text:
|Publication number
|Publication type
|Application number
|Publication date
|24 Apr 2008
|Filing date
|14 Dec 2007
|Priority date
|17 Jan 1996
|Also published as
|Publication number
|Douglas Peckover
|Original Assignee
|Peckover Douglas L
|Export Citation
|BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan
|Referenced by (23), Classifications (44), Legal Events (3)
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet
This application is related to Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/010,087, Filed 17 Jan. 1996. This application is also related to Provisional patent application Ser. No. ______, Filed 30 Dec. 1996.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the gathering and analysis of market transaction data, where such transactions are contemplated or completed by electronic means, and specifically to the use of software agents to represent and to assist the activities of consumers and providers within an electronic "virtual marketplace".
2. Description of Related Art
The trading of goods and services is one of the basic human activities. From the first meeting of pre-historic men to trade animal skins for berries, to country fairs, to the most intricate computer-based trading of international financial instruments, the marketplace supports the survival and flourishing of our lives.
Every era has established a marketplace based on the technology of its time. Early marketplaces were locations for face-to-face meetings between people offering items for trade. The development of printed material and postal correspondence made it possible for people to trade without ever meeting in person. In modern times, a sophisticated division of labor system involving producers, suppliers, distributors, advertisers, market researchers, payment clearinghouses, customers, and many others, supports our economic lives.
The flow of goods and services, however, is not the whole story. The people and organizations on the production, distribution, sales, and marketing side of trade ("providers") need to understand what goods and services are desired by buyers. The people and organizations who purchase or acquire offered items ("consumers") need to learn what goods and services are available. The flow of this market information is critical to the successful operation of a market.
A brief consideration of modern methods of commerce shows us that consumers have many ways to gather information about available goods and services. Some of these are: visiting stores; browsing catalogs; viewing advertisements on television, on billboards, and in magazines and newspapers; soliciting recommendations from friends; and receiving unsolicited mail advertisements.
We also observe that vendors and other providers use many avenues to disseminate information about available goods and services. These include: broadcast and direct advertisements; in-store displays; telephone solicitations; and so on.
Providers also try to collect information about consumers' desires and buying habits so that they can better serve their current customers and gain new ones, thereby enhancing profits. Current market research methods include: keeping current customer purchase data on file; buying or renting mailing lists of other vendors; listening to focus groups; running pilot sales in test markets; and so on.
However, even with so many pathways for information exchange, there are many disadvantages inherent in the current methods of commerce.
Disadvantages of Current Methods of Commerce
Although consumers clearly reap many benefits in today's marketplace, there are still many disadvantages that lead to consumer frustration. Here are some obvious disadvantages for consumers:
Providers, too, have their share of frustrating difficulties using the current methods of commerce. Some of the disadvantages for providers are:
The unexpected and explosive growth and popularity of the Internet in recent years has opened a new avenue for commerce—"electronic commerce". Electronic mail ("e-mail"), the delivery of messages via electronic communication networks, has become a major notification mechanism, especially for point-to-point communications. Numerous "bulletin board" systems and the USENET newsgroup distribution network are popular broadcast notification systems. But it is the advent of the World Wide Web, frequently referred to as "the Web", that has excited the imagination of thousands of consumers, providers, and entrepreneurs. The Web conveniently delivers text, images, and audio clips to individual users. In fact, the Web can be used to distribute any sort of information that can be represented in a computer data file.
The popularity of the Web has encouraged the establishment of many Internet Access Providers (IAPs), who provide communication access to the Internet for individuals and organizations; and Internet Service Providers (ISPs), who provide various services via the Internet, such as e-mail delivery, Web site hosting, search engines, and "chat" areas. This communications and information infrastructure continues to grow at a prodigious rate. With so many individuals and organizations now having convenient and inexpensive communications access, the Internet offers a promising base for a new mode of commerce.
Electronic commerce addresses many of the disadvantages of traditional commerce. It is convenient and inexpensive to prepare and deliver e-mail to specific persons or groups of persons. Many computer systems are repositories for immense databases that are useful for commerce, and the global communication network provides a means for accessing that data. Personal computer systems and specialized software are now enabling consumers to view online product catalogs and other information that providers publish on the Web. A multitude of researchers and organizations are working out the details of payment mechanisms to allow secure monetary transactions across the Internet.
The Disadvantages of Today's Electronic Commerce
Even with the colossal potential of the Internet, there are still a number of problems to be solved to support the establishment of a viable virtual marketplace, especially regarding the collection and exchange of market information. The electronic form of commerce doesn't address all of the problems of traditional commerce, and it raises a number of new difficulties.
Here are some of the disadvantages, from the consumer's point of view, of the electronic form of commerce:
Electronic commerce also presents a number of difficulties for providers, especially in the areas of deploying advertising and gathering "market intelligence." Some of these disadvantages are:
Much of the research relating to electronic commerce has been directed towards designing and implementing secure online money transactions. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,557,518 entitled "Trusted Agents for Open Electronic Commerce" issued 17 Sep. 1996 describes a system wherein a customer and a merchant can exchange electronic merchandise and electronic money by using trusted electronic agents. Even when this crucial aspect of electronic commerce is satisfactorily resolved, there remains the challenge of establishing a mechanism for the presentation, gathering, and exchange of market information in a way that encourages and supports broad participation in the online market. Of the current mechanisms related to online market information, most tend to fall into two categories: search engines, and various kinds of software or electronic agents.
Various problems with search engines have already been mentioned. Each engine has a different syntax and operation, making them error-prone and tedious to use. The information that engines return may be out of date or just plain incorrect. Search engines don't generally categorize information in a format that is handy for consumers, since they cater to general information seekers. Searches cannot make use of personal information about users, since the search engine has access only to the specific query data entered by the user.
A software agent is a software entity that is capable of performing certain delegated electronic actions (including holding information) on behalf of a user or another agent. An IBM white paper, "The Role of Intelligent Agents in the Information Infrastructure" (Gilbert, et. al., IBM Corporation, undated; also published on the Web at URL http://www.networking.ibm.com/iag/iagptc2.html; also hyperlinked from http://www.raleigh.ibm.com/iag/iaghome.html) describes three dimensions along which intelligent agents may be measured: agency, intelligence, and mobility. "Agency is the degree of autonomy and authority vested in the agent . . . . Intelligence is the degree of reasoning and learned behavior . . . . Mobility is the degree to which agents themselves travel through the network . . . " (IBM, italics author's). Software agents can be further classified along the dimension of mobility into three broad categories according to their location of execution and location of data reference: mobile agents, "wandering" agents, and local or static agents.
True mobile agents are software entities that can electronically move from one computer system to another. The software program of a mobile agent actually executes on the target computer system. Although some technology to support mobile agents is available (for example, Sun's Java and General Magic's Telescript), they have not been successful, partly because many computer "firewalls" block the entry of mobile agents for security reasons, and because the agents must be capable of operating on a number of specific kinds of computers.
A wandering agent is a software entity that resides within a single computer system and "visits" or communicates with other computer systems, frequently via the Internet. Wandering agents are being used successfully to map the Web, gathering the data that is used in the internal indexes of search engines. However, these agents are very slow in operation, especially when there are thousands of sites to visit, and some wandering agents may be blocked from accessing some sites (as the BargainFinder agent has been). As described in "Internet Agents: Spiders, Wanderers, Brokers, and 'Bots" (Cheong, Fah-Chun, New Riders Publishing, 1996), wandering agents are also used for various Web maintenance tasks and for Web mirroring. Cheong lists and describes many instances of wandering agents. The following list of wandering agents was compiled on 26 Dec. 1995 from Appendix G of Cheong. The purpose of each agent is excerpted by the inventor from short descriptions in Cheong.
Name Purpose ASpider (Associative Spider) searches for keywords Arachnophilia collect documents Aretha (none given) CS-HKUST WWW Index Server Resource Discovery, validate HTML ChURL URL checking Checkbot (none given) EIT Link Verifier Robot verify links Emacs W3 Search Engine Resource Discovery Fish Search Resource Discovery GetURL validate links, mirroring HTML Analyzer check validity of Web servers HTMLgobble mirroring Harvest Resource InfoSeek Robot collect information for database JumpStation Robot Resource Discovery Katipo look for changed documents Lycos information retrieval and discovery MOMspider maintenance of distributed hypertext Mac WWWWorm keyword searching NHSE Web Forager Resource Discovery NIKOS Resource Discovery NorthStar Robot textual analysis, indexing Open Text Corporation Robot (none given) Peregrinator indexing Python Robot (none given) RBSE Spider Resource Discovery SG-Scout Resource Discovery Scooter Resource Discovery Spry Wizard Robot Resource Discovery TITAL Resource Discovery Tarspider mirroring Tcl W3 Robot validate links TkWWW Robot find logically related pages W4 (World Wide Web Wanderer) measure growth in Web WM32 Robot Resource Discovery, validate links WWWW—World Wide Web indexing Worm WebCopy mirroring WebCrawler Resource Discovery WebLinker traverses Web converting URN->URL WebWatch validate HTML Webfoot Robot (none given) Weblayers validate, cache, maintain links Websnarf mirroring Webwalk Resource Discovery, validate links, mirroring
A local or static agent is a software entity that operates within a single logical computer system, accessing data local to that system. Clearly this kind of agent is of limited usefulness for the electronic marketplace, since, a local agent would not have access to the variety of data that is necessary for a thriving marketplace. However, if there were a mechanism to incorporate data from many sources and to provide access to a broad base of users, local agents could be extremely useful.
