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U.S. Patents Awarded to Inventors in North Carolina (Aug. 10)(Targeted News Service Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Targeted News Service Targeted News Service ALEXANDRIA, Va., Aug. 10 -- The following federal patents were awarded to inventors in North Carolina. *** International Business Machines Assigned Patent ALEXANDRIA, Va., Aug. 9 -- International Business Machines, Armonk, N.Y., has been assigned a patent (7,996,164) developed by four co-inventors for "managing energy usage by devices associated with a virtual universe resource conservation region." The co-inventors are Rick A. Hamilton II, Charlottesville, Va., Brian M. O'Connell, Cary, N.C., Clifford A. Pickover, Yorktown Heights, N.Y., and Keith R. Walker, Austin, Texas. The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: "A virtual universe can include regions that conserve natural resource usage. A virtual universe natural resource conservation system can determine a measure of comprehensive energy usage of a plurality of devices associated with a controlled energy use region in a virtual universe. The system can determine that the measure of comprehensive energy usage approaches a usage threshold for the controlled energy use region. The system can also impose one or more conservation limitations on at least one of the plurality of devices to maintain the comprehensive energy usage within the usage threshold." The patent application was filed on May 6, 2008 (12/115,958). The full-text of the patent can be found at http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PTXT&s1=79,96,164.PN.&OS=PN/79,96,164&RS=PN/79,96,164 Written by Ruby Maibam; edited by Jaya Anand. *** NDI Medical Assigned Patent ALEXANDRIA, Va., Aug. 10 -- NDI Medical, Cleveland, has been assigned a patent (7,996,092) developed by Joseph J. Mrva, Euclid, Ohio, Kenneth P. Rundle, Independence, Ohio, and Joseph W. Boggs II, Carrboro, N.C., for "devices, systems, and methods employing a molded nerve cuff electrode." The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: "Devices, systems, and methods for recording, and/or stimulation, and/or blocking of a nerve make use of a molded nerve cuff electrode. One or more electrodes are positioned in one or more frames within a casing. The exterior surface of the casing is wrapped in an insulating material, and the wrapped casing is positioned within a cover tube. One or more additional electrodes may be positioned anywhere outside of the casing. An applicator tool having a body to hold the molded nerve cuff in an expanded configuration is used to implant the cuff about a nerve." The patent application was filed on Jan. 16, 2007 (11/653,578). The full-text of the patent can be found at http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PTXT&s1=79,96,092.PN.&OS=PN/79,96,092&RS=PN/79,96,092 Written by Ruby Maibam; edited by Jaya Anand. *** Nortel Networks Assigned Patent ALEXANDRIA, Va., Aug. 10 -- Nortel Networks, St. Laurent, Canada, has been assigned a patent (7,996,559) developed by Dinesh Mohan, Kanata, Canada, Paul Unbehagen, Apex, N.C., and Srikanth Keesara, Tewksbury, Mass., for an "automatic MEP provisioning in a link state controlled Ethernet network." The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: "Ethernet OAM MEPs are automatically configured in a link state protocol controlled Ethernet network. A node operating in the link state protocol controlled Ethernet network receives a Link State PDU (LSP) containing a TLV having a MEP associated with the Ethernet MAC node ID of a second node in the link state protocol controlled Ethernet network, where the path between the first and second node includes a plurality of links. The node updates a forwarding table to indicate an association between the MEP ID and a Ethernet MAC node ID of the second node. An Ethernet OAM maintenance endpoint is produced in a link state protocol controlled Ethernet network by hashing a Sys-ID to produce a MEP; storing the MEP in a TLV; and forwarding the TLV over the link state protocol controlled Ethernet network in an LSP." The patent application was filed on Oct. 12, 2008 (12/249,944). The full-text of the patent can be found at http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PTXT&s1=7,996,559.PN.