Abstract: The present invention allows multiple parties to collaborate on managing the content of an electronic catalog. In one embodiment, the invention can include receiving at a hub records from a first source, receiving at the hub updates of the records from a second source, and transferring the updated records to the first source. In another embodiment, the invention can include transferring to a hub records having information related to items in an electronic catalog and receiving updates of the records from the hub.

Abstract: A new approach is proposed that contemplates systems and methods to combine highly targeted and customized content items with algorithmic filmmaking techniques to create a film-quality, personalized multimedia experience (MME)/movie for a user. First, a rich content database is created and embellished with meaningful, accurate, and properly organized multimedia content items tagged with meta-information. Second, a software agent interacts with the user to create, learn, and exploit the user's context to determine which content items need to be retrieved and how they should be customized in order to create a script of content to meet the user's current need. Finally, retrieved and/or customized multimedia content items such as text, images, or video clips are utilized to create a script of movie-like content using automatic filmmaking techniques such as audio synchronization, image control and manipulation, and appropriately customized dialog and content.

Abstract: A new approach is proposed that contemplates systems and methods to identify, select, and present psychoactive content to a user in order to achieve a desired psychotherapeutic effect or purpose on the user. More specifically, content items in a content library are tagged and categorized under various psychoactive properties. In addition, image-feeling associations are assessed on a per user basis to determine what types of content items induce what types of feelings/reactions from the specific user. A content comprising one or more content items can then be presented to the user based on its ability to induce a desired shift in the emotional state of the user.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for converting a searchable electronic catalog of the type used in e-commerce and industrial materiel systems. Such catalogs are typically configured as databases but can be created from a variety of different source materials. The method includes identifying a set of items to be converted, identifying the characteristics for each item, accessing the characteristic values for each identified item, accessing mapping rules for each characteristic and each item, mapping the characteristic values for each item in the first catalog into the characteristic identified by the rule for the item in the second catalog, and compiling the mapped characteristic values for each item to form the second catalog.

Abstract: A new approach is proposed that contemplates systems and methods to enable a user to explore his/her problems and/or linkages associated with them in a series of steps and presents a set of content (also known as a user experience) each comprising one or more content items to the user. A psycho-spiritual map is constructed for the user to explore, wherein each node in the map represents a problem, a sub-problem/factor/issue, and an emotion related to it. The map can be dynamically managed and expanded along a path of the user's exploration by a personal “agent” that understands the user's specific needs and interests. Based on such in-depth personal knowledge and understanding, the agent is capable of identifying, retrieving, customizing, and presenting a set of content to the user that specifically and continuously addresses his/her problem.

Abstract: A new approach is proposed that contemplates systems and methods to present a script of content comprising one or more content items to a user online, wherein such content is not only relevant to addressing a problem submitted by the user, but is also customized and tailored to the specific needs and preferences of the user based on the user's profile and/or emotional state at the time. Such an approach enables a personal “agent” that understands the user's emotional state, specific needs and interests by maintaining a personal profile and history of the user. Based on in-depth personal knowledge and understanding, the agent is capable of identifying, retrieving, customizing, and presenting to the user a unique experience that distinguishes it from the experiences of any other users in the general public.

Abstract: A new approach is proposed that contemplates systems and methods to provide one or more potential solutions to a user solicited from a community of wisdom, wherein such solutions are not only relevant to addressing a problem raised by the user, but are also customized to the specific needs and preferences of the user based on the user's profile. Such an approach enables a personalized “agent” who understands the user's specific needs and interests by maintaining a personal profile of the user. Based on such in-depth personal knowledge and understanding, the agent is capable of soliciting, customizing, and presenting the solutions from an online community to the user that specifically address his/her problem or concern.

