Abstract: Systems and methods for monitoring for theft of a vehicle component (e.g., a catalytic converter) or another item is provided herein. A monitoring device can be communicatively coupled with a GPS locator and a wireless transceiver such that a location signal can be generated and sent upon certain conditions being met. Preferably, the monitoring device is connected to an external power source and causes the location signal to be generated and sent when there is an interruption in power received from the external power source.

Abstract: A tethered device for prevention and recovery of a vehicle component (e.g., a catalytic converter) is provided herein. The tethered device comprises a housing having an exterior surface and defining an interior cavity. The tethered device further comprises an electronic component disposed within the interior cavity. The tethered device further comprises a plurality of spacers extending from the exterior surface and configured to be adjacent to the vehicle component. The plurality of spacers defines a channel configured to promote airflow between the tethered device and the vehicle component thereby minimizing heat transfer between the tethered device and the vehicle component.

Abstract: A tethered device for prevention and recovery of a vehicle component (e.g., a catalytic converter) is provided herein. The tethered device comprises a housing having an exterior surface and defining an interior cavity. The tethered device further comprises an electronic component disposed within the interior cavity. The tethered device further comprises a plurality of spacers extending from the exterior surface and configured to be adjacent to the vehicle component. The plurality of spacers defines a channel configured to promote airflow between the tethered device and the vehicle component thereby minimizing heat transfer between the tethered device and the vehicle component.

Abstract: A tethered device for prevention and recovery of a vehicle component (e.g., a catalytic converter) is provided herein. The tethered device comprises a housing having an exterior surface and defining an interior cavity. The tethered device further comprises an electronic component disposed within the interior cavity. The tethered device further comprises a plurality of spacers extending from the exterior surface and configured to be adjacent to the vehicle component. The plurality of spacers defines a channel configured to promote airflow between the tethered device and the vehicle component thereby minimizing heat transfer between the tethered device and the vehicle component.

Abstract: A tethered device for prevention and recovery of a vehicle component (e.g., a catalytic converter) is provided herein. The tethered device comprises a housing having an exterior surface and defining an interior cavity. The tethered device further comprises an electronic component disposed within the interior cavity. The tethered device further comprises a plurality of spacers extending from the exterior surface and configured to be adjacent to the vehicle component. The plurality of spacers defines a channel configured to promote airflow between the tethered device and the vehicle component thereby minimizing heat transfer between the tethered device and the vehicle component.

Abstract: A system and method for enhancing the recovery of heavy oil in an oil extraction environment by feeding nutrients to a preferred microbial species (bacteria and/or fungi). A method is described that includes the steps of: sampling and identifying microbial species that reside in the oil extraction environment; collecting fluid property data from the oil extraction environment; collecting nutrient data from the oil extraction environment; identifying a preferred microbial species from the oil extraction environment that can transform the heavy oil into a lighter oil; identifying a nutrient from the oil extraction environment that promotes a proliferation of the preferred microbial species; and introducing the nutrient into the oil extraction environment.

Abstract: Method, system, and article of manufacture for selecting prospects for a product promotion though data mining. An initial set of prospects in a customer database is identified, by data mining, as initially identified prospects based on predetermined selection criteria. The number of initially identified prospects is compared to a target number of prospects. When the number of initially identified prospects matches the target number of prospects, the initially identified prospects are utilized as the final selection of prospects. When the number of initially identified prospects mismatches the target number of prospects, the final selection of prospects is determined by performing a culling process or an augmenting process to reduce or increase, respectively, the initial set of prospects using a heuristic measure H, until the number of prospects in the initial set of prospects matches the target number of prospects.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer instructions for direct linkage of relational database table to a data preparation tool for data preparation. In a preferred embodiment, the mechanism of the present invention allows data to be read directly from one or more relational database tables to a data preparation tool into datasets without generating output flat files. Multiple datasets from different relational database table are merged into one dataset if more than one relational database table is read. Upon completion of necessary data preparation on the dataset by the data preparation tool, the present invention creates a new relational database table and loads resulting data from the prepared dataset into the new relational database table.