These technologies have not been used to collect market information that providers can use to quantify consumer demand or to help gain customers at reduced cost. Consumers are hesitant to use some of these technologies because of privacy concerns. There isn't a practical mechanism for the user to instruct an agent to "keep looking" if the immediate search fails or is only partially successful. Although these technologies may be useful for the electronic marketplace, additional mechanisms are required for practical, ubiquitous electronic commerce.
The Fundamental Problems to be Solved to Enable Electronic Commerce
An electronic marketplace, just like a traditional marketplace, must support the basic process of commerce: offers to sell or buy are made, offers are accepted, and considerations (payments) are paid. If the basic process does not work, there is no marketplace. A viable marketplace must also address side-effects of commerce such as issues of security, privacy, and confidence or trust; otherwise, even if the basic process works, consumers and providers will not feel comfortable enough to participate in the marketplace.
A practical and viable electronic marketplace involves the exchange of market information, as well as the more obvious trading for goods and services. From a consumer's point of view, shopping is a means of gathering data about goods and services offered. This data is used by the consumer to compare and rank offerings and to make decisions about purchases. From a provider's point of view, consumer shopping is an opportunity to gather data about consumer needs and interests. This data is used by the provider to improve product and service offerings.
For consumer, the fundamental problems relating to the flow of market information in electronic commerce, still to be solved, are:
For providers, the fundamental problems relating to the flow of market information in electronic commerce, still to be solved, are:
The principal object of the present invention is to provide a system that facilitates the gathering and exchange of market information in support of electronic commerce. The attainment of this object has many advantages for both consumers and providers.
Several objects and advantages of the invention for consumers are the following.
Several objects and advantages of the invention for providers are the following.
Several objects and advantages of the invention for all participants in the system are the following.
Referring to the fundamental problems of the flow of market information in electronic commerce, the fundamental objects of the system for consumers are:
Referring to the fundamental problems of the flow of market information in electronic commerce, the fundamental objects of the system for providers are:
Further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from a consideration of the drawing and ensuing description.
The invention is described in greater detail below with reference to the attached drawing. In the drawing, closely related figures have the same number but different alphabetic suffixes.
The present invention contemplates a system for enabling the collection of market information, especially data needed to quantify various kinds of consumer demand, while protecting the particular identity and privacy of consumers. Consumers, because their identity is protected, feel secure in using the system, thereby generating market data as a by-product of their shopping activities. Providers can query and analyze this market data in many ways, including the calculation of actual instantaneous and historical consumer demand for products and product categories. This kind of market data is not available by any other means.
The system comprises a "virtual marketplace" in which various kinds of agents represent human owners. Although the system has access to data outside its boundaries, the system behaves as a logically single system. The agents of the system need not travel outside the system to perform their tasks.
Consumers and providers both may place sell and buy advertisements (ads) in the marketplace. Providers can target groups of consumers to receive special messages such as special offer ads.
Consumers and providers are each represented in the system by Personal Agents. A Personal Agent stores and learns the preferences of its human owner and arranges for delivery of messages to the owner according to the owner's desired delivery times and desired delivery devices. The Personal Agent ensures that private or identifying data about the owner is never revealed without authorization to other agents in the system.
Consumers use Decision Agents to gather the information that helps consumers make purchasing and usage decisions. Decision Agents can search for ads meeting various criteria, and order the matching ads according to the consumer's preferences.
Providers use Demand Agents to assist with market analysis of various kinds of demand and to target consumers. Demand Agents can target consumers based on consumer preferences, demographics, and shopping activity.
Within this description, the term "product" is understood to include all kinds of merchandise, tangible and intangible goods, services, intellectual property, information, electronic merchandise, etc. whether offered for a price, offered for barter, or offered for free.
The term "consumer" is understood to mean a user of the system who is acting to find information about or purchase products offered by other users of the system. A consumer is typically an individual. The term "provider" is understood to mean a user of the system who is acting to present information about products and/or sales offers to other users of the system. The term "provider" includes manufacturers, retailers, wholesalers, distributors, etc. When the term "consumer" is used in this description, it is understood to mean a user of the system acting in the role of a consumer. When the term "provider" is used, it similarly is understood to mean a user of the system acting in the role of a provider. The term "user" is understood to apply in a context where the particular role is unimportant.
Referring now to the drawing, and in particular to
Referring to the left side of the figure, actions of Consumer 20 generate market data. Consumer 20 controls a Consumer Personal Agent 12 that represents the Consumer to the system. The Consumer Personal Agent is capable of creating a Decision Agent 14 to carry out a search, within a Market 18, for products that satisfy certain constraints and preferences. For example, a Consumer might query for the local retailers that carry a certain brand of sports shoes. Decision Agent 14 gathers data without knowing, and therefore without revealing, the identity of the Consumer 20. Both Decision Agent 14 and Market 18 store data about the search. Decision Agent 14 returns a set of product recommendations, which Consumer Personal Agent 12 further filters and orders according to Consumer preferences before presenting to Consumer 20.
Referring to the right side of the figure, actions of Provider 21 retrieve and analyze market data. Provider 21 (merchant, service provider, etc.) controls a Provider Personal Agent 13 that represents the Provider to the system. The Provider Personal Agent is capable of creating a Demand Agent 16 to collect data, from a Market 18, about consumer demand. For example, the Provider might query for the number of consumers that are currently searching, or have searched within the past 24 hours, for a certain brand of sports shoes. Demand Agent 16 accesses data stored in the Market 18 and in active and expired Decision Agents 14. Demand Agent 16 returns a response for the query to the Provider Personal Agent 13, which uses the Provider's preferences to determine how to present the retrieved data to the Provider 21.
Agent System 10 contains different Markets 18 for various categories of products and services. The various kinds of agents and the markets are software components. These components are more fully described in conjunction with other figures. In a preferred embodiment, the software components utilize but are not limited to conventional object-oriented technology, distributed object-oriented technology, object-oriented database technology, relational database technology, general Internet communication technology, World Wide Web (WWW or Web) technology, and electronic mail (e-mail) technology.
Referring to
Two users of Agent System 10 (not part of the invention) are shown schematically, a User 21 (a Provider) and another User 20 (a Consumer), to indicate their relationship to the Agent System. When a User 20 or 21 uses Agent System 10 to present information about products and/or sales offers to other users of the system, that User is referred to as a Provider. For example, merchants, distributors, retailers, wholesalers, etc. fall in this category. When a User 20 or 21 uses Agent System 10 to find information about or purchase products offered by other users of the system, that User is referred to as a Consumer. In this document, the term "products" comprises products, services, tangible goods, intellectual property, etc. Persons and organizations are registered to become users of Agent System 10, and each user is authorized to perform certain functions. Not all functions of Agent System 10 are permitted to every user.
Each User of Agent System 10 has a means of communicating with the system, as indicated by Communication Device 22 or 23 of each User 20 or 21 respectively, and may have multiple means and devices. These communication devices can be any device capable of communicating over the Internet (such as personal computers with Web browser and/or e-mail software), other devices capable of operating with computer control (such as facsimile machines and pagers), and other means of transferring data and commands between the User and the Agent System. A User may also store data on various devices outside Agent System 10, as indicated by Provider Remote Data 25 and Consumer Remote Data 24, provided that such data can be accessed by the system via (at least one of) the User's Communication Device(s). In this context, "remote" means located outside the direct control of Agent System 10.
Agent System 10 contains software agents representing both consumers and providers. Each User controls a Personal Agent 12 or 13 (PA) that coordinates the communication of the User with the other parts of Agent System 10. A User establishes a communication session with User's PA using conventional authentication means appropriate to the Communication Device 22 or 23.
A Personal Agent Search Engine 26 maintains indexes over preference data and demographic data of all Personal Agents, so that users may query to identify a set of Personal Agents whose users have certain characteristics or preferences. However, private data about the user (name, address, etc.) is not maintained in Personal Agent Search Engine 26.
Continuing to refer to
Agent Marketplace 28 contains a number of Market Navigation Aids 34 to help users find the appropriate Market 18 in which to search or place ads. These aids might include keyword searches, word alias searches, hierarchical browsers of market layouts, etc.
Agents and other components of Agent System 10 record and access system history data (records of searches, transactions, etc.) in System History Data 36 component. Most of the system history is more conveniently accessed through logs and archives located within various functional components; but System History Data 36 maintains the "master" copy.
System Administrator users (not shown) perform or supervise various conventional maintenance functions for Agent System 10, such as performing backups, adding new product data, redistributing functions between processors for load balancing, etc.
Referring to
The various functional components of Agent System 10, described in conjunction with several Figures, reside on one or more Processors 38, and may be duplicated to reside on one or more Processors 38 simultaneously. The distribution of the functional components across the various Processors 38 will change over time, to support additional capacity, load balancing, and ease of administration.
Referring to
A Object Server function 40 executes the software objects that comprise the various software functional components of Agent System 10, for example, the various agents, the markets, the data repositories, and lower level utility software objects (not shown). A particular Object Server 40 need not execute every kind of object; for example, some Object Servers 40 may contain only Personal Agents 12 or 13 and their related data repositories, but will not contain any Market 18 objects.
A Communications function 42 supports communications between Processor 38 and the outside world. Such communications may be wired or wireless, broad or narrow band, so long as the Processors 38 use compatible communications. Communications function 42 sets up the connection between two Processors 38, or connects a Processor 38 to a network for indirect connection to another Processor 38 or to a User's Communication Device 22 or 23.
