12th week of 2011 patent applcation highlights part 44 |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20110071874 | METHODS AND APPARATUS TO PERFORM CHOICE MODELING WITH SUBSTITUTABILITY DATA - Methods and apparatus are disclosed to perform choice modeling with substitutability data. An example method includes receiving base choice probability values for a respondent, wherein the base choice probability value is associated with a product, receiving a respondent substitutability factor associated with the product, identifying, with a cluster analysis engine, a primary product and a secondary product and generating a subrespondent associated with the secondary product, and calculating, with a cross sourcing engine, a modified choice probability for the subrespondent for the secondary product based on the respondent substitutability factor and the base choice probability values associated with the secondary product. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071875 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PERFORMING OILFIELD OPERATIONS - A system and method for executing an oilfield operation at a wellsite is provided. The system comprises a project execution unit, an employee assessment unit and a matrix execution unit. The project execution unit is configured to quantify a plurality of project parameters for executed projects, wherein a first project parameter is a success rate of the executed projects, and a second project parameter is a required project team member competency for the executed projects. The employee assessment unit is configured to assess a level of expertise obtained by each of the employees for a plurality of skill sets. The matrix execution unit is configured to compare to the required project team member competency to the level of expertise of each of the employees in each of the plurality of skill sets in order to select a group of employees to be used to complete the project team. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071876 | PLANNING AND ORCHESTRATING WORKFLOW INSTANCE MIGRATION - A method and information processing system manage workflow instance migration. An initial workflow process model is compared with a new workflow process model. A set of differences between the initial workflow process model and the new workflow process model are determined. At least one set of activities associated with the initial workflow process model that is migrateable to the new workflow process model is identified based on the set of differences. A migration plan associated with the initial workflow process model and the new workflow process model is generated. The migration plan includes the at least one set of activities associated with the initial workflow process model. The migration plan is then used to evaluate a set of workflow instances associated with the initial workflow process model and migrate one or more of these workflow instances to the new workflow process model based thereon. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071877 | HEURISTIC CROSS SHIPPING OF DISASTER RELIEF SUPPLIES AT POINTS OF DISTRIBUTION - Distributing disaster relief supplies, in one aspect, may include determining cross shipping of disaster relief supplies between points of distribution using one or more combinations of information. The information may include one or more of on-hand inventory of each point of distribution, in-transit inventory to each point of distribution, demand queue of disaster victims at each point of distribution, traveling time between supply staging area and points of distribution, traveling time between points of distribution, number of transportation vehicles available for cross shipping, minimum batch size for cross shipping, frequency of cross shipping, and point of distribution activation status, or combinations thereof. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071878 | MOBILE APPLICATION FOR CALENDAR SHARING AND SCHEDULING - The embodiments discussed herein describe an application device and method for calendar sharing and scheduling over a communication network. When a meeting is to be scheduled between two or more participants, the organizing participant enters an identification of the participants and requests a time suggestion. In response to the request, information relating to the availability and/or preferences of each participant is gathered from one or more databases and processed centrally in a remote server to determine a block of time during which all the participants are commonly free. The block of time is pushed to a user interface for display. If the organizing user selects the block of time, a meeting request may be sent to the participants to confirm the meeting. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071879 | BIDDING WORK ASSIGNMENT ON CONFERENCE/SUBSCRIBE RTP CLEARING HOUSE - A distributed contact center and method of managing tasks within such a contact center is provided. The various sites of the distributed contact center are adapted to bid on contacts by transmitting bids to a work item distribution mechanism via RTP streams, thereby enabling the work item distribution mechanism to analyze the bids in real-time and route the contact accordingly. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071880 | Location-based Emergency Response System and Method - A system and method for identification of a responder for responding to an emergency is disclosed. A server receives user data generally in the form of an electronic transmission wherein the user data includes at least an emergency type, user identity, and location of the emergency. A user profile is then retrieved from a user database based on the user identity. One or more responders are identified to dispatch to the emergency by searching a responder profile database that includes real-time location information based upon a criteria set including, the availability of the responder as indicated in the responder profile, and the proximity of the responder to the location of the emergency. The server electronically contacts one or more responders that meet the criteria set. An acceptance is received at the server from one or more of the responders. The server then dispatches one or more of the accepting responders to the location of the emergency. In certain embodiments, the server determines if a specialized responder is required based at least upon the user profile. In other embodiments, the transmission of the user data includes an emergency code and the server determines if a specialized responder is required based upon the emergency code. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071881 | MINING LIFE PATTERN BASED ON LOCATION HISTORY - Techniques for providing mining life pattern are described. This disclosure describes mining a life pattern of an individual, for example, by identifying places visited during the individual's daily activities. Mining the individual life pattern includes collecting location data for the individual and predicting behaviors and preferences of the individual based at least in part on a location history. The location history of the individual is represented with a sequence of geographical regions that have been visited by the individual with corresponding arrival and departure times for each region. Once the life pattern is predicted from the location history, information is recommended to the individual based at least in part on the life pattern. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071882 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR INTERMEDIATE TO LONG-TERM FORECASTING OF ELECTRIC PRICES AND ENERGY DEMAND FOR INTEGRATED SUPPLY-SIDE ENERGY PLANNING - A method of price forecasting in an electrical energy supply network and/or load (energy demand) forecasting of a given consumer of electrical energy, in the context of an electrical energy supply network that is adapted to supply electrical energy to a number consumers connected to the network. The method includes developing a multi-regime, regime switching stochastic model for determining day ahead/spot market energy prices using at least one historical profile and subjective opinion from at least one expert; and the multiple regimes correspond to a number of combinations of physical factors. A regime is identifiable by at least three factors. The method thus facilitates identifying the optimal mix of energy hedge and exposure to day ahead/spot market prices for deriving economic benefits in overall energy expenditure. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071883 | System and Method of Model Forecasting Based on Supply and Demand - A computer-implemented method transforms transactional data and supply data into a forecast of demand for controlling a commerce system. Goods move between members of a commerce system. Transactional data related to movement of goods between the members of the commerce system is recorded. The transactional data includes customer store, product, time, price, promotion, and merchandizing. Supply data related to movement of goods between the members of the commerce system is recorded. The supply data includes inventory, product, store, and merchandising readily available for purchase. Model parameters are estimated based on the transactional data and supply data using a model to generate a forecast of demand for the goods. The forecast of demand for the goods is provided to a member of the commerce system to control the movement of goods in the commerce system. The forecasts of demand takes into account an out-of-stock condition, price promotion, and promotional lift of the product. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071884 | Customer Loyalty, Product Demonstration, and Store/Contact Center/Internet Coupling System and Method - A system for storing information about searches and inquiries by a customer is provided. The system includes a customer service server that receives information from two or more sources, such as from a retail location sales agent, a website, a call center agent, etc. The information is associated and correlated to interrelate inquiries from the different sources. Further, when the user enters a retail location, a node or server at the retail location can push test application to a user's mobile device based on the past inquiries. These test applications are provided only when the customer is present in the retail location. As such, hacking the application is prevented. Further, with the customer using the application in the retail location, a sales agent is present to assist the customer. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071885 | System and Method for Disaggregating Weekly Forecast Into Daily Components - A computer-implemented method transforms transactional data into a forecast of demand for controlling a commerce system. Goods move between members of a commerce system. The transactional data is recorded. Daily disaggregating parameters (DDP) are estimated by minimizing an error function of day of week and transactional data grouped according to promotion, price range, or customer. Model parameters are estimated based on the DDP and transactional data using a demand model to generate a weekly forecast of demand for the good. The weekly forecast of demand is disaggregated into daily components using the DDP. The daily components of the forecast of demand are provided to a member of the commerce system to control the movement of goods in the commerce system. Any variation in the demand model due to promotions, price changes, out-of-stock, and low selling product is taken into account when determining the daily components. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071886 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR OPTIMIZING ORGANIZATIONAL SPEND - A system and method is disclosed for modeling, predicting, forecasting, and analyzing organizational spend/procurement, such as travel spend. In various embodiments, a method for modeling, predicting, budgeting, and optimizing business spend and procurement is provided comprising obtaining benchmark data, obtaining opportunity assessment data, obtaining organizational cost data, modeling the opportunity assessment data in comparison to the benchmark data, and determining a potential cost result based on the modeling. The method may further comprise adjusting the opportunity assessment data to achieve a desired cost result. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071887 | Multi-level real estate method and system - A method of compensating a plurality of participants, includes hierarchically representing, in a database communicatively associated with a computer, a multi-level real estate team, the team being based upon sponsoring of members in the team; collecting, from a real estate entity, a fee based at least in part on a real estate transaction; placing the collected fees into a revenue pool; determining by the computer, via interrogation against the database, a respective productivity bonus for respective team members based at least in part on the hierarchy between the team members; and distributing, based at least in part on the computer determination, the respective productivity bonuses from the revenue pool to respective team members. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071888 | OUTDOOR ADVERTISMENT DEVICE AND METHOD - Provided is a an outdoor advertisement device including an outdoor display part including an environment sensor and displaying transmitted advertisement data, and a control server for receiving a detection signal from the environment sensor, selecting the advertisement data corresponding to the current environment of a place at which the outdoor display part is installed, and transmitting the advertisement data to the outdoor display part. Therefore, an advertisement can be selected according to peripheral environmental information using sensors installed at the outdoor advertisement device to perform advertisement, increasing attention of passersby, utility of the advertisement, and thus increasing advertisement effect. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071889 | Location-Aware Retail Application - A method and apparatus are disclosed for potentially increasing sales of a retail organization using location-based technology. The illustrative embodiment comprises a location-aware application that can infer when a first customer is potentially interested in purchasing a particular item during a visit to a retail location, and can infer when there is a second customer at the retail location who is familiar with that item (e.g., a customer who previously purchased that item, etc.). When such a match occurs, the second customer is notified of the presence of the first customer, and of the first customer's potential interest in purchasing the item, and is encouraged to provide assistance to the first customer (e.g., discuss features of the item with the first customer, discuss advantages of the item in comparison to other items, etc.). | 2011-03-24 |
20110071890 | System and method for bundled selling of goods and services at a prepaid fixed price using the internet - A system and method for bundled selling of goods or service at a prepaid fixed price to a plurality of individual buyers in one transaction by an aggregation of demand using the Internet. A seller communicates with a controller and a conditional sales offer is broadcast for a minimum quantity of a product or service at a fixed price within a defined time period. The broadcast offer is received by a plurality of individual buyers who collectively communicate a willingness to purchase at the fixed price by accepting the offer and making a form of monetary payment. The buyers are encouraged to promote the product to friends to meet the required order quantity and reduce marketing costs for the seller. Preferably no user accounts, no user registration, and no Shopping Carts are employed so as to avoid registration abandonment and Shopping Cart abandonment. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071891 | TRACKING OF PEER CONTENT DISTRIBUTION - Method and network node for enhancing tracking of peer distribution of a content in a network comprising receiving, from a first subscriber, a request to forward the content to a second subscriber, the request comprising a content identifier and logging in a record the content identifier and an identifier of the first subscriber and, optionally an identifier of the second subscriber. Optional aspects include, following the step of receiving the request, generating a license key related to the content and valid for the second subscriber, sending the license key towards the second subscriber and providing the content to the second subscriber. Other optional aspects include locating the record and providing an incentive to the first subscriber or adjusting a charging record of the content provider. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071892 | CONTROL SYSTEM ARRANGEMENTS AND METHODS FOR DISPARATE NETWORK SYSTEMS - Electronic transaction data sets are processed for a multitude of disparate transactions using a plurality of autonomous payment networks. Consistent with one example system, a software-programmed computer type system receives and processes point-of-sale transaction data to select one of the payment networks associated with a participant ID (e.g., for a buyer or seller) in the transaction data. The system includes a plurality of network-specific interface modules, each associated with a specific payment network for interfacing therewith. For point-of-sale transaction data, the interface module corresponding to the selected payment network communicates payment data to the selected payment network to effect electronic payment for the point-of-sale transaction data. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071893 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR INTERACTIVELY CONNECTING USERS AND THIRD PARTY PROVIDERS TO INDIVIDUAL OR AGGREGATED TO-DO LIST TASK ITEMS OF USERS WITHIN THE TASK MANAGEMENT SYSTEM - A system and method for delivering advertising, solicitation for offers, or offers of assistance to a user based on a user created to-do list task items wherein the user has requested such advertising, solicitation or assistance to be telephonically, wirelessly or electronically delivered and associated with said to-do list task items thereby aiding the user in the performance of his or her to-do list task items. The user to-do list task items may consist of calendared events, appointments, tasks, solicitations for offers, or other requests for assistance or information as the user may desire from other users of the task management system or third party providers. The present invention allows third party providers to connect to user authorized portions of said user's to-do list task items for the purposes of linking advertising, solicitation or assistance through, in part, a unique identifier (a contact information depository of record “CIDOR”). | 2011-03-24 |
20110071894 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR SERVING LOCALIZED ADVERTISEMENTS - Users create advertisement components using a browser-based application. Once the components are generated, the application compiles the components on the backend to generate a seamless advertisement. Metadata are applied to the advertisements to specify a geographic location, demographics, and keywords. The advertisements are matched up with clients based on identifying information in the user profiles. The geographic location includes zip codes and surrounding areas. The advertisement includes coupons that are presented in local stores. The cost of displaying the advertisement is negotiated between the advertiser and the publisher according to the number of slots available, and the prices that each party is willing to accept. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071895 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DIGITIZED LOYALTY PROGRAMS AND TARGETED MOBILE ADVERTISEMENTS - In some embodiments, a non-transitory processor-readable medium stores code representing instructions to cause a processor to retrieve, from a vendor database, an indicator of each vendor from a set of vendors within a geographic area having registered loyalty programs. The instructions cause the processor to send the indicator of each vendor from the set of vendors to a communication device such that the communication device can display a representation of a geographic location of each vendor from the set of vendors on a map of the geographic area. The instructions further cause the processor to receive a signal from the communication device indicating that a user has selected to subscribe to a loyalty program of a vendor from the set of vendors and to provide, in response to the signal, feedback to the vendor that the user has subscribed to the loyalty program of the vendor. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071896 | VIDEO OFFER BROKERAGE SYSTEM - A video brokerage system provides a subscriber of a cable system access to a program in response to the subscriber entering a coupon code, where the program would otherwise not be viewable, or a discount is provided for viewing the program. In one embodiment, a coupon system interacts with a computer system operated by a merchant, which distributes the coupon code to the subscriber when acting as a customer of the merchant. The subscriber then provides the coupon code to the cable service provider when selecting a video-on demand program, allowing the subscriber to either receive a discount on a pay-per-view movie, or accessing a program that otherwise would not be accessible. Various validations tests are defined in conjunction with the cable service provider processing the coupon code, including checking: an expiration date of the coupon code, rating qualifiers, content provider qualifiers, etc. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071897 | DETERMINING COMPLEMENTARY PRODUCT CONTENT FROM PRIMARY PRODUCT DOCUMENT INFORMATION AND PROVIDING SUCH COMPLEMENTARY PRODUCT CONTENT IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE PRIMARY PRODUCT DOCUMENT, IN AN ONLINE ENVIRONMENT - When purchasing a product or service from an online merchant (“first merchant”), e-commerce consumers might want to purchase a complementary product and/or service not offered by the first merchant. Such consumers are provided with an opportunity to purchase or otherwise learn about such complementary products and/or services, and secondary merchants are provided with the opportunity to sell or market such complimentary products and/or services in a way that would not jeopardize the first merchant's sale, and indeed, in a way that might provide a benefit to the first merchant. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071898 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR UPDATING SEARCH ADVERTISEMENTS DURING SEARCH RESULTS NAVIGATION - An improved system and method for updating search advertisements during search results navigation is provided. A search server may return search results from a search query with executable instructions that monitor events selecting a web page in the search results. When a web page may be selected in the search results on the client, a request that includes an address of a web page selected from the search results may be sent from the client to an advertiser server to update sponsored advertisements displayed in a sponsored advertisement area of the search results web page. The advertisement server may select an update of sponsored advertisements using query features, user features and web page features of the web page selected from the search results web page. The update may be sent to the client for display in the sponsored advertisement area of the search results web page. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071899 | Creating, Managing and Optimizing Online Advertising - Systems and methods for creating, managing and optimizing online advertising campaigns include groups of independent human resources working through a marketplace to suggest and optimize appropriate choices for how, where and how much to pay for online advertising. Optimization is achieved through the use of market-based incentives that pay participants based on the quality, quantity and efficiency of the results of their suggestions. The systems and methods enable a marketplace that leverages the inherent knowledge of a large group of people to come up with all search terms, placements, targeting and advertisements that might be relevant to a product, and determine the optimal auction prices for these search terms, placements, targeting and ads on the search engine systems. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071900 | ADVERTISEE-HISTORY-BASED BID GENERATION SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MULTI-CHANNEL ADVERTISING - Disclosed are methods, apparatus, systems, and non-transitory, tangible computer-readable media associated with generating bids for multi-channel advertising environments, including in embodiments, generating a multi-channel advertising model. A multi-channel advertising model may be generated and used to estimate the effect of various advertisements and/or events that occur to an individual advertisee across various modeled advertising channels. An advertisee may be tracked across multiple channels, such as, for example, by using one or more cookies as the advertisee visits various web sites. Embodiments may calculate marginal contributions to a conversion event by various advertising events that have occurred along the sales funnel. Various revenue attributions may be generated as a function of a marginal contribution that an event had on the final conversion. Embodiments may provide an advertiser with estimates of the advertisee's value through time as well as how the advertisee's value evolves based on events taken by the advertisee and/or by changing exposure levels across multiple channels. From these estimates, a bidding strategy directing bids for advertising events may be generated for use by an advertiser. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071901 | Online Advertising Methods and Systems and Revenue Sharing Methods and Systems Related to Same - The present teachings provide methods for a user (e.g., content contributor) of an online digital content platform to earn revenue on a per click-and-view business model by embedding their online digital content into an advertisement frame. In various embodiments, the user of the online digital content platform will choose an advertisement frame from a given category prior to distributing her online digital content. The selected advertisement frame can be shown during the entire viewing of the online digital content by a third party viewer. For each click-and-view by a third party viewer, the user will receive compensation from the advertiser. The payment system for the revenue sharing scheme can be provided by the online digital content platform. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071902 | METHOD, SYSTEM, AND DEVICE FOR SELECTING ADVERTISEMENT CONTENTS - A method, system, and device for selecting advertisement contents are provided. The method for selecting advertisement contents includes: receiving an advertisement request carrying advertisement request parameters; matching the advertisement request parameters with advertisement description information including a version field; and returning the matched advertisement description information, the matched version field in the advertisement description information, and an advertisement content corresponding to the matched advertisement description information. An advertisement includes multiple versions of advertisement description information, which enhances the flexibility in advertisement description and increases the opportunity of selecting and presenting the advertisement to users, thereby maximizing the benefit of the advertiser, saving the storage space, and reducing the amount of data transmission. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071903 | E-BUSINESS ADVERTISEMENT METHOD - An e-business advertisement method includes providing an advertisement word on an advertisement items page of an advertisement server of an e-business platform; allowing a manager of the e-business platform to buy the advertisement word from a portal based on the advertisement word; interconnecting the Internet and the e-business platform; allowing a seller to link an item description page of the blog to the Internet; and linking the advertisement items page of the advertisement server of the e-business platform to the blog of the seller. The method can increase advertisement effect with cost being reduced. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071904 | METHOD FOR TRANSMITTING ADVERTISEMENTS TO COMMUNICATION DEVICE - A method for transmitting advertisements to a communication device comprises the steps of: a communication device transmitting a search instruction to a content aggregating apparatus, wherein the search instruction comprises at least a keyword, the location of the communication device, a user account and a time stamp; performing an Internet search based on the given keyword and the location of the communication device; optimizing the search results; transmitting the optimized results in an XML format to the communication device; transmitting advertisements to the communication device according to the keywords and the location of the communication device; providing a short message to an inbox of the communication device according to the advertisement; and notifying a user of the incoming short message. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071905 | MARKETING METHOD - A server implements a marketing method. The server may receive a wireless call or message originating at a given facility and return a menu of choices particular to that facility. On receiving a choice selected from said menu, the server may return one or more messages with information particular to a part of said given facility. The information may be a marketing incentive, marketing information, or a promotion. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071906 | Advertisement Distribution System, Advertisement Distribution Device, and Advertisement Distribution Method - A travel support server ( | 2011-03-24 |
20110071907 | Charitable organization implemented through an interactive social media networking community website - A means and method of facilitating charitable contributions through an interactive social media networking community website with advertising, contribution, and distribution functions is disclosed. The current invention is designed to maximize charitable contributions and allow for a custom-tailored distribution scheme that more effectively raises and distributes charitable contributions that is offered by any of the currently available charities. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071908 | EXPRESSIVE BIDDING IN ONLINE ADVERTISING AUCTIONS - Methods and systems are provided that include expressive bidding techniques for use with online advertising auctions. Methods and systems are provided relating to bidding for display of an advertisement, where the bidding takes into account one or more externality conditions present upon display of the advertisement. An externality condition includes any condition associated with the presence or non-presence of other advertisements along with a subject advertisement, or associated with characteristics or circumstances relating to any such other advertisements. For example, whether an advertisement is displayed exclusively or with other advertisements is an externality condition. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071909 | EXPRESSIVE BIDDING ONLINE ADVERTISING AUCTION MECHANISMS - Methods and systems are provided that include online advertising auction mechanism with expressive bidding. Auction mechanisms are provided in which bidding takes into account one or more externality conditions present upon display of the advertisement. An externality condition includes any condition associated with the presence or non-presence of other advertisements along with a subject advertisement, or associated with characteristics or circumstances relating to any such other advertisements. Auction mechanisms are provided that deter or disincentivize over-bidding, while still retaining good revenue and efficiency properties. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071910 | METHOD FOR ROUTING A CUSTOMER CALL PLACED IN RESPONSE TO AN ADVERTISEMENT - The method is for routing a customer call placed in response to an advertisement. An advertisement including a telephone number is placed on the Internet to enable a customer to view the advertisement over the Internet. The customer may then place a telephone call via a telephone or the Internet. A routing device routes the telephone call to a particular vendor. The particular vendor, to which the call is routed, is selected based on a bid made to a provider of the phone number. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071911 | ADVERTISING SYSTEM AND METHOD - A system, computer-implemented method, and a computer program product for rendering a web page that includes at least one advertisement-compatible target image, wherein an advertisement overlay is associated with the at least one advertisement-compatible target image. The advertisement overlay is automatically rendered on top of the advertisement-compatible target image. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071912 | Methods and Apparatus for Visually Assisted Fast Food Order Preparation - Systems and techniques for providing feedback to improve accuracy of order assembly. Images corresponding to items comprising an order transaction are presented in a display. As items are moved to an order assembly area, each item is detected and an image corresponding to the item is removed from the display. If an incorrect item is detected, an error message identifying the incorrect item is displayed. Once all items comprising the order have been detected, a completion message is displayed. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071913 | Inserting Value Into Customer Account at Point of Sale Using a Customer Account Identifier - A method of adding a value to a customer account is provided. A request to add a value to a customer account of a customer is received from a point of sale terminal. The request may comprise value identification data associated with the value and account identification data associated with the customer account. The customer account identification data may be entered at the point of sale. The request may be associated with a purchase of the value. The value may be caused to be added to the customer account. During subsequent value purchase transactions, additional value may be added to the account. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071914 | Method and Apparatus for Secure Transaction Management - Methods and apparatuses for secure transaction management are provided. An example method may include verifying that a mobile terminal identifier is registered with an account, generating an authorization code, and verifying that the received authorization code matches the authorization code stored in association with the account, and the received customer verification number matches the customer verification number associated with the account. The example method may also include providing for transmission of a verification reply to authorize the transaction. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071915 | System and method for searching and merging compatible applications from a user-influenced search result for portable electronic drvice - A system and method for allowing a user to keep and maintain compatible application on a single application on a portable electronic device that allows the user to organize, maintain, categorize, merge and personalize the downloaded compatible content application on a single platform. The current invention allows the user to search for and download compatible content from a content provider, whereby merged content or application becomes part of user's customized application, giving content providers a one-on-one interaction with the user, and in return, the content provider pays the inventive platform operator a fee when a user views, accesses, merges, downloads, or engages in commercial activity, wherein the search result from the inventive platform is user-influenced in that the more a compatible application of a content provider is viewed, merged or commercial activity performed, the higher its rank. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071916 | VIRTUAL RELEASE PARTY - A method, apparatus and program product provide a mechanism for distributing recorded content whereby content is sold through a limited channel known as a virtual release party, and a user receives a commission for referring a purchaser to a website that sells the content. The user submits an identifier associated with the referring entity to the website when purchasing the content. The referring entity is thus credited automatically with the purchase of the content. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071917 | SUGGESTED ITEM CATEGORY SYSTEMS AND METHODS - Apparatus, systems, and methods may operate to offer items for sale, wherein at least some of the items for sale have been matched to item categories and/or item attributes. The categories and attributes may be derived from token weights determined in accordance with a ratio of a total number of the items for sale and the number of items for sale that are associated with a common token. Additional activities may include locating some of the items for sale associated with the common token by executing a navigation application. Additional apparatus, methods, and systems are disclosed. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071918 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MANAGING AND EVALUATING NETWORK COMMODITIES PURCHASING - Comparison values are calculated for evaluating a commercial transaction. A request for quote received from a buyer agent includes a product specification data set that identifies items that differ in accordance with at least one parameter. Price data sets received from seller agents identify items and prices in response to the product specification data set. At least one of the price data sets identifies an item having a different parameter value as compared to the item in another price data set. A comparison value for each price data set is generated by determining a price total from the price data set and calculating a summed market price total by summing market price totals for each of the items. Calculating market price totals includes obtaining metric data indicative of market prices. The summed market price total is compared to the price total for the price data set to generate the comparison value. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071919 | GARDEN DESIGN METHOD - A garden design method is performed using a server computer configured to communicate via the Internet with a remote computer of a customer. The method includes the step of providing queries from the server computer to the remote customer computer which relate to a garden design. One of the queries relates to a type (e.g. shape, theme, etc.) of the garden design. The method further includes the step of obtaining responses to the server computer via the Internet from the remote computer to the queries provided to the customer. At least one garden template based upon the obtained responses is determined by the server computer using software including machine-readable instructions executable by the server computer. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071920 | Method and system for online sales and purchases - Internet-based commercial network connects multiple qualified participant buyers and sellers. Items are made available for defined periods of time, referred to as an event ( | 2011-03-24 |
20110071921 | DISTRIBUTED ELECTRONIC COMMERCE SYSTEM WITH CENTRALIZED POINT OF PURCHASE - An electronic commerce system includes a broker that enables customers to purchase items from merchants. A customer interacts with the merchant to identify items to purchase, and the merchant directs the customer to the broker in order to complete the transaction. The broker receives a description of a virtual shopping cart generated by the merchant and presents the customer with an interface allowing the customer to select shipping and other options for the purchase. The broker calculates a total amount for the transaction based on the shopping cart description and the options selected by the customer. The broker informs the merchant of the purchase and coordinates the shipment of the purchased items from the merchant to the customer. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071922 | Systems and Methods to Facilitate Online Transactions - Systems and methods are provided to facilitate online transactions via mobile communications. In one aspect, a system includes a communication interface to receive an input from a merchant; a plurality of converters to interface with a plurality of controllers for delivery of premium messages sent by the system to collect funds for purchases made by customers; and a common format processor coupled with the plurality of converters to send the premium messages. The common format processor determines a combination of one or more premium messages, in response to a first customer making a first purchase from the merchant at a first price. The total price of the one or more premium messages is based on the first price and a portion of service charges associated with the one or more premium messages, where the portion is specified by the input received via the interface. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071923 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AUTOMATIC ANALYSIS OF RATE INFORMATION - A multi-factor rate analysis system and method for analyzing service plan rates, service providers, and savings other information is provided. Rate information may be based on one or more of historical and other user specific usage information and preferences, current rate information for one or more services as well as other information. This information way be used to identify one or more rate plans that are advantageous to a user, enable the user to select from the identified plans, facilitate the ability Of the user to switch from one rate plan to another and provide other benefits and advantages. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071924 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROCESSING CONSUMER TRANSACTIONS USING A CENTRAL SERVER AND A MOBILE PROCESSOR - A system and method for obtaining an item includes retrieving consolidated data concerning an item from a provider infrastructure, the consolidated data including data elements from a source of the item and data elements concerning a mobile user of the provider infrastructure. Verifiable authorization is retrieved from the provider infrastructure for the mobile user of the provider infrastructure to obtain the item from the source of said item consistent with the consolidated data. The consolidated data may have various data elements specific to the source of the items such as price offers, rebates, incentives and discounts and location of the item and various data elements specific to the mobile user such as gift certificates, loyalty programs, buyers' group participation and location of the mobile user in relation to the specific source. The verifiable authorization from said provider infrastructure is displayed on a device for said mobile user of said provider infrastructure to obtain the item from the source of the item consistent with the consolidated data. If a purchase decision is made, the system and method for obtaining an item may also include retrieving payment verification from the provider infrastructure for the item from the source of the item. This payment verification is consistent with the consolidated data and by a preselected method of payment by the mobile user of the provider infrastructure. The provider infrastructure is updated with data related to the mobile user of the provider infrastructure and the source of the item. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071925 | SYSTEM AND METHOD OF PROVIDING A BROWSE TREE FOR AD LISTINGS - A method for facilitating the listing in an ad of items within an electronic catalog of an online ad repository, comprising a process of providing an item category tree, which contains a plurality of nodes arranged in a plurality of levels, wherein the plurality of nodes are made up of distal nodes to represent items of the catalog and non-distal nodes to represent categories of items, and presenting successive non-distal nodes for selection until a user places the ad according to item categories and subcategories that represent characteristics of the item for sale. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071926 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR OBTAINING SERVICES - A method for obtaining a service by a first terminal related to a network entity, the method comprising receiving information indicative of capabilities related to the network entity; and selecting one or more of the capabilities. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071927 | INVENTORY FILTERING SYSTEM, METHOD, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT - A system, method and computer program product for inventory filtering includes filtering one or more inventory items offered for sale. A primary list of the inventory items from a primary logistics information database may be obtained. A first restriction requirement based on the primary list may be generated. A second list may be generated pertaining to the inventory items and may include a list of one or more internally generated second restriction parameters different than any parameters used to establish the first restriction requirement. A second restriction requirement may be generated based on the second list. A combined restriction requirement may be generated based on any combination of the first restriction requirement and the second restriction requirement. The sale of the item may be restricted based on the combined restriction requirement. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071928 | Methods and Systems for Collaborative Demand Planning and Replenishment - The present invention provides systems and methods for generating replenishment orders for products sold to a multi-store retailer. Store trait data is mapped with planogram information and the mapped data is used to generate a fixture level safety stock for a particular product in a particular store. The fixture level safety stock triggers fixture level replenishment orders. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071929 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MANAGING BUILDING SERVICES - Described herein are systems and methods for managing building services. In overview, various embodiments provide software, hardware and methodologies underlying an approach to the management of building services as discussed herein. Generally speaking, data collected at an access control terminal is processed to determine building service costs, and appropriately attribute those costs to a relevant party or group of parties. In one example, a building has a conference room that is available for use by a plurality of tenants. To use the meeting room, an employee of one of the tenants provides an access control respective token to an access control terminal located in a conference room. This initiates a request, which is subsequently either granted or denied subject to an authorization/authentication procedure. Where the request is granted, the user is provided with access to a building service essentially defining usage of the conference room for a predetermined period of time. For example, lighting and air-conditioning is provided to the room for that predetermined period. A building service cost associated with that usage of the conference room is determined (for example in terms of power, maintenance, etc), and attributed to the relevant tenant. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071930 | BUDDY LIST FOR BLOCKED SERVICE - A buddy list is used to provide a service to a user if the service is blocked. A user may store multiple profiles in a user device, and each profile identifies a different buddy list. If the user's service is blocked, the user device is configured to retrieve a profile and send a request to use a buddy list from the profile to utilize the service. If a request is rejected, another profile is tried until the request is approved or until all the profiles have been exhausted. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071931 | Presentation Production System With Universal Format - A fully customizable system and method for producing videos utilizing a decentralized business model for receiving input parameters from the customer or user and for presenting production elements for selection based on the input parameters. The system providing feedback by calculating, a cost, a delivery date, and/or the required raw video source material, as the customer or user makes production element selections. The customer or user is further provided with specific direction as to which and how many raw source materials are to be gathered for the video production. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071932 | Electric Vehicle Network - An electric vehicle network is provided. The electric vehicle network includes a plurality of battery service stations and a service provider. The battery service stations are configured to service the batteries of a plurality of electric vehicles, and the electric vehicles are operated by a plurality of users. Battery service stations are configured to recharge batteries, replace spent batteries, or both. The service provider communicates with the battery service stations to facilitate servicing of the electric vehicles as the service stations based on subscription plans associated with the users. A plurality of subscription plan options is provided to the users. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071933 | System For Surveillance Of Financial Data - A system and method is disclosed for surveillance of financial data, comprising initiating a financial data surveillance module executable on a processor of a financial data surveillance computer system. Source data is retrieved from one or more data sources of a remote data server on which the source data is stored, the source data including transactions for a specific date and identification of the entity and account that each transaction is associated with. A metrics summary packet is generated for a particular account and the specific date, the metrics summary packet including one or more transaction classifiables that satisfy a predefined set of metric definition rules. A subjects packet is generated for the particular account that identifies the entities associated with the particular account, and a subjects-metrics packet is generated for the particular account by combining subject classifiables and metric classifiables within the subjects packet and metric summary packet. An aggregation packet is generated for an entity associated with the particular account, the aggregation packet including subject and metric classifiables of the subjects-metrics packet that satisfy a predefined set of aggregation rules. An evaluation score is generated for the entity by passing classifiables of the aggregation packet through a rules engine including a predefined set of scenario rules to determine if the aggregation classifiables are indicative of suspicious financial activity. A work item is generated if the evaluation score is indicative of suspicious financial activity. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071934 | ELECTRONIC CHECKBOOK REGISTER - An electronic checkbook register includes a durable housing having a base and a cover pivotal between open and closed configurations. Traditional checks may be stored in a pocket in the cover. The register includes a processor electrically connected to a keyboard. A display is also provided on which multiple data fields are displayed. Data from a written check or similar transaction may be inputted into respective data fields using the keyboard and a stylus. Spending category buttons are also included and may be pressed to associate respective financial data with a category. All data may be uploaded and synchronized with a remote computer for further processing and record keeping using USB, SD flash memory, or mini-USB components. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071935 | System and method for facilitating trading of financial instruments - A system and method for facilitating trading of financial instruments. According to one embodiment, an application receives an indication of interest to trade a financial instrument by a first party, provides the indication of interest to other parties without disclosing a side of trade, receives an offer to trade the financial instrument by a second party based on the provided indication of interest, a side of trade being associated with the offer by the second party but not disclosed to the first party, and receives either a rejection or an acceptance of the second party's offer by the first party. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071936 | EXCHANGE TRADING SYSTEM AND METHOD HAVING A VARIABLE MAKER-TAKER MODEL - A method is described for providing one of a plurality of maker-taker pricing models to a system connected with the exchange system. The method includes the steps of an exchange server receiving from a first market participant of the exchange a marked order at the exchange connected to a database, the marked order marked with an indication of an expected rebate amount for trading orders; associating the marked order with an order from a second market participant of the exchange stored in a database configured to receive and store orders having varying rebate amounts according to the expected rebate amount; and executing the marked order according to the indication of an expected rebate amount. An exchange system for accessing at least one maker-taker pricing model for executing a trade on an exchange is also disclosed. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071937 | TRADING ORDER ROUTING - An apparatus for routing trading orders comprises a memory and a processor. The memory stores first trading information associated with a first buy order placed with a first market center. The first buy order is associated with a product and the first trading information comprises a disclosed quantity of the product and a reserved quantity of the product. The memory also stores second trading information associated with a second buy order placed with a second market center. The second buy order is associated with the product and the second trading information comprises a disclosed quantity of the product and a reserved quantity of the product. The processor is coupled to the memory and receives a sell order associated with a quantity of the product. The processor further cancels at least a portion of the second buy order placed with the second market center for placement with the first market center. The canceled portion of the second buy order is determined based at least in part upon the second trading information. The processor further routes at least one additional sell order to the first market center having a quantity that is based upon at least one of the first trading information and the canceled portion of the second buy order. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071938 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CREATING AN EQUITY EXCHANGE FUND FOR PUBLIC AND PRIVATE ENTITIES - A method and system for creating an equity exchange fund for public and private entities are provided. The method includes the steps of receiving an application to participate in the fund from at least one investor, the investor having a position in at least one commercial entity; evaluating the entity based on at least one predetermined criteria; if the entity is acceptable, performing a valuation of the position in the entity; and determining a number of shares of the fund to be exchanged for the position in the entity. The determining the number of shares step includes determining a future value of the position at a scheduled date of liquidation of the fund; dividing the future value of the position by a total current fund value plus the future value of the position to determine a ratio; and multiplying a number of shares of the fund by the ratio. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071939 | Electronic loan preparation and loan selection system - This is a utility patent application for a new method that allows users (borrowers) to obtain mortgage financing. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071940 | Motivate and award system with escrow accounts to reserve and store specific selected or requested awards - A system and method to award a person to engage and complete a designated activity by setting up an escrow account with monetary funds or award items ready to reward the person immediately following the completion of the activity. The timeliness of the award can enhance the effectiveness of the motivation system. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071941 | ELECTRONIC PLATFORM FOR FACILITATING INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS - An electronic platform to facilitate international financial swaps between businesses and individuals in different countries, in different countries, comprises a data bank for receiving financial transfer requests; a market clearing system with the ability to match requests from a party to transfer funds from one country to another with one or more complementary requests from another party or parties; a market making system with the ability to add liquidity to facilitate swaps; and an executing system with the ability to transfer funds between matched parties and complete a swap. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071942 | SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATICALLY TRANSFERRING ACCOUNT INFORMATION, SUCH AS INFORMATION REGARDING A FINANCIAL SERVICES ACCOUNT - A system for transferring a customer's account information from one account to a new account is described. The system utilizes a switch kit application and associated system that can determine services at the old account and facilitate the transfer of these services to the new account. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071943 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR EXECUTING CASH PAYMENTS VIA A COMPUTER NETWORK - The invention presented comprises a system and method for executing a cash payment via a computer network. A payor computing device communicates over a computer network with payee computing devices via a P2P server. The P2P server is operative to receive a payment request from the payor computing device and process the payment by debiting a financial instrument specified by a payor utilizing the payor computing device. The payment request is transmitted from the P2P server to a cash payment server operative to receive the payment request and translate the request into the native format of an ATM control server, the native format of the P2P server and ATM control server not being interoperable. The ATM control server is operative to generate a PIN code, which is transmitted along with the received payment instructions to an ATM. The ATM receives the payment instructions and dispenses the payment upon receipt of the PIN code. Receipt data is also generated by the ATM control server, translated into the native format of the P2P server by the cash payment server, and delivered to the payor and payee via the P2P sever. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071944 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DISPENSING POSTAGE WITHOUT PRINTING - A method of dispensing evidence of postage payment that includes providing a machine readable mechanism, such as a barcode, for being associated with a mailpiece to a customer, wherein the machine readable mechanism includes a first identifier and the customer has a customer identifier. The method further includes receiving first information from a mobile electronic device associated with the customer, the first information including: (i) the first identifier, (ii) the customer identifier, and (iii) mailpiece information, preferably including a postage amount, relating to the mailpiece, the first identifier included in the first information having been obtained based on an image of the pre-printed machine readable mechanism captured by the mobile electronic device, deducting a postage amount based on the mailpiece information from a postage account associated with the customer identifier, and transmitting the first identifier and verification of payment for postage to a carrier. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071945 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PERFORMING SECURE CREDIT CARD TRANSATIONS - A method and system of performing secure credit card purchases in the context of a remote commercial transaction, such as over the telephone, wherein only the customer, once generally deciding upon a product or service to be purchased, communicates with a custodial authorizing entity, such as a credit card company or issuing bank wherein such entity has previous knowledge of the credit card number as well as custodial control of other account parameters such as interest rate, payment history, available credit limit etc. The customer supplies the custodial authorizing entity with the account identification data such as the credit card number and a requested one of a possible plurality of predetermined payment categories which define the dollar amount for the purchase and specific, predetermined time parameters within which authorization by the custodial authorizing entity will remain in effect. The custodial authorizing entity then generates a transaction code which is communicated exclusively to the customer wherein the customer in turn communicates only the transaction code to the merchant instead of a credit card number. The transaction code is indicative of merchant identification, credit card account identification and a designated one of the plurality of predetermined payment categories. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071946 | CREDIT APPLICANT AND USER AUTHENTICATION SOLUTION - The present invention provides a credit applicant and user authentication solution for authenticating the identity of a credit applicant or a credit user. In particular, a user of the authentication system establishes a user account and obtains authentication information. The user then provides the authentication information during a subsequent credit application or credit transaction to authenticate the user's identity. Authentication information may be renewed after each application or transaction at specified time intervals, based on monetary thresholds, specific geographic limitations, or any other methodology specified by the user. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071947 | AUCTION VERIFICATION - An auction verification subsystem provides verification, without revealing actual bid values, that bid values remained sealed prior to a closing time for the auction and that an announced winning bidder for the auction provided a highest bid. The verification subsystem receives encrypted bids from bidders and generates commitment data based on the bids and provides the commitment data to each of the bidders. In response to receiving the commitment data, the bidders provide decryption keys for the encrypted bids. In turn, the bids are decrypted and an auction is performed using the decrypted bids. The results of the auction can be verified based on bid representations that do not reveal the actual values of bids, thereby maintaining the secrecy of bids. Providing access to an exchange between bidders and the verification subsystem facilitates verification that the auction is performed as a sealed bid auction. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071948 | AUCTION VERIFICATION - An auction verification subsystem provides verification, without revealing actual bid values, that bid values remained sealed prior to a closing time for the auction and that an announced winning bidder for the auction provided a highest bid. The verification subsystem receives encrypted bids from bidders and generates commitment data based on the bids and provides the commitment data to each of the bidders. In response to receiving the commitment data, the bidders provide decryption keys for the encrypted bids. In turn, the bids are decrypted and an auction is performed using the decrypted bids. The results of the auction can be verified based on bid representations that do not reveal the actual values of bids, thereby maintaining the secrecy of bids. Providing access to an exchange between bidders and the verification subsystem facilitates verification that the auction is performed as a sealed bid auction. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071949 | SECURE PIN ENTRY DEVICE FOR MOBILE PHONES - A secure mobile phone-point of sale (POS) system includes a mobile phone integrated with a secure PED module. The secure PED module is integrated with the mobile phone via the phone's serial port or directly to the phone's Printed Circuit Board Assembly (PCBA). The secure PED module conforms to security standards imposed by the payment card industry. The secure mobile phone-POS system has the functionality of both the secure PED and the mobile phone and the look and feel of the mobile phone. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071950 | CUSTOMER-ORIENTED CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT PROCESS AND SYSTEM - A method and system for customer service and support integrated with social networks includes an Internet available server application where consumers and providers can create their profiles, integrate their profiles with existing social network profiles, and collaborate with each other on resolving consumer issues using a workflow engine supported with a rule engine. Consumers may be organized into consumer groups and into federations of consumer groups. Consumer issues may be voted on thereby raising the significance of an issue and/or building a provider's reputation based in part on resolved issues, issue votes, and by reviews and comments. Consumers manage their profiles. Provider profiles are predominately affected by resolved/unresolved issues or positive/negative reviews. Notifications are handled automatically based on configured workflow and rule engine and utilize internal messaging system, emails, SMS and other available social network services (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, etc.). | 2011-03-24 |
