38results about How to "Cost recovery" patented technology

A method and apparatus are provided for generating a sale offer over an electronic network (such as the Internet). The method and apparatus may be used with a commercial sale system designed to increase the revenue income of Web site by offering, at a substantially discounted or virtually free basis, one or more goods and / or services to visitors of the Web site. According to the features of the invention, the seller (who may be the owner or co-owner of the Web site) transmits a sale offer on the Web site for a high quality good or service, wherein the good or service can be purchased for free or a cost near to zero. The seller may make the offer visible and available to a number of perspective buyers, who are connected at that very moment to the Web site. According to an additional aspect of the invention, the sale offer may be available for only a very limited amount of time (e.g., one or more minutes) and may be offered at random or unpredictable times on the Web site in order to increase Web traffic to the site.

An apparatus and a method for tracking time spent on one or more Internet sites. The tracked information may then be used to generate detailed records containing the Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) of the sites visited, the exact time spent on each site, and a record of any downloads, file transfers, or other activities performed by the user. One or more reports may be generated from the detailed records and list the activity by each user, tabulating the web site accessed and the time spent on that web site. This information may then be utilized to generate an invoice for the work performed. The reports may be generated are stored electronically, and may be accessed by an invoicing program which uses stored hourly rates in conjunction with the information in the report to generate a detailed invoice for the client. The invention may be deployed on a personal computer, and enabled by a service operator who provides the time tracking and recouping system (e.g., a software means).

An incentive-based grocery cart washing and disinfecting system including a consumer special-offer coupon applying apparatus, for use in a batch or continuous process comprising a housing having at least one pipe manifold with nozzles positioned therein to provide at least one treatment zone selected from pre-wash, wash, disinfecting, and rinse zones. In addition, blown air water-stripping / drying zones may be provided, with a heating source to assist drying. Following drying, a strip of specially adapted grocery coupons is optionally applied to the grocery cart handle, so that the coupons can be redeemed by customers during their subsequent shopping. The housing is generally a linear tunnel permitting access of soiled carts at one end and removal of the clean, disinfected carts at the other end. A cart pusher system may be employed to transport the carts through the tunnel either singly or in nested groups. A convenient antimicrobial disinfecting solution is a water solution of hypochlorite. A single zone system is disclosed in which in a selected, optionally preprogrammed, sequence of application of pre-wash, wash, rinse, and disinfecting fluids are delivered to selected surfaces of the cart, followed by blown air, preferably heated, for stripping / drying,. The coupon strip comprises a leader portion and a coupon portion, and the leader can be wrapped and fixed around the grocery cart handle manually or by means of the automated machinery described. The system of the invention may be a fixed or mobile system, with the use preferably being on site at stores.

An information recommendation apparatus selects and recommends contents coincident with or similar to conditions input. The conditions are represented by predetermined items and attribute values corresponding thereto, from among contents formed of plural pieces of data having plural items and attribute values corresponding thereto and stored in a content database in which the contents are registered, wherein the recommended contents are output to the terminal.

A programmable vent for a duct used with a building environmental air temperature control system. The programmable vent includes a vent housing with a front face which has an inset, where the vent housing is configured to allow air flow from the duct. At least one louver is movably connected to the vent housing, an actuator is connected to the at least one louver, a controller module is removably attached to the vent housing and positioned in the inset, the controller module being connected to the actuator when positioned in the inset.

A method and system provides a targeted advertisement on a package to be delivered to a recipient. The advertisement is specifically directed towards the recipient of the package. Advertisement information is received from an advertiser that includes one or more advertisements that the advertiser desires to be placed. The advertisement information is associated with advertisement selection criteria. A request for a package to be delivered to the recipient is received. The package has one or more package characteristics, and the recipient has one or more recipient characteristics including at least one location characteristic. The advertisement selection criteria associated with an advertisement are analyzed in conjunction with the package characteristics and recipient characteristics associated with the package and its recipient. An advertisement for the package is either selected or created in response to the analyzing of the advertisement selection criteria, package characteristics, and recipient characteristics. The advertisement is then placed on the package for delivery.

