03rd week of 2014 patent applcation highlights part 58 |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20140019186 | CAPACITY PLANNING MANAGEMENT - In accordance with aspects of the disclosure, systems and methods are provided for capacity planning management by generating a capacity expansion plan for a plurality of production resources used to produce one or more products relative to one or more time intervals. The systems and methods may include evaluating production patterns for each production resource to determine a production capacity within each time interval, evaluating budget patterns for each production resource to determine a production cash flow within each time interval, generating one or more potential capacity expansion forecasting schemes for each production resource and production budget based on the production patterns for each production resource and the budget patterns for each production budget, and generating the capacity expansion plan within each time interval based on the one or more potential capacity expansion forecasting schemes for each production resource and production budget. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019187 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR IMPLEMENTING A PROJECT WORKFLOW ON A SOCIAL NETWORK FEED - Disclosed are methods, apparatus, systems, and computer readable storage media for generating a project workflow in an online social network. An indication of an event is received to initiate a project workflow. The project workflow may be defined by a series of stages and one or more entities associated with any of the stages. As such, one or more relevant entities associated with the project workflow are identified and one or more stages for completing the project workflow are determined. A workflow object stored or configured to be stored in one or more feed tables in a database system is generated, where the workflow object includes a plurality of data fields. A feed item associated with the workflow object is provided in an information feed of at least one of the one or more relevant entities. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019188 | METHOD FOR REAL-TIME CONTROL OF ENERGY STORAGE UNITS TO REDUCE ELECTRICITY COST - A method for controlling an energy storage unit having a model which tracks each charging instances includes, for each charging event, capturing energy charged into the energy storage unit and an unit energy price of the charging source(s) at the time of charging; updating a unit price of total energy stored in the storage unit at each time-step; during a discharging event, updating the unit price of energy in the storage unit on a selected cost model; comparing the unit price of energy in the storage unit with other generation sources in the microgrid and a utility tariff; selecting a lowest cost combination from generation, storage, and grid and using the lowest cost combination to supply a load; and if a controller decides to use stored energy at any time, sending a discharge command to the energy storage unit. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019189 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CONTROLLING SUPPLY CHAIN PRICING - The present disclosure discloses a supply chain management system that can estimate manufactured item delivery times at a facility, manufactured item costs or prices, and dynamically control supply chain performance. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019190 | Process Advisor - In one aspect, there is provided a method. The method may include accessing a process model defining a business process including a plurality of steps including at least one activity and at least one object; accessing a process monitor to obtain a state of the business process including the plurality of steps including the at least one activity and the at least one object; generating a first view including the plurality of steps including the at least one activity and the at least one object and further including the state of the business process; and generating, based on the state, a second view to guide execution of the business process. Related systems, methods, and articles of manufacture are also disclosed. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019191 | WORK MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS AND METHODS - Work management systems and method are described, specifically providing examples of hotel work management systems and methods. An apparatus may include a work management system that tracks tasks to be done. Each task may be assigned to a user, which the user may access a task list view a remote device. The work management system may be updated in real-time when a task is finished, a task is added, or a task is removed. The work management system may then update the user task list in real-time to allow a user device to see updated tasks on the remote device. Further, the system can track maintenance issues with photographic record(s). | 2014-01-16 |
20140019192 | Visualizers For Change Management System - A change management system may use a phased status indicator that may illustrate several phases of a change request and a current status for each phase of a change management lifecycle. Additionally, a group of change requests may be displayed in a linked manner showing various relationships between change requests. The status indicator and linked display may be used together or separately to illustrate the status of various change requests and within interactive displays of change request data. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019193 | Issue Processing Systems and Methods - Example issue processing systems and methods are described. In one implementation, a method identifies an issue and accesses rules related to resolving the issue. The method also accesses data associated with previous issue resolutions. The identified issue is analyzed based on the rules and data associated with previous issue resolutions. Based on the analysis, the method determines a first activity to perform and identifies the results of performing the first activity. If the first activity did not resolve the issue, the method further analyzes the issue based on the rules, the data associated with previous issue resolutions, and the results of performing the first activity. Based on this further analysis, the method determines a second activity to perform in an attempt to resolve the issue. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019194 | Predictive Key Risk Indicator Identification Process Using Quantitative Methods - Methods, computer-readable media, and apparatuses are disclosed for identifying predictive key risk indicators (KRIs) for organizations and/or firms through the application of specific statistical and quantitative methods that are well integrated with qualitative adjustment. An indicator is a variable with the purpose of measuring change in a phenomena or process. A risk indicator is an indicator that estimates the potential for some form of resource degradation using mathematical formulas or models. Organization/enterprise key risk indicators are an essential arsenal in the risk management framework of any firm or organization and may be required by regulatory agencies. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019195 | Operational Risk Back-Testing Process Using Quantitative Methods - Methods, computer-readable media, and apparatuses are disclosed for quantifying risk and control assessments. The risk includes both residual risk and direction of risk. Various aspects of the invention quantitatively compare the risk and control assessments against step-ahead losses using special regression models that are particularly applicable to this kind of data. The empirical comparison may be performed on both loss event frequency and severity in two different and separate dimensions. The empirical comparison may also be performed using losses extracted by even occurrence and event settlement dates in two separate dates. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019196 | SOFTWARE PROGRAM THAT IDENTIFIES RISKS ON TECHNICAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS - The disclosed system relates to identification of risk before and during the creation of hardware and software products and services. A method for assessing risk in product development includes the steps of creating a software program and storing the software program in a non-transitory medium, receiving user input respecting the product development program, identifying risks to continuing development of the product, and assigning a technology readiness level to the new technology being incorporated into the product. User input includes query functions and data display capabilities. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019197 | WEATHER RISK MANAGEMENT SYSTEM - This disclosure relates to a system for managing financial risk associated with weather-based service contracts, and more specifically, to a system based on the purchase of weather derivatives to select, manage, minimize, and redistribute financial burdens associated with costs incurred from the payment of services related to greater than average weather-based events. An option contract having a tick price, and an associated premium at a fixed strike price is selected at a desired coverage, in one embodiment, the desired coverage is associated with a payout with the associated tick price that covers the base price of performing the service for a nominal weather condition, the premium of buying the option, and the price of performing the services for exceptional weather precipitations of a three standard deviation from the nominal value. If a hedge trader offers this service rather than a service provider, the desired coverage will also cover the a commission for the trade. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019198 | System and Method for Identifying Relevant Information for an Enterprise - A system and method are provided for finding and retrieving information within an enterprise that is relevant to enterprise problems, enterprise opportunities, and unexpected or interesting events. The method includes scanning content related to a process conducted by an enterprise, where the process includes one or more process steps; identifying a problem, opportunity or event associated with a process step (an enterprise stress point); indexing the scanned content with respect to the enterprise stress point; determining whether the scanned content is information relevant to the problem, opportunity or event; and providing relevant information to a user. The relevant information includes a description or discussion of a contemporaneous or previous experience of the enterprise regarding the problem, opportunity or event. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019199 | AUTOMATICALLY EVALUATING CUSTOMER SATISFACTION - A method for evaluating a satisfaction of a customer in a retail environment includes identifying an item for which the customer is searching in the retail environment, monitoring an activity of the customer with respect to the item in the retail environment, and automatically evaluating the satisfaction of the customer based on the activity of the customer with respect to the item. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019200 | LOCATING A SPECIFIC PRODUCT WITHIN A RETAIL ENVIRONMENT IN FURTHERANCE OF A COMPARISON OF PRODUCT INFORMATION BASED ON PRODUCT CODES - A method for comparison of product information based on product codes to determine the cost per unit weight per product and hereby determine the cheapest product per unit weight is disclosed herein. The method further comprises of displaying the location information of the cheapest product within the retail store and providing navigational information for enabling the consumer to access the product easily. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019201 | AUTOMATICALLY EVALUATING CUSTOMER SATISFACTION - A system for evaluating a satisfaction of a customer in a retail environment includes a search system for identifying an item for which the customer is searching in the retail environment, a plurality of sensors for monitoring an activity of the customer with respect to the item in the retail environment, and an evaluation system for automatically evaluating the satisfaction of the customer based on the activity of the customer with respect to the item. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019202 | METHOD FOR COLLECTING INFORMATION, COMPUTER PROGRAMME PRODUCT AND BUSINESS MODEL THEREFOR - A method for providing and collecting information via crowdsourcing by means of an Internet browser, includes providing a first memory location and at least two memory sublocations liked thereto on a server. The first memory location is writable with data by a first group of users via an Internet browser the first group of users loads a description of a searchable object into the first memory of the server. The memory sublocations can be written with data by a second group of users, to provide information that applies to the searchable object. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019203 | METHODS AND APPARATUS TO COLLECT WIRELESS INFORMATION - Example methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture to collect wireless information are disclosed. A disclosed example method involves installing an operating system and a data collector to execute outside a context of the operating system on a wireless handheld device. A testing process is performed to ensure functionality of the wireless handheld device. An application is installed on the wireless handheld device to execute in the context of the operating system. The data collector is to collect usage information regarding the application and to provide the usage information to a network provider. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019204 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COLLECTING AND DISSEMINATING INFORMATION OVER A COMPUTER NETWORK - The apparatus comprises at least one database for storing digital information associated with at least a first user and a second user, at least one links module for the first user and for the second user, at least one manipulations module and at least one display device for respectively displaying at least said linked digital information wherein said linked digital information associated with said first user is automatically updated on at least said display device of said second user when that information is manipulated, and wherein said linked digital information associated with said second user is automatically updated on at least said display device of said first user when that information is manipulated. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019205 | IMPACT MEASUREMENT BASED ON DATA DISTRIBUTIONS - A system and method provide for performing impact analysis for influencing attributes in a sales forecasting system. The sales forecasting system uses integrated predictive and statistical methods to help measure the variance of relevant data sets to guide an end user to relevant influencing attributes. The sales forecasting system may perform a statistical analysis to derive a sequence for the influencing attributes, and display the attributes to an end user in a specific sequence based on the performed statistical analysis. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019206 | PREDICTIVE CONFIDENCE DETERMINATION FOR SALES FORECASTING - A system and method provide for identifying relevant success drivers from previous historical sales data and separating sales data into successful and unsuccessful business segments by generating predictive confidence determinations. After the successful and unsuccessful business segments have been identified, the business segments may be classified into determined confidence categories or levels. Each opportunity in an opportunity pipeline is assigned to a specific business segment and corresponding confidence level. A simulation of the sales forecasting system displays an opportunity pipeline broken done into confidence levels for each of the opportunities. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019207 | INTERACTIVE IN-MEMORY BASED SALES FORECASTING - A system and method provide for a sales forecasting application implemented on a user terminal. The sales forecasting system uses integrated predictive and statistical methods to evaluate the reliability of the forecast. The sales forecasting system may perform a statistical analysis to derive a sequence for the influencing attributes, driving sales success in the past, and display the attributes to an end user in a specific sequence. The sales forecasting system may further be implemented through a sequences of stages, including a pipeline analysis stage where the system understands the situation and any possible risks, an analysis stage where the system may analyze past or external influences, and an application stage where the forecasting system applies the insights to a current pipeline and provides a determined simulation. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019208 | METHODS AND APPARATUS TO EVALUATE MODEL STABILITY AND FIT - Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed to evaluate model stability and fit. An example method disclosed herein includes building a fit function based on causal factors associated with a marketing mix model, building a stability function based on override factors associated with corresponding ones of the causal factors, and integrating scaling factors into the stability function to facilitate a combined regression analysis of the fit function and the stability function, the scaling factors respectively associated with corresponding causal factors. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019209 | CONTENT MANAGEMENT - A method may include identifying a content item associated with a contributor. Users may be invited to review the content item. A survey adapted to estimate engagement with the content item by a plurality of the users may be provided to the users. Results of the survey may be received from the plurality of the users. Popularity of the content item with respect to the plurality of the users may be determined from the results of the survey. At least a subset of the plurality of the users may be categorized based on the popularity of the content item with respect to the plurality of the users. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019210 | DETERMINING PRODUCT PRICE - Methods, systems, and computer-readable and executable instructions are provided for determining a product price. Determining a product price can include determining an initial market attraction value, a market price sensitivity, and cost information for a product. Determining a product price can also include receiving a market constraint with respect to the product and pricing the product based on the initial market attraction value, the market price sensitivity, the cost information, and the market constraint. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019211 | Operation State Display Method - Provided is an operation state display method used for an electronic device to display the operation states of an original business entity and a derived business entity. The operation state display method includes the following steps: the electronic device acquires the operation information of the original business entity and the derived business entity, wherein the electronic device generates a systematic image, and then the electronic device displays the systematic image. The step for generating a systematic image includes, according to the operation information of the original business entity, the electronic device generates an original business entity image, wherein a derived business entity image is generated. The electronic device sets with a systematic representation and a relative position of the original business entity image and the derived business entity image to form the systematic image, wherein the systematic representation represents that there is an origin-deriving relationship between the original business entity image and the derived business entity image. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019212 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR FACILITATING MIGRATION AND ADOPTION OF AN ALTERNATIVE COMPUTING INFRASTRUCTURE - The present disclosure is directed to, among other things, a method that selecting, by a processor, user accounts on a first computing infrastructure to migrate to a second computing infrastructure; provisioning, by the processor, a parallel user account on the second computing infrastructure for each of the user accounts on the first computing infrastructure; and migrating, by the processor, information from the user accounts on the first computing infrastructure to the parallel user accounts. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019213 | SYSTEM, METHOD, AND ARTICLE OF MANUFACTURE FOR A MERGER AND ACQUISITION KNOWLEDGEBASE - A system, method and article of manufacture are provided for managing a merger or an acquisition. A plurality of statistics are tracked relating to a merger or an acquisition for reporting purposes. Further, a plurality of decisions are stored relating to the merger or acquisition. Such decisions may be accessed by a plurality of users involved in the merger or acquisition. In addition, a plurality of items associated with the merger or acquisition are inputted into a database. Each item is associated with at least one of the users. The users may be search for the items in the database. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019214 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR INCORPORATING INDUSTRY-WIDE DATA INTO FINANCIAL REPORTS - A method for incorporating industry-wide data into financial reports. One embodiment of the method comprises: building an internal financial database, wherein the internal financial database having a first data category and a first value populating the first data category; storing the internal financial database in a server, wherein the server has a processor, a display, and a network interface; receiving an external financial database, having an external financial data through the network interface; filtering external financial database using the processor; generating a financial report using the processor, wherein the steps further include: combining the first value with the plurality of third values to generate a plurality of fourth values; and sorting the plurality of fourth values; and displaying the plurality of financial reports on the display. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019215 | SYSTEM FOR ASSESSING PROCEDURE COMPLIANCE LEVEL OF HUMAN OPERATORS IN NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS AND METHOD THEREOF - Disclosed are a system for assessing the procedure compliance level of a human operator in a nuclear power plant, which quantitatively detects if the human operator complies with a standard procedure written in an emergency procedure guideline for the nuclear power plant, and a method thereof. The system includes a first recognizing unit attached to each of human operators, a second recognizing unit that is mounted on each of nuclear power equipments and able to make communication with the first recognizing unit, a database storing information of a standard procedure to be performed by the human operator with respect to the nuclear power equipment, and a server that is able to make communication with the second recognizing unit, and assesses the standard procedure stored in the database and an actual procedure performed by the human operator, which is received from the second recognizing unit. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019216 | PAYMENT DEVICE WITH TAG INTERFACE FOR TRANSPORTATION FARE PROCESSING, TRANSPORTATION FARE PROCESSING METHOD OF PAYMENT DEVICE WITH TAG INTERFACE, AND RECORDING MEDIUM - Provided is a transportation fare processing method of a payment device with a tag interface, the method including executing an application on an operating system of the payment device, obtaining payment information from a payment means of a user using a communication interface supported by the payment device, processing a transaction performed by the payment means based on the payment information, in response to an execution of the application, and transmitting the processed transaction to a server. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019217 | UNIVERSAL SYSTEM FOR ENABLING DYNAMICALLY DISCOUNTED BUYER-VENDOR PAYMENTS - Methods, systems and instructions stored on computer-readable media for receiving a plurality of invoices associated a vendor and one or more buyers. Each invoice is associated with a respective buyer and includes an invoice amount to be paid by a deadline. Each invoice is sent to the respective buyer. Possible early payment invoices that are available for early payment prior to the respective deadline from the plurality of invoices are determined. Notification, including a discount, is sent to the vendor regarding the possible early payment invoices. Approval to receive early payment of one or more of the possible early payment invoices is determined. A vendor financial institution and account, and buyer financial institutions and accounts are determined. A quantity of funds based upon the invoice amount and the discount of the one or more of the possible early payment invoices is transferred from the buyer accounts to the vendor account. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019218 | PROVIDING CONSUMERS WITH INCENTIVES FOR HEALTHY EATING HABITS - A method, system, and program for providing consumer healthy habits incentives are provided. A consumable item, consumed by an individual, is detected. A health factor is detected for the consumable item. An electronic incentive is selected for the individual according to the health factor, such that the individual is encouraged to consume a healthy selection of consumable items. An electronic incentive may be further specified according to the personal health history, exercise history and consumption history of an individual | 2014-01-16 |
20140019219 | Regulating Impression Frequency in Content Display - Impression frequency of displayed content may be regulated by data processing apparatus by receiving from a content sponsor content items and information relating to an impression frequency with which one or more of the content items is to be displayed a viewer, maintaining a history of content items displayed to the viewer, receiving a request for content to be displayed to the viewer, selecting a content item from among the received content items based at least in part on the received impression frequency information and the viewer's maintained history, and providing the selected content item for presentation. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019220 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DETERMINING AND PRESENTING ACTIVITIES WITH CHANCE-BASED OUTCOMES AND ASSOCIATED REWARDS - Disclosed are methods, systems, apparatus, devices, products and other implementations, including a method that includes receiving, at one or more processor-based devices, information about at least one transaction, including information about at least one first item selected by a customer in the at least one transaction, and determining, at the one or more processor-based devices, data relating to a reward provided to the customer in response to achieving a chance-based outcome for an activity performable by the customer, the data relating to the reward determined, at least in part, based on the received information. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019221 | SYSTEM FOR DETERMINING HIGH QUALITY MUSICAL RECORDINGS - A system for determining high quality musical recordings comprises a server computer which communicates with a plurality of client devices configured to execute internet radio client software which plays musical recordings. The server computer includes a registration unit for registering users; an input unit for registering, for each user, and for each musical recording of a selected group of musical recordings, a user's opinion of the musical recording. It also includes a combining unit configured to combine a user's registered opinion of each of the musical recordings with the registered opinions of other users, an input valuation unit configured to assign a valuation to the registered opinions on the basis of data from the combining unit, and a reward unit for providing a reward to one or more users on the basis of a valuation provided by the input valuation unit. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019222 | COMBINING CREDIT CARD INFORMATION WITH PREFERRED PURCHASE INFORMATION - The present disclosure provides systems and methods for processing purchases, including obtaining a payment account identifier for a purchase; transmitting the payment account identifier to a financial institution; receiving a rewards account identifier associated with the payment account identifier; and transacting the purchase using the payment account identifier. The systems and methods may include associating the purchase with the rewards account identifier and applying a benefit associated with the rewards account identifier to the purchase. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019223 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR USING PAYMENT CARDS - A system and method are provided for using payment cards. The method includes issuing promotion offers pertaining to the payment cards in real time. The method further includes redeeming the promotion offers in real time at a point of sale. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019224 | FACILITATING CONSUMER ACTIVITY THROUGH AN ELECTRONIC CARD DEVICE - An electronic card device includes a Radio Frequency (RF) circuit configured to receive information from a remote broadcast transmitter, a memory associated with the RF circuit to store a unique identifier of the electronic card device, and a processor communicatively coupled to the memory. The processor is configured to enable reception of the information from the remote broadcast transmitter based on the unique identifier of the electronic card device in the memory to generate data configured to facilitate consumer activity on part of a user of the electronic card device through the electronic card device. Also, the electronic card device includes a display unit integrated therewith configured to display output data related to the data generated through the processor. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019225 | MULTI-CHANNEL, SELF-LEARNING, SOCIAL INFLUENCE-BASED INCENTIVE GENERATION - A social networking action by a user within a social networking website that positively references a marketplace offering of an entity is detected by a processor. In response to detecting the social networking interaction by the user, a social networking influence of the user is determined based upon entity interactions by social network connections of the user with the entity by a number of entity access channels of the entity. A determination is made as to whether the determined social networking influence of the user satisfies a reward threshold defined within a social networking influence incentive rule. In response to determining that the determined social networking influence of the user satisfies the incentive threshold defined within the social networking influence incentive rule, an incentive defined within the social networking influence incentive rule is generated for the user. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019226 | SOCIAL NETWORK LIMITED OFFER DISTRIBUTION - Technologies related to social network limited offer distribution are generally described. In some examples, a limited number of root participants may be allowed to claim an offer, and the offer may be limited to branch participants connected in a social network to the root participants and/or other branch participants in the limited offer. Participants in the limited offer and connections there between may be stored as a limited offer social network graph for use in subsequent marketing efforts. In the absence of social network graph information, participant contact information may be gathered and used to build a social network graph. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019227 | DETERMINING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF ADVERTISING - A user carries a wireless telecommunications terminal, such as a cell phone, smart phone, tablet, and the like. The wireless telecommunications terminal—alone or in conjunction with the wireless telecommunications infrastructure—records the movement of the user. In other words, the wireless terminal records when and where the user has been. This information is uploaded to a database in well-known fashion. The database contains similar information for many other users. In some embodiments, of the present invention, the wireless terminal is assigned an anonymous user ID that can be reconciled with a specific user if that user then calls in using the wireless terminal. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019228 | System and Method for Performing Application-Level Analytics and Testing to Tailor Actions and Communications to a User's Experience - A system and method for performing application-level analytics and testing to tailor actions and communications to a user's experience is disclosed. The system includes a mobile device running an application, a rules engine integrated into the application, an analytics database, a rules engine, a campaign optimization module, and a test module. The rules engine monitors a user's interaction with the application, performs specified client actions when necessary, records data on the user's interaction, and sends that data to the analytics database. Both the rules engine and the campaign optimization module then utilize the data in the analytics database to improve the performance of client actions and campaigns. Test module gives a client the ability to test a new or modified campaign within an existing version of an application on a select group of devices. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019229 | DISPLAY OF USER SELECTED ADVERTISING CONTENT IN A DIGITAL ENVIRONMENT - A system and method for placing an advertisement in a digital environment based upon a user's choice, subject to certain predetermined parameters, is disclosed. Through the method, a user is assigned a rating based upon, for example, his performance in a game. A list of advertisements which correspond to that rating is displayed to the user, who may then select a desired advertisement from the list. The selected advertisement is then displayed in the digital environment. Reports may be generated based upon the advertisements selected and the number of selections and/or impressions (e.g., uses or viewings) by the user, which may be sent to advertisers. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019230 | INFORMATION PROCESSING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TRACKING GEOGRAPHICALLY TARGETED ADVERTISEMENTS - A computer-implemented method comprising receiving a first current location associated with a user device, causing to be presented at the user device a first content item associated with a destination location that is different from the first current location, recording the fact that the first content item was presented at the user device, receiving a second current location associated with the user device, determining whether the second current location corresponds to the destination location, responding to a determination that the second current location corresponds to the destination location by causing to be presented at the user device a second content item associated with the destination location, and recording the fact that the second content item was presented at the user device. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019231 | CONSUMER INTERFACE DEVICE SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR IN-STORE SALES TRACKING - A consumer interface device (“CID”) implemented in a retail store provides an interactive in-store shopping experience. In particular, the CID may be used to track in-store sales. The CID may be mounted on a shelf in a retail store and may include a microprocessor, a touchscreen, a digital storage medium, and a networking device. The CID may track the success of particular in-store advertisements or product content with regard to particular consumers or types of consumers; provide in-store navigation to products; enable purchases via a network; and target an individual consumer or group of consumers with product content specifically directed to the respective consumers or groups of consumers. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019232 | IMPRESSION-TREND TECHNIQUES FOR PROVIDING A DISPLAY ADVERTISING SUPPLY FORECAST - Techniques are described herein for using an impression-trend technique to provide a display advertising supply forecast. A display advertising supply forecast is an estimate of a number of impressions, which are to occur in a future time period, that have specified attribute values. For example, the specified attribute values may be descriptive of impressions with respect to which an advertiser wishes to place ads. An impression-trend technique is a forecasting technique that uses trends regarding past impressions to forecast a number of future impressions that have specified attribute values. The past impressions include attribute values that are related to the specified attribute values. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019233 | UNIFIED AUCTION MODEL FOR SUGGESTING RECOMMENDATION UNITS AND AD UNITS - A social networking system presents advertisements and recommendation units to its users. The recommendation units suggest actions for the users to increase their engagement with the social networking system or otherwise interact with other users, while the social networking system receives revenue from advertisers for displaying advertisements based on bid values associated with the advertisements. The social networking system determines values for the advertisements and for the recommendation units, where the values are measured in a comparable fashion. This allows the system to rank and select the advertisements and recommendation units together in a unified auction model. For example, the social networking system uses a pacing value to determine values of recommendation units having a common unit of measurement with expected values of advertisements to the social networking system. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019234 | Matching Audio Advertisements to Items on a Shopping List in a Mobile Device - Methods and apparatus are provided for matching audio advertisements to items on a shopping list in a mobile device. Audio advertisements are matched to items on a shopping list by obtaining the shopping list from a mobile device of the user; applying a speech recognizer to at least one audio advertisement detected on a microphone of the mobile device; identifying one or more key words in the at least one audio advertisement; comparing the one or more identified key words to one or more items on the shopping list stored on the mobile device; and storing the information related to the at least one advertisement if the one or more identified key words match the one or more items. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019235 | CLASSIFICATION ENGINE FOR DYNAMIC E-ADVERTISEMENT CONTENT INSERTION - A way to modify a media file to include an advertisement is described herein. A media includes, but is not limited to, broadcast television, video, or music. The content of the media is analyzed to determine an appropriate advertisement to be inserted into the media content. For example, the advertisement may be a pizza commercial inserted into media that is popular among college age individuals. The content of the media may be further analyzed to determine an appropriate position within the media to insert the advertisement. For example, the pizza commercial may be inserted after a scene in which the characters are eating. Another example may be the insertion of a dating service commercial in a movie immediately following a dating scene in the movie. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019236 | SELECTING ADVERTISEMENT FOR PRESENTATION USING PURCHASE DATA OF PENDING TRANSACTION - A method is disclosed for selecting an advertisement. The method may begin with identifying a computer system comprising a point-of-sale system and an expert system. The point-of-sale system may be used to conduct a point-of-sale transaction involving a customer and one or more items. The computer system may generate a plurality of advertisements, each comprising a machine-readable code encoded with a transaction identification unique to the transaction. During the transaction, data corresponding to the one or more items (e.g., an identification of the items) may be passed to the expert system. The expert system may use the data to identify or predict which advertisement of the plurality of advertisements is most likely to elicit a desired response from the customer. The point-of-sale system may then present that advertisement to the customer. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019237 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PRESCRIBER-CENTRIC TARGETING - A system and method for prescriber-centric targeting may use information known about prescribers to determine patients who should be targeted to receive information relating to a target drug. The system may identify a prescriber based on a propensity of the prescriber to prescribe the target drug or a drug in the same class as the target drug. The system may identify a patient based on the identified prescriber. For example, the patient may be a former or current patient of the prescriber. The system may cause the information relating to the target drug to be communicated to the patient. By identifying prescribers based on their propensity to prescribe a target drug and then targeting their patients, the system may obtain higher rates of prescription fills for the target drug while at the same time providing more relevant information to the patients. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019238 | TRACKING, MANAGING, SUGGESTING AND CONFIRMING RECEIPT OF GIFTS - A method and apparatus for managing gifts is disclosed. A computer system receives information about a gift from a recipient of the gift. In response to receiving the information about the gift, the computer system generates an acknowledgment of the gift. The computer system then sends the acknowledgment of the gift to a sender of the gift. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019239 | Social Quality Of Content - Embodiments for a method for ranking social quality of content published on a plurality of web pages are provided. In an embodiment, the method includes receiving at least one log record from a tracking component on at least one web page. The one log record is indicative of at least one user activity on the at least one web page. The method further includes aggregating the at least one log record corresponding to preferably each of the plurality of web pages based on one or more parameters. The method also includes assigning a first score for preferably each of the plurality of web pages based on the aggregating. The first score is indicative of a social quality of content published in the at least one web page. The method includes ranking the plurality of web pages based on the first score. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019240 | Search-Powered Connection Targeting - A social networking system extends the reach of an ad by allowing an advertiser to seed a search for suggesting targeting criteria for an ad. Using the seeds, the social networking system identifies a set of seed objects from a social graph. The social networking system traverses the social graph to compute the similarity between the seed objects and candidate objects related to the seed objects. Based on the computed similarity, the social networking system suggests a set of target objects to the advertiser. The social networking system receives a selection of one or more target objects from the advertiser. From the selected target objects the social networking system determines one or more targeting criteria for the ad, so users with an edge in the social graph to any of the selected target objects are eligible to receive the ad. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019241 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING CONSUMERS WITH ACCESS TO AN ARTICLE WHILE PREVENTING THEFT THEREOF - The present invention is directed to a system and method for providing consumers with access to an article while preventing theft thereof. In one aspect, the invention is a method for providing consumers with access to an article, the method comprising: a) securing the article in a secured state using an anti-theft system, the anti-theft system alterable between the secured state and an unsecured state; b) the anti-theft system receiving, from a consumer's portable electronic device, consumer data relating to the consumer; c) analyzing the consumer data received by the anti-theft system to determine the consumer's risk level; and d) directing the anti-theft system to transition from the secured state to the unsecured state upon the consumer's risk level being approved. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019242 | INTERCEPTION OF COMMUNICATIONS AND GENERATION OF SUPPLEMENTAL DATA IN CLOSED SYSTEMS - Disclosed are methods, systems, apparatus, devices, products and other implementations, including a method that includes intercepting, by a monitoring system, communications in a closed system between one or more peripheral devices and one or more host devices, the closed system being configured to enable communication between only designated closed system devices, the designated closed system devices including the one or more peripheral devices and the one or more host devices, with the communications including information relating to one or more transactions. The method further includes generating, by the monitoring system, based on at least one of the intercepted communications, supplemental data relating to at least one transaction of the one or more transactions, and communicating from the monitoring system to at least one of the designated closed system devices the supplemental data relating to the at least one transaction. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019243 | Matching Audio Advertisements to Items on a Shopping List in a Mobile Device - Methods and apparatus are provided for matching audio advertisements to items on a shopping list in a mobile device. Audio advertisements are matched to items on a shopping list by obtaining the shopping list from a mobile device of the user; applying a speech recognizer to at least one audio advertisement detected on a microphone of the mobile device; identifying one or more key words in the at least one audio advertisement; comparing the one or more identified key words to one or more items on the shopping list stored on the mobile device; and storing the information related to the at least one advertisement if the one or more identified key words match the one or more items. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019244 | Generating A Ranked List of Offers in A Shopping Query - An improved offer ranking system can provide a computer-implemented method for ranking offers in an online shopping search. The method comprises receiving one or more offers for a product; associating the offers with the product in a database; assigning cash values for any segments of the offer that are not monetary; determining an equivalent value for the offer; receiving a shopping query from a user network device; accessing the offers for the product; ranking the offers for the product based on the equivalent values of the offers; presenting the ranked offers to the user network device. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019245 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROTECTING CONSUMER PRIVACY IN ONLINE ENVIRONMENTS - Systems and methods are provided for protecting consumer privacy. According to one implementation, a method is provided for protecting consumer privacy in an online advertising environment. The method includes receiving an ad-related communication with associated ad notice metadata containing information about the ad-related communication, analyzing the ad notice metadata, and executing a consumer privacy response based on the analysis. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019246 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR LOCATION BASED CONDITIONAL OFFERS - In accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention, a method comprises sending an end user apparatus a conditional business offer and restricting the possibility of acceptance of said conditional business offer via said end user apparatus to at least said end user apparatus being located within a predefined geographical area (acceptance area). In one embodiment of the invention, said conditional business offer is an auction offer. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019247 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DETERMINING LOCATION OF A MOBILE DEVICE BASED ON AN AUDIO SIGNAL - A mobile device includes a display, a microphone, and a controller all within an enclosure sized and shaped such that the enclosure is readily transported on a person of a user of the mobile device. The microphone is configured to receive an audio signal from an audio signal source. The controller is coupled to the microphone and the display, and configured to, based at least on information included in the audio signal, determine a delay between a transmission of the audio signal from the audio signal source to receipt of the audio signal by the microphone. The controller is further configured to, based at least on the delay, determine a geographical location of the mobile device. The controller is also configured to, based on the geographical location of the mobile device, display geographical information to the display indicative of the geographical location. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019248 | System and Method for Location Based Dynamic Redirection of Advertiser Affiliate Links for Online Advertising - A system and method is provided for dynamically managing advertiser affiliate links for online marketing. A global redirect server accepts a visitor's web browser request for a product or non-product webpage associated with an affiliate network advertiser URL, and returns a corresponding product or non-product webpage to the visitor that is corrected for the visitor's geographic region if such a webpage exists, or returns the originally requested webpage if it does not. The server determines the visitor's geographic region based upon request metadata, and can generate a corrected webpage that affords analytic and commission tracking even if no corresponding affiliate network exists in the determined geographic region. The server includes a database for locating products within the determined geographic region that are comparable to the product of the product webpage request, in the event that the exact product is not available in the geographic region. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019249 | Method and System for Providing Network Based Target Advertising and Encapsulation - A telecommunication system implements a method for providing a targeted on-line advertisement to a user accessing a content provider node of the system. An ad is requested from a user node. A content provider is identified at a right of first refusal ad service based on the ad request. At least one demographic corresponding to the user node is determined. Whether an ad corresponds to the determined demographic is determined. A default ad service is determined based on the content provider. The ad request is passed to a default ad service. Retrieved content is processed. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019250 | Methods and Systems for Selecting Internet Radio Program Break Content Using Mobile Device Location - Methods and systems for selecting content for outputting on a mobile device during a program break in an Internet radio stream using mobile device location information. In one aspect, the methods and systems seamlessly select content for outputting on a mobile device during a program break in an Internet radio stream using mobile device location information and program break markers. In another aspect, the methods and systems select content for outputting on a mobile device during a program break in an Internet radio stream using mobile device trajectory information. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019251 | Providing Promotion Information to a Device Based on Location - A method includes receiving, at a network device, data indicating a geographic location associated with a mobile communication device. The method also includes selecting promotion information based on the geographic location associated with the mobile communication device. The method further includes transmitting the promotion information to the mobile communication device. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019252 | Methods and Apparatus for Managing a Content Stream - A computer-implemented method includes receiving a request for media playback sent from a vehicle computing system (VCS) and aggregating a plurality of user, environmental and vehicle data elements for at least one known consumer in a vehicle to receive media. The embodiment also includes requesting media plans from a plurality of media provision sources, the plan based at least in part on the aggregated user, environmental and vehicle data elements. The method further includes reviewing the media plans to select a plan received responsive to the request that best corresponds to the user, environmental and vehicle data elements. Also, the method includes sending the selected plan to the VCS for playback. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019253 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR SELECTING AND DISPLAYING INTERACTIVE ADVERTISING CONTENT WITH A LOCK SCREEN - Systems and methods are provided for selecting and displaying interactive advertising content on a lock screen or splash screen of a touch-sensitive portable electronic device. A lock screen is provided with at least one interactive advertisement where a user can select one or more options relating to the advertisement, scroll through numerous different advertisements, or unlock the portable electronic device. The splash screen is provided with at least one interactive advertisement for display when the portable electronic device is loading an application or transitioning from one device setting to another. The interactive advertising content may be selected by a remote advertisement selection server based on user data collected from the portable electronic device, such as the location of the user, content from social media applications, search queries and other information about the user that is available on the portable electronic device. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019254 | LOCATION-BASED DATA PROCUREMENT - Disclosed are methods, systems, apparatus, devices, products and other implementations, including a method that includes detecting a signal from an access point located within a geographical area, including identifying the access point based on data included in the signal representative of an identity of the access point. The method further includes establishing through a communication node, different from the access point, a communication link with a remote server in response to detecting the signal from the access point, and receiving from the remote server via the communication node data associated with the geographical area in which the access point is located. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019255 | APPARATUS, METHOD AND ARTICLE FOR PROVIDING INFORMATION REGARDING AVAILABILITY OF POWER STORAGE DEVICES AT A POWER STORAGE DEVICE COLLECTION, CHARGING AND DISTRIBUTION MACHINE - A network of collection, charging and distribution machines collect, charge and distribute portable electrical energy storage devices (e.g., batteries, supercapacitors or ultracapacitors). Availability of charged portable electrical energy storage devices available at a collection, charging and distribution machine are communicated to or acquired by a mobile device of a user or a user's vehicle. Once the mobile device of a user or a user's vehicle comes within close proximity of the collection, charging and distribution machine or within a particular area surrounding the collection, charging and distribution machine, the collection, charging and distribution machine or a collection, charging and distribution machine management system communicates an alert (e.g., over a cellular network, short range wireless signal or wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) network) to the mobile device or vehicle indicating how many portable electrical energy storage devices are available at the distribution machine. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019256 | SELECTING ADVERTISEMENT FOR PRESENTATION USING PREVIOUSLY STORED DATA CORRESPONDING TO IDENTIFIED CUSTOMER - A method is disclosed for selecting an advertisement. The method may begin with identifying a computer system comprising a point-of-sale system and an expert system. The computer system may store first data corresponding to a customer. After this storing, the point-of-sale system may be used to conduct a point-of-sale transaction involving the customer and one or more items. The computer system may generate a plurality of advertisements, each comprising a machine-readable code encoded with a transaction identification unique to the transaction. During the transaction, a link between the customer and the first data may be established. Accordingly, the first data may be passed to the expert system. The expert system may use the first data to identify or predict which advertisement of the plurality of advertisements is most likely to elicit a desired response from the customer. The point-of-sale system may then present that advertisement to the customer. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019257 | METHOD, SYSTEM AND APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATIC REAL-TIME ITERATIVE COMMERCIAL TRANSACTIONS OVER THE INTERNET IN A MULTIPLE-BUYER, MULTIPLE-SELLER MARKETPLACE OPTIMIZING BOTH BUYER AND SELLER NEEDS BASED UPON THE DYNAMICS OF MARKET CONDITIONS - A method of communications network shopping by buyers of products and services for purchasing such from sellers in which buyers request an automatic reverse auctioneer or auction controller to initiate a reverse auction in real time amongst willing sellers and to it their automatic real-time iterative bidding price quotations for such products and services to be returned automatically over the network back to the controller under the iterative processing guidance of the controller to assure a best bid price quotation for the buyer; and automatically effecting buyer notification or purchase at such best price, all while the buyer may remain online, and without any manual intervention. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019258 | ADVERTISEMENT DELIVERY - Advertisement delivery capable of providing data to satisfy advertising requests for displaying information to a user accessing an online computer system, generally includes using a first server that is structured and arranged to deliver advertisements to a first region of a display, and a second server that is structured and arranged to deliver advertisements to a second region of a display that is different from the first region. Advertisement delivery may also include a display server that sends input based on demographic data to the servers, where the display server receives instructions from at least one of the first and second servers based on the region controlled by the server, and a configuration system that generates and sends a first configuration file to the first server and a second configuration file to the second server, where the first configuration file includes instructions for displaying advertisements to the first region, and the second configuration file includes instructions for displaying advertisements to the second region. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019259 | Methods and systems for charity operations in a social network - Methods and systems for promoting charity donations are provided, in which a person's contributions to a charity is calculated based on both monetary donations and efforts in publicizing the charity's cause in a social network. The efforts are credited with a monetary amount, allowing the person to donate actual money to a charitable cause with his work. The crediting of efforts with actual donation money can be used in a marketing campaign, in which the advertising budget is directed to charity donations with participations from members of a social network assistance. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019260 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CREATING, DISTRIBUTING AND EXECUTING PROMOTIONAL MEDIA PLANS ACROSS USER DEVICE PLATFORMS - The various embodiments herein disclose a system and method for creating, distributing and execution a promotional media plan across a plurality of user device platforms. The system comprising a publisher inventory module for providing a inventory of where promotions run, a promotion builder module to create a common media plan for multiple user device platforms, a campaign management server to enable multiple media agencies and multiple advertisers to create promotional media plans, a plurality of distribution channels for distribution of a promotional media plan to a plurality of user devices and a media package comprising of an application container packaged with the promotion media artifact and promotion media plan for delivering a plurality of promotions to the plurality of distribution channels and user devices. The promotional media plans are created subject to an availability of the advertising inventory. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019261 | SPONSORED ADVERTISEMENT RANKING AND PRICING IN A SOCIAL NETWORKING SYSTEM - A social networking system (SNS) provides sponsored stories and organic stories about actions taken by other SNS users to a viewing user. Organic stories are selected based on the likelihood the viewing user is interested in their content. While advertisers compensate the SNS for presentation of sponsored stories, the sponsored stories also include information about actions by other SNS users. To increase the likelihood the viewing user interacts with sponsored stories, a common communication channel is used to present both the sponsored stories and the organic stories. To simplify selection of organic stories and sponsored stories, the SNS determines a common unit of measurement for both and makes selections based on the common unit of measurement. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019262 | PREDICTING VISIBILITY OF CONTENT ITEMS - Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer-readable storage medium, and including a method for predicting visibility of web pages. The method comprises identifying web pages that include slots for presenting content. The method further comprises, for each slot, creating a fingerprint based on a URL associated with the page and structural information associated with the slot's location on the page, determining a likelihood of the slot being visible when the web page is initially presented, the likelihood in the form of a predictive model, and saving the fingerprint and predictive model in a data structure. The method further comprises receiving a request for content from a web page, creating fingerprints associated with the web page, and comparing the fingerprints to fingerprints in the data structure. When a matching fingerprint is located, prediction data is used that is associated with a matching fingerprint for the web page. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019263 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR SELECTING ADVERTISEMENTS TO BE PRESENTED TO A VIEWER - A rules evaluation engine operable to select optimal content for presentation to the viewer at each presentation opportunity. The engine evaluates segmentation rules associated with each particular content item in parallel, and then selects the best content to be presented. Priorities determined during evaluation sort out which content items will be presented. Real time dynamic enrichment of the decision making context occurs by retrieving additional information required to evaluate the rules. Logging and administrative processes for managing the segmentation rules are also realized. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019264 | FRAMEWORK FOR PRODUCT PROMOTION AND ADVERTISING USING SOCIAL NETWORKING SERVICES - A method includes acquiring an image from a user; analyzing the image to determine whether it includes information associated with a brand reference; producing an augmented image based on the image; and posting the augmented image to a social networking service (SNS) associated with the user. The augmented image may include a graphical overlay, a frame, a comment, and a hyperlinked textual comment, cropping of the image, blurring a portion of the image, applying a spotlighting effect to a portion of the image. The method may determine a measure of influence of a user on a brand based on a number of interactions by other users with the augmented image; and a number of images posted by the user that are associated with the brand. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019265 | Method of Commercializing Manufactured Products - A method of commercializing products including advertising the sale of such products to the public by a principal party; consummating the sale of such products with interested purchasers by the principal party; communicating with a fabricator, requesting the production and delivery of a product sold responsive to such advertising and providing required specifications of the sold product and certain aids useful in the fabrication of such product; and compensating such fabricator by such principal party for the fabrication of the sold product upon delivery of the product to the purchaser thereof. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019266 | System and Method for Dynamic Management of Affiliate Links for Online Marketing - A method and system is provided for facilitating affiliate link generation. A publisher enables the system by identifying a webpage on an affiliate web site. The system performs an initial assessment of the page to extract webpage information, which is compared to information stored in a database. If the extracted information matches stored information, a record of the webpage is displayed and an affiliate link is dynamically generated for immediate use. If the extracted information does not match stored information, a new record of the webpage is created. If the webpage contains product-specific data, a product-specific record is stored. If the webpage does not contain product-specific data, a non-product record is stored. An affiliate link is then dynamically created. The new record of the product and dynamically created affiliate link is added to the database for immediate use. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019267 | System and Method for Dynamic Creation of Product Links from a Web Browser Application - A method and system is provided for facilitating affiliate link generation using a web browser application. A publisher enables the system by identifying a webpage on an affiliate web site. The system performs an initial assessment of the page to extract webpage information, which is compared to information stored in a database. If the extracted information matches stored information, a record of the webpage is displayed and an affiliate link is dynamically generated for immediate use. If the extracted information does not match stored information, a new record of the webpage is created. If the webpage contains product-specific data, a product-specific record is stored. If the webpage does not contain product-specific data, a non-product record is stored. An affiliate link is then dynamically created. The new record of the product and dynamically created affiliate link is added to the database for immediate use. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019268 | SYSTEM AND METHOD OF CURSOR-BASED CONTENT DELIVERY - A method of displaying advertising content in association with a touch screen without the use of previously installed advertising software plugins is disclosed. The method can include sending a request for supplemental advertising content to a remote server in response to a touchpoint selection of an advertisement on the touch screen; receiving both the supplemental advertising content and a pass through instruction code at the touch screen device from the remote server in response to the request for supplemental advertising content; and using the combination of pass through instruction code and the supplemental advertising content to present on the touch screen, without use of previously installed software, advertising content at a defined relationship to at least one of the advertisement and the touchpoint the touch screen device. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019269 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS TO PROVIDE ALTERNATIVE CONNECTIONS FOR REAL TIME COMMUNICATIONS - Methods and apparatuses to provide options for alternative connections in response to customer requesting for connections to advertisers for real time communications. One embodiment includes: providing an advertisement of a first advertiser for presentation to a customer, the advertisement including a reference to be used to request a connection server to provide a telephonic connection between the first advertiser and the customer; receiving a request made via the reference included in the advertisement for a telephonic connection between the first advertiser and the customer; determining a status of the first advertiser at a time of the request; and presenting an option to make an alternative connection for the customer based on the determined status. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019270 | ECONOMIC FILTERING SYSTEM FOR DELIVERY OF PERMISSION BASED, TARGETED, INCENTIVIZED ADVERTISING - A method to control advertising messages directed at a user is provided. Such control might include setting a filter to control advertisements directed at a user. Advertisements are sent to a user based on the filter settings. The user may accept the advertisements. If the user accepts the advertisements, the user is provided with a reward. In addition, a method using a quiz to determine if a user is human or an automated respondent is provided. The user is presented with a quiz. The user is advised of the acceptable manner for responding to the quiz. The user's response to the quiz is received. A determination based on the user's response as to whether the user is a human or an automated respondent is made. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019271 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ALLOCATING A PAYMENT BASED ON A FREE TRIAL PERIOD - Disclosure includes selecting a merchant from a plurality of merchants, enabling a trial mode for the merchant, during the trial mode, receiving an indication of a first order for the merchant, forwarding the indication of the first order to the merchant, allocating a first payment for the first order to the merchant, requesting an acceptance of a membership status from the merchant, and receiving an indication of the payment for the first order. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019272 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR GENERATING MENU INFORMATION - Methods and Apparatus related to generating representations of information. The information may include menu information for merchants such as restaurants. Referring to menus, methods may include receiving potential information for a first menu, and receiving indications of associations of the information with the first menu and/or any number of additional menus. Information and/or associations may later be updated by a desired set of users. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019273 | Foreign Language and Currency Calculator and Method of Facilitating Transactions in a Foreign Currency at the Point of Sale - A method of facilitating transactions at the point of sale using foreign currency is provided. The method includes use of a handheld electronic device to receive voice input to discern the costs and the anticipated change to be returned from a clerk during a transaction for goods. A handheld device is utilized to receive voice input from the clerk in a foreign language, calculates the currency amount required to be paid by the user, and displays the required currency on its display screen, both in written words and in visual terms using dominations of the local currency. Voice inputs are then received from the user to determine the amount of currency given to the clerk, whereafter the amount of change anticipated from the transaction is visualized on the display for the user. The method facilities transparent transactions in foreign countries and helps teach foreign language skills in the process. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019274 | MOBILE POINT-OF-SALE (POS) TECHNIQUES - Mobile POS techniques are presented. A POS interface is configured and distributed to a mobile device over a network connection. The POS interface is a self-contained retail transaction system for a retailer. The mobile device is configured to execute the retail transaction system providing remote network or cloud-based services for data retrieval, and data storage to the retail transaction system on the mobile device. One or more retail transactions are processed on the mobile device via the POS interface. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019275 | Processing payment information for online orders at a local merchant's point of sale via check payment - An online catalog system and method provide customers with a way to place online orders with local merchants, while providing local merchants with the ability to receive payment on an order for order basis prior to shipping the order to the customer. A local merchant's inventory and pricing information is hosted on an online catalog system. An order processing device in communication with the online catalog system is provided to the local merchant. The order processing device receives online order requests and payment information from customers via the online catalog system. The order processing devices generates a payment article at the local store comprising payment information that is then processed at the local merchant's point of sale device. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019276 | PAYMENT DEVICE - A program for running on a processor of a portable payment device is adapted for carrying out a payment interaction and permitting ticket storage in a memory of the portable payment device. The program is configured to interact with an access point and includes a set of instructions, a first code portion and a second code portion. The set of instructions, when executed by the processor, causes the portable payment device to perform the steps of: responsive to a first message from said access point, executing the first code portion; and responsive to a second message from the access point, executing the second code portion. The first code portion includes first instructions corresponding to the payment interaction. The second code portion includes instructions corresponding to the payment interaction and second instructions corresponding to the ticket interaction. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019277 | TWO PHASE PAYMENT LINK AND AUTHORIZATION FOR MOBILE DEVICES - Aspects of the invention are directed to a two phase payment link and authorization method and system for mobile devices. A method for payment and authorization according to an embodiment includes: requesting and receiving, at a mobile device, a transaction identifier from a payment service; displaying the transaction identifier on a display of the mobile device, wherein the transaction identifier is in a machine readable format; scanning the transaction identifier at a point of sale system; sending the transaction identifier and transaction information associated with items to be purchased from the point of sale system to the payment service; creating, at the payment service, a logical link between the mobile device and the point of sale system, based on the transaction identifier; and sending the transaction information from the payment system to the mobile device. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019278 | METHOD FOR SELLING GENUINE GOODS - A method for selling genuine goods by a barcode and network is disclosed. The method includes the steps of: a) generating a barcode for a product; b) attaching the barcode on the product and registering the barcode and the product in a server; c) a retailer updating the server to render the product sellable by reading and sending the barcode; d) a customer reading the barcode and sending to the server for verifying the product; e) the server answering if the product is genuine or not; f) informing the customer not to buy the product when the product is not genuine; g) informing the customer the product is OK when the product is genuine; and h) the retailer updating the server to render the product unsellable when the product has been sold. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019279 | System and Method for Requesting Assistance from a Store Attendant - An approach is provided for requesting assistance from a store attendant. One method includes receiving a request from a customer via mobile phone. The request may be received via scanning of the barcode located nearby to the customer. After scanning of the barcode, a notification is sent to the store attendants comprising aisle location to the store attendants. Subsequently, estimated time for assistance is received from the store attendants by the system. Thereafter, based on the received estimated time from the store attendants, a store attendant is selected from the store attendants. Finally, the system sends the estimated time for assistance to the mobile phone of the customer and the most appropriate store attendant is sent to the customer's location. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019280 | VEHICLE REPAIR SYSTEM - A vehicle repair system facilitates communication between multiple parties involved in the repair of a vehicle. A status engine monitors the status of a vehicle repair and provides status information to a customer so the customer can stay up-to-date on the current status. A store engine provides a marketplace where vehicle repair products can be sold. A jobs engine provides a jobs board where job openings can be posted. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019281 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS OF CREATING AND USING SHOPPING PORTALS - Systems and methods of a shopping portal are disclosed. A shopping portal application may reside and execute on an electronic device (e.g., smart phone, tablet, etc.). In one embodiment, the shopping portal may partition the display of the electronic device into separately searchable areas (e.g. rows, columns, etc.) Within each area, the shopping portal may display product items that may relate to a composite product. In another embodiment, the shopping portal may access data regarding the related product items; partition said display into a plurality of separately searchable areas; display first related product items into a first separately searchable area; display second related product items into a second separately searchable area; and search first and second related product items and bring them into proximal view for the user to take additional action (e.g. buying products). | 2014-01-16 |
20140019282 | METHOD AND SYSTEM OF PROVIDING SERVICE USING USER DESCRIPTION, SERVICE DESCRIPTION AND CONTENTS DESCRIPTION - A method of providing a service using a user description, a service description, and a contents description may include: receiving first user information from a first user description including first user information; receiving environment information from the contents description including environment information; selecting optimal service information from the service description including service information based on at least one of the first user information and the environment information; and providing a service corresponding to the selected optimal service information to a first user. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019283 | MULTI-BENEFACTOR ITEM PAYMENT SYSTEM - A computer system includes one or more network interfaces configured to, for each of a plurality of benefactors, send to an electronic device of the benefactor information specifying an item desired by a beneficiary, wherein the item is offered for sale by a merchant at a price. The interfaces are also configured to, for each of the plurality of benefactors, receive from the benefactor electronic device information specifying a portion of the item price the benefactor agrees to pay. The computer system also includes a central processing unit (CPU) configured to determine that a sum of the portions of the item price the plurality of benefactors agreed to pay has reached the item price and in response pay the merchant for the item. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019284 | Methods, Systems, and Computer-Readable Media for Network Capacity Allocation - Systems, devices, methods, and computer-readable media for auction-based network capacity allocation are disclosed. The systems, devices, methods, and computer-readable media determine network capacity associated with a first wireless network and determine network capacity associated with a second wireless network. The systems, devices, methods, and computer-readable media also output data generated based, at least in part, on the first wireless network capacity determination and the second wireless network capacity determination. In addition, systems, devices, methods, and computer-readable media also receive one or more bids associated with at least some of the network capacity associated with the first wireless network and assign at least some of the network capacity associated with the first wireless network to a purchaser system associated with the second wireless networks as a function of the one or more received bids. | 2014-01-16 |
20140019285 | Dynamic Listing Recommendation - Methods and systems are provided for attempting to optimize online listings for users of an Internet sales website, such as an online auction website. Recommendations can be provided to the users for improving their listings. The recommendations can be made using rules and statistical models. The listings can be monitored for compliance with the recommendations. The listings can be monitored for effectiveness of such compliance. The rules can be modified in light of such effectiveness. In this manner, listings can tend to be optimized so as to increase the likelihood of a visit from a potential buyer resulting in conversion. | 2014-01-16 |