Did You Know...
...that several people are credited with the invention of the flush toilet? Most people have heard of Thomas Crapper (1837-1910), the sanitary engineer who invented the valve-and-siphon arrangement that made the modern toilet possible. Another claimant to "the throne" was British inventor Alexander Cumming who patented a toilet in 1775. Then there's a nameless Minoan (a native of ancient Crete) who lived 4,000 years ago who supposedly was ahead of his time and created the first flush toilet!
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7974908 | System and method for promoting competition in an auction A system and method for promoting competitive bidding in an online auction that has a bidder, a favored bidder, and a sponsor, including receiving bids from the bidder and the favored bidder, deriving a relative spread, determining a market position for the bidder a.. | 07/05/2011 |
| 7979291 | Computer-implemented systems and methods for resource allocation United States Patent: 7979291 ( 1061 of 5021 ) United States Patent 7,979,291 Sussman , et al. July 12, 2011 Computer-implemented systems and methods for resource allocation Abstract Systems and ... | 07/12/2011 |
| 7979349 | Systems and methods for adjusting crediting limits to facilitate transactions United States Patent: 7979349 ( 1003 of 5021 ) United States Patent 7,979,349 Bishop , et al. July 12, 2011 Systems and methods for adjusting crediting limits to facilitate transactions ... | 07/12/2011 |
| 7979504 | Systems and methods for providing resource allocation in a networked environment United States Patent: 7979504 ( 851 of 5021 ) United States Patent 7,979,504 Denker , et al. July 12, 2011 Systems and methods for providing resource allocation in a networked environment ... | 07/12/2011 |
| 7979697 | Securing digital content system and method United States Patent: 7979697 ( 660 of 5021 ) United States Patent 7,979,697 Phillips, II , et al. July 12, 2011 Securing digital content system and method Abstract A system and method of ... | 07/12/2011 |
| 7983958 | Method and program storage device for managing a supplier for participation in a plurality of trading networks United States Patent: 7983958 ( 985 of 5009 ) United States Patent 7,983,958 Broden , et al. July 19, 2011 Method and program storage device for managing a supplier for participation in a ... | 07/19/2011 |
| 7983993 | Authenticated payment United States Patent: 7983993 ( 950 of 5009 ) United States Patent 7,983,993 Graves , et al. July 19, 2011 Authenticated payment Abstract A buyer (110) wishes to use a payment instrument as part of ... | 07/19/2011 |
| 7983994 | Module ID based encryption for financial transactions United States Patent: 7983994 ( 949 of 5009 ) United States Patent 7,983,994 Hurry July 19, 2011 Module ID based encryption for financial transactions Abstract A server is operable to receive a ... | 07/19/2011 |
| 7984157 | Persistent and reliable session securely traversing network components using an encapsulating protocol United States Patent: 7984157 ( 787 of 5009 ) United States Patent 7,984,157 Panasyuk , et al. July 19, 2011 Persistent and reliable session securely traversing network components using an ... | 07/19/2011 |
| 7987501 | System and method for single session sign-on United States Patent: 7987501 ( 452 of 3427 ) United States Patent 7,987,501 Miller , et al. July 26, 2011 System and method for single session sign-on Abstract A method and system for cross-system ... | 07/26/2011 |
| 7987502 | Secure streaming container United States Patent: 7987502 ( 451 of 3427 ) United States Patent 7,987,502 Venters, III , et al. July 26, 2011 Secure streaming container Abstract A system and method for securely streaming ... | 07/26/2011 |
| 7991698 | Method and apparatus for executing cryptographically-enabled letters of credit United States Patent: 7991698 ( 953 of 5114 ) United States Patent 7,991,698 Walker , et al. August 2, 2011 Method and apparatus for executing cryptographically-enabled letters of credit ... | 08/02/2011 |
