12th week of 2010 patent applcation highlights part 41 |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20100076775 | PROGRESSIVE CAPTURE OF PROSPECT INFORMATION FOR USER PROFILES - Embodiments are directed towards inferring an online matching profile based on progressively receiving a prospect's inputs. Access to other matching profiles is provided to the prospect, and while viewing such profiles of other participants, the prospect may progressively provide inputs, such that the prospect's profile may be inferred. As the prospect continues viewing and progressively providing additional inputs, a number of compatibility metrics presented to the prospect may be increased, as does a degree of compatibility of matches that may be suggested to the prospect. At any time during the viewing and progressive input process, the prospect may be presented with their inferred profile. The prospect may then accept and/or modify various elements within the inferred profile. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076776 | Fundraising and Recruitment Methods - A computer-based system collects performance information, e.g., grades, submitted by students. The system automatically searches its database to see if the performance information satisfies any sponsorship pledges contained in the database. If so, the system executes the pledge and rewards the student for the good performance. The system can also be used to sponsor education programs, and to find suitable job candidates with the right performance records and credentials. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076777 | AUTOMATIC RECOMMENDATION OF LOCATION TRACKING PRIVACY POLICIES - A system and method is described herein that automatically provides users with recommendations regarding location tracking privacy policies that may be appropriate to enact in certain contexts as well as a means for enacting such policies. Once a privacy policy is enacted, the manner in which location information associated with the user is provided to at least one application or service will be controlled in accordance with the privacy policy. The recommended privacy policies may represent privacy policies that have been enacted by other users in like contexts. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076778 | Method and System for Providing and Maintaining Limited-Subscriptions to Digital Media Assets - Systems, graphical user interfaces and methods for upgrading from one or more digital media assets to a set of digital media assets over a network are described. A potential purchaser can be notified of available upgrade opportunities that are available for purchase. The potential purchaser can elect to pursue an upgrade opportunity so as to purchase a set of digital media assets. Upon upgrading to the set of digital media assets, the digital media assets within the set of digital media assets are made available to the purchaser. According to one aspect, a graphical user interface facilitates presenting and requesting upgrade opportunities. According to another aspect, equivalency rules and/or eligibility rules can be used to control which sets of digital media assets are available for upgrade by respective potential purchasers. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076779 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR RECORDING AND MANAGING MANUFACTURING CAPACITY ATTRIBUTES - The present invention comprises methods and systems that provide the ability to record and manage manufacturing capacity attributes that describe the capacity at its lowest level of configurability—supporting the specification, planning, matching, and trading of the capacity. This is generally accomplished by first establishing a common data model that can store relational datasets of attributes for the various types of requirements and equipment, with accuracy and precision down to their lowest allowed levels of configurability. The present invention also provides a set of user interfaces (Uls) that provide a means to browse, filter, search, view, edit, group, report, and communicate the attribute datasets. Each dataset can also be originated or updated through an ability to import attribute information from manufacturing equipment, attribute files, other database systems, and the like. Furthermore, the present invention also provides the foundation for enabling other capacity management functions such as planning, matching, and trading of capacity | 2010-03-25 |
20100076780 | METHODS AND APPARATUS TO ORGANIZE PATIENT MEDICAL HISTORIES - Methods and apparatus to organize patient medical histories are disclosed herein. An example method includes receiving a medical report and analyzing the medical report to extract information related to a clinical event associated with the medical report; assigning a classification to the medical report using the extracted information; determining a severity of the clinical event associated with the medical report using the extracted information and assigning a severity score to the medical report; updating a record corresponding to the medical report in a data store to reflect the assigned classification and severity score; and enabling a healthcare practitioner to query the data store using the classification and severity score. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076781 | COMPUTERIZED SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR BUILDING A SYSTEM OF TEST COMPONENTS FOR A HEALTHCARE ORDERABLE PROCEDURE - A computerized system and method of building a system of test components for an orderable healthcare procedure is provided. An orderable healthcare procedure is received and associated with a discrete ontology concept. An ontology is traversed for the discrete ontology concept to identify test components related to the discrete ontology concept. The test components related to the discrete ontology concept are identified. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076782 | PATIENT COMMUNICATION METHOD AND SYSTEM - A healthcare communication system can include a patient terminal having a keyboard unit with message keys for transmitting different ones of one or more programmed messages, and alphanumeric keys for composing messages. The patient terminal can be communicatively linked to a patient terminal display for presenting the programmed messages and composed messages. Each of the message keys can include identifying indicia associated with a programmed message transmitted upon selection of the message key. The patient terminal keyboard also can include one or more destination keys for specifying one of multiple destination addresses within the healthcare communication system for delivering individual ones of the messages. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076783 | System For The Processing of Information Between Remotely Located Healthcare Entities - Systems and methods for reconciling healthcare data between multiple distributed computing nodes that enable an individual node, a topic object, or an intelligent agent to determine synchronization with other nodes, comprising sending source node data to a payload generator, the source node data including difference data, an encapsulated topic object, or intelligent agent communications, generating a payload including the source node data and destination attributes, and sending the payload to a destination node, topic object, or destination intelligent agent, and using the source node data to update destination node data according to destination node, topic object, or destination intelligent agent requirements. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076784 | PATIENT DIABETES DATA INTERCHANGE WITH ELECTRONIC MEDICAL RECORDS - A system and method for transferring patient diabetes information into an electronic medical record on a health record system with user validation are disclosed. After testing a patient's blood glucose levels over a period of time with a blood glucose meter which stores the patient diabetes information and the blood glucose levels in a first electronic format record, and after a user transfers the first electronic format record from the blood glucose meter into a diabetes management system on a computer, the invention provides a service which automatically monitors an output folder to determine when an export file containing the patient diabetes information is stored therein and after detection, automatically processes the export file into a default electronic medical report which can be copied into a clipboard utility provided by the computer and pasted into the electronic medical record of the patient on the health record system. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076785 | Predicting rare events using principal component analysis and partial least squares - Systems and methods are provided for predicting rare events, such as hospitalization events. Data related to health and/or healthcare may be compiled from a number of sources and used to construct a predictive model. The predictive model employ Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Partial Least Squares (PLS). The data may be arranged in a timeline, and formatted in such a way as to provide discrete temporal “batches”. This arrangement may facilitate the PCA and PLS decomposition of the data into predictive models. These models may then be applied to an individual's data, to create a prediction of healthcare related events. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076786 | Computer System and Computer-Implemented Method for Providing Personalized Health Information for Multiple Patients and Caregivers - Personalized health information is provided by maintaining a patient profile over time and matching information from the patient profile to appropriate patient-centric information related to that patient's specific medical condition. The patient profile can include a variety of medical information. The patient profile is matched, for example, to patient-centric options for care, clinical trials for which the patient is eligible, drug treatment regimens directly related to each patient's specific condition, scheduling of the treatments, survivorship plans and data, information about managing symptoms, nutritional information, rehabilitation recommendations, possible adverse events based on specific treatments to monitor, and personalized education and information. The patient profile can be populated with information from a database, such as one associated with a cancer registry. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076787 | METHOD FOR PREPARING A MEDICAL DATA REPORT - A method for preparing a medical report. Some example methods include receiving one or more medical data readings, where respective individual medical data readings include a numerical result of a medical test; processing the medical data readings into report data, where the report data includes the individual medical data readings and categorized ranges associated with the medical tests associated with individual medical data readings; and creating a medical data report including the report data, graphical representations of individual medical data readings and the respective categorized ranges, and textual descriptive information pertaining to the respective medical data readings. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076788 | Health-care exchange III - A system and a method for physicians, patients and health-care buyers to control their health-care resources by patterning and managing the dispensations of health-care services by physicians and patterning and managing the utilizations of health-care services by patients and for managing physicians' compensations and patients' and health-care buyers' health-care funds and disbursements. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076789 | Method for remote consultation via mobile communication apparatus and system thereof - A system for remote consultation via a remote mobile communication apparatus has a medical equipment device, a medical server and a remote mobile communication apparatus. A method for remote consultation employs the medical equipment device to produce the first medical report and store it into the medical server, transmits the first medical report with the medical server to the remote mobile communication apparatus via a wireless communication network, browses the first medical report, increases, modifies or varies the medical image or medical text of the first medical report to form the second medical report, and uses the mobile communication apparatus to send the second medical report back to the medical server via the wireless communication network. The remote consultation can be reached. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076790 | Health-care exchange IV - A system and method for effecting patterns, standards, consensuses and logics of the practice of medicine by physicians using adaptable compositions of information and data on diagnoses, health, health-care and health-care services and of health-care accounts to increase physicians' productivity and preserve physicians', patients' and health-care buyers' resources. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076791 | LIFETIME FINANCIAL PRODUCT - A system and method that offers a simple product solution for managing financial risks in retirement is provided. The product solution combines a uniquely structured deposit product (e.g., certificate of deposit (CD)) together with an insurance policy (e.g., group longevity insurance policy) to guarantee a lifetime stream of income to a customer. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076792 | Systems and Methods for Determination of Long Term Care Benefits - In one aspect, the invention comprises a computer implemented method comprising: (a) determining an average monthly cost of long term care for a consumer; (b) determining an estimated total cost of long term care for the consumer; (c) receiving and storing in a computer readable medium data describing the consumer's preferences regarding long term care resources; (d) calculating with a processor an initial benefit amount for the consumer; (e) adjusting with a processor the initial benefit amount based on the data describing the consumer's preferences to determine a total benefit amount; and (f) recommending a long term care policy providing the total benefit amount to the consumer, wherein the processors may the same processor or different processors. Other aspects of the invention comprise related method, computer system, and software embodiments. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076793 | Personalized Sound Management and Method - At least one exemplary embodiment is directed to implementing personalized sound management applications. A module comprising hardware and software is provided to manufacturers to build a device. A process is architected for remote enabling of a device with personalized sound management applications. Consumers select applications for managing their sound environment through purchased and subscription hardware and applications via a web environment. All products developed by manufacturers are tested and certified running the personalized sound management applications. Manufacturers and consumers may both be covered under for liability insurance. Users may remotely purchase may update, purchase hardware, add and download subscription based applications, and replace consumable through the web environment. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076794 | Systems For Valuating and Tracking Items of Property - Systems, methods, and computer program products are provided for tracking and providing information relating to items of tangible personal property. For example, in one embodiment, a property management system is adapted to (a) periodically estimate the value of one or more items of tangible personal property based on data regarding the sale of similar items of tangible personal property and (b) track the value of one or more items of tangible personal property. The property management system may also be used for purposes other than estimating the value of a particular item. For example, the information may be used to help an owner locate a lost or stolen item of tangible personal property. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076795 | OFFERING ACQUIRED AIR TRANSPORT RIGHTS AND SHARING RESULTING REVENUES - A private air charter transport sharing platform facilitates an original booking party entering into a transportation agreement with an air charter operator, wherein the original booking party receives rights to air transport covered by the agreement. The original booking party offers a portion of the received rights to potential incremental passengers for a passenger fee. As a result of acceptance of the offering the passenger fee is shared among the air charter operator and the original booking party. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076796 | System and Method for Baggage Issue - A baggage issuing facility for issuing baggage items to passengers is provided in this case. The baggage issuing facility is e.g. a baggage conveyor belt at an airport. There, provision is made for a locating facility which locates baggage items with reference to a tag that is attached thereto, and passengers with reference to at least one of the identification features assigned to the passenger concerned. The locating facility controls the baggage issuing facility in order to deliver the located baggage item to the associated located passenger. The baggage issuing system offers greater convenience for passengers, since it avoids long waiting times and crowds of people at a baggage conveyor belt. Moreover, it is also possible to make the baggage issue more flexible. In particular, the baggage issuing system is suitable for baggage issue at destination airports and for baggage storage at railway stations. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076797 | Collaborative environment to assess, design, and implement product changes - Generation of an engineering change case is initiated by associating an identified problem for a product with an engineering change case template. The engineering change case can include a plurality of structured folders that can be populated with content characterizing the identified problem as well as proposed solutions to the identified problem with each folder being assignable to one or more users and having associated deliverables for such users. The various users populate the folders with content associated with the deliverables with at least a portion of the deliverables being delegable and requiring completion in a sequential order. Thereafter, generation of the engineering case can be finalized when an indication is received that all deliverables requiring approval have been completed. Otherwise, the engineering change case can be canceled. Related apparatus, systems, techniques and articles are also described. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076798 | MODELING, MONITORING, AND MANAGING SYSTEM DIMENSIONS FOR A SERVICE ASSURANCE SYSTEM - A user interface accepts a model of a proposed system solution for a service assurance system. A Dimensioning Engine receives the solution and determines dimensions for the solution. The dimensions specify any of: a quantity of CPUs, a rating for the quantity of CPUs, an amount of disk storage, a memory requirement, or a CPU processing parameter. A Dimensioning Model Manager stores data from equipment and product vendors to determine the solution by taking into account specific characteristics of an equipment or a product to be used in the service assurance system. A Dimensioning Monitor (DM) monitors the model of the solution against events occurring in the service assurance system. The DM transmits an alert if the service assurance system underperforms or overperforms with reference to the model. The DM determines changes to the model into line with a current set of operational conditions, or updates the dimensions. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076799 | System and method for using classification trees to predict rare events - Systems and methods are provided for predicting rare events, such as hospitalization events. A set of data records, each containing multiple attributes with one or more values (which may include an “unknown” value), may represent a root node of a decision tree. This root node may be partitioned based on one of the attributes, such that the concentration (e.g., “purity”) of a relevant outcome (e.g., the rare event) is increased in one node and decreased in another. This process may be repeated until a decision tree with sufficiently pure leaf nodes is created. This “purified” decision tree may then be used to predict one or more rare events. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076800 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MONITORING PLANT ASSETS - The invention is a method and system for monitoring plant assets automatically comprising the steps of calculating a sum of the plant assets to be monitored, storing the calculated sum in a database, calculating a sum of the bad actors, computing the percentage of bad actors from the calculated sum, storing the computed percentage of bad actors into the database, calculating a current sum of the plant assets to be monitored after a predetermined interval, retrieving the stored sum of the plant assets, determining whether the current sum of the plant assets corresponds to the stored sum. When the stored sum corresponds to the current sum, the current sum of bad actors is calculated, the percentage of bad actors is computed from the calculated sum to determine an Asset Health Risk Index (“ARI”). | 2010-03-25 |
