Patents by Inventor Robert A. Foster

Robert A. Foster has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 12120980
    Abstract: A two-piece fruit picker which includes a first basket portion and a second basket portion. The first and second basket portions may be selectively connected together to form the fruit picker. The second basket portion may be positioned in the first basket portion in a nested relationship for shipment, storage, transportation, or retailing purposes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2024
    Inventors: Mark C. Ramsey, Robert A. Foster
  • Patent number: 11395456
    Abstract: A rake device for cleaning rain gutters and roof valleys which includes a rake which is pivotally secured to an elongated support pole to enable the rake to be positioned in multiple positions with respect to the support pole to reach multiple portions of the rain gutter or the roof valley.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Inventors: Mark C. Ramsey, Robert A. Foster
  • Patent number: 8738453
    Abstract: The present invention provides methods and systems for defining financial transaction components; defining mapping rules for taking individual financial transactions and breaking them down into their components, such as production services, billing services and settlement services. A data processing system in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, creates a transaction instance corresponding to a financial transaction, creates a production service instance linked to the transaction instance by a first relation instance, and creates a billing service instance linked to the production service instance by a second relation instance. The data processing system, may also create other production service instances linked to the transaction instance using other relation instances, as well as, other billing service instances linked to the production service instances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Financial Systems Technology (Intellectual Property) PTY Ltd.
    Inventor: Robert A. Foster
  • Publication number: 20140089152
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for facilitating real-time pricing with volume discounting. The method includes receiving a request for a real-time price quote for a transaction from a first account. The request is received at a first instance in time during a billing cycle. The method also includes determining a first production service, where the first production service is a component of the transaction, and determining a count of first production service instances representing the first production service in the received transaction. The method further includes determining a billable entity for the transaction, where the billable entity includes one or more related accounts, and the related accounts include the first account.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2013
    Publication date: March 27, 2014
    Applicant: Financial Systems Technology (Intellectual Property) Pty Ltd.
    Inventor: Robert A. Foster
  • Patent number: 8612319
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for facilitating real-time pricing with volume discounting. The method includes receiving a request for a real-time price quote for a transaction from a first account. The request is received at a first instance in time during a billing cycle. The method also includes determining a first production service, where the first production service is a component of the transaction, and determining a count of first production service instances representing the first production service in the received transaction. The method further includes determining a billable entity for the transaction, where the billable entity includes one or more related accounts, and the related accounts includes the first account.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Financial Systems Technology (Intellectual Property) Pty Ltd
    Inventor: Robert A. Foster
  • Publication number: 20130268323
    Abstract: The present invention provides methods and systems for pricing financial transactions by defining product rules, providing links to appropriate price tables, and calculating a price for a financial transaction. A data processing system in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, creates a product rule corresponding to a financial transaction. The product rule contains mandatory attributes and optional attributes. Optional attributes may be looked up using identifiers constructed from said mandatory attributes. Optional attributes include a link to a price table which contains further attributes, including a pricing method. A price is then calculated in accordance with the pricing method. Billing is completed according to the billing method for the particular financial transaction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Publication date: October 10, 2013
    Applicant: Financial Systems Technology (Intellectual Property) Pty. Ltd.
    Inventor: Robert A. Foster
  • Patent number: 8355952
    Abstract: The present invention provides methods and systems for pricing financial transactions by defining product rules, providing links to appropriate price tables, and calculating a price for a financial transaction. A data processing system in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, creates a product rule corresponding to a financial transaction. The product rule contains mandatory attributes and optional attributes. Optional attributes may be looked up using identifiers constructed from said mandatory attributes. Optional attributes include a link to a price table which contains further attributes, including a pricing method. A price is then calculated in accordance with the pricing method. Billing is completed according to the billing method for the particular financial transaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: Financial Systems Technology (Intellectual Property) PTY. Ltd.
