International Business Machines Corporation

Samuel Dinkin

Paul Andrew Moskowitz

Stephen Joy Boies

Philip Shi-lung Yu

David Perry Greene

Philip Shilung Yu

Edith H Stern

William Grey

Barry Edward Willner

Anthony Tom Levas

A system relating to a fee address is described. A method of directing mail to a public mailbox, determining a fee based upon the preferences of the mail recipient, receiving the fee and forwarding the mail to a private mailbox is also provided. Many different types of addresses can be employed, including for example, email, telephone, facsimile, pager, zip code and identification pin numbers. Fees may be determined by person, size, time or urgency.

System and method for a fee address system

A system and method of decentralized e-commerce for searching and indexing non-standardized content is provided. The content is tagged with provider tags to identify content fields of information within the content and is stored remotely at one or more network locations for searching and indexing by a portal server. The provider tags are devised according to each provider's own tagging scheme. The provider tags are in turn cross-referenced with portal tags of a portal tagging standard using key information supplied by the provider. The portal server uses the key information to conduct field specific searching and/or indexing of the decentralized, non-standardized content.

System and method for providing decentralized E-commerce

Systems and methods are provided wherein a consumable item parameter is exchanged between a consumable item and a consuming device. According to one embodiment, a consumable item parameter request is transmitted to a device associated with a consumable item, and the consumable item parameter is then received. The device may comprise, for example, the consumable item or a device associated with dispensing the consumable item. The device may also comprise, for example, a device associated with a consumption of the consumable item, a device adapted to control a consumption of the consumable item, or a device that consumes the consumable item.

Systems and methods wherein a consumable item parameter is exchanged between a consumable item and a consuming device

A method for providing directions includes receiving at a server, from at least one fixed wireless communication device, information identifying a current location of a portable communication device. The portable communication device has short range wireless communication capability. The at least one fixed wireless communication device is located within a building. The method further includes identifying a direction of movement to be communicated to the portable communication device to direct it towards a destination within the building. The method also includes transmitting the direction of movement to the portable communication device from the server via a fixed wireless communication device.

System and method for providing directions

A system and method of operating a computer network implementing progressive information disclosure is provided. The system and method comprises receiving electronically from a first user a plurality of levels of information, the information levels to be presented in a sequence, then receiving electronically a request from a second user for information provided by the first user, and transmitting electronically the plurality of information levels in sequence to the second user until a termination response is received or until the information sequence has completed. Alternatively, a system and method of progressive information disclosure is provided comprising receiving from a first information providing user a plurality of levels of information, the information levels to be presented in a sequence, receiving from a second information providing user a plurality of levels of information, the information levels to be presented in a sequence, receiving a request from the second user for information provided by the first user, setting a time for the second user to receive the first user information, transmitting the first user information level to the second user simultaneous to transmitting the second user information level to the first user, receiving a response to terminate information disclosure from either the first user or the second user, and terminating information disclosure to the first user and to the second user simultaneously. Alternatively, the system and method can include a step of verifying the information provided by either user before transmitting such information to the other user.

System and method for the controlled progressive disclosure of information

A method directed to a dynamic proxy reconfiguration which is implemented in plural network servers. The invention is directed to a computer-executable program for use in proxy network servers which enables each proxy server to dynamically sell its unused capacity to other web sites for specific periods of time. The invention has particular utility in connection with World Wide Web servers, but can be used with other servers where proxy servers may be present.

Dynamic proxy reconfiguration system and method to support sharing of extra capacity

A method and system are described for creating and maintaining a firewall subscription service. A firewall is established within the firewall service. Customers are permitted to subscribe to the firewall subscription service. Each subscriber is an independent, paying party. A subscriber may subscribe to protect one or more computer systems. The firewall offers a particular level of security to a subscriber's computer systems when the subscriber's computer systems are communicating with an external network. All communications transmitted to any of the subscriber's computer systems utilizing the external network are received first by the firewall. The firewall is utilized to protect the subscriber's computer systems when the subscriber's computer systems receive communications transmitted utilizing the external network.

Firewall subscription service system and method

A system to transfer electronic information includes reception of a command to transmit a file of electronic information. In response to the received command, the file of electronic information is automatically copied to create a copied file of electronic information, the copied file is transmitted, and the file of electronic information is rendered unusable. By rendering the file of electronic information unusable after copying the file, no additional usable copies of the file will remain. As a result, a degree of protection is provided to any copyright interest in the electronic information embodied therein.

System and method for transferring electronic information

The present invention provides a system and method for a datamining service vendor to provide subscribing power customers with electrical consumption data services. The system and method provide a mechanism by which electrical consumption is measured at the point of consumption over incremental periods of time. Customers can subscribe to a datamining service vendor which monitors and collects customer electrical consumption data at each addressed location within the customer's electrical network and provides the customer with a detailed report of power consumption statistics and trends. This allows the customer to make informed consumption choices resulting in cost savings to the customer and conservation of power generation resources.

System and method to monitor datamining power usage

An apparatus, system, method and computer program product for determining optimum routing of vehicles based on historical information as well as user preferences and current travel conditions. Historical data is compiled and statistically analyzed to determiner characteristics of each possible route between two points. The characteristic information is then used along with user preference information and current travel condition information to determine an optimum route between the two points.

Apparatus, system, method and computer program product for determining an optimum route based on historical information

The present invention is an apparatus, system, and method for providing reservations for restroom use. In one embodiment, a passenger on an airplane may submit a reservation request to the system for restroom use. The reservation system determines when the request can be accommodated and notifies the passenger when a restroom becomes available. The system improves airline safety by minimizing the time passengers spent standing while an airplane is in flight.

Growing community of inventors

Austin, TX, United States of America

Samuel Dinkin