&OS=PN/7,996,559&RS=PN/7,996,559 Written by Arpi Sharma; edited by Jaya Anand. *** Bank of America Assigned Patent ALEXANDRIA, Va., Aug. 10 -- Bank of America, Charlotte, N.C., has been assigned a patent (7,996,530) developed by six co-inventors for a "method and apparatus for enabling authentication of on-line communications." The co-inventors are David A. Hogeboom, Huntersville, N.C., William Koenig, Lafayette, Calif., David Wright, Livermore, Calif., Richard Wade Phillips, Harrisburg, N.C., Rhonda MacLean, Sherrills Ford, N.C., and William A. Parra, Fort Mill, S.C. The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: "Method and apparatus for enabling authentication of on-line communications. In some embodiments, a message code is embedded in an e-mail, where the message code can be used by the recipient to verify the authenticity of the e-mail or of a Web site. In some embodiments, this code can be created for a particular e-mail message; in other embodiments, the code is created as a watermark for use by a customer or other a specific user or recipient. The message code is associated with both the e-mail message and the recipient. In the case of a message-specific code, a recipient can verify the e-mail message by inputting the code via a Web server to be looked up in the database. Provision is also made for including steganographic information in graphical or other codes as further authentication when accessing a Web site." The patent application was filed on Jan. 27, 2005 (10/905,942). The full-text of the patent can be found at http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PTXT&s1=7,996,530.PN.&OS=PN/7,996,530&RS=PN/7,996,530 Written by Arpi Sharma; edited by Jaya Anand. *** Tekelec Assigned Patent ALEXANDRIA, Va., Aug. 10 -- Tekelec, Morrisville, N.C., has been assigned a patent (7,996,541) developed by Rohini Marathe, Cary, N.C., and Peter J. Marsico, Chapel Hill, N.C., for "methods, systems, and computer program products for identifying a serving home subscriber server (HSS) in a communications network." The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: "Methods, systems, and computer program products for determining a serving home subscriber server (HSS) in a communications network are described. One method includes obtaining a subscriber identifier from a query message. An exceptions-based data structure contained in a database is accessed to locate a database entry associated with the subscriber identifier. Similarly, a range-based data structure contained in the database is accessed to locate the database entry associated with the subscriber identifier if the exceptions-based data structure does not contain the database entry. The method also includes acquiring serving HSS data corresponding to the located entry from either the exceptions-based data structure or the range-based data structure." The patent application was filed on Aug. 2, 2007 (11/888,907). The full-text of the patent can be found at http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PTXT&s1=7,996,541.PN.&OS=PN/7,996,541&RS=PN/7,996,541 Written by Arpi Sharma; edited by Jaya Anand. *** North Carolina Inventor Develops Patent for Job Site Communications Systems, Methods, and Computer Program Products ALEXANDRIA, Va., Aug. 10 -- Edwards Holloway Jr., Raleigh, N.C., has developed a patent (7,996,555) for a "job site communications systems, methods, and computer program products." The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: "Job site communications systems, methods, and computer program products. According to one embodiment of the subject matter disclosed herein, a job site communications system is provided. The job site communications system can include a wireless communications device adapted to be positioned at a job site and operable to wirelessly communicate annotated computer-aided design documents from the job site. The job site communications system can also include a computer positioned at a site remote from a job site and operable to receive or transmit the computer-aided design documents." The patent application was filed on July 2, 2009 (12/497,224). The full-text of the patent can be found at http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PTXT&s1=7,996,555.PN.&OS=PN/7,996,555&RS=PN/7,996,555 Written by Arpi Sharma; edited by Jaya Anand. *** International Business Machines Assigned Patent for Technique of Detecting Denial of Service Attacks ALEXANDRIA, Va., Aug. 10 -- International Business Machines, Armonk, N.Y., has been assigned a patent (7,996,544) developed by Patricia Ann Jakubik, Raleigh, N.C., Patrick Michael LiVecchi, Raleigh, N.C., and Linwood Hugh Overby Jr., Raleigh, N.C., for a "technique of detecting denial of service attacks." The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: "The invention detects a denial of service attack at a node by monitoring the number of discarded packets in relationship to the number of inbound packets. When an attack is detected, relevant inbound packet information is collected during the attack to help characterize the attack and at least to pinpoint the source of the last hop to the attacked node." The patent application was filed on July 8, 2003 (10/615,438). The full-text of the patent can be found at http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PTXT&s1=7,996,544.PN.