Other

USA as Represented by Secretary of the Navy

Electronic Credit Systems Corporation

Robert J Bernstein

Debra R Rolison

William H Schultz

Celia I Merzbacher

Alan D Berry

Zachary J Homrighaus

Ken Limparis

Robert A Eakins

A system includes one or more processors configured to receive a unique customer identifier that is generated by a computer of a referring vendor. The unique customer identifier associates a customer with a product purchased by the customer and covered by a referral agreement. The one or more processors distribute promotional material of a referral receiving vendor to the customer associated with the unique customer identifier. The promotional material incorporates the unique customer identifier. The system includes a computer of the referral receiving vendor that receives one or both of the promotional material or the unique customer identifier from the customer at a point of sale with the referral receiving vendor. Upon validating the unique customer identifier, the computer of the referral receiving vendor is configured to discount a purchase price of one or more items according to a predetermined discount rate in the promotional material.

Business to business marketing system

This invention pertains to an article that emits infrared radiation for a period of about 15 minutes or more, depending on the size and shape, and to a process for preparing the article. The article includes, in a preferred embodiment, a combustible aerogel or other nanocellular substrate with iron metal impregnant formed by thermal decomposition of iron pentacarbonyl deposited on and in the substrate in an amount of at least about 5% or at least about 20% of the weight of the substrate, depending on the substrate. The impregnant reacts exothermically on contact with air or an oxygen-containing gas and imparts sufficient energy to the substrate to cause it to burn for about 30 seconds to about 30 minutes depending on size and shape, thereby emitting infrared radiation. The process pertains to deposition of the impregnant on and in the substrate by flowing a carrier gas saturated with the impregnant precursor over and through the substrate. Liquid impregnant precursors can be transported to the substrate by bubbling a carrier gas through the precursor. Solid impregnant precursors can be thermally volatilized and similarly deposited on and in the substrate. Soluble impregnants, or their precursors, can be deposited on the internal and external surfaces of the substrate by diffusing the precursor solution into the pores and distilling off the solvent under inert atmosphere, leaving the pyrophoric impregnant in and on the substrate surfaces.

Long duration infrared-emitting material

An automatic account controller for remotely arranging for payment of debt to a vendor. The controller includes a detector for activating the portable account controller upon detection of indicia of identity of an authorized user and a selector for selecting a mode of payment to the vendor. The controller further includes a keypad for entering a payment amount, a wireless transceiver for communicating with the vendor, and a processor for executing the selected mode of payment to the vendor through the apparatus for communicating.

Automatic portable account controller for remotely arranging for payment

A controller for a centrifugal clutch with circumferentially spaced actuating weights having radially inwardly projecting actuating arms that pivot rearwardly as the rate of rotation of the clutch accelerates and the weights move to increase actuating pressure in and through the clutch. The controller includes a fluid actuated cylinder and piston unit with a piston rod that carries an arm engages throw-out bearing positioned rearward of the actuating arms. The cylinder is normally charged with a fluid medium that urges the piston and rod forwardly to one end of the cylinder and where the throw-out bearing engages and stops the arms in their normal unactuated position. The cylinder is connected with fluid handling parts that operate to bleed liquid from the cylinder and to allow the piston, rod and throw-out bearing to move rearwardly at a predetermined programmed rate and to restrain pivoting of the arms and weights to a rate that is less than the rate at which the weights and arms would move if not restrained and to thereby slow and control the rate of increase of actuating pressure in and through the clutch.

Growing community of inventors

Wellington, FL, United States of America

Robert J Bernstein