A web site creation and maintenance system permits distributed control and centralized management of a web site. The physical implementation of the web site resides on a database maintained by a database administrator. The web site system permits a site administrator to construct the overall structure, design and style of the web site. This allows for a comprehensive design as well as a common look and feel for the web site. The web site system permits content for the web site to originate from ...

According to one embodiment of the invention, an architecture for a data processing system can be implemented that processes data for a service provider itself or a client of a service provider as in the case of a third party processor. The elements of the architecture can be managed separately. For example, the architecture can be organized around eight subject areas, such as account, party, communication point, presentation instrument, rules, balances, transactions, and product. Relationships ...

A customer is provided a telephone number to which a calling party incurs a charge to be connected. An account balance, which reflects funds deposited into the customer's account but not yet used by the customer, is increased in proportion to the incurred charge. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

A polarization maintaining optical device may include a polarization maintaining optical array. The device may also include a microlens array to receive light from the polarization maintaining optical array. In another embodiment of the present invention, the device may also include two microlens arrays, two polarization maintaining optical arrays, and an arrayed beam steering device. The microlens arrays, polarization maintaining optical arrays, and the beam steering device may be optically cou...

Optical polarization maintaining couplers which may be used as a splitter(divider) or a combiner (multiplexer). The couplers utilize a series of partial reflectors disposed in the lightpath between the input fiber and the output fibers. The couplers may be used to form 1 or 2 by N devices with the input and output fibers disposed at right angles to each other forming a compact, efficient polarization maintaining optical coupler.

A device for maintaining an erection of a penis has a flexible cuff around the penis. A line extends around the cuff. The line tightens or loosens the cuff around the penis. A bead, through which the line extends, locks the line so that cuff maintains the line and cuff in the tightened position. The cuff has multiple circumferentially ridges, and the line extend between two adjacent ridges. A bead also locks the line in the tightened position. The cuff provides a seal between the hose of a vacuu...

A method for treating and maintaining floors cleans the floor and restores an optimum coefficient of friction. The method involves a restoring phase and a cleaning phase, in which the cleaning phase is performed using the same solution as in the restoring phase, but in a diluted form. The method is applicable to cleaning solid hard floors such as those made of unglazed quarry tiles, glazed ceramic tiles and cement.

A transport device, or hand truck (10), having a load carrying surface (26) that is mounted to move up and down along the hand truck (10). The level of the load carrying surface (26) is changed by the amount of air within a pneumatic cylinder (40). The amount of air in the pneumatic cylinder (40) is determined by a pneumatic adjustment subsystem (42) and the load on the load carrying surface (26). Preferably, the pneumatic adjustment subsystem (42) is set so that the top item located on the load...

An improved food delivery system comprises an insulated container and plates that will either generate heat to keep food hot during delivery, or absorb heat to keep food cold during delivery. This combination will hold food for extended periods of time either above a desired elevated temperature, or below a desired lower temperature.

The invention is an optical amplifier which maintains the polarization of the signals being amplified. A polarization independent, polarization maintaining optical isolator is coupled to polarization maintaining optical fibers so that signals having polarization components in more than one direction can propagate therethrough.