20110071951 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MONITORING OCCUPENCY OF A RENTAL PROPERTY - The present invention discloses a system for monitoring the usage of utilities along with other parameters, such as whether a tenant is current with rental payments, to determine whether a tenant is actively occupying a rental property, such as an apartment. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071952 | SYSTEM AND METHOD OF OPTIMIZING RESOURCE CONSUMPTION - A system and method for quantifying and optimizing resource consumption and waste generation of a plurality of resource consumer devices that consume one or more consumable resources to produce useful work. The system and method comprise an input module that receives input data related to each of the plurality of resource consumer devices and each of the one or more consumable resources, a resource consumer module that determines an amount of the one or more consumable resource consumed by each of the plurality of resource consumer devices under a particular load and an amount of waste produced by each of the plurality of resource consumer devices under the particular load based at least in part on the input data, a waste stream module that normalizes and sums the amount of waste produced by each of the plurality of resource consumer devices per amount of useful work produced, and an output module that determines costs associated with operating the plurality of resource consumer devices based at least in part on the amount of the one or more consumable resource consumed by each of the plurality of resource consumer devices and the normalized and summed amount of waste produced by each of the plurality of resource consumer devices. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071953 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR SOCIAL NETWORK ANALYSIS - Methods and system for social commerce network analysis are described. In one embodiment, a strongly connected component value, an in-component value, an out-component value, a disconnected component value, a tendril value, and a tube value of a social network for a time period may be accessed. A social strength of the social network for the time period may be calculated by combining the strongly connected component value, the in-component value, the out-component value, the disconnected component value, the tendril value, and the tube value. The social strength of the social network for the time period may be utilized for analysis of the social network. The strongly connected component value may have a greatest weight and the disconnected component value may have the lowest weight in the combining. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071954 | PACKAGE SHIPPING SYSTEM AND METHOD, INCLUDING USAGE OF HISTORICAL ANALYTIC DATA - Embodiments provide methods, apparatus, systems, and computer-readable media associated with using historic analytic data to identify shipping options for a user to use when shipping a package. Historic analytic data may be received and maintained by a package shipment facilitation system. The analytics may then be used to generate business rules which may be applied to parameters for a package that is to be shipped. Through application of the business rules, one or more preferred shipping options may be identified. Business rules may be received after being manually-generated by a user, or may be automatically generated based at least in part on the maintained historic analytics. After a shipping option is chosen for the package, a shipping label may be printed for the package, and the package may be entered into a carrier's system for processing. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071955 | TRANSPORTATION SCHEDULE PLANNING SUPPORT SYSTEM AND TRANSPORTATION SCHEDULE PLANNING SUPPORT METHOD - A transportation schedule planning support system receives an order of one or more types of products which requires a use-by date control, and transports the products from one or more stock-carrying bases to one or more delivery destinations. In the system, a user previously registers a transportation route candidate from a stock-carrying base to each delivery destination adoptable as a solution, as a base group. A necessary use-by date for a product to be delivered next is determined based on an actual delivery to each delivery destination. The number of vehicles allocatable to a transportation at each base according to a vehicle type, and a vehicle type not used in each base group are added to a restriction condition. A mixed integer programming is applied using an expected obtainable profit obtained by delivering each product as an objective function. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071956 | PREDICTIVE MODEL DEVELOPMENT - Models are generated using a variety of tools and features of a model generation platform. For example, in connection with a project in which a user generates a predictive model based on historical data about a system being modeled, the user is provided through a graphical user interface a structured sequence of model generation activities to be followed, the sequence including dimension reduction, model generation, model process validation, and model re-generation. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071957 | Hedging risk in an investment vehicle - A method for managing an investment vehicle. An option is purchased for protection of cash flows to be paid by the investment vehicle to designated investors. An option is sold offsetting the purchased option at least in part. The cash flows and security priorities of the investment vehicle are structured so that the purchased option protects the protected investors, and the proceeds of the sale of the sold option offsets the cost of the purchased option for benefit of non-protected investors. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071958 | Central counterparty for data management - A central counterparty for data management (CCDM) receives data relating to financial transactions, associates the data with metadata to create reference data, stores the reference data and provides the reference data in “push” and “pull” ways. The “push” techniques for providing the data include distributing on a data feed, sending the data to parties known to be relevant to the transaction, and sending the data to parties who have a standing query that is satisfied by the data. The “pull” techniques for providing the data include responding to queries received from a variety of parties. The CCDM generates and distributes unique, unambiguous and universal identifiers (U3id's) and associates the U3id identifiers with the reference data. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071959 | AUTOMATIC MAPPING AND ALLOCATION OF BENEFICIAL INTERESTS IN TRUSTS FOR PORTFOLIO ANALYSIS - The present invention relates to analysis of trusts that have multiple beneficiaries whose interests mature in different time periods or under different conditions. In particular, we disclose automatic mapping of interests in one or more trusts, optionally subject to user confirmation, to long and short positions in financial or derivative interests that have expected payouts and costs that can be offset against underlying trust assets. The underlying assets and long and short positions in the mapped instruments can be attributed to various beneficiaries and subjected to various risk and investment analyses. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071960 | System For Monitoring Optimal Equipment Operating Parameters - A method includes obtaining a present value of a set point for at least one piece of equipment with a remote monitor in communication with a controller that controls the at least one piece of equipment according to the set point. The method also includes determining a first power consumption rate with the remote monitor. The first power consumption rate corresponds to power consumption of the at least one piece of equipment while operating at the present value of the set point. The method also includes determining a second power consumption rate with the remote monitor. The second power consumption rate corresponds to power consumption of the at least one piece of equipment while operating at a predetermined benchmark value of the set point. The method also includes determining a monetary cost associated with a difference between the first power consumption rate and the second power consumption rate, based on a power consumption cost, when the first power consumption rate is greater than the second power consumption rate. The method also includes communicating the monetary cost, with the remote monitor, to a remote user. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071961 | INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY TRADING EXCHANGE AND A METHOD FOR TRADING INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS - An intellectual property trading exchange is disclosed for facilitating the trading of intellectual property rights. The exchange includes at least one intellectual property license contract relating to intellectual property rights and a forum configured to allow a plurality of participants to trade the license contract. The plurality of participants includes at least one seller, which may be the owner, having the license contract and desiring to trade the license contract. The plurality of participants also includes at least one buyer desiring to obtain the license contract. The buyer may be an investor, speculator, market maker, or arbitrageur, who purchases the license contract to achieve appreciation. The buyer also may be a licensee, who purchases the license contract to practice the intellectual property rights. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071962 | Method and system of using network graph properties to predict vertex behavior - Network graphs are determined using data about the vertices. Vertices are clustered into community of vertices based on maximizing the density of linkages within each community. Vertex properties describing the extent to which each vertex's community has exhibited a particular behavior are determined. Vertex properties describing whether the most important vertex in each community has exhibited a particular behavior are determined. Functions describing the relationship between these two categories of vertex properties and other relevant vertex properties, and a particular behavior are determined. These functions are used to predict the likelihood of each vertex exhibiting the particular behavior. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071963 | Method, System and Apparatus for Intelligent Management of Oil and Gas Platform Surface Equipment - A method, system, apparatus (and related computer program) for intelligent management of oil and gas offshore and onshore platform surface equipment over a computer network is disclosed. The system utilizes a data aggregator for gathering real-time data streams from surface equipment located on such platform(s), such surface equipment containing one or more sensors for monitoring in real time the performance of equipment operational parameters of interest. The data analysis engine is in network communication with the data aggregator, and comprises a trained neural network capable of generating self organizing maps, and creating predictive operational parameters regarding such surface equipment. An interface is provided for inputting into the neural network various data including, for example, the published performance operational parameters for such equipment. A network user interface is also provided for transmitting such predictive operational input to one or more end user terminals equipped with end user dashboard display software. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071964 | BUILDING AND USING PREDICTIVE MODELS OF CURRENT AND FUTURE SURPRISES - Methods are described for identifying events that would be considered surprising by people and identifying how and when to transmit information to a user about situations that they would likely find surprising. Additionally, the methods of identifying surprising situations can be used to build a case library of surprising events, joined with a set of observations before the surprising events occurred. Statistical machine learning methods can be applied with data from the case library to build models that can predict when a user will likely be surprised at future times. One or more models of context-sensitive expectations of people, a view of the current world, and methods for recording streams or events before surprises occur, and for building predictive models from a case library of surprises and such historical observations can be employed. The models of current and future surprises can be coupled with display and alerting machinery. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071965 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CROSS DOMAIN LEARNING FOR DATA AUGMENTATION - According to an example embodiment, a method comprises executing instructions by a special purpose computing apparatus to, for labeled source domain data having a plurality of original labels, generate a plurality of first predicted labels for the labeled source domain data using a target function, the target function determined by using a plurality of labels from labeled target domain data. The method further comprises executing instructions by the special purpose computing apparatus to apply a label relation function to the first predicted labels for the source domain data and the original labels for the source domain data to determine a plurality of weighting factors for the labeled source domain data. The method further comprises executing instructions by the special purpose computing apparatus to generate a new target function using the labeled target domain data, the labeled source domain data, and the weighting factors for the labeled source domain data, and evaluate a performance of the new target function to determine if there is a convergence. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071966 | CONDITION MONITORING OF AN UNDERWATER FACILITY - A method for monitoring the condition of apparatus located at an underwater facility that includes sensing at least one parameter associated with the apparatus, providing a model of expected behaviour of said at least one parameter, comparing said sensed parameter with said model, and assessing the condition of the apparatus based upon said comparison. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071967 | Automatic Labeler Assignment - A method, including receiving multi-labeler data that includes data points labeled by a plurality of labelers; building a model from the multi-labeler data, wherein the model includes an input variable that corresponds to the data points, a label variable that corresponds to true labels for the data points, and variables for the labels given by the labelers; and executing the model, in response to receiving new data points, to determine a level of expertise of the labelers for the new data points. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071968 | MOBILE BRAIN-BASED DEVICE HAVING A SIMULATED NERVOUS SYSTEM BASED ON THE HIPPOCAMPUS - A brain-based device (BBD) having a physical mobile device NOMAD controlling and under control by a simulated nervous system. The simulated nervous system is based on an intricate anatomy and physiology of the hippocampus and its surrounding neuronal regions including the cortex. The BBD integrates spatial signals from numerous objects in time and provides flexible navigation solutions to aid in the exploration of unknown environments. As NOMAD navigates in its real world environment, the hippocampus of the simulated nervous system organizes multi-modal input information received from sensors on NOMAD over timescales and uses this organization for the development of spatial and episodic memories necessary for navigation. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071969 | NEURO TYPE-2 FUZZY BASED METHOD FOR DECISION MAKING - According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a method of decision-making comprising: a data input step to input data from a plurality of first data sources into a first data bank, analysing said input data by means of a first adaptive artificial neural network (ANN), the neural network including a plurality of layers having at least an input layer, one or more hidden layers and an output layer, each layer comprising a plurality of interconnected neurons, the number of hidden neurons utilised being adaptive, the ANN determining the most important input data and defining therefrom a second ANN, deriving from the second ANN a plurality of Type-1 fuzzy sets for each first data source representing the data source, combining the Type-1 fuzzy sets to create Footprint of Uncertainty (FOU) for type-2 fuzzy sets, modelling the group decision of the combined first data sources; inputting data from a second data source, and assigning an aggregate score thereto, comparing the assigned aggregate score with a fuzzy set representing the group decision, and producing a decision therefrom. A method employing a developed ANN as defined in Claim | 2011-03-24 |
20110071970 | AUTOMATED CONTROL OF A POWER NETWORK USING METADATA AND AUTOMATED CREATION OF PREDICTIVE PROCESS MODELS - Automated control of a power network is provided by: providing multiple intelligent power controllers (IPCs) associated with multiple components of the power network, each IPC being associated with a different component; obtaining at least one raw data stream representative of at least one operational aspect of at least one component of the multiple components; and automatically associating, by at least one intelligent power controller associated with at least one component, metadata with the at least one raw data stream to produce at least one self-identifying data stream. The associated metadata describes one or more characteristics of the at least one raw data stream, and the at least one self-identifying data stream facilitates automated creation of predictive process models to assist in automated control of the power network by an IPC manager of the power network. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071971 | MULTI-LEVEL EVENT COMPUTING MODEL - High-order events may be generated and consumed in a cascading computing model. Low level information, such as changes in physical sensor readings, may be communicated to an application in the form of event messages that are generated by an operating system service. In one example, models that implement high level abstractions may also use events to communicate facts that have been inferred from lower level facts. For example, a program might generate events indicating that a particular type of motion (e.g., walking) has started or stopped, where the program infers the walking motion from sensor data about acceleration and position. Another program could consume those events and other data to draw higher level conclusions, such as “Joe is walking to a meeting”. Thus, events may be used in a cascading model in which events are generated and consumed at increasingly high levels of abstraction. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071972 | GROUP COMPOSITING ALGORITHMS FOR PRESENCE - Systems and methods presented herein construct groups and determine the presence for the groups. The groups can be constructed based on business logic. A set of components can model a group from the business logic, can establish a membership for the group, can determine one or more rules that govern presence determination for the membership, and can provide the group model, membership information, and the one or more rules to a rules engine. The rules engine can evaluate presence within the group model based on the membership and the one or more rules. The group presence can then be provided to one or more entities, applications, or workflows that subscribe to the rules engine for the group presence. | 2011-03-24 |
20110071973 | Content summarizing and search method and system - The present invention relates to a system and method for information process using artificially constructed apparatus. In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, if the task for the system of the present invention is to summarize document content, the thinking mode will first analyze the identification information of the element files for words (or phrases) in the document to identify key words (or phrases), then the key words (or phrases) will be analyzed to establish links between key words (phrases). By the frequency of appearances of the key words (or phrases), in combination of the appearances of other key words (or phrases) that are related to the key words, the most important key word (or phrase) or key words (or phrases) can be obtained. Thus the document can be summarized by the most important key word (or phrase) or key words (or phrases) as the topic (or topics) of the document. | 2011-03-24 |