Abstract: A system and method for providing a present consideration to a consumer and coincidentally establishing a future right for a holder to offer or to provide, at the holder's option, goods or services in response to a trigger event.

Abstract: A system and method for generating and securing in a broker an interest in future real estate transactions by a client, while reducing a broker's costly and constant pursuit to satisfy current business generation needs. The broker may be a real estate broker, mortgage broker, or some other form of broker offering services related to real estate. A broker network may be provided comprised of a some combination of different types of brokers or several brokers from the same broker firm. The right is a future right associated with an opportunity for the broker to later provide services related to the property, or another property.

Abstract: A system and method for providing a present consideration to a consumer and coincidentally establishing a future right for a holder to offer or to provide, at the holder's option goods or services in response to a trigger event

Abstract: A system and method for providing a present consideration to a consumer and coincidentally establishing a future right for a holder to offer or to provide, at the holder's option, a defined set of goods or services in response to a trigger event.

Abstract: A remote messaging system for distributed computer system includes a client stub (217) and client and server remote messaging engines (209, 211). The client stub and the client remote messaging engine prepare a server-ready object, referred to as a RemoteMethodObject (219) in response to client application logic (207) requesting a service from server (227) in the form of a call to the stub. The object is of a type corresponding to a particular service, and includes a header identifying its type and a user requesting the service. The object further includes data parameters for the service. The object's type, once received by the server, is identified, and a “handle” operation called. The method for the handle operation is bound to the object based on its type. SystemObject manager (221) manages objects that are instances of classes registered with it. The SystemObject manager pre-allocates memory, and subdivides the memory into elements called SystemObjects.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for downloading large items packages the item as a plurality of packets and numbers each packet with an index stored in a header. For each user to whom an item is to be downloaded, a list of packets to be sent to the user is maintained. A send process loops through each user. In any given loop, one or more packets from the list is sent to the user. These packets are then marked as having been sent on that user's list. Only one download buffer for storing the download packets and only one network communications buffer for use by a network and a connectionless transport service is required to send the packets to a plurality of users on demand. Each user indicates which packets it did not receive and those packets are added back to that user's list for sending.

Abstract: A sliding apparatus includes one or more stiffening plates mounted to the top surface of the sliding apparatus. The plates serve to stiffen localized areas on the snowboard in order to change the flexion and torsion characteristics of the snowboard in that localized area. The location of the stiffening plates can be adjusted to accommodate a wide range of riding stances and orientations. The stiffening plates can be utilized on a symmetrical sliding apparatus to provide asymmetrical flexion and torsion characteristics in order to accommodate the asymmetrical stance of the rider. The stiffening plates can also be adjusted to enable a ski or snowboard to perform well in both soft snow conditions and hard packed snow conditions. The stiffening plates can be positioned within a recessed channel in the top surface of the sliding apparatus in order to prevent snow from being forced under the stiffening plates during use.

Abstract: A snowboard includes one or more stiffening plates mounted to the top surface of the snowboard. The plates serve to stiffen localized areas on the snowboard in order to change the flexion and torsion characteristics of the snowboard in that localized area. The location of the stiffening plates can be adjusted to accommodate a wide range of riding stances and orientations. The stiffening plates can be utilized on a symmetrical snowboard to provide asymmetrical flexion and torsion characteristics in order to accommodate the asymmetrical stance of the rider. The stiffening plates can also be adjusted to enable a ski or snowboard to perform well in both soft snow conditions and hard packed snow conditions.

Abstract: A screen printing system and method is provided in accordance with the invention by using a circular base, a screen, an article to be printed and ink. The circular base has a planar top face. The circular base supports the article to be printed, such as an item of clothing made from cloth. The screen is held in a planar position by a rigid frame. The plane of the screen is positioned above and parallel to the plane of the top face of the circular base. The circular base has a side face with a groove therein which is adapted to hold a resilient flexible annular member. The resilient flexible annular member evenly holds the article to be printed to the circular base so that no wrinkles are allowed to remain in the article to be printed. If wrinkles were allowed to remain in the article to be printed then the pattern of the design to be printed would be distorted on the printed article. The screen includes a fine mesh cloth of fibrous material, such as, silk or nylon or similar filament.