04th week of 2010 patent applcation highlights part 55 |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20100023333 | High frequency signal interpolating method and high frequency signal interpolating - A quality high frequency signal is generated through simple processing, and practical high frequency signal interpolation is carried out. A digital audio signal reproduced by an apparatus, which carries out compression, is provided to an input terminal | 2010-01-28 |
20100023334 | AUDIO CODING APPARATUS, AUDIO CODING METHOD AND RECORDING MEDIUM - An audio encoding apparatus includes: a sub-band division part dividing a quantized value into sub-bands; an integrated codeword length table including a plurality of codeword length tables storing codeword lengths of individual code books and a plurality of codeword length tables; a code book selection part selecting, from the plurality of code books, the given combination of code books; a codeword length table selection part selecting a codeword length table; an index value calculation part sequentially calculating an index value to be used by the code book; a codeword length calculation part collectively obtaining codeword lengths for each code book; and a coding part determining a code book of a codeword length of a minimum accumulated result and encoding the quantized values in the sub-band based on the determined code book. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023335 | LOW COMPLEXITY PARAMETRIC STEREO DECODER - A stereo audio decoder with low complexity is provided. A high stereo sound quality can be obtained with a limited computational power and is thus suitable for miniature and mobile equipment. The stereo decoder generates a set of stereo output channels (C | 2010-01-28 |
20100023336 | Compression of audio scale-factors by two-dimensional transformation - Digital audio samples are represented as a product of scale factors codes and corresponding quantity codes, sometimes referred to as exponent/mantissa format. To compress audio data, scale factors are organized by sample time and frequency either by filtering or frequency transformation, into a two-dimensional frame. The frame may be decomposed into “tiles” by partition. One or more such scale factor tiles are compressed by transformation by a two-dimensional, orthogonal transformation such as a two dimensional discrete cosine transform. Optional further encoding is applied to reduce redundancy. A decoding method and an encoded machine readable medium complement the method of encoding. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023337 | Local Power Generation Business Method - A business method to expand upon prior art methods of billing a utility customer's energy consumption from local power generation energy sources such as wind and solar systems. The invention discerns energy generated locally and energy consumed from a wide area energy source, utility or COOP. The invention allows power generated locally by leased, owned, or rented power generation equipment at the utility customer's location to be measured and billed to the customer at a separate rate than that charged by the utility to the customer. A well-engineered system will locally generate enough power to offset the utility's charges, lower the power customer's power costs and will provide revenue to the local power generation equipment provider by a power billing presented to the utility customer. The invention may utilize any power generation method such as electric, gas, oil, biomass, and or thermal. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023338 | SYSTEM AND METHOD OF TARGETED ADVERTISEMENT - Systems and methods of targeted advertisement are disclosed. In an embodiment, the method includes performing a deep packet inspection process of packet traffic within at least a portion of a communication network. The deep packet inspection process includes determining source data and destination data from the packet traffic without inspecting packet payload data. The method includes receiving aggregate demographic data of users that are associated with at least some of the packet traffic and generating an anonymous first profile of a first user based on first data acquired via the deep packet inspection process and based on the aggregate demographic data. The method also includes retrieving first user profile data from the anonymous first profile and sending the first user profile data to an advertisement system to determine a targeted advertisement based on the first user profile data. The targeted advertisement is displayed to a second user while the second user is participating in a multi-user activity with the first user. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023339 | BUSINESS EVENT AGENTS - A system may include reception of a core event associated with a business object, evaluation of one or more rules based on the core event to identify a business event, construction of a message based on a mapping between the business object and an event interface, the mapping and the event interface associated with the business event and the business object; and publication of the message. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023340 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR EVALUATING PRODUCT SUBSTITUTIONS ALONG MULTIPLE CRITERIA IN RESPONSE TO A SALES OPPORTUNITY - A system and method evaluate product substitutions along multiple criteria in response to a sales opportunity, for instance, providing sales recommendations of configurable products in response to a customer request based on propensity functions. A customer propensity is determined to estimate attractiveness of a substitute product to a customer based on one or more attributes. A seller propensity is determined to estimate attractiveness to a seller of selling the substitute product based on one or more attributes. The customer propensity and the seller propensity are combined to find a plurality of substitute products. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023341 | METHOD FOR RULE-BASED GIFT GIVING - A method for rule-based gift giving method collects information about life events of one or more friends from one or more social network systems and/or from one or more online profiles. The gathered information may be organized in a news stream format or a calendar items format. The user creates rules including parameters such as monetary value of the gift, identity of the recipient and the life event on which to send the gift. The user may generate a default list of friends who will automatically receive user-selected gifts on user-selected life events. According to another embodiment, the user may generate an on-demand list of friends who will receive gifts on selected life events upon user's approval. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023342 | USE OF CLINICAL LABORATORY DATA TO IDENTIFY INPATIENT HOSPITAL COMPLICATIONS - Described herein are systems and methods for identification of complications by identifying physiological changes associated with these complications that are reflected in laboratory results. In some embodiments, systems and methods are described for identifying trends in the laboratory data over time and associating those trends with degrees of risk or complication factors that are established through retroactive analysis of similar laboratory data across a plurality of care facilities or patient groups. In some embodiments, a benchmark may be established, based on laboratory results, against which care facilities can retrospectively compare patient outcomes within their own facility or among various patient groups. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023343 | Portable point of sale - Systems and methods are disclosed that relate to providing information about an item available for sale. This item is selected for purchase by a buyer, and the location information of the buyer and seller are exchanged. As the buyer approaches the seller, the location of the seller is reported to the buyer. The sale can be completed upon the arrival of the buyer to the seller. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023344 | System and device for maintaining physiological levels of steroid hormone in a subject - A system, device, or method is provided which maintains a substantially physiological level or a substantially physiological cyclic pre-menopausal level of one or more steroid hormones in a mammalian subject in need thereof. The system, device, or method includes providing to the subject at least one treatment regimen including replacement therapy for the one or more steroid hormones or metabolites or modulators thereof, wherein the at least one treatment regimen is determined based on pre-menopausal cyclic steroid hormone levels of the subject and on current cyclic steroid hormone levels of the subject, wherein the at least one treatment regimen is configured to maintain the subject's one or more steroid hormones or metabolites or modulators thereof at substantially physiological cyclic pre-menopausal levels. The system, device, or methods can be used for the treatment of a disease or condition in the mammalian subject. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023345 | DETERMINATION OF A CONFIDENCE MEASURE FOR COMPARISON OF MEDICAL IMAGE DATA - In a method and apparatus for calculation of a confidence measure indicating the validity of comparing medical scans such as PET or SPECT, the conditions for each scan are analyzed, with regard to conditions for various factors affecting Standardized Uptake Value (SUV). A scoring system assigns a score dependent on whether conditions are the same or different for each factor and the confidence measure is calculated from a combination of the scores, and a representation of the confidence measure is displayed. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023346 | ENDPOINT DEVELOPMENT PROCESS - A system for developing and producing clinical endpoints based on patient reported outcome data utilizing algorithms to generate decision rules to evaluate patient reported outcome type questionnaire is provided. The questionnaires can include health-related quality of life questionnaires and can predict the reliability of endpoints in supporting one or more medical labeling claims. