Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer-executable instructions for automatically processing promotion redemptions are provided. An exemplary method includes receiving a request to authorize payment for a transaction using a customer account. The request identifies the customer account and the transaction is associated with at least one purchased product. The method includes selecting a promotion for the transaction based on the customer account and one or more rules. The amount of the transaction is adjusted based on the selected promotion. The method also includes transmitting an authorization for the adjusted transaction to the merchant. The method may also include selecting a promotion that has been pre-purchased by the customer.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer-executable instructions for managing financial information are provided. An exemplary method includes establishing a customer identifier associated with a customer and linking the customer identifier to one or more customer financial accounts in a database. The customer identifier is associated with the one or more customer financial accounts, but does not contain account numbers of the one or more customer financial accounts. The method also includes tracking purchasing behavior metrics associated with the customer financial accounts and reporting the purchasing behavior metrics using the customer identifier.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer-executable instructions for operating a payment processing system are provided. An exemplary method includes receiving a request to determine a transaction capability of a merchant's transaction system. The request is received from a requester at a payment processing system. The method includes determining the requested transaction capability based on merchant data retrieved from a database of the payment processing system. The transaction capability of the merchant includes information indicating compatibility of the merchant's transaction system with one or more features of the payment processing system. The method further includes transmitting, using the payment processing system, the transaction capability to the requester in response to the request.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer-executable instructions for processing financial transactions are provided. An exemplary method includes receiving a request from a merchant to authorize payment for a transaction using a financial account of a customer. The request includes information about the transaction. The method further includes analyzing the transaction information based on a profile of the customer that is linked to the financial account and based on data pertaining to at least one other related transaction. Finally, the method includes generating a message about the transaction based on the analysis and transmitting the message to a recipient.

Abstract: A system and method for receiving, from a data source, at least one type of information for a plurality of aircraft, calculating efficiency data based on the received information, distributing the efficiency data to users of the system and storing the calculated efficiency data, the efficiency data including an average separation between arriving aircraft, an arrival rate an airport, an elapsed time from a point of interest to an arrival of the aircraft at an airport, a comparison of an actual base leg initiation to an optimal base leg initiation for an aircraft and a comparison of an estimated time for passing fixed points on an arrival path and the actual time for passing the fixed points.

Abstract: An electrical connector assembly may include a connector body having a conductor receiving end and first and second connector ends formed substantially perpendicularly to an axial direction of the conductor receiving end. The connector body includes a first axial bore that communicates with each of a second axial bore and a third axial bore in the first and second connector ends, respectively. The electrical connector assembly may include a conductor spade assembly received in the first axial bore, wherein the conductor spade assembly includes a spade portion extending between the second axial bore and the third axial bore. A removeable contact may be received within the second axial bore to conductively engage the spade portion of the conductor spade assembly.

Abstract: Described herein are systems and methods for surface management of an airport. One embodiment of the disclosure of this application is related to a method including receiving airport data from an airport network, receiving surface surveillance data for specific segments of an airport area, identifying predicted conflicts within one of the segments based on the airport data and surface surveillance data, and allocating a taxi time slot for the flight. Another embodiment of the disclosure of this application is related to a system comprising a user interface displaying information related to flight plan data and airport data received from an airport network, and a surface management module receiving the airport data and surface surveillance data for specific segments of an airport area, identifying predicted conflicts within one of the segments based on the airport data and surface surveillance data, and allocating a taxi time slot for the flight.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises: one or more terminals coupled to a packet-based network, installed with a first instance of a communication client application of a first user and a second instance of the communication client application of said first user, the communication client application being configured so as when executed to enable the first user to communicate with other users by means of a first communication system implemented over the packet-based network. The apparatus comprises a controller coupled to the packet-based network and arranged to maintain separate privacy settings for each of the first and second instances, and thereby control the privacy of the first user in relation to the other users within the first communication system in dependence on which of the first and second instances is active.

Abstract: An electrical connector assembly may include a connector body having a conductor receiving end, a first link interface, a second link interface, a first connector end, and a visible open port between the first link interface and the second link interface. The first link interface may be conductively coupled to the conductor receiving end and the second link interface may be spaced axially from the first link interface and conductively coupled to the first connector end. The first link interface and the second link interface are configured to receive a link assembly therein. An insulative material may be positioned within the connector body axially between the first link interface and the second link interface. At least a portion of the insulative material may be visible through the visible open port.

Abstract: The instant invention relates to liquid crystal media comprising one or more bimesogenic compounds, one or more chiral dopants and one or more additives, liquid crystal displays comprising these media, in particular displays exploiting the flexoelectric effect and to a method of improving the response time of such displays.

Abstract: A system and method for receiving an estimated ON time for an aircraft, determining an estimated ON to IN time for the aircraft and determining an estimated gate arrival time for the aircraft based on the estimated ON time and the estimated ON to IN time. The system including a calculation engine for performing the steps of the calculation.

