08th week of 2013 patent applcation highlights part 43 |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20130046584 | PAGE REPORTING - A method for optimizing search results for an entity includes categorizing a plurality of web pages into a plurality of page types. The method may also include performing a search of a network in order to obtain business performance data for each of the page types. Thereafter, business performance data may be analyzed to determine how to optimize the performance of a particular page type. Page based recommendations may be provided based on web analytics data and may be integrated with content management systems to enable a user to directly modify a web page or template to improve search engine ranking | 2013-02-21 |
20130046585 | REMOTE PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT MEDIATION SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MEDIATING A PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT CONTRACT AND DEVELOPMENT OF PROGRAM USING VIRTUAL DEVELOPMENT ENVIRONMENT OF CLIENT - Disclosed is a remote program development mediation system and method for enabling remote program development by mediating a program development contract between a development consignor and a developer, constructing the development environment of a developer terminal for developing a program in a Client/Server (C/S) environment in a virtualization server, and allowing a virtualization server to provide the developer terminal with a development tool image of a virtualized development framework. When a consignor requests a plurality of development pools to develop programs, a chronic difficulty to secure developers can be solved, and developers can develop programs remotely. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046586 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ASSESSING QUALITY OF TRANSIT NETWORKS AT SPECIFIED LOCATIONS - A system and method is disclosed for generating and providing assessments of transit network characteristics for specified locations. The system receives a specified location, generates an assessment of the received location, and provides a generated visual representation of the received location to a client system. Determining a location assessment may be based on transit network information related to the distance between a specified location and the nearest point of access/egress on transit network routes that are accessible from the specified location, the frequency at which the transit network routes stop at the point of access/egress on the transit network routes that are accessible from the indicated location, or the transportation mode used for at least one of the transit network routes that are accessible from the specified location. The initial location assessment may be updated periodically, in response to changes in system status, or on demand by user request. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046587 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MANAGING PARKING RIGHTS - The invention relates to a method for managing parking rights. It comprises receiving, from each of a plurality of users, a request for issuing a parking right, each containing a unique identifier associated with a parking area and a license plate number identifying a unique vehicle; storing, in a centralised database, each request; issuing a parking right for each of the plurality of users, including a parking right expiry time; collecting a license plate number of a vehicle for which a parking right status is to be verified and a unique identifier associated with a parking area where the vehicle is located; querying the database, by comparing the license plate number with the license plate numbers stored in the database; and determining if a parking right has been issued that corresponds to the license plate number of the vehicle. A system for managing parking rights is also disclosed. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046588 | TRUSTED INTERNAL INTERFACE - An interface and device architecture for a payment device. An interface between a payment application installed in a payment device and one or more value-add applications (such as loyalty programs, transit applications, etc.) that are also installed in the payment device. The API or interface design permits communications and data transfer between the payment application and one or more value-add applications. This reduces (and in some cases may prevent) the need for back-end server processing of data that may be relevant to both a payment transaction and to a function of the value-add application. Similarly, the same or another API or interface may enable communications and data transfer between a value-add application and the payment application. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046589 | VARYING OFFERS BASED ON PROXIMITY TO CUSTOMER'S CURRENT LOCATION - Embodiments of the invention are directed to methods, systems, apparatus and computer program products are described herein for communicating offers to customers based in part on the distance from the customer to the merchant's location after receiving an indication of a point of transaction event by receiving an indication of a point-of-transaction event, collecting positioning information related to the customer, determining the distance between the customer and the merchant, correlating the distance between the customer and the merchant to offers to entice the customer to travel to the merchant's location and communicating the offers to the customer. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046590 | JOINT PURCHASING METHODS AND SYSTEMS - A method of coordinating a joint purchase between a plurality of subscribers. The method comprises monitoring the location of each of a plurality of subscribers, receiving from a first of the plurality of subscribers an indication of a joint purchase for a suggested deal in an offering location, calculating a group of the plurality of subscribers who are located in proximity to the offering location, sending at least one invitation indicative of the suggested deal to at least one member of the group, receiving at least one response to the at least one invitation from the at least one member, and coordinating the joint purchase between the first subscriber and the at least one member. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046591 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR COLLABORATIVE BUDGET TRACKING - To enable collaborative budget tracking, a budget tracker application can be downloaded and installed on a plurality of mobile devices that communicate on a peer-to-peer network. The budget tracker application comprises a master budget control module that enables a budget administrator to create a budget plan and advertise the budget plan to potential subscribers. The budget tracker application also includes an expense recording module that enables subscribers to enter expense data and submit the expense data to the master budget control module which records the expense data, updates the budget plan, and publishes any relevant updates to the subscriber devices. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046592 | Mobile Application for Providing Vehicle Information to Users - The described method and system provide for quickly and intuitively presenting users with a variety of detailed vehicle information through a mobile application on a mobile computing device. The mobile computing device is preferably a mobile phone having at least a camera, a display, a processor, and a tangible non-transient computer-readable medium for storing appropriate programming and vehicle information. By pointing a camera at a vehicle, the mobile computing device receives images of the vehicle and may identify various objects or features of the vehicle. The mobile computing device then overlays these identifications on top of images of the vehicle displayed to a user corresponding to the location of the identified objects or features in the images. The user can then select the various objects or features to receive further detailed vehicle information regarding the selection. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046593 | FACILITATING A PURCHASED PRODUCT'S MAINTENANCE AND REPLACEMENT - An ownership management system automatically may generate cost model of owning an object, schedule savings to fund the object and pay for the ownership of the object based on the cost model. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046594 | Interactive advertising displays - This invention provides one or more motion picture projections in parallel onto showroom window glass; a consumer's touch on at least one portion of the projected image activates a signal from a touch-sensitive film on the same or opposite side of the surface, such that the display initiates an electronic handshake between the screen and the viewer, wherein the handshake comprises a text code or QR code and optionally can be individualized to the particular time, location or consumer. The information transferred through the display to the consumer then enables the consumer to make a purchase under secure conditions through a remote transactional interface, for instance a purchase of products, services, attendance rights for an event, discount coupons, etc., and or to download related copyrighted material or other data, such as for performances, software application subscriptions, general information and the like. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046595 | System and method for providing location-based time-sensitive deals - A system and method of providing online location-based time-sensitive deals are proposed. An online retailer accepts an instant deal submitted by a merchant. The instant deal is a discounted service provided by the merchant at a geographic location. The instant deal is approved only if the merchant is qualified and if the deal is qualified based on a set of pre-configured rules. The online retailer advertises a deal coupon for the discounted service during a limited time for a limited quantity to consumers located near the geographic location. In one example, the geographic location is defined by a business district or a landmark. When a buyer places a purchase order, the deal coupon is delivered to the buyer. The deal coupon is redeemable during a limited time without additional reservation. If the buyer does not redeem the coupon within the limited time, the purchase amount is automatically refunded. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046596 | ADVERTISING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING BENEFIT TO ADVERTISER AND ADVERTISER PROVIDING CASH BACK REWARDS IN VIEW OF TRANSACTION BETWEEN USER AND ADVERTISER - An advertising system and method for providing a benefit to an advertiser offering cash back rewards for a transaction with a user is provided. The advertising system may include an advertisement registration information receiving unit configured to receive advertisement registration information of an advertisement, a benefit condition verifying unit configured to verify whether the advertisement meets a determined advertiser benefit condition based on the advertisement registration information, and a benefit providing unit configured to provide an advertiser benefit when the advertisement meets the advertiser benefit condition. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046597 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING PURCHASE REWARDS - A system and method for providing purchase rewards to customers is disclosed. The system provides an online shopping interface through which users may purchase products from a plurality of online merchants. The user is awarded points based on the amount of money spent using the online shopping interface. The user is then able to redeem the points for use toward additional product purchases at a physical retailer location. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046598 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PLACING AND COLLECTIVELY DISCOUNTING PURCHASE ORDERS VIA A COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK - Disclosed are a method and system for placing and collectively discounting purchase orders via a communications network. A collective discount platform, comprising engines and components, receives postponable purchase requests from client systems for an identified good with an undetermined transaction date. Once the postponable purchase requests meet an established criterion time constraints for receiving additional purchase requests are determined. When a time constraint is determined additional purchase requests may aggregate and discount the unit sale price for both postponable and additional purchase requests. When time constraints prohibit the aggregation of additional purchase requests individual payments are claimed from participating client systems. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046599 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR OBTAINING CUSTOMER SELECTION OF A TRANSACTION INSTRUMENT IN A LOYALTY CAMPAIGN - A loyalty gateway ( | 2013-02-21 |
20130046600 | RULE BASED SELECTION OF A TRANSACTION INSTRUMENT IN A LOYALTY CAMPAIGN - A loyalty gateway ( | 2013-02-21 |
20130046601 | ENHANCED PRODUCT SEARCH SYSTEM AND METHOD - An enhanced product search system and method are disclosed. The system comprises a search query obtaining component that obtains a search query entered by a user, and an incentive searching component that compares the search query to an incentive database containing incentives associated with goods and services and retrieves information on any incentive relating to the search query. The system also has a security component that compares the search query to a security database containing security information on the safety of websites and retrieves any security information relating to the search query. A notifying component of the system notifies the user of any incentives found by the incentive searching component and any security information found by the security component. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046602 | METHOD OF PROVIDING AN OFFER BASED ON PROXIMITY TO A POINT OF SALE TRANSACTION - Embodiments of the invention include systems, methods, and computer-program products that provide for a unique offer system, wherein the offer is generated based on proximity to a point-of-transaction device. In one embodiment of the invention, the computer-implemented method receives data associated with a financial transaction at a point-of-transaction device. The computer-implemented method then identifies the identity of the user conducting the transaction and the location of the transaction. Using the location of transaction, the computer-implemented method determines offers located in proximity to the user and provides those offers to the user. In some embodiments, the offers are customized for the user based on some characteristic of the transaction or the user. In further embodiments, the user is guided to a business associated with the offer by directions provided by the computer-implemented method. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046603 | METHOD OF PROVIDING AN OFFER BASED ON A PROJECTED PATH TRIGGERED BY A POINT OF SALE TRANSACTION - Embodiments of the invention include systems, methods, and computer-program products that provide for a unique offer determination system. In one embodiment of the invention, offers are provided based on a projected path of a user triggered by a transaction at a point-of-transaction device. The system receives data associated with a transaction at a point-of-transaction device, determines the identity of the user conducting the transaction, predicts a projected path or future action of the user based on the transaction, and provides an offer to the user based on the projected path. In an embodiment, the system predicts the projected path based on pattern recognition analysis of the user's transaction history. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046604 | VIRTUAL LOYALTY CARD PROGRAM - Systems and methods for providing a virtual loyalty card program are provided. The systems and methods enable a user to manage loyalty cards and receive offers. The methods provide receiving, at a computing device, loyalty card data associated with at least one loyalty card; storing the loyalty card data in a storage device; determining, via a computing device processor, a status associated with the at least one loyalty card based on the loyalty card data; and communicating, via computing device, a notification to a user based on the determined status | 2013-02-21 |
20130046605 | GROUP BUYING METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR GROCERY AND OTHER MULTI-RETAILER ENVIRONMENTS - A computer-implemented method enables consumers to purchase products or services from merchants using consumer loyalty programs. The method is implemented in a computer system communicating with client devices operated by consumers and merchants. The method features: (a) transmitting a deal to client devices operated by consumers, the deal enabling consumers to purchase a given product or service from one of a set of one or more merchants; (b) receiving from a client device operated by a consumer a deal purchase including consumer payment information for the given product or service; (c) associating the deal purchase with an identifier of a loyalty program account of the consumer in one or more loyalty programs of the set of one or more merchants; and (d) notifying at least one of the set of one or more merchants of the deal purchase such that the consumer can be credited for the deal purchase. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046606 | LOYALTY POINT GIFT REGISTRY - A loyalty point gift registry, and system and method for establishing and contributing to a loyalty point gift registry are provided. The method of establishing the loyalty point gift registry includes obtaining loyalty point account information for a loyalty point account. The loyalty point account has loyalty points. The loyalty point account information is linked to the loyalty point gift registry. A publicly accessible profile is generated for the loyalty point gift registry. The loyalty points are kept private and are not published in the publicly accessible profile. A third party can contribute at least one loyalty point to the loyalty point account using the publicly accessible profile. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046607 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS TO COMMUNICATE OFFER OPTIONS VIA MESSAGING IN REAL TIME WITH PROCESSING OF PAYMENT TRANSACTION - In one aspect, a computing apparatus is configured to facilitate the redemption of loyalty currency in a payment transaction via facilitating awareness of the payment transaction, managing the consumer segmentation and offering promotions, validating available points currency, managing a currency value exchange rate, applying deductions to consumer currency balance, facilitating consumer reimbursement, invoicing for currency exchange, and/or providing consumer engagement. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046608 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ENROLLING A CUSTOMER IN A LOYALTY CAMPAIGN BASED ON A MOBILE DEVICE IDENTIFIER - A loyalty gateway ( | 2013-02-21 |