    Inventor: Robert A. Foster
  • Publication number: 20120191605
    Abstract: The present invention provides methods and systems for pricing financial transactions by defining product rules, providing links to appropriate price tables, and calculating a price for a financial transaction. A data processing system in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, creates a product rule corresponding to a financial transaction. The product rule contains mandatory attributes and optional attributes. Optional attributes may be looked up using identifiers constructed from said mandatory attributes. Optional attributes include a link to a price table which contains further attributes, including a pricing method. A price is then calculated in accordance with the pricing method. Billing is completed according to the billing method for the particular financial transaction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2012
    Publication date: July 26, 2012
    Inventor: Robert A. Foster
  • Patent number: 8185440
    Abstract: The present invention provides methods and systems for pricing financial transactions by defining product rules, providing links to appropriate price tables, and calculating a price for a financial transaction. A data processing system in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, creates a product rule corresponding to a financial transaction. The product rule contains mandatory attributes and optional attributes. Optional attributes may be looked up using identifiers constructed from said mandatory attributes. Optional attributes include a link to a price table which contains further attributes, including a pricing method. A price is then calculated in accordance with the pricing method. Billing is completed according to the billing method for the particular financial transaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Financial Systems Technology (Intellectual Property) Pty. Ltd.
    Inventor: Robert A. Foster
  • Publication number: 20120101924
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for facilitating real-time pricing with volume discounting. The method includes receiving a request for a real-time price quote for a transaction from a first account. The request is received at a first instance in time during a billing cycle. The method also includes determining a first production service, where the first production service is a component of the transaction, and determining a count of first production service instances representing the first production service in the received transaction. The method further includes determining a billable entity for the transaction, where the billable entity includes one or more related accounts, and the related accounts includes the first account.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2011
    Publication date: April 26, 2012
    Applicant: FINANCIAL SYSTEMS TECHNOLOGY (INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY) PTY LTD
    Inventor: Robert A. Foster
  • Publication number: 20120005052
    Abstract: The present invention provides methods and systems for defining financial transaction components; defining mapping rules for taking individual financial transactions and breaking them down into their components, such as production services, billing services and settlement services. A data processing system in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, creates a transaction instance corresponding to a financial transaction, creates a production service instance linked to the transaction instance by a first relation instance, and creates a billing service instance linked to the production service instance by a second relation instance. The data processing system, may also create other production service instances linked to the transaction instance using other relation instances, as well as, other billing service instances linked to the production service instances.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2011
    Publication date: January 5, 2012
    Applicant: FINANCIAL SYSTEMS TECHNOLOGY (INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY) PTY LTD
    Inventor: Robert A. Foster
  • Patent number: 8090634
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for facilitating real-time pricing with volume discounting. The method includes receiving a request for a real-time price quote for a transaction from a first account. The request is received at a first instance in time during a billing cycle. The method also includes determining a first production service, where the first production service is a component of the transaction, and determining a count of first production service instances representing the first production service in the received transaction. The method further includes determining a billable entity for the transaction, where the billable entity includes one or more related accounts, and the related accounts includes the first account.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Financial Systems Technology (Intellectual Property) Pty Ltd
    Inventor: Robert A. Foster
  • Patent number: 8015109
    Abstract: The present invention provides methods and systems for defining financial transaction components; defining mapping rules for taking individual financial transactions and breaking them down into their components, such as production services, billing services and settlement services. A data processing system in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, creates a transaction instance corresponding to a financial transaction, creates a production service instance linked to the transaction instance by a first relation instance, and creates a billing service instance linked to the production service instance by a second relation instance. The data processing system, may also create other production service instances linked to the transaction instance using other relation instances, as well as, other billing service instances linked to the production service instances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Financial Systems Technology (Intellectual Property) Pty. Ltd.