&OS=PN/7,996,544&RS=PN/7,996,544 Written by Arpi Sharma; edited by Jaya Anand. *** International Business Machines Assigned Patent for Adaptive Information Technology Solution Design and Deployment ALEXANDRIA, Va., Aug. 10 -- International Business Machines, Armonk, N.Y., has been assigned a patent (7,996,347) developed by four co-inventors for an "adaptive information technology solution design and deployment." The co-inventors are William E. Hutson, Cary, N.C., Samuel R. McHan Jr., Apex, N.C., John A. Medicke, Raleigh, N.C., and Christopher H.L. Wicher, Raleigh, N.C. The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: "A set of information technology solution alternatives is generated for an enterprise organization. The information technology solution alternatives are evaluated within an automated architectural framework based upon one or more information technology evaluation metrics. An automated incremental solution deployment strategy is created based upon the evaluated plurality of information technology solution alternatives. An information technology solution is selected from the set of information technology solution alternatives for deployment based upon the automated incremental solution deployment strategy." The patent application was filed on April 4, 2008 (12/098,057). The full-text of the patent can be found at http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PTXT&s1=79,96,347&OS=79,96,347&RS=79,96,347 Written by Rajat Puri; edited by Jaya Anand. *** SAS Institute Assigned Patent ALEXANDRIA, Va., Aug. 10 -- SAS Institute, Cary, N.C., has been assigned a patent (7,996,378) developed by four co-inventors for a "system and method for graphically distinguishing levels of a multidimensional database." The co-inventors are Huifang Wang, Cary, N.C., Lina Clover, Cary, N.C., Walden B. Crabtree, Raleigh, N.C., and Douglas R. Dotson, Pittsboro, N.C. The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: "In accordance with the teachings described herein, systems and methods are provided for graphically distinguishing levels from a multidimensional database. Levels from a multidimensional database are distinguished, such as by associating two or more of database's levels with a plurality of different visual indicators." The patent application was filed on Jan. 18, 2011 (13/008,413). The full-text of the patent can be found at http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PTXT&s1=79,96,378&OS=79,96,378&RS=79,96,378 Written by Rajat Puri; edited by Jaya Anand. *** Lenovo Assigned Patent ALEXANDRIA, Va., Aug. 10 -- Lenovo, Tech Park, Singapore, has been assigned a patent (7,996,355) developed by Philip Lee Childs, Raleigh, N.C., and Michael Terrell Vanover, Raleigh, N.C., for an "apparatus, system, and method for identifying time-based information with historical events." The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: "An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for identifying time-based information. A detection module detects time-based information. A selection module monitors events in an information stream. The information stream is of interest to a target user. In addition, the information stream is not related by content to the time-based information. The selection module further selects a first event with temporal relation to the time-based information. An association module associates the first event and the time-based information." The patent application was filed on March 31, 2008 (12/059,901). The full-text of the patent can be found at http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PTXT&s1=79,96,355&OS=79,96,355&RS=79,96,355 Written by Rajat Puri; edited by Jaya Anand. *** SAS Institute Assigned Patent ALEXANDRIA, Va., Aug. 10 -- SAS Institute, Cary, N.C., has been assigned a patent (7,996,331) developed by four co-inventors for "computer-implemented systems and methods for performing pricing analysis." The co-inventors are Rajendra Singh Solanki, Cary, N.C., Yinhua Wang, Cary, N.C., Jie Zhong, Raleigh, N.C., and Hao Cheng, Athens, Ga. The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: "Computer-implemented systems and methods for regular pricing optimization. A system can include decomposing a pricing situation into sub-problems. A non-linear optimization problem is solved to determine continuous optimal prices. A mixed integer linear programming problem is solved to snap prices to grid points." The patent application was filed on Aug. 31, 2007 (11/848,636). The full-text of the patent can be found at http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PTXT&s1=7,996,331.PN.