Abstract: The present invention provides a plurality of Enterprises with a single online user interface with which the Enterprise can provide Enterprise Shippers, shipping origination users and shipping intermediary users with an automated parcel management system for a plurality of supported Carriers for a plurality of services. The present invention provides for the hierarchical definition of users, including the establishment of at least one user for each Enterprise as a Super-Administrator with the highest level of privileges and authority for the Enterprise, and the identification of other users as Sub-Administrators, Desktop Users and Shipping Station Users. The present invention also provides for the hierarchical definition of organizational units within each Enterprise, including the definition of sites, groups within a site, and users within a group.

Abstract: The present invention provides a computer system for managing shipping of a plurality of parcels by a plurality of users using a plurality of carriers that functionally aligns each server computer device of a plurality of server computer devices so that each server computer device performs a plurality of activities in support of a primary function.

Abstract: The present invention provides a plurality of Enterprises with a single online user interface with which the Enterprise can provide Enterprise Shippers, shipping origination users and shipping intermediary users with an automated parcel management system for a plurality of supported Carriers for a plurality of services. The present invention provides for the hierarchical definition of users, including the establishment of at least one user for each Enterprise as a Super-Administrator with the highest level of privileges and authority for the Enterprise, and the identification of other users as Sub-Administrators, Desktop Users and Shipping Station Users. The present invention also provides for the hierarchical definition of organizational units within each Enterprise, including the definition of sites, groups within a site, and users within a group.

Abstract: The present invention provides a computer system (the “System”, or the “Return System”) that is configured and programmed to provide online stores with a fast, simple, convenient way for eCommerce customers of an online store to return merchandise purchased from that store from within that online store. The Return System provides multi-carrier shipment rating, shipment labeling, shipment tracking, shipment tracking management reports, returns analysis and returns management reporting In an exemplary embodiment, the Return System has three major components: 1.) A Returns Manager Subsystem that provides a user interface to each Merchant to setup the Merchant's account, setup the Merchant's return policy and rules, and to monitor the status and movement of return shipments; 2.

Abstract: The present invention provides apparatus, systems and methods providing a single system available over a global communications network for shipping management for each parcel from a plurality of parcels that each Shipper of a plurality of Shippers ships using any one of a plurality of services offered by any one of a plurality of carriers.

Abstract: The present invention provides a computer system (the “System”, or the “Return System”) that is configured and programmed to provide online stores with a fast, simple, convenient way for eCommerce customers of an online store to return merchandise purchased from that store from within that online store. The Return System provides multi-carrier shipment rating, shipment labeling, shipment tracking, shipment tracking management reports, returns analysis and returns management reporting In an exemplary embodiment, the Return System has three major components: 1.) A Returns Manager Subsystem that provides a user interface to each Merchant to setup the Merchant's account, setup the Merchant's return policy and rules, and to monitor the status and movement of return shipments; 2.

Abstract: Various embodiments for aggregating packages into a pouch in a shipping environment are disclosed. For example, package details associated with a package are compared to one or more incompatibility factors, and if the package details do not match the one or more incompatibility factors, a package identifier uniquely identifying the package is added to a pouch manifest. If the package is not compatible with the pouch, an error message may be displayed to a user indicating that the package is incompatible. In addition, package details may be compared with compatibility factors identifying criteria for packages that are compatible with the pouch and questionable compatibility factors identifying criteria for packages that may be compatible with the pouch. Compatibility factors and questionable compatibility factors may include, for example, service options, delivery notification options, or destination zip code(s).

Abstract: The present invention includes systems and methods for the controlled deployment of software in a web-based environment where multiple versions of a single application are supported to provide field experience of various versions before general deployment. The systems and methods of the invention support backwards compatibility, which allows older versions of the same software to be accessed concurrently with newer (revised) versions. Likewise, data item opaqueness is supported whereby data items not recognized by a software level or tier are not rejected but are passed on to another tier or level where they may be recognized.

Abstract: The present invention provides apparatus, systems and methods for determining for each of a plurality of users upon each user's input of a particular origin postal code and a particular destination postal code an origin rating zone identifier corresponding to the identifier corresponding to the particular destination postal code for each of the plurality of carriers. Each user accesses the present invention over a global communications network using a client computer device, and each user client computer device has an individual electronic connection to the global communications network.

Abstract: The present invention provides apparatus, systems and methods providing a printer interface in a global communications environment for a shipping management system resident on a server computer device remote from a user client computer device, that creates an image of a shipping label with dimensionally accurate symbologies, such as a bar code label, for display on a remote display device and for printing on a remote printing device, such as a laser printer, configured with the remote user client computer device. The present invention provides apparatus, systems and methods providing a printer interface that recognizes the graphic resolution for each printer, including laser printers, configured with each of a plurality of remote user client computer devices, wherein the printer interface communicates with each remote user client computer device over a global communications network.

Abstract: A method of human resources management is provided to allow an employer with excess available employee resources to loan one or more employees to another employer with need for additional employees in an efficient manner by avoiding the costly conventional processes of laying off excess employees or hiring new employees. In an embodiment, the method of human resources management is implemented in a web-based computer system which allows employers to search for available employees with appropriate qualifications and fill their employment needs quickly and efficiently.