A Human/Machine Interface function 44 provides the look and feel of Processor 38. It could include a keyboard, mouse, pen, voice, touch screen, icons, menus, etc. Human/Machine Interface function 44 communicates with other functions in Processor 38. In some situations, a Human/Machine Interface function may not be necessary, for example, when a Processor 38 communicates only with other Processors 38 but not with a User's Communication Device 22 or 23.
A Messaging function 46 routes messages between software objects executing on various Processors 38.
A Persistence function 48 manages storage of data belonging to the various software objects that reside on the Processor 38. The actual data is stored on conventional storage devices (not shown), such as computer disks.
Personal Agent 12 or 13 is the point of contact between a user and the Agent System 10. Personal Agent 12 or 13 acts as an electronic "butler" or assistant, accepting requests from the user, delegating tasks to other agents in the system, and arranging for responses from various agents to the user to be delivered at a time and in a manner that is convenient for the user. Consumer Personal Agent 12, via its internal functions, maintains the user's preferences and other data about the user, some of which is protected from unauthorized access.
Referring to
A Unique ID function 50 maintains an identifier that uniquely identifies this agent within Agent System 10. Unique ID 50 is generated automatically when the agent is created, and is never reused to identify a different agent, even if the original agent ceases to exist within the Agent System. Unique ID 50 carries no information that reveals the human "owner" of this agent. Unique ID 50 is used to address messages to the agent.
An Owner Manager function 52 maintains data about the human "owner" of the agent, i.e. the user that controls this Personal Agent 12. This data includes the user's name, postal addresses, e-mail addresses, telephone and fax numbers, etc. This data is always protected by an Individual Firewall 58; it is never revealed to other agents, and is used only by components of Personal Agent 12 to deliver messages, for system invoicing, etc.
A Preference Manager function 54 maintains data about the preferences of the user. Preferences indicate items of interest to the user, such as favorite brands, interest in sports, etc. Within Agent System 10, preference data also includes "demographic" data. Demographic data indicates facts about the user, such as whether the user is a homeowner, the user's gender, the user's age group, etc. Although marketing industry usage of the term "demographics" may include a person's name, address, or other identifying data, a Preference Manager's demographic data does not include data that identifies the particular user. Preference data may be entered manually by the user using, for example, a form on a Web page, or data may be loaded by a System Administrator. Preferences may also be updated automatically by the system as, for example, when the user instructs the system to "remember" a product brand name from a product search. Preference Manager 54 uses preference data to order search results, so that items that are more likely to be preferred by the user will be displayed first when the results are delivered to the user. Referring now to
Referring again to
Delivery Manager 56 also rejects unsolicited messages, unless the message meets the user's preferred criteria as maintained by Preference Manager 54. Delivery Manager 56 sends a rejection message in reply to the original sender of a rejected message. The rejection message indicates why the original message was rejected, so that the sender may gather quantifiable feedback.
An Individual Firewall function 58 mediates all access to the data that is maintained by the various internal functions, ensuring that only authenticated and authorized agents and users can access private data.
A Decision Agent Manager 60 assists the user with the creation and management of Decision Agents 14. Referring now to
a Decision Composer 74,
Continuing to refer to
A Decision Agent Factory 76 creates a new Decision Agent 14 to carry out a query.
A Decision Agent Tracker 78 enables the user to monitor the activities of Decision Agents 14 that are active, i.e., agents that have not completed their tasks. Decision Agent Tracker 78 also enables the user to cancel an active Decision Agent 14 before its scheduled expiry time.
A Decision Agent Archive 80 stores and accesses Decision Agents 14 that are expired, i.e., agents that have completed their tasks, whether successfully or not. For example, if a Demand Agent 16 needs more detailed data about a query than is stored in a Query Logger 136 of a Market 18, it can access the details of the related Decision Agent 14 through Decision Agent Archive 80.
Referring back to
Referring back to
An Ad Composer function 90 retrieves a Product Template 174 (described later in conjunction with
An Ad Delivery function 92 delivers Ad 186 to the desired destination. For consumer users, Ad 186 is delivered to Market 18, where it is accessible to other agents in the system. For provider users, Ad 186 may be delivered to Market 18 (just like a consumer ad); or Ad 186 may be delivered (as a special offer) to a set, determined by a Demand Agent 16, of consumer Personal Agents 12.
An Ad Tracker function 94 monitors the activity of Ad 186, including any messages received in response to the Ad, until Ad 186 expires or is canceled by the user. Ad Tracker function 94 enables the user to cancel an Ad 186 before its scheduled expiry time.
An Ad Archive function 96 stores and access Ads 186 that are expired.
Referring again to
A Consideration Account function 67 maintains a "consideration" account for the user. When the user earns a consideration by, for example, viewing a directly delivered advertisement or message, or completing a marketing survey, the consideration amount is credited to Consideration Account 67. The account is denominated in a convertible exchange media such as electronic cash tokens.
Referring to
A Decision Agent 14 acts on behalf of a consumer user, as instructed by the consumer's Personal Agent 12, to search out and collect information from Agent System 10 that helps the consumer make purchasing and usage decisions. A consumer may have multiple Decision Agents 14 active within the Agent System 10 at any time. For example, a consumer may have one Decision Agent 14 searching for a good buy on a certain sports shoe, and have another Decision Agent 14 searching for a television set with special features.
A Unique ID function 98 maintains an identifier that uniquely identifies this agent within Agent System 10. Unique ID 98 is generated automatically when the agent is created, and is never reused to identify a different agent, even if the original agent ceases to exist within Agent System 10. Unique ID 98 carries no information that reveals the human "owner" of this agent. Unique ID 98 is used to address messages to the agent.
A Personal Agent Reference 100 holds a copy of the Unique ID 50 of consumer Personal Agent 12 that controls this Decision Agent 14. Personal Agent Reference 100 is used to address messages to the controlling Personal Agent 12.
A Market Reference 102 indicates in which Market 18 that Decision Agent 14 should search.
An Expiry function 104 indicates how long Decision Agent 14 should continue searching. Expiry 104 may indicate either that the search should be performed and the responses returned immediately (an "immediate search"), or that the search should continue for a specific period of time, for example, one week, with responses being returned periodically during that time (an "extended search").
A Query 106 describes the product or product category for which to search. Query 106 includes data from Product Template 174 completed by the consumer and relevant data from the consumer's preferences, as assembled by Decision Agent Factory 76 of the consumer's Personal Agent 12.
A Response Manager 108 receives search results and returns them to the consumer's Personal Agent 12.
A Log function 110 stores records of the activities of Decision Agent 14. These records may be consulted later, for example, by a Demand Agent 16 that is calculating historical demand for a product.
Referring to
A Demand Agent 16 acts on behalf of a provider user, as instructed by the provider's Personal Agent 13, to search out and collect information from the Agent System 10 that helps the provider quantify consumer demand and helps target specialized advertisements to a group of consumers. A provider may have multiple Demand Agents 16 active within Agent System 10 at any time. For example, a provider may have one Demand Agent 16 calculating historical demand over the past month for a certain model of sports shoe, and have another Demand Agent 16 searching for consumers who have purchased sports shoes in the past month to receive ads for sports socks.
A Unique ID function 112 maintains an identifier that uniquely identifies this agent within Agent System 10. Unique ID 112 is generated automatically when the agent is created, and is never reused to identify a different agent, even if the original agent ceases to exist within Agent System 10. Unique ID 112 carries no information that reveals the human "owner" of this agent. Unique ID 112 is used to address messages to the agent.
A Personal Agent Reference 114 holds a copy of the Unique ID 50 of provider Personal Agent 13 that controls this Demand Agent 16. Personal Agent Reference 114 is used to address messages to the controlling Personal Agent 13.
A Market Reference 116 indicates in which Market 18 or Markets 18 that Demand Agent 16 should search.
A Datetime Range function 118 indicates that demand should be quantified over the date/time range specified; i.e., only Decision Agents 14 that were (or are) active during the datetime range specified should be searched when quantifying demand.
A Demand Query 120 describes a product or product category query that can be matched against the Queries 106 of Decision Agents. Demand Query 120 is similar to a Decision Agent's Query 106, except that a Demand Query 120 is matched against other queries (Decision Agent Queries 106), whereas a Decision Agent's Query 106 is matched against product advertisements. Demand Query 120 causes the selection of Decision Agents 14 whose queries are searching for certain products or product categories.
A Log function 122 stores records of the activities of Demand Agent 16 for later consultation by other components of Agent System 10.
Referring back briefly to
Market 18 corresponds to a traditional broad product category, such as Home Appliances, Office Supplies, Groceries, Consumer Electronics, Residential Real Estate, Commercial Real Estate, etc. The major purposes of a Market 18 are to maintain the advertisements (ads) for products of that market, to provide the capability for specialized agents to search the advertisements, and to collect data about searches for later demand calculations.
A Product Listing function 124 maintains a list of the products that can be advertised in this market. Each product references detailed product data that is kept in a Product Database (PDB) 32 described in conjunction with
Referring again to
A Sell Ad Manager function 128 accepts advertisements of offers to sell that are submitted by users' Personal Agents 12. A Buy Ad Manager function 130 accepts advertisements of offers to buy that are submitted by users' Personal Agents 12. Both consumers and providers may place ads for selling or buying in a Market 18.