&OS=PN/7,996,331&RS=PN/7,996,331 Written by Anjali Jha; edited by Jaya Anand. *** International Business Machines Assigned Patent ALEXANDRIA, Va., Aug. 10 -- International Business Machines, Armonk, N.Y., has been assigned a patent (7,996,339) developed by Ameha Aklilu, Chapel Hill, N.C., Raed Hijer, Raleigh, N.C., and Wilson Velez, Raleigh, N.C., for a "method and system for generating object classification models." The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: "A method for generating object classification models is disclosed. Initially, a set of training data is fed into a training algorithm to generate a first object classification model. A set of field data is then applied to the first object classification model to produce a set of field object classifications. The number of data in the set of field data is significantly less than the number of data in the set of training data. Finally, the set of field object classifications and the set of field data are fed into the training algorithm to generate a second object classification model. The second object classification model can be utilized for predicting object classifications." The patent application was filed on Sept. 17, 2004 (10/943,343). The full-text of the patent can be found at http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PTXT&s1=7,996,339.PN.&OS=PN/7,996,339&RS=PN/7,996,339 Written by Anjali Jha; edited by Jaya Anand. *** International Business Machines Assigned Patent for Tiered On-demand Location-based Tracking Service and Infrastructure ALEXANDRIA, Va., Aug. 10 -- International Business Machines, Armonk, N.Y., has been assigned a patent (7,996,281) developed by four co-inventors for a "tiered on-demand location-based tracking service and infrastructure." The co-inventors are Julio Alvarez, Cary, N.C., Phuc Ky Do, Morrisville, N.C., Justin Monroe Pierce, Cary, N.C., and Susan Elizabeth Wince, Raleigh, N.C. The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: "A location-based service includes detecting the relative motion of an on-site resource, detecting the absolute position of the on-site resource, and tracking the position of the on-site resource. The position is tracked by deriving a deduced position based on the detected relative motion and adjusting the deduced position as a function of and in response to the detected absolute position. According to one embodiment, the on-site resource can be a shopping cart and the tracking includes recording a travel pattern of the shopping cart as it moves through a site floor plan such that the travel pattern is reproducible. Preferably, the recorded travel pattern includes travel patterns within an aisle in the site floor plan such that the recorded patterns include travel along the length of the aisle and travel having components which are perpendicular to the length of the aisle." The patent application was filed on Dec. 17, 2004 (11/016,615). The full-text of the patent can be found at http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PTXT&s1=7,996,281.PN.&OS=PN/7,996,281&RS=PN/7,996,281 Written by Anjali Jha; edited by Jaya Anand. *** Wells Fargo Bank Assigned Patent ALEXANDRIA, Va., Aug. 10 -- Wells Fargo Bank, San Francisco, has been assigned a patent (7,996,312) developed by Terry H. Beck, Advance, N.C., Andrew J. Garner IV, Charlotte, N.C., and Kenneth S. Meloun, Winston-Salem, N.C., for a "system and method for image based electronic check presentment." The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: "A method and system for processing electronic check presentment (ECP) data and check image data, where the check image data is transmitted electronically, either with the ECP data or separately. The ECP data has associated ECP sequence numbers assigned in connection with the preparation of an electronic cash letter (ECL). The check image data has associated image sequence numbers assigned to the image file that is transmitted with or following the ECL. A source key and an image key are defined for each item in the ECP data and the image data. An electronic check presentment (EIP) sequence number generated at the receiving financial institution, associates each presented electronic item with the ECP sequence number and image sequence number. System components include a transaction and image import server, an entry creation module, a cross-reference archive load module, a reject repair module, a post preprocessor module and a posting module. These components enable transaction and image data to be imported to a host processing system, formatted, converted between standard image formats, repaired on the date received, archived and posted to customer accounts in a check truncation environment." The patent application was filed on March 1, 2002 (10/086,406). The full-text of the patent can be found at http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PTXT&s1=7,996,312.PN.