Abstract: A stamped bare wire metal heating element for heating fluid in a tankless electric fluid heating device may include a first electrically conductive portion extending linearly; a second electrically conductive portion extending linearly; and a third electrically conductive portion connecting the first electrically conductive portion to the second electrically conductive portion at a first end of the stamped bare wire metal heating element, wherein the stamped bare wire metal heating element is open between the first electrically conductive portion and the second electrically conductive portion at a second end of the stamped bare wire metal heating element.

Abstract: An information management system is described herein which maintains collected information that pertains to users, received from one or more data sources. The information management system also maintains a store of consent information. The consent information describes, for each user, at least one permission rule (established by the user) which enables at least one data consumer to receive at least part of the collected information for that user. Upon the occurrence of a triggering event, an information distribution module operates by distributing identified part(s) of the collected information to appropriate data consumer(s), as governed by the consent information. In this manner of operation, the consent information functions as global metadata which, from a centralized platform, governs the dissemination of the collected information to any data consumer in an application-agnostic manner.

Abstract: A mechanism that allows employers to associate “identity” tokens with a centralized healthcare record is provided. These tokens can be used by wellness applications to target specific behavior related to partnering employers. The innovation also provides for a mechanism that allows employers to review “events” from across the centralized healthcare data ecosystem. These events can be used to track program effectiveness. The events can be fed back into other employer systems such as incentive engines to close the loop with employees.

Abstract: A method for protecting access to health information. The method includes presenting a graphical user interface for accessing health information. The health information may include a health record which includes at least one item. A request to access the health record is received and the health record is retrieved from a data store. The items of the health record are filtered based on a source of the request to access the health record. A portion of the health record may be displayed.

Abstract: A distributed directory service for an on-line services network comprises multiple, separate services, referred to as “Directory Service Providers,” running on respective groups of application servers. Each Directory Service Provider stores and provides access to a respective hierarchical directory structure, with nodes of the directory structures representing the various on-line services and other content entities which may be accessed by end users of the network. Junction point nodes are used to provide user-transparent links between the different directory structures, so that the directory structures appear to end users as a single, hierarchical directory. A common application program interface (API) is implemented by all Directory Service Providers, allowing client applications running on computers of end users to access the different directory structures using a common set of software methods.

Abstract: A distributed directory service for an online services network. The directory service comprises multiple, separate services, referred to as “Directory Service Providers.” Each Directory Service Provider stores and provides access to a respective hierarchical directory structure, with nodes of the directory structures representing the various on-line services and other content entities which may be accessed by end users of the network. A common application program interface is implemented by all Directory Service Providers, allowing client applications running on computers of end users to access the different directory structures using a common set of software methods. Various forms of node filtering, including language-based filtering and access rights filtering, are performed by the Directory Service Providers to determine which nodes to show end users.

Abstract: A distributed directory service for an on-line services network comprises multiple, separate services, referred to as “Directory Service Providers,” running on respective groups of application servers. Each Directory Service Provider stores and provides access to a respective hierarchical directory structure, with nodes of the directory structures representing the various on-line services and other content entities which may be accessed by end users of the network. Junction point nodes are used to provide user-transparent links between the different directory structures, so that the directory structures appear to end users as a single, hierarchical directory. A common application program interface (API) is implemented by all Directory Service Providers, allowing client applications running on computers of end users to access the different directory structures using a common set of software methods.

Abstract: A distributed directory service for an online services network comprises multiple, separate services (Directory Service Providers) runs on application servers and provides access to a respective hierarchical directory structure. Nodes of directory structures representing online services may be accessed by end users of the network. Junction point nodes provide usertransparent links between the different directory structures which appear to end users as a single hierarchical directory. A common application program interface (API) implemented by the Directory Service Providers allows client applications to access the different directory structures using a common set of software methods. Data items shared by multiple nodes are optionally stored by the Directory Service Providers within a shared database and can be accessed via special API methods. Nodes are selected for display to end users using various forms of node filtering at the Directory Service Providers.

Abstract: A distributed directory service for an on-line services network comprises multiple, separate services, referred to as “Directory Service Providers,” running on respective groups of application servers. Each Directory Service Provider stores and provides access to a respective hierarchical directory structure, with nodes of the directory structures representing the various on-line services and other content entities which may be accessed by end users of the network. Junction point nodes are used to provide user-transparent links between the different directory structures, so that the directory structures appear to end users as a single, hierarchical directory. A common application program interface (API) is implemented by all Directory Service Providers, allowing client applications running on computers of end users to access the different directory structures using a common set of software methods.

Abstract: A distributed directory service for an on-line services network comprises multiple, separate services, referred to as “Directory Service Providers,” running on respective groups of application servers. Each Directory Service Provider stores and provides access to a respective hierarchical directory structure, with nodes of the directory structures representing the various on-line services and other content entities which may be accessed by end users of the network. Junction point nodes are used to provide user-transparent links between the different directory structures, so that the directory structures appear to end users as a single, hierarchical directory. A common application program interface (API) is implemented by all Directory Service Providers, allowing client applications running on computers of end users to access the different directory structures using a common set of software methods.

Abstract: The on-line network access system of the present invention operates as an extension of a computer's operating system to provide a graphical interface which displays the offerings available in the on-line network. The organization of the offerings are displayed in a manner which is visually similar to the way the operating system displays the organization of the computer's local file system. Using multiple navigators, the system displays different user interfaces which correspond to different offerings on the on-line network. The system further provides a content map which illustrates the location of a user in the on-line network. In addition, the system creates "shortcuts" which allow users of the on-line network to reference particular locations in the on-line network. A unique shortcut data structure allows the storage of the shortcuts in the user's computer or the transfer of the shortcuts to others.