Abstract: A liquid crystal formulation is described. The liquid crystal formulation comprises a first oligosiloxane-modified nano-phase segregating liquid crystalline material; and at least one additional material selected from a second oligosiloxane-modified nano-phase segregating liquid crystalline material, non-liquid crystalline oligosiloxane-modified materials, organic liquid crystalline materials, or organic non-liquid crystalline materials, wherein the liquid crystal formulation is nano-phase segregated in the SmC* phase, has an I?SmC* phase transition, with a SmC* temperature range from about 15° C. to about 35° C., has a tilt angle of about 22.5°±6° or about 45°±6°, and has a spontaneous polarization of less than about 50 nC/cm2, and a rotational viscosity of less than about 600 cP. Devices containing liquid crystal formulations are also described.

Abstract: Aspects of the invention include a sport accessory support stand. In some aspects, the sport accessory support stand is configured for retaining a sport accessory. In certain embodiments, the sport accessory support stand includes a base member and a support member wherein the support member is configured for being associated with the base member. In certain embodiments, the support member includes a plurality of post elements which extend away from the base member, wherein each of the post elements are positioned relative to one another so as to form a receptacle there between for receiving a portion of a sport accessory. In certain embodiments, the receptacle comprises a first width and a second width. For instance, in certain embodiments, the receptacle comprises a first width that is configured for receiving a portion of a bicycle, e.g., a front wheel portion, and the receptacle comprises a second width that is configured for receiving a portion of a scooter, e.g.

Abstract: Electrical medical leads having active fixation electrodes, particularly helix electrodes intended to be screwed into body tissue, e.g., the heart, are disclosed having selectively applied insulation to optimize exposed electrode surface area and dispose the exposed electrode surface area toward tissue that is less traumatized by injury caused by screwing in the fixation helix. In a preferred fabrication method, an outer helical surface is masked by contact with a masking tube while a dielectric coating is applied to the inner helical surface of the coil turns of the helix, and the masking tube is removed when the dielectric coating has set. In one variation, at least one aperture is formed through the masking tube sidewall exposing an area of the outer helical surface thereby interrupting the uninsulated outer helical electrode.

Abstract: A novel and non-trivial system and method for restrictively exchanging and controlling vehicular data between communication devices of a private network is disclosed. A processor in communication with a plurality of user communication devices is used for controlling and restricting the exchange of vehicular data. In such network, the processor may establish a communication connection with an initiating communication device of an initiating user, receive initiating vehicular data from the initiating communication device and corresponding first users (e.g., defined trusted users) data, provide the initiating vehicular data to at least one available first user communication device, receive responding vehicular data responsive to the initiating vehicular data, and provide the responding vehicular data to the initiating communication device.

Abstract: Described herein are systems and methods for surface management of an airport. One embodiment of the disclosure of this application is related to a method including receiving airport data from an airport network, receiving surface surveillance data for specific segments of an airport area, identifying predicted conflicts within one of the segments based on the airport data and surface surveillance data, and allocating a taxi time slot for the flight. Another embodiment of the disclosure of this application is related to a system comprising a user interface displaying information related to flight plan data and airport data received from an airport network, and a surface management module receiving the airport data and surface surveillance data for specific segments of an airport area, identifying predicted conflicts within one of the segments based on the airport data and surface surveillance data, and allocating a taxi time slot for the flight.

Abstract: A molybdenum disulfide powder product produced by jet milling a molybdenum disulfide precursor material and substantially continuously combining newly sized-reduced particles with oil to produce said molybdenum disulfide powder product, said molybdenum disulfide powder product having a D50 particle size of less than 4 ?m and an acid number that is less than about 0.5 mg KOH/g. A method for producing powder product includes the steps of: Providing a supply of a precursor powder material; accelerating particles of the precursor powder material by combining them with a flow of gas; confining the accelerated particles in a milling chamber so that they collide with one another to effect a size reduction; and coating newly exposed surfaces of size-reduced particles with oil.

Abstract: A novel and non-trivial system and method for restrictively exchanging and controlling product data between communication devices of a private network is disclosed. A processor in communication with a plurality of user communication devices is used for controlling and restricting the exchange of product data. In such network, the processor may establish a communication connection with an initiating communication device of an initiating user, receive initiating product data from the initiating communication device and corresponding first users (e.g., defined trusted users) data, provide the initiating product data to at least one available first user communication device, receive responding product data responsive to the initiating product data, and provide the responding product data to the initiating communication device.

Abstract: A method for producing a metal article according to one embodiment may include: Providing a supply of a sodium/molybdenum composite metal powder; compacting the sodium/molybdenum composite metal powder under sufficient pressure to form a preformed article; placing the preformed article in a sealed container; raising the temperature of the sealed container to a temperature that is lower than a sintering temperature of molybdenum; and subjecting the sealed container to an isostatic pressure for a time sufficient to increase the density of the article to at least about 90% of theoretical density.

Abstract: A method for fabricating an implantable medical electrode includes roughening the electrode substrate, applying an adhesion layer, and depositing a valve metal oxide coating over the adhesion layer under conditions optimized to minimize electrode impedance and post-pulse polarization. The electrode substrate may be a variety of electrode metals or alloys including titanium, platinum, platinum-iridium, or niobium. The adhesion layer may be formed of titanium or zirconium. The valve metal oxide coating is a ruthenium oxide coating sputtered onto the adhesion layer under controlled target power, sputtering pressure, and sputter gas ratio setting optimized to minimize electrode impedance and post-pulse polarization.