The structure of both Sell Ad Manager 128 and Buy Ad Manager 130 are similar, the difference being the kind of advertisements that are accepted. Referring to
Continuing to refer to
An Active Ads function 146 maintains the ads that are currently active. As each new add is accepted by Active Ads function 146, an Active Decision Agent Manager 152 (see below) is notified so that pending searches can be matched against the new advertisement.
A Future Ads function 148 maintains ads that have been submitted to the Market, but are not yet active because their effective datetime has not yet been reached. These ads are moved to Active Ads when their starting datetime is reached.
An Expired Ads function 150 maintains an archive of ads that have expired, for later analysis by other components.
An Active Decision Agent Manager function 152 maintains a list of all Decision Agents 14 that are currently searching this Market 18 for products. Provider's Demand Agents 16 refer to Active Decision Agent Manager 152 while calculating current (or instantaneous) demand.
Referring to
An Immediate Agents function 156 keeps track of Decision Agents 14 that are performing an immediate search. An immediate search is a search that is to be performed and results returned as soon as practical. Immediate Agents function 156 uses a Basic Search Engine function 158 to execute the query associated with each incoming Decision Agent 14. For example, a Decision Agent 14 might present a query to find a certain brand of sports shoe within a certain price range. Basic Search Engine 158 consults Active Ads 146 to match the query against all active ads. After the immediate search is complete, if there will not be an extended search, Active Decision Agent Manager 152 moves the Decision Agent 14 to Expired Decision Agent Manager 154 (see below). If there will be an extended search, Active Decision Agent Manager 152 delivers the Decision Agent 14 to Pending Agents 160.
Continuing to refer to
A Current Demand Search Engine 164 matches demand queries of Demand Agents 16 against the queries of Decision Agents 14 that are residing in Immediate Agents 156 or Pending Agents 160, to identify active Decision Agents 14 that are searching for a certain product or product category.
Referring back to
Referring again to
A Template Dispenser function 134 retrieves the Product Template 174 for a particular product. Product Template 174 describes the data that is available within the system about the particular product. Personal Agents 12 or 13 use the Template Dispenser 134 when consumers or providers are constructing ads or product search queries. Template Dispenser 134 consults the Product Template Manager 170 in a Product Database 32 (described in conjunction with
A Query Logger function 136 archives summary information about queries performed by Basic Search Engine 158 or Incremental Search Engine 162, so that historical data about queries may be quickly accessed without having to access the detailed data archived by the searching agent. For example, summary information about queries launched by Decision Agents 14 are logged so that Demand Agents 16 can perform routine demand calculations without having to access the archived Decision Agents 14.
An Historical Demand Search Engine 138 matches demand queries of Demand Agents 16 against the queries that have been previously logged by Query Logger 136, to identify Decision Agents 14 that previously, during a specified datetime range, had searched for a certain product or product category.
A Remote Database Adaptor 140 provides communication and session management services to connect to a database (a "remote database", not shown) belonging to a manufacturer or a provider. Remote Database Adaptor 140 also provides translation services to translate between the data formats used by a remote database and the data formats used by PDB 32. Remote Database Adaptor 140 allows a provider to submit ads directly from the provider's remote database into Market 18. Remote Database Adaptor 140 also allows access "by reference" to advertisement data that remains stored in a remote database; that is, the data is not copied into Agent System 10, but is accessed as needed. Market 18 includes a Remote Database Adaptor 140 for each provider that chooses to supply ads in this manner; alternatively, a provider uses various functional components accessed via provider's Personal Agent 13 to place ads manually.
An Authorization function 142 restricts the placement and searching of ads in the Market 18 to authorized users only. General Markets 18 a allow any authorized user of the system to place and search ads. A Restricted Market 18 b allows market access only to certain authorized users of the system. For example, a Restricted Market might be used by wholesalers marketing exclusively to distributors.
Referring to
PDB 32 maintains generic data about products, to be referenced by ads placed by providers. Although PDB 32 is illustrated here as a single database (with several internal components) for ease of understanding, the contemplated PDB 32 will be split across several processors 38, as illustrated previously in
Referring to
A Product Data Storage function 168 stores data about different products, for example, product name, product model number, manufacturer's suggested retail price for product, etc.
A Product Template Manager function 170 maintains a set of Product Templates 174, one for each product listed in PDB 32. Product Template 174 describes the kinds of data that is kept in PDB 32 for a product. PDB 32 makes Product Templates 174 available to other components, for example, a Template Dispenser 134 as illustrated in
Referring again to
An advertisement (ad) is an offer to sell or buy a product. A placer is the user (person or organization) who is selling or buying.
Referring to
A Unique ID component 188 uniquely identifies this advertisement within Agent System 10. Unique ID 188 is generated automatically when the advertisement is created, and is never reused to identify a different ad, even after the advertisement is expired.
A Buy/Sell Flag 190 indicates that this advertisement is either an offer to buy or an offer to sell a product.
A Reference to Placer component 192 identifies the provider Personal Agent 13 of the user placing Ad 186.
A Reference to Market component 194 identifies a Market 18 in which Ad 186 is placed.
A Reference to Product Listing component 196 refers to standard data about the product in Product Listing 124 of Market 18. Brand name, manufacturer, manufacturer's suggested retail price, etc. are examples of standard data.
A Product Template Values component 198 holds values, corresponding to the Product Template 174, that the placer specified when composing the advertisement. Offering price and locations of stores that carry the product are examples of values.
A Description component 200 holds additional data, not in Product Listing 124 nor in Product Template Values 198, that the placer wishes to make known about the product.
A Price component 202 states the price at which the product is offered (for selling) or requested (for buying). Price 202 may also be a price range, especially for buy ads.
A Start Datetime component 204 states the date and time at which the advertisement becomes effective, that is, the point at which the advertisement will be visible to Decision Agents 14 that are searching the market for products.
An Expiry Datetime component 206 states the date and time at which the advertisement expires, that is, the point at which the advertisement will no longer be visible to Decision Agents 14 that are searching the market for products. However, even after expiry, the advertisement is accessible through an Ad Archive 96.
The flow charts indicate the functional component primarily responsible for carrying out a given task. For example, "Decision Composer" listed in the top part of a step means that the recited task is carried out by Decision Composer function 74 (see
All communication between a user (either a consumer user or a provider user) and Agent System 10 is mediated by user's Personal Agent 12 or 13. The flow charts and descriptions sometimes illustrate or state that a component receives input from the user or directs output to the user. These statements should be understood to mean that the component carries out the communication with the help of user's Personal Agent 12 or 13.
Some Figures illustrate example screen layout for input and output using a Web browser interface. Underlined text represents hyperlinks.
Simple, conventional processes are not illustrated by flow charts. For example, the process whereby a user invokes Ad Tracker 94 to view the status of active ads placed by the user is not shown, since this type of process is well-known to practitioners.
One of the major consumer uses of Agent System 10 is to assist a consumer in locating information about a product that is advertised for sale. It need not be possible for the consumer to carry out the actual purchase within Agent System 10; it is only necessary that products be advertised within the system. However, when secure electronic transactions are available, it is anticipated that consumers will make actual purchases through the system. The product search process, while directly helping consumers, also generates consumer market data that is so crucial to providers. This data tells providers the products for which consumers are searching, the criteria that are important to those consumers, and how many consumers are searching the various markets.
Referring to
Referring again to
Referring now to
Still referring to
At this point Decision Composer 74 arranges to format and display the Product Template and the instructions (step 266). The consumer, following the instructions, completes the search criteria in the Product Template (step 268). When the consumer's interface is a Web browser, the Product Template is typically displayed as a combination of fill-in fields, selection lists, radio buttons, etc. as illustrated in the sample screens of
Referring to
Referring briefly to
Referring again to
Referring back to
Referring now to
Referring back to
Referring to
Referring now to
Referring now to
Referring to
Quantifying demand is a major activity of Agent System 10. Demand is a measure of the number of consumers interested in purchasing a product or interested in products in a category. Providers may quantify current demand or historical demand. Current demand measures the count of consumers that are currently searching for a product or searching within a product category. Historical demand measures the count of consumers that have searched for a product, or searched within a product category, during a previous time period. Agent System 10 can not only calculate demand, it can also deliver a means of contacting those consumers (without revealing the actual identity of those consumers). The demand search uses data that is generated by consumers as they search for products in the system.
Referring to
Referring to still to
Referring now to
Still referring to
At this point Demand Composer 82 arranges to format and display the Product Template and the instructions (step 432). The provider, following the instructions, completes the search criteria in the Product Template (step 434). When the provider's interface is a Web browser, the Product Template is typically displayed as a combination of fill-in fields, selection lists, radio buttons, etc. For example, the provider might use screens similar to the sample consumer screens previously illustrated in
Referring to
Referring briefly to
Referring again to
Referring back to
Referring now to
Referring now to
Referring back to
The search has now ended. It remains for Demand Agent 16 to deliver the demand search results to the provider. Referring to
Referring to
Both providers and consumers may place ads in Agent System 10. An advertisement may be an offer to sell or an offer to buy. A placed advertisement becomes effective at a particular time and expires at a particular time, and searching Decision Agents consider an advertisement only during the ad's effective time. Even after ads expire, they may be accessed for historical reasons. Users may place ads manually, or they may cause ads to be loaded from or referenced from remote systems via a remote database adapter. Referring to
Referring to
Referring now to
Still referring to
Ad Composer 90 arranges to format and display the Product Template and the instructions (step 578). The provider, following the instructions, selects and enters values describing the product in the Product Template (step 580), adding additional description if desired. When the provider's interface is a Web browser, the Product Template is typically displayed as a combination of fill-in fields, selection lists, radio buttons, etc. as illustrated in the sample screen of
Referring again to
Referring now to
Referring again briefly to
Referring now to
If it is time for the advertisement to become active, Active Ads 146 inserts the advertisement into its internal queue and Ad Indexing 144 indexes the advertisement for searching (steps 618-620). Active Ads notifies Active Decision Agent Manager 152 that a new advertisement has arrived (step 622), so that ongoing extended searches may be matched against the new advertisement.