Abstract: The present invention provides a computer system (the “System”, or the “Return System”) that is configured and programmed to provide online stores with a fast, simple, convenient way for eCommerce customers of an online store to return merchandise purchased from that store from within that online store. The Return System provides multi-carrier shipment rating, shipment labeling, shipment tracking, shipment tracking management reports, returns analysis and returns management reporting In an exemplary embodiment, the Return System has three major components: 1.) A Returns Manager Subsystem that provides a user interface to each Merchant to setup the Merchant's account, setup the Merchant's return policy and rules, and to monitor the status and movement of return shipments; 2.

Abstract: The present invention provides a plurality of Enterprises with a single online user interface with which the Enterprise can provide Enterprise Shippers, shipping origination users and shipping intermediary users with an automated parcel management system for a plurality of supported Carriers for a plurality of services. The present invention provides for the hierarchical definition of users, including the establishment of at least one user for each Enterprise as a Super-Administrator with the highest level of privileges and authority for the Enterprise, and the identification of other users as Sub-Administrators, Desktop Users and Shipping Station Users. The present invention also provides for the hierarchical definition of organizational units within each Enterprise, including the definition of sites, groups within a site, and users within a group.

Abstract: A brush seal includes a retainer and a multiplicity of single bristles each bristle having a fixed end and a free sealing end, the fixed ends being individually attached in a continuous arrangement at the same angle to the retainer, the bristles having a uniform pack density throughout the extent of the bristles from the fixed to the sealing end.

Abstract: The present invention provides a drilling system for drilling oilfield boreholes or wellbores utilizing a drill string having a drilling assembly conveyed downhole by a tubing (usually a drill pipe or coiled tubing). The drilling assembly includes a bottom hole assembly (BHA) and a drill bit. The bottom hole assembly preferably contains commonly used measurement-while-drilling sensors. The drill string also contains a variety of sensors for determining downhole various properties of the drilling fluid. Sensors are provided to determine density, viscosity, flow rate, clarity, compressibility, pressure and temperature of the drilling fluid at one or more downhole locations. Chemical detection sensors for detecting the presence of gas (methane) and H2S are disposed in the drilling assembly. Sensors for determining fluid density, viscosity, pH, solid content, fluid clarity, fluid compressibility, and a spectroscopy sensor are also disposed in the BHA.

Abstract: An arcjet thruster has a constrictor and nozzle defining an arc chamber. The constrictor has an insulator and an anode. The constrictor defines a subsonic-to-supersonic transition zone axially coextensive with the inculator and anode. The anode is disposed side-by-side with the insulator and located upstream therefrom. A rod defines a cathode spaced from the anode by a gap. An electrical potential is applied to the anode and cathode to generate an electrical arc in the chamber which produces thermal heating of propellant gases flowing through the chamber and expansion thereof through the nozzle. Location of the insulator downstream from the anode causes diffusion and attachment of the arc to occur at the region of the anode in the constrictor and prevents movement of the arc diffusion and attachment region downstream past the insulator to the nozzle in response to propellant gas mass flow variations through the constrictor.

Abstract: A hybrid electrothermal/electromagentic arcjet thruster has a cylindrical body with a longitudinal central axis, a plurality of electro-thermal propulsion mechanisms defined in the body in radially and circumferentially spaced relation about and extending along the central axis, and an electromagnetic propulsion mechanism defined in the body coaxially along the central axis thereof, between the electrothermal propulsion mechanisms and extending downstream thereof. Each electrothermal propulsion mechanism has tandemly-arranged constriction and expansion zones and are operable to concurrently receive a flow of gaseous propellant through the constriction zone and generate an electric arc therethrough to the expansion zone. The arcs interact with the propellant flows such that the latter are partially ionized and electrothermally accelerated through the expansion zones. The electromagnetic propulsion mechanism has an expansion chamber which communicates with, and extends downstream of, the expansion zones.

Abstract: A system for monitoring the safety and location of individuals includes a portable transceiver worn by each individual and a base control unit for sending interrogation signals to the individual units. The interrogation signals are transmitted through both air and water, and the individual units transmit a response through the medium through which the interrogation signal was received. The base unit measures both the elapsed time from transmission to reception and the incoming phase angles of the response signal, and converts these measurements to indications of distance and angle between the base unit and the individual transceivers.

Abstract: An improved efficiency arcjet thruster has a constrictor and electrically-conductive nozzle anode defining an arc chamber, and an electrically-conductive rod having a tip spaced upstream from the constrictor and defining a cathode spaced from the anode by a gap generally coextensive with the arc chamber. An electrical potential is applied to the anode and cathode to generate an electrical arc in the arc chamber from the cathode to anode. Catalytically decomposed hydrazine is supplied to the arc chamber with generation of the arc so as to produce thermal heating and expansion thereof through the nozzle. The constrictor can have a electrically insulative portion disposed between the cathode tip and the nozzle anode, and an electrically-conductive anode extension disposed along the insulative portion so as to define an auxiliary gap with the cathode tip substantially smaller than the gap defined between the cathode and nozzle anode for facilitating startup of arc generation.

Abstract: Apparatus for converting wave motion at the surface of a supporting medium into usable power and including a buoyant main body 24 forming a housing for a plurality of pumps 30 and a float system 28 connected thereto such that wave induced relative motion between the body 24 and the component parts of the float system 28 causes actuation of the pumps 30. The pumps 30 intake water from the supporting medium and pumps it through an effluent conduit 12 to a remote location 16 where it is used to perform useful work. The apparatus can be scuttled during storms, with effective resurrection made possible by using the buoys of the float system to store air, or other fluid, under pressure until needed to purge the buoyant main body of water.