17th week of 2010 patent applcation highlights part 56 |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20100106505 | USING WORD CONFIDENCE SCORE, INSERTION AND SUBSTITUTION THRESHOLDS FOR SELECTED WORDS IN SPEECH RECOGNITION - A method and system for improving the accuracy of a speech recognition system using word confidence score (WCS) processing is introduced. Parameters in a decoder are selected to minimize a weighted total error rate, such that deletion errors are weighted more heavily than substitution and insertion errors. The occurrence distribution in WCS is different depending on whether the word was correctly identified and based on the type of error. This is used to determine thresholds in WCS for insertion and substitution errors. By processing the hypothetical word (HYP) (output of the decoder), a mHYP (modified HYP) is determined. In some circumstances, depending on the WCS's value in relation to insertion and substitution threshold values, mHYP is set equal to: null, a substituted HYP, or HYP. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106506 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DOCUMENT NAVIGATION WITH A TEXT-TO-SPEECH ENGINE - A system for visually navigating a document in conjunction with a text-to-speech (“TTS) engine presents a visual display of a region of interest that is related to the text of the document that is being audibly presented as speech to a user. When the TTS engine converts the text to speech and presents the speech to the user, the system presents the corresponding section of text on a display. During the presentation, if the system encounters a linked section of text, the visual display changes to display a linked region of interest that corresponds to the linked section of text. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106507 | Ratio of Speech to Non-Speech Audio such as for Elderly or Hearing-Impaired Listeners - The invention relates to audio signal processing and speech enhancement. In accordance with one aspect, the invention combines a high-quality audio program that is a mix of speech and non-speech audio with a lower-quality copy of the speech components contained in the audio program for the purpose of generating a high-quality audio program with an increased ratio of speech to non-speech audio such as may benefit the elderly, hearing impaired or other listeners. Aspects of the invention are particularly useful for television and home theater sound, although they may be applicable to other audio and sound applications. The invention relates to methods, apparatus for performing such methods, and to software stored on a computer-readable medium for causing a computer to perform such methods. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106508 | SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING AUDIO RECORDINGS - Disclosed systems provide audio recordings from digital television provider networks. Audio recordings are streamed to a customer premises equipment device of a user and, in response to user input, an identifier for the audio recording is transmitted to a music provider. A copy of the audio recording is delivered to a user designated device. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106509 | AUDIO ENCODING METHOD, AUDIO DECODING METHOD, AUDIO ENCODING DEVICE, AUDIO DECODING DEVICE, PROGRAM, AND AUDIO ENCODING/DECODING SYSTEM - An audio encoding device ( | 2010-04-29 |
20100106510 | METHODS AND APPARATUS TO PERFORM AUDIO WATERMARKING AND WATERMARK DETECTION AND EXTRACTION - Methods and apparatus to audio watermarking and watermark detection and extracted are described herein. An example method includes receiving a media content signal, sampling the media content signal to generate samples, storing the samples in a buffer, determining a first sequence of samples in the buffer, determining a second sequence of samples in the buffer, wherein the second sequence of samples is of substantially equal length as the first sequence of samples, calculating an average of the first sequence of samples and the second sequence of samples to generate an average sequence of samples, extracting an identifier from the average sequence of samples, and storing the identifier in a tangible memory. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106511 | Encoding apparatus and encoding method - An encoding apparatus converts an input signal into a frequency-domain spectrum signal, divides the converted spectrum signal into an arbitrary number of segments with respect to a time axis and a frequency axis, calculates a spectrum power of each segment and a feature parameter that represents a feature of the corresponding spectrum power, calculates a masking threshold using the calculated spectrum power of each segment, detects a segment having a spectrum power equal to or less than the calculated masking threshold, corrects the spectrum power of the detected segment, and encodes both the spectrum power of the corrected segment and the calculated parameter. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106512 | MANAGING USER IDENTITY IN COMPUTER GENERATED VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS - The present application relates to a virtual environment that is capable of using data stored on external content servers to help at least one participant in the virtual environment identify one or more other participants in the same virtual environment. One example of external content server is a social networking server of a social networking site such as Facebook™, Myspace™, LinkedIn™ and Cyworld™, which stores millions of detailed user profiles. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106513 | Quality Assurrance In A Delivery Report - A method includes capturing an image of a flower arrangement at a location of a filling florist and sending a report from the filling florist to a sending florist, the report including the image of the arrangement and an order number. A computer is controlled to capture an image of a flower arrangement at a location of a filling florist, and to send a report from the filling florist to a sending florist. The report includes the image of the arrangement and an order number. A computer readable medium has program modules to control a computer. The computer is controlled to capture an image of a flower arrangement at a location of a filling florist, and to send a report from the filling florist to a sending florist. The report including the image of the arrangement and an order number. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106514 | Travel related services via SDARS - Systems and methods of for providing various services, such as parking services, flight services, and fuel services, to a user using a satellite digital audio radio system are provided. Each data service can be provided independently or in any combination to a user, and each can be independently subscribed to by a user, in various exemplary business models. In exemplary embodiments of the present invention, a parking data service, providing, for example, information on parking garages near a certain location and the availability of parking spaces in parking garages can be provided. In exemplary embodiments of the present invention, a flight data services, providing, for example, information such as near real-time updates to changes in arrival and departure statuses of one or more commercial airline flights. In exemplary embodiments of the present invention, a fuel data service, providing, for example, information on fueling stations and the prices and fuel types available at fueling stations, can be provided. In exemplary embodiments of the present invention, such data services can be embedded in an SDARS data stream and made available to users on an SDARS receiver. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106515 | INTRODUCTION AND ACTIVATION OF A SELF-REPORTING PORTABLE CONTAINER INTO AN INVENTORY SYSTEM - A method of activating and introducing into an inventory system a self-reporting portable container containing a consumable substance configured to determine and selectively report information about the substance. The container is configured to self report an attribute of the consumable substance. An identifier is associated with at least one of the container, the substance or a sensor provided to sense the attribute of the container. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106516 | METHOD FOR OPTIMIZING BLOOD UTILIZATION - A method of measuring and assessing blood product utilization. The method comprises calculating a transfusion exposure score, the transfusion exposure score being an average amount of a blood product used for a patient population during a time period for a health care facilities; calculating a mean transfusion exposure score, the mean transfusion exposure score being a geometric mean of a plurality of transfusion exposure scores within a database for the blood product and for the patient population over the period of time for a plurality of health care facilities; calculating a benchmark transfusion exposure score, the benchmark transfusion exposure score being the transfusion exposure score of a best practice facility having the lowest transfusion exposure score of the plurality of transfusion exposure scores in the database with corresponding average or better patient outcomes; calculating a transfusion propensity score, the transfusion propensity score being a ratio of the transfusion exposure score of the health care facility to the benchmark transfusion exposure score for the blood product and used for the patient population; and analyzing the transfusion exposure score, the mean transfusion exposure score, the benchmark transfusion exposure score, and the transfusion propensity score to quantify opportunities for operational and financial improvement within the health care provider facility. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106517 | SYSTEMS FOR AND METHODS OF MEDICAL SCHEDULING BASED ON SIMULATION-BASED OPTIMIZATION - Certain embodiments involve data from places such as healthcare facilities to make predictions about actual expected procedure durations as well as other parameters such as the probability of a patient being late or being a no-show. Before scheduling a patient, the system will use these parameters to run a simulation that can then suggest time slots that maximize target service levels (for example, “patients should not wait longer than 15 minutes in 95% of the cases”) and maximize facility efficiency (minimize the unutilized time between appointments). | 2010-04-29 |