| 7996279 | Methods and apparatus for intelligent selection of goods and services in telephonic and electronic commerce United States Patent: 7996279 ( 636 of 5120 ) United States Patent 7,996,279 Katz , et al. August 9, 2011 Methods and apparatus for intelligent selection of goods and services in telephonic and ... | 08/09/2011 |
| 7996292 | Method and system for reserving future purchases of goods and services United States Patent: 7996292 ( 623 of 5120 ) United States Patent 7,996,292 Pappas , et al. August 9, 2011 Method and system for reserving future purchases of goods and services Abstract A method ... | 08/09/2011 |
| 7996296 | Digital options having demand-based, adjustable returns, and trading exchange therefor United States Patent: 7996296 ( 619 of 5120 ) United States Patent 7,996,296 Lange August 9, 2011 Digital options having demand-based, adjustable returns, and trading exchange therefor Abstract ... | 08/09/2011 |
| 7996307 | Systems and methods for facilitating transactions between different financial accounts United States Patent: 7996307 ( 608 of 5120 ) United States Patent 7,996,307 Bishop , et al. August 9, 2011 Systems and methods for facilitating transactions between different financial accounts ... | 08/09/2011 |
| 7996310 | Electronic financial management and analysis system and related methods ... 1997 Clement 5684965 November 1997 Pickering 5699528 December 1997 Hogan 5765144 June 1998 Larche et al. 5768142 June 1998 Jacobs 5794207 August 1998 Walker et al. 5802502 September 1998 Gell et al. 5832460 November 1998 Bednar et al. 5862203 January 1999 ... | 08/09/2011 |
| 7996536 | Systems and methods for providing resource allocation in a networked environment United States Patent: 7996536 ( 380 of 5120 ) United States Patent 7,996,536 Denker , et al. August 9, 2011 Systems and methods for providing resource allocation in a networked environment ... | 08/09/2011 |
| 7996565 | Method and system for controlling and auditing content/service systems United States Patent: 7996565 ( 351 of 5120 ) United States Patent 7,996,565 Allibhoy , et al. August 9, 2011 Method and system for controlling and auditing content/service systems Abstract An ... | 08/09/2011 |
| 8001053 | System and method for rights offering and granting using shared state variables United States Patent: 8001053 ( 1005 of 5122 ) United States Patent 8,001,053 Nguyen , et al. August 16, 2011 System and method for rights offering and granting using shared state variables ... | 08/16/2011 |
| 8001608 | Secure streaming container United States Patent: 8001608 ( 451 of 5122 ) United States Patent 8,001,608 Venters, III , et al. August 16, 2011 Secure streaming container Abstract A system and method for securely streaming ... | 08/16/2011 |
| 8005722 | Method and apparatus for ordering goods, services and content over an internetwork United States Patent: 8005722 ( 593 of 5119 ) United States Patent 8,005,722 Hutchison , et al. August 23, 2011 Method and apparatus for ordering goods, services and content over an internetwork ... | 08/23/2011 |
| 8005731 | Real time vehicle purchase request management method and system ... Doyle et al. 5710887 January 1998 Chelliah et al. 5717989 February 1998 Tozzoli et al. 5774883 June 1998 Andersen et al. 5794207 August 1998 Walker et al. 5838458 November 1998 Tsai 5842178 November 1998 Giovannoli 5903652 May 1999 Mital 5917965 June 1999 ... | 08/23/2011 |
| 8005744 | Methods and systems for facilitating bids on products and services ... 4789928 December 1988 Fujisaki 4989144 January 1991 Barnett 5136501 August 1992 Silverman et al. 5664111 September 1997 Nahan et al. 5794207 August 1998 Walker et al. 5794219 August 1998 Brown 5835896 November 1998 Fisher et al. 5890138 March 1999 Godin et ... | 08/23/2011 |
| 8005751 | Method and system for multi-enterprise optimization using flexible trade contracts United States Patent: 8005751 ( 564 of 5119 ) United States Patent 8,005,751 Dalal , et al. August 23, 2011 Method and system for multi-enterprise optimization using flexible trade contracts ... | 08/23/2011 |
| 8005756 | Debit purchasing of stored value card for use by and/or delivery to others United States Patent: 8005756 ( 559 of 5119 ) United States Patent 8,005,756 Phillips , et al. August 23, 2011 Debit purchasing of stored value card for use by and/or delivery to others Abstract A ... | 08/23/2011 |