Once Ad 186 is in Active Ads 146, the advertisement is available for searching by Decision Agents 14 that are looking for products. The advertisement remains available for searching until its Expiry Datetime is reached, when Ad Manager invokes an Expire Ad subroutine.
Referring now to
To "target" a message is to select message recipients according to certain criteria intended to yield recipients that are interested in receiving the information, as opposed to delivering the message to a wider audience where fewer recipients are truly interested in the information. Within Agent System 10, targeting consumers is a process of targeting Personal Agents 12 that represent consumers that satisfy the desired criteria. Providers use the targeting process, for example, to send ads to consumers that have previously searched in a particular Market 18 or for a particular product. Providers may also use targeting to offer a product at a different price to a different groups of consumers. Providers might also send market surveys, brand name awareness notices, etc.
Providers can also target consumers who have recently searched a Market 18 to deliver a "reason for sale" or "lost sales" questionnaire. The questionnaire inquires if the consumer actually bought a product, and if the purchased product was the one offered by the inquiring provider or some other provider. The questionnaire typically includes a list of sales reasons, that is, reasons why the consumer purchased the product or purchased from the inquiring provider. For example, some sales reasons are: price suitable, available in desired color, a particular special feature, etc. The questionnaire also typically includes a list of lost sales reasons, that is, reasons why the consumer purchased a competing product or purchased from another provider. For example, some lost sales reasons are: price too high, prefer another brand, store location not convenient, etc. The questionnaire may also include a place for general comments from the consumer. By analyzing returned questionnaires, the provider gains valuable information about why a sale was gained or why a competitor got the sale.
Referring to
Referring again to
The provider may start by quantifying demand, previously described in conjunction with
Alternatively, the provider may select, from Demand Agent Archive 88, a Demand Agent 16 that previously identified an appropriate set of consumer Personal Agents 12.
As yet another alternative, the provider may use Personal Agent Search Engine 26 to collect references to a set of consumer Personal Agents 12 that have certain preferences or demographic characteristics. For example, the provider may search for Personal Agents that list a preference for a certain favorite brand, or for Personal Agents whose owners are males between the ages of 25 and 40. Personal Agent Search Engine 26 also identifies Personal Agents that are willing to accept unsolicited notices only if accompanied by a consideration. In this context, Personal Agent Search Engine 26 automatically filters out Personal Agents that belong to persons or organizations that are no longer users of the system.
The provider may keep applying search criteria to filter the set of consumer Personal Agents 12 at will, until the provider is satisfied that an appropriate set has been identified. By choosing suitable search criteria, the provider may also select a set of consumers to quantify anticipated or future demand. For example, the provider may select consumers that have recently searched a real estate market, and anticipate that those consumers will soon desire mortgage lending information.
Referring again to
The message is delivered to each consumer Personal Agent 12 that was identified with the help of Target Manager 66 (step 648). For example, if the message is an ad, Ad Delivery 92 arranges the delivery.
Consumers receive the messages via their Personal Agents 12 and compose replies if they wish (step 650). This may involve filling out an on-line form presented by the provider. The replies are sent back to the originating provider.
The provider may have specified a consideration amount to be paid to consumers that reply to the message (step 652). If so, Target Manager 66 arranges to send a consideration notice to the consumer Personal Agent 12 of each consumer that replies (step 654). Consideration Account 67 of each consumer receiving a consideration notice credits the consideration account with the amount of the consideration (step 656).
Even unsolicited advertisements and other unsolicited messages that are rejected by a consumer's Personal Agent 12 become sources of market data to a provider, if the rejection generates a rejection reason back to the provider.
Referring to
If, however, the message content violates the consumer's preference in some way, Delivery Manager 56 composes a rejection message indicating the reason for rejection, and sends the rejection message back to the Personal Agent 13 of the provider that originated the unsolicited message (steps 684-686).
For example, if a provider sends, to Personal Agent 13, an unsolicited advertisement about sports shoes, specifying a consideration amount of fifty cents, and the user has previously specified a consideration preference of seventy-five cents, Delivery Manager 56 will reject the advertisement and reply with a rejection message indicating that the consideration amount must be at least seventy-five cents.
As another example, perhaps a provider sends an unsolicited advertisement about a Chinese food dinner, and the advertisement does not specify the MSG content of the food. If the user has specified a preference for "no MSG", Delivery Manager 56 will reject the advertisement and reply with a rejection message indicating that the consumer prefers food without MSG.
The provider has gained valuable market information about consumer preferences, even though the provider's message was not successfully delivered.
Providers may also simulate demand using current market data. To simulate demand is to determine the demand for a hypothetical product or service, or for an actual product or service with different features or pricing.
Referring to
When a searching Decision Agent 14 matches the invisible Ad 186, the Ad is referred to the Response Manager 108 and the Preference Manager 54 ranks the Ad in the normal fashion (steps 696-698). However, because the Ad is marked invisible, the Response Manager additionally sends a reply to the provider indicating that the invisible Ad was matched by a Decision Agent 14, and indicating the ranking of the invisible Ad (step 700). The Ad 186 reference is not removed from the Decision Agent 14, but remains with the other Ad references of the Decision Agent in the normal fashion. When Delivery Manager 56 is preparing search results for delivery to the consumer, it does not include the invisible Ad (step 702), so that the consumer remains unaware that the invisible Ad existed. The provider has collected valuable market data without annoying the consumers who generated the data.
Referring to
The foregoing description is of a preferred embodiment of the invention.
Other embodiments are anticipated. For example, it is expected that future embodiments of the invention will use a variety of communication devices, such as, but not limited to, facsimile machines, pagers, Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), Network Computers (NCs), postal mail, telephone voice recognition, satellite links, video cable, etc.
It is also anticipated that, in the future, the system will further comprise actual purchase transactions.
It is also anticipated that additional kinds of data will be collected by the system, and additional methods of analysis of such data will be developed.
From the foregoing it will be seen that this invention is well adapted to attain all of the ends and objectives hereinabove set forth, together with other advantages which are inherent to the apparatus.
It will be understood that certain features and sub-combinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and sub-combinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims.
The foregoing description of the preferred embodiment of the invention has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching.
|Citing Patent
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|21 Dec 2009
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|U.S. Classification
|705/26.43, 705/26.7, 705/26.62
|International Classification
|Cooperative Classification
|European Classification
|3 Jun 2008
Owner name: @YOURCOMMAND, INC., TEXAS
Free format text: CHANGE OF NAME;ASSIGNOR:PERSONAL AGENTS, INC.;REEL/FRAME:021029/0541
Effective date: 19990614
Owner name: PARADOX TECHNICAL SOLUTIONS LLC, DELAWARE
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:PRIVACY, INC.;REEL/FRAME:021034/0191
Effective date: 20070228
Owner name: PERSONAL AGENTS, INC., TEXAS
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:PECKOVER, DOUGLAS L.;REEL/FRAME:021034/0169
Effective date: 19970117
Owner name: PRIVACY INFRASTRUCTURE, INC., TEXAS
Free format text: CHANGE OF NAME;ASSIGNOR:@YOURCOMMAND, INC.;REEL/FRAME:021034/0229
Effective date: 20010102
Owner name: PRIVACY, INC., TEXAS
Free format text: MERGER;ASSIGNOR:PRIVACY INFRASTRUCTURE, INC.;REEL/FRAME:021034/0206
Effective date: 20050506
|12 Apr 2011
|Certificate of correction
|24 Jun 2014
|Fee payment
Year of fee payment: 4


text:
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This beautiful car was my girlfriend Amy's VW Beetle. She bought it with only 58,000 original miles. We drove it to Detroit for a Vintage VW Show and on the way back the odometer flipped 60,000. It was sort of sad to watch those numbers turn. Amy took this photo in a graveyard by her house.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Save over £23 on a London Bicycle Tour
London Bicycle Tour
London Pass Benefits:
London Pass offers 1 hour bicycle hire or a free tour at 10:30am
Normal Ticket Price: Adult: £23.95 Child: £18.95
Enjoy the city from a different perspective with an exhilarating London bike tour from the London Bicycle Tour Company at Gabriel's Wharf near Waterloo Station.
A London Bike Tour lets you enjoy sightseeing in a unique and fun way. Take a mountain bike or traditional cycle and experience a guided tour of London attractions with an expert guide stopping at intervals to speak about the history of your surroundings and landmarks.
All the routes are designed to keep you away from the traffic and give you access to areas you wouldn't normally see by car. Helmets and safety equipment are included.
With London Pass you can get a free central tour at 10:30am OR free one-hour bicycle hire. Please note: the 10:30am tour is in English only, foreign language tours are available for the additional cost of £9.95 and must be pre-booked.
As well the London bike tours, with London Pass you are entitled to range of offers on other tours that can you a totally different view of London. If you enjoy your bicycle tour then why not try a Thames boat tour with City Cruises, discover Regent's Canal with Jason's Traditional Canal Boat Trip or any of the top London tours included on the Pass.