Abstract: A new approach is proposed that contemplates systems and methods to present a script of content comprising one or more content items to a user online, wherein such content is not only relevant to addressing a problem raised by the user, but is also customized and tailored based on a set of rules with the user's needs and preferences in mind. Such an approach enables a personal “agent” that understands the user's specific needs and interests by maintaining a personal profile and history of the user. Based on in-depth personal knowledge and understanding, the agent is capable of identifying, retrieving, customizing, and presenting to the user a unique experience that distinguishes it from the experiences of any other users in the general public.

Abstract: A new approach is proposed that contemplates systems and methods to present a script of content comprising one or more content items to a user online, wherein such content is not only relevant to addressing a problem raised by the user, but is also customized and tailored to the specific needs and preferences of the user based on the user's profile. Such an approach enables a personal “agent” that understands the user's specific needs and interests by maintaining a personal profile and history of the user. Based on in-depth personal knowledge and understanding, the agent is capable of identifying, retrieving, customizing, and presenting to the user a unique experience that distinguishes it from the experiences of any other users in the general public.

Abstract: A new approach is proposed that contemplates systems and methods to provide one or more potential solutions to a user solicited from a community of wisdom, wherein such solutions are not only relevant to addressing a problem raised by the user, but are also customized to the specific needs and preferences of the user based on the user's profile. Such an approach enables a personalized “agent” to solicit, customize, and present the solutions from an online community that specifically address the user's problem or concern based on such in-depth personal knowledge and understanding of a personal profile of the user. In addition, the user is enabled to manage the solutions solicited by monitoring, browsing, viewing, and filtering the solutions being presented either in their original or customized forms.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for managing updates to a catalog based on a reference electronic catalog. The reference catalog has a reference format and a plurality of items, each with associated characteristics and the second catalog has a second format and a plurality of items, each with associated characteristics. The reference catalog is maintained with updates and revisions to the items and associated characteristics and the second catalog is maintained by repeating the mapping of at least a portion of the reference catalog into the second catalog after maintaining the reference catalog. Preferably, the maintenance times for both catalogs are recorded and the second catalog is maintained by comparing the recorded times and mapping only portions of the reference catalog that have been maintained into the second catalog.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for managing updates to a catalog based on a reference electronic catalog. The reference catalog has a reference format and a plurality of items, each with associated characteristics and the second catalog has a second format and a plurality of items, each with associated characteristics. The reference catalog is maintained with updates and revisions to the items and associated characteristics and the second catalog is maintained by repeating the mapping of at least a portion of the reference catalog into the second catalog after maintaining the reference catalog. Preferably, the maintenance times for both catalogs are recorded and the second catalog is maintained by comparing the recorded times and mapping only portions of the reference catalog that have been maintained into the second catalog.

Abstract: A miniaturized aerosol jet, or an array of miniaturized aerosol jets for direct printing of various aerosolized materials. In the most commonly used embodiment, an aerosol stream is focused and deposited onto a planar or non-planar target, forming a pattern that is thermally or photochemically processed to achieve physical, optical, and/or electrical properties near that of the corresponding bulk material. The apparatus uses an aerosol jet deposition head to form an annularly propagating jet composed of an outer sheath flow and an inner aerosol-laden carrier flow. Miniaturization of the deposition head facilitates the fabrication and operation of arrayed deposition heads, enabling construction and operation of arrays of aerosol jets capable of independent motion and deposition. Arrayed aerosol jets provide an increased deposition rate, arrayed deposition, and multi-material deposition. Applications for the miniaturized aerosol jet or jet array include direct patterning for EMI shielding and interconnects.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for the deposition of a source material (10) are disclosed. An atomizer (12) renders a supply of source material (10) into many discrete particles. A force applicator (14) propels the particles in continuous, parallel streams of discrete particles. A collimator (16) controls the direction of flight of the particles in the stream prior to their deposition on a substrate (18). In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the viscosity of the particles may be controlled to enable complex depositions of non-conformal or three-dimensional surfaces. The invention also includes a wide variety of substrate treatments which may occur before, during or after deposition. In yet another embodiment of the invention, a virtual or cascade impactor may be employed to remove selected particles from the deposition stream.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for low temperature sintering of sintering of printable conductive inks, preferably using a plasma. The inks can be deposited on a substrate using any number of deposition techniques, and can be applied to processing on materials including, but not limited to, electronic, biologic, and low-temperature substrates. The inks preferably comprise metallic nanoparticles coated with an organic non-conductive material. The plasma removes the organic material and facilitates the sintering of the metallic particles into a continuous deposit, without exposing the substrate to high temperatures.

