17th week of 2012 patent applcation highlights part 53 |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20120101820 | MULTI-STATE BARGE-IN MODELS FOR SPOKEN DIALOG SYSTEMS - A method is disclosed for applying a multi-state barge-in acoustic model in a spoken dialogue system. The method includes receiving an audio speech input from the user during the presentation of a prompt, accumulating the audio speech input from the user, applying a non-speech component having at least two one-state Hidden Markov Models (HMMs) to the audio speech input from the user, applying a speech component having at least five three-state HMMs to the audio speech input from the user, in which each of the five three-state HMMs represents a different phonetic category, determining whether the audio speech input is a barge-in-speech input from the user, and if the audio speech input is determined to be the barge-in-speech input from the user, terminating the presentation of the prompt. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101821 | SPEECH RECOGNITION APPARATUS - A speech recognition apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus converts a speech signal into a digitalized speech data, and performs speech recognition based on the speech data. The apparatus makes a comparison between the speech data inputted the last time and the speech data inputted the time before the last time in response to a user's indication that the speech recognition results in erroneous recognition multiple times in a row. When the speech data inputted the last time is determined to substantially match the speech data inputted the time before the last time, the apparatus outputs a guidance prompting the user to utter an input target by calling it by another name. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101822 | BIOMETRIC SPEAKER IDENTIFICATION - A biometric speaker-identification apparatus is disclosed that generates ordered speaker-identity candidates for a probe based on prototypes. Probe match scores are clustered, and templates that correspond to clusters having top M probe match scores are compared with the prototypes to obtain template-prototype match scores. The probe is also compared with the prototypes, and those templates corresponding to template-prototype match scores that are nearest to probe-prototype match scores are selected as speaker-identity candidates. The speaker-identity candidates are ordered based on their similarity to the probe. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101823 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR RECOGNIZING PROPER NAMES IN DIALOG SYSTEMS - Embodiments of a dialog system that utilizes contextual information to perform recognition of proper names are described. Unlike present name recognition methods on large name lists that generally focus strictly on the static aspect of the names, embodiments of the present system take into account of the temporal, recency and context effect when names are used, and formulates new questions to further constrain the search space or grammar for recognition of the past and current utterances. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101824 | PITCH-BASED PRE-FILTERING AND POST-FILTERING FOR COMPRESSION OF AUDIO SIGNALS - Systems and methods for enhancing the quality of an audio signal produced by an audio codec are described herein. In accordance with the systems and methods, a pitch-based pre-filter adaptively filters an input audio signal to produce a filtered audio signal. An audio encoder encodes the filtered audio signal to generate a compressed audio bit stream. An audio decoder decodes the compressed audio bit stream to generate a decoded audio signal. A pitch-based post-filter adaptively filters the decoded audio signal to produce an output audio signal, wherein adaptively filtering the decoded audio signal comprises undoing at least part of a signal-shaping effect of the pitch-based pre-filter. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101825 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ENCODING/DECODING AUDIO DATA WITH SCALABILITY - Method and apparatus for encoding/decoding audio data with scalability are provided. The method includes slicing audio data to correspond to a plurality of layers, obtaining scale band information and coding band information corresponding to each of the plurality of layers, coding additional information containing scale factor information and coding model information based on scale band information and coding band information corresponding to a first layer, obtaining quantized samples by quantizing audio data corresponding to the first layer with reference to the scale factor information, coding the obtained plurality of quantized samples in units of symbols in order from respective symbols formed with most significant bits (MSB) to least significant bits (LSB) based on the coding model information, and repeating, until coding for the plurality of layers is finished. Accordingly, fine grain scalability can be provided with lower complexity and better audio quality even in a lower layer. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101826 | DECOMPOSITION OF MUSIC SIGNALS USING BASIS FUNCTIONS WITH TIME-EVOLUTION INFORMATION - Decomposition of a multi-source signal using a basis function inventory and a sparse recovery technique is disclosed. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101827 | METHODS AND APPARATUS TO EXTRACT DATA ENCODED IN MEDIA CONTENT - Methods and apparatus to extract data encoded in media content are disclosed. An example method includes sampling a media content signal to generate digital samples, determining a frequency domain representation of the digital samples, determining a first rank of a first frequency in the frequency domain representation, determining a second rank of a second frequency in the frequency domain representation, combining the first rank and the second rank with a set of ranks to create a combined set of ranks, comparing the combined set of ranks to a set of reference sequences, determining a data represented by the combined set of ranks based on the comparison, and storing the data in a memory device. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101828 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PRESENTING MULTIVARIATE INFORMATION - Systems and methods for presenting fraud detection information are presented. In one example, a computer system analyzes empirical data to detect potentially fraudulent activity and alerts users of the potentially fraudulent activity via a fraud detection user interface. The fraud detection user interface determines a set of user interface components to suitable to present the potentially fraudulent activity and presents facts associated with the potentially fraudulent activity to a user for further analysis and investigation. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101829 | WHOLESALE DEVICE REGISTRATION SYSTEM, METHOD, AND PROGRAM PRODUCT - Aspects of the disclosure provide a computerized wholesale device registration system comprising: a registration framework for: obtaining a wholesale device initiation request including: identification of an initiating device; and wholesale device identification information; querying a device database to determine capabilities of the initiating device; selecting a registration completion plug-in based upon the initiation request and the capabilities of the initiating device; and initiating the registration completion plug-in to register the wholesale device with a subscriber account system. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101830 | JEWELRY SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SELLING A PIECE OF JEWELRY BY INCLUDING A STORY OF THE PIECE - A jewelry system and a method for selling jewelry. The jewelry system includes a piece of jewelry that is associated with an information booklet providing a story of formation of the piece and a website for registration of the piece. The initial story that is included in the information booklet includes history of formation of a gemstone used in the piece and the process of manufacture of the setting that lead to the finished product. The website permits the owners to add their personal story to the initial story of the piece. The method for selling the jewelry provides the jewelry, the information booklet and the website address to the buyer. Information regarding the piece is maintained at a server that is linked to the website and may be made available to future second-hand buyers of the piece and to family and friends of the owner. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101831 | TRANSACTIONAL SERVICES - Methods and systems are provided for supporting electronic transactions, including transactions that are provided with per-user, per-device and per-domain security across domains of multiple service providers. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101832 | TRANSACTIONAL SERVICES - Methods and systems are provided for supporting electronic transactions, including transactions that are provided with per-user, per-device and per-domain security across domains of multiple service providers. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101833 | TRANSACTIONAL SERVICES - Methods and systems are provided for supporting electronic transactions, including transactions that are provided with per-user, per-device and per-domain security across domains of multiple service providers. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101834 | TRANSACTIONAL SERVICES - Methods and systems are provided for supporting electronic transactions, including transactions that are provided with per-user, per-device and per-domain security across domains of multiple service providers. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101835 | TRANSACTIONAL SERVICES - Methods and systems are provided for supporting electronic transactions, including transactions that are provided with per-user, per-device and per-domain security across domains of multiple service providers. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101836 | TRANSACTIONAL SERVICES - Methods and systems are provided for supporting electronic transactions, including transactions that are provided with per-user, per-device and per-domain security across domains of multiple service providers. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101837 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MANAGING CLINICAL TRIAL SITE VISIT REPORTS - Systems and methods are disclosed for managing site visit report creation. Data relationships and process flow rules can be utilized to output reminder messages regarding deadlines associated with a site visit report completion and determine and present proper questions to associates to elicit relevant information about a site visit. Site visit reports can be generated in an efficient and accurate manner and submitted quickly to a sponsor. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101838 | Systems and Processes for Managing and Supporting Regulatory Submissions in Clinical Trials - Systems and processes for managing and supporting clinical trials and clinical trial operations, more particularly for managing and supporting governmental authority, ethics committee, and/or other regulatory authority notifications and submissions in the context of clinical trials in various countries throughout the world. Such systems and processes leverage the insight that such regulatory authority requirements vary from one country to the next, but that all or essentially all such regulatory authority requirements can be categorized into a limited number of groups as to which a limited number of workflows can be created. Such workflows can be automated and supported with systems and processes according to embodiments of the invention, which can then control sequence of activities to comply with regulations and requirements in the various countries in which a clinical trial occurs. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101839 | System for and method of interaction of a pharmaceutical entity and its clients - A system and a method of interaction of a pharmaceutical entity with its clients has a pharmaceutical entity, a first cellular telephone provided at the pharmaceutical entity, a plurality of clients of the pharmaceutical entity, a plurality of further cellular telephones each provided at a respective one of the clients of the pharmaceutical entity, wherein the first cellular telephone at the pharmaceutical entity includes a telephone numbers of all the further cellular telephones of the clients, wherein each of the cellular telephones of each of the clients includes a cellular telephone number of the pharmaceutical entity, so that the pharmaceutical entity can reach any of the clients from the first cellular telephone dialing a respective one of the further cellular telephones of a respective one of the clients, and each of the clients can reach the pharmaceutical entity by dialing from the further cellular telephone of a respective one of the clients to the first cellular telephone of the pharmaceutical entity. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101840 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MEDICATION MANAGEMENT - The present invention provides an apparatus and a method for a medication management. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for managing a user's medication by providing an image of medicine prescribed to be taken at a medication time by using prescription information. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101841 | CLINICAL PROCESS GUIDANCE SYSTEM AND METHODS OF USING SAME - The present disclosure provides systems and methods for improving the efficiency and coordination of the treatment of patients in an acute care clinical environment. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101842 | System for High-Efficiency Instrument Sterilization - The current inventive technology encompasses a system for high-efficiency instrument sterilization. Some embodiments may incorporate a computer implemented system for high efficiency instrument sterilization system for identifying, calculating and generating an optimal sterilization protocol by a software directed special purpose computing device and a novel software hardware interface. This inventive technology may be coordinated among various facilities to more efficiently manage a central sterilization facility servicing multiple health-care and other related facilities. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101843 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ANONYMIZING PATIENT DATA - A system and method for managing healthcare information is disclosed. The data servers each include a data manager that comprises a controller, a scrubber module and a user interface engine. The controller manages the core functions and the transmission of data between data manager components. The scrubber module manages the pseudoanonymization of data and the collection of data for clinical trials. The user interface engine generates user interfaces for displaying the applications and collecting clinical trial data. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101844 | Method and System for Providing Information to Physicians - A group of medical specialists reviews an up-to-date body of medical knowledge and, based on its review, selects a subset of that knowledge as being important enough to merit prompt dissemination to the medical community. The selected subset of medical knowledge is then input into a computer system where it can then be accessed by physicians over a computer network. A physician may, for example, access the system before, during or after a patients visit so that he/she can have the most up-to-date information regarding how to best advise the patient. In effect, the group of medical specialists acts as a single voice of authority on which the medical community can rely. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101845 | MEDICAL SUPPORT SYSTEM - A medical support system and method for performing at least one medical support process relating to diagnosis and treatment of a medical condition and that includes or employs medical records relating to patients and medical support databases including medical guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of a medical condition. A medical support process includes one or more process phases. Each process phase includes one or more process operations wherein each of the process operations of a process phase includes one or more process forms providing interfaces between a user and the process operations. The medical records and the guidelines are to execute an interactive dialogue between the medical support process and the user to provide guidance to the user in performing the medical support process according to the guidelines and dependent upon the user inputs and the medical record. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101846 | Computer-Implemented Method For Displaying Patient-Related Diagnoses Of Chronic Illnesses - The invention relates to a computer-implemented method for displaying chronic illnesses on a graphical user interface of a data processing system, whereby the graphical user interface comprises at least a first and a second display window, comprising the following steps: displaying at least a portion of patient data of a patient in the first display window of a graphical user interface, wherein the displayed patient data in the first display window are displayed row-by-row, wherein the first display comprises a scroll bar for row-by-row tracking of the patient data to be displayed, accessing a first database, the first database comprising medical diagnosis objects, wherein the medical diagnosis objects are stored in connection with rules relating to the patient data of the patient, wherein the medical diagnosis objects are in addition connected to information characterizing the connected diagnosis object as a possible chronical diagnosis, checking, whether at least one of the rules is satisfied for the patient data and whether the diagnosis object being stored in connection with the satisfied rule is stored in connection with information characterizing the diagnosis object as a possible chronic diagnosis, displaying a display element on the graphical user interface if at least one of the rules is satisfied and if the medical diagnosis object stored in connection with said rule is characterized as a possible chronic diagnosis, outputting of a user query on the graphical user interface, whether a medical diagnosis connected with the diagnosis object should be accepted as permanent diagnosis, and displaying the medical diagnosis as a permanent diagnosis in the second display window regardless of the position of the scrollbar, if the medical diagnoses connected with the medical diagnosis object has been accepted by the user as a permanent diagnosis. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101847 | Mobile Medical Information System and Methods of Use - Systems, methods and computer readable media performing mobile medical information management are provided. In one aspect, one or more web-based patient portals are accessed and medical history records of a patient are downloaded therefrom, based upon a user profile including personal information that uniquely identifies the patient. All or part of the downloaded data can be outputted to at least one of the patient and a physician or other authorized care provider treating or evaluating the patient. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101848 | PORTABLE PERSONAL HEALTH RECORD DATA PROCESSING SYSTEM - A personal case history processing system writes health relevant data generated by a medical equipment into a data chip or supplies the health relevant data in the data chip to the medical equipment through a data reading/writing device or directly to the medical equipment by performing transmission of the health relevant data between the data chip and the corresponding data reading/writing device and/or the medical equipment, wherein the data chip may be connected to an IC card or a portable data processing device. Accordingly, personal transmission, reading/writing and access of the health relevant data may be realized. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101849 | VIRTUAL CARE TEAM RECORD FOR TRACKING PATIENT DATA - A system and method for managing healthcare information is disclosed. The data servers each include a data manager that comprises a controller, applications, an application manager, a virtual care team module, and a user interface engine. The controller manages the core functions and the transmission of data between data manager components. The applications are applications that are created by the user or downloaded as third-party applications. The application manager manages the creation and communication between applications. The virtual care team module manages the transmission of patient data between data servers. The user interface engine generates user interfaces for displaying the applications and collecting clinical trial data. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101850 | METHODS FOR OFFERING AND/OR PROVIDING ATTORNEYS' FEES INSURANCE - The present invention provides an attorneys' fees policy method, comprising importing case leads and disseminating the leads to a sales representative, receiving application data of the insured party into an attorneys' fees insurance database and uploading the application, an attorneys' fee contract and a related formal legal complaint, requesting underwriting approval of the attorneys' fee policy application, placing the attorneys' fee policy into active status if underwriting is approved, and receiving data on the approved attorneys' fee policy and initiating a policy issuance process. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101851 | SYSTEMS FOR OFFERING AND/OR PROVIDING ATTORNEYS' FEES INSURANCE - The present invention provides an attorneys' fees policy system, comprising means for importing case leads and disseminating the leads to a sales representative, means for receiving application data of the insured party into an attorneys' fees insurance database and uploading the application, an attorneys' fee contract and a related formal legal complaint, means for requesting underwriting approval of the attorneys' fee policy application, means for placing the attorneys' fee policy into active status if underwriting is approved, and means for receiving data on the approved attorneys' fee policy and initiating a policy issuance process. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101852 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING INSURANCE ADJUSTMENTS BASED ON A LIFE EVENT - A system and method are disclosed herein for determining an insurance policy adjustment based on information indicative of life events. The system includes a server, a database, and a business logic computer. The database receives from a user an indication of an occurrence of a life event experienced by the user. The database stores insurance parameter data associated with the user. The business logic computer communicates with the server and database. The business logic computer can receive the user indication via the server and poses questions to send to the user based on the indicated life event. The business logic computer can send the questions to the user via the server. After receiving the user's answers to the questions, the business logic computer determines an insurance policy adjustment based on the answers and the indicated life event. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101853 | SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING SECONDARY CREDIT PROTECTION FOR LIFE AND ANNUITY POLICIES, TRACKING UNPAID CLAIMS - A method for providing insurance in a distributed computing network having a server and a plurality of clients including the steps of determining a corporate bond price associated with a corporate bond of a holding company in the server, determining an interpolated swap rate for the bond based on the corporate bond price and premium in the server, determining a present weighted value of premiums associated with the corporate bond in the server, determining an overcollateralization ratio of the holding company in the server, determining implied asset volatility for the corporate bond in the server, determining an implied put price for the corporate bond and a CDS premium for the insurance company in the server, and offering a secondary credit protection product for users associated with the clients. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101854 | Program for Alternative Funding of Employee and Retiree Benefits - An insurance program for funding benefits by maintaining assets in the insurance program that includes an employer or employee owned trust account and at least one life insurance contract obtained directly or indirectly from a captive insurance company. The life insurance contract is purchased with assets from the trust account and the captive insurance company is a least partially owned by the employer. When paying or reimbursing benefits, the employer or the trust may pay the benefit and if the employer pays the benefit, the trust may reimburse the employer. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101855 | MONITORING CLIENT-SELECTED VEHICLE PARAMETERS IN ACCORDANCE WITH CLIENT PREFERENCES - Business insurance clients select parameters and/or preferences for monitoring in vehicle fleets using one or more telematics devices. The parameters and/or preferences may comprise an operating characteristic associated with fleet vehicles associated with a business insurance product. Selection and measurement of parameters and/or preferences may result in lower insurance premiums. In one embodiment, an apparatus causes, based on a user selection of at least one of a plurality of menu-selectable options, a remotely programmable memory of at least one monitoring device to store an indication of the monitoring parameters and/or preferences represented by the user selection. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101856 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROCESSING OF DATA RELATED TO INSURANCE - This invention relates generally to a computer system and method for integrating insurance policy underwriting. In one aspect it integrates the older legacy insurance policy generating systems to on line systems where users access the system through browsers. The computer system to perform the process of underwriting, rating, quoting, binding, and booking an insurance policy includes browsers, data bases, processors and a dispatcher that parses the information to select an insurance process. Suitable software programs review messages received from users to determine if certain messages are less than a prescribed limit. If a message is greater than the limit, then the message is parsed into a header information and one or more data fields whereby the header information is provided to a legacy processor and to policy generation software for further creation of policy related information and documentation. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101857 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROCESSING AND ADMINISTERING IMMEDIATE AND DEFERRED GUARANTEED INCOME PAYMENTS - A system is provided for administering immediate and deferred payments in any of a plurality of different payout schemes selected by a purchaser to accommodate varying retirement income needs. The system can be configured to administer an immediate income annuity where payments start within a predetermined time period year and the system can also administer a deferred payout annuity through a single dual natured payout contract. Additional options available for administration by the system include options to permit the contract owner to change the annuity commencement date and the ability to commute future period certain periodic payments into a single lump sum payment. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101858 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR TARGETING MESSAGES TO TRAVELERS - A computer-implemented system and method for targeting messages to a traveler, comprising processing information associated with: receiving a request from a device of the traveler for itinerary information; utilizing geographic information, comprising itinerary information, to determine where the traveler is currently and/or is projected to be during a given time period; categorizing the geographic information and traveler information about the traveler from a database of travel and expense activity into a category; matching the category for the geographical information and/or traveler information about the traveler against a category for available targeted messages to determine if there are any matches; and transmitting targeted messages that have a category that matches a category for the geographical information and/or traveler information to the device of the traveler; wherein traveler information from the database of travel and expense activity is utilized to help determine what products and/or services travelers purchase when they travel. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101859 | ONLINE RESERVATION SOFTWARE - An online reservation system, characterized by a transient reservation status of “pending” having an associated time limit. An inquiry on a specific one of the resources via the user interface triggers the pending status for the specific one of the resources and blocks other users from reserving the specific one of the resources for the associated time limit. The reservation status of the specific one of the resources is updated to “reserved” if payment is effected within the associated time limit. The reservation status of the specific one of the resources is updated to “unreserved” if payment is not effected within the associated time limit. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101860 | PROVIDING BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE - The present disclosure provides a computer-implemented method of processing a business intelligence client request in real-time using Unified Information Access System architecture. The method includes receiving a business intelligence client request and acquiring data from a plurality of data sources relevant to the business intelligence client request. A first portion of the data is acquired from a first data source in a first data format native to the first data source, and a second portion of the data is acquired from a second data source in a second data format native to the second data source. The method also includes converting the data into a common data format and storing the data to a common data store. The method also includes processing the business intelligence client request on the common data store. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101861 | WIDE-AREA AGRICULTURAL MONITORING AND PREDICTION - A system for agricultural monitoring and prediction comprises a first reporting agent a second reporting agent a database, and a processor. The first reporting agent is configured for reporting aerial data representing relative measurements of an agricultural metric in a geographic area, the relative measurements having an unknown bias. The second reporting is configured for reporting ground-based data representing absolute measurements of the agricultural metric for a portion of the geographic area. The database is configured for storing the absolute measurement data and the relative measurement data along with other farming data for a wide geographic area. The processor is configured for accessing the database and using the ground-based data for the portion of the geographic area to calibrate the aerial data, thereby synthesizing absolute measurements of the agricultural metric for the geographic area from the aerial data. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101862 | Property-Space Similarity Modeling - The present invention relates to modeling systems for designing consumer products and selected components for use in consumer products, consumer products and components selected by such models and the use of same. In addition, a system that minimizes the risks associated with a collaboration yet promotes the rapid advance of the subject/goal of the collaboration is disclosed. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101863 | MACHINE-MANAGEMENT SYSTEM - A method is disclosed for using information related to the service history of a power-train component. The method may include using a machine-management system with at least one information processor to acquire information related to loads experienced by the power-train component during a first period, the first period occurring before a disassembly procedure involving disassembly of the power-train component from a power train. The method may also include employing the machine-management system and the acquired information related to loads experienced by the power-train component during the first period to perform one or more tasks in connection with use of the power-train component after the disassembly procedure. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101864 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SUPPORTING A COMPUTER-BASED PRODUCT - A technique includes determining a mixture of product-based, automation-based and human-based components of service support to resolve incidents that occur in a computer-based product. Based at least in part on the determined mixture, features are selectively incorporated into the product. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101865 | System for Rating Agents and Customers for Use in Profile Compatibility Routing - A method for routing transactions from customers to agents follows a process of receiving, at a routing server, a transaction to route, and soliciting the customers before connection to an agent, to rate the agents after agent interaction, and checking for existing customer routing profiles. Upon finding an existing routing profile for a customer, checking for existing routing profiles of available agents, and finding existing agent routing profiles, routing customer to agent by matching routing profiles. If no existing routing profile is found for a customer, routing to an agent by a default routing strategy. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101866 | SERVICE LEVEL AGREEMENT DESIGN AND ENFORCEMENT FOR OUTSOURCED CALL CENTER - A method for managing support services includes storing one or more support level agreements (SLAs), each having an associated attribute, in a database as one or more corresponding data objects. One or more trouble tickets, each having one or more associated attributes, are entered into the database as one or more corresponding data objects. One or more of the one or more stored SLAs are automatically applied to each of the one or more trouble tickets by matching the attributes of the one or more trouble tickets with the attributes of the one or more SLAs. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101867 | System for Automatic Assignment of Agents in Inbound and Outbound Campaigns - A workforce-management application is provided, resident on a digital medium, for reallocating human resources between two or more interaction-processing subsystems in a contact center. The application includes a state-monitoring application executable from the digital medium for monitoring the current volumes of interaction requests pending in all of the currently active subsystems, a logic function executable from the digital medium by the state-monitoring application, the logic function adapted to determine what specific human resources with the required skills are needed to satisfy the current interaction processing requirements, and a communication and notification function for communicating the determinations of the logic function between one or more subsystems and for notifying individual ones of the affected human resources about the activity changes before they are set to occur. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101868 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR REVERSE TRANSFERRING KNOWLEDGE BETWEEN PROJECT TEAMS - The present invention provides a method and a system for reverse transferring knowledge of a project from a primary vendor to a secondary vendor. The reverse knowledge transfer process involves defining a seamless process for transferring knowledge of all applications of the project, without compromising on the committed timelines for the release of the applications. Further, the knowledge transfer process is regularly monitored and controlled by various stakeholders to ensure the timelines are met and quality of transfer is maintained. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101869 | MEDIA MANAGEMENT SYSTEM - A media management system including a media storage unit which stores a plurality of media files, a media project information unit that includes a plurality of media projects and that associates at least one media file in the media storage unit with a media project in the media project information unit, a proposal unit that determines the cost to produce a media project based on the media files associated with the media project. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101870 | Estimating the Sensitivity of Enterprise Data - A method for evaluating data includes defining a list of data categories, determining a relative sensitivity to each data category, determining one or more classifiers for each of the data categories, receiving a plurality of data items to be valued, determining one of the data categories for each of said plurality of data items according to the one or more classifiers, and determining a respective sensitivity for each of said plurality of data items. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101871 | USING MASKING PROPERTIES FOR MANAGEMENT OF A DYNAMIC IDENTITY TEMPLATE AS A PART OF A MARKETING AND SALES PROGRAM FOR UNIVERSAL LIFE STAGE DECISION SUPPORT - Methods and systems for using masking properties for management of a dynamic identity template as a part of a marketing and sales program for universal life stage decision support. While masking private data, a user-defined template can be shared (pushed) to other networks, and template fields can be dynamically populated (pulled) from other networks; thus a template can grow in extensible dimensions, as well as become automatically updated. Also disclosed are techniques for be-friending based on identity template field matching, and for matching user's needs to service providers by collecting user input in profiles, creating multi-axis match objects from the profiles, and applying heuristics to create scored matches between profiles. Techniques include defining extensible profile fields, launching automated agents, and recording reported action. Users may create and manage permissions to permit other users or third party agents to populate both private and shared information in a user-defined identity profile. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101872 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DETERMINING TESTING MATURITY OF AN ORGANIZATION - The invention describes a method, a system, and a computer program product for determining the maturity of a testing organization. The testing organization may be defined as an organization that specializes or involves in testing of software/software applications. The method utilizes a pre-determined model to asses the maturity level of the testing organization. In addition to providing the pre-determined model, the invention facilitates in determining the maturity level across various test dimensions of the testing organization. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101873 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DYNAMIC COMMUNICATION-BASED AGENT SKILL ASSESSMENT - In one embodiment, a method includes obtaining information relating to an interaction between an agent associated with a contact center and a customer. The information includes an indicator of a satisfaction level of the customer and/or the agent. The method also includes providing at least the indicator to an expertise assessment arrangement and developing a characterization of an expertise of the agent using the expertise assessment arrangement. Developing the characterization of the expertise includes using the indicator. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101874 | Charger With Data Transfer Capabilities - Gastric apparatus ( | 2012-04-26 |