&OS=PN/7,996,312&RS=PN/7,996,312 Written by Anjali Jha; edited by Jaya Anand. *** International Business Machines Assigned Patent for Allocating Carbon Offsets for Printing Tasks ALEXANDRIA, Va., Aug. 10 -- International Business Machines, Armonk, N.Y., has been assigned a patent (7,996,287) developed by four co-inventors for "allocating carbon offsets for printing tasks." The co-inventors are Rick A. Hamilton II, Charlottesville, Va., Brian M. O'Connell, Cary, N.C., Clifford A. Pickover, Yorktown Heights, N.Y., and Keith R. Walker, Austin, Texas. The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: "Methods, services, program products and devices are provided for correlating carbon offsetting and printing. Methods comprise a requester initiating a print job on a printing device; analyzing the print job; identifying at least one print job metric relevant to the print job as a function of the analyzing, the metric associated with a carbon offset value; calculating a total amount of carbon offset from the identified at least one metric; printing the print job; and transferring the carbon offset total amount to a carbon offsetting entity for debiting or crediting against a printing entity as a function of the printing. Systems and devices and articles of manufacture comprising a computer usable medium having a computer readable program in said medium are provided. Service methods comprise deploying applications for correlating carbon offsetting and printing." The patent application was filed on June 13, 2008 (12/138,761). The full-text of the patent can be found at http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PTXT&s1=7,996,287.PN.&OS=PN/7,996,287&RS=PN/7,996,287 Written by Anjali Jha; edited by Jaya Anand. *** International Business Machines Assigned Patent for Blocking Orders during Order Processing ALEXANDRIA, Va., Aug. 10 -- International Business Machines, Armonk, N.Y., has been assigned a patent (7,996,271) developed by Yumman Chan, Rexdale, Canada, Lev Mirlas, Thornhill, Canada, and Viswanath Srikanth, Chapel Hill, N.C., for "blocking orders during order processing." The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: "A block for an order is received during processing of the order, wherein a reason for the block for the order is associated with the block for the order. A set of actions is identified based on the reason for the block for the order in response to receiving the block for the order. The set of actions is executed with respect to the order in response to identifying the set of actions based on the reason for the block for the order, wherein the set of actions comprises a stage at which processing for the order ceases, restarts, and executes recovery actions, as specified." The patent application was filed on Jan. 27, 2006 (11/342,383). The full-text of the patent can be found at http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PTXT&s1=7,996,271.PN.&OS=PN/7,996,271&RS=PN/7,996,271 Written by Anjali Jha; edited by Jaya Anand. *** Bank of America Assigned Patent ALEXANDRIA, Va., Aug. 10 -- Bank of America, Charlotte, N.C., has been assigned a patent (7,996,309) developed by six co-inventors for a "method and system for cash remittances using a two country banking structure." The co-inventors are Thomas D. Avazian, Miami, Miguel Cintron, Charlotte, N.C., Marcos Rosenberg, Charlotte, N.C., Claudia Tabacinic, Hollywood, Fla., Faith A. Tucker, Wichita, Kan., and Eduardo J. Vergara, Charlotte, N.C. The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: "A bank customer of a first bank in a first country has a bank account. The bank provides a banking service whereby customer is able to send cash to a recipient in a second country via a commingled bank account belonging to a second bank. The cash is provided to the recipient in the currency of the second country by a third party payment agent. To effect a transfer, the bank customer in the first country instructs the first bank to debit his or her account and send cash to a designated recipient. In response, the first bank debits the customer's account, sends first payment instructions to the second bank, and transfers funds to a commingled account at the second bank. Funds from this commingled account are used to pay for the cash provided to the recipient. The banking service may be provided free of charge to a banking customer of the first bank." The patent application was filed on July 23, 2010 (12/842,675). The full-text of the patent can be found at http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PTXT&s1=7,996,309.PN.