The London Pass also gives you dozens of other special offers and discounts in shops, restaurants, west end theatres and many more. Make most out of your trip to London with a London Pass.
Check out a full list of attractions in London and exclusive offers available to all pass holders.
Please Note: A credit or debit card will be required for a deposit on all hire items.
see The:
Full List Of Attractions Included
"As you will see in the videos I posted to YouTube under AlexErikaSanDiego the London pass was a must have. We only had 4 days in London and we did EVERYTHING. We saved HOURS and bypassed SO many lines with the London pass. I know it sounds like I'm really pushing this pass but it really helped us save money as well as time."
Alex & Erika from USA
|Tour at 10.30 or bike hire:
|11.00 - 18.00
|11.00 - 18.00
|11.00 - 18.00
|11.00 - 18.00
|11.00 - 18.00
|11.00 - 18.00
|11.00 - 18.00
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1A Gabriels Wharf, 56 Upper Ground, London SE1 ,
020 7928 6838


text:
Casablanca Holliston Indoor Ceiling Fan
The Casablanca Holliston ceiling fan combines classic style with ultimate performance and convenience. The next-generation XLP Plus(R) motor, accented with a custom-designed canopy uplight, is controlled via radio frequency with Casablanca's new Inteli*Touch3(R) wall control.
Casablanca Holliston Features:
- XLP Plus(R) motor / Lifetime Motor Warranty
- 60" blade span / 15 degree blade pitch
- Includes - 3-1/2" Standard downrod
- Includes - Set of 5 Exclusive blades
- Includes - Integrated 42-watt incandescent uplight with bulbs
- Includes - Decorative canopy cover
- Includes - Inteli Touch3 six-speed wall control (W-84)
- Optional - Inteli Touch3 six-speed remote control with LCD display screen, full-range light dimming and reversing. Independent uplight and downlight operation. Includes wall plate bracket. (W-64)
- Low Ceiling Adapter (LCA) is not Compatible
For Ceilings with a 32 to 56 degree slope, SCA-P Sloped Ceiling Adapter available as an accessory. Hang-Tru Canopy (192220) is a required accessory when the SCA-P is used.
Motor Finish - Blade Finishes:
- Snow White: Hi-Gloss Snow White blades
- Brushed Nickel: Clove blades
- Oil-Rubbed Bronze: Walnut blades
- Antique Pewter: Dark Walnut blades
- Chrome: Espresso Blades
- Bullion Black: Reclaimed Antique blades
Additional Casablanca Links
This Casablanca item can also be referenced by the following color/finish specific model #:
- Casablanca C31U97Z*
Antique Pewter
- Casablanca C31U45Z*
Brushed Nickel
- Casablanca C31U624Z*
Bullion Black
- Casablanca C31U199Z*
- Casablanca C31U73Z*
Oil Rubbed Bronze
- Casablanca C31U11Z*
Snow White
*Discontinued model or finish
More Than Just a Store - Your Reasons to Shop
Discover the best online deals for the Holliston and everything else for your home from the leading online home improvement store.
We're committed to providing you with the best assortment of Casablanca products with over 400 warehouses across the country.
Our knowledgeable product specialists work to bring you the best prices on every product and provide unmatched customer service. Your satisfaction is our highest priority!
Manufacturer Resources
Product Videos
Do It Yourself: Replacing or Installing a Ceiling FanBrent Holland shows you step by step how to install or replace your existing ceiling fan
Installation Resource Center
Whether you are installing the product yourself or hiring a professional, our installation Resource Center has everything you need to get your project done. Visit the Installation Resource Center to get started.


text:
Palisades Pant (Men's)
Out of Stock Product Number: 30339
The Palisades Pant excels in harsh winter conditions, yet offers a wealth of luxurious details and an updated style. A perfect counterpart to our Palisades Jacket, this two-layer GORE-TEX pant is fully seam-taped and has functional features like internal gaiters with gripper elastic to repel powder in snowy conditions. Multiple water-resistant, zippered pockets keep your valuables safe and dry, while Codura scuff guards provide years of durable wear.
- GORE-TEX Fabric
- 100% seam taped 2-layer construction
- Hand Pockets with Water Resistant Zipper
- Thigh Pocket with Water Resistant Zipper
- Zippered Back Pocket
- Zip Fly with Snap Closure
- Anatomic Articulated Legs
- Cordura Scuff Guards
- Ankle Zippers
- Internal Gaiters with Gripper Elastic
Gender: Men's
Weight: 1lbs 2oz (510.3g)
Material: GORE-TEX Products 2L 100% Polyester
Fit: Regular Fit
Season: F15
Vendor ProductId: 30960
Review ProductId: 30339


text:
17 U.S. Code § 121 - Limitations on exclusive rights: Reproduction for blind or other people with disabilities
(a) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 106, it is not an infringement of copyright for an authorized entity to reproduce or to distribute copies or phonorecords of a previously published, nondramatic literary work if such copies or phonorecords are reproduced or distributed in specialized formats exclusively for use by blind or other persons with disabilities.
(1) Copies or phonorecords to which this section applies shall—
(A) not be reproduced or distributed in a format other than a specialized format exclusively for use by blind or other persons with disabilities;
(B) bear a notice that any further reproduction or distribution in a format other than a specialized format is an infringement; and
(2) The provisions of this subsection shall not apply to standardized, secure, or norm-referenced tests and related testing material, or to computer programs, except the portions thereof that are in conventional human language (including descriptions of pictorial works) and displayed to users in the ordinary course of using the computer programs.
(c) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 106, it is not an infringement of copyright for a publisher of print instructional materials for use in elementary or secondary schools to create and distribute to the National Instructional Materials Access Center copies of the electronic files described in sections 612(a)(23)(C), 613(a)(6), andsection 674(e) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act that contain the contents of print instructional materials using the National Instructional Material Accessibility Standard (as defined in section 674(e)(3) of that Act), if—
(1) the inclusion of the contents of such print instructional materials is required by any State educational agency or local educational agency;
(d) For purposes of this section, the term—
(1) "authorized entity" means a nonprofit organization or a governmental agency that has a primary mission to provide specialized services relating to training, education, or adaptive reading or information access needs of blind or other persons with disabilities;
(2) "blind or other persons with disabilities" means individuals who are eligible or who may qualify in accordance with the Act entitled "An Act to provide books for the adult blind", approved March 3, 1931 (2 U.S.C. 135a; 46 Stat. 1487) to receive books and other publications produced in specialized formats;
(3) "print instructional materials" has the meaning given under section 674(e)(3)(C) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act; and
(4) "specialized formats" means—
(A) braille, audio, or digital text which is exclusively for use by blind or other persons with disabilities; and
Source(Added Pub. L. 104–197, title III, § 316(a),Sept. 16, 1996, 110 Stat. 2416; amended Pub. L. 106–379, § 3(b),Oct. 27, 2000, 114 Stat. 1445; Pub. L. 107–273, div. C, title III, § 13210(3)(A),Nov. 2, 2002, 116 Stat. 1909; Pub. L. 108–446, title III, § 306,Dec. 3, 2004, 118 Stat. 2807.)
References in Text
Sections 612, 613, and 674 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, referred to in subsecs. (c) and (d)(3), are classified to sections 1412, 1413, and 1474, respectively, of Title 20, Education.
The Act approved March 3, 1931, referred to in subsec. (d)(2), is act Mar. 3, 1931, ch. 400, 46 Stat. 1487, as amended, which is classified generally to sections 135a and 135b of Title 2, The Congress. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Tables.
2004—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 108–446, § 306(2), added subsec. (c). Former subsec. (c) redesignated (d).
Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 108–446, § 306(1), redesignatedsubsec. (c) as (d).
Subsec. (d)(3), (4). Pub. L. 108–446, § 306(3), added pars. (3) and (4) and struck out former par. (3) which read as follows: " 'specialized formats' means braille, audio, or digital text which is exclusively for use by blind or other persons with disabilities."
2002—Pub. L. 107–273substituted "Reproduction" for "reproduction" in section catchline.
2000—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 106–379substituted "section 106" for "sections 106 and 710".
LII has no control over and does not endorse any external Internet site that contains links to or references LII.


text:
n attics and garages, underneath beds, piled in corners or just closeted away, our heritage is slowly but surely disintegrating. Based on an NET Television program featuring professionals from the Nebraska State Historical Society's Gerald R. Ford Conservation Center and the State Library Commission, this site provides practical and effective methods to help ensure that artifacts, photographs, and documents will survive into the future. This segment is about folding and rolling textiles for storage.
live streaming schedule & on demand videos
|09:00 am
|NDE Board Meeting: December 2015 NDE Board Meeting
|07:30 pm
|Glenn Korff School of Music: Student Dance Project, Mabel Lee Hall
|07:30 pm
|Glenn Korff School of Music: Symphonic Band, Kimball Recital Hall
|07:30 pm
|Glenn Korff School of Music Performance: UNL Jazz Orchestra & UNL Big Band, Kimball Recital Hall
|UNL Jazz Orchestra and Big Band
|07:30 pm
|Glenn Korff School of Music: ChamberFest, Kimball Recital Hall
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|Glenn Korff School of Music: Symphony Orchestra, Kimball Recital Hall
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|Glenn Korff School of Music: Big Red Singers and Vocal Jazz, Kimball Recital Hall
|10:00 am
|Legislative Hearing: Business and Labor, Room 2102
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|Hosts recap the South Alabama game with guest host Sean Callahan and special guest Steven M. Sipple...