20130046609 | USER-DRIVEN REVERSE AUCTIONS SYSTEMS AND METHODS - Systems and methods for providing user-driven reverse auctions are provided. The systems and methods enable a user to request bids for products or services, receive bids in response to the offers, and manage the bids. The methods provide receiving, at a computing device, a request from a user for an offer for products or services, the request including search criteria; identifying, via the computing device, at least one merchant of said products or services based on the search criteria; sending the request to the at least one merchant and receiving one or more bids from the at least one merchant; and presenting, via a computing device, the one or more bids to the user. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046610 | INDEPENDENT DISCOUNT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING CONSUMERS WITH A DISCOUNT-MAXIMIZED SHOPPING PLAN - A method for maximizing product discounts can begin with an independent discount management system receiving user-entered shopping data that includes a product selection and/or data for an existing discount. Applicable discount data and discount handling rules can be aggregated from discount providers. A discount-maximized shopping plan can then be synthesized. The discount-maximized shopping plan can define a combination of discount data, date, time, and retailer that affords a maximum discount for each product selection. Upon user-acceptance, an aggregate discount code can be generated for the user-accepted discount-maximized shopping plan and both can be stored. Notification can be received from the retailer that the aggregate discount code has been redeemed. Compensation between the retailer and corresponding discount providers can then be coordinated. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046611 | Method And Apparatus For Recycling Electronic Devices - A recycling kiosk for recycling and financial remuneration for submission of an electronic device is disclosed herein. The recycling kiosk includes an inspection area with preferably two mirrored, domed hemispheres positioned about a transparent table and cameras for imaging an electronic device placed on the table. Inspection of an About page or a barcode within a battery compartment of the electronic device is performed to determine a value for the electronic device. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046612 | ATTENTION ASSURANCE METHOD AND SYSTEM - Systems and methods in which advertisers can be assured that target audience members for whom advertising messages are intended both receive the advertising messages, and consume the ads while paying sufficient attention to them. The system and methods can be used to present at least one ad for consumption by a target audience member at a computerized device, to detect at least one condition associated with the consumption of the ad at the computerized device, and to block or at least partially inhibit audience member access to at least one item of value associated with on-line content at the computerized device based on the condition associated with the consumption of the ad. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046613 | OPTIMIZING TARGETING EFFECTIVENESS BASED ON SURVEY RESPONSES - An optimized targeting system can properly identify and determine information about an audience as part of the targeting process. Surveys may be used in place of advertisements on a page for receiving specific information about an audience that can be combined with known targeting data to generate an optimization model that better targets the audience. The model may be used for selecting targeted advertisements based on information about the audience. Interactions with the targeted advertisements and additional survey responses may be used to further refine the model. The model may consider and account for selection bias in the survey responses. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046614 | System And Method For Evaluating And/Or Monitoring Effectiveness Of On-Line Advertising - A system and a method for measuring and monitoring effectiveness of on-line advertising are provided. The system and method provide a code attached to, for example, an advertising banner of a company that may advertise goods and/or services of the company. The code provides a signal to a server when the banner is viewed on a computer of a user. Cookie data is transferred by the server to the computer of the user providing information related to viewing of the advertising banner. Surveys are further presented to users to obtain information related to the effectiveness of the advertising for both exposed users and control users. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046615 | APPROXIMATING UNIQUE ADVERTISEMENT IMPRESSIONS ON A SOCIAL NETWORKING SYSTEM - Unique user impressions of advertisements on a social networking system may be tracked and approximated by the social networking system. After an advertisement is delivered to a user, identifying information about the advertisement is associated with the user if the advertisement was not previously presented to the user. An impression count records the number of unique impressions of the advertisement by users of the social networking system up to a predetermined threshold. After the predetermined threshold is reached, the social networking system records a sampling of the unique impressions. Upon request for the number of unique impressions for an advertisement, the social networking system may extrapolate the recorded unique impressions based on the predetermined threshold. In one embodiment, a time degradation factor may be applied to the sampling rate so that recent impressions are sampled more than older impressions. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046616 | SYSTEMS, METHODS, AND COMPUTER-READABLE MEDIA FOR THE TRIGGERING OF LOCATION-AWARE CONTENT VIA PRINT-BASED INPUT CONTROLS - Methods, systems, apparatuses, and computer-readable media are provided for high-volume production of personalized print pages to be included with fixed print content associated with a print publication. The personalized print page content is personalized for a specific reader, and includes a reader-specific visual element, such as a machine-readable code, that allows the reader to access electronic content pertaining to the personalized print content. The electronic content presented may include content that is personalized or customized for the reader such as content based upon the location of a computing device employed to access the content. Information associated with the readers' access of the electronic content may be tracked to allow further customization or personalization of print and/or electronic content for the reader. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046617 | AD PLACEMENT - This invention concerns optimal ad selection for Web pages by selecting and updating an attribute set, obtaining and updating an ad-attribute profile, and optimally choosing the next ad. The present invention associates a set of attributes with each customer. The attributes reflect the customers' interests and they incorporate the characteristics that impact ad selection. Similarly, the present invention associates with each ad an ad-attribute profile in order to calculate a customer's estimated ad selection probability and measure the uncertainty in that estimate. An ad selection algorithm optimally selects which ad to show based on the click probability estimates and the uncertainties regarding these estimates. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046618 | AD PLACEMENT - This invention concerns optimal ad selection for Web pages by selecting and updating an attribute set, obtaining and updating an ad-attribute profile, and optimally choosing the next ad. The present invention associates a set of attributes with each customer. The attributes reflect the customers' interests and they incorporate the characteristics that impact ad selection. Similarly, the present invention associates with each ad an ad-attribute profile in order to calculate a customer's estimated ad selection probability and measure the uncertainty in that estimate. An ad selection algorithm optimally selects which ad to show based on the click probability estimates and the uncertainties regarding these estimates. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046619 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TARGETED ADVERTISING - The invention improves the targeting accuracy and hence efficiency of retail advertising, by use of interactive, behavioral, and contextual advertising). Improvement in the relevance of an ad to the recipient thereof is central to the system, where relevance here is taken to involve many factors including relevance of item to customer, relevance of customer to advertiser, timing of advert, context of advert, context of customer, advertising return on investment (ROI), and advertisement usefulness to customer. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046620 | Fast and Versatile Graphical Scoring Device and Method, and of Providing Advertising Based Thereon - A graphical user interface presents an image to a user and at least one labeled axis of that image corresponding to evaluations by the user of the image or of something represented by the image. The user moves a computer mouse or other input device to select a single location on the image. The display screen provides immediate feedback to the user of the location currently being pointed to by the input device (e.g., the x and y coordinates currently being moused over in the case where two labeled axes are employed). The user then selects the location on the screen being pointed to, thus inputting his dimensional evaluation. Optionally, based on the user's dimensional evaluation, advertisements can then be presented to the user according to the user's likes and dislikes. Alternatively or in addition, different users that make similar (e.g., the same) evaluations may be informed of such and given the option to communicate with each other. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046621 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR INCENTING OFFLINE SALES WITH ONLINE ADVERTISING - A method of advertising on a communication network, includes the use of computational equipment for receiving a network request from a user, transmitting via a network advertising data for presenting an advertisement to the user, receiving a first transmission indicative of a user responding to such advertisement and storing information relating to the user's response. A second transmission is received indicative of a purchase of the item by a user where payment for such purchase is identified by a transaction card. The data for the second transmission is obtained from a data storage that includes data indicative of purchases by a plurality of users at a plurality of merchants, and such data is used to determine that a purchase occurred at a location where a user traveled for such purchase. A reward is generated corresponding to the user responding to the advertisement. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046622 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR MANAGING A GROUP BUYING PROGRAM - Customer information associated with a plurality of customers and a plurality of offers associated with a plurality of merchants are received from a deal source. At least one offer is selected for presentation to at least one customer based on the customer information. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046623 | Method For Providing a Recommendation, Recommender System, and Recommender Computer Program Product - A recommender system that selects one or more items to recommend to a user of a communication device, wherein the recommender system uses one or more of the following profiles to select the one or more items: a device profile associated with the communication device; a location profile associated with the communication device, and a device type profile associated with a device type that matches the communication device's device type. The recommender system may also use a user profile associated with the user to select the one or more items. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046624 | OPTIMIZING ROUTING BASED ON OFFERS - Embodiments of the invention comprise optimizing travel routes for purchasing the products in which a user is interested. In some embodiments the system may provide the user with an optimized route based on the best offers available from various businesses. The best offers may be based on products with the lowest prices, highest quantities, highest user ratings, most convenient locations, etc. The offers may also be based on the user's current location, past location, future location, etc. Optimization of the route may also take into account user transaction history, user profile data, the time a user spends in a location, discounts, etc. In some embodiments of the invention the optimized route may be split between two or more people, over one or more trips, that may occur over one or more days, in order to maximize the best available offers with minimal expenditures of time, money, etc. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046625 | PROVIDING FINANCIAL INSTITUTION INFORMATION OR OFFERS TO USER THAT ARE DETERMINED TO BE OR WILL BE TRAVELLING - Methods, apparatus and computer-program products are described for providing travel- location merchant offers to users who are determined to be travelling based on Point-Of-Sale (POS) transaction data. Embodiments of the invention compare the location of the POS transaction to the user's domicile location and if the transaction occurs a predetermined distance or greater from the domicile location, the user is determined to be travelling. Once the travelling determination is made, travel-location merchant offers are identified and communicated to the user. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046626 | OPTIMIZING OFFERS BASED ON USER TRANSACTION HISTORY - Embodiments of the invention are directed to a system, method, or computer program product for providing offers to purchase products or services to a user, the offers being tailored to the user. Embodiments of the invention allow a user to receive offers to purchase products based on the user's transaction history, offer acceptance history, demographic, or offers for products that the user wishes. In this way, the user receives offers for products that he/she may be interested in instead of having to find offers he/she is interested in by searching all the offers available to him/her. A financial institution may receive information regarding the user's transaction history, offer acceptance history, demographic, or watch list. This information may provide parameters for a filter to which offers may be provided to the user, such that the offers that are provided to the user may be of interest to him/her. Thus, the system may optimize the offers provided to the user to ensure that the offers the user receives are ones that he/she may have an interest in using to purchase a product or service. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046627 | AD PLACEMENT - This invention concerns optimal ad selection for Web pages by selecting and updating an attribute set, obtaining and updating an ad-attribute profile, and optimally choosing the next ad. The present invention associates a set of attributes with each customer. The attributes reflect the customers' interests and they incorporate the characteristics that impact ad selection. Similarly, the present invention associates with each ad an ad-attribute profile in order to calculate a customer's estimated ad selection probability and measure the uncertainty in that estimate. An ad selection algorithm optimally selects which ad to show based on the click probability estimates and the uncertainties regarding these estimates. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046628 | PERSISTENCE MECHANISM FOR FACILITATING ONLINE TRANSACTIONS - An online system uses, in various embodiments of the invention, credit report information, loan affordability screening and credit approval and management functionality to facilitate the purchase and finance of products online. The online system may include both sellers of products and lenders that offer financing to buyers seeking to purchase the products. The system may automatically obtain a buyer's credit report information and use that information to determine if the buyer is pre-approved, for example, to obtain financing for a particular product or products. The system also enables use of buyer credit information to identify only those of a seller's products for which the buyer is pre-approved, for example, to finance using one or more loans. The system then enables selection of an identified product or products for purchase, and selection of a loan, for example, for financing of the selected product or products. Credit approval (or pre-approval) may be performed automatically, and along with credit processing, may be performed completely online. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046629 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR STORAGE AND RETRIEVAL OF INFORMATION SUBJECT TO AUTHORIZATION BY A DATA CONTROLLER - A system and method for storage and retrieval of information subject to authorization by a data controller that allows information for purchasing and other information exchange to occur only for authorized parties. A data subject place information about the data subject into a data repository controlled by a data controller. The data controller authorizes a data recipient to obtain that data subject data when authorized by a data subject. Such transactions as purchases of goods and services and applying for college admission are the types of transactions contemplated. The data repository places client software on the computer of the data recipient thereby signifying that the data recipient is authorized. Thereafter, the data recipient can receive information about the data subject when the data subject accepts and offer from the data recipient. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046630 | AD PLACEMENT - This invention concerns optimal ad selection for Web pages by selecting and updating an attribute set, obtaining and updating an ad-attribute profile, and optimally choosing the next ad. The present invention associates a set of attributes with each customer. The attributes reflect the customers' interests and they incorporate the characteristics that impact ad selection. Similarly, the present invention associates with each ad an ad-attribute profile in order to calculate a customer's estimated ad selection probability and measure the uncertainty in that estimate. An ad selection algorithm optimally selects which ad to show based on the click probability estimates and the uncertainties regarding these estimates. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046631 | PROVIDING OFFERS TO USERS DETERMINED TO BE TRAVELLING BASED ON POINT-OF-SALE TRANSACTION DATA - Methods, apparatus and computer-program products are described for providing travel-location merchant information, such as offers or the like, to users who are determined to be at a travel location based on Point-Of-Transaction (POT) data. Embodiments of the invention compare the location of the transaction as indicated by the POT data to the user's domicile location and if the transaction occurs a predetermined distance or greater from the domicile location, the user is determined to be at a travel location. Once the travel location is determined, travel location merchant information, such as offers or the like are identified and communicated to the user. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046632 | POINT OF SALE TRIGGERING OF OFFERS ALONG A PROJECTED TRAVEL ROUTE - Embodiments of the invention are directed to methods, systems, apparatus and computer program products are described herein for communicating offers to customers along a projected travel route after receiving an indication of a point of transaction event by collecting positioning information related to the customer, analyzing the positioning information to project the customer's likely route of travel, identifying one or more offers in which the customer may be interested, based in part on the customer's projected likely route of travel and communicating the offers to the customer. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046633 | DETERMINING MERCHANTS IN A TRAVEL LOCATION THAT ARE THE SAME OR SIMILAR TO MERCHANTS USED BY A USER AND PROVIDING MERCHANT INFORMATION TO THE USER - Methods, apparatus and computer-program products are described for determining that a user is at or will be at a travel location based on financial institution transaction data and identifying merchants at the travel location that are the same or similar to merchants previously used by the user. Once the same or similar merchants have been identified, information, such as merchant offers, associated with the same or similar merchants is communicated to the user via a chosen communication mechanism. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046634 | COMBINING OFFERS FROM MULTIPLE MERCHANTS BASED ON THE GEOGRAPHIC PROXIMITY OF THE MERCHANTS - Embodiments of the invention are directed to a system, method, or computer program product for providing offers to purchase products or services to a user, the offers being for products of merchants located within geographic proximity to each other, to entice a user to visit that location. Offers may be received by a user throughout a day or when the user enters into a transaction. Once the user enters into a transaction at a merchant, the financial institution may receive data regarding that transaction. The data may provide the financial institution an indication as to the user's location and products the user is purchasing. The financial institution may then provide the user with offers to purchase other products. These offers may be for products similar to the products the user is currently purchasing. These offers, however, are within are for merchants within close geographic proximity to each other. These offers may entice users to enter other stores within a similar geographic location, such that the user may add to his/her shopping experience by frequenting merchants not typically frequented by that user. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046635 | TRIGGERING OFFERS BASED ON DETECTED LOCATION OF A MOBILE POINT OF SALE DEVICE - In general terms, embodiments of the invention relate to methods and apparatuses for triggering the broadcast of offers based on the detected location of a mobile point-of-transaction device. For example, a method is provided that includes: (a) receiving transaction information associated with a financial transaction that occurred on a mobile point-of-transaction (“POT”) device; (b) determining, via a computing system, an entity associated with the mobile POT device; (c) determining a current geographic location of the mobile POT device; (d) determining a geographically targeted audience based at least partly on the current geographic location of the mobile POT device for use in transmitting information associated with the entity; and (e) transmitting information associated with the entity at a time triggered by the computing system. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046636 | Location-Aware Mobile Advertising - Systems and methods are described herein for location-aware mobile advertising. Systems and methods associated with mobile advertising may support location-aware mobile advertising delivery of advertising content to mobile platforms based upon geographical location. For example, a display system on or in a taxi cab, bus, or other mobile platform can display advertising video, audio, images, messages, or any combination thereof. The advertising content being displayed at a given time may be selected based on a function of the location, direction, or speed of the mobile platform. The function may also involve the time, date, or many other factors and parameters. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046637 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR INTERACTIVE PROMOTION OF PRODUCTS AND SERVICES - A method and system for interactively promoting the sale of a product or service are described. The method and system includes capturing an image of a consumer with a video camera. Next, a biometric scan of the image may be conducted to determine if at least one biometric has been recognized from the scan. The biometric scan usually comprises a facial recognition scan. If one biometric has been recognized from the scan, the system may access a database comprising biometrics associated with at least one of browsing history, purchase history, and preference data associated with a consumer. The system may then display advertising images on a display device comprising a product or service augmented with one or more images of the consumer and which correspond with data stored in the database. The system may convey options for initiating a sale and preserving the sale of the product or service. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046638 | KNOWLEDGE-BASED SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CAPTURING CAMPAIGN INTENT TO EASE CREATION OF COMPLEX VDP MARKETING CAMPAIGNS - As set forth herein, computer-implemented methods and systems facilitate providing an approach for using defined patterns of variable-data campaigns to enable a marketing service provider to express a non-expert user's desired campaign intent, using natural language and campaign intent terms, as well as to accurately capture the non-expert user's intent by communicating using non-technical campaign terminology. Communication of semantically robust campaign intent to variable-data campaign graphic designers and developers is facilitated by the described systems and methods, as is automated creation of a variable-data logic (plan) file based on semantic campaign intent. The described systems and methods facilitate the creation of variable data publishing (VDP) marketing campaigns by the non-expert, as well as communication and collaboration with the rest of a VDP design team. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046640 | CENTRALIZED MANAGEMENT OF MARKETING ACTIVITIES AMONG PARTICIPANTS OF MULTIPLE CHANNEL MARKETING NETWORKS - A marketing system, also referred to as a platform, is disclosed which facilitates centralized management of marketing activities among multiple participants of multiple channel marketing networks, where the marketing activities may include determination of one or more consumers to which marketing content is to be presented and a provision of marketing content thereto. In particular, the disclosed technology platform allows members of a channel marketing network, including, for example, sponsors/OEMs, distributors, buying groups, and resellers, to link to each other to create connections that allow a secure and managed exchange of marketing content, funding and contact data, for the purpose of executing shared business processes, such as co-marketing related processes, and having access to the results thereof. An advertising platform is provided which facilitates participant discovery and channel network formation, segregates marketing activities between channel marketing networks and among the participants of a particular channel marketing network, generates and conducts marketing campaigns on behalf of participants based on internally generated and/or participant provided marketing content and directed to participant identified contacts, facilitates the funding of those marketing campaigns by one or more participants, and facilitates gathering and evaluation of the results thereof. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046641 | PROGRESS BAR IS ADVERTISEMENT - A progress bar for a multi media device, such as a television or a computer, can depict digital media streaming or otherwise where a progress bar operates during the media playback function. One embodiment of the present invention includes the progress bar as an advertisement including company logos. The progress bar is the advertisement and is operable to morph into various positions allowing the advertisement to develop during the playing of the video. Marketers promote their logo as the progress bar to increase brand exposure. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046642 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR COMPUTER-IMPLEMENTED DYNAMIC COORDINATED INTERIOR DESIGN - A system and method for deploying dynamic experiences within a restaurant using a local machine having a processor, a memory, and a coordination application stored in the memory and executing in the processor. The local machine is further in communication with one computing devices and presentation devices that are affixed to a structure of the restaurant. The method includes loading a first display scheme that provides a first multimedia experience when depicted on the presentation devices and transmitting a first menu scheme to the computing devices that is correlated to the first display. After a time interval, a new display scheme and/or menu scheme can be substituted. Revenue drivers associated with the various schemes can be monitored throughout the operation of the local machine, and can be compared with one another in order to determine preferred and/or optimal display and/or menu schemes. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046643 | POINT OF SALE PROCESSING INITIATED BY A SINGLE TAP - Point of sale processing of multiple options is possible with a single tap of a contactless device. The user taps the contactless device in the device reader's radio frequency field. The device reader and the contactless device establish a secure communication channel. Once a secure communication channel is established, the device reader communicates the purchase to the contactless device. The contactless device presents value-added services available to the user. The contactless device communicates the user's selected value-added service(s) to the device reader, and the reader communicates the purchase price of the transaction. The contactless device communicates payment options to the user and then communicates the user-selected payment options to the device reader. The device reader communicates a digital receipt to the contactless device, and the secure communication is terminated. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046644 | COMMODITY ACCOMMODATION APPARATUS, COMMODITY REGISTRATION APPARATUS AND COMMODITY REGISTRATION METHOD - A commodity accommodation apparatus comprises an accommodation unit configured to accommodate commodities, a shooting unit configured to shoot an image of the interior of the accommodation unit and a sending section configured to send an identification information for specifying one's own identity and the shot image to a commodity registration apparatus. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046645 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR POINT OF TRANSACTION AUTHENTICATION - Embodiments of the invention provide a method a authenticating a transaction at the point of transaction. In some embodiments of the invention, the user conducts the transaction through the use of a mobile computing device that is capable of communication with a point of transaction device. In some embodiments of the invention, the user authenticates the transaction through the use of the mobile computing device. In some embodiments, a method is provided that includes: (1) receiving information associated with a transaction involving a user; (2) prompting the user to authenticate the transaction; (3) receiving authentication data from the user; and (4) sending information associated with the authentication data. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046646 | Web Based Co-Op Trust Ownership Program - The present invention is a web-based fractional ownership system method to allow individuals to meet in the marketplace and conveniently find property for joint ownership. The web system provides a structure for individuals to discuss and jointly agree to own, operate, maintain, and sell items of mutual interest. The web based fractional ownership system organizes and promotes ownership of properties, and assists potential owners in finding other owners, of similar interests in both direct and indirect, efficient methods. The system also integrates prearranged service relationships for the joint members to apply for funding, acquire insurance, store the property, and perform routine maintenance. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046647 | SYSTEM FOR MANAGING CONSTRUCTION PROJECT BIDDING - A system is disclosed that facilitates construction project bidding, document distribution, and project management over a computer network. The system enables a project supervisor to efficiently transmit new project information and associated construction project files to one or more planroom provider systems. Each planroom provider system may make project information and associated construction project files available for transfer and viewing by one or more potential bidders connected to the planroom provider system over a public or private network. The planroom provider system(s) may provide a reference or link back to the project supervisor system to enable the potential bidder to bid on the construction project once the project information and project files have been reviewed. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046648 | SHOPPING LIST SYSTEM AND PROCESS - Embodiments of the invention allow a user to create a virtual shopping list that is used to identify offers for products in which the user is interested. The shopping list may be one single list or may be broken down into categories, in order to group like products together or group products together that can be purchased at one or more locations near each other. The shopping list may be transmitted to one or more businesses, such that the businesses may submit bid requests, in a reverse bid auction, for the one or more products on the shopping list. The best bids of the one or more businesses may be returned to the user. The bids may be identified as the best bids based on the lowest prices for the product, the best quality products, the proper quantities of the products, the locations at which the products are located, etc. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046649 | Method and System for Providing A Hybrid Descending-Price Auction - A method and system is provided for facilitating a hybrid descending-price auction. Items are offered at an initial price, which is then decreased over time at a dynamically variable rate until the price falls to a reserve price. Participants may choose to end the auction at any time by placing a bid at the current price, with the item being awarded to the first participant to bid the current price. Participants may also choose to place a stop bid for a value lower than the current price but greater than the reserve price, such that if the price decreases to the stop bid value, the item will be awarded to that participant. However, if another participant places a bid or a stop bid valued higher than the previous stop bid, the subsequent participant will be awarded the item. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046650 | Method and System for Online Auctions - An online auction system includes a host system which has at least one processor executing processor executable code, at least one non-transient memory communicating with the at least one processor and storing processor executable code, wherein the processor executable code when executed by the at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to: (1) transmit a first signal to a network indicative of a first auction presentation page for auctioning an item, the first auction presentation page having a bid mechanism and being free of a buy-now mechanism; (2) receive a first bid signal from a user terminal indicative of a first activation of the bid mechanism; and (3) in response to receiving the first bid signal transmit a second signal to the user terminal over the network indicative of at least a portion of the first auction presentation page having a buy-now mechanism. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046651 | Gaming Marketplace Apparatuses, Methods and Systems - The GAMING MARKETPLACE APPARATUSES, METHODS AND SYSTEMS (“UBGER”) transform user site navigation inputs via UBGER components into systematically-defined user behavior-based game exchange recommendations and offers. In one embodiment, the UBGER obtains activity logs including data on actions taken by a user within a website. The UBGER extracts user behavioral attributes based on analyzing the obtained activity logs, and queries a database for identifications of electronic games associated with the extracted user behavioral attributes. The UBGER queries a database for electronic games owned by the user, and identifies inactive electronic games from among the electronic games owned by the user, based on the activity logs. The UBGER generates an offer including a recommendation for trade-in of one of the identified inactive electronic games in exchange for the purchase of one of the electronic games associated with the extracted user behavioral attributes, and provides the generated offer to a client device of the user. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046652 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SELECTIVELY PROVIDING INFORMATION TO INTERNET USERS - A system and method for creating a watchlist and selectively providing this information to a user are provided. The system permits a user to access a website and identify items of the website that are of interest. The system stores the identified items in a watchlist for later retrieval, review, transmission or action by the user. The system may periodically inform the user of any changes to the items of interest. Items may alternatively be added from multiple websites, multiple emails or automatically by the system. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046653 | SYSTEM FOR COORDINATING INFORMATION FROM A PLURALITY OF WEBSITES AND SELECTIVELY PROVIDING THIS INFORMATION TO A USER - A system for coordinating information from a plurality of websites and using this information to create a dynamic watchlist is provided. The system selectively provides this information to a user. In one embodiment, the system permits a user to access a plurality of websites and identify particular items of those websites that are of interest. The system stores the identified items on a watchlist for later retrieval, review, transmission or action by the user. The system may periodically inform the user of any changes to the items of interest. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046654 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING TICKETS TO CONSUMERS - A system and method for creating a watchlist of products relating to any type of item/service/event for which any type of purchase may be made by a user. The system permits a user to access a website and identify items of the website that are of interest and other users (or friends) and associate one or more users with one or more items in the watchlist. The system stores the identified items and friends in a watchlist for later retrieval, review, transmission or action by the user. The system may periodically inform the user of any changes to the items of interest or any changes in purchases made by the users friends to items in the watchlist. Items may alternatively be added from multiple websites, multiple emails or automatically by the system. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046655 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR DYNAMICALLY SELECTING A PAYMENT PROCESSING GATEWAY - A method for an e-commerce payment transaction to be processed by dynamically selecting at run-time, a third-party payment-processing gateway account, based on one or more rules and their attributes. An authorized system administrator configures and stores the rules and their attributes in a rules database for each third-party payment gateway. The system automatically selects the correct third-payment processing gateway account to be used for each by transaction by matching the pre-configured rules and their attributes against the properties of the payment transaction. The payment transaction is processed using the selected third-party payment gateway and is recorded in the e-commence platform payment processing database. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046656 | Method and System for Navigation Free Online Payment - A system and method of enabling a user to view online content from an online content provider, wherein the user accesses the online content provider on a browsing device over a communication network, has been disclosed in the invention. The online payment method comprising: requesting the online content from the online content provider by the user; sending an authentication request to the browsing device by the online content provider; sending a payment request to a payment system by the browsing device; processing the payment request by the payment system; sending a payment response to the browsing device; further transmitting the payment response to the merchant website; and displaying the online content on the browsing device based on the payment response. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046657 | SUPPLIER DYNAMIC REFERENCE SYSTEMS AND METHODS - Systems and methods for a supplier dynamic reference are provided. Some embodiments include a processor and a memory coupled to the processor for storing instructions. In various embodiments, the memory stores instructions causing the processor to provide product information to a consumer, process data to determine that the consumer wants to make a purchase, process data to enable a supplier to dynamically select a reseller of their products based on a predetermined criteria, and cause the processor to transmit data related to the selected reseller to the consumer. Some embodiments may include a database with product information and product reseller information, including an indication of which resellers sell each product and a selection system configured to select a reseller to provide to the consumer based on the consumer wanting to purchase the product and a reseller selection criteria, wherein the transmitter transmits reseller information to the consumer. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046658 | Data Storage and Access Systems - Data storage and access systems enable downloading and paying for data such as audio and video data, text, software, games and other types of data. A portable data carrier has an interface for sending and receiving data, data memory for storing received content data, and payment validation memory for providing payment validation data to an external device. The carrier may also store a record of access made to the stored content, and content use rules for controlling access to the stored content. Embodiments store further access control data and supplementary data such as hot links to web sites and/or advertising data. A complementary data access terminal, data supply computer system, and data access device are also described. The combination of payment data and stored content data and use rule data helps reduce the risk of unauthorized access to data such as compressed music and video data, especially over the Internet. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046659 | RF-ID PRODUCT TRACKING SYSTEM WITH PRIVACY ENHANCEMENT - A method for using electronic product identification devices to track product sales and enable sales transactions to be registered in an electronic registration (ER) system without causing privacy or security concerns for the purchasers. RF-ID devices are placed on products being sold and include detailed information about the products. When the products are purchased, the detailed information is loaded into an ER database and all but a limited amount of information is removed from the RF-ID device. The limited information is sufficient to enable the detailed information to be located in the ER database by authorized individuals in connection with a return transaction or the like. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046660 | Taxable Fringe Benefit Accounting for Electric Vehicle Charging Service - A charging station network server receives a message that indicates a set of parameters of an electric vehicle charging session. The set of parameters provides an indication of an electric vehicle operator associated with the charging session. The server determines that at least a portion of a cost of the electric vehicle charging session is to be paid by an employer of the electric vehicle operator. The server determines a fair market value of the electric vehicle charging session reduced by any amount that is not paid by the employer. The server stores, in association with a profile of the electric vehicle operator, the determined fair market value of the electric vehicle charging session reduced by any amount that is not paid by the employer. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046661 | ACCOUNTING SYSTEM AND MANAGEMENT METHODS OF TRANSACTION CLASSIFICATIONS THAT IS SIMPLE, ACCURATE AND SELF-ADAPTING - A computer implemented method for categorizing transactions for a user comprising receiving a plurality of transactions, each transaction including a transaction party, a date associated with the transaction, and a transaction amount, providing a set of transaction categories, automatically associating one of the transaction categories with at least one of the received transactions from the set of transaction categories, providing a set of reliability codes comprising at least two reliability codes, selecting a reliability code from the set of reliability codes for at least one of the automatically selected transaction categories, and displaying at least one of the received transactions with its selected reliability code. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046662 | SYSTEM FOR ANALYZING REVENUE CYCLES OF A FACILITY - The present disclosure provides methods and apparatus for analyzing the revenue cycles of a facility to more accurately predict future financial performance. Using the methods and apparatus disclosed herein, accountants and financial planners are given forecasts of future accounts paid based on current accounts receivable and past accounts paid. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046663 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MEASURING ACTIVE/REACTIVE POWERS - A device and method for measuring active and reactive powers of an alternating current includes receiving a first signal representing a current and a second signal representing a voltage, in which the current includes a phase offset with respect to the voltage, calculating an active power and reactive power based on the first and second signals, and calibrating the calculated active and reactive powers with respect to the phase offset using first and second constants, in which the first and second constants respectively correspond to a sine value and a cosine value of the phase offset. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046664 | End-to-End Content Delivery Network Incorporating Independently Operated Transparent Caches and Proxy Caches - Some embodiments provide an end-to-end federated CDN solution that assimilates a transparent caching server that is operated by a transparent caching server operator into a CDN that independently operates CDN caching servers. Specifically, the logs from the transparent caching server are assimilated into the CDN by aggregating the logs from the transparent caching server and processing the transparent caching server logs to identify network usage for content of a CDN content provider customer that is delivered by the transparent caching server. The network usage is then combined with the network usage that tracked by the CDN caching servers in order to provide comprehensive report metrics for the content provider customer and to bill the content provider customer for all network usage related to delivering the content provider customer's content irrespective of whether the content was delivered by a transparent caching server or a CDN caching server. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046665 | FEEDBACK LOOP FOR DYNAMIC NETWORK RESOURCE ALLOCATION - A system, apparatus and method for dynamic resource allocation is provided, where a network resource shared by a plurality of electronic devices having unique service profiles and unique billing profiles is monitored. Allocation of the shared network resource as well as the service profiles and billing profiles are dynamically modified. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046666 | RELATIONSHIP-BASED PRICING - Customers may utilize different services or products of a provider. The different services or products utilized by a customer may create different relationships between the provider and the customer. Systems and methods are provided for coordinating the different relationships to provide relationship-based pricing. Relationship-based pricing may increase customer satisfaction with services or products offered by the provider. Systems and methods may adjust fees associated with services or products of the provider by coordinating the different relationships. The fees may be decreased or waived to increase customer satisfaction. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046667 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR MODELING DEPOSITS' DATA - Systems and methods according to the invention preferably determine errors in a financial institutions implementation of production changes, production modifications and/or a new production release by comparing critical interface data from a production cycle to critical interface data from a test environment cycle. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046668 | AGGREGATOR-BASED ELECTRIC MICROGRID FOR RESIDENTIAL APPLICATIONS INCORPORATING RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES - A residential electric grid (microgrid) is proposed as a distribution arrangement between a utility company and a group of individual residential consumers. The residential consumers are also viewed as “producers” of renewable energy and are defined as “prosumers”. An aggregator is used at the microgrid to negotiate with the utility on behalf of the group of prosumers, commanding a better price for excess electricity sold back to the utility (especially as part of a Demand Response (DR) program). Importantly, the microgrid is constructed to include energy storage capability at the microgrid. Therefore, the arrangement is capable of supplying power to the residential customers in the event of an outage at the macrogrid level, and also selling back the electricity to the utility as part of a DR program. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046669 | Gas cost calculator - A gas cost calculator comprising a display screen, a keypad, a central programming unit, and cable capable of receiving digital input from the gas gauge of a vehicle, said central programming unit programmed with algorithms used to calculate cost needed to fill a gas tank of the vehicle with gas based on a price input into the keypad by the user. This gas cost calculator is an automotive accessory intended to aid motorist in determining cost to fill the vehicle's gas tank. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046670 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MANAGING ENHANCEMENT FEATURES ASSIGNED TO FINANCIAL PRESENTATION DEVICES - A system for managing enhancement features assigned to financial presentation devices such as credit cards. The system includes an accounts database and a feature management module. The accounts database stores account holder data containing assigned enhancement features for associated credit cards. The feature management module is capable of updating and managing the assigned features of an individual credit card independently of other cards so as to provide enhancement features that can be customized for each individual cardholder. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046671 | WEBSITE FOR ACCUMULATING ORDERS OF FINANCIAL COMMODITIES AND INSTRUMENTS - A website serves for accumulating orders of financial commodities and instruments. By order accumulation of financial commodities and instruments, a large amount of orders from the investors are accumulated and then by these orders, the investors have the right to negotiate with the financial institutions. Since the amount of the orders is large, the financial institution must increase its services and reduce the fees. The order accumulation of financial commodities and instruments is deemed as a fixed business model with a great coverage. The great amount of the orders will cause the investors to have more profits. The investors of the orders could contract with several financial institutions so as to have joint services from the financial institution. Moreover concept of network center bank currency is disclosed for unifying different kinds of currencies. Thus, the cost for currency exchanging of international business can be reduced. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046672 | SYSTEM FOR MANAGING CONSTRUCTION PROJECT BIDDING - A system is disclosed that facilitates construction project bidding over a computer network. In one aspect, a construction project supervisor system may verify one or more aspects of bidder information before bidding. A bidder may submit payment information, an electronic mail address, and a telephone number to be verified. Verification may include utilizing the payment information to process a payment, and/or sending a verification code to the electronic mail address and/or telephone number. In one embodiment, the issuance of a bid bond associated with the prospective bid may be required to complete the verification process. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046673 | Securitization System and Process II - An investable product is designed, created and managed comprising a number of shares outstanding subject to a mandatory stock split or reverse stock split at the close of every trading period. An account comprising the investor share balance is configured to display on a daily basis the original share balance owned through the calculation of a factor. The product comprises an adjustable stop loss feature that provides investors with the opportunity to automatically reinvest their capital if they are stopped out. When the shares are held for one day or longer, a leveraged return is obtainable with no price path dependency or leverage drift. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046674 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ELECTRONICALLY INITIATING AND EXECUTING SECURITIES LENDING TRANSACTIONS - Systems and methods are provided for conducting securities lending transactions using an electronic trading platform. In accordance with an implementation, the electronic trading platform receives, from a trader, information identifying initial terms of a transaction to lend or borrow shares of a security. The electronic trading platform may generate an instruction to broadcast the initial terms to one or more counterparties, and may subsequently facilitate negotiations between the trader and the one or more counterparties for terms of the transaction. The electronic trading platform may execute the transaction in accordance with the negotiated terms. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046675 | System and Method for Assigning Responsibility for Trade Order Execution - An embodiment of the present invention provides a system and method for a sponsoring organization to: (1) utilize a rules-based computer system to capture trade orders from sub-advisors (money management firms) in order to implement a pre trade compliance review process, thereby enabling the sponsoring organization to prevent the execution of trade orders by a sub advisor that violates securities laws and/or account restrictions; and (2) determine and assign, based on expected market impact of a trade order to buy or sell securities, whether responsibility (discretion over the decisions related to how, when and with whom a trade order is executed) for executing the trade order is assigned to the money management firm for an investment portfolio or to the sponsoring organization of that portfolio. Trade orders are categorized in real-time as “high touch” (significant effort and market impact) or “low touch” (insignificant effort and market impact). | 2013-02-21 |
20130046676 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR TRACKING DERIVATIVES POSITIONS AND MONITORING CREDIT LIMITS - A derivatives position tracking system that consists of a centralized trading engine with a trade history database capable of communication with a plurality of counterpart computers via a network to enable the execution of a derivatives transaction. The trading engine and counterpart computers enable the counterpart computers to initiate, unwind and assign requests. Upon execution of a tear-up or assignment, a record of such transaction is stored in the trade history database. Whether or not the tear-up or assignment is executed with the original counterpart, the original counterpart receives a notification of the tear-up/assignment and a new position with the counterpart is reflected in the position-tracking database. Additionally, a credit monitoring module can be used in connection with the derivatives position tracking system to enable the trading engine to alert counterparts when a derivatives transaction exceeds a pre-defined credit limit. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046677 | FINANCIAL PRODUCTS BASED ON A SERIALIZED INDEX - A method for trading financial instruments includes listing, by an electronic financial exchange, financial instruments that specify which version of a serialized index the financial instrument tracks; receiving, by the electronic financial exchange, an electronic indication to buy or sell the financial instrument; executing, by the electronic financial exchange, a trade involving the financial instrument; and settling the financial instrument according to the version of the serialized index specified by the financial instrument. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046678 | MINIMUM PAYMENT REQUIREMENTS FOR A REVOLVING ACCOUNT - The minimum payment requirement for a customer may be a higher amount than conventional or industry-standard credit cards. In one exemplary embodiment, at least one memory storing computer executable instructions that, when executed, cause the apparatus at least to: provide a minimum payment requirement towards a balance associated with a revolving account, wherein the minimum payment requirement is approximately 15-25% of the balance, provide an interest rate for the revolving account that is a function of the minimum payment requirement, and initiate the execution of an assessment if the minimum payment requirement is not met. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046679 | JOINT PAYMENT - Methods and systems for facilitating various e-commerce joint payment scenarios are provided. According to one embodiment, a computer system of a communication service provider receives payment information from a first member of a caregroup that shall serve as a primarily responsible individual for periodic service fees associated with communication services provided by the communication service provider to a digital mailbox appliance of a second member of the caregroup. Responsive to a request by the primarily responsible individual, the computer system enables the periodic service fees to be shared by other members of the caregroup by allowing one or more of the other members of the caregroup to commit to payment of a portion of the periodic service fees as secondarily responsible individuals. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046680 | ALLOCATING RESEARCH FUNDING - Allocation of research funding is based on changes to sizes of resource clusters. Each resource cluster is composed of a set of researchers devoted to a single aspect of a research field. A size change to a specific resource cluster indicates a change to a level of activities associated with a corresponding specific aspect of the research field. In response to identifying an under-attended aspect of the research field caused by the change in sizes of the resource clusters, a recommendation is issued to allocate additional funding for research to the under-attended aspect of the research field. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046681 | METHOD OF IMPROVING HIGHWAY SAFETY BY DETERRING SPEEDING - Method and means of deterring speeding are disclosed. A plurality of detection devices positioned along a road detect a transmission device mounted in a vehicle as it passes in proximity to the detection devices. Each transmission device is identifiable to a registered user via an identifier unique to the transmission device. When a vehicle carrying a transmission device passes a detection device, the unique identifier and the time of the vehicle's passing are stored. Known distances between the plurality of detection devices enable calculation of average speed of the vehicle using the time stamps of the vehicle's passing between any two detection devices. If the vehicle's average speed exceeds an acceptable speed for that portion of road, the registered user is notified, thereby deterring future speeding. A fine can be deducted from an account associated with the registered user or the registered user's transmission device. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046682 | ELECTRONIC CLEARING AND PAYMENT SYSTEM - A computer-implemented method for online payment, comprising the steps: receiving a business object comprising an instruction by a user to transfer a payment amount from a first account to a second account; debiting the payment amount to the first account; crediting the payment amount to the second account; after the payment amount has been credited to the second account and debited to the first account, generating a message indicating that the transaction has been completed; characterized in that the steps of debiting, crediting, and generating are executed in quasi-synchrony. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046683 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MONITORING AND ENFORCING COMPLIANCE WITH RULES AND REGULATIONS IN LEAD GENERATION - Systems and methods are provided to generate leads for an organization that comply with the organizations rules and regulations. Leads originate from a network of marketing partners of a leads generating service. The web assets of the marketing partners are periodically, or continuously, monitored to insure that such web assets have required content and/or do not contain objectionable content. Over time, marketing partners who are consistently comply with an organizations rules and regulations earn the status of trusted marketing partners and leads originating from such partners are highly valued. | 2013-02-21 |
20130046684 | Apparatuses, Methods and Systems for a Trackable Virtual Currencies Platform - Method for detecting fraud includes receiving a fraud alert. The fraud alert is investigated by analyzing social graph information and other available information of one or more users associated with the fraud alert to determine likelihood of the users being involved in fraud. When it is determined that a fraud was committed based on the analysis, chain of fraudulent transactions related to the fraud are reversed and fraud events data related to the fraud are updated into a fraud event database for subsequent analysis. | 2013-02-21 |