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023347 | Medical Marketing With Co-payment Elimination - Disclosed herein is a method and system for managing medical payments in a medical marketing environment hosted by a service provider. Information of a patient is acquired and healthcare providers are identified based on the acquired patient information and information of identified healthcare providers is provided to the patient. The patient selects one or more of the identified healthcare providers for a medical service and prioritizes them. The patient information is transferred to a selected healthcare provider for acceptance to provide the medical service to the patient. The selected healthcare provider that accepts to provide the medical service to the patient, signs an agreement for not accepting co-payment from the patient. An appointment is scheduled between the patient and the selected healthcare provider. The service provider pays a co-payment to the selected healthcare provider on behalf of the patient in exchange for a minimal referral fee. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023348 | REMOTELY TAKING REAL-TIME PROGRAMMATIC ACTIONS RESPONSIVE TO HEALTH METRICS RECEIVED FROM WORN HEALTH MONITORING DEVICES - Health metrics can be received from at least one person wearing a health monitoring device in an unencumbered fashion that permits free motion. The health monitoring device can wirelessly convey the heath metrics to a remotely located computing device. The received health metrics can be compared against at least one configurable, yet previously established threshold. A change in a situation proximate to the person can be inferred based upon comparison results. A programmatic event can be fired based upon the inferred change. At least one programmatic action can be automatically initiated responsive to the firing of the programmatic event, wherein the programmatic action initiates a response to the inferred change. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023349 | Computer software program for mental health professionals - A computer software program that will allow mental health practitioners to enter data into portable files and send information to various professional organizations, institutions, businesses, and/or entities through a direct, secure, and electronic linkage created by registering with said professional organizations, institutions, businesses, and/or entities. Mental health professionals using the software program will be able to create portable files containing information about clients, notes, credentials, licenses, certifications, specializations, accreditations, professional memberships, professional trainings, Continuing Education Units, professional activities, supervision hours, education, insurance board memberships. A plethora of relevant professional mental health information will be accessible through the software program. Professional organizations, institutions, businesses, and/or entities will be able to advertise and/or send information pertaining to products and services. The software program is a “one-stop shopping” platform for mental health professionals to create portable files and send information in a streamlined and efficient manner. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023350 | AUTO REGISTRATION OF NETWORK DEVICES - Often when a patient is diagnosed with an ongoing or chronic health care condition, it is desirable to prescribe an ongoing treatment regimen to that patient. In this type of environment, a user interface device ( | 2010-01-28 |
20100023351 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AUTOMATED DIAGNOSTICS AND MEDICAL TREATMENT DEVELOPMENT FOR ORIENTAL MEDICINE - A method and a system for automated diagnostic and medical treatment development system for oriental medicine, wherein the system includes a controller, one or more associated databases and one or more user interfaces and the method includes the steps of: receiving a patient's medical complaint; electronically analyzing the complaint, the patient's medical history, oriental medicine recommendations to output an oriental medicine recommendation to address the patient's medical complaint; and optionally revising the analysis based on additional user input. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023352 | System and Method for Improved Information Sharing by Repair Facilities for Managing Rental Vehicle Reservations - A method and system are disclosed for managing a rental vehicle reservation wherein the need for reservation managers to follow-up with repair facilities to gain additional information about repair work to disabled vehicles can be greatly reduced if not eliminated. Upon receipt of an update from a repair facility as to repair work for a disabled vehicle that pertains to a replacement rental vehicle reservation, an appropriate set of follow-up questions is directed to the repair facility by automated processes without the need for human intervention by the reservation manager. Furthermore, to support flexibility with respect to different informational needs by different purchasers of replacement rental vehicle services, the set of follow-ups questions that is selected and directed to repair facilities can vary based on a number of parameters. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023353 | METHOD FOR ESTABLISHING, TRACKING AND AUDITING COMPLIANCE - A method and system for tracking and auditing activities against a set of guidelines for an Insurance Law Firm. An automatic process, manual process or both, for receive notifications of upcoming and passed guideline due dates with both prospective and retrospective auditing capabilities. The system is customizable to fit the idiosyncrasies of each user firm, such as client type and billing procedures. It also may utilize the industry standard Universal Task Based Management System (UTBMS) task and activity codes. Additionally, the system may utilize a 3 | 2010-01-28 |
20100023354 | SYSTEM AND METHOD OF MANAGING AN INSURANCE SCHEME - A method of managing an insurance scheme includes defining a plurality of categories of living expenses. Defining a plurality of life changing events. On the occurrence of a life changing event for an insured person of the scheme, at least partially subsidising expenses in the category of living expenses for the insured person or a nominated beneficiary of the insured person. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023355 | Method and System of Developing a Product - Aspects of the invention include a method and system to develop a product within a corporate environment comprising diverse business units that are located in geographically dispersed locations. In addition, aspects of the invention provide for a streamlined product development process such that a company can efficiently launch products to market from an idea generation stage. Further aspects of the invention include systems and methods that coordinate product development activities within and between different business units within a company. Additional aspects of the invention provide for systems and methods that improve efficiency, reduce redundancy and provide synergy of expertise between different business units to develop a product. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023356 | Method of Promoting Employee Wellness And Health Insurance Strategy For Same - In an effort to reduce employer health insurance related costs, a state-governed fully-insured health insurance policy is provided for a group of employees. At least one benefit under the health insurance policy is conditional on the employee voluntarily participating in a wellness program. The wellness program could include wellness categories such as a tobacco free category, normal blood pressure category, regular exercise category and even a non-overweight category. In addition, the wellness program could condition coverage, or subsidize deductibles for, certain illnesses on employee submission to screening tests on a prescribed basis for the identified illness, such as cancer screening for early detection of cancer. The voluntary wellness program can also include a variety of other aspects including wellness education, disease inoculation, and injury prevention. The invention provides an incentive for employees to make healthier lifestyle choices. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023357 | Conditional Purchase Offer Management System - A conditional purchase offer (CPO) management system is disclosed for receiving CPOs from one or more customers, such as airline passengers, and for evaluating the received CPOs against a number of CPO rules defined by a plurality of sellers, such as airlines, to determine whether any seller is willing to accept a given CPO. A CPO is a binding offer containing one or more conditions submitted by a customer for purchase of an item, such as airline travel, at a customer-defined price. A CPO rule is a set of restrictions defined by a given seller, such as an airline, to define a combination of restrictions for which the seller is willing to accept a predefined price. The CPO rules may be securely stored by one or more servers. The CPO management system permits a seller to correct for forecasting errors, if necessary, or other competitive forces which have produced excess capacity, by providing inventory for sale to CPO customers. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023358 | RISK ANALYSIS AND MITIGATION SYSTEMS AND METHODS OF ANALYZING AND MITIGATING RISK - A machine-implemented method for analyzing risk associated with an activity may include receiving inputs identifying a user and an activity to be analyzed, selecting a boundary dataset including operator data, vehicle/equipment data, and/or general operations data, selecting a boundary parameter from the selected dataset, selecting an environmental parameter associated with the selected boundary parameter, and determining whether the selected environmental parameter exceeds a threshold level of risk associated with the selected boundary parameter. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023359 | INTEGRATED PROUCTION LOSS MANAGEMENT - Current monitoring systems often provide the operating condition of a specific component and do not consider the impact of a specific failure upon an entire system or a business. Nor do the current systems provide an avenue for the business to predict the loss, as well as its impact, and make an educated decision of mitigating the loss based upon economic, environmental, and health and safety considerations. Methods and systems are provided for predicting loss events, impacts of loss events, and providing potential corrective measures to reduce or eliminate the occurrence or impact of the loss events. One aspect relates to the use of system-wide information to predict variables that are directly linked to business impact, such as production loss. Extraneous and transactional data are also utilized according to other aspects of the invention. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023360 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR QUANTITATIVE ASSESSMENT OF THE AGILITY OF A BUSINESS OFFERING - In a particular embodiment, a method for measuring and assessing the agility of a business offering that includes creating a plurality of agility factors that can be used to measure a responsiveness of a business offering to change. The method further includes assigning a weight to each agility factor. Each weight indicates a relevant contribution of an associated agility factor to the responsiveness of the business offering. The method further includes receiving user inputs of agility values for at least a portion of the plurality of agility factors and using the user inputs of agility values and the weight assigned to each agility factor to calculate an agility result. The agility result provides a quantitative assessment of the adaptability of the business offering. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023361 | Enterprise Asset Management - Systems, methods, and apparatus, including software tangibly stored on a computer readable medium, involve tracking assets in an enterprise. An electronic asset record is generated based on a request for an asset before receiving a particular asset in response to the request. A particular asset is selected in response to the request for the asset, and data relating to the particular asset is received. The electronic asset record is associated with the particular asset based on the received data. After the particular asset is received, the electronic asset record is modified based on information about the particular asset. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023362 | MANAGEMENT OF BUSINESS PROCESS KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS - A method for managing key performance indicators (KPIs) in an enterprise business having a plurality of business units can be provided. The method can include receiving a target for a general KPI and at least one constraint for a general attribute, wherein the general KPI is an aggregation of KPIs and wherein the general attribute is an aggregation of attributes. The method can further include reading a formula for each of the business units, wherein a formula defines how changes in a KPI are correlated with changes in the unit's attribute. The method can further include calculating for each business unit a separate target for the KPI of the business unit such that: a) the general attribute remains within the at least one constraint and b) the target for the general KPI is attained and sending to each business unit a separate target that was calculated. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023363 | Logistics plannning in a business environment - A method for supply chain design may include identifying nodes, links connecting the nodes, and replenishment strategies for moving materials along the links, in a supply chain. The method may also include determining a value indicative of the complexity of the supply chain based on a characteristic of the nodes, links, and replenishment strategies. The method may also include identifying whether core competencies of the nodes are underutilized. The method may also include reducing the complexity of the supply chain to increase utilization of the core competencies of the nodes. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023364 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DETERMINING A THREAT AGAINST A BORDER - A method for determining a threat against a border from objects crossing or trying to cross said border. Said method includes at least the steps of segmenting the border into border elements of uniform terrain features infrastructure and weather conditions, collecting data of incidents occurring along a given border element, determining a threat potential for said border element, determining a protection factor for the border element, and determining a threat against the border element from the threat potential and protection factor. The method may be used for warning about an increased threat to a border, wherein the threat is compared with a threat value threshold. If the threat exceeds the threat value threshold, an alarm is issued. The method may also be used for allocating protective measures along a border. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023365 | Software database driven accounting, contact management, marketing automation and communication system, method and compilation for managing multi-tiered incentive referral compensation and charitable contributions applied to social or business networking websites selling goods or services in electronic commerce - This data processing and online computer network software application system and method specifically addresses deficiencies of current systems and methods in generating rapid and sustainable word-of-mouth and viral customer referral and retention activity through automation of networking, computing, tracking, storing, reporting, analyzing and paying multiple levels of residual referral compensation to registered users (“Member” or “Members”) of an online interactive social or business networking enabled website (“Sponsor” or “Sponsors”) also offering charitable donation inclusion as part of its electronic commerce network marketing and transactional management system. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023366 | Process and apparatus for comprehensive configuration valid bill of material planning and auditing - A computer-implemented process for planning a configuration valid bill of materials for a product includes the steps of inputting at least one MOD from a MOD list into a planning module to generate a part genealogy of a product; identifying a senior MOD of the MOD list based upon a progression level value and a ranking value for at least one location identifier; determining a shortest path in the part genealogy from at least one base part of the product to the senior MOD for the at least one location identifier; identifying a complete progression from each of the at least one base parts to each corresponding at least one senior MODs for each of the at least one location identifiers; generating a configuration valid bill of materials for the product; and conveying the configuration valid bill of materials. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023367 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MANAGING WORKSHEET PRIORITY, AND METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROCESSING WORKSHEET - A method for managing worksheet priority is disclosed according to embodiments of the present invention. The method includes steps of: obtaining worksheet information; calculating a worksheet priority based on a Service Level Agreement; and updating the worksheet information based on the worksheet priority. Also, a system for managing worksheet priority, a method and a system for processing worksheet are further provided according to the embodiments of the present invention. The priority of the worksheet is calculated based on the Service Level Agreement according to the embodiments of the present invention. Thus, it ensures that resources in an enterprise are allocated based on the Service Level Agreement, and a worksheet with a higher service level is processed first. As such, it ensures that internal resources in the enterprise are allocated based on the Service Level Agreement. Meanwhile, it may not occur that the user with a low Service Level Agreement is always given no opportunity of the service. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023368 | DYNAMIC REQUEST WORKFLOW MANAGEMENT METHOD AND SYSTEM - A system includes a workflow assignment server including a web server to allow a user device to communicate with the system over a network. The system also includes an application server, a data store, a request form engine, and a workflow engine. The application servers include one or more processors to manage inputs from the user device. The data stores include request templates and one or more sets of data to configure a request form. The request form engine assembles a request form based on the request templates and the one or more sets of data, the assembling being initiated by a signal from one of the one or more application servers. The workflow engine receives a completed request form from one of the application servers and automatically assign one or more approvers for the request. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023369 | TURBOCHARGER FLEET MANAGEMENT SYSTEM - A system of monitoring the performance characteristics of a turbocharged engine and forecasting a performance parameter based on measured data include sensor components for measuring various performance parameters such as pressures and temperatures. The measured data may be received by electronic components that forward the data through networking components to computing components. The data may be stored in a database. Methods for forecasting turbocharger performance and indicating turbocharger malfunctions include retrieving measured data, performing calculations to correct at least a portion of the measured data, retrieving input from a user, performing regression analysis to determine a forecasting model used to forecast future values, and determining a time when the future values reach a user-specified level. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023370 | Systems and Methods for Assignment of Sales Leads - The invention provides systems and methods for processing sales leads. Illustratively, the invention provides a method of assigning sales leads in a network environment, the sales leads relating to persons interested in effecting a purchase, the method comprising: obtaining a lead, the lead including lead information relating to a person interested in effecting a purchase; loading the lead into a lead processing portion; determining if the lead is auto-assignable; assigning the lead to a sales agent; and outputting the lead information over the network environment to a lead distribution portion, so as to be accessible to the sales agent. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023371 | Marketplace in Ideas - A system for implementing a marketplace in ideas, which comprises