A method of forming a hardened nano-imprinting stamp is disclosed. The hardened nano-imprinting stamp includes a plurality of silicon-based nano-sized features that have an hardened shell of silicon carbide, silicon nitride, or silicon carbide nitride. The hardened shell is made harder than the underlying silicon by a plasma carburization and / or a plasma nitridation process. During the plasma process atoms of carbon and / or nitrogen bombard and penetrate a plurality of exposed surfaces of the nano-sized features and chemically react with the silicon to form the hardened shell of silicon carbide, silicon nitride, or silicon carbide nitride.

The invention provides a dual-machine loading-and-walking type hydraulic numerical control deck erection gantry, which comprises two sets of loading-and-walking type hydraulic numerical control deck erection gantries and a control system, wherein each set of the loading-and-walking type hydraulic numerical control deck erection gantries comprises the following four parts: a transverse truss girder, two sets of walking type loading-and-walking devices arranged at two ends of the transverse truss girder, a hydraulic lifting device and a carrying pole of a hanger; each set of the walking type loading-and-walking devices consists of a guideway, a walking mechanism steel framework, m traction jacks, 4n load conversion jacks, a supporting pull rod, a walking roller bracket and P guideway walking jacks; all the components are connected with one another by pin shafts; and the control system of the deck erection gantry is a distributed computer network control system which consists of a main control station, Y field controllers, Y pump stations, Y pump station starting boxes, a data acquisition system, and a plurality of data wires and communication wires. The deck erection gantry has the advantages of great lifting force and high work efficiency and stability; and when the deck erection gantry walks with load, the control system of the deck erection gantry can effectively and synchronously control every jack.

An apparatus and a method for tracking time spent on one or more Internet sites. The tracked information may then be used to generate detailed records containing the Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) of the sites visited, the exact time spent on each site, and a record of any downloads, file transfers, or other activities performed by the user. One or more reports may be generated from the detailed records and list the activity by each user, tabulating the web site accessed and the time spent on that web site. This information may then be utilized to generate an invoice for the work performed. The reports may be generated are stored electronically, and may be accessed by an invoicing program which uses stored hourly rates in conjunction with the information in the report to generate a detailed invoice for the client. The invention may be deployed on a personal computer, and enabled by a service operator who provides the time tracking and recouping system (e.g., a software means).

An incentive-based grocery cart washing and disinfecting system including a consumer special-offer coupon applying apparatus, for use in a batch or continuous process comprising a housing having at least one pipe manifold with nozzles positioned therein to provide at least one treatment zone selected from pre-wash, wash, disinfecting, and rinse zones. In addition, blown air water-stripping / drying zones may be provided, with a heating source to assist drying. Following drying, a strip of specially adapted grocery coupons is optionally applied to the grocery cart handle, so that the coupons can be redeemed by customers during their subsequent shopping. The coupon strip comprises a leader portion and a coupon portion, and the leader can be wrapped and fixed around the grocery cart handle manually or by means of the automated machinery described. The system of the invention may be a fixed or mobile system, with the use preferably being on site at stores.

An information recommendation apparatus hasrecommendation means of selecting and recommending contents coincident with or similar to conditions input by condition input means of inputting the conditions represented by predetermined items and attribute values corresponding thereto designated through the terminal of a user via the Internet, from among contents formed of plural pieces of data having plural items and attribute values corresponding thereto and stored in a content database in which the contents are registered by registration means, whereinthe recommended contents are output to the terminal by output means via the Internet.

The exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide a system and method for administering a rewards program. The system includes a computer system in communication with a network. The computer system includes a creation module that creates a reward account upon issuing a credit card from a credit card issuer, a reward adjusting module that adjusts the reward account when the credit card is used in a transaction, and a reward module that grants at least one reward transaction for the credit card issuer. The method includes creating a reward account upon issuing a credit card from a credit card issuer, adjusting the reward account when the credit card is used in at least one transaction, and coordinating at least one rewards transaction for the credit card issuer.