20100106518 | System And Method For Providing Optimized Patient Referrals - In particular embodiments, method, apparatus and system for generating a doctor profile based on one or more parameters associated with the doctor treatment information, generating a patient dental profile based at least in part on a weighting of a plurality of orthodontic-related treatment parameters, and providing one or more doctor referrals based on the generated doctor profile and the generated orthodontic patient profile are provided. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106519 | LOW COST SYSTEM FOR REMOTE PATIENT AUDIO/VIDEO CONTENT DELIVERY - When providing a cost-efficient remote patient monitoring and/or education system, a home-end device (HED) ( | 2010-04-29 |
20100106520 | AUTOMATED PROCESSING OF MEDICAL DATA FOR DISABILITY RATING DETERMINATIONS - Methods and systems are described for automated processing of medical data for insurance and disability determinations. Based on medical conditions claimed by the claimant, medical evidence queries are automatically generated to provide instructions to medical providers for conducting physical exams and laboratory tests and for retrieving medical records. After medical evidence is collected according to the queries, the medical evidence and related rating codes and decisions are displayed to rating personnel in a user-friendly format to assist in making a rating decision. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106521 | CONSUMABLES INVENTORY MANAGEMENT METHOD - A method of managing an inventory includes associating an identifier with a container system component such as a container, a sensor or a substance, where the sensor is configured to determine an indication of an attribute of the substance stored in the container. The method further may include associating an identifier with a container system member within a dataset remote to the container; remotely receiving container system data including the identifier and the indication of the attribute; and performing at least one data processing task associated with the container system data. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106522 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ORGANIZING AND DISPLAYING OF LONGITUDINAL MULTIMODAL MEDICAL RECORDS - A system and method for processing data includes organizing medical information in a concept frame data structure, which is adapted to include medical measurements and related metadata. The medical information is analyzed to extract further information using information extractors and to store extracted medical information in the concept frame data structure. References are stored to appropriate visualization methods along with an associated concept in the concept frame data structure. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106523 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR GENERATING A MEDICAL HISTORY - A system and method for generating a medical history that is determined based on the patient's medication list. Medications are taken for specific indications, i.e., disease and/or symptom, and the system includes a knowledge base of all known medications and associated indications. Preferably, an expert system allows the patient, nurse or other user, to enter all or part of the name of the patient's medications, and creates a list of probable medications by determining which of the known medications the patient most likely takes. Based on a user selected probable medication, the system creates a list of probable indications associated with the selected medication. Based on a user selected probable indication, the system generates a medical history for the patient. The probable medications and probable indications are determined preferably based on the patient's demographic data, historical data for other patients, and responses to follow-up questions generated by the system. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106524 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PATIENT RISK LEVEL EVALUATION - A method for patient risk level evaluation is provided, implemented with a remote medical care center. The remote medical care center connects with a plurality of health care locations at various locations over a network. Patient data of a plurality of patients is received from the plurality of health care locations via the network. An occurred event for each patient is determined, and each of the occurred events is classified into deteriorating or ameliorating category. The patients corresponding to the same events are sorted into a group, and the patients within the group are ranked according to severity of illness of each patient. A risk score for each patient is determined according to the corresponding event. Patient ranking orders corresponding to the events of the deteriorating and the ameliorating category are generated and displayed. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106525 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR REMOTE HEALTH MANAGEMENT - A system for remote health management includes: (a) a communicating management unit; (b) a decision support unit; (c) at least one communication network coupled with at least one of the communicating management unit and the decision support unit; (d) at least one care rendering unit coupled with at least one of the communicating management unit and the decision support unit via a communication network; (e) a plurality of remote communicating units coupled with at least one care rendering entity via a communication network and at least one of the communicating management unit and the decision support unit; at least one of the communicating management unit and the decision support unit participating in selected communications among a selected care rendering entity and a remote communicating unit to present a recommended result based upon a predetermined set of parametric values to effect the remote health management. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106526 | AUTOMATED PROCESSING OF MEDICAL DATA FOR DISABILITY RATING DETERMINATIONS - Methods and systems are described for automated processing of medical data for insurance and disability determinations. Based on medical conditions claimed by the claimant, medical evidence queries are automatically generated to provide instructions to medical providers for conducting physical exams and laboratory tests and for retrieving medical records. After medical evidence is collected according to the queries, the medical evidence and related rating codes and decisions are displayed to rating personnel in a user-friendly format to assist in making a rating decision. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106527 | System and Method For Referral Management - A system and method for referral management is disclosed. In a particular embodiment, the method includes receiving a referral request for a client submitted by a probation officer, storing the referral to a database on a remote server, and transferring the referral to a probation officer supervisor. The method further includes forwarding the referral to a contract supervisor when the referral is approved by the probation officer supervisor, forwarding the referral to a vendor when the referral is approved by the contract supervisor. In addition, the method includes receiving an acknowledgment that the referral was received by the vendor, receiving an evaluation from the vendor of the client, monitoring a progress of the client in a treatment program, completion of the treatment program by the client, notifying the contract supervisor of the completion of the treatment program by the client, and closing the referral. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106528 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AUTOMATIC SCHEDULING BASED ON REMOTE MONITORING - A system and method are provided for managing patient care based on data received from a remote monitoring system. The system includes a data monitor for automatically evaluating the data received from the remote monitoring system and a scheduling module for receiving a data evaluation from the data monitor. The scheduling module includes tools for adjusting a patient schedule. Schedule adjustment actions can be automatically triggered by the received data evaluation. Typically, the data monitor will compare the received data with patient medical records to evaluate the received data received from the remote monitoring system to determine if the received data meets pre-set expectations. If the received data does not meet pre-set expectations, a scheduling action will be triggered. The system will automatically notify the patient of scheduling actions. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106529 | SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING MEDICATION SELECTION GUIDANCE - A system and associated methods provide medication selection guidance at the time of a prescription event for a given patient, or at other times, such as when changes occur in the patient's healthcare plan coverage. In one medication selection guidance method, information is received regarding a clinician-preferred medication prescription related to a selected patient, and based on at least one record of the selected patient, a specific information set is retrieved. For instance, the specific information set may include medications the patient is currently taken, healthcare plan coverage for the patient, or other types of information. Then, other medications that can be prescribed to the patient as alternatives to the clinician-preferred medication prescription may be determined based on the specific information set. These alternative medications may be evaluated against the patient's healthcare plan coverage to present available medication options and associated out-of-pocket costs to the patient. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106530 | SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR DISTRIBUTED ANALYSIS OF PATIENT RECORDS - A system and associated methods provide healthcare entities with analyzing capabilities for records of a patient population. The analyzing process seeks to find matches between a piece of clinical knowledge introduced to a healthcare entity and data contained in the patient population records. According to one method, a service generates executable code based on the piece of clinical knowledge. Through a communication with the service, the healthcare entity makes a determination as to what extent the clinical knowledge has relevance to a patient population of the healthcare entity. Based on this determination, the healthcare entity receives at least a portion of the executable code. Then, the records of the patient population may be analyzed by the executable code to register matches of the clinical knowledge with data contained within the records. System activity may then be initiated based on the matches registered. Examples of system activity include compiling a contact list of patients and/or healthcare providers associated with specific records where matches occurred, generating a report about the matches registered, and flagging specific records where matches occurred so that care providers may discuss issues surrounding the clinical knowledge with associated patients in a future encounter with the healthcare entity, among others. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106531 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DISTRIBUTED ANALYSIS OF PATIENT RECORDS - A system and associated methods provide healthcare entities with analyzing capabilities for records of a patient population. The analyzing process seeks to find matches between a piece of clinical knowledge introduced to a healthcare entity and data contained in the patient population records. According to one method, a service generates executable code based on the piece of clinical knowledge. Through a communication with the service, the healthcare entity makes a determination as to what extent the clinical knowledge has relevance to a patient population of the healthcare entity. Based on this determination, the healthcare entity receives at least a portion of the executable code. Then, the records of the patient population may be analyzed by the executable code to register matches of the clinical knowledge with data contained within the records. System activity may then be initiated based on the matches registered. Examples of system activity include compiling a contact list of patients and/or healthcare providers associated with specific records where matches occurred, generating a report about the matches registered, and flagging specific records where matches occurred so that care providers may discuss issues surrounding the clinical knowledge with associated patients in a future encounter with the healthcare entity, among others. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106532 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING A DEFERRED ANNUITY WITH A TARGET DATE RETIREMENT BENEFIT - Systems and methods for guaranteeing a Target Value of an account on any given Target Value Date. The investment profile of the account may be automatically adjusted to be more or less conservative based on the evolution of the contract with respect to its accumulation value and guarantee. Within broadly defined groups of allocation choices the owner has complete freedom to distribute the account value to individual choices within those groups. The risk profile of the investments may be contracted to change as the Target Value Date approaches. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106533 | Methods and Systems for Risk Management - Methods and systems for managing risk are described in which information related to one or more aspects of risk are received from a plurality of users, which is stored in a database system. Various insurance business process applications corresponding to the one or more aspects of risk can Abe run to process the information, and graphical interfaces for providing risk management information to the users can be populated, and various tasks or reminders based on the processed information generated for user review. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106534 | CERTIFICATION AND RISK-MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR A RENTAL AGREEMENT - A certification and risk-management system and method for a rental agreement. The present invention provides a mechanism for determining that an individual who would normally be deemed a high-risk for a rental agreement (e.g., vehicle rental) is not a high-risk, guaranteeing such individual, and thereby enabling the individual to participate in the rental agreement more readily. By screening an individual via a multitude of criteria, a guarantee provider can certify to a rental agency that a customer is an acceptable risk for the rental agreement, and in the event the rental agency incurs a cost (e.g., related to the individual's use of a vehicle), the guarantee provider can guarantee that the rental agency will be reimbursed for the cost. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106535 | BAGGAGE HANDLING SYSTEM AND PROCESS FOR A TRANSPORT VEHICLE - A system, process, computer program and a data storage medium with a computer program for handling baggage for a transport vehicle, the baggage container having a predetermined size and shape. Also disclosed is a container for one or more travel items on a transport vehicle, including a hollow receptacle having an aperture through which travel items can be received and stored in the container and a locking device for inhibiting removal of the travel items from the container, the container being of a predetermined size and shape. Also disclosed is an access port for a container including a container engaging member and an access member, wherein the access member inhibits access to the contents of the container through an aperture in the container engaging member. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106536 | FACILITATING ELECTRONIC KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER IN ORGANIZATIONS - The present invention provides an approach for facilitating (electronic) knowledge transfer in organizations. Specifically, under the present invention, knowledge objects are collected, a set of questions are generated and classified, and a set of checklists are generated. Based on the knowledge objects, response to the questions, and the checklists, a set of analyses is performed, and a resulting set of reports generated. The reports as well as the knowledge objects, questions and/or checklists can be archived for later use. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106537 | Detecting Potentially Unauthorized Objects Within An Enterprise - One embodiment is a method that observes a first object within an enterprise and then determines that use of the first object by an enterprise is potentially unauthorized. The method then alters a computer model based on the first object and determines based on the model that a second object within the enterprise is potentially unauthorized. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106538 | DETERMINING DISASTER RECOVERY SERVICE LEVEL AGREEMENTS FOR DATA COMPONENTS OF AN APPLICATION - Techniques for determining one or more disaster recovery (DR) service level agreements (SLAs) for each of one or more components of an application are provided. The techniques include identifying one or more components of an application, capturing one or more intra-application data dependencies between the one or more components, and mapping each of the one or more components to a DR profile to determine one or more DR SLAs for each of the one or more components of an application. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106539 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR FAST LOCAL SEARCH AND INSERTION HEURISTICS FOR VEHICLE ROUTING - Methods and systems reduce vehicle travel time in a vehicle routing plan having vehicle routes which include vehicles and customers serviced by the vehicles, including executing cross-exchanges of the customers for combinations of vehicle routes in the vehicle routing plan. Executing cross-changes includes determining a travel time or time savings of executed cross-exchanges, saving a cross-exchange resulting in a minimal travel time or maximum travel time savings for vehicle route combinations, and modifying the vehicle routing plan by performing the saved cross-exchange resulting in the minimal travel time or maximum travel time savings until all vehicle route combinations are exhausted. The methods and systems may further reduce a number of vehicles in the vehicle routing plan including, eliminating one of the vehicles in the vehicle routing plan, and performing insertions of unrouted customers and exchanges of unrouted customers with routed customers. Performing insertions and exchanges of unrouted customers includes determining a minimum time delay or travel time savings for feasible insertions of an unrouted customer into a vehicle route, saving a feasible insertion of the unrouted customer into the vehicle route resulting in a minimum time delay or maximum travel time savings, determining the minimum time delay or maximum travel time savings for feasible exchanges of an unrouted customer into a vehicle route, saving a feasible exchange of the unrouted customer into the vehicle route resulting in a minimum time delay or maximum travel time savings, modifying the vehicle routing plan by performing the saved feasible insertion resulting in the minimum time delay or maximum travel time savings until all the unrouted customer to vehicle route combinations are exhausted, and modifying the vehicle routing plan by performing the saved feasible exchange resulting in the minimum time delay or maximum travel time savings until all the unrouted customer to vehicle route combinations are exhausted. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106540 | Customizing Products - To customize products, a first entity receives generic products from a supplier entity, wherein the generic products include base software. The first entity provides a customization component for at least a subset of the generic products. Base software in at least the subset of the generic products is executed at the first entity to interact with the customization component to customize at least one feature of at least the subset of generic products. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106541 | Analyzing the Readiness of a Template - Systems and methods for managing templates are described herein. According to one embodiments, a method comprises applying information into a proposed template. In particular, the information is received for the purpose of filling blank portions of the proposed template. The method further comprises performing a readiness analysis on the proposed template to determine whether or not the proposed template is ready to be used by one or more users based on the application of the information into the proposed template. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106542 | TECHNIQUES FOR HELP DESK MANAGEMENT - Techniques for help desk management are provided. A user's experience with a resource is captured via a rating. The rating is recorded along with other metrics associated with a processing environment of the user and proactive action taken in response to configuration or performance problems with the user. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106543 | BUILDING MANAGEMENT CONFIGURATION SYSTEM - An approach to create, deploy and manage separate control system components within a hierarchical context of a multi business and/or multi site environment. This approach may be incorporated into an architecture having one or more workstations, controllers, servers and so forth. Components of the approach may include business groups, sites and executives. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106544 | Systems and methods for implementing an enterprise acquisition service environment - Methods and systems for seamlessly integrating an end-to-end acquisition process using a flexible data structure are disclosed. A flexible data structure consistent with these methods and systems may connect the buyer's requirement to the vendor's proposed solution, facilitating a requirement-by-requirement evaluation process allowing buyers to evaluate content as well as price of a proposal. Embodiments of the present invention standardize the format of proposals, allowing buyers to more easily compare vendors' proposals side-by-side. Still other embodiments of the present invention produce an error checking report to further aid vendors in improving proposals and buyers in evaluating proposals. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106545 | Systems and methods for facilitating evaluation in an acquisition process - Methods and systems for seamlessly integrating an end-to-end acquisition process using a flexible data structure are disclosed. A flexible data structure consistent with these methods and systems may connect the buyer's requirement to the vendor's proposed solution, facilitating a requirement-by-requirement evaluation process allowing buyers to evaluate content as well as price of a proposal. Embodiments of the present invention standardize the format of proposals, allowing buyers to more easily compare vendors' proposals side-by-side. Still other embodiments of the present invention produce an error checking report to further aid vendors in improving proposals and buyers in evaluating proposals. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106546 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR EXECUTING BUSINESS PROCESSES OVER A NETWORK - Systems and methods for executing business processes over a network. In an exemplary embodiment of a method of executing business processes via a computer network, the method comprises the steps of creating and installing software resources available over a network, browsing a database of software resources using a process model builder to identify software resource definitions, loading the software resource definitions identified by the process model builder to create a business process model comprising the software resources from the database of software resources, mapping inputs and outputs of the database of software resources to allow the business process model to be executed, saving the business process model on a storage medium accessible by the network, and initiating a collaborative business process by loading the business process model into a process interpreter and executing the software resources defined within the business process model. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106547 | Automated workflow generation - A computer-implemented method for generating a workflow includes receiving via an interactive user interface operator input that defines a first document that is to be filled in by a user and comprises a decision component. A first state of the workflow corresponding to the first document and a transition associated with actuation of the decision component are automatically defined. A second document that is to be presented upon user selection of the decision component in the first document is generated, and a second state of the workflow that corresponds to the second document and is linked to the first state by the transition is generated. In response to the first and second documents and the decision component, software code that corresponds to the workflow is produced for use in a workflow engine. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106548 | MANAGING MEETING CALENDAR ENTRIES - Techniques for managing a meeting calendar entry are provided. The techniques include scheduling a meeting by sending an invitation to one or more individuals, wherein the meeting is scheduled by a primary organizer via a meeting calendar entry, defining one or more secondary organizers for the meeting, and facilitating the one or more secondary organizers to manage a meeting calendar entry for the meeting. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106549 | KAIZEN NEWSPAPER - Systems, computer program products, and methods are disclosed for tracking an improvement event. An embodiment includes an event interface configured to receive a plurality of entries related to each of a plurality of improvement events. The plurality of entries includes a project identifier for the improvement event, a creation date, an objective, an action related to reaching the objective, and a first deadline related to the improvement event. A database interface is configured to store the plurality of entries in an event database. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106550 | ACTIVITY POST AND SEARCH SYSTEM AND METHOD - An activity assignment system is provided which establishes a ‘win-win’ environment benefiting both an employer as well as an employee. Generally, the innovation promotes professional development by providing mechanisms to promote volunteer opportunities within business units of an organization. By enabling employees to bid on intra- and inter-unit opportunities, these mechanisms promote cross-training and personal development. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106551 | METHOD, SYSTEM, AND APPARATUS FOR PROCESS MANAGEMENT - Process management involves identifying a thread in response to an electronic messaging operation of a process. The thread includes data that collectively describes states and relationships of interrelated tasks of the process. A state of the thread is generated in response to the electronic messaging operation. The state of the thread represents a state of the process. A user interface rendering of the thread is facilitated in response to the electronic message operation. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106552 | ON-DEMAND ACCESS TO TECHNICAL SKILLS - A method, system, and computer program product for providing a user with intelligent access to a skilled consultant. In response to receiving a user input describing an issue about which consultation is desired, the method includes mapping the user input to one or more selected problem domains. Based on a list of skill(s) for consulting in the selected problem domain, the selected problem domain is mapped to a consultant set of one or more consultants associated with the skill(s). The consultant set is filtered to determine whether consultant(s) in the consultant set are available to consult utilizing communication via a data processing system (DPS). A consultation request is sent to available consultant(s) in the consultant set. In response to receiving, from an available consultant, an acceptance of the consultation request, the consulting information is communicated between the available consultant and the user in substantially real time via the DPS. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106553 | COMMUNICATION DEVICE AND AGENDA MANAGING METHOD THEREOF - A communication device and method for managing agendas includes setting options for each of the agenda, generating the agendas, and retrieving contact information from a contact option of each of the agendas. The communication device and the method further includes determining one or more contacts corresponding to the agendas according to the retrieved contact information, and generating an agenda contact group comprising the determined one or more contacts. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106554 | Office management solution - A software method and utility for business practice management based on a prescribed workflow with defined interactions between the users of the system, the clients of the business practice, and information relating to the clients or assets of the business practice. The system facilitates management of assets and human resources, including employees, client accounts, inventory, and records using a modular approach. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106555 | System and Method for Hierarchical Weighting of Model Parameters - A computer-implemented method estimates model parameters for a product. The method includes storing transaction data from customer sales in a database. The transaction data includes a product and a store. The database includes a hierarchical categorization of the products or the stores. The method includes generating a model for each product at each store in the database. The models include model parameters. The method includes aggregating first and second sets of model parameters from a first set of products occupying a first node of the hierarchical categorization and a second set of products occupying a second node of the hierarchical categorization, weighting the first and second sets of model parameters, and storing the average of the weighted first and second sets of model parameters in the database as the model parameters for a model of a product. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106556 | TIME-WEIGHTED AND SCALING OPTIMIZATION OF ALLOCATION OF ONLINE ADVERTISEMENT INVENTORY - A method for scaling advertisement inventory allocation includes constructing a flow network of nodes having impressions connected to contracts through corresponding arcs such as to satisfy demand requests of the contracts; (a) for each of the contracts: determining a probability distribution over the nodes eligible to supply forecasted impressions to the contract; drawing a plurality of sample nodes from the probability distribution to form a multiset, O, of nodes; (b) for each of the nodes within O: determining a subset of the contracts, H, that can be satisfied by receiving forecasted impressions from the node; weighting a number of forecasted impressions of the node, as a function of the subset of contracts in H, with the probability distribution of the node; and optimally allocating forecasted impressions from each multiset, O, of sample nodes to each corresponding contract during the time period by solving the flow network with a minimum-cost network flow algorithm. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106557 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MONITORING REPUTATION CHANGES - System and method for monitoring reputation changes via a reputation system are described. In one embodiment, the method comprises receiving updated reputation information regarding a reputation of interest from a reputation information provider; evaluating the received updated reputation information in accordance with evaluation rules established for the reputation of interest; and providing a notification of results of the evaluating in accordance with notification rules established for the reputation of interest. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106558 | Trust Index Framework for Providing Data and Associated Trust Metadata - An approach is provided in which facts are received and then one or more atomic fact trust analyses are performed on the facts. The atomic fact trust analyses result in various atomic trust factor scores. Composite trust analysis is performed using the atomic trust factor scores. The composite trust analyses result in composite trust factor scores. The atomic trust factor scores and the composite trust factor scores are stored in a trust index repository that is managed by a trust index framework. A request is then received for trusted data, the request being from an information consumer. The trust index framework then retrieves one of the composite trust factor scores from the trust index repository, with the retrieved composite trust factor score corresponding to the trusted data request, and this the retrieved composite trust factor score is provided to the information consumer. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106559 | Configurable Trust Context Assignable to Facts and Associated Trust Metadata - An approach is provided for selecting a trust factor from trust factors that are included in a trust index repository. A trust metaphor is associated with the selected trust factor. The trust metaphor includes various context values. Range values are received and the trust metaphor, context values, and range values are associated with the selected trust factor. A request is received from a data consumer, the request corresponding to a trust factor metadata score that is associated with the selected trust factor. The trust factor metadata score is retrieved and matched with the range values. The matching results in one of the context values being selected based on the retrieved trust factor metadata score. The selected context value is then provided to the data consumer. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106560 | Generating Composite Trust Value Scores Based on Assignable Priorities, Atomic Metadata Values and Associated Composite Trust Value Scores - An approach is provided in which atomic trust scores are computed using a atomic trust factors that are applied to a plurality of metadata. A first set of composite trust scores are computed using some of the atomic trust scores. The composite trust scores are computed using a first set of algorithms. Some of the algorithms use a factor weighting value as input to the algorithm. A second plurality of composite trust scores is computed using some of the composite trust scores that were included in the first set of scores as input. A fact and one of the second set of composite trust scores are presented to a user. The presented composite trust score provides a trustworthiness value that corresponds to the presented fact. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106561 | Forecasting Using Share Models And Hierarchies - Computer-implemented systems and methods are provided for forecasting product sales. Market shares associated with a product are estimated. Sales for a share group are forecast based upon a seasonality component and a trend prediction. A product sales forecast is calculated based upon the forecasted sales for a share group and the estimated product market share. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106562 | USER-TARGETED CONTENT PROCESSING SYSTEM AND METHOD - According to one embodiment of the invention, a method is devised for tailoring downloaded content to the requesting user by upon receiving a message requesting content. The message includes information that provides information about a user requesting the content. Before receipt by the requesting user, the content is modified by inserting user-targeted information directly within the content. The user-targeted information is retrieved using the information. Thereafter, the modified content is transmitted to a device controlled by the requesting user. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106563 | System and method for effectively performing a distribution procedure using an electronic backbone - A system and method for effectively performing an information distribution procedure includes user devices that perform registration procedures for receiving distribution services from a distribution system. The user devices are also used to generate user metadata regarding respective device users of the user devices. A plurality of workstations are associated in the distribution system with respective advertisers. The workstations analyze the user metadata to produce corresponding bid metadata. A bid server then evaluates the bid metadata to determine one or more winning workstations from among the original workstations. The one or more winning workstations automatically transmit their advertising information to appropriate ones of the user devices. Relevant advertising information is therefore specifically targeted toward individual device users by analyzing the user metadata. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106564 | Embeddable Distributed E-Commerce And Community Building System For Digital Media - The present innovation provides a method and a system for embedding e-commerce and community building capability into a seller website, comprising maintaining on an e-commerce server a product database of products sold by a seller, providing a seller script that runs in a web browser for incorporation into at least one web page on the seller website, downloading upon execution of the seller script a dynamic page analyzer from the e-commerce server that, upon execution by the web browser, adds at least one toolbar to the web page, requesting by the web browser, a dynamic cart script, displaying a dynamic cart that enables the buyer to interactively specify an order for the product corresponding to the e-commerce control, and sending the specification of the order to the e-commerce server for fulfillment of the order. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106565 | Embeddable Distributed E-Commerce And Community Building System - The present innovation provides a method and a system for embedding e-commerce and community building capability into a seller website, comprising maintaining on an e-commerce server a product database of products sold by a seller, providing a seller script that runs in a web browser for incorporation into at least one web page on the seller website, downloading upon execution of the seller script a dynamic page analyzer from the e-commerce server that, upon execution by the web browser, adds at least one toolbar to the web page, requesting by the web browser, a dynamic cart script, displaying a dynamic cart that enables the buyer to interactively specify an order for the product corresponding to the e-commerce control, and sending the specification of the order to the e-commerce server for fulfillment of the order. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106566 | Systems, Program Products and Methods of Human Resources Planning and Development - Systems, program products, and methods of human resources planning and development are provided. An example of a system includes a server in communication with a plurality of client computers over a communication network and program product stored in the memory of the server adapted to predict a future number of employees desired within the organization for a preselected period of time to define a human resource manning plan, to assign a plurality of employment development activities to each of a plurality of participating employees in the organization to define an employment development plan for each participating employee, to form a recruitment plan for the organization, and to provide continuous feedback loops so that revisions in the human resource manning plan, the recruitment plan, or at least one of the employment development plans are accounted for in each other of such plans. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106567 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ELECTRONIC TOLL COLLECTION BASED ON VEHICLE LOAD - A system for electronic toll collection from a vehicle including an electronic tag for capturing information including a number of passengers in the vehicle and an electronic tag identification, a wireless transmitter for transmitting the captured information; and a wireless receiver for receiving the captured information. The system further includes a toll computer for determining a toll fee for the vehicle based on the received number of passengers and a time of day. The wireless transmitter may be an IR or RF transmitter. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106568 | Offer Management System and Methods for Targeted Marketing Offer Delivery System - A system and methods for an offer management system for use in delivering targeted marketing offers to consumers during a session with an online (web-based) Internet portal, such as an online banking portal of a financial institution. A component receives aggregated transaction data from a financial transaction system for use in creation of an advertising campaign. A component provides a marketing campaign interface that allows advertisers to define an advertising campaign by display of information derived from the aggregated transaction data indicating potential market segments defined by the advertiser, define a predetermined market segment, and define a predetermined targeted marketing offer for delivery to consumers under predetermined conditions. A component outputs the campaign data to the financial institution for delivery of the targeted marketing offer to consumers within the predetermined market segment in response to the predetermined conditions during online sessions with the portal. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106569 | System and Methods for Offer Realization and Redemption in a Targeted Marketing Offer Delivery System - A system and methods for offer realization and redemption in a system involving delivery of targeted marketing offers to consumers during a session with an online (web-based) Internet portal, such as an online banking portal of a financial institution. A database stores transaction data records, offer data corresponding to the terms of a targeted marketing offer delivered to the consumer, offer redemption data corresponding to a predetermined targeted marketing offer that has been satisfied, and reward data corresponding to a predetermined reward provided in response to satisfaction of the terms of the offer. A component processes the transaction data records to identify whether any transactions have satisfied the terms of an offer and stores offer redemption data indicating that the terms of an offer have been satisfied. A component accesses the offer redemption data and the reward data and provides the predetermined reward to the consumer. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106570 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ENROLLMENT AND PARTICIPATION IN A LOYALTY PROGRAM - According to some embodiments, systems, methods, apparatus, computer program code and means are provided for enrolling payment cardholders in loyalty programs and processing loyalty transactions. Some embodiments include receiving, from a consumer associated with a payment device, loyalty program enrollment information and a payment device identifier, the loyalty program enrollment information including a loyalty program identifier, and providing the loyalty program enrollment information and the payment device identifier to at least one of an issuer of the payment device and an agent of the issuer. The loyalty program identifier is caused to be stored in a memory of said payment device. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106571 | SMART, SEARCH-ENABLED WEB ERROR PAGES - Embodiments of our technology provide a method, system, and media for presenting relevant information incident to attempting to present information that is unavailable by way of a website. One embodiment of the method includes receiving a request to present a desired web page, determining that the desired web page is unavailable for presentation, determining search criteria associated with the request, dynamically generating a second web page that includes search results that were obtained based on the search criteria, and presenting the second web page on a display device. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106572 | ACCESS POINT ADVERTISING - Systems and methods for providing advertisement supported free access to a network. An access point of the network may provide advertisements to a media device for viewing prior to free access being granted. Alternatively, the advertisements may reside on the media device for viewing prior to free access being granted. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106573 | ACTION SUGGESTIONS BASED ON INFERRED SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS - A method of categorizing a social relationship between individuals in a collection of images to suggest a possible course of action, includes searching the collection to identify individuals and determining their genders and their age ranges; using the gender, and age ranges of the identifies individuals to infer at least one social relationship between them; and using at least one inferred social relationship to suggest a possible course of action. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106574 | Computing Environment Transaction System to Transact Computing Environment Circumventions - A system and methods allowing the creation, integration, and transaction of rule circumventions and/or interactive advertisements in computing environments is provided. In an illustrative implementation, the present invention comprises a core transaction server, a multimedia transaction server, and browser application. A computing environment cooperates with the core transaction server to obtain data representative of computing environment rule circumventions for integration within the computing environment as well as computing environment circumvention transaction information. The core transaction server cooperates with the multimedia transaction server to obtain data representative of the desired computing environment rule circumvention and with the browser application to obtain inputs from computing environment to establish accounts for use when transacting computing environment rule circumvention transactions. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106575 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR DETERMINING THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF A CONSUMER'S ACTUAL RESOURCE CONSUMPTION - Methods, systems, apparatus, and tangible computer-readable media for receiving resource consumption information associated with a consumer from a resource consumption validator, analyzing the received information and storing the received information and/or the analysis results are herein provided. In some cases, an environmental impact associated with a consumer's resource consumption is determined. Methods, systems, apparatus, and tangible computer-readable media for automatically accessing a consumer resource consumption account and retrieving resource consumption information associated with the resource consumption account are also provided. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106576 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DISTRIBUTING AND TRACKING INCENTIVES FOR POSITIVE BEHAVIOR - The system evaluates a set of incentives based upon a variety of factors and/or predetermined rules and consumers are provided incentives when they satisfy one or more criteria of making payments for their transaction accounts. The one or more criteria include making an early payment, paying more than a minimum amount due, and making the payment through an automatic payment scheme. If a received payment satisfies one or more predefined criteria, one or more incentives are selected for the consumer, tracked, and provided to the consumer. The system analyzes payment information to determine attributes and positive (desirable) behavior and provides incentives to the consumer based on such positive behaviors. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106577 | System and Methods for Delivering Targeted Marketing Offers to Consumers Via an Online Portal - A system and methods for delivering targeted marketing offers to consumers during a session with an online (web-based) Internet portal, particularly suitable for online banking portals of financial institutions. An offer management system receives information corresponding to an advertising campaign of an advertiser corresponding to terms of a targeted marketing offer to be provided to a consumer accessing the online portal, and provides advertising campaign data corresponding to the targeted marketing offer and to an offer-triggering event to an offer placement system. An offer placement system receives the advertising campaign data, determines the occurrence of the offer-triggering event by a consumer during an online session with the online portal, and delivers information corresponding to the targeted marketing offer to the consumer. In response to the offer-triggering event, such as display of a list of transactions, the predetermined targeted marketing offer is delivered to the consumer during the online session. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106578 | SHAREHOLDER REWARD SYSTEM - A system for providing an offer from multiple sources to a user promoting a reward upon satisfying conditions of the offer. The system electronically receives data indicating that a user has selected an offer to receive a reward from an issuer of stock or an intermediary based on stock ownership. Upon identifying the conditions of the offer, the system determines whether the conditions of the offer are satisfied using stock ownership and/or purchase data associated with the user stored in a shareholder database that aggregates ownership information from multiple sources. The stock purchase data stored in the shareholder database represents stock ownership records that are based on multiple sources including among others: purchases made by the user via one or more investment accounts, gifts or grants of stock or convertible instruments, and stock purchased by the user directly from an issuer of stock or on the open-market through the system. When the conditions of the offer are satisfied based on the stock purchase data stored in the shareholder database, the system determines the reward associated with the offer and delivers the reward to the user. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106579 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING CONSUMER INCENTIVES BASED UPON POSITIVE CONSUMER BEHAVIOR - The system evaluates a set of incentives based upon a variety of factors and/or predetermined rules and consumers are provided incentives when they satisfy one or more criteria of making payments for their transaction accounts. The one or more criteria include making an early payment, paying more than a minimum amount due, and making the payment through an automatic payment scheme. If a received payment satisfies one or more predefined criteria, one or more incentives are selected for the consumer, tracked, and provided to the consumer. The system analyzes payment information to determine attributes and positive (desirable) behavior and provides incentives to the consumer based on such positive behaviors. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106580 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING POSITIVE BEHAVIOR AND/OR MAKING AWARDS BASED UPON GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION - The system evaluates a set of incentives based upon a variety of factors and/or predetermined rules and consumers are provided incentives when they satisfy one or more criteria of making payments for their transaction accounts. The one or more criteria include making an early payment, paying more than a minimum amount due, and making the payment through an automatic payment scheme. If a received payment satisfies one or more predefined criteria, one or more incentives are selected for the consumer, tracked, and provided to the consumer. The system analyzes payment information to determine attributes and positive (desirable) behavior and provides incentives to the consumer based on such positive behaviors. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106581 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ENABLING REGISTRATION, DETERMINATION AND DISTRIBUTION OF POSITIVE BEHAVIOR INCENTIVES - The system evaluates a set of incentives based upon a variety of factors and/or predetermined rules and consumers are provided incentives when they satisfy one or more criteria of making payments for their transaction accounts. The one or more criteria include making an early payment, paying more than a minimum amount due, and making the payment through an automatic payment scheme. If a received payment satisfies one or more predefined criteria, one or more incentives are selected for the consumer, tracked, and provided to the consumer. The system analyzes payment information to determine attributes and positive (desirable) behavior and provides incentives to the consumer based on such positive behaviors. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106582 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING AND AFFECTING A CHANGE IN CONSUMER BEHAVIOR - The system evaluates a set of incentives based upon a variety of factors and/or predetermined rules and consumers are provided incentives when they satisfy one or more criteria of making payments for their transaction accounts. The one or more criteria include making an early payment, paying more than a minimum amount due, and making the payment through an automatic payment scheme. If a received payment satisfies one or more predefined criteria, one or more incentives are selected for the consumer, tracked, and provided to the consumer. The system analyzes payment information to determine attributes and positive (desirable) behavior and provides incentives to the consumer based on such positive behaviors. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106583 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR REWARDING POSITIVE CONSUMER BEHAVIOR USING LOYALTY POINT ADVANCES - The system evaluates a set of incentives based upon a variety of factors and/or predetermined rules and consumers are provided incentives when they satisfy one or more criteria of making payments for their transaction accounts. The one or more criteria include making an early payment, paying more than a minimum amount due, and making the payment through an automatic payment scheme. If a received payment satisfies one or more predefined criteria, one or more incentives are selected for the consumer, tracked, and provided to the consumer. The system analyzes payment information to determine attributes and positive (desirable) behavior and provides incentives to the consumer based on such positive behaviors. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106584 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR REWARDING A CONSUMER BASED UPON POSITIVE BEHAVIOR OF A GROUP - The system evaluates a set of incentives based upon a variety of factors and/or predetermined rules and consumers are provided incentives when they satisfy one or more criteria of making payments for their transaction accounts. The one or more criteria include making an early payment, paying more than a minimum amount due, and making the payment through an automatic payment scheme. If a received payment satisfies one or more predefined criteria, one or more incentives are selected for the consumer, tracked, and provided to the consumer. The system analyzes payment information to determine attributes and positive (desirable) behavior and provides incentives to the consumer based on such positive behaviors. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106585 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR EVALUATING POSITIVE BEHAVIOR AND OFFERING INCENTIVES BASED UPON LIMITED USE IDENTIFIER TRANSACTIONS - The system evaluates a set of incentives based upon a variety of factors and/or predetermined rules and consumers are provided incentives when they satisfy one or more criteria of making payments for their transaction accounts. The one or more criteria include making an early payment, paying more than a minimum amount due, and making the payment through an automatic payment scheme. If a received payment satisfies one or more predefined criteria, one or more incentives are selected for the consumer, tracked, and provided to the consumer. The system analyzes payment information to determine attributes and positive (desirable) behavior and provides incentives to the consumer based on such positive behaviors. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106586 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING POSITIVE CONSUMER BEHAVIOR BASED UPON STRUCTURAL RISK - The system evaluates a set of incentives based upon a variety of factors and/or predetermined rules and consumers are provided incentives when they satisfy one or more criteria of making payments for their transaction accounts. The one or more criteria include making an early payment, paying more than a minimum amount due, and making the payment through an automatic payment scheme. If a received payment satisfies one or more predefined criteria, one or more incentives are selected for the consumer, tracked, and provided to the consumer. The system analyzes payment information to determine attributes and positive (desirable) behavior and provides incentives to the consumer based on such positive behaviors. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106587 | Multi-tier pricing of individual products based on volume discounts - A point of sale system or other computer system stores a product pricing database in which a full price and discount prices corresponding to one or more discount pricing tiers are stored for each product available for sale. Each of the discount prices for a given product has an associated threshold purchase total that has to be satisfied before the discount price is applied to a transaction. When a transaction occurs, the purchase total for the transaction is first calculated on the basis of full retail prices for the products and the purchase total for the transaction is compared with one or more threshold purchase totals which correspond to the discount pricing tiers. If a discount pricing tier is applicable (e.g. the calculated purchase total for the transaction is at least equal to a threshold purchase total), the appropriate discount prices for each product in the transaction are retrieved and used to calculate a reduced purchase total for the transaction. Qualification for discount pricing can also be based on, for example, a customer's purchasing history, or the number of a certain type of product included in the transaction instead of the purchase total of a transaction. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106588 | DISPLAY SYSTEM - A display system | 2010-04-29 |
20100106589 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING A POSITIVE BEHAVIOR BASED UPON AN ACCUMULATED METRIC OR TREND - The system evaluates a set of incentives based upon a variety of factors and/or predetermined rules and consumers are provided incentives when they satisfy one or more criteria of making payments for their transaction accounts. The one or more criteria include making an early payment, paying more than a minimum amount due, and making the payment through an automatic payment scheme. If a received payment satisfies one or more predefined criteria, one or more incentives are selected for the consumer, tracked, and provided to the consumer. The system analyzes payment information to determine attributes and positive (desirable) behavior and provides incentives to the consumer based on such positive behaviors. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106590 | LIST-BASED SELECTION SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR USING THE SAME - A system and methods for enabling a user to create a list of items on a portable computing device, to communicate with external devices to locate each of the items available on the list within a geographically limited area, to provide users with visual or aural cues as to the location of items on the list, to progress through the list of items as each item is selected or rejected, and providing discounts toward, information about, or alternatives to the available items on the list. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106591 | LIST-BASED COUPON SYSTEM AND METHODS - A list-based coupon system that enables users to create a list of items to obtain, purchase or locate within a store or other geographic area, and provides users with coupons under a variety of different conditions. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106592 | One account visa/master card/gift card systems and methods - A method for providing an one account gift card for purchases of goods and/or services by establishing the account at a merchant based on a user's input, and enabling the account to be accessed by the beneficiary with the use of a financial card subject to the terms and conditions of the merchant: The consumer is then able to use the available funds in the account towards purchases of services and/or goods at the merchant. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106593 | INTERNET EXCHANGE BROKER METHOD AND SYSTEM - An Internet Exchange and a method thereof, wherein the Internet Exchange is arranged between at least one mobile network operator and at least one Internet content provider. An operator domain may include a component containing network presence information; a component containing global location information of a mobile station; and a component containing awareness and context information for the mobile station. Gateways may retrieve this information from the operator domain components and may deliver messages and advertisement consumption information between the mobile network operator and the Internet content provider. A user data management component may manage interactions between the mobile network operator, the operator domain components, the mobile station, and the Internet content provider; and a content aggregation and management component may manage, store, format, and deliver media information supplied by the Internet content provider to the mobile network operator. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106594 | ADVERTISEMENT METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DISPLAYING OPTIMUM TITLE AND DESCRIPTION BY ANALYZING CLICK STATISTICS - Provided is an advertising method and system for displaying optimal advertising content, the method including the steps of: maintaining an advertisement database that includes a plurality of advertising contents associated with a targeted site; randomly rolling and displaying the plurality of advertising contents associated with the targeted site by referring to the advertisement database, when displaying the targeted site as a search result; analyzing click statistics information associated with each of the randomly displayed advertising contents; and determining the optimal advertising content associated with the targeted site based on the analyzed click statistics information. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106595 | Formatting a User Network Site Based on User Preferences and Format Performance Data - A system and method for formatting an electronic document. Format preference information related to the format of a user network site associated with a user is received. Document format criteria based on the format preference information and format performance information is automatically determined. An electronic document associated with the user network site is output according to the document format criteria. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106596 | Offer Placement System and Methods for Targeted Marketing Offer Delivery System - A system and methods for an offer placement system for delivering targeted marketing offers to consumers during a session with an online (web-based) Internet portal, such as an online banking portal of a financial institution. A component receives advertising campaign data from an advertiser including a plurality of targeted marketing offers for delivery to consumers in response to a particular condition (e.g. an offer-triggering event), and stores the campaign data in a database. A component determines the occurrence of an offer-triggering event caused by a consumer during an online session with the online portal, for example, viewing a list of banking transactions. A component identifies a predetermined targeted marketing offer stored in the database that corresponds to the offer-triggering event. A component delivers information corresponding to the targeted marketing offer to the consumer during the online session with the portal. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106597 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR TRACKING CONSUMERS - A system and method for tracking a consumer is provided. A consumer is detected at a first location within a vicinity of a content player playing a content item. A unique identification of the consumer is captured, such as a facial image or a Bluetooth signal emitted by a device associated with the consumer in some embodiments. A record is stored indicating the consumer perceived the content item. As the consumer perceives other content items or travels to other locations, the record is updated to reflect the consumer's behavior. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106598 | System and Methods for Merging or Injecting Targeting Marketing Offers with a Transaction Display of an Online Portal - A system and methods for displaying a selected advertisement on a web page merged (injected) into a list of transactions provided by an online (Internet) banking portal of a financial institution, independently of a computer system that provides the list. A consumer's browser receives an account history page comprising a list of transactions from the portal. The list is processed locally at the consumer's machine to generate a list of currently-displayed transactions, which are then transmitted to an offer placement system. The offer placement system accesses a database of potential advertisements to identify a selected advertisement corresponding to an advertisement selection criterion. The selected advertisement is then transmitted to the consumer's machine. The consumer's machine merges (injects) the selected advertisement in the web browser with the transactions list in accordance with predetermined advertisement placement information. The injection is effected by a script such as Javascript loaded from an associated script server. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106599 | System and method for providing targeted content - An arrangement for providing targeted content includes data repositories storing information from which targeted content may be selected. The data repositories store at least one contextual relationship graph. The arrangement also includes an input/output interface through which a request for targeted content is made. The arrangement further includes a controller that receives the request for targeted content and selects targeted content using the contextual relationship graph. The controller further provides the selected targeted content through the input/output interface. An arrangement for determining the relative strength of a classification for a group of words includes memory for storing a contextual relationship graph for a given classification and a processor that receives the contextual relationship graph and a plurality of words to be analyzed by the processor, identifies occurrences of the relationships identified in the contextual relationship graph and determines the relative strength of classification based on the identified occurrences. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106600 | Publication Planning Based On Estimated Content Usage Parameters - Planning a publication includes receiving information about an event, accessing a database of profiles that relate in general to content usage, and using a search engine to match the profiles with the event information to estimate parameters for using content for the event. The publication is planned according to the estimated usage parameters. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106601 | System and method for distributing text content for use in one or more creatives - The present invention includes at least a creative composition engine, system and method. The creative composition engine includes at least one vault having media assets, wherein the media assets include at least one avatar and at least one environment for placement of the at least one avatar, and a receiver for receiving at least one request for a creative. The request for creative may include a composition request for the at least one avatar, and a request for at least one other of the media assets. The at least one avatar may be a composed creative responsive to the at least one request for a creative, and wherein the composed creative further includes the at least one other of the media assets. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106602 | LOCATABLE SHOPPING CART AND METHODS FOR LOCATING THE SAME - A shopping cart that can be geographically located, methods for locating such carts, and a selection system for enabling a user to create a list of items on a portable computing device, to communicate with external devices to locate each of the items available on the list within a geographically limited area, to provide users with visual or aural cues as to the location of items on the list, to progress through the list of items as each item is selected or rejected, and providing discounts toward, information about, or alternatives to the available items on the list. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106603 | SYSTEM, METHOD AND DEVICE FOR PREDICTING NAVIGATIONAL DECISION-MAKING BEHAVIOR - A system method and device for predicting navigational decision-making behavior is provided. The location of a device is used to generate the current location of the device, and a history of past locations of the device. A behavior predicting application predicts the route a drive is going to travel based on driver preferences, such as left-hand turns, avoidance of bridges, etc., as well as the preferred destinations and/or routes traveled in the past. The preferences of a particular driver can be learned by the system to be implemented in the behavior predicting application, or manually input by the driver. The system can employ GPS or other positioning technology to determine the location of the device. The device can be a standard GPS-enabled in-car device, or other portable device such as a cell phone or PDA. | 2010-04-29 |
20100106604 | Multi-Stage Bidding System for Guaranteed Advertising Contracts in a Network of Networks - This patent discloses a system to host a multi-stage competition for an online advertisement opportunity in a network of networks. The online advertisement opportunity may be received in a second network from a first network as a result of a process where a first bid from a first software agent representing a guaranteed contract may be compared with a second bid from a second software agent representing one of a nonguaranteed contract and a guaranteed contract. A third bid for the online advertisement opportunity may be received in the second network from a third software agent representing a guaranteed contract. In addition, a fourth bid for that same online advertisement opportunity may be received in the second network from a fourth software agent representing one of a nonguaranteed contract and a guaranteed contract. | 2010-04-29 |