Abstract: A remote medical assessment and therapy management apparatus comprising a center user interface, a center computer coupleable with the center user interface. The center computer displays information via the center user interface for use in developing a therapeutic prescription and receives therapeutic control inputs from a user. A remote device includes a medical diagnostic instrument for acquiring biophysical data from a patient, a medical therapeutic instrument that provides a therapy to the patient, and a remote computer that receives diagnostic signals from the diagnostic instrument and transmits therapeutic control signals to the therapeutic instrument. A network interface is connected between the first center computer and the remote computer and transmits diagnostic signals from the remote computer to the center computer and control signals from the center computer to the therapeutic instrument via the remote computer.

Abstract: A method for treating brain-related chronic pain disorders in human subjects includes assessing the brain function of a subject suffering from chronic pain, diagnosing a chronic pain-related abnormal brain condition, and mitigating the abnormal brain activity by applying an electrical stimulation signal to tissues corresponding to at least one area of abnormal brain activity.

Abstract: Methods and systems for managing the sale of commodities, such as tier-priced commodities, are described. Risk is managed by bundling with the commodity a financial instrument designed to indemnify against the risks associated with purchasing the commodity. The financial instrument may be an insurance instrument, for example. In one embodiment, bundled products are offered for sale to two or more bidders, at respective offer prices. The bidder that exceeds their respective offer price by the greatest amount is sold the bundled product. Different prices may be offered to different purchasers for respective bundled products. The offers, bids, and determination of who wins the bidding may be made by processors or computers coupled to networks, such as the Internet.

Abstract: Methods and systems for managing the sale of commodities, such as tier-priced commodities, are described. Risk is managed by bundling with the commodity a financial instrument designed to indemnify against the risks associated with purchasing the commodity. The financial instrument may be an insurance instrument, for example. In one embodiment, bundled products are offered for sale to two or more bidders, at respective offer prices. The bidder that exceeds their respective offer price by the greatest amount is sold the bundled product. Different prices may be offered to different purchasers for respective bundled products. The offers, bids, and determination of who wins the bidding may be made by processors or computers coupled to networks, such as the Internet.

Abstract: A remote medical assessment and therapy management apparatus comprising a center user interface, a center computer coupleable with the center user interface. The center computer displays information via the center user interface for use in developing a therapeutic prescription and receives therapeutic control inputs from a user. A remote device includes a medical diagnostic instrument for acquiring biophysical data from a patient, a medical therapeutic instrument that provides a therapy to the patient, and a remote computer that receives diagnostic signals from the diagnostic instrument and transmits therapeutic control signals to the therapeutic instrument. A network interface is connected between the first center computer and the remote computer and transmits diagnostic signals from the remote computer to the center computer and control signals from the center computer to the therapeutic instrument via the remote computer.

Abstract: A method for treating brain-related chronic pain disorders in human subjects includes assessing the brain function of a subject suffering from chronic pain, diagnosing a chronic pain-related abnormal brain condition, and mitigating the abnormal brain activity by applying an electrical stimulation signal to tissues corresponding to at least one area of abnormal brain activity.

Abstract: A customer paging and communications system comprising a base unit and a plurality of pagers. The base unit may include an input interface and a base unit processor that's configured to receive pager identifiers and then generate alert signals associated with the respective pager identifiers. The base unit may also include a base unit transmitter that transmits the pager identifiers, an informational message, and an alert signal to the pagers. Each of the pagers may be identified with a corresponding one of the pager identifiers and may comprise a pager receiver and pager processor configured to receive the corresponding pager identifier, an informational message, and an alert signal from the base unit. Each pager processor may be configured to generate an alert if a received alert signal is associated with the pager identifier associated with that particular pager. Each pager may also include a display that may be configured to display the informational message received from the base unit.

Abstract: Methods and systems for managing the sale of commodities, such as tier-priced commodities, are described. Risk is managed by bundling with the commodity a financial instrument designed to indemnify against the risks associated with purchasing the commodity. The financial instrument may be an insurance instrument, for example. In one embodiment, bundled products are offered for sale to two or more bidders, at respective offer prices. The bidder that exceeds their respective offer price by the greatest amount is sold the bundled product. Different prices may be offered to different purchasers for respective bundled products. The offers, bids, and determination of who wins the bidding may be made by processors or computers coupled to networks, such as the Internet.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for increasing platform attitude adjustment range for platforms supported by jacks in which the apparatus includes jacks for supporting a platform at spaced-apart locations, jack drive mechanisms, and a controller connected to each of the jacks through their respective jack drive mechanisms and programmed to adjust platform attitude by coordinating jack movement. The controller coordinates jack movement by selecting and commanding at least one of the jacks to retract and selecting and commanding at least one other of the jacks to extend.