20120101875 | STORED VALUE EXCHANGE METHOD AND APPARATUS - An apparatus and method for exchanging one form of stored value for another form of value. In one embodiment, an apparatus comprises means for providing stored-value account information to a first remote entity and to a second remote entity. The apparatus further comprises means for receiving a first offer to exchange at least some of the stored value for another form of value from the first remote entity and for receiving a second offer to exchange at least some of the stored value for another form of value from the second remote entity. The apparatus additionally comprises means for accepting one of the offers. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101876 | METHOD OF MANAGING HOUSEHOLD PRODUCT INVENTORY - A method of managing an inventory of household products through virtual storage, such as in a virtual refrigerator, freezer, pantry, using electronic devices such as a smart phone. The virtual storage includes at least one of a description of each product in the virtual storage; the date each product was purchased; the expiration date of each product; and the freshness level of each product, including whether each product is still fresh, needs to be used within a certain time period, or needs to be thrown out. Related features include generation of shopping lists, coupons and recipes for a consumer based on the products in virtual storage or depleted therefrom. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101877 | Symbiotic Mass Marketing - The present invention relates to certain methods and systems for promoting the sale of goods and services. According to certain embodiments of the present invention, such methods generally comprise the steps of (1) selling a first good or service to a customer for a discounted price that is less than a standard price, (2) establishing a sales goal (which represents an amount of desired sales of a second good or service to customers during a promotional period), and (3) issuing a credit to, or receiving a payment from, each participating customer based on a level of success achieved towards the sales goal. The invention provides that the extent to which the sales goal is achieved depends on the aggregate sales of the second good or service to the public at large, and is not dependent upon the sales or activity of any single customer. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101878 | ADVERTISEMENT DISPLAY SYSTEM AND METHOD - In an advertisement display method implemented by an electronic device that installed with a three dimensional (3D) game, a default advertisement image of a product is displayed in a current scene of the 3D game when the 3D game is started or paused. A virtual object of the 3D game is displayed in the current scene of the 3D game, and movement of the virtual object is tracked when a user moves the virtual object in the current scene. A display orientation of the product is adjusted according to the movement of the virtual object until an advertising time of the product is elapsed. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101879 | Faucet system and advertising method - A faucet system including: a first set of faucet components including at least a water regulating device and a water dispensing device, wherein the water regulating device and the water dispensing device include advertising indicia of a first theme; a second set of faucet components including at least a water regulating device and a water dispensing device, wherein the water regulating device and the water wherein the first and second set of faucet components are configured to be interchangeably connected to a base. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101880 | Digital Communication Management System - A system for targeting contextually relevant digital communications based on past, current, or forecasted weather conditions is disclosed. The system receives passive location information from a viewer and a real-time feed of weather information from a weather database. The disclosed system assesses the weather condition in a given location and then manages the display and rotation of advertisements with both direct and indirect weather dependencies. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101881 | LOYALTY PROMOTION APPARATUSES, METHODS AND SYSTEMS - The LOYALTY PROMOTION APPARATUSES, METHODS AND SYSTEMS (“L-PROMO”) transforms consumer credentials, consumer opt-in activities, and, merchant campaign setup inputs via L-PROMO components into a financial transaction and offer redemption outputs. In one implementation, a method is disclosed, comprising: receiving consumer identifying information from a consumer electronic wallet vehicle; receiving merchant information and a proposed transaction from a merchant terminal; initiating consumer payment by sending a payment approval to an electronic wallet account; receiving a request to apply a promotional offer; determining consumer eligibility to apply the promotional offer to the proposed transaction; applying the promotional offer to the proposed transaction by returning credits to the consumer based on terms of the promotional offer; sending transaction details to the consumer; and sending a message to a social network indicating the transaction on the consumer's social media page. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101882 | MULTI-ACCOUNT PAYMENT CONSOLIDATION SYSTEM - A multi-account payment consolidation system and process, comprising a payment terminal at a point-of-sale. A central computer system is operatively coupled to the payment terminal through a network connection, the central computer system including at least a processor, and memory comprising program instructions. The program instructions are executable by the processor to register a plurality of external financial accounts and associate them with a user, register at least one customized rule-set for processing a payment associated with the user, authenticate the user when the user logs in at the payment terminal, automatically process the payment in accordance with the customized rule-set by accessing the external financial accounts, and receive a payment confirmation from the external financial accounts for display to the user on the payment terminal. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101883 | System and Method for Rewarding Smart Phone Users Personal Companion - A method of advertizing using a device called Personal Companion. The Personal Companion is a specially designed device or existing Smart Phone linked to cloud based servers via Communication Careers. The device and other enabling gadgets and services are distributed free of charge to members of the public in return for a continuous, uninterruptible flow of consented advertisements. Watching these adverts will typically result in compensation accruing to the user. Users may, however, opt to stop flow of ad, but may forfeit that compensation. The ad server distributes marketing data to the device based on it's physical location, amongst other factors. Preferably, the geographical coordinates of the navigation device are fed to the ad server, which then returns advertisements from businesses operating within those coordinates. The navigation device receives and outputs navigational or entertainment information, in conjunction with marketing data. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101884 | REWARD SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ONLINE CREDIT AND DEBIT CARD TRANSACTIONS - A reward system and method including a card issuing institution that issues debit or credit cards to cardholders. Each cardholder has a cash back account set up by the institution and a cash back program rewards its cardholders with a cash value dependent on the cardholder's usage of the credit or debit card and depositing the cash value in the cardholder's cash back account. The institution provides the identity of a provider of goods or services to a user and each cardholder has online access to the provider so that the cardholder can purchase goods or services from the provider upon accumulation of a predetermined amount of cash in the cardholder's cash back program. The institution provides an online clearing program for receiving sales information from the provider when a purchase is made by a cardholder and debiting the cardholder's cash with the amount of the sales information. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101885 | INTEGRATED PAYMENT METHOD USING NEAR FIELD COMMUNICATION AND MOBILE TERMINAL USING THE SAME - Disclosed herein is a method for performing an integrated payment using Near Field Communication (NFC). The method is performed using a mobile terminal. The mobile terminal receives Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag information from a payment system in an NFC scheme. The mobile terminal analyzes the received RFID tag information, and then extracts an integrated payment application which corresponds to the RFID tag information. The mobile terminal drives the integrated payment application and transmits discount benefit information to the payment system. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101886 | DYNAMICALLY GENERATED TARGETED SUBSCRIPTION PACKAGE - Techniques are provided for dynamically generating a customized subscription package to a user of one or more virtual environments. A computer apparatus analyzes one or more user attributes of a user of one or more virtual environments. The computer apparatus determines a customized subscription package for the user. The customized subscription package comprises one or more virtual assets associated with the one or more virtual environments. The customized subscription package is offered to the user. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101887 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MANAGING MERCHANT-CONSUMER INTERACTIONS - A system for combining a payment mechanism with an offer to a consumer is described. The system includes a virtual payment account number generation engine to generate virtual payment account numbers that can be used by a consumer in a payment transaction at a merchant, the virtual payment account number generation service also operable to take a portion of the virtual payment account number and send it as a checkout code to a consumer using the consumer's mobile device, and an offer generation engine used to set rules for an offer to be sent to consumers, create a fund for the offer, and determine individual consumer's eligibility for the offer. The offer is associated with the checkout code such that the offer is processed as part of the payment during the payment transaction using the virtual payment account number. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101888 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR OBTAINING CONTENT RELATED TO AN ARTICLE OF COMMERCE - Systems and methods are provided for delivering content to a mobile device over a network. One method for delivering content comprises the steps of obtaining location information from a location tracking module of a mobile device and identifying, by the mobile device, an article of commerce. The method also includes transmitting the location information and identification of the article of commerce from the mobile device to a server. Steps by the server include identifying a retailer based on the location information and retrieving content related to the identified article of commerce, wherein the content is available from the identified retailer. The method then includes transmitting the content from the server to the mobile device. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101889 | COUPON SELECTION SUPPORT APPARATUS, COUPON SELECTION SUPPORT SYSTEM, COUPON SELECTION SUPPORT METHOD, AND PROGRAM - Disclosed herein is a coupon selection support apparatus including: a commercial product information acquisition block configured to acquire commercial product information associated with a commercial product subject to a coupon; a commercial product analysis block configured to analyze a commercial product subject to a coupon; a usage log acquisition block configured to acquire a coupon usage log of each user; a log analysis block configured to analyze a purchase timing of a commercial product purchased by each user in the past; and a selection support block configured to predict a next purchase timing of the commercial product to preferentially present, at the next purchase timing, a coupon for the commercial product and coupons related with the coupon by the commercial product analysis block. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101890 | INFORMATION PROCESSING METHOD, DISPLAY METHOD, INFORMATION PROCESSING DEVICE, TERMINAL DEVICE, AND INFORMATION PROCESSING PROGRAM - A use history that at least associates a use subject identifier for identifying a user or a terminal device a user has used with a used item identifier, which is an item identifier for identifying an item used by a user, based on use information is stored in a use history storage section. Based on the use history, a degree of similarity between two item identifiers is calculated and using the degree of similarity, associated data causing a base item identifier, which is an item identifier of a base item, and an associated item identifier, which is an item identifier of an associated item similar to the base item to correspond to each other is created. A change value to change a point value managed for each use subject identifier is calculated. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101891 | CAR PRICING AND PURCHASING SYSTEM AND METHOD - Various embodiments are directed to a customer computer device for facilitating the purchase of products comprising at least one processor and operatively associated memory. The device may capture a product identifier from an instance of a product. The product identifier may indicate a first instance of the product. The device may also transmit the product identifier to a service provider system and receive from the service provider system a rebated sales price for the first instance of the product. The rebated sales price may reflect an invoice price of the product, a deduction to the invoice price, and at least one rebate offered by the manufacturer of the product. Additionally, the device may provide the rebated sales price to a customer via a graphical user interface. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101892 | SYSTEM, METHOD AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR CROSS-SELLING IN NETWORK ENVIRONMENT - Embodiments of the invention provide a robust rebate cross-sell network in which business entities, including financial institutions, can make targeted offers, including pre-approved or pre-qualified credit offers, to a desirable consumer utilizing information submitted by the consumer during a rebate redemption process. These business entities may but need not be associated with a rebate-issuing entity (i.e., rebate sponsor) or a rebate processing center which processes rebate claims for the rebate sponsor. In one embodiment, a cross-sell network manager can determine the consumer's identity, look-up the consumer at credit bureau(s), and perform a passive, real-time inquiry. Contingent upon a plurality of factors (e.g., the results of the inquiry or look-up against the pre-approved/qualified customer list, etc.), one or more targeted offers are identified. A Web page can be dynamically generated with the selectively identified offers and presented to the consumer as disbursement options, perhaps after authenticating the consumer's identity. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101893 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR GENERATING SHOPPING LIST - A shopping list generating system includes a coupon obtaining module, a keyword generator, a recipe obtaining module, and a shopping list generator. The coupon obtaining module obtains coupon information about one or more particular coupons from a coupon database. The keyword generator generates one or more keywords according to particular coupon information about the one or more particular coupons. The recipe obtaining module obtains recipe information about one or more recipes by querying the recipe database using the one or more keywords, and the shopping list generator generates a shopping list of ingredients according to the recipe information about the one or more recipes. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101894 | REAL-TIME POINT REDEMPTION IN A MERCHANT REDEMPTION NETWORK - The invention includes methods and systems for use with a redemption campaign of an issuer implemented via a real-time redemption network (“RRN”), with RRN being connected to a credit/debit transaction network, and implemented via a mobile message system for an account of a cardholder having a mobile device connected to the mobile messaging system. The cardholder receives marketing engagements of a redemption campaign via a cardholder mobile device based on an approved credit/debit card transaction and having a points account associated with the card. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101895 | ADVERTISING SYSTEM AND METHOD - A method for operating a user terminal to deliver advertising content to a user of the user terminal prior to the user commencing use of a software program on the user terminal is provided. The user terminal includes a processor and associated memory, a communications interface, and at least one output device. The method includes sending, via the communications interface, a service request to a software server, the service request including a request to use said software program; receiving, via the communications interface, a service response and an advertising reference from the software server; and delivering advertising content to the user through the at least one output device, the advertising content being derived from the advertising reference. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101896 | Online promotional tool - An Internet-based marketing service. The marketing service according to embodiments of the invention is designed to link local businesses with local consumers while supporting local causes. In an embodiment, the system includes a processor having non-transitory memory coupled to the processor, a database configured to store data related to the plurality of businesses, a network accessible by the user and operably coupling the processor with the database and a landing page for each of the plurality of businesses, the landing page including a business name, wherein the processor is configured to receive a user-defined area, and to display the landing pages of businesses belonging to the area for the user based on the user-defined area and data stored in the database. In an embodiment, a method of providing community-directed marketing is disclosed. In another embodiment, a method of dynamically generating advertising using a system for community-directed marketing is disclosed. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101897 | ROBUST TAGGING SYSTEMS AND METHODS - Systems and method for tagging people, objects, events, and other targets are described herein. A tagging method can include receiving an indication of a media file representing a target, and receiving a description of the target. An external web address affiliated with a sponsor can also be received. The received information can then be included in a robust tag, which can be associated with the media file in exchange for payment from the sponsor. When the media file is later displayed to a user, a representation of the robust tag can be presented with the media file, thus enabling the sponsor to market itself to the user. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101898 | PRESENTING PERSONALIZED SOCIAL CONTENT ON A WEB PAGE OF AN EXTERNAL SYSTEM - A social networking system generates socially-relevant stories for a user based on other users (e.g., based on actions taken by other users) to whom the user is connected. These socially-relevant stories, including news stories, social advertisements, etc., may be presented on a web page within a domain of an external system that is different from the domain of the social networking system. When a web page from an external system is requested for a viewing user, the social content about other users who are connected to the viewing user may be provided by the social networking system for that viewing user. This personalized social content may be presented in a frame (e.g., an iframe) of the external web page rendered and provided for display to the viewing user. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101899 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS OF RECOMMENDING THE DELIVERY OF ADVERTISEMENTS - Systems and methods for recommending that a business deliver an advertising message to an individual make use of information about the individual's activity on a telephony system. The information about the individual's activity on the telephony system can indicate that the individual is in communication with certain types of businesses. The information can also indicate the timing of those communications. This information is used to recommend that similar businesses send advertising messages to the individual. The information can also be used to recommend that the advertising messages be delivered at certain times. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101900 | PATRON SERVICING USING A COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK - A method and system pertaining to providing service to patrons in an establishment using a communications network. The method and system include enabling access to the communications network by a patron using a patron computer having a user interface including a video display. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101901 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR TARGETING MESSAGES TO TRAVELERS - A computer-implemented method of targeting electronic messages to travelers, comprising performing processing associated with: utilizing geographic information comprising itinerary information, to determine where the travelers are currently and/or are projected to be during a given time period; creating a list of travelers which categorizes the geographic information and/or traveler information about the travelers on the list; electronically notifying a merchant with information related to the list and the current geographic information and/or current traveler information of the travelers on the list; receiving an electronic request from the merchant to transmit an electronic targeted message to some or all of the travelers on the list; and transmitting the electronic targeted message to some or all of the travelers on the list. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101902 | COMMERCIAL INFORMATION TAGGING - An approach to commercial information tagging. A digital radio receiver may be configured to receive commercial metadata that is part of a digital radio stream. A user may be able to provide input indicating that a particular commercial is of interest, thereby selecting the commercial metadata. The digital radio receiver may then determine one or more devices, from a set of devices that are communicatively connected to the digital radio receiver, that are configured to receive advertising associated with the commercial metadata. The digital radio receiver may then transmit the advertising to the various devices. In response, the devices may display information about the entity that sponsored the particular commercial; for example, a cellular phone may display a coupon, while a GPS device displays directions to the nearest location. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101903 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MOBILE INTELLIGENT ADVERTIZING SERVICE BASED ON MOBILE USER CONTEXTUAL MATCHING - Disclosed are a method and an apparatus for mobile intelligent advertizing service based on mobile user contextual matching. An apparatus for mobile intelligent advertizing service based on mobile user contexts includes: a contextual information collecting unit collecting user contextual information under a mobile environment; a contextual information analyzing unit analyzing the collected contextual information and classifying and storing the analyzed contextual information for each category; a contextual information modeling unit comparing and mapping the analyzed contextual information with a previously built-up contextual information database to formalize the compared and mapped contextual information and generalizing the formalized contextual information by using a wired/wireless communication network; a user action analyzing unit analyzing a user's action on the basis of the modeled contextual information and predicting the user's next action; and an advertisement contents recommending unit recommending advertisement contents suitable for the predicted user's next action. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101904 | CUSTOMIZED BILLBOARD WEBSITE ADVERTISEMENTS - A method, apparatus, system, and computer program product provide the ability to deliver an advertisement. Customization attributes for displaying billboard advertisements are defined. Each billboard advertisement comprises an advertisement for media content. A user requests access to a website and the server computer transmits the website that includes or provides access to the advertisements. Based on the customization attributes, a first billboard advertisement is primarily displayed without occlusion and remaining billboard advertisements are displayed partially occluded by the first billboard advertisement. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101905 | Method and Apparatus for Generating a Multimedia Advertisement - A method and system for generating multimedia advertisement is disclosed. In an embodiment, a method for generating multimedia advertisement is disclosed. The method comprising accessing user selected files, accessing an information file, processing user selected image files or video files using the information file, processing user selected audio files using the information file, and generating a multimedia advertisement file. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101906 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PRINTING INFORMATION RELATED TO INTERNET ADVERTISEMENTS - A method and system for placing an excitable icon in or next to a screen Internet advertisement offering users the ability to print information related to the advertised product or service, which could consist of, but is not limited to, a marketing brochure or coupon. The method and system performs these tasks without noticeably altering the appearance of the web page on which the screen Internet advertisement and button are placed, opening a new browser window for the information to be displayed or redirecting the browser to the advertiser's web page. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101907 | Securing Expandable Display Advertisements in a Display Advertising Environment - A method for securely presenting an HTML expandable display advertisement on a computer display, comprising: storing at a serving computer, an HTML object having an identifier associated with at least one securing computer, registering at the securing computer, the expandable display advertisement, and signaling, from a displaying computer, an expansion event for the expandable display advertisement wherein the expandable display advertisement is for display on the displaying computer. Additional operations for securely presenting an expandable display advertisement on a computer display include expanding, at the displaying computer, the expandable display advertisement; and signaling, from a displaying computer, a restoring event. Using this technique, the serving computer may be within a first domain, and the securing computer within a second domain, the second domain being different from the first domain. In some cases, a registration message received by a securing computer comprises width and height dimensions of the expandable display advertisement. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101908 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR RISK TRIGGERING VALUES - Systems and methods for facilitating risk assessment for point of sale transactions utilizing at least one risk triggering value (RTV) is disclosed. An RTV is a condensed version of a set of complex risk data and strategies usually found in central processing sites. After receiving a request for payment authorization, a risk value is calculated for the request. The distributed processing site compares the risk value to the RTV to determine whether to authorize payment. If the risk value is less than or equal to the RTV, the payment is authorized while a risk value greater than the RTV will not be authorized. The central site calculates a new RTV for the account and distributes the new RTV to the distributed processing site. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101909 | System and Method for Issuing Negotiable Instruments by Licensed Money Transmitter from Direct Deposits - Embodiments relate to a cash card and associated systems and processes. An account structure is provided that allows a non-bank entity to indirectly provide direct deposit capabilities for funds representing pre-payments for negotiable instruments. When a direct deposit of funds into a first account associated with the individual and maintained by a first entity is detected, the total amount of the funds is transferred into a second account associated with the individual and maintained by a second entity. The first entity is a bank or other financial institution subject to federal banking regulations, while the second entity is not subject to federal banking regulations. The individual may withdraw the funds from the second account by requesting the issuance of negotiable instruments. Negotiable instruments may be issued in any dollar amount not exceeding the balance of the second account. A properly enrolled customer may make subsequent deposits into the second account. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101910 | PREPAYMENT SYSTEM FOR SUPPLYING WATER OR GAS BY MEANS OF A WIRELESS INTELLIGENT CARD AND METER FOR SAID SYSTEM - A prepayment system for supplying water or gas by means of a wireless intelligent card is described. The present invention also relates to a bidirectional meter specially designed to electronically record the consumption of water or gas. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101911 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR SECURING USER IDENTITIES AND CREATING VIRTUAL USERS TO ENHANCE PRIVACY ON A COMMUNICATION NETWORK - A method of enabling a real entity to access a service on a communication network using a virtual entity, the method including the steps of establishing a user account including at least first data corresponding to the identity of the real entity and second data corresponding to the virtual entity and not identifying the real entity, storing the first and second data in a first database, linking between the first and second data in the first database, storing the second data at a second database, associating the second database with a communication network site, connecting the communication network site to the communication network, receiving the second data from an unidentified user on the communication network site, identifying the unidentified user as the virtual entity based on receiving the second data, and allowing the virtual entity to access the service. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101912 | Providing a Marketplace for Sensor Data - In one embodiment, a method includes accessing first information identifying a sensor-data set that includes sensor-data from multiple sensor-data streams from multiple sensors over a period of time, with the sensor data from the sensor-data streams having been combined with each other based on a relationship of the sensor data to a sensor subject; accessing second information identifying one or more offers to purchase the sensor-data set; and matching one of the offers with the sensor-data set to facilitate a purchase of the sensor-data set based at least on the one of the offers matched to the sensor-data set. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101913 | METHOD FOR PROVIDING TRANSACTION CARD CUSTOMIZATION IMAGE REVIEW VIA AN ONLINE EXTRANET - The present invention provides a method for providing transaction card customization image review, wherein image review is performed by an image reviewer using an online extranet provided by a transaction card franchiser. The method comprises the steps of logging onto the online extranet using a web browser, selecting an image administrator application from a licensed product list of the transaction card franchiser, selecting a customized image for review, and approving or rejecting the customized image, wherein information pertaining to approving or rejecting the customized image is automatically saved in a database of the transaction card franchiser. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101914 | METHOD, SYSTEM, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR PROVIDING TRANSACTION SERVICES - Transaction services include providing, to a computer system of an entity via a first user interface, a transaction service template having data fields configured to specify items and identifiers of physical locations in which each of the items resides. The transaction services also include receiving the transaction service template including entries presented in the data fields, the transaction service template mapping the items to corresponding physical locations. Transaction services further include providing a second user interface to an end user device, the second user interface including a portion of the data fields of the transaction service template. In response to a transaction request that includes one of the items, the transaction services also include populating an identifier of a corresponding physical location of the item in the transaction request within the second user interface as a transaction response. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101915 | COMMISSION BASED SALE ON E-COMMERCE - One embodiment provides a method for facilitating a seller of a product to sell the product. The method includes accessing information retrieved from a search query conducted by a potential buyer for the product. The buyer information of the potential buyer is extracted form the accessed information. The buyer information includes, for example, contact and interest information of the potential buyer. Thereafter, the buyer information of the potential buyer is transmitted to a third party. In turn, a compensation for the product is received from the potential buyer, in which the compensation identifies the third party as a promoter of the product. A commission is then transferred to the third party in response to the received compensation for the product from the potential buyer. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101916 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SELECTION OF PAYMENT SYSTEMS FROM A PAYMENT SYSTEM DIRECTORY TO PROCESS A TRANSACTION - Dynamically enabling and facilitating businesses or other entities to locate and transact with payment systems for the purpose of processing payments. A customer interacts with a supplier of an item (e.g., goods or services), selects an item for purchase, and provides the supplier with payment criteria. The supplier queries a payment system directory to locate candidate payment systems for the transaction. The supplier then interacts directly with one or more of the payment systems to partially or fully process payment for the transaction. Alternatively, the supplier interacts with a gateway service, which queries a payment system directory to locate candidate payment systems and then interacts with one or more of the payment systems to process payment for the transaction. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101917 | BUSINESS MOBILE COMMUNICATION SYSTEM - A business mobile communication system includes a transaction platform, a plurality of client-end users, at least one digital content sever, a communication network, the Internet, and a plurality of mobile communication devices. Each client-end user can operate the corresponding mobile communication device in a dialing number method mode and thereby connect the mobile communication device to the transaction platform through the communication network. Once authorized by the transaction platform, the client-end user can further connect the mobile communication device to any of the at least one digital content server via the Internet by way of the corresponding content index in the transaction platform, so as to access a specific digital content. The specific digital content is transmitted to the client-end user's mobile communication device via a point-to-point transfer protocol. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101918 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS USING A MANUFACTURER LINE, SERIES, MODEL HIERARCHY - A computer-implemented method and apparatus for providing navigation of a database includes a plurality of records having attributes, the method including transmitting a webpage configured to display a plurality of hierarchies of selectable filters corresponding for plural manufacturer's products, wherein each hierarchy corresponds to the respective manufacturer's product taxonomy, receiving at least one attribute value based on a filter selection, transmitting a query to an index for unique identifiers corresponding to that satisfy the at least one attribute value, receiving the unique identifiers, transmitting a query to a product data set for records in the data set corresponding to the unique identifier, receiving, with a computing device, the one or more records, and transmitting said one or more records. | 2012-04-26 |
20120101919 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PRESENTING SUSPECT ACTIVITY WITHIN A TIMELINE - Systems and methods for presenting fraud detection information are presented. In one example, a computer system analyzes empirical data to detect potentially fraudulent activity and alerts users of the potentially fraudulent activity via a fraud detection user interface. The fraud detection user interface determines a set of user interface components to suitable to present the potentially fraudulent activity and presents facts associated with the potentially fraudulent activity to a user for further analysis and investigation. | 2012-04-26 |