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- Northern New York Newspapers
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The Watertown Industrial Center Local Development Corp. has found someone to complete a report that would comply with requirements intended to shed more light on its operations.
The WIC board agreed Wednesday to pay $500 to Peggy S. Sampson, an executive assistant with the Jefferson County Industrial Development Agency, to submit the information for the report to the state Authorities Budget Office. The report was due to the state agency Sept. 30.
Local development corporations must file the information within 90 days after the fiscal year ends. WIC runs a business incubator in a series of former New York Air Brake buildings at 800 Starbuck Ave.
The threat frustrated board members because the board has been working since last summer almost solely on a reorganization plan as a result of state comptrollers ruling pertaining to its employees no longer being enrolled in the state pension system.
On Wednesday, the board continued to work on its reorganization plan.
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Product Test: Forever Comfy Pillow
We bought the Forever Comfy Cushion at Bed, Bath and Beyond for 19.99. It is a pillow cushion filled with a combination of gel and foam. It promises to be comfortable and take pressure off of your back and backside.
Our tester, Rose Casillo, who is a resident at Amberleigh, loved it and gave it two thumbs up.


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The UK's biggest indie night with DJ Dan and guests
Main room: An audio-visual mix of the best new and classic indie music
Room 2: 'Pop'aganda- pop, dance & D'n'B
Room 3: Digital Disco- Electro, house and dubstep
Venue management reserve all Rights of admission at all times.
Venue operates a challenge 25 policy: If you are lucky enough to look under 25 you WILL be asked for ID. Only acceptable forms of ID are: UK photo driving licence or Passport.
Dress Code: Smart Casual. No sports wear (Trainers OK), no caps, no large printed jeans / t shirts.
If you are wearing any of the following brands you probably wont get in…. Henley, Burberry, Mackenzie, Hackett, Kappa, Ed Hardy, Gio Goi, G star.


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Submission Gallery shuts HP-sponsored art exhibition->
littlekorea writes: The Australian Centre for Contemporary Art has closed an HP-sponsored exhibition after artists protested about copyright conditions imposed by the technology giant. The HP marketing initiative invited artists to email their works to the exhibition to demonstrate ePrinter technology. But artists protests when they noted that the terms and conditions offered HP a ''perpetual, non-revocable, worldwide and royalty-free'' to their work.
Link to Original Source
Link to Original Source


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Deluxe King
Contemporary, sophisticated and comfortable, Deluxe King guest rooms have a unique style and special amenities you won't find anywhere else. Deluxe Double Queens are furnished with two queen-size pillow top beds, table and two chairs, and a 27-inch plasma TV. The rooms range in size from 325 to 375 square feet. These guest rooms also feature luxurious bath products from Gilchrist & Soames and a host of standard amenities.


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|All Clear Given for Boone Water
|Written by Steve Frank
|Wednesday, 10 October 2012 06:12
The Town of Boone Public Utilities and Engineering Department has announced that the boil advisory notice issued yesterday has now been lifted. Water Plant staff has completed testing throughout the system and have not discovered any safety concerns.
It has now been verified that the Town water system is safe and no longer needs to be boiled. As a reminder, the boil advisory notice was for precautionary purposes only due to a water main break. Water Department staff repaired the leak late last night and has conducted testing procedures throughout the morning. Citizens can now use Town water for any and all purposes. If you have any questions or concerns pertaining to this matter, please feel free to contact the Public Utilities Department at 828-268-6250.
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Jackson Kayak & Kayaks Accessories
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Jackson Kayak, born in 2003, makes boats for whitewater kayaking, recreational paddling, kayak touring, kayak fishing and more. From creek boats to play boats to touring kayaks, Jackson has the kayak for your activity. Jackson Kayak is located in Sparta, TN -- Rock/Creek's backyard, essentially, and home of the Brave Wave & Ultimate Freestyle Hole -- and their passion for the paddling community is unmatched. Because of this unique perspective on kayaking in the southeast, the Jackson Star, Jackson Fun and Jackson Hero have become classics for freestyle paddlers, creekers and river runners alike.
Jackson Kayak stand up paddleboards are great for any level paddleboarder. When you are a novice or expert these paddleboards are well built and priced right. They come in many colors and ship for free when you order one from Rock/Creek.
If you are looking for something a little more funky and out of the box take a look at the Jackson Kayak Cuda 14 Illuminati. It is a big water fishing kayak that actually glows in the dark when it is charged in the sun. It makes night paddles and adventures more exciting and is fully controllable with its rudder system. It is very unique but just as useful and functional as any other kayak.
No matter if you need a single person kayak for big water fishing, whitewater paddling, or just something to get some exercise and get the blood flowing through your body than Jackson Kayak and Rock/Creek have what you need. We carry a large selection of Jackson Kayak kayaks as well as lots of their accessories. So what are you waiting for? Order a Jackson Kayak today and get free shipping on your next kayak or paddleboard!
The products in the Jackson Kayak & Kayaks Accessories category have an average rating of 5 of 5 from 3 customer reviews.


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LATEST: Anisimov's deal is for two-years, $3.75 million. Again, that's right in line with projections. This is a pretty good price for a man with Anisimov's talent and versatility and like Sauer, he would have certainly received much more as an unrestricted free agent on the open market. If Anisimov turns into a 50-point player, this will be an even greater bargain.
Dubinsky, Boyle and Callahan remain un-signed, but that could change before their scheduled arbitration hearings. Here are the dates:
Dubinsky: July 21
Boyle: July 25
Callahan: July 28
UPDATE: The Rangers have also re-signed Artem Anisimov to a two-year deal. No word yet on the financial terms of Anisimov's new pact. Anisimov was the lone restricted free agent still susceptible to offer sheets, so re-signing him ensures that the Rangers will be able to keep all of their remaining free agents. Anisimov is already a very strong two-way center, but his offensive game is still developing. He is definitely a player to watch next year and could be on the verge of a breakout season.
EARLIER: Larry Brooks of the NY Post reports that the Rangers have re-signed
Mike Sauer to a two-year, $2.5 million deal.
Sauer was a late-bloomer on defense thanks to a string of injuries, but he exceeded
expectations after joining the lineup full-time just after the start of the
season. The stay-at-home defender has
very little offensive ability, but one of his three goals on the season was the
game-winner in a 5-3 comeback against the eventual Stanley Cup Champion Boston
Bruins on April 4th.
Sauer was at his best partnered with fellow rookie Ryan
McDonagh, who was recalled in January. The duo came out of nowhere to give the Rangers a bona fide No. 2
defensive pair that took loads of pressure off Dan Girardi and Marc Staal.
Sauer doesn't take a whole lot of risks as a player, but
he's not afraid to pinch down the boards when the moment is right. However his true strength lies in his own
zone where Sauer excels and acts as the crease-clearing defenseman the Rangers
have lacked for years.
It will be interesting to see if Sauer remains with McDonagh
to start the year or if he's paired with a more offensive-minded defenseman
like Michael Del Zotto, should Del Zotto make the team.
The $1.25 million cap hit has to be considered a huge
bargain for a second-pairing defenseman, especially considering the going rate
for those players on the unrestricted free agent market this summer. It falls in line with the popular guess of a
salary between $1 million and $1.5 million, but Sauer may have been able to
squeeze the team for more if that was his desire. It's possible, however, that Sauer felt no
need to do that considering the Rangers' patience with him through the last few
years when it seemed unlikely that he'd ever make it to the NHL.
The team still has plenty of salary cap space to re-sign
restricted free agents Artem Anisimov, Brian Boyle, Ryan Callahan and Brandon
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Mountain Hardwear
Overlook Short (Women's) (out-of-stock)
Out of Stock Product Number: 25590
Cool and comfortable, with an inner waist drawcord for perfect fit.
* This product does not qualify for shipping to all countries.
- Micro-Chamois-lined waist for comfort
- Inner waist drawcord for fit adjustments
- Full length inseam gusset for mobility
- Lots of pockets for storage
- Durable, wicking, fast-drying fabric
- UPF 50 sun protection
Gender: Women's
Weight: 5.4 oz.; 154 g.
Material: New Heights Slub, Micro-Chamois
Fit: Inseam: 7 "; 18 cm
Season: S12
Vendor ProductId: OL2999
Review ProductId: 25590


text: Lawmakers pass univ. autonomy, tiered sex offender system bills Share this story email Share this story «Previous 1 of 20 Photos Next » Read the story « » Oregon Legislature Oregon Senate President Peter Courtney, D-Salem, appears on a large screen during a film presentation for members of the Oregon House, Senate and others on the House floor after the Oregon legislature adjourned in Salem, Ore., Monday, July 8, 2013. (AP Photo/Don Ryan)


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POTSDAM - A 36-year-old Potsdam man was taken to Fletcher-Allen Medical Center in Burlington, Vt. after being struck by a car on state Route 56 early Thursday morning.
St. Lawrence County Sheriff Kevin Wells said the accident occurred at approximately 1:15 a.m. in the middle of a heavy rain storm.
Natalie J. Plunkett, 26, of the Sissonville Road in Potsdam was southbound on when she came upon Christopher L. DeShane, also of the Sissonville Road standing in the middle of her lane of traffic near T.J. Toyota 6700 state Route.
Mr. Wells said Ms. Plunkett attempted to avoid Mr. DeShane, but was unable to do so, sideswiping him and striking him with the right, front quarter panel of her car.