&OS=PN/7,996,309&RS=PN/7,996,309 Written by Anjali Jha; edited by Jaya Anand. *** Welcomemat Services Assigned Patent ALEXANDRIA, Va., Aug. 10 -- Welcomemat Services, Charlotte, N.C., has been assigned a patent (7,996,263) developed by Brian Mattingly, Charlotte, N.C., and Edward Joseph Fain, Woodstock, Ga., for a "business method for promoting goods and services of providers." The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: "A business method for promoting goods and services of providers includes the steps of designating a group of targeted recipients, and storing demographics information of each recipient in an electronic database. A plurality of direct mail items including provider promotions is generated, and each marked with a machine-readable ID code unique to each of the recipients. The direct mail items are sorted by their respective ID codes into cooperative mail packages, each mail package containing multiple items with common ID codes. The mail packages are then forwarded to respective recipients. After redemption of a direct mail item by a recipient, the ID code is read and electronically linked with the recipient's demographics information contained in the electronic database. A report is generated based on the direct mail items redeemed." The patent application was filed on Feb. 16, 2010 (12/658,812). The full-text of the patent can be found at http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PTXT&s1=7,996,263.PN.&OS=PN/7,996,263&RS=PN/7,996,263 Written by Anjali Jha; edited by Jaya Anand. *** Trialcard Assigned Patent ALEXANDRIA, Va., Aug. 10 -- Trialcard, Raleigh, N.C., has been assigned a patent (7,996,260) developed by David W. Cunningham, Raleigh, N.C., and Brandon Tyndell, Raleigh, N.C., for a "promotional carrier for promoting pharmaceutical prescription products." The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: "A prescription pharmaceutical promotional carrier is provided that is effective to promote a series of prescription drugs. The carrier includes first and second portions with the second portion being referred to as a payment vehicle and the first portion being utilized to identify the series of prescription drugs being promoted. In use, a preferred embodiment provides a series of stickers secured to the first portion of the carrier. Each sticker identifies or represents a prescription pharmaceutical product. A doctor may possess one or more of the carriers and may prescribe a prescription drug being promoted by the carrier. If so, the doctor can transfer a sticker identifying the prescription drug to the payment vehicle and separate the payment vehicle from the carrier. The separated payment vehicle is then given to the patient along with a prescription for the identified prescription drug and the patient presents the payment vehicle to a pharmacy where at least a portion of the costs of the prescription drug is paid by a party that sponsored the carrier." The patent application was filed on April 28, 2004 (10/833,366). The full-text of the patent can be found at http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PTXT&s1=7,996,260.PN.&OS=PN/7,996,260&RS=PN/7,996,260 Written by Anjali Jha; edited by Jaya Anand. *** Lenovo Assigned Patent ALEXANDRIA, Va., Aug. 10 -- Lenovo, Singapore, has been assigned a patent (7,996,901) developed by six co-inventors for a "hypervisor area for email virus testing." The co-inventors are Frances K. O'Sullivan, Raleigh, N.C., Richard W. Cheston, Morrisville, N.C., Daryl Cromer, Cary, N.C., Robert S. Gamble, Cary, N.C., Howard J. Locker, Cary, N.C., and Rod D. Walterman, Rougemont, N.C. The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: "Hypervisors are a new technology in the industry that enable multiple Operating Systems to co-exist on a single client. The use of a hypervisor provides a novel approach to email virus protection. The hypervisor is able to fire up an Operating System on demand, for a specific purpose, or have it running from the powering of the computer. A second Operating System can be provided as a donor Operating System that acts as a scratch area or scratch pad. Emails sent to the recipient are opened under the donor Operating System, or the "Scratch OS". Once the email activities are complete, the "Scratch OS" can be discarded. Thus, any damage that may be caused by an email virus would be nil, and further the User Operating System would be undamaged. This method would be effective in precluding any damage that a virus may have done." The patent application was filed on March 31, 2006 (11/394,657). The full-text of the patent can be found at http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PTXT&s1=7,996,901&OS=7,996,901&RS=7,996,901 Written by Satyaban Rath; edited by Hemanta Panigrahi. *** International Business Machines Assigned Patent for Method for Correlating Processor Usage to Customer Billing in an on-demand Server with Real-time Allocation/Deallocation of Processing Resources ALEXANDRIA, Va., Aug. 10 -- International Business Machines, Armonk, N.Y., has been assigned a patent (7,996,847) developed by Kit H. Wong, Round Rock, Texas, Fernando A. Lopez, Cary, N.C., and Jacques M. Ragan, Cary, N.C., for a "method for correlating processor usage to customer billing in an on-demand server with real-time allocation/deallocation of processing resources." The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: "The invention is directed to a method for correlating processor usage to customer billing in an on-demand server with real-time allocation/deallocation of processing resources. A