20100076801 | ELECTRONIC COMMERCE SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PREVENTING FRAUDULENT MERCHANDISE - An electronic commerce system and method for preventing fraudulent merchandise are provided. An online market server determines whether merchandise is fraudulent using real owner information when information on merchandise including real-owner terminal information is input from a seller terminal to request to register the merchandise. The merchandise requested for registration in an online market can be provided to a buyer only when the merchandise is not fraudulent by determining whether the merchandise is fraudulent, such that the buyer is provided with reliable information on merchandise and electronic commerce can be activated. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076802 | Autonomously Rescheduling Appointments - A method, system, and computer program product for autonomously rescheduling a future meeting in response to receiving a meeting cancellation notice of a previously scheduled meeting. A meeting rescheduling logic (MRL) of a server receives a cancellation of a scheduled meeting of an identified contact. The MRL may select a highest priority meeting from a plurality of meetings that has been flagged with an auto-move-up status. The MRL determines if all attendees of the selected meeting are available to attend the meeting at the open time slot of the identified contact's calendar. Upon determining that all attendees of the selected meeting are available at the open time slot, the MRL reschedules the selected meeting at the open time slot, and notifies all attendees. Additionally, the MRL may cancel a lower priority meeting of the attendees to accommodate moving a higher priority meeting into the open time slot. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076803 | Method and System for Dynamic Project Management and Capacity Management and capacity management - Described herein are systems and methods for dynamic project management and capacity management. Specifically, the systems and method include a management tool for performing project management, capacity management, and time and cost creation across systems and departments for the lowest levels of data. The management tool include a computer readable storage medium including a set of instructions that are executable by a processor, the set of instructions being operable to store projected time information and projected cost information for a project, store actual time information and actual cost information for the project, and display a correlation between i) the projected time information and actual time information, and ii) the projected cost information and the actual cost information. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076804 | PREVENTING SCHEDULING CONFLICTS WHEN PROPOSING NEW TIMES FOR CALENDAR EVENTS - Calendar entries can be added indicating a proposed change to a calendar event to electronic calendars of all event attendees when the proposed change is pending approval. This puts the attendees on notice of a possible change in a time or place of the calendar event so that these attendees can choose not to schedule conflicting calendar events while the proposed change is pending. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076805 | Adaptive Scheduling Of Storage Operations Based On Utilization Of Multiple Client And Server Resources In A Distributed Network Storage System - Scheduling operations such as asynchronous file system operations in a network storage system is accomplished by applying a bid-price online auction methodology, in which bid (willingness-to-pay) values and price (cost) values are dynamically set by storage clients and a storage server, respectively, based on utilization of computing resources. The system provides a framework for adaptively scheduling asynchronous file system operations, managing multiple key resources of the distributed file system, including network bandwidth, server I/O, server CPU, and client and server memory utilization. The system can accelerate, defer, or cancel asynchronous requests to improve application-perceived performance. Congestion pricing via online auctions can be employed to coordinate the use of system resources by clients, so clients can detect shortages and adapt their resource usage. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076806 | Inventory management tool using a criticality measure - A computer system for an inventory management tool using a criticality measure is disclosed. The computer system has a memory, at least one input device, and a central processing unit in communication with the memory and the at least one input device. The central processing unit calculates an amount of existing inventory for one or more parts used to produce a product and determines a lead time to receive the one or more parts. The central processing unit also determines a build time to produce the parts into the product and receives a criticality measure for the product, the criticality measure indicating an order time for delivering the product. Further, the central processing unit adjusts a supply chain process for the parts based on the lead time, the build time, and the criticality measure. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076807 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE - A method and apparatus for controlling an electronic device is provided, the electronic device having a processing unit interconnecting a memory and a display module, the processing unit configured to control the display module. The method comprises receiving, at the processing unit, first data representative of a meeting request. The method further comprises retrieving, at the processing unit, second data representative of an existing schedule, from the memory. The method further comprises generating at the processing unit a proposed schedule by merging the first data with the second data. The method further comprises, via the processing unit, controlling the display module to generate a representation of the proposed schedule on the display module. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076808 | Method and System for Automated Center Workflow - Described herein are systems and methods for automating workflow of assigning jobs and tracking the process. The exemplary method comprises receiving job data for a plurality of jobs, assigning a current job to one of a plurality of users based on a business rule, sending the current job to the one of the users, and receiving further data for the current job. Additional exemplary methods comprise marking the current job complete when the further data is an indication that the job has been successfully completed. Further exemplary methods comprise sending the current job to a problem resolver when the further data is an indication that the job includes a problem. The exemplary system comprises a job tracking tool receiving job data for a plurality of jobs and assigning a current job to one of a plurality of users based on a business rule, a messaging system receiving the current job from the job tracking tool and forwarding the job to the user; and a work order system receiving the job via the messaging system if the user determines that the job data for the job is correct. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076809 | ASSET OPTIMIZATION REPORTING IN A PROCESS PLANT - A process control system uses an asset optimization reporter to collect status information of dissimilar types pertaining to the assets of a process plant from various data sources of the plant including, for example, data tools, data collectors, and data generators. This status information is used to generate reports that may be displayed to various users, including maintenance persons, process control persons and business persons. The status information may be used as the basis for further types of status information and/or be categorized in based on an assessment of relative consequence, where each category has a spectrum of status quality values between a good status quality and a relatively worse status quality. The reports are generally displayed via a user interface routine that enables users to view the status information as a graphical representation having a leg of a normalized spectrum of values for each category arranged in order of the relative consequence, the relative status quality value being identified at a point on the respective leg. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076810 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR AN ONLINE RESERVATION SYSTEM FOR SERVICES SELECTABLE FROM MULTIPLE CATEGORIES - The present invention teaches an online reservation system providing services of multiple categories of service providers. A user may enter the online reservation system by clicking on a button either embedded in a directory services search result for a particular service provider or located on a particular service provider's website. Alternatively, a user may search for service providers through the online reservation system by entering criteria such as category of service, pricing, rating, location, or time and day of availability of the service. Both users and service providers receive electronic confirmation and reminders for the booked appointments. Service providers may integrate all of their appointments with a calendar maintained by the online reservation system. The system automatically collects client data and may provide accounting services. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076811 | DYNAMICALLY PROVIDING DIGITAL CONTENT FROM RELEVANT SOURCES AND IDENTIFYING CONTENT DISPLAY OPPORTUNITIES, SUCH AS DYNAMICALLY PROVIDING ADVERTISEMENTS FROM RELATED PUBLICATIONS AND INDENTIFYING TARGET ADVERTISERS - A method and system for facilitating management of content display opportunities, such as management of advertising accounts of a magazine publisher, includes recommendations, talking points, and a user interface for displaying content, such as digital images of magazine advertisements. Recommended content display opportunities, such as recommended advertisers for a publication associated with a user, are presented to the user based on information related to the user and information related to multiple advertisers. In addition, recommended discussion points for a communication with a content provider, such as an advertiser, may be provided. The method and system also include a user interface for presenting content from multiple content sources, such as digital images of magazine advertisements from multiple magazines, including magazines that are not associated with the user. Digital images of magazine advertisements may be displayed in response to selection by the user of a magazine, an issue, and an advertiser. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076812 | BUSINESS PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENTS - Embodiments of the invention relate to systems, methods, and computer program products for providing a performance-measuring network for measuring the performance of a business-merchant relative to other business-merchants competing in the same or similar markets. For example, the performance-measuring network collects transaction data from a large number of different business-merchants. The performance-measuring network then assigns each of the different business-merchants to one or more peer groups. Each peer group consists of business-merchants that compete in the same or similar markets. For example, each peer group consists of business-merchants that sell similar products and/or services in the same geographic markets. After collecting transaction data and creating peer groups, the performance-measuring network measures the performance of a specific business-merchant by comparing the transaction data of the specific business-merchant to the transaction data of the other business-merchants that are assigned to the same peer group(s) as the specific business-merchant. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076813 | MARKET DYNAMICS - Embodiments of the invention relate to systems, methods, and computer program products for providing a market-dynamics network that assesses social and economic market dynamics in specific geographic regions. For example, the market-dynamics network collects transaction data from a large number of business-merchants across a large number of geographic locations and appends geographic-location identifiers to the collected transaction data. The market-dynamics network then aggregates transaction data in specific geographic regions and, based on the aggregated transaction data, assesses social and economic market dynamics in those geographic regions. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076814 | METHOD FOR FINANCIAL FORECASTING FOR ASSOCIATIONS USING ACTUARIAL OPEN GROUP SIMULATION - In a method for financial forecasting for an association having current dues paying members and which will have future new dues paying members, a computer and a computer-readable medium are provided having a program operable with the computer. Association variables to be forecast are defined as desired program outputs and including for each of a plurality of periods at least total dues revenue. A total number of the current members, dues paid by each current member, at least one of actual age or estimated age of each current member, and a future dues predictor variable are input to the program. Using at least the actual or estimated age of each current member, it is projected when each of the current members would have a change in dues paying status or would no longer be a member of the association. Using a defined growth rate characteristic for the association, for each of the periods a number of the new dues paying members is projected which will join the association. For each of the projected new members, at least an age for each of the new members and dues for each of the new members based on the future dues predictor variable are projected. It is also projected when each new member would have a change in dues paying status or would no longer be a member of the association. From the inputs the program calculates the desired outputs for each of the periods. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076815 | STORAGE OPTIMIZATION FOR UPDATED USER BEHAVIORAL PROFILE SCORES - Scores are maintained usable by a behavioral targeting service for providing personalized content, such as advertisements. Event indications are processed, wherein the event indications being processed are indicative of user interaction generally with at least one online. It is determined, based at least in part on detected events (usable for scoring), scoring data indicative of user behavior relative to the at least one online service for each of a plurality of targeting categories. This includes updating the scoring data based on additional event indications being detected as being usable for generating scoring data for behavioral targeting. The updated scoring data is caused to be provided to the data store accessible to the behavioral targeting service when it has been determined that the updated scoring data will change the operation of the behavioral targeting service with respect to personalized content that would be served based on the updated scoring data. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076816 | DYNAMIC INTERACTIVE SURVEY SYSTEM AND METHOD - A system and methodology for communication between a service provider and a service recipient relating to services is described, such that for a particular task or project, interaction and feedback between the respective service provider and service recipient is provided by the system in a manner that enables service recipient satisfaction to be accurately communicated to the service provider and documented by the service recipient. The system is modifiable and customizable to facilitate communication between a service provider and a service recipient in various industries. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076817 | MANAGEMENT OF E-TICKETS - A method and system is provided for managing a sales quota for the sale of one or more services or products, by an agent for a supplier, to ensure the agent does not surpass a first predetermined limit based on a criterion associated with the sales. The method includes measuring the sales of the service or product by the agent during a first predetermined time period, computing associated statistical indicators from the sales measures, and determining a sales quota for the agent to apply during a second predetermined time period. The sales quota is based on the statistical indicators and one or more airline business rules, to enable management of the sales of the agent without the sales surpassing the first predetermined limit. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076818 | BEHAVIOR TRACKING AND USER PROFILING SYSTEM - A method for collecting user data and constructing a user profile as a digital content vending machine, DCVM is employed which includes an infrastructure and an inventory on a client in a computerized device. The infrastructure presents a graphical user interface on the client which may metaphorically resemble a pillar cover or a plurality of stores operated by vendors. User-customers shop by navigating the pillars or visiting the stores, thus viewing and selecting assets (inventory) and their actions during this are monitored to collect data. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076819 | System and Method for Distilling Data and Feedback From Customers to Identify Fashion Market Information - A system and method is described herein for pulling information from numerous areas from manufacturers to end users to generate a total market map of the creation, use, and disposition of all products in a market. The system allows a customer to look at items, and suggest or request modifications from a manufacturer. This system may use known data, such as body measurements and body shape, to determine which products may meet the needs of a large subset of consumers. This also includes gathering profile information about users, such as fashion style and lifestyle preferences, shopping and spending habits, site browsing and usage history, and other demographic and psychographic data to discover market segments and the types of items most likely to be desired or purchased by consumers in each segment. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076820 | Targeted Incentives Based Upon Predicted Behavior - A system and method for anticipating consumer behavior and determining transaction incentives for influencing consumer behavior comprises a computer system and associated database for determining cross time correlations between transaction behavior, for applying the function derived from the correlations to consumer records to predict future consumer behavior, and for deciding on transaction incentives to offer the consumers based upon their predicted behavior. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076821 | AUTOMATED PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL SYSTEM WITH A COMPENSATION SIMULATOR - A performance appraisal system is provided for reviewing employees' performance of a company. The performance appraisal system may be integrated with a compensation simulator such that compensation for each employee may be associated with his/her respective performance. On a computer graphical user interface, employees in an organizational unit of the company may be shown in a grid pane displaying a variety of performance tiers. The employees may be distributed among the performance tiers based on performance appraisals. In response to an employee change performance tier, for example, an employee may be dragged from one performance tier and dropped in a different performance tier, the system automatically makes corresponding changes to respective performance appraisals. The integrated compensation simulator simulates adjustments to compensations for affected employees based on changes to performance appraisals. Alternatively, the system may list employees in a table and the table may contain a number of sections corresponding to a number of performance tiers. In response to an employee change from one section to an adjacent section, for example, caused by an adjustment of a section, the employee may be changed from one performance tier to another performance tier. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076822 | Engine, system and method for generation of brand affinity content - An advertising engine, system and method of using is described. The engine includes at least one vault including a plurality of media assets, a recommendation engine that matches at least one media asset from the vault with at least one requested creative, a delivery engine that integrates the requested creative with the matched media assets from the vault, and a management engine that regulates and/or tracks ones of the at least one media asset. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076823 | Voting system and method of voting - A voting system has a monitor to be activated by a voting person, means for introducing a name of the voting person, a computer system connected with the monitor and the means and provided with a computer program configured so that on a screen of the monitor a plurality of icons are exhibited each corresponding to a person for who voting persons have to vote, and so that upon touching a corresponding one of the icons by the voting person an information that the voting person voted for a corresponding person to be voted for in correspondence with the touched icon is supplied to the computer system, where upon the computer program calculates votes and determines winners. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076824 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CORPORATE VOTING - A proxy voting system enables an investor with a large number of investments to efficiently manage and vote proxies. A shareholder enters preferences regarding how to vote his or her proxies into a computer system, which then screens the received proxies, automatically enters the shareholder's preferences onto the proxy card and returns the completed proxy card to the appropriate election authority at the proper time. The system includes a central controller, a user interface for each investor, a proxy server and a manual entry subsystem, which provides an interface for those corporations that are not equipped to handle electronic formatted proxies. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076825 | CHARGE/DISCHARGE CONTROL APPARATUS - A charge/discharge control apparatus includes: a charge/discharge reward information receiving unit for receiving charge/discharge reward information representing a reward given to a charge/discharge action of a customer and a restriction in conducting a charging/discharging from a charge management central server; a computing unit for creating a charge/discharge plan including a total charging quantity in a time zone and an estimated use start time of an electric vehicle such that a reward is maximized, based on the charge/discharge reward information; a charge/discharge instruction transmitting unit for instructing the electric vehicle to start or finish a charging/discharging according to the charge/discharge plan; a charge/discharge quantity monitoring unit for monitoring the charging/discharging; and a charge/discharge results transmitting unit for transmitting results of monitored charging/discharging including contents of the conducted charging/discharging and individual identification information for identifying itself, to a charge management central server. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076826 | ONBOARD AUCTION OF A FIRST CLASS SEAT TICKET - A system and method for making a sale of a ticket for an available first class seat, to a passenger seated in second class, when a carrier is underway to a final destination (i.e. is not scheduled to pick up additional passengers). The system may offer to sell the first class seat ticket only to members of the carrier's customer loyalty program (e.g. frequent flyer), or to any passenger seated in second class. When two or more passengers are seated in second class, the price of the ticket may be established by auction. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076827 | Methods for Transmitting Multimedia Files and Advertisements - The invention is directed to a method of transmitting a file having an advertising portion and a requested portion different from the advertising portion. The method includes receiving a request to transmit the file, via a streaming protocol allowing non-sequential access, transmitting the advertising portion of the file, receiving a request to transmit a portion of the requested portion of the file prior to completing transmitting the advertising portion of the file, completing the transmission of the advertising portion of the file, and transmitting the requested portion of the file. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076828 | Targeted Advertising using Object Identification - Targeted advertising using object identification techniques is described. In an implementation, an object is identified by a client that is placed on a surface of the client. An advertisement is located that corresponds to the identified object and is output. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076829 | Dynamically and Predictively Updating Mobile Devices as Mobile Users Pass Through Projected Locations - This description provides tools and techniques for dynamically and predictively updating mobile devices as mobile users pass through projected locations. These tools may provide methods that include defining thresholds applicable to at least portions of travel itineraries on which mobile users are traveling. The methods may also identify advertisements to send to mobile devices associated with the mobile users, upon meeting the threshold. The methods may also send the selected advertisements, as associated with corresponding advertisers, to the mobile devices. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076830 | MEANS FOR COLLECTING, SOLICITING, AND REMUNERATING MEMBERS OF A MULTI-LEVEL MARKETING BUSINESS STRUCTURE - An apparatus, method, computer program product and system are disclosed for collecting, soliciting and tracking sales leads via an electronic network like the Internet, and distributing commissions realized on said sales leads to multiple parties using a hierarchical, multi-level marketing (MLM) business structure. A central managing organization, or MLM structure, uses a uniquely configured data processing device and/or system (herein a “Maintenance Server”) to collect new sales leads from structured records and data in the possession of an actual customers who have been incorporated into the MLM structure, said records and data comprising third-party contact information, including personal and/or professional contacts of the actual customers. The Maintenance Server uniquely assists in the solicitation of the newly acquired sales leads to save the actual customers from having to perform the solicitation(s) themselves. Sales leads converted into actual customers are incorporated into the MLM structure and the newly generated commissions resulting therefrom are distributed by the Maintenance Server or MLM structure in accordance with a predetermined commission criteria. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076831 | CUSTOMER REWARDS SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR SOCIAL NETWORKING APPLICATIONS - Customer rewards systems and methods for social networking applications, such as e-mail applications, calendar applications, chat room applications, instant messaging applications, and media management and sharing applications, are provided. The system includes a first memory, a second memory and a processor. The first memory stores a plurality of web pages having a social networking application. The second memory stores data associated with a customer account for a user to access the social networking application. The processor being configured to receive the data from a user terminal, verify the user's membership for accessing the social networking application, and transfer an award to the customer account upon access to one of the plurality of web pages with the social networking application. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076832 | VIRTUAL COUPON SERVICE SYSTEM - A virtual coupon service system is provided. The virtual coupon service system includes: an information acquiring unit acquiring member identification information of a member who wants to purchase a product for which the coupon is valid, and coupon information regarding the product; an information registering unit mapping the member identification information to the coupon information, and registering the result of the mapping; a coupon service providing unit acquiring the member identification information and a product code of the product, determining whether the member identification information is registered with the information registering unit, determining whether at least one coupon information mapped to the member identification information is associated with the product code, if the member identification information is registered in the information registering unit, providing a coupon service if the at least one coupon information includes the product code. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076833 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MANAGING AND USING A VIRTUAL CARD - A virtual card engine stored on memory executable via at least one processor for managing two or more virtual cards is provided. The virtual card engine including a value modification module configured to modify value data corresponding to at least a first virtual card based on user input, send a request to an associated card service provider to modify value data in a corresponding provider-side associative card profile, and present the first virtual card on a display of a mobile computing device to initiate a virtual card transaction between the virtual card engine and the card service provider. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076834 | DATA PROCESSING SYSTEM AND DATA PROCESSING METHOD - Coupons can be easily distributed to users and, in the distribution, the illegal use of coupons is prevented. Advertisement video data embedded, by a watermark, with coupon ID data given to each coupon is generated, the advertisement video data embedded with the coupon ID data is reproduced by a display apparatus | 2010-03-25 |
