networks such as "tie line" systems maintained or leased by private enterprises. Presently contemplated actions can be taken independent of the state of the customer's telephone line (e.g. on-hook or off-hook), and usually involve use of equipment other than telephones and communication networks other than the PSTN (e.g. computers operating through the Internet and pagers operating through pager networks). The special services include existing services (call waiting, call blocking, call forwarding, etc.) and new ones (e.g. transferring an active call from a desk phone to a mobile cellular one without interrupting the call).

Abstract: A conference server system, for internal use in the public switched telephone network (PSTN), links to public data communication networks (e.g. the Internet) for distributing computer displayable data between participants in voice telephone conferences. The server system includes a computer sub-system for storing data generated by the participants and distributing the data in coordination with voice presentations of respective participants. Data so stored and distributed includes computer-displayable data. Other data handled by the computer subsystem represents commands and functional requests issued by participants which pertain to the handling of computer-displayable data and voice parameters of the conference. Conference participants, having separate and concurrent access to both the PSTN and the data network, receive and view computer-displayable data prepared by one of the participants in coordination with the respective voice conference.

Abstract: A system arrangement and method are disclosed for determining location of a wireless mobile unit involved in a call for public emergency assistance (e.g. a "911" call). The system is cost-effective in that it makes extensive use of existing telecommunication infrastructures, and does not require either special hardware or software at either the mobile unit site or the emergency assistance center handling a call. The system features shared use of a computer and specially defined database among a plurality of mobile switching offices serving a larger plurality of mobile base stations, the latter serving an even larger plurality of antenna and transceiving sites within predefined cellular regions.

Abstract: Disclosed apparatus and method enable a host computer or server in a non-synchronous data communication network--e.g. a network in which data is subject to routing over transmission paths of indefinite configurations and lengths, and receptive handling of indefinite duration--to gather time statistics from client computers or terminals receiving the data; particularly statistics useful for determining: (a) transit times of data from server to clients; (b) times elapsed at client stations, between reception of data and one or more events pre-specified in information accompanying the data; and (c) transit times of return messages sent from respective client stations to the server. Control information attached to transmitted data includes a "timing script" written in a scripted language subject to interpretation by software at the client station receiving the data.