Mr. Deshane was then transported to Canton-Potsdam Hospital, where he was transferred to Fletcher-Allen Medical Center for treatment of a head injury.
Mr. Wells said investigation into the accident is ongoing, but he said no charges are expected to be filed against Ms. Plunkett.
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Create An Account
Arriving on the sun-baked veldt in the middle of the Boer War, the Sixth Doctor is soon involved in the adventures of struggling politician and war correspondent Winston Churchill.
Of course, he knows Churchill is destined for great things, but unseen forces seem to be interfering with Winston's historic career. The Doctor suspects the hidden hand of the Players, mysterious beings who regard human history as little more than a game. With time running out, can the Doctor find the right moves to defeat them?
An adventure featuring the Sixth Doctor as played by Colin Baker and his companion Peri
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Northwestern University Settlement launches new charter school in West Town with support from Rowe Family Charitable Trust, Exelon Corporation and Bain & Company
CHICAGO (Sept. 23, 2009) — With the college enrollment rate of Chicago Public Schools graduates at just 52.5 percent, the system's newest contract school campus will open this fall with a focus on making college an expectation for each student. Graduating from college will be a goal for every student at Rowe Elementary School, opening in the West Town neighborhood this fall.
The school is funded primarily through financial contributions from the Rowe Family Charitable Trust, Exelon Corporation and Bain & Company. "A college degree is an invaluable investment for the future success of every CPS student, and we must continue to make every effort to teach our students that college is attainable," said CPS CEO Ron Huberman. "Thanks to the civic-minded individuals like John, Jeanne and Bill Rowe and committed support from corporate citizens like Exelon and Bain, we can reach even more students to show them that a high school diploma is not an end, but a first step toward a successful career."
Rowe Elementary is operated by the Northwestern University Settlement. The students and their families will benefit from the programs already offered by the Settlement, marking the first time an agency has fully incorporated all of its services into the daily activities of the school.
"Northwestern University Settlement offers programs in the community ranging from early childhood education to adult services," said Ron Manderschied, Northwestern University Settlement president and CEO. "We will wrap these services around the school with many of them taking place in the elementary school to ensure students and their families can easily take advantage of after-school or family programs."
At capacity, the new school will serve 600 students in kindergarten through eighth-grade. Contracted through CPS's Renaissance 2010 initiative, which seeks to create 100 high-performing schools in designated communities of need by 2010, Rowe Elementary opened on Sept. 8 with 150 students in six classrooms across grades K-2.
This is the second CPS school supported by Exelon Corporation and Rowe Elementary's namesakes, Exelon Chairman and CEO John W. Rowe, his wife Jeanne and son Bill, and the Rowe Family Charitable Trust. These schools are the culmination of the family's life-long commitment to education and providing children with access to the kind of education needed to compete and succeed in the global marketplace.
"A solid education can drive individual success and transform communities," John Rowe said. "This elementary school will provide a positive environment for its students to spark their interest in education at an early age and motivate them to work toward successful careers attainable through a college degree."
Bain & Company, the global business consulting firm, has partnered with the Settlement to develop the school's blueprint by researching best practices in elementary education from across the country. The firm's expertise and proven track record of achieving results for both business and pro-bono clients was used to develop a strategic and operational plan for the Rowe Elementary School. From designing the school strategy and operating plan to supporting preparations for opening the school in September, significant Bain consultant resources have been devoted to ensuring a top-caliber educational experience for all students.
More information about the school and enrollment can be found at www.RoweElementarySchool.org.
Northwestern University Settlement was founded in January 1891 by leaders of Northwestern University as a separate and financially independent institution. It formally opened its doors at its current location – two miles northwest of the Loop – in 1901. Northwestern University Settlement is the oldest settlement in the city of Chicago to remain in continuous operation, second in age only to Jane Addams Hull-House, and it is one of the few traditional settlement houses remaining in the entire country. The Settlement equips its neighbors with the tools they need to succeed through a program based upon the concept of individual and family self-help, and the underlying philosophy that every person deserves to maximize his or her potential to become a productive member of society.
Exelon Corporation is one of the nation's largest electric utilities with nearly $19 billion in annual revenues. The company has one of the industry's largest portfolios of electricity generation capacity, with a nationwide reach and strong positions in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic. Exelon distributes electricity to approximately 5.4 million customers in northern Illinois and southeastern Pennsylvania and natural gas to 485,000 customers in the Philadelphia area. Exelon is headquartered in Chicago and trades on the NYSE under the ticker EXC.
Bain & Company is a global business consulting firm dedicated to helping to make companies more valuable. Their clients have historically outperformed the stock market by 4:1. Bain was founded in 1973 on the principle that consultants should deliver results - not just reports - to their clients. Since then they have worked for over 4,150 clients in virtually every industry.


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Preparing a plaster support cradle for the femur of an Edmontosaurus fossil we excavated from Hell Creek, Montana, this past summer. See this fossil and more at Dino Day on March 7, 2015!
The Seahawks are undefeated since the Kwakwaka'wakw mask that inspired the original logo was unveiled at the Burke—and 12s flocked to the museum today to send some of that luck to Arizona!
The mask that inspired the Seattle Seahawks logo was unveiled at a press preview event for the Burke Museum's exhibit "Here & Now: Native Artists Inspired." See the mask for yourself November 22, 2014 through July 27, 2015 at the Burke!
The 8 1/2 foot-long Columbian mammoth tusk found in Seattle in February 2014, is wrapped in a plaster cast, kind of like a broken arm or leg, while it dries out. So we handed visitors a pen to wish it well!
A Columbian mammoth tusk was discovered at an AMLI Residential construction site in Seattle's South Lake Union neighborhood. See photos and video of the tusk being excavated from the site and transported to the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture.
How do you mail a 37-foot totem pole? With a flatbed truck - and your help! Take part in our effort to bring a remarkable story pole back to the Northwest.
Each year we bug out as thousands of specimens, dead and alive, crawl to the Burke Museum for this favorite annual family event.
How do we really know what happened before we were here? At the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, we bring together people, objects, and the stories that make them meaningful.
Burke members and guests had a wonderful time exploring the Plastics Unwrapped exhibit at the opening party in early January 2013. Photos by Lora Shinn.
Burke Members had a great time going behind-the-scenes in our collections where they discovered new objects, talked with curators, and learned about our cutting-edge research. Photos by Andrew Waits.
Fishes collection manager, Katherine Maslenikov, takes SpaceSaver on a tour of the Fishes collection at the University of Washington.
Sharlene Santana is an evolutionary biologist and the new curator of mammals here at the Burke Museum. She studies how behavior, diet, anatomy and function result in bursts of diversification in tropical bats -- mostly from Panama, Costa Rica and Venezuela. While Sharlene releases most of the bats she studies in the field, she collects some specimens to help preserve the biodiversity of these increasingly threatened habitats.
Photographer TJ Watt regularly explores the remaining old-growth rainforests on Vancouver Island, B.C. These are some of the world's most spectacular old-growth temperate (non-tropical) rainforests, where trees have trunks as wide as living rooms and grow as tall as skyscrapers. Sadly, 75% of the island's productive old-growth forests have already been logged, including 90% of the valley bottoms. While hiking in March 2010, he took a photograph now known as "Last Stands."
The Burke's fossil preparator, Bruce Crowley and a team of volunteers excavated a giant turtle - but finding it was only the beginning. We set up a camera to capture time-lapse video as our staff and volunteers prep the giant turtle in our fossil lab to show just what it takes to uncover the turtle.
Photographer Cheryl-Samantha Owen recently documented a Cape Gannet rescue effort lead by the group SANCCOB in South Africa. This is her conservation story.
Studying the evolution of plants and climate change's impact on vegetation helps us better understand how our modern ecosystem evolved to be what it is today. Follow Regan Dunn, a graduate student in the University of Washington's Department of Biology, as she collects fossil plant remains in Costa Rica as part of a study with Burke Museum curator Caroline Strömberg.
Our members were able to preview the ICP Awards exhibit before it was open to the public and mingle with several of the award-winning photographers.
One night a year, Burke members are invited behind the scenes of the museum. Behind-the-Scenes Night is an exclusive opportunity for members to see the Burke collections, meet curators and collection managers, and learn about current research. Members will discover every Burke division, including the Herbarium, archaeology, ornithology (birds), ethnology, ichthyology (fish), mammalogy, paleobotany, vertebrate and invertebrate paleontology, and entomology (spiders & insects).
Visitors accessed Burke knowledge on the natural and cultural world by bringing their heirlooms and objects on Artifact ID Day. Burke experts examined items ranging from fossils to Pacific Northwest Native American art. A record turnout with incredible objects made this year's Artifact ID Day a lively event!
Ever wanted to touch an otter? See a full-sized lion up close? These are just a few experiences visitors had at this year's annual family event, Meet the Mammals. Hundreds of specimens from the Burke's mammalogy collections were on display, with experts on-hand to answer questions.
This year's annual Archaeology Day focused on the last Ice Age. Visitors of all ages threw atlatls, touched artifacts, and learned how Clovis points were made.
University of Washington Daily's "Double Shot" came to the Burke Museum's mammalogy collections to learn more about the squirrels on campus. They spoke with Collections Manager Jeff Bradley about the changes in the local squirrel populations over time.
Much fun had at this year's Bug Blast! Visitors got to hold live bugs, see our Entomology collections, and talk with Burke experts.
Visitors enjoyed a day of colorful crafts, music, and programs about Carnivals around the world while exploring the ¡Carnaval! exhibit.