20100076835 | VARIABLE INCENTIVE AND VIRTUAL MARKET SYSTEM - A method of and system for providing an incentive program for conserving a consumable resource such as electricity, natural gas, oil, air or water. The present invention monitors utilization of the resource at a location, and then determines a type and quantity of variable resource points to be provided to an account associated with the location or with a participant by analyzing the monitored resource utilization with respect to a plurality of varying conditions (time-variant, location-variant, cost-variant etc.). These conditions may be independent or interdependent; these relationships will be incorporated into the calculations resulting in the award of the type and quantity of resource points determined by the Program. The resource points are then stored in an account associated with the location or with a participant for future use. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076836 | CONSUMER INFORMATION AND PROMOTION SYSTEM - Embodiments of the invention are directed to a system configured to receive and record product-level and consumer-level information about a plurality of consumer transactions across a plurality of merchants in real-time or near real-time. Product marketers can then access this information for marketing purposes. In one embodiment, product marketers store conditional promotional offers on the system and the system determines, for each consumer transaction that it receives information about, whether the consumer or the transaction satisfies the conditions of one or more promotional offers stored on the system. If the conditions of a promotional offer are satisfied, the system sends the offer to the consumer and/or applies the promotion to the current transaction. In one embodiment, the system is maintained by the bank holding the consumer's account and/or issuing the consumer's credit or debit card involved in the transaction. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076837 | Presence optimized advertisement publishing system and methodology - A system and method are provided for publishing certain advertising information on-line. Presence indicators are incorporated into merchant advertisements published online. The presence indicators are preferably active hyper-links that are configured to allow a consumer to send a request to a merchant for initiation of a 2-way real time communications session. The system provides for adding one of a pool of merchant representatives to an opened communications session with the consumer. Advertisements may be selectively published or withheld from publication based upon the availability status of an associated merchant. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076838 | Apparatus, system and method for a brand affinity engine using positive and negative mentions and indexing - An apparatus, system and method of implementing a computerized brand affinity engine. The apparatus, system and method include at least a plurality of computerized access points having accessible thereto a plurality of sites mentioning at least one sponsor, a categorized, hierarchical database of keywords, wherein at least the keywords falling in at least one category of the hierarchy correspond to a sponsor category of the at least one sponsor, and a tracker, wherein the tracker tracks positive ones of the mentions of the at least one sponsor on ones of the plurality of sites and negative ones of the mentions of the at least one sponsor on ones of the plurality of sites, in accordance with positive and negative keywords of the categorized, hierarchical database in the sponsor category, and wherein the tracker issues an rating with regard to the at least one sponsor in accordance with the positive ones and the negative ones of the mentions. An assessment of optimal sponsors for particular markets and/or in particular geographies that additionally increases sponsorship opportunities in particular markets and/or in particular geographies is thereby provided. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076839 | INTERNET ADVERTISEMENT SYSTEM AND METHOD BASED ON PROVISION OF CONTENT - The present invention relates to a system and method based on provision of content. The system includes an operator server ( | 2010-03-25 |
20100076840 | INCREASING A NUMBER OF RELEVANT ADVERTISEMENTS USING A RELAXED MATCH - The number of ads potentially relevant to search query information may be increased by relaxing the notion of search query keyword matching. This may be done, for example, by expanding a set of ad request keywords to include both query keywords (or derivatives of a root thereof) and related keywords. The related keywords may be words with a relatively high co-occurrence with a query keyword in a group of previous search queries (e.g., search queries in a session). The scores of ads with keyword targeting criteria that matched words related to words in a search query, but not the words from the search query, may be discounted. That is, the scores of ads served pursuant to a relaxed notion of matching may be discounted relative to the scores of ads served pursuant to a stricter notion of matching. This may be done by using a score modification parameter, such as an ad performance multiplier (for cases in which an ad score is a function of ad performance information). The score modification parameter may be updated to reflect observed performance data, such as performance data associated with {word-to-related word} mappings. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076841 | ADVERTISEMENT REPOSITORY AND ADVERTISEMENT SEARCH - A computer system, graphical user interface, and method to search for previously published advertisements are provided. The computer system includes an advertisement index, a search engine, and an advertisement platform. The advertisement index organizes the previously published advertisements based on a media publisher. The search engine allows a user to search for previously published advertisements. The advertisement platform provides the previously published advertisements to the search engine based on the search request that the users submit to the search engine. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076842 | Gaming System and Game Controller - A gaming system comprising: a game controller adapted to control game play; at least one player interface in data communication with the game controller and operable by a player to enter game play instructions; an advertising module; and at least one sensor adapted to detect a person proximate a player interface and trigger the advertising module to advertise availability of the player interface when the player interface is not in use. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076843 | LIVE-AGENT-ENABLED TEIS SYSTEMS - Systems for providing live-agent and hybrid live-agent access to transaction-enabled information systems are disclosed. In various embodiments, a live agent can include a person who using one or more communications devices can hear the utterances of a caller to the transaction-enabled information system and in response may respond verbally to the caller (e.g., by asking the caller for added information that the transaction-enabled information system would otherwise ask for by automated means), and/or may respond by making an input to the transaction-enabled information system (by keyboard, touch screen, verbally, or some other means) based upon the live agent's understanding of the caller's intention. In some embodiments, the transaction-enabled information system may be designed to switch to the live agent mode either automatically, when a specified requirement has been fulfilled and/or when a caller expresses an intention to proceed with the assistance of a live agent. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076844 | Advertising System and Method - An advertising system including at least one consumer database containing a plurality of consumer profiles with consumer preference identifying data, at least one brand database containing details of brand clients, each having one or more branding parameters, at least one content database containing a plurality of pieces of content provided by at least one content provider with each piece of content having one or more content profile identifiers, and a content matching engine which matches the branding parameters of the brand clients with one or more of pieces of content and provides these pieces of content to one or more consumers upon the consumer request, based on the matching of the branding parameters and the consumer preference identifying data at no cost to the consumer whilst charging an advertising fee to the brand client and paying a content provision fee to the content provider. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076845 | Contextual Mobile Content Placement on a Mobile Communication Facility - In embodiments of the present invention improved capabilities are described for displaying mobile content in association with a website on a mobile communication facility based at least in part on receiving a website request from a mobile carrier gateway, receiving contextual information relating to the requested website, associating the received contextual information with a mobile content, and, finally, displaying the mobile content with the website on a mobile communication facility. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076846 | INTEREST MANAGER - Embodiments of methods, apparatuses, or systems associated with computer based target advertising based upon information collected about a user are disclosed. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076847 | Internet Marketing Method - Internet clients submit a list of goods, services, or topics to an internet host, and specific URL addresses correlating to each good, service, or topic. The host presents a series of questions to participating users, wherein the answers are regarded as identifying potential user interests. The answers to the questions may be preference based, describing general categories of goods and services, or specific good and services of potential interest to a user. Alternatively, the answers may be skill dependent, wherein a user can accumulate points or some other reward tokens in response to a correct answer. The skill based questions are also used to identify areas of interest of the Internet user. After answering at least two questions, a user may be redirected to a specific web site or presented a list of potentially relevant web sites and links, or targeted for advertising. The Internet client pays the host a fee for inclusion of the client's URL site in the redirect pool. The fee may be a general fee, per user click, per user purchase, or combinations thereof. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076848 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DISTRIBUTING MERCHANT ADVERTISEMENTS - A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, an Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) system having a controller to present a merchant a graphical user interface (GUI) for entering advertisement information, receive from the merchant advertisement information, generate an advertisement GUI for presenting the received advertisement information, identify a plurality of users of the IPTV system that demographically correlate to the advertisement information, and direct the advertisement GUI to one or more set-top boxes of the identified plurality of users. Other embodiments are disclosed. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076849 | Managing Advertising Services for Mobile Devices and Users - This description provides tools and techniques for managing advertising services for mobile devices and users. These tools may provide methods that include establishing advertising databases for storing representations of geographic areas. These methods may include receiving bids from advertisers, with these bids referencing keywords and the geographic areas. The advertisers specified in the bids may be associated with the keywords and geographic areas specified in the bids, such that when a user of a mobile communications device activates the keyword within a geographic area, the mobile device received advertising information associated with the advertiser. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076850 | Targeting Ads by Effectively Combining Behavioral Targeting and Social Networking - A method and system are provided for targeting ads by effectively combining behavioral targeting and social networking. In one example, the method includes receiving a behavioral targeting model to predict a propensity of each consumer in a network to select (e.g., click) an ad of a particular category based on a behavior of each consumer, training a social network model to predict a propensity of a particular consumer to select an ad of the particular category based on features derived from a social network of the particular consumer, and training an ensemble classifier to decide when to trust the behavioral targeting model and when to defer to the social model for predicting a propensity of the particular consumer to select an ad of the particular category. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076851 | TARGETED NETWORK CONTENT - In one embodiment, a method includes sending an advertisement template to a device, the advertisement template including at least one predefined field configured to be populated with data associated with the predefined field, and sending to the device a first instruction configured to define a personalized advertisement based at least in part on the advertisement template and the data associated with the predefined field. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076852 | System and Method for Accelerating the Sale and Increasing the Value of a Property - A method for accelerating the sale of a property includes providing a seller with a warranty on some or all of the seller's foreclosed and bank owned properties. The method then bills the seller for the warranty when the property is sold. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076853 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ORDERING AND SUPPLYING GOODS AND SERVICES VIA A CELLULAR PHONE - A method and a system for ordering and supplying goods and services is provided. The method includes the steps of an end user sending a coded SMS (Short Messaging System) message using a specially created syntax from a cellular device to an intermediary computer, which is configured to identify the supplier of goods being ordered from the coded SMS message and route the received message to the identified supplier of goods. The coded SMS message may also include unique identifiers for identifying goods being ordered, menu or catalog identifier codes, identifiers to identify the method of payment and the method of delivery. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076854 | METHOD FOR PROVIDING ROOM SERVICE - A method of processing room service transactions in an institution such as a hotel, having a plurality of guest rooms includes displaying selected visual representations of food items at predetermined intervals with a user device including an interactive graphical user interface in a guest room, receiving inputs from a guest with the graphical user interface and transmitting the inputs to a food service server for fulfillment. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076855 | POINT OF SALE SYSTEM WITH ITEM IMAGE CAPTURE AND DEFERRED INVOICING CAPABILITY - A novel and useful mechanism and method for processing transactions on a point of sale system comprising of a conveyor system which continuously moves when one ore more items or items are resting on the conveyor system, and a sensing system to capture the information necessary to identify the items on the conveyor. When all items are correctly recognized by the sensing devices, the customer is charged for the items and an invoice is printed. In the event all the items are not correctly recognized the captured information is forwarded to a remote location for automated recognition processing and manual identification, if necessary. Once all the items are successfully identified, the customer is charged for the purchase and an invoice is processed and sent to the customer. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076856 | Real-Time Auction of Cloud Computing Resources - A cloud computing environment may be built out with cloud computing resources in geographically separate regions. An auction process may be used to ensure that the cloud computing resources are utilized at an optimal level on both a per-region basis and global basis. Computing resource auction prices may reflect local peak and off-peak pricing while offering buyers access to off-peak computing from peak-usage regions at some risk of latency or network outages. Long-running jobs may bid for execution resources on a global basis and move execution to follow low cost availability through, for example, off-peak local hours. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076857 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR ACTIVITY-BASED RECOMMENDATIONS - Embodiments of computer-implemented methods and systems for activity-based recommendations are described. One example embodiment includes receiving data indicating historical activities of a user community, the historical activities including historical activities of the target user, selecting a reference group of users from the user community based on analysis of the historical activities of the target user, receiving generally current time activities of the reference group of users, the generally current time activities including those activities that have occurred within a defined time window, and recommending items to the target user based on the generally current time activities of the reference group of users. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076858 | Virtual world support for electronic commerce - An apparatus in one example has: virtual world having at least one object; vendor template database having at least one product template; vendor template server operatively coupled to the vendor template database and to the virtual world; and at least one profile that contains at least one descriptive characteristic of one of an avatar and an object, the at least one profile stored in at least one of the virtual world and the vendor template database. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076859 | Reconfigurable Garment Definition and Production Method - Computer-aided design and manufacture software and hardware automate garment and fashion definition and production. Configurable garment includes ornamental element, pattern display, and personal identifier and wireless sensor electronics. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076860 | Online Timeshift Auctions - A method for conducting online timeshift auctions is disclosed. Online timeshift auctions are slight, but qualitative modifications of the existing popular auctions where items are offered for a fixed time period. According to one embodiment, conducting a standard timeshift auction comprises the following steps: the seller sets the predetermined auction period ( | 2010-03-25 |
