Abstract: The present invention discloses a system and method for an Internet-based shopping facility. The shopping facility allows a seller to select shoppers that may bid on the seller's auction listing or offer to but the seller's fixed price listing. Only the shoppers that receive authorization from the seller may bid on or buy the item or service offered for sale by the seller.

Abstract: A seat belt anchor (“anchor”) for a vehicle. The anchor is comprised of a bracket and a pair of nested plates. The bracket has a first plate portion and a second plate portion extending from the first plate portion. The second plate portion is attached to the nested plates, which extend substantially across the second plate portion. The nested plates are comprised of an intermediate plate and an outer plate. The intermediate plate is fixedly attached to the second plate portion. Also, the outer plate is rotatably attached to the intermediate plate.

Abstract: A method of sanitizing shopping carts by applying a sanitizing fluid to the shopping carts. A pressurized supply of sanitizing fluid is applied to the shopping carts contained with a cart enclosure through a series of spray nozzles mounted along a spray arch. The sanitizing fluid is created in a chemical-down system and includes a sanitizing agent including peroxyacetic acid, hydrogen peroxide, acetic acid and a carrier such as water. The sanitizing fluid further includes a surfactant mixed into a supply of fresh water. The sanitizing fluid is applied to the shopping carts at ambient temperature and is allowed to air dry.

Abstract: An automatic dishwasher comprises an open-faced cabinet defining a wash chamber and a utensil rack mounted within the wash chamber. The utensil rack comprises a frame mounted to the cabinet and a basket removably mounted to the frame, and the frame and the basket are configured such that the basket is vertically adjustable relative to the frame. Additionally, the basket comprises a plurality of basket elements that are complementary to form a whole basket. Further, the dishwasher includes a pair of slides for slidably mounting the frame to the cabinet. The slides comprise a track that slidably receives a wheel on the utensil rack and includes an access opening for insertion or removal of the wheel from the track. A closure for selectively closing the access opening prevents undesired removal of the wheel from the track.

Abstract: A rolled food item (110) is fabricated by rolling a strip of support material (16) and food (14) about its leading end (136) into a roll. Prior to its rolling into the roll, a deposit (144) of water is sprayed onto the food (14) adjacent to the trailing end (138) to increase the tackiness of the food (14) sufficient to be adherable to the support material (16) in the roll to at least temporarily prevent unintentional unrolling of the roll during later fabrication operations. In the preferred form, the trailing end of the deposit (144) is coextensive with the trailing end (138) of the strip of support material (16) and food (14). In one form, the side edges of the deposit (144) are spaced inwardly from the side edges of the food (14) which are spaced inwardly from the side edges of the support material (16).

Abstract: A system to facilitate network-based commerce includes receiving information relating to an item to be transacted via a network-based commerce system from a first party. Criterion information specifying at least one criterion to be satisfied by a second party in order for the second party to be qualified to transact for the item via the network-based commerce system is received from the first party. An automatic determination is made as to whether the second party satisfies the at least one criterion and if so, then the second party is automatically qualified to transact for the item via the network-based commerce system.

Abstract: A visual display is provided on a data processing apparatus by storing and retrieving display information. The display information is stored by receiving write access addresses (33), translating the write access addresses into write memory addresses (15) and using the write memory addresses to store the display information (11). The read operation includes providing read access addresses (37), translating the read access addresses into memory read addresses (19) and using the memory read addresses to retrieve the display information (11).

Abstract: A method and system to protect users against potentially fraudulent activities associated with spoof web sites are described. According to one aspect of the present invention, the URL of a document downloaded via a web browser client is compared to the URLs in a list of URLs for known spoof sites. If the URL for the downloaded document is found in the list of URLs for known spoof sites, a security indicator is displayed to the user to indicate to the user that the downloaded document is associated with a known spoof site. According to another aspect of the invention, a security server maintains a master black list and periodically communicates updates of the master black list to the local list of a client security application.

Abstract: Protein geranylgeranyl transferase type I (GGTase-I), a Ca1a2X prenyltransferase, is an essential enzyme in eukaryotes. GGTase-I catalyzes the carboxyl-terminal lipidation of over one hundred proteins, including many GTP-binding regulatory proteins (G proteins). The presently disclosed subject matter comprises a plurality of crystal structures of mammalian GGTase-I in complex with substrates and products that provide the first structural information for this enzyme, facilitating the elucidation of a generalized method of action for all protein prenyltransferases; the method includes a role in product transport. The structures reveal specificity determinants that allow classification of putative protein prenyltransferase sequences and can facilitate optimization of GGTase-I and FTase modulators.

Abstract: A cart sanitizing system is disclosed for applying a sanitizing fluid to sanitize a shopping cart. A pressurized supply of sanitizing fluid is applied to the cart contained within a cart enclosure through a series of spray nozzles mounted along a spray arch. The pressurized sanitizing fluid is supplied to the spray arch from a pressure tank, which is fed with the supply of sanitizing fluid from a chemical make-down system. The chemical make-down system creates the sanitizing fluid, which preferably includes a sanitizing agent and a surfactant mixed within fresh water. The sanitizing fluid is created by a mixing device by flowing the fresh water over inlet tubes for both the sanitizing agent and the surfactant. The mixture of the surfactant and sanitizing agent allows the sanitizing fluid to be applied to the shopping carts and eliminates the requirement for drying.

Abstract: A visual display is provided on a data processing apparatus by storing and retrieving display information. The display information is stored by receiving write access addresses (33), translating the write access addresses into write memory addresses (15) and using the write memory addresses to store the display information (11). The read operation includes providing read access addresses (37), translating the read access addresses into memory read addresses (19) and using the memory read addresses to retrieve the display information (11).