A method of fabricating a silicon carbide imprint stamp is disclosed. A mold layer has a cavity formed therein. A spacer is formed in the cavity to reduce a first feature size of the cavity. A casting process is used to form a feature and a foundation layer connected with the feature. The spacer operatively reduces the first feature size of the feature to a second feature size that is less than the lithography limit. The foundation layer and the feature are unitary whole made from a material comprising silicon carbide (SiC), a material that is harder than silicon (Si) alone. Consequently, the silicon carbide imprint stamp has a longer service lifetime because it can endure several imprinting cycles without wearing out or breaking. The longer service lifetime makes the silicon carbide imprint stamp economically feasible to manufacture as the manufacturing cost can be recouped over the service lifetime.

A computer-implemented method for correcting transmission errors. According to the method, a transmitted vector corrupted by error can be recovered solving a linear program. The method has applications in the transmission of Internet media, Internet telephony, and speech transmission. In addition, error correction is embedded as a key building block in numerous algorithms, and data-structures, where corruption is possible; corruption of digital data stored on a hard-drive, CD, DVD or similar media is a good example. In short, progress in error correction has potential to impact several storage and communication systems.

A method and system provides a targeted advertisement on a package to be delivered to a recipient. The advertisement is specifically directed towards the recipient of the package. Advertisement information is received from an advertiser that includes one or more advertisements that the advertiser desires to be placed. The advertisement information is associated with advertisement selection criteria. A request for a package to be delivered to the recipient is received. The package has one or more package characteristics, and the recipient has one or more recipient characteristics including at least one location characteristic. The advertisement selection criteria associated with an advertisement are analyzed in conjunction with the package characteristics and recipient characteristics associated with the package and its recipient. An advertisement for the package is either selected or created in response to the analyzing of the advertisement selection criteria, package characteristics, and recipient characteristics. The advertisement is then placed on the package for delivery.

A valve is formed to resist snap-action closure forces and provides a smooth closing action to minimize or eliminate water hammer. The valve is opened and closed by modulating the relative air pressures above and below a piston in the valve. Because the air pressures above and below the piston produce partially offsetting forces on the piston, the net closure force on the valve plunger is limited, and the rate of valve closure is reduced enough to achieve the effect of minimizing water hammer. A separate vent port volume may vent to atmosphere to further limit valve closure speed, and to further reduce water hammer. The valve can provide the capability to control the flow of fluids over a wide temperature range over a long service life while reducing or eliminating water hammer. The valve is well suited for use in injection mold temperature control systems.

An enhanced Calling Party Pays (CPP) or Paging Party Pays (PPP) system that enables 1) billing of calls originating from traditionally non-billable sources, 2) routing of incoming calls to voicemail if the caller does not wish to incur the additional charges, 3) allowing the caller to complete the call and charge the cellular (or paging) subscriber for additional air-time usage when the caller enters a PIN or security code, also referred to as a billing override code, and 4) allowing the caller to block CPP / PPP charges from being billed to the calling party

The invention relates to the technical field of electroplating, and particularly relates to an electroplating device for plastic automobile ornaments. The device comprises a rack, wherein the bottom of the rack is provided with an electroplating box and a storage cavity, a lifting frame is movably mounted on the rack, an electroplating pool is arranged in the electroplating box, the electroplatingpool is internally provided with electroplating liquid, the bottom of the electroplating pool is externally connected with an infusion duct, a booster pump is installed on the infusion duct, a powersupply is installed on the side edge of the rack, a positive electrode of the power supply is connected with metal pieces through a plurality of electrical connecting wires correspondingly, the metalpieces are located in the electroplating pool, a workpiece clamped on the lifting frame is connected with a negative electrode of the power supply through an electric connecting wire, the lifting frame is arranged on the rack, a lifting plate is mounted on the lifting frame, and a clamping frame is installed at the bottom end of the lifting plate. According to the device, through the transfer of metal ions, the electroplating treatment on the surface of the workpiece is completed, and the effect of three-dimensional azimuth adjustment can be achieved.

A system and method for setting a software option of a numeric control device, by which a user cannot set the options without permission and a cost regarding option configuration may be recovered by a maker. A maker PC generates option setting data for setting bit information to one or zero, based on a name or a number of a software option to be set, in order to make the function of the software option valid or invalid. This data is encoded or encrypted by using a unique identification number of a control device. The control device reads and decodes the encoded software option setting data, in order to set data of the corresponding memory address and bit number in the control device to one or zero. By using the unique identification number of the control device, only the control device, the software option setting data of which is required, can decode the encoded data.