20100076861 | Method and system for virtual sealed-bid competitions held over a communictions network - A computer-implemental method of transacting a sealed bid competition has deadline-assurance process which in part upholds the integrity of the sealed bid competition. In a sealed bid competition, a buyer originates a “request for bid” communication that specifies bid items as well as includes a parameter of deadline. Participating vendors respond with “response” communications that contain substantive content presumptively responsive to the “request for bid” communication. The object of a sealed bid competition is to keep everyone, including especially the buyer, blind to the bid responses of everyone else until after the deadline. The deadline-integrity process has the buyer either precluded from access to the “response” communications until the deadline or else has the buyer's activity with accessing the “response” communications is logged so that such log record can thereafter disclose if the buyer voluntarily restrained itself from accessing the “response” communications until after the deadline. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076862 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR RESERVING AND PURCHASING EVENTS - A system and method enables a customer to purchase time-sensitive events over a computer network. Customer requests are received over the network to view events for possible purchase. The customer may be queried to determine when the customer is available to ensure that the events are available to the customer. Events are displayed to the customer in a manner to ensure that selected events do not overlap with one another. Displayed events for purchase may be filtered based on customer preferences. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076863 | HOSTING PLATFORM - A hosting platform provides website hosting for customers. The hosting platform may be operated in a cloud hosting environment and may comprise an application signup and billing module, a content management system, a transaction module, and optionally a messaging system and/or end-customer management and authentication module. To enable website hosting in different industries, the content management system can provide access to modules adapted for a particular industry, such as print, music, or the like. The modules adapted for a particular industry allow customers in the particular industry to engage in the online sale of products or services with an order flow that can be adapted for the particular industry. Alternately or additionally, a consumer portal can be provided for each industry allowing end-users, e.g., end-customers, of a particular industry to connect peer-to-peer in relation to customers of the hosting platform that provide products or services within the particular industry. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076864 | Systems and Methods for Integrating Debt Collection and Debtor Aid Services - Improvements to debt collection services and debtor aid services are described. Embodiments of the present invention improve on current processes by integrating debtor aid services with the debt collection process. A debt collection letter process is augmented by including an insert, attachment, or other correspondence directing the debtor to a special website to assist them with their finances. If the debtor purchases one or more debt assistance products from the website, the collection agency is provided with a commission, thereby improving the collection agency's profits. As the debtor learns to better manage his or her finances, the debtor benefits from increased financial freedom and increased ability to pay outstanding debts, which returns to benefit the collection agency's efforts and the creditor's recovery. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076865 | Method and system for personalizing portable electronic devices - A method and system for personalizing a portable electronic device and a personalized portable electronic device. The method of personalizing a portable electronic device comprises determining a customized graphics image based on input from a user. In some cases the user can create the customized graphics image using a design generator having a random generator. The method also provides for having the customized graphics image permanently affixed to the portable electronic device. In some cases, the method also allows the user to share their customized graphics image with other users. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076866 | Video-related meta data engine system and method - A engine for use with a display is disclosed. The engine includes a presenter that presents at least two audio/visual works, at least one software application capable of at least one metadata-related interaction with the at least audio/visual works, a monetizer for monetizing at least one metadata-related interaction with the at least audio/visual works, and communication points over which the audio/visual works are received, and over which at least a portion of the at least one metadata-related interaction occurs. The at least one metadata-related interaction matches discrete occurrences in said audio/visual works with specific products. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076867 | Search supporting system, search supporting method and search supporting program - In a database, product image data is accumulated. A search portion acquires product image data having the image characteristics information that is the same as or similar to the image characteristics information that indicates the characteristics of the image of input image data from the database for the input image data. A search server outputs information on another product that is different from the product corresponding to the product image data together with the product image data acquired by the search portion. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076868 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR REALIZING A VIDEO SHOP - A method and a system for implementing a video shop are provided according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. The method and system can be applied in network communication field. The method includes receiving a call request sent by a user over a phone domain, putting through the user's call and keeping the user connected; providing the user with a shopping guidance and providing the user with a service associated with a selection made in accordance with the shopping guidance by the user; and receiving a purchase order made in accordance with the service by the user and providing the user with a payment service. A system for realizing a video shop is also provided according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. The method and system have a sound operability, high level security and high reliability. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076869 | BUYER-INITIATED SHIPPING SYSTEM - A system and method in which a buyer registers for a buyer's shipping account and uses the shipping account to pay shipping costs associated with purchases made over the Internet. When a buyer purchases merchandise over the Internet from either a retailer's website or from an individual through an online auction, the buyer is capable of controlling the shipping process by logging on to their buyer's shipping account. Among other things, the buyer can use their shipping account to select the desired type of shipping service (overnight air or ground) and populate a shipping label with shipping information such as delivery address, return address, and preferred delivery time windows. Once the shipping label has been populated and verified, the shipping label is electronically transferred to the seller for use in shipping the package. The system and methods of the present invention allow the buyer greater control over the shipping process. In many cases, the present invention will also help buyers/receivers control costs by eliminating the shipper's shipping and handling fee. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076870 | Widgetized avatar and a method and system of virtual commerce including same - An avatar is disclosed. The avatar includes computing code that provides for addition of the avatar as non-static content to at least two unique at least partially static web pages, and secondary computing code resident within the computing code, wherein the secondary computing code provides for association with at least one other portion of the computing code of: ones selected from a plurality of physical characteristics, ones selected from a plurality of clothes, ones selected from a plurality of accessories, a plurality of personal information, a plurality of preferences, and a plurality of recommendations. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076871 | Software Application Framework for Network-Connected Devices - A facility for provisioning and managing registered applications is described. Registered applications can be downloaded to a mobile device from an application provisioning server. When the download is complete, the mobile device may begin execution of the registered application. However, at least portions of the registered application cannot be executed by the mobile device without first passing control to an application provisioning server via a network connection. Upon receiving temporary control of the registered application, the application provisioning server can perform tasks such as license verification and other tasks before turning control of the application back to the mobile device. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076872 | Product Information Management System and Product Information Management Method - Information recorded to a tag device can be used effectively. A terminal device | 2010-03-25 |
20100076873 | FEE REFUND MANAGEMENT - The innovation relates to a system and/or methodology for the convenient and consistent determination of fee refunds for financial products. The system provides for a fee refund component that determines a proposed fee refund based on a customer's score, and information regarding the financial institution's fee refund policies. The customer scores and fee refund policies are determined by a data analytics component, which can update the data at regular intervals or when modifications to the data occur. | 2010-03-25 |
20100076874 | CUSTOMER INTRODUCTION SUPPORT SYSTEM AND CUSTOMER INTRODUCTION SUPPORT METHOD - It is required to make a subscriber terminal acquire guide information from many service enterprisers at appropriate timing while preventing leakage of private information such as a mail address capable of identifying an individual. By use of a center unit managing a customer based on a provisional ID and a customer introduction count, terminals of service enterprisers introduce customers by transferring provisional IDs therebetween according to the provisional ID, the customer introduction count, and the like issued from the center unit. | 2010-03-25 |