| 2010-01-28 |
20100023372 | LINKED MOBILE BUSINESS AND ADVERTISING UNIT - A linked mobile business and advertising unit that can sell products, services, and/or publicity. A plurality of units, together with a control unit, can form a chain. The control unit can sell time and space for the publicity devices controlled by the units. It can run publicity campaigns selecting geographical zones, market segments, times, and dates, while measuring the effect on sales. It can remotely turn on/off publicity devices. The control unit can suggest new locations, optimize inventory levels, and centralize customer information and transaction history. The units don't require foundation and can install/uninstall themselves rapidly, leaving no trace. The units are self-sufficient in services such as water, electricity, gas and drain; and, have flexibility to use these services when available. The units can transform themselves to ease transportation, to optimize operation or to protect against vandalism. The units can be configured as drive-thru, drive-in, or drive-inside. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023373 | SYSTEM FOR ENABLING BOTH A SUBJECTIVE AND AN OBJECTIVE EVALUATION OF SUPPLIER PERFORMANCE - A system to enable a subjective and an objective evaluation of supplier performance is provided and includes a commodity/part/supplier search system, a traceability system, an aggregation system, a survey system, an evaluation system, a scoring system, and an alert system to compare the score with the target performance level of the supplier and, if the score differs from the predicted performance level by a predetermined amount, to alert the supplier of the differential. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023374 | Providing Tailored Messaging to Customers - A tailored messaging capability (also referred to as customized messaging) delivers individually relevant or individualized spend recommendations regarding merchants to cardholders at a level of granularity not previously available. This capability brings together the cardholder and the merchant environments to support a spend-centric revenue model. Based on a cardholder's spending history, this tool provides relevant merchant recommendations to the individual cardholder based on that cardholder's unique spend potential in view of that of their peer group. This capability encourages business spend in categories which have historically been paid by invoice, cash, or check. By highlighting relevant merchants, not only is perception of coverage shifted, but specific spend behavior is influenced. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023375 | Fair Allocation of Overlapping Inventory - Methods and apparatus for allocating inventory are disclosed. The system may maintain a plurality of inventory pools of impressions that are projected to be available during a time period, each of the plurality of inventory pools having a corresponding set of attributes. The system may receive a plurality of requests from advertisers, each of the plurality of requests requesting a number of impressions during the time period that satisfy a corresponding demand profile, the demand profile having a corresponding set of attributes. The system may allocate impressions in the plurality of inventory pools to the plurality of requests by balancing an interest of a seller of the impressions to maximize value of remaining inventory in the plurality of inventory pools against an interest of the advertisers in allocating a representative sample of impressions in each of the plurality of inventory pools that satisfy the demand profile for each of the plurality of requests. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023376 | Iterative real-time auction for resource management with user rules - Resource management using an iterative real-time auction with user rules is provided. Users of a community, such as a multi-user development, establish user rules including conditions for operating a resource-consuming device based on an incentive. A utility manager receives the user rules and integrates them with respect to an incentive value. The aggregate resource demand of the community can be estimated based on the integration of the user rules and can be compared with a desired demand. By iteratively changing the incentive value and estimating the demand with respect to the incentive value, the utility manager can control resource demand and consumption while taking into account user preferences. In other words, users of the community provide bids for a resource auction based on incentives provided by the utility manager. Resources can include electricity and incentives can include financial incentives, carbon credits, or third party offers. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023377 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MANAGING HUMAN RESOURCE ACTIVITIES - Systems and methods for human resource activities is disclosed. The system allows a user to specify an organizational structure of an entity, design survey respondents, customize items, response logic and reporting dimensions. The system analyzes results and allows users to formulate action plans based upon the results. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023378 | Process for quantifying consumer or voter values - A method for quantifying a participant's values and opinions comprising the steps of: presenting a list of qualities pertaining to a set of alternatives to the participant, the participant ranking the importance of said qualities, presenting a list of alternatives to the participant, the participant rating the alternatives on performance or possession of said qualities, transforming the data so as to quantitatively compare the alternatives. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023379 | Method and system for determining real estate market value changes - A method and system for valuing real estate property values comprises correlating sales price of benchmark properties of a predetermined size and determining the property value based on the correlation. In one aspect the benchmark properties are determined based on a preselected geographic area, which may include a postal or zip code which includes properties having sizes within a particular range of the predetermined size. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023380 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PERFORMING WEB ANALYTICS - A graphical user interface implemented on a computer. The graphical user interface has an information area displaying customer satisfaction data generated on the basis of on-line surveys through application of a questionnaire to visitors of a web site, wherein the questionnaire includes open-ended questions. The graphical user interface further includes a control operable by a user at the computer to display answers provided by the visitors to the open-ended questions. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023381 | Characteristics Of Players Systems & Methods For Analyzing Electronically Embodied Games - Features of electronically embodied games are logically categorized, analyzed, and compared. Features are preferably organized according to a hierarchical classification scheme, according to a classification scheme that is not strictly tautological. All suitable feature sets are contemplated, including sets corresponding to characteristics of personifications of players and non-players, types and/or uses of game space, methods of rewarding a player, etc. In other aspects comparisons are made between an evaluation game and one or more sets of historically available games. Such sets can be grouped by genre and the number of games in such sets can range anywhere from a single game to hundreds of games, or more. Reporting and guidance can include providing a risk assessment score or other risk analysis, feature assessment (prevalence), market placement, business model analysis, dynamic trend analysis, clustered pattern recognition, and image analysis. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023382 | INFORMATION PROVIDING SYSTEM - It is possible to accurately grasp the taste of each user and provide information in which the taste thereof is accurately reflected. Store information kept in a store information storage unit ( | 2010-01-28 |
