Abstract: A method of managing inventory allocations includes the step of receiving, in a data processing apparatus, data relating to the sale of items of inventory allocated to respective re-sellers. The date is processed to obtain data relating to sales performance of one or more of the respective re-sellers. The method includes adjusting a price for which inventory allocated to that respective re-seller is to be sold by depending on said data relating to the sales performance of the respective re-sellers and/or re-allocation inventory items from that said respective re-seller to other respective re-sellers. The invention extends to a software product and to a system.

Abstract: A method of managing inventory allocations includes the step of receiving, in a data processing apparatus, data relating to the sale of items of inventory allocated to respective re-sellers. The date is processed to obtain data relating to sales performance of one or more of the respective re-sellers. The method includes adjusting a price for which inventory allocated to that respective re-seller is to be sold by depending on said data relating to the sales performance of the respective re-sellers and/or re-allocation inventory items from that said respective re-seller to other respective re-sellers. The invention extends to a software product and to a system.

Abstract: There is provided a method of using a central computer system, which has a central relational database, systematically to refresh a distributed database that is distributed over a plurality of distributed computer systems and that includes distributed database fields that are for storing contingent values that are contingent on sporadic interactions between terminal computer systems and the distributed computer systems and that are affiliated with central database fields in the central relational database. The method includes recurrently, at receiving times, receiving contingent values of the distributed database fields from the distributed computer systems. The received contingent values are stored, in the central relational database, in succession with previously received and stored contingent values of the distributed database fields, so that, for each distributed computer system an associated series of successive contingent values is built.

Abstract: A method of managing inventory allocations includes the step of receiving, in a data processing apparatus, data relating to the sale of items of inventory allocated to respective re-sellers. The date is processed to obtain data relating to sales performance of one or more of the respective re-sellers. The method includes adjusting a price for which inventory allocated to that respective re-seller is to be sold by depending on said data relating to the sales performance of the respective re-sellers and/or re-allocation inventory items from that said respective re-seller to other respective re-sellers. The invention extends to a software product and to a system.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the processing of hydrocarbon-containing feedstreams in the presence of an interstitial metal hydride comprised of at least one chemical element selected from Groups 3-11 (including the lanthanides, atomic numbers 58 to 71), and at least one chemical element selected from Groups 13-15 from the IUPAC Periodic Table of Elements. These interstitial metal hydrides, their catalysts and processes using these interstitial metal hydrides and catalysts of the present invention improve overall hydrogenation, product conversion, as well as sulfur reduction in hydrocarbon feedstreams.

Abstract: There is provided a method of using a central computer system, which has a central relational database, systematically to refresh a distributed database that is distributed over a plurality of distributed computer systems and that includes distributed database fields that are for storing contingent values that are contingent on sporadic interactions between terminal computer systems and the distributed computer systems and that are affiliated with central database fields in the central relational database. The method includes recurrently, at receiving times, receiving contingent values of the distributed database fields from the distributed computer systems. The received contingent values are stored, in the central relational database, in succession with previously received and stored contingent values of the distributed database fields, so that, for each distributed computer system an associated series of successive contingent values is built.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the processing of hydrocarbon-containing feedstreams in the presence of an interstitial metal hydride comprised of at least one chemical element selected from Groups 3-11 (including the lanthanides, atomic numbers 58 to 71), and at least one chemical element selected from Groups 13-15 from the IUPAC Periodic Table of Elements. These interstitial metal hydrides, their catalysts and processes using these interstitial metal hydrides and catalysts of the present invention improve overall hydrogenation, product conversion, as well as sulfur reduction in hydrocarbon feedstreams.

Abstract: Hydrocarbon feedstreams are desulfurized using an alkali metal reagent, optionally in the presence of hydrogen. Improved control over reaction conditions can be achieved in part by controlling the particle size of the alkali metal salt and by using multiple desulfurization reactors. The processes herein allow a simple and effective method for removing the majority of coke formed in the alkali metal reagent reactions with the hydrocarbon feedstreams. This makes it cost effective to run such processes at higher severities (which result in higher coke production) thereby resulting in increased amounts of valuable converted hydrocarbon product yields. The process improvements herein may also be used to increase total throughput through a unit due to the ability to effectively manage higher coke content in the reaction products.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for cracking hydrocarbon feedstock containing resid comprising: (a) heating a hydrocarbon feedstock containing resid; (b) adding molecular hydrogen to said heated feedstock to form a mixture stream; (c) adding a catalyst containing metal-sulfide particles to said heated feedstock and/or said mixture stream; (d) reacting said mixture in a catalytic hydrovisbreaking reactor under conditions of temperature, pressure and residence time sufficient to catalytically hydrovisbreak at least a portion of said resid into hydrovisbroken hydrocarbon components; (e) passing said reacted mixture stream into a high pressure separator and separating hydrogen from said reacted mixture; (f) passing said reacted mixture through a knockout drum to remove catalyst and unreacted or uncracked resid as a bottoms stream; and (g) passing said catalytically hydrovisbroken hydrocarbon components into a steam cracking furnace and thermally cracking said hydrocarbon components to form light olefins, a