What is claimed is:
1. A method for controlling acquisition of services, said method comprising the steps of:
receiving a request via a centralized interface for at least one service selected from a plurality of available services comprising communication and media services;
determining a compatibility of said request with said available services; and
providing interface capability to compatible available services.
2. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising the step of configuring a system to provide said compatible available services in response to said request and in accordance with said compatible available services.
3. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising the step of billing for provided services in a single billing statement.
4. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said request is received via one point of access and a compatible service is provided via a point of access selected from a group consisting of said one point of access and another point of access.
5. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said request and information indicative of service providers are received via at least a combination of communication means selected from the group consisting of a digital subscriber loop (DSL), a wireless medium, a wireline medium, a dialup modem, a cable modem, and an integrated services digital network (ISDN).
6. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising the step of receiving an identification designator for granting permission to accept said request.
7. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising the step of receiving an identification designator for granting permission to provide said compatible available services.
8. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said step of determining a compatibility comprises determining a compatibility of requested services with equipment used to receive said services.
9. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said step of determining a compatibility comprises the step of comparing said requested services with stored information indicative of said available services and stored information indicative of equipment used to receive said services.
10. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said services comprise multimedia services, phone services, Internet services, streaming media services, voice communication with others, e-mail, e-commerce, Web browsing, and messaging.
11. A system for controlling acquisition of services, said system comprising:
a customer relations manager portion comprising information indicative of a user profile;
a supply chain manager portion comprising information indicative of available services comprising communications and media services; and
an application engine for receiving a signal indicative of a request for at least one of said services and for processing said request in accordance with information contained in said supply chain manager portion and said customer relations manager portion.
12. A system in accordance with claim 11, further comprising a network operations system portion for facilitating a configuration of said system to accommodate said processing of said request.
13. A system in accordance with claim 11, further comprising a security and authentication portions for verifying access authorization.
14. A system in accordance with claim 11, wherein said system is configured to receive said signal indicative of said request via one point of access and receive a signal indicative of service provider attributes via a point of access selected from the group consisting of said one point of access and another point of access.
15. A system in accordance with claim 11, wherein said system is configured to receive said signal indicative of said request and to receive a signal indicative of service provider attributes via at least a combination of communication means selected from the group consisting of a digital subscriber loop (DSL), a wireless medium, a wireline medium, a dialup modem, a cable modem, and an integrated services digital network (ISDN).
16. A system in accordance claim 11, wherein said services comprise multimedia services, phone services, Internet services, streaming media services, voice communication with others, e-mail, e-commerce, Web browsing, and messaging.
17. A computer readable medium having embodied thereon a program for causing a processor to control acquisition of services, said program readable medium comprising:
means for causing said processor to receive a request via a centralized interface for at least one service selected from a plurality of available services comprising communication and media services;
means for causing said processor to determine a compatibility of said request with said available services; and
means for causing said processor to provide interface capability to compatible available services.
18. A computer readable medium in accordance with claim 17, further comprising:
means for causing said processor to configure a system to provide said compatible available services in response to said request and in accordance with said compatible available services;
means for causing said processor to receive said request via one point of access and provide a compatible service via an access point selected from the group consisting or said one point of access and another point of access; and
means for causing said processor to verify access authorization.
19. A computer readable medium in accordance with claim 17, further comprising:
means for causing said processor to bill for provided services in a single billing statement; and
means for causing said processor to receive said request and information indicative of service providers via at least a combination of communication means selected from the group consisting of a digital subscriber loop (DSL), a wireless medium, a wireline medium, a dialup modem, a cable modem, and an integrated services digital network (ISDN).
20. A computer readable medium in accordance with claim 17, wherein:
said services comprise multimedia services, phone services, Internet services, streaming media services, voice communication with others, e-mail, e-commerce, Web browsing, and messaging; and
said means for determining a compatibility comprises the means for comparing said requested services with stored information indicative of said available services and stored information indicative of equipment used to receive said services.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A process for the preparation of a microencapsulated composition containing lipophilic compounds comprising of the following steps:
(i) Particle size reduction of the lipophilic compound in the presence of a surface active agent;
(ii) Preparing a solution of alkali metal alginate.
(ii) Combining the solutions of step (i) and step (ii).
(iv) Adding dropwise the solution obtained from stage (iii) to a solution containing Ca2, obtaining beadlets, and removing the formed beadlets from said solution;
(v) Rinsing the beadlets with an acidic solution and dying;
(vi) Coating the beadlets obtained from step (v) to obtain the microcapsules.
2. A process according to claim 1, wherein the particle size of the lipophilic compound is reduced to a particle size not greater than 20 m.
3. A process according to claim 2 wherein the particle size of the lipophilic compound is reduced to a particle size not greater than 10 m.
4. A process according to claim 1, wherein the alkali metal alginate is sodium or potassium alginate.
5. A process according to claim 1 wherein a filler is added to stage (i).
6. A process according to claim 1, wherein the lipophilic compound is selected from among a group comprising of lycopene, beta and alpha-carotene, lutein, astaxanthin, zeaxanthin, vitamin A, vitamin E, vitamin D, omega 3, omega 6 oils and mixtures thereof.
7. A process according to claim 1 wherein a filler is added to stage (ii).
8. A process according to claim 1, wherein the lipophilic-compound-containing alginate beadlets are in the size range of 100 to 425 m.
9. A process according to claim 1 wherein the acidic solution is an acidic aqueous solution of comprising of an acid selected from among a group comprising of citric, aspartic, acetic, ascorbic, lactic, phosphoric or hydrochloric acid.
10. A process according to claim 1 wherein the coating material is selected from among a group comprising of cellulose derivatives, waxes, fats, proteins and polysaccharides.
11. A process according to claim 10 wherein the cellulose derivative is hydroxypropylcellulose.
12. A process according to claim 1 wherein size reduction of step (i) is carried out in a liquid medium wherein said liquid medium is water or a water miscible liquid.
13. A microencapsulated composition comprising of one or more lipophilic compounds enveloped by a surfactant agent, encapsulated in an alginate mat and further coated with an outer coating, wherein the particle size of the lipophilic substance is not greater than 20 m.
14. A composition according to claim 13 wherein the lipophilic compound is selected from among a group comprising of lycopene, beta and alpha-carotene, lutein, astaxanthin, zeaxanthin, vitamin A, vitamin E, vitamin D, omega 3, omega 6 oils and mixtures thereof.
15. A composition according to claim 13 wherein the paricle size of the lipophilic compound is not greater than 10 m.
16. A composition according to claim 15 wherein the particle size not greater than 5 m.
17. A composition according to claim 13 wherein the size of the microcapsules is in the range of 50 m to 950 m.
18. A composition according to claim 17 wherein the size of the microcapsules is in the range of 100 m to 450 m.
19. A composition according to claim 13 comprising 0.1% to 40% of a lipophilic compound or mixtures thereof.
20. A composition according to claim 13 wherein the coating is of a material selected from among a group comprising of cellulose derivatives, waxes, fats, proteins and polysaccharides.
21. A composition according to claim 19 wherein the coating is hydroxypropylcellulose.
22. A composition according to claim 13 wherein said composition is tablet grade.
23. A method for incorporating lipophilic compounds in food stuff comprising of encapsulating the lipophilic compound according to the process of claim 1 and adding the encapsulated composition to food stuff.
24. A method for masking the flavor andor smell of lipophilic compounds comprising encapsulating the lipophilic compound according to the process of claim 1.