20100023383 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING MOBILE DEVICE CAPABILITIES - Methodologies and system functionality are provided to determine mobile device capabilities and/or configuration setting and user abilities and/or inclinations as a precursor to or as part of the management, delivery and/or assessment of the efficacy of promotional material. The determination of the mobile device capabilities and/or configuration settings and user abilities and/or inclinations may be performed, for example, when provisioning a new service or after such a service has been utilized by a mobile device user. Further, such a determination may be performed in connection with a mobile device service that provides free or subsidized service to mobile device users. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023384 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR REWARDING EMPLOYEES OF AN ORGANISATION - A system and method of rewarding employees of an organisation are provided. The method includes awarding points to an employee for participation in a plurality of program areas. The total points awarded to the employee for a predetermined period is then calculated and the employee is rewarded with at least one reward depending on the total points awarded to the employee. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023385 | Individual productivity and utilization tracking tool - A method of tracking productivity and utilization information regarding an individual of an organization. The method including entering via an input device information regarding the individual into a database that: 1) identifies each direct task worked on by the individual during a session of work, 2) direct time applied to each of the identified direct tasks during the session of work, and 3) a number of units processed or completed for each of the identified direct tasks corresponding to each of the applied direct times. The method further including displaying on a display information regarding productivity and utilization for the individual based on the direct tasks, the direct times and the number of units that are present in the database. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023386 | SOCIAL NETWORKING PLATFORM FOR INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ASSETS - A subscription social networking platform for the purchase and sale of IP assets between two subscribers includes an e-commerce platform, content analysis engine and database for storing vendible IP assets loaded by the subscribers. The content analysis engine determines the category of IP asset being loaded into the database. Any subsequent dialogue between any two subscribers about a particular category of IP asset will cause a search engine to search the database for relevant IP assets in that category for placement on a negotiation list. The two subscribers can thereafter negotiate the sale and purchase of the IP asset in a secure manner. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023387 | Hierarchical User Interfaces for Advertisement Messages in a Mobile Device - Hierarchical categorization of advertisement messages and associated user interfaces are disclosed. A user interface with four hierarchical levels is described as an exemplary case to illustrate the invention. A user definable icon is disclosed, which assists a user to select his or her needed advertisements with the great ease. The zone of “local” area is defined by the user via adjusting the coverage of an interactive map displayed on the screen. The “locality” can be defined by a map which can be zoomed in or zoomed out or be shifted by the user. Merchandisers displayed on a “local” map can be selected by a user to view detailed advertisement messages. Further, a method for the advertising broker to track the successful rate of advertising events is disclosed by measuring if the mobile device overlaps the selected merchandiser location in exceeding of a predetermined period of time. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023388 | MOBILE LOCATION AWARE SEARCH ENGINE AND METHOD OF PROVIDING CONTENT FOR SAME - A method includes identifying a geographic position of a wireless device. Data input by a user while the user is located at the geographic position of the wireless device is received. The data is associated with a landmark at the geographic position. The data is provided to a database based on the geographic position. A wireless device includes a transmitter configured to transmit a geographic position of the wireless device to a database. A receiver is configured to receive data input by a user of the wireless device while the user is located at the geographic position of the wireless device. The data is associated with a landmark at the geographic position of the wireless device. The receiver is configured to automatically receive information associated with the landmark from the database. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023389 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING INTERNET BASED MARKETING CHANNELS - This invention is an interactive internet based system that will allow customers to view, and participate in multiple incentive programs via said single interactive internet based system. The customers will be able to choose for themselves from a list of qualifying incentive programs. Additionally, the customers will be ready to track and control their participation, including the redemption of the aforementioned incentives. Furthermore, this system allows vendors to create, manage, and track their incentive programs utilizing the same interactive internet based system. Vendors will be able to design, submit, and manage their own customer incentive programs and business activity down to the customer level, wherein the data is updated real time or daily. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023390 | HYBRID ACCOUNT - A system, according to one embodiment, includes a hybrid account provided by an issuer to a user, the hybrid account having a balance, the balance being either positive, zero, or negative; and a financial instrument including a hybrid card, the hybrid card providing access to the hybrid account, in which transactions using the hybrid card provide interchange income to the issuer, the issuer charges interest to the hybrid account when the balance is negative, and the issuer pays interest to the hybrid account when the balance is positive. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023391 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TRACKING COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY - A method tracking commercial activity that can be initiated by a print or electronic media provider and that includes creating an insert that contains unique code information and associating the code information with a particular recipient for tracking consumer transactions by imaging a code or applying electromagnetically-readable media onto an insert and applying recipient information onto a mailing host. The code and recipient information are maintained on a relational database and the mailing host and insert are delivered to a recipient. When the recipient takes some action with the insert, the insert use information by the particular recipient is collected and the relational database is used to identify the recipient. A marketing database is then created from the insert use information by the particular recipient. In one method, the code information on the insert and the recipient information are recorded by a publisher during binding and processing of a magazine, catalogue, or loose leaf mailing. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023392 | Method of Delivery of Targeting, and Measuring Advertising Over Networks - Methods and apparatuses for targeting the delivery of advertisements over a network such as the Internet are disclosed. Statistics are compiled on individual users and networks and the use of the advertisements is tracked to permit targeting of the advertisements of individual users. In response to requests from affiliated sites, an advertising server transmits to people accessing the page of a site an appropriate one of the advertisement based upon profiling of users and networks. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023393 | ALGORITHMIC CREATION OF PERSONALIZED ADVERTISING - A method for automatically creating personalized ads to target a specific individual. The method includes first identifying a potential customer who may be interested in a particular product. An automated process then learns about and understands the customer based on his location and how that person interacts with the particular medium on which the ad is going to be presented. Once the information about the customer is developed, an advertisement is created that includes a collection of ad components that identify parts of the ad that may be of interest to the customer based on the learned information. The ad components are selected from a database of available components. The advertisement is then scheduled and placed in the medium and its measure of effectiveness is determined based on the customer's reaction thereto. These measures of effectiveness are used to further refine parameters in understanding the customer and designing the ad. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023394 | Method, System And Server For Delivering Advertisement Based on User Characteristic Information - Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system and server for delivering an advertisement based on user characteristic information. The method includes performing, by a server, data mining on user raw data corresponding to a client to obtain user characteristic information, generating a characteristic label based on the user characteristic information; determining, by the server, a type of advertisement according to the characteristic label, and delivering an advertisement of the type to the client. In the embodiments of the present invention, a great amount of user raw data is collected and stored in a server, data mining is performed on the user raw data, a characteristic label is generated based on user characteristic information obtained, and a network advertisement is delivered according to the characteristic label. Therefore, the advertisement can be delivered to particular users and the click ratio of the advertisement is increased. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023395 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SHARING REVENUE BETWEEN A CONTENT PROVIDER AND COMMUNICATIONS SERVICE PROVIDER FOR THE CONTENT PROVIDER'S USE OF A CONTENT STOREFRONT PROVIDED BY THE COMMUNICATIONS SERVICE PROVIDER - A system and method for a communications service provider and content provider to share revenue may include providing, by the communications service provider, a network node configured to enable the content provider to post content to be available to subscribers of the communications service provider. The content provider may be enabled to set a price for a subscriber to download the content. If there is a cost for the subscribers to download the content, then a revenue share percentage may be established between the content provider and the communications service provider. Otherwise, the communications service provider may be enabled to display an advertisement to the subscribers and collect revenue from advertising. The revenue generated by the content being downloaded may be accounted for. The content provider may be provided with the accounting. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023396 | NEW OPEN INSERTION ORDER SYSTEM TO INTERFACE WITH AN EXCHANGE FOR INTERNET AD MEDIA - An online exchange system and method supports open insertion order operations for online advertising markets displaying inefficiencies when delivering advertising media. Inefficiencies occur in an open ad exchange for online advertising when there is an under delivery of advertising content to identified target recipients. The online exchange system anticipates under deliveries and automatically fills instances of under delivery with impressions from the publisher inventory of the exchange according to fill requirements of the ad agency providing the advertising content (for example, budget limits and types of impressions to be used for filling the under delivery). The online exchange system also provides a mechanism for issuing a billing credit or discount to the agency if the bill for total impressions delivered according to the original campaign order and the automated under delivery fills exceeds a campaign budget. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023397 | Video Promotion In A Video Sharing Site - A promoter wishing to promote video content on a video hosting website selects the video and associates it with an advertising creative. The promoter selects associated keywords and indicates financial terms for the promotion, for example by agreeing to a cost-per-click or cost-per-impression payment arrangement with the video hosting site. When a user of the video hosting site performs a search on the keywords (or similar words) associated with the promoted video, the video hosting website includes the creative for the promoted video with the other search results returned. The user can then select to view any of the search results or the promoted video identified by the creative. When the user clicks on the indicia for the promoted video, the video hosting site serves to the user a watch page on which the user views the promoted video. The promoter is charged according to the payment mechanism selected. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023398 | FULL PAGE VIDEO INTERSTITIAL ADVERTISEMENT - The present invention is directed to a full-page video interstitial advertisement. The interstitial advertisement offers advertisers a high quality, full screen video distribution opportunity for a set period of time, such as a 15 second spot, however the duration of the video may vary depending on the content of the video or the configuration of the webpage. A session manager controls the exposure of the interstitial advertisement to the user, to prevent the user from experiencing too frequent interstitial advertisements during a web session. The interstitial advertisement includes a fuse for displaying the playing progress of the video. The use of sound is preferred as part of the interstitial advertisement since it is important for the delivery of the media value of the advertisement. The interstitial advertisement spans the entire web browser screen, overlaid on top of the current web page using a transparency layer. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023399 | Personalized Advertising Using Lifestreaming Data - This patent discloses a method to increase the relevance of advertisements displayed on the Internet. An ad server may receive a request for an advertisement from a web server. The ad server may compare metadata to online advertisements within an ad database. The metadata may include data about the user obtained from at least two websites through a lifestreaming process. The comparison may seek out a best match between the advertisements and the metadata and serve the resulting advertisement to the web server. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023400 | Image Recognition Authentication and Advertising System - A system for authenticating a purchaser, collecting data of purchasers, and displaying personalized advertisements. The system uses video cameras to capture an initial image of the customer upon entry and/or at the register prior to checkout. The image is then sent via LAN or wireless LAN to a computer with image recognition software. The computer is connected to a credit card reader and to an in-store database where it can then be checked for a matching image. The database will then choose from a pool of advertisements to find one that matches the current customers shopping habits most accurately. The advertisement will then be projected onto a monitor in the customer's field of vision. At checkout, if the customer pays with a credit card, the information on the card will be sent to the computer where it will also be checked for a match in the database. The in-store database is connected with a larger central database which shares all recorded information with all stores. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023401 | Customer Experience Management System - A system and method for engaging a customer in an enhanced shopping experience. The customer provides customer information which is stored on a database. An identifying token (e.g. a card) is issued to the customer. This identifying token is detected (e.g. by an RFID sensor) when carried by the customer into a retailer's space. This causes at least a portion of the customer information to be accessible from the database to retail personnel while the customer is physically present in the retailer's space, thereby facilitating personal engagement by the retail personnel with the customer. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023402 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ESTABLISHING A MEDIA NETWORK - A method and system for establishing a media network may include establishing a relationship between a media network company and at least one retail chain business establishment to broadcast content to a network of electronic displays within retail stores of each respective retail chain business establishment. The media network company defines a national broadcast network and each retail chain business establishment defines a local affiliate of the national broadcast network. Available airtime may be apportioned for display of content between the media network company and each respective local affiliate. Each of the media network company and local affiliates may sell respective airtime to generate respective revenue. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023403 | METHOD FOR SELLING AIRTIME FOR A RETAIL MEDIA NETWORK - A method for selling airtime for a retail media network includes providing a network of electronic displays in a retail chain. A partition of airtime available on the network of electronic displays may be established, where the partition apportions national airtime available for use by a national network and local airtime available for use by the retail chain. An agency relationship may be established by an advertising agency with the retail chain to manage and sell the local airtime apportioned to the retail chain. A user interface may be provided for the advertising agency to book advertisements of advertisers to be displayed in the local airtime of the retail chain. Advertisements may be booked via the user interface by the advertising agency for display of the advertisements during the local airtime. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023404 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DISPLAYING AND MANAGING SHOWROOM ITEMS - Systems and methods display and manage showroom items of a vendor. A first computer terminal is connected to a wireless communication network and programmed with automatic updating software to update information and/or multimedia data indicative of the showroom items. The systems and methods include a digital line sheet having a display, a memory and a first wireless transducer connected to a microprocessor. The first wireless transducer is connectable to the first communication network such that the digital line sheet communicates with the first computer terminal via the first communication network. The display of the digital line sheet renders the information and/or multimedia data received from the first computer terminal over the wireless communication network. The first computer terminal automatically updates the information and/or multimedia data accessible by the digital line sheet to be indicative of one or more available showroom items of the vendor. The systems and methods enable a buyer to use the digital line sheet in a showroom of a vendor to access information about the showroom items and to record notes and preferences pertaining to the showroom items. An order can be prepared and finalized using the digital line sheet in the showroom or subsequently from a remote computer terminal via a website of the vendor. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023405 | ADVERTISING BY TAGGING PREDEFINED KEYWORDS OR PHRASES ONTO CONTENT OR MEDIA - This invention introduces an advertising method that enables content or media (including but not limited to all contents or media on the internet, pictures, videos, radio, television, newspaper, magazines, and other forms of mediums that are capable of being related to products and services) to be tagged with predefined keywords or phrases (also including but not limited to videos, audios, pictures, and other methods of identifying content) advertisements, affiliate marketing advertisements, or additional information. Said predefined keyword tags are stored in a database and are associated directly to predefined advertisements (including but not limited to manufacturers, companies, product selling/distributing agencies, and any other form of stores or shops), affiliate marketing advertisements, or additional information. Said predefined keyword tags are inserted manually by users (individuals, agencies, organizations, or companies) in order to relate to said content or media and to specify which corresponding advertisements to deliver. The displayed advertisements will be shown as forms including but not limited to: lists of products/services, blended content, widgets with affiliated products/services, etc. There is also no limit as to where said tags and said advertisements can be sent to. Most importantly, this invention allows media to be tagged with related products or services so that the product manufacturer/distributor, the advertising, and the individual (media creator) all benefit from it. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023406 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PRIORITIZATION OF RENDERING POLICIES IN VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS - A system and method implemented in a computer infrastructure having computer executable code, includes receiving one or more bids for at least one of an enhanced rendering quality and an enhanced rendering order of an object in a virtual universe (VU) and performing a bid resolution for the received one or more bids. Additionally, the method includes rendering one or more objects in the VU with the at least one of the enhanced rendering quality and the enhanced rendering order based on the bid resolution. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023407 | System and Method for Availability-Based Limited-Time Offerings and Transactions - System and method for availability based on limited-time offerings and transactions. One embodiment of the present invention provides a system and method that, based on a set of known preferences and historic transactions with customers, culls from a customer database those customers most likely to close a transaction in a short time. The selected customers are notified of the offer, and the system processes the customers responses in a timely manner, and thus allow fleeting inventories to be sold off before they expire. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023408 | AUTOMATED CAMPAIGN RECONCILIATION - Systems and methods for automatically changing the rate of web page advertisements served by or on behalf of a publisher based on the number of web page advertisement impressions counted by or on behalf an advertiser are disclosed. By monitoring the number of impressions counted on or behalf of an advertiser the systems and methods can repeatedly determine a new rate for advertisements to be served at. This new rate can be anticipated to cause the number of impressions counted by or on behalf of the advertiser by the end of a contracted period of time to be at least equal to a contracted number of web page advertisement impressions. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023409 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR ENHANCED ADVERTISING DISPLAY AND CONSUMER PURCHASE REQUESTS IN AN INTERACTIVE ENVIRONMENT - Methods and systems for enhanced advertising display and consumer purchase requests in an interactive environment are disclosed. According to one embodiment, a computer-implemented method, comprises providing wrap code to a first entity connected to an electronic commerce network. A gadget is provided to the first entity. A request for content from a second entity connected to the electronic commerce network is received when the second entity activates the gadget. The content is transmitted to the second entity. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023410 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ENTERING ORDERS OF CUSTOMERS - A method and system for entering an order into an onsite computer-based sales management system of a restaurant. A communication link is established between an offsite employee and an order-placing talk box at the restaurant. The communication link is utilized for two-way voice communication so that a food order can be taken from a customer located at the restaurant by the offsite employee. A data communication link is utilized by the offsite employee to enter the order into the onsite computer-based sales management system which facilitates food preparation, fee collection, and the recording of sales. Preferably, the offsite employee utilizes a personal computer to accomplish the stated functions, the communication links are provided via the Internet, and the customer is located within a vehicle adjacent the restaurant when placing his/her order. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023411 | System of transferring and utilising reusable credit - The present Invention provides a system of transferring and utilising reusable credit including a server having at least one database, at least one credit account having at least one line of credit, at least on© request for transfer, a reusable credit transfer processing (RCTP) system, a reusable credit accounting and transaction processing (RCATP) system and a reusable credit-merchant acceptance (RCMA) system whereby the system of transferring and utilising reusable credit provides a means for enabling a sender to transfer reusable credit to a recipient for the purchase of goods/services and/or payment to another third party. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023412 | Electronic Commerce Method and License Registration Check Server Used for the Same - (a) Step of a portable information processing device ( | 2010-01-28 |
20100023413 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONDUCTING A FUNDRAISING EVENT - A promoter raises funds for a beneficiary by forming a venture with the beneficiary wherein purchases by customers of products benefit the beneficiary. The promoter offers products for sale, receiving payments from customers for the products; and shares a portion of the payment with the beneficiary organization. In one embodiment, a fundraising website is employed to offer the products. In one embodiment, products are customized by the customer and/or by the beneficiary. The promoter may offer to the beneficiary promotional material that promotes purchases. The beneficiary organization and/or the promoter may send the promotional material to potential customers. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023414 | ALLOCATION AND PRICING OF INFORMATION DISTORTION FOR SPECIFYING A DISPLAY - A method of determining a display specification, includes: specifying business parameters for calculating a business value for the display specification, wherein the display specification includes a plurality of display locations and corresponding display values that are associated with business entities; specifying user parameters for calculating a user value for the display specification; selecting the display specification to improve a combination of the business value and the user value; and saving one or more values for the display specification (e.g., saving values for the display specification directly or through some related characterization.). | 2010-01-28 |
20100023415 | Enterprise Asset Management - Systems, methods, and apparatus, including software tangibly stored on a computer readable medium, involve managing assets of an enterprise. A purchase order requesting a good or a service of an enterprise is received. A particular asset for use in providing the good or the service is identified. An electronic asset record associated with the particular asset is modified to include information relating to the purchase order. Invoice data for requesting payment for the good or the service requested in the purchase order is generated. The invoice data is verified based at least in part on the modified electronic asset record. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023416 | BUSINESS PORTAL - A business portal for the exchange of resources is described. A method of transacting resources may include establishing a forum to transfer resources from a resource provider to a resource seeker, implementing a resource provider rule, implementing a resource seeker rule, identifying a user of the online forum as either a resource provider or a resource seeker, and associating the resource provider rule with the user if the user is identified as a resource provider or associate the resource seeker rule if the user is identified as a resource seeker. The transaction of resources may occur either wholly in the portal or a portion of the transaction may occur in the portal and a portion may occur through the use of a software package. The resources may include a service, funding for a business, an investment, information relating to a topic, or the facilitation of the exchange of a resource. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023417 | METHOD AND ARRANGEMENT FOR PROVIDING SECURITY FOR CONTENT PURCHASES - A method and arrangement for providing security when an IMS client purchases content from a content or service provider, the IMS client having a unique IMS identity registered with a first IMS operator. A second IMS operator assigns a unique IMS identity to the content or service provider which is authenticated based on the assigned IMS identity. The validity of the IMS client is then verified towards the content or service provider, based on a mutual interconnect agreement between the first and second IMS operators, in response to a purchase request from the IMS client. The content or service provider can then also be validated towards the IMS client. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023418 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR COLLABORATIVE PURCHASE OF GIFTS - The present invention is a computer-based method and system for coordinating the collaborative selection and purchase of a gift given by any number of gift contributors to a recipient. The gift shopping system maintains updated information on the remaining balance for gift's purchase amount The collaborative gift shopping system processes monetary transactions for each gift contributor until the full purchase amount has been reached. When the full purchase amount is reached by the collaborating gift contributors, the gift order is processed for delivery to the gift recipient. The gift shopping system can send communications to gift contributors each time a contribution towards a gift has been processed. Once the purchase amount of the gift has been reached the gift shopping system can send communications to gift contributors. The gift shopping system can maintain a database for which gifts each recipient has received and/or which gifts are currently accepting contributions to avoid duplicating gifts for that recipient. The gift shopping system can send communications to potential contributors on behalf of gift contributors in the form of invitations to participate in the gift. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023419 | SERVICE REQUEST SYSTEM - A service request system comprises a number of request units ( | 2010-01-28 |