| 8005777 | System, method and computer program product for a collaborative decision platform United States Patent: 8005777 ( 538 of 5119 ) | 08/23/2011 |
| 8010415 | System for interactive participation by remote bidders in live auctions United States Patent: 8010415 ( 1039 of 5102 ) United States Patent 8,010,415 Friedland , et al. August 30, 2011 System for interactive participation by remote bidders in live auctions Abstract A ... | 08/30/2011 |
| 8010417 | System and process for local acquisition of products priced online United States Patent: 8010417 ( 1037 of 5102 ) United States Patent 8,010,417 Walker , et al. August 30, 2011 System and process for local acquisition of products priced online Abstract A system ... | 08/30/2011 |
| 8010438 | Method for directing and executing certified trading interests United States Patent: 8010438 ( 1016 of 5102 ) United States Patent 8,010,438 Waelbroeck , et al. August 30, 2011 Method for directing and executing certified trading interests Abstract Preferred ... | 08/30/2011 |
| 8010679 | Methods and systems for providing access to a computing environment provided by a virtual machine executing in a hypervisor executing in a terminal services session United States Patent: 8010679 ( 775 of 5102 ) United States Patent 8,010,679 Low , et al. August 30, 2011 Methods and systems for providing access to a computing environment provided by a ... | 08/30/2011 |
| 8011574 | Method and apparatus for ordering goods, services and content over an internetwork United States Patent: 8011574 ( 4491 of 5045 ) United States Patent 8,011,574 Hutchison , et al. September 6, 2011 Method and apparatus for ordering goods, services and content over an ... | 09/06/2011 |
| 8015059 | Method and apparatus for facilitating the sale of subscriptions to periodicals United States Patent: 8015059 ( 1024 of 5045 ) United States Patent 8,015,059 Walker , et al. September 6, 2011 Method and apparatus for facilitating the sale of subscriptions to periodicals ... | 09/06/2011 |
| 8015104 | Method and system for multi-enterprise optimization using flexible trade contracts United States Patent: 8015104 ( 979 of 5045 ) United States Patent 8,015,104 Dalal , et al. September 6, 2011 Method and system for multi-enterprise optimization using flexible trade contracts ... | 09/06/2011 |
| 8015264 | Method and apparatus for ordering goods, services and content over an internetwork United States Patent: 8015264 ( 819 of 5045 ) United States Patent 8,015,264 Hutchison , et al. September 6, 2011 Method and apparatus for ordering goods, services and content over an ... | 09/06/2011 |
| 8016190 | Method and apparatus for ordering goods, services and content over an internetwork United States Patent: 8016190 ( 4457 of 5028 ) United States Patent 8,016,190 Hutchison , et al. September 13, 2011 Method and apparatus for ordering goods, services and content over an ... | 09/13/2011 |
| 8019690 | Method and system for transacting an anonymous purchase over the internet United States Patent: 8019690 ( 965 of 5028 ) United States Patent 8,019,690 Sutton , et al. September 13, 2011 Method and system for transacting an anonymous purchase over the internet Abstract A ... | 09/13/2011 |
| 8020754 | System and method for funding a collective account by use of an electronic tag United States Patent: 8020754 ( 4487 of 5023 ) United States Patent 8,020,754 Schwarz, Jr. September 20, 2011 System and method for funding a collective account by use of an electronic tag ... | 09/20/2011 |
| 8021221 | System and method for conducting programming competitions using aliases United States Patent: 8021221 ( 4021 of 5023 ) United States Patent 8,021,221 Lydon , et al. September 20, 2011 System and method for conducting programming competitions using aliases Abstract This ... | 09/20/2011 |
| 8024226 | Product exchange system United States Patent: 8024226 ( 1027 of 5023 ) United States Patent 8,024,226 Fusz , et al. September 20, 2011 Product exchange system Abstract An exchange system for facilitating the purchase of ... | 09/20/2011 |
