Abstract: A system and method for analysis of minute quantities of contaminants in water. Liquid water is converted to water vapor and then excited into a plasma state with microwave radiation. Optical emissions from the plasma are spectrally analyzed to provide qualitative and/or quantitative analyses of the contaminants in the water. Preferred embodiments provide special techniques for generating the water vapor from a water stream; exciting the water vapor to a plasma state; varying and controlling the plasma energy; introducing samples into an existing plasma; collecting emissions from the plasma from a variety of angles; selecting the optical collection angles; protecting the analysis optics from the plasma; exhausting the spent plasma gases back into the water stream; and analyzing the results to yield concentrations of elements and molecules in the sample.

Abstract: A millimeter wave portal imaging system for the detection of concealed weapons, explosives and other contraband items. A preferred millimeter wave imaging system includes a number (such as 64) of millimeter wave detection units each including a frequency scanning antenna and associated electronics. The units are mounted in four posts (16 per post) of a portal structure. Each unit collects frequency dependent beams of millimeter wave radiation from a narrow one-dimensional field of view. The collected radiation from each unit is amplified at the collected frequencies and the amplified signals are separated into frequency dependent bins with a tapped-delay beam-former. These bins are then sampled to produce a one-dimensional image of the antenna field of view. A two dimensional image of a portion of a person passing through the portal is obtained by moving the person (or having the person move) across the field of view of each of the frequency scanning antennas.

Abstract: A system for conducting a financial transaction in e-commerce on the internet includes objects prepared by a seller and a buyer. The seller's object includes a clear text header file (advertisement), an encrypted overhead file which contains verification data pertaining to the financial transaction, and an encrypted content file containing the subject matter for sale by the seller. With a purchase solicitation from the buyer, an overhead key can be used by a transaction agency to ensure there is a compliance between the purchase solicitation and the verification data of the overhead (from seller's object). Next a revelation key is provided to give the buyer access to the content when such compliance has been ensured.

Abstract: A method for verifying over a network that a user attempting to sign in and access an account (a sign-in user) is the same individual that originally set up the account (i.e. the setup user) includes the step of receiving machine specific information during account setup. The website then encrypts the received machine specific information and sends the encryption back to the setup user's computer for incorporation in the cookie file located on the computer's hard drive. When a user attempts to sign in to access the account, the website acquires the cookie file located on the sign-in user's computer and machine specific information about the sign-in user's computer. The cookie is decrypted to reveal the machine specific information acquired during setup, and this information is compared to the machine specific information acquired from the sign-in user's computer to generate a probability that the sign-in user is the setup user.

Abstract: A system and method for transferring an encrypted file over the Internet involves a seller, a buyer, and a transaction agent. The file has a first part (administrative information) and a second part (subject-matter content) that are respectively encrypted with first and second encryption/decryption non-public keys. In operation, the appropriate key is released by the seller or the transaction agent for respective use by either the transaction agent or the buyer, to decrypt and reveal the second part of the file to the buyer.