    Inventor: Robert A. Foster
  • Publication number: 20110191216
    Abstract: A method and a system for determining taxes attributable to a financial transaction create a tax rate table, link an entity of the financial transaction to the tax rate table through a product rule, and calculate taxes based on the tax rate table according to one component of the financial transaction. The tax rate tables can be linked by a default product rule, which is a defined by a global variable. Alternatively, specific product rules can be used to link specific entities, such as tax jurisdiction records, or legal entity records. In one application, the method and the system calculate revenue tax, cost tax, input tax, and profits for each transaction. The method and the system may further include multi-currency support analysis for a financial transaction so that a financial transaction can be analyzed under a common currency, even though the financial transaction is conducted using one or more currencies in one or more jurisdictions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2011
    Publication date: August 4, 2011
    Inventor: Robert A Foster
  • Patent number: 7966231
    Abstract: A method and a system for determining taxes attributable to a financial transaction create a tax rate table, link an entity of the financial transaction to the tax rate table through a product rule, and calculate taxes based on the tax rate table according to one component of the financial transaction. The tax rate tables can be linked by a default product rule, which is a defined by a global variable. Alternatively, specific product rules can be used to link specific entities, such as tax jurisdiction records, or legal entity records. In one application, the method and the system calculate revenue tax, cost tax, input tax, and profits for each transaction. The method and the system may further include multi-currency support analysis for a financial transaction so that a financial transaction can be analyzed under a common currency, even though the financial transaction is conducted using one or more currencies in one or more jurisdictions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignee: Financial Systems Technology (Intellectual Property) Pty. Ltd.
    Inventor: Robert A. Foster
  • Patent number: 7827064
    Abstract: The present invention provides methods and systems for pricing financial transactions by defining product rules, providing links to appropriate price tables, and calculating a price for a financial transaction. A data processing system in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, creates a product rule corresponding to a financial transaction. The product rule contains mandatory attributes and optional attributes. Optional attributes may be looked up using identifiers constructed from said mandatory attributes. Optional attributes include a link to a price table which contains further attributes, including a pricing method. A price is then calculated in accordance with the pricing method. Billing is completed according to the billing method for the particular financial transaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Financial Systems Technology (Intellectual Property) Pty. Ltd.
    Inventor: Robert A. Foster
  • Publication number: 20100257082
    Abstract: The present invention provides methods and systems for pricing financial transactions by defining product rules, providing links to appropriate price tables, and calculating a price for a financial transaction. A data processing system in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, creates a product rule corresponding to a financial transaction. The product rule contains mandatory attributes and optional attributes. Optional attributes may be looked up using identifiers constructed from said mandatory attributes. Optional attributes include a link to a price table which contains further attributes, including a pricing method. A price is then calculated in accordance with the pricing method. Billing is completed according to the billing method for the particular financial transaction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2010
    Publication date: October 7, 2010
    Inventor: Robert A. Foster
  • Patent number: 7664696
    Abstract: The present invention provides methods and systems for defining financial transaction components; defining mapping rules for taking individual financial transactions and breaking them down into their components, such as production services, billing services and settlement services. A data processing system in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, creates a transaction instance corresponding to a financial transaction, creates a production service instance linked to the transaction instance by a first relation instance, and creates a billing service instance linked to the production service instance by a second relation instance. The data processing system, may also create other production service instances linked to the transaction instance using other relation instances, as well as, other billing service instances linked to the production service instances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Assignee: Financial Systems Technology (Intellectual Property) Pty. Ltd.
    Inventor: Robert A. Foster
  • Publication number: 20100004991
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for facilitating real-time pricing with volume discounting. The method includes receiving a request for a real-time price quote for a transaction from a first account. The request is received at a first instance in time during a billing cycle. The method also includes determining a first production service, where the first production service is a component of the transaction, and determining a count of first production service instances representing the first production service in the received transaction. The method further includes determining a billable entity for the transaction, where the billable entity includes one or more related accounts, and the related accounts includes the first account.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2009
    Publication date: January 7, 2010
    Inventor: Robert A. Foster
  • Patent number: D667742
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Inventor: Robert A. Foster