Abstract: A rolled food item (110) is fabricated by rolling a strip of support material (16) and food (14) about its leading end (136) into a roll. Prior to its rolling into the roll, a deposit (144) of water is sprayed onto the food (14) adjacent to the trailing end (138) to increase the tackiness of the food (14) sufficient to be adherable to the support material (16) in the roll to at least temporarily prevent unintentional unrolling of the roll during later fabrication operations. In the preferred form, the trailing end of the deposit (144) is coextensive with the trailing end (138) of the strip of support material (16) and food (14). In one form, the side edges of the deposit (144) are spaced inwardly from the side edges of the food (14) which are spaced inwardly from the side edges of the support material (16).

Abstract: A database correlating the geographic locations of users of a network to the network address through which the users access the network is maintained and used to infer the geographic location of other users of the network that access the website through the same IP addresses. An Internet website operator may generate such a database from home or business address information self-reported by users of the website. If a plurality of users that access a website through the same IP address have self-reported information as to their geographic location to a website operator, that information collectively provides information as to the likely geographic location and the geographic diversity of other users that access the network through that IP address. Accordingly, such information is used to infer the extent to which a given IP address is likely to correlate to any particular geographic area and the particular area.

Abstract: Method of and apparatus for selecting one or more characters of an ideographic language including: data processing means operatively associated with data storage means, display means, and a plurality of selection means; the data storage means being operable for storing image data representing a plurality of images corresponding to the characters and selection data corresponding to a sequence of indicia belonging to a predetermined set of indicia for identifying each character, the selection means being operatively arranged in a fixed spatial relationship with one another and each being operable for selecting one of the indicia or one of the characters, the display means being operable for displaying symbols corresponding to the indicia and a predetemined number of the characters corresponding to the image data in a format which mimics the fixed spatial relationship of the selection means; the data processing means being operable to select a set of indicia and the characters for display on the display means, t

Abstract: A rolled food item (110) is fabricated by rolling a strip of support material (16) and food (14) about its leading end (136) into a roll. Prior to its rolling into the roll, a deposit (144) of water is sprayed onto the food (14) adjacent to the trailing end (138) to increase the tackiness of the food (14) sufficient to be adherable to the support material (16) in the roll to at least temporarily prevent unintentional unrolling of the roll during later fabrication operations. In the preferred form, the trailing end of the deposit (144) is coextensive with the trailing end (138) of the strip of support material (16) and food (14). In one form, the side edges of the deposit (144) are spaced inwardly from the side edges of the food (14) which are spaced inwardly from the side edges of the support material (16).

Abstract: A portable explosives disrupter for de-arming improvised explosive devices includes a barrel for housing a projectile, a mechanism for firing the projectile from the barrel, a breech which may be adapted to house a variety of firing mechanisms, a light-weight, semi-rigid, three-dimensionally flexible, recoil-absorbing system for orienting the device in relation to a target and minimizing the effects of recoil on the accuracy of the device, and a means for accurately aiming the explosives disrupter at a target. Three different firing mechanisms are provided, the first employing a firing pin and shock tubing, the second employing a metal sphere and shock tubing, and the third employing a firing piston and a source of compressed air.

Abstract: A portable explosives disrupter for de-arming improvised explosive devices includes a barrel for housing a projectile, a mechanism for firing the projectile from the barrel, a breech which may be adapted to house a variety of firing mechanisms, a semi-rigid, flexible support system for orienting the device in relation to a target and minimizing the effects of recoil on the accuracy of the device, and a means for accurately aiming the explosives disrupter at a target. Three different firing mechanisms are provided, the first employing a firing pin and shock tubing, the second employing a metal sphere and shock tubing, and the third employing a firing piston and a source of compressed air.

Abstract: A portable explosives disrupter for de-arming improvised explosive devices includes a barrel for housing a projectile, a mechanism for firing the projectile from the barrel, a breech which may be adapted to house a variety of firing mechanisms, a light-weight, semi-rigid, three-dimensionally flexible, recoil-absorbing system for orienting the device in relation to a target and minimizing the effects of recoil on the accuracy of the device, and a means for accurately aiming the explosives disrupter at a target. Three different firing mechanisms are provided, the first employing a firing pin and shock tubing, the second employing a metal sphere and shock tubing, and the third employing a firing piston and a source of compressed air.

Abstract: A vacuum system for applying vacuum to the body cavity of a patient where a vacuum flow indicator is provided that provides a visual display of the relative flow in a vacuum line to a medical patient. The vacuum indictor has indicia indicative of the no flow condition, a low flow condition, a high flow condition of flow through the vacuum system and has a space between the indicia of high flow and no flow so that the caregiver can visually get a quick and easy perception of the relative flow through the system. The vacuum flow indicator is not intended to be an accurate means of measuring that flow but only a guide that can aid the caregiver in determining and correcting a potential or real problem in the vacuum system.

Abstract: A portable explosives disrupter for de-arming improvised explosive devices includes a barrel for housing a projectile, a mechanism for firing the projectile from the barrel, a breech which may be adapted to house a variety of firing mechanisms, a semi-rigid, flexible support system for orienting the device in relation to a target and minimizing the effects of recoil on the accuracy of the device, and a means for accurately aiming the explosives disrupter at a target. Three different firing mechanisms are provided, the first employing a firing pin and shock tubing, the second employing a metal sphere and shock tubing, and the third employing a firing piston and a source of compressed air.