method in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention includes: providing a plurality of processors, each processor having thermal control circuit (TCC) logic; determining a processing requirement for the plurality of processors; and dynamically controlling a processing capability of the plurality of processors to provide the determined processing requirement by selectively enabling or disabling the TCC logic of each processor." The patent application was filed on Dec. 13, 2006 (11/609,936). The full-text of the patent can be found at http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PTXT&s1=7,996,847&OS=7,996,847&RS=7,996,847 Written by Satyaban Rath; edited by Hemanta Panigrahi. *** Hitwise Assigned Patent ALEXANDRIA, Va., Aug. 10 -- Hitwise, Sydney, Australia, has been assigned a patent (7,996,912) developed by four co-inventors for a "method and system for monitoring online computer network behavior and creating online behavior profiles." The co-inventors are Jan-Dieter Spalink, Durham, N.C., Brian Gullette, Durham, N.C., Andrew Hatchell, Cary, N.C., and Randall Nortman, Cary, N.C. The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: "A method and system for monitoring users on one or more computer networks, disassociating personally identifiable information from the collected data, and storing it in a database so that the privacy of the users is protected. The system receives a user identifier and uses it to creates an anonymized identifier, defined as a user identifier stripped of all personally identifiable information. The anonymized identifier is then associated with one or more users' computer network transactions. The data is stored by a collection engine and then aggregated to a central database server across a computer network." The patent application was filed on Jan. 29, 2009 (12/361,679). The full-text of the patent can be found at http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PTXT&s1=7,996,912&OS=7,996,912&RS=7,996,912 Written by Satyaban Rath; edited by Hemanta Panigrahi. *** International Business Machines Assigned Patent for Button Area Having a Mixed State Button for Collapsing and Expanding User Interface Items ALEXANDRIA, Va., Aug. 10 -- International Business Machines, Armonk, N.Y., has been assigned a patent (7,996,790) developed by Erik F. Hennum, San Francisco, Sandra D. Kipp, Raleigh, N.C., and Mark E. Molander, Cary, N.C., for a "button area having a mixed state button for collapsing and expanding user interface items." The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: "A method of indicating expanded states and collapsed states of lower level expander/collapser items in a higher level visual control of a user interface display. The method includes providing, in the higher level visual control, a lower level expander/collapser indicator area; displaying a first display in the expander/collapser indicator area when all the lower level expander/collapser items are in a first state; displaying a second different display in the expander/collapser indicator area when all of the lower level expander/collapser items are in a second different state; and displaying a third different display in the expander/collapser indicator area when a first one of the lower level expander/collapser items is in the first state and a second one of the lower level expander/collapser items is not in the first state." The patent application was filed on Nov. 26, 2007 (11/944,783). The full-text of the patent can be found at http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PTXT&s1=7,996,790&OS=7,996,790&RS=7,996,790 Written by Satyaban Rath; edited by Hemanta Panigrahi. *** International Business Machines Assigned Patent for Method of Minimizing Early-mode Violations Causing Minimum Impact to a Chip Design ALEXANDRIA, Va., Aug. 10 -- International Business Machines, Armonk, N.Y., has been assigned a patent (7,996,812) developed by five co-inventors for a "method of minimizing early-mode violations causing minimum impact to a chip design." The co-inventors are Pooja M. Kotecha, Beacon, N.Y., Frank J. Musante, Poughkeepsie, N.Y., Veena S. Pureswaran, Raleigh, N.C., Louise H. Trevillyan, Katonah, N.Y., and Paul G. Villarrubia, Austin, Texas. The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: "A system and a method for correcting early-mode timing violations that operate across the process space of a circuit design. Optimizations are performed to replace padding that increase path delays on fast paths. At the stage in the design process where early-mode violations are addressed, placement, late-mode timing closure, routing, and detailed electrical and timing analysis are assumed to have been completed. The optimizations are designed to be effective in delaying fast paths while minimizing the impact on already-completed work on the chip, in contrast to relying only on adding