Abstract: The present invention can allow an electronic catalog or other set of items to be searched and compared interactively. In one embodiment, the invention includes displaying a list of items in an electronic catalog, each item corresponding to a row of the display, each row having values corresponding to attributes of the corresponding items arranged into attribute columns, grouping some of the displayed items based on a selected attribute upon receiving a grouping command so that the grouped items are displayed in a single row, and expanding the grouped items upon receiving an expand command so that the grouped items are each displayed in a separate row. The embodiment further includes removing a row corresponding to an item or to grouped items from the display upon receiving a row remove command and removing a column corresponding to an attribute of the items from the display upon receiving a column remove command.

Abstract: A method of depositing various materials onto heat-sensitive targets, particularly oxygen-sensitive materials. Heat-sensitive targets are generally defined as targets that have thermal damage thresholds that are lower than the temperature required to process a deposited material. The invention uses precursor solutions and/or particle or colloidal suspensions, along with optional pre-deposition treatment and/or post-deposition treatment to lower the laser power required to drive the deposit to its final state. The present invention uses Maskless Mesoscale Material Deposition (M3D™) to perform direct deposition of material onto the target in a precise, highly localized fashion. Features with linewidths as small as 4 microns may be deposited, with little or no material waste. A laser is preferably used to heat the material to process it to obtain the desired state, for example by chemical decomposition, sintering, polymerization, and the like.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for the direct deposition or patterning of biological materials and compatible biomaterials. The method is capable of depositing biological materials and biomaterials in a computer defined pattern, and uses aerodynamic focusing of an aerosol stream to deposit mesoscale patterns onto planar or non-planar targets without the use of masks or modified environments. The aerosolized compositions may be processed before deposition (pre-processing) or after deposition on the target (post-processing). Depositable materials include, not are not limited to conductive metal precursors, nanoparticle metal inks, dielectric and resistor pastes, biocompatible polymers, and a range of biomolecules including peptides, viruses, proteinaceous enzymes, extra-cellular matrix biomolecules, as well as whole bacterial, yeast, and mammalian cell suspensions. The targets may be planar or non-planar, and are optionally biocompatible.

Abstract: Apparatuses and processes for maskless deposition of electronic and biological materials. The process is capable of direct deposition of features with linewidths varying from the micron range up to a fraction of a millimeter, and may be used to deposit features on substrates with damage thresholds near 100° C. Deposition and subsequent processing may be carried out under ambient conditions, eliminating the need for a vacuum atmosphere. The process may also be performed in an inert gas environment. Deposition of and subsequent laser post processing produces linewidths as low as 1 micron, with sub-micron edge definition. The apparatus nozzle has a large working distance—the orifice to substrate distance may be several millimeters—and direct write onto non-planar surfaces is possible.

Abstract: A miniaturized aerosol jet, or an array of miniaturized aerosol jets for direct printing of various aerosolized materials. In the most commonly used embodiment, an aerosol stream is focused and deposited onto a planar or non-planar target, forming a pattern that is thermally or photochemically processed to achieve physical, optical, and/or electrical properties near that of the corresponding bulk material. The apparatus uses an aerosol jet deposition head to form an annularly propagating jet composed of an outer sheath flow and an inner aerosol-laden carrier flow. Miniaturization of the deposition head facilitates the fabrication and operation of arrayed deposition heads, enabling construction and operation of arrays of aerosol jets capable of independent motion and deposition. Arrayed aerosol jets provide an increased deposition rate, arrayed deposition, and multi-material deposition.