A method of fabricating a silicon carbide imprint stamp is disclosed. A mold layer has a cavity formed therein. A spacer is formed in the cavity to reduce a first feature size of the cavity. A casting process is used to form a feature and a foundation layer connected with the feature. The spacer operatively reduces the first feature size of the feature to a second feature size that is less than the lithography limit. The foundation layer and the feature are unitary whole made from a material comprising silicon carbide (SiC), a material that is harder than silicon (Si) alone. Consequently, the silicon carbide imprint stamp has a longer service lifetime because it can endure several imprinting cycles without wearing out or breaking. The longer service lifetime makes the silicon carbide imprint stamp economically feasible to manufacture as the manufacturing cost can be recouped over the service lifetime.

A computer system consolidates and analyzes information related to a patient to evaluate possible third-party liability for the patient's healthcare expenses. In some instances, multiple sources are searched for different indicators of possible third-party liability and / or for evidence as to whether particular healthcare expenses are subject to third-party liability conditions.

A hardened nano-imprinting stamp and a method of forming a hardened nano-imprinting stamp are disclosed. The hardened nano-imprinting stamp includes a plurality of silicon-based nano-sized features that have an hardened shell of silicon carbide, silicon nitride, or silicon carbide nitride. The hardened shell is made harder than the underlying silicon by a plasma carburization and / or a plasma nitridation process. During the plasma process atoms of carbon and / or nitrogen bombard and penetrate a plurality of exposed surfaces of the nano-sized features and chemically react with the silicon to form the hardened shell of silicon carbide, silicon nitride, or silicon carbide nitride. The lifetime, durability, economy, and accuracy of the resulting hardened nano-imprinting stamp are improved.

A valve is formed to resist snap-action closure forces and provides a smooth closing action to minimize or eliminate water hammer. The valve is opened and closed by modulating the relative air pressures above and below a piston in the valve. Because the air pressures above and below the piston produce partially offsetting forces on the piston, the net closure force on the valve plunger is limited, and the rate of valve closure is reduced enough to achieve the effect of minimizing water hammer. A separate vent port volume may vent to atmosphere to further limit valve closure speed, and to further reduce water hammer. The valve can provide the capability to control the flow of fluids over a wide temperature range over a long service life while reducing or eliminating water hammer. The valve is well suited for use in injection mold temperature control systems.

A method of administering a rewards program for a credit card issuer client of a rewards contractor. The rewards contractor makes arrangements for delivery of a reward to a recipient designated by the credit card issuer, and payment for the reward is made using a credit card issued by the credit card issuer. In this manner, the credit card issuer client receives a revenue stream in the form of the standard transaction rate charged to the vendor of the reward, which can be used to offset a portion of the cost of the rewards program.

A once-recordable optical disk has a data recorded area in which application software for creating an information group and a first file system are prerecorded. The application software is readable with the first file system and is used to select desired ones from among information pieces stored in a personal computer and form the information group. According to instructions from the application software, a second file system and the information group readable with the second file system are written in a blank area of the optical disk. After the creation of the information group, the application software and first file system in the optical disk are disabled so that they are unreadable with the second file system.

A lighting control system for municipalities and recreation departments is disclosed. The lighting system can process payments so that a user can pay for usage of a recreational facility at the time of need. The lighting control system can communicate with remote systems such that only a single cellular connection or broadband connection is required.

Systems and methods are provided that allow law officers to carry out financial transactions with individuals having outstanding warrants who might otherwise be arrested. The system includes a wireless (typically cellular based) credit card / debit card transaction unit carried by the law officer during the process of serving the warrant, or during a traffic stop, wherein an outstanding warrant is identified. The system further includes a wide area network (Internet) connection that facilitates record keeping functionality associated with the posting of the bond or payment of the fine by the individual being addressed by the law officer. The appropriate financial transaction computer systems convey payment or posting of the bond to a database associated with the police station or the like. Likewise, wide area network (Internet) connections to databases associated with the judicial courts that may have issued the warrants are also secured for the purposes of verifying the posting of the bond or the payment of the fine. The real time updating of records in each of the various agency databases provides the necessary security for both the individual on whom the warrant is served, and for the agencies involved in executing the warrant.