Abstract: Methods and systems for managing the sale of a tier-priced commodity are described. Risk is managed by bundling with the commodity at the lower tier a financial instrument designed to indemnify against the risks associated with purchasing the commodity at the lower tier. The financial instrument may be an insurance instrument, for example. In one embodiment, prices of a commodity at two and a price or value of a financial instrument are determined. The purchase price of the bundled product is a function of the price of the commodity at the lower tier and the price or value of the financial instrument, which may depend, in part, on the purchaser. Different prices may be offered to different purchasers for respective bundled products. Other embodiments relate to selling bundled products over a network, such as the Internet, auctioning bundled products, and searching for the best price of a bundled product.

Abstract: An electric jack load balancing method and device for reducing the difference in load carried by each jack of a pair of electric jacks while adjusting the attitude of a platform. The device includes a controller configured to reduce the difference in load carried by each jack of a pair of electric jacks. The method includes monitoring the power draws of the jack motors of the pair of electric jacks, comparing the ratio of the power draws of the jack motors to a predetermined desirable power draw ratio, and when the jack motor power draw ratio differs from the desirable power draw ratio, modifying the operation of the jacks in such a way as to decrease the difference between their actual power draw ratio and the predetermined desirable power draw ratio.

Abstract: A method and device for detecting the stroke limit of an electric motor-driven jack while the jack is being used to adjust the attitude of a mobile platform. A controller is programmed to detect when an electric jack motor has driven a jack to a jack stroke limit by monitoring one or more jack motor power draw characteristics and comparing those values to known values associated with the driving of a jack at or near the end of a jack stroke.

Abstract: An electric jack ground contact detection method and device for detecting ground contact of an electric motor-driven jack as the jack is being extended to adjust the attitude of a mobile platform. The device includes a controller that monitors the electrical power draw of an electric motor-driven jack while the jack is being extended for use in adjusting the attitude of a mobile platform. The controller recognizes jack ground contact when the monitored power draw value exceeds a ground contact power draw value consistent with jack ground contact. The controller calculates the ground contact power draw value as equaling the sum of a dynamically-adjusted threshold power draw value associated with jack extension before ground contact and a power draw increase value equaling an amount of additional power that the jack is known to draw as a result of jack ground contact.

Abstract: An assembly for adjusting the attitude of any selected portion a structure such as a motor vehicle. A controller connects to and controls one or more jacks operable to change the attitude of a structure. A proportional tilt sensor is connected to the controller and is supported on the structure. The tilt sensor provides signals to the controller, which represent the degree of longitudinal pitch and lateral roll of a portion of the structure the sensor is connected to. The controller moves a selected portion of the structure into a desired attitude by commanding movement of the entire structure into an attitude where the tilt sensor signals match any one of a number of preset reference values corresponding to the desired attitude of the selected portion of the structure.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a method of operating a processor coupled to a network to manage the sale of a commodity is comprises providing bidders with respective prices for bundled products. Each bundled product comprises a commodity and a respective insurance instrument to indemnify against loss associated with at least one risk related to the purchase of the commodity by each respective bidder. The prices are provided to the bidders from the processor, over a network. Bids are received by the processor, which determines which of the bidders exceeds their respective prices by a greater amount. The bundled product may be sold to that bidder by the processor. The price of each insurance instrument may depend, at least in part, on one or more factors associated with each bidder. Different prices may therefore be provided to different bidders for respective bundled products. Systems are described as well.

Abstract: An assembly for adjusting the attitude of any selected portion a structure such as a motor vehicle. A controller connects to and controls one or more jacks operable to change the attitude of a structure. A proportional tilt sensor is connected to the controller and is supported on the structure. The tilt sensor provides signals to the controller, which represent the degree of longitudinal pitch and lateral roll of a portion of the structure the sensor is connected to. The controller moves a selected portion of the structure into a desired attitude by commanding movement of the entire structure into an attitude where the tilt sensor signals match any one of a number of preset reference values corresponding to the desired attitude of the selected portion of the structure.

Abstract: A leveling assembly for analyzing the attitude of a structure such as a motor vehicle in two axes. The assembly drives leveling devices on the structure to correct the attitude of the structure relative to a calibrated reference point or attitude. The assembly includes a controller connected to the leveling devices and a proportional two-axis tilt sensor that is connected to the controller and supported on the structure. The tilt sensor provides analog signals to the controller that represent the attitude of the structure about longitudinal pitch and lateral roll axes. The controller also uses those signals to determine the attitude of the structure relative to a calibrated sensitivity factor and a user-defined zero point. This allows an operator or installer to determine which portion of the structure will be leveled without regard to the location of the tilt sensor and allows an installer to mount the tilt sensor at any point on the structure.