pads that can have a negative impact on all of these quantities. The optimizations are classified according to their invasiveness and are followed by their deployment. The deployment is designed to minimize using delay pads, reduce design disruptions, and minimize effects on other aspects of the design." The patent application was filed on Aug. 14, 2008 (12/191,435). The full-text of the patent can be found at http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PTXT&s1=7,996,812&OS=7,996,812&RS=7,996,812 Written by Satyaban Rath; edited by Hemanta Panigrahi. *** International Business Machines Assigned Patent for Low-latency, Incremental Rendering in a Content Framework ALEXANDRIA, Va., Aug. 10 -- International Business Machines, Armonk, N.Y., has been assigned a patent (7,996,757) developed by John R. Hind, Raleigh, N.C., Thomas Schaeck, Achern, Germany, and Brad B. Topol, Raleigh, N.C., for a "low-latency, incremental rendering in a content framework." The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: "Techniques are disclosed for incrementally rendering content in a content framework (such as a portal page provided by a portal system). Upon receiving a request for a portal page, a portal server immediately returns a response including the results from portlets which have acquired their content. If some portlets have not yet finished, subsequent content is delivered at a later time through use of one of several alternative programmatically-generated mechanisms. Capabilities of existing browsers are leveraged for several embodiments, including use of refresh headers, multipart MIME ("Multi-purpose Internet Mail Extensions") types, and portal pages structured using frames." The patent application was filed on Nov. 31, 2007 (11/948,457). The full-text of the patent can be found at http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PTXT&s1=7,996,757&OS=7,996,757&RS=7,996,757 Written by Satyaban Rath; edited by Hemanta Panigrahi. *** International Business Machines Assigned Patent for System to Recover a Failed Flash of a Blade Service Processor in a Server Chassis ALEXANDRIA, Va., Aug. 10 -- International Business Machines, Armonk, N.Y., has been assigned a patent (7,996,706) developed by five co-inventors for a "system to recover a failed flash of a blade service processor in a server chassis." The co-inventors are Gerhard Nikolaus Buckler, Apex, N.C., Jeffery Michael Franke, Apex, N.C., Donald Eugene Johnson, Apex, N.C., Carl A. Morrell, Cary, N.C., and David Robert Woodham, Raleigh, N.C. The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: "A system for recovering a server blade, in a multiple server blade computer, that is lost during a flash update operation on a service processor in the server blade. Because of the flash update failure, the lost server blade is unaware of its location on a management pathway, which in an exemplary form may be a midplane or a bus, which connects the server blade and a management module in a server blade chassis. The lost server blade puts a signal on the management pathway indicating that the flash failed. The signal is put on a special channel reserved for such messages. The management module receives the signal, and then determines which of the multiple server blades are lost due to the flash update failure." The patent application was filed on Feb. 1, 2008 (12/024,816). The full-text of the patent can be found at http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PTXT&s1=7996706.PN.&OS=PN/7996706&RS=PN/7996706 Written by Kusum Sangma; edited by Anand Kumar. *** NetApp Assigned Patent ALEXANDRIA, Va., Aug. 10 -- NetApp, Sunnyvale, Calif., has been assigned a patent (7,996,636) developed by Ashish Prakash, Morrissville, N.C., Robert M. English, Sunnyvale, Calif., and Eric Hamilton, Durham, N.C., for a "uniquely identifying block context signatures in a storage volume hierarchy." The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: "A technique uniquely identifies block context signatures in a storage volume hierarchy of a storage system. In particular, the technique assigns unique volume identifiers ("IDs," e.g., buffer tree or "bufftree" IDs) to volumes of the storage volume hierarchy, and allows clone volumes to determine that data blocks belong to an appropriate ancestor volume (e.g., and were written by the ancestor volume prior to creation of the clone). In this manner, the novel technique may uniquely identify and accurately determine whether an accessed data block is a correct data block (e.g., alleviating occurrences of data ID aliasing)." The patent application was filed on Nov. 6, 2007 (11/935,704). The full-text of the patent can be found at http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PTXT&s1=7996636.PN.&OS=PN/7996636&RS=PN/7996636 Written by Kusum Sangma; edited by Anand Kumar. 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