20100023420 | TRANSFERRING ENTITLEMENTS IN COMMUNICATION NETWORKS - A method for transferring an entitlement from a first party to a second party in a communication network. The second party, which is preferably a mobile communication connects to a mobile communication network and to a peer-to-peer network. The second party selects, over the peer-to-peer network, entitlement offered by the first party to purchase or to use a product or a service. The second party effects the entitlement, using the mobile communication terminal, to purchase or to use the product or the service. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023421 | COMPUTER SYSTEM FOR RULE-BASED CLOTHING MATCHING AND FILTERING CONSIDERING FIT RULES AND FASHION RULES - A computer implemented method presents garments to a consumer using a computer by reading a database of garments, wherein the database of garments includes parameters for at least some of the garments represented by records in the database of garments, the parameters including at least a garment type, reading data representing a plurality of garment types, the data including, for each type of the plurality of garment types, a set of tolerance ranges for that garment type, obtaining consumer measurements from the consumer or a source derived from the consumer, obtaining garment measurements for garments in the database of garments, comparing customer measurements to garment measurements, scoring garments from the database of garments based on garment measurements, customer measurements and the set of tolerance ranges for each garment based on its garment type, and presenting the consumer with a computer generated filtered listed of garments from the database of garments ordered, at least approximately, according to garment scores. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023422 | System and Method for Processing Import/Export Transactions - Import/export transactions whereby an item is to be transported from one country to another are automated. An invoice containing a list of one or more part numbers is entered in at a web site and loaded to a server containing a database. A database is of part numbers and their corresponding tariff classification numbers. The uploaded invoice will be compared to the database to output a data record whereby the one or more part numbers uploaded in the invoice now have tariff classification numbers and daily calculation associated therewith This data record can then be accessed over the Internet at another web site by a customs broker for use in transmitting a report to a customs entity. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023423 | Method and Apparatus for Verifying Financial Account Information - An apparatus and method for verifying a customer's financial information is disclosed wherein a seller accepts information about the details of price and quantity of the goods to be purchased, and accepts information about customer's financial account. Payment is authorized for desired goods in a variable transaction amount totaling the total price of the goods. Then the amount of each transaction is received from the customer and compared to the amount charged to the bank. If the two amounts match then the goods are shipped to the customer and payment is settled. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023424 | ONLINE MARKETPLACE FOR INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY - A method for providing an internet network based marketplace for IP assets comprises the steps of producing a list of IP assets which a poster wishes to license or sell, and making the list of IP assets accessible to the network to viewers interested in licensing or acquiring one or more items on the list of IP in a controlled format, wherein the list of IP assets may be uploaded from a poster via a transfer of data over the internet. Either the poster or the viewer may be alerted in response to alert criteria about information pertaining to the list of IP. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023425 | System, Method and Apparatus for Geographical Restriction of Offers for Sale - An application for a method of presenting items of a catalog in various geographic regions includes providing a catalog of items, each item having associated therewith at least one geographic code. A search term and a geographic location are provided. The catalog is searched for matching items that are related to the search term and in which the geographic code indicates the item is suitable for the geographic location. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023426 | DISTRIBUTED MATCHING SYSTEM FOR COMPARING GARMENT INFORMATION AND BUYER INFORMATION EMBEDDED IN OBJECT METADATA AT DISTRIBUTED COMPUTING LOCATIONS - An online garment selection and acquisition system comprises at least a server computer system that receives requests from client computer systems and/or client devices and responds to those requests, wherein the server computer system is configured to be able to access a database system for reading data therefrom in order to provide matching of garments and consumers according to a set of computer-readable rules and an application that applies those rules. The application can execute in a distributed manner, such as where the garment data is embedded in images or objects that are presented to the consumer (or consumer representative), such as being shown as web pages, and the application executes at a computer presenting the web page and/or the consumer computer. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023427 | METHODS, SYSTEMS AND DEVICES FOR RETAIL WEBSITE LINKING AND IMAGE MERGING - An e-commerce method involves on-line viewing of a first article through a linking node for virtual merging on another structure. A particular application of the invention is directed to on-line apparel shopping involving a color matching scheme using color codes provided with images to be merged. For example, on-line viewing of one article, such as clothing, on another structure, includes creating an item from image-data corresponding to a colored article selected by an on-line viewer from an on-line viewer site with an image of a colored structure selected by the on-line viewer, and indicating whether the colored article and the colored structure satisfy a color-matching criterion. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023428 | MERGING IMAGE DATA BASED ON PROSPECTIVE SHOPPING BASKET SELECTION - An image data processing method involves on-line viewing of a first article through a linking node for virtual merging on another structure. A particular application of the invention is directed to on-line apparel shopping involving a shopping basket. For example, on-line viewing of one article, such as clothing, on another structure, includes creating an item from image-data corresponding to an article selected by an on-line viewer and tagged as a prospective selection via a shopping basket designation with an image of a structure selected by the on-line viewer. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023429 | EMBEDDING ITEMS WITH RFID TAGS FOR TRACKING AND CALIBRATION - RFID tags of very small size are embedded in products or composed of products in a manufacturing process. The system employs different read and write modes to enable auto-tracking of material, some assembly, assembly and component items through various stages of the manufacturing process. As each item passes special predetermined points in the manufacturing process, the embedded tag is activated and placed in track mode. The tag transmits its ID and a track count representing the number of stations passed. The tag's track count is incremented and the updated track count is stored in non-volatile memory in the tag. The tags can be programmed so that once the count exceeds a predetermined count, a status bit is set in the tag's memory indicating that the item has been completely through the manufacturing process. Thus, the system can determine whether an item or product has been completed. After manufacture the same RFID tag can be used for tracking, inventory and item authentication. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023430 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR COORDINATING THE PRODUCTION AND PROCESSING OF SEED SUPPLIES, AND THE PREPARATION AND UTILIZATION OF SEED SAMPLES - A system and method for coordinating the production, processing, and utilization of seed is provided. In various embodiments, the method and system aggregate seed inventory data, identify seed requests, and query the seed requests against the seed supply information. If the query results in a match a seed source can be automatically identified. Further, identified seed can be automatically allocated to the identified seed request from the identified seed source. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023431 | PHYSICAL DISTRIBUTION CONTAINER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM - It is an object of the present invention to provide a physical distribution container management system that can properly manage shipment and receipt of physical distribution containers, even if the physical distribution containers are shipped and received between a site performing individual management of physical distribution containers and a site performing total volume management. | 2010-01-28 |
20100023432 | Takeoff List Palette For Guiding Semi-Automatic Quantity Takeoff From Computer Aided Design Drawings - Embodiments of the present invention enable users to efficiently guide semi-automatic quantity takeoff from computer aided design (CAD) drawings by selecting multiple drawing objects and/or multiple instances of drawing objects as the target of subsequent commands. In some embodiments, the user supplements an automated portion of a quantity takeoff from a CAD drawing by selecting one or more drawing objects in a takeoff palette. The user defines the dimension (e.g., linear) to quantify and optionally the parameter to be quantified (e.g., length) for the selected drawing objects simultaneously. The quantity takeoff engine quantifies the instances associated with the selected drawing objects, performs takeoff calculations, and updates a workbook accordingly. To further facilitate the analysis of the CAD drawing, the user simultaneously selects one or more drawing objects and/or one or more instances of drawing objects to view and organize (e.g., filter, search, etc.) by properties in a properties palette. | 2010-01-28 |