38th week of 2011 patent applcation highlights part 56 |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20110231210 | METHODS, SYSTEMS, AND DEVICES FOR MODIFYING MEDICAL FILES - The disclosure herein provides methods, systems, and devices for managing, transferring, modifying, converting and/or tracking medical files and/or medical system messages. In certain embodiments, the foregoing may generally be based on requesting medical files at a first medical facility, identifying the requested medical files at a second medical facility, initiating a secure network connection between the first and second medical facility, modifying a header portion of the medical files based on patient identification information created by the first medical facility, and other processing steps. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231211 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR ISSUING A GIFT ANNUITY - The teachings disclosed herein can be directed to an intermediary coordinating the administration of a 54Freedom gift annuity arrangement between a donor and both a charity and insurance company. The charity receives the gift and the annuity contract is between the donor and the insurance company. This arrangement provides flexibility in the annuity contract, a new financial product for financial specialists to market, a more certain financial annuity arrangement post-mortem for the donor's estate, and a better incentivized financial party to which the donor can consult. The method can include consultation by the intermediary, e.g. a financial specialist, with the donor to determine a suitability of an annuity contract for the donor. The method can further include coordination by the intermediary of a purchase of the annuity contract by the donor with an insurance company as opposed to with the charity, which receives the gift. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231212 | INTERNET BASED CHECK IN SYSTEM AND BAGGAGE DROP - The present specification describes a check in system for checking a passenger onto a flight. An indication of the airline and a passenger's reservation code is sent from a kiosk to a remote computer system using communications that are sent through the internet. On receipt of these details the remote computer system accesses the airline reservation system and requests a copy of the passenger name record, again using communications that are sent through the internet. The data in the passenger name record is used to check in the passenger at the kiosk. It is also used to assess whether the passenger's baggage is outside the baggage allowance for the ticket. The passenger is able to pay any fees at the kiosk further using communications that are sent through the internet. The specification also describes a baggage drop system using a similar process to issue baggage tags. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231213 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS OF DETERMINING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS - The present application provides methods and systems for quantitatively predicting an effectiveness of a proposed capital improvement project based on one or more previous capital improvement projects representative of one or more physical assets and including one or more attributes that includes defining a first sample pool from the previous capital improvement project data in which said previous capital improvement project has been performed, defining a second sample in which the previous capital improvement project has not been performed, the second sample pool including one or more attribute values that are the same as, or similar to, the attribute values for the first sample pool, generating a performance metric for each of the first and second sample pools, comparing the performance metric from the first sample pool with the performance metric from the second sample pool to determine a net performance metric, and, generating a prediction of effectiveness of the proposed capital improvement project concerning based on said net performance metric. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231214 | AEROSPACE AND DEFENSE PROGRAM ANALYSIS TOOL - The invention provides automatically examines an Aerospace and Defense (A&D) company's financial data and evaluating factors affecting the company's value, and using this evaluation to assess the desirability of proposed changes in various stages of an A&D project. Specifically, the present invention evaluates changes in an A&D company's value through that company's profits and capital efficiency. The Program Profitability asset is a methodology and tool that helps teams quickly and systematically analyze high impact areas in the structure of a program to determine the key drivers of savings that are actionable for the client. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231215 | OPTIMIZATION OF A RESOURCE MATCHING MODEL BY MAPPING A MODEL TO A BIPARTITE GRAPH - Example embodiments disclosed herein relate to a mechanism for optimizing a resource matching model. In particular, a mechanism is provided to access, in a resource matching system, input data for a mixed integer programming (MIP) model, which may include resource data describing resources and demand data describing corresponding demand instances. Mechanisms are also provided to convert the MIP model to a binary integer programming (BIP) model by redefining the input data to unary data and to map the BIP model to a bipartite graph using the unary data. The resulting bipartite graph may include a number of nodes including a first set corresponding to the resources and a second set corresponding to the demand instances, and a number of edges corresponding to decision variables of the BIP model, each edge representing a potential allocation of a resource in the first set to a demand instance in the second set. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231216 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING EVENT REMINDERS - A system and method are provided for obtaining data that could affect event details, such that this data can be used to generate alerts that are sent early enough to give the user time to reach the event, predict lateness, arrange replacements/delegates, reschedule, cancel meetings in advance, etc. By more intelligently providing reminders to the user, the above-described unforeseen circumstances can be dealt with. In some embodiments, an aggregation of various external data sources as well as internal data can be used to better predict when a user should be reminded of the time for their event, determine and advise whether they may be late regardless, and/or enable the user to arrange a delegate or replacement or to reschedule or cancel the event. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231217 | INTEGRATION OF REAL-TIME FIELD DATA IN CHEMICAL DELIVERY VEHICLE OPERATIONS - A method and system for integration of real-time field data in chemical delivery vehicle operations is disclosed. Initially, information for a plurality of regions designated for chemical delivery is received at a command center, each of the plurality of regions having a defined boundary. Real-time and forecast environmental conditions are utilized in conjunction with prior and real-time field data to rank each of the plurality of regions. One or more chemical delivery vehicles are automatically selected and dispatched to one or more of the plurality of regions. When the one or more chemical delivery vehicles are within the defined boundary of one of the plurality of regions for chemical delivery, region specific chemical delivery procedures incorporating real-time environmental conditions are automatically calculated and initiated. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231218 | Systems and Methods for Providing Reminders for a Task List - Systems and methods for providing reminders in a user-created task list are described. At least a portion of a user-created task list is received from an Internet service via a user interface between an end user and the Internet service. The user-created task list includes one or more tasks organized into one or more categories. An intermediary display is generated, wherein the intermediary display includes a first subset of the one or more tasks, and the generated intermediary display is transmitted via the user interface to the end user. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231219 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MEASURING KNOWLEDGE RISK AND ASSESSING MATURITY - The present invention provides a method and system for evaluating the knowledge risk maturity (KRM) of a team executing a project and to check the progress of the project. A method for quantifying knowledge risk maturity coefficient (KRMC) of the team and a method to identify the skills required by the team members to execute the project for different time frames are also provided. A KRMC trend is determined based on KRMC determined at different time instances. A skill requirement trend is also determined based on skills required by the team to execute the project at different time instances. By comparing the two trends, a plurality of KRM are evaluated for each time frame. On the basis of the KRMC trend and KRM, corrective measures are taken to enhance the KRMC to its maximum value. This in turn ensures that skill requirements of a project are met. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231220 | On-Line Invention Disclosure System - An on-line invention disclosure system includes a user computer, a server and a database coupled to the server. The server provides user screens to the user to prompt the users to provide disclosure information to the server. The server receives the disclosure information from the users and stores the information in the database while allowing access to the database after storing the information on the database. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231221 | AUTOMATED RISK ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT - Automated risk assessment and management techniques are provided. Assets of an enterprise are monitored within an enterprise repository via their electronic identities. The identities are annotated with business defined values. The annotations can dynamically change based on dynamic policy evaluation and evolving actions of the assets, the state of the enterprise, and/or the state of an enterprise system. The annotations are accumulated and used in customized calculations for purposes of driving automated actions of the enterprise and producing a variety of reporting features. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231222 | Method and System for Enhanced Transaction Management - An integrated transaction module associated with an entity allows for consolidating and using information related to management of transactions. The integrated transaction system incorporates a transaction viewer for displaying information such as the companies involved in the transaction, level of interest shown by potential clients in hiring the entity to manage the transaction, whether or not the companies involved in the transaction present any conflict-of-interest for the transaction management company, and any attachments that may be relevant to the transaction. In addition, the integrated transaction system incorporates a transaction team conflicts checker to determine whether or not any of the team members involved in the transaction pose a conflict-of-interest and a best client analyzer for determining which of several potential clients offer the most benefits to the transaction management organization. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231223 | Systems and Methods to Enhance Search Data with Transaction Based Data - In one aspect, a system includes a transaction handler to process transactions, a data warehouse to store data recording the transactions, a portal configured to communicate with a search engine and to provide a user interface to receive a request from a merchant, and at least one processor coupled with the data warehouse and the portal. In response to the request received from the merchant via the portal, the at least one processor identifies a set of first statistics based on search activities of the search engine, identifies a set of second statistics based on the transactions relevant to the search activities, and uses the portal to juxtapose the set of first statistics and the set of second statistics. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231224 | Systems and Methods to Perform Checkout Funnel Analyses - In one aspect, a system includes a transaction handler to process transactions, a data warehouse to store data recording the transactions, a portal configured to communicate with an online store, and at least one processor coupled with the data warehouse and the portal. In one example, after users of the online store express interest in items of the online store, a first subset of the items are purchased from the online store. The processor is configured to determine a second subset of the items purchased by the users but not from the online store. Data representing user activities in the online store, and data representing the first subset and the second subset are combined to generate a checkout funnel analysis result. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231225 | Systems and Methods to Identify Customers Based on Spending Patterns - In one aspect, a system includes a transaction handler to process transactions, a data warehouse to store transaction data recording the transactions, a portal configured to receive a request specifying a spending pattern distribution across more than one merchant, and at least one processor coupled with the data warehouse and the portal and configured to determine, based on the transaction data, whether or not transactions of a user satisfy the spending pattern distribution. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231226 | SYSTEM AND METHOD TO PERFORM SURVEYS - Embodiments of computing servers host web page pages that deliver information to users. The information relates to the acceptance of survey topics and questions to be asked, the formation of surveys from the topics and questions, and the communication of the surveys to particular devices such as mobile devices. Additionally, embodiments of the computing servers accept survey responses from the devices, facilitate compensation to the responder, process the responses, and communicate information related to the survey responses. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231227 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PURCHASE-BASED SEGMENTATION - A method and system for purchased-based segmentation of potential customers employs the use of actual, observed purchases instead of presumptions and correlations to improve the accuracy of segmentation and involves collecting empirical data for a client on actual purchasing behavior of a group of customers and applying statistical modeling techniques to the empirical purchasing behavior data to identify segments or clusters of the customers that exhibit similar purchasing propensity characteristics. Thereafter, the segments or clusters are further differentiated from one another according to other factors having a tendency to directly affect actual purchasing behavior of the customers within the segments or clusters, and potential customers are then identified according to a correlation with the segments or clusters for customized marketing. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231228 | SELLER AUTOMATED ENGINE ARCHITECTURE AND METHODOLOGY FOR OPTIMIZED PRICING STRATEGIES OF GOODS AND SERVICES - An improved seller automated engine architecture methodology particularly (though not exclusively) for use in automated real-time iterative reverse auctions and/or price quotations over the Internet and the like for purchase and sale of goods and services, providing a choice of architectural implementations while enabling price optimization on market share-directed considerations, specific sales target-directed implementations, seller utility derivative-following implementations, model optimizer implementations and explorations, mathematical optimization-oriented and rules-based implementations. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231229 | Hybrid Software Component and Service Catalog - A hybrid software component and service catalog is disclosed. A method according to embodiments of the present disclosure includes identifying a plurality of existing information technology services in an enterprise, wherein each of the plurality of existing information technology services includes a plurality of attributes. The method also includes assigning a quality metric associated with one or more attributes of each of the respective identified existing information technology services. The method also includes identifying a plurality of potential information technology services, wherein each of the plurality of potential information technology services includes a plurality of attributes. Additionally, the method includes receiving a quality metric associated with one or more attributes of each of the respective identified potential information technology services from a source external to the enterprise. The method further includes determining a threshold associated with a selected one of the existing information technology services and comparing the quality metric associated with the selected one of the existing information technology services to the quality metric associated with a selected one of the potential information technology services. The method also includes based at least in part on the comparison and the determined threshold, displaying the potential information technology resource to a user. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231230 | System for Optimizing Lead Close Rates - A system is described for optimizing lead close rates. The system may create a seller scoring model that may be “trained” by a sales lead data over a period of time. The scoring model may be used to measure the performance of sellers in terms of handling and closing sales leads. The scoring model may be used to predict the sellers' close rates for future leads. The system may normalize the sellers based on lead volume to increase the confidence level in the scoring model. The system may utilize the scoring model to determine lead specific handling instructions for future leads to optimize sellers' close rates. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231231 | MINIATURE BILLBOARD ADVERTISEMENTS - Street-level advertising billboards may offer advertisers an additional method to reach consumers, either while they are driving or walking through city streets. The billboards may be located on stoplights, walk/don't walk signs, or the like. The billboards may include an electronic display panel for displaying an advertisement, a network interface for wirelessly sending collected data to and receiving advertisement display data from the advertisement system, and a sensor for collecting external data. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231232 | ELECTRONIC ADVERTISING SYSTEM - An electronic advertising system includes an advertising figure, and the electronic advertising system processes the advertising figure to form a first predetermined quantity of advertising blocks and repeatedly form a second predetermined quantity of advertising blocks from the first quantity of advertising blocks respectively, and the electronic advertising system provides the second predetermined quantity of advertising units, and each advertising unit has he first predetermined quantity of same advertising blocks, the first predetermined quantity of different advertising blocks, or the first predetermined quantity of partially same and partially different advertising blocks. Therefore the electronic advertising system can improve the advertising effect of the advertising figure by the plurality of advertising units. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231233 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS TO PROVIDE OFFERS TO MOBILE DEVICES IN ACCORDANCE WITH PROXIMITY-SENSITIVITY SCORES - According to some embodiments, a proximity-sensitivity score is determined for each of a plurality of merchants. The proximity-sensitivity scores may indicate, for example, a likelihood that potential offers from the merchants would be accepted by customers based on distances between customer locations and merchant locations. An indication of a customer's current location may be received, and a selection engine may automatically select for a customer, in substantially real time, at least one selected offer from a plurality of potential offers based at least in part on proximity-sensitivity scores and the customer's current location. Data associated with the selected offer may then be transmitted, via a wireless communication network, to a mobile device associated with the customer. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231234 | EFFECTIVE ATTENTION DISPOSING SYSTEM - Methods and electronic device system for effective disposing attentions among large number of attention seekers. A server system that registers attention seekers' requests, votes and/or monetary bids, ranks the requests according the statistics of the received votes or bids and personal interest of the attention giver. The requests of the higher ranks are selected for attention of the attention giver. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231235 | Merchant Configured Advertised Incentives Funded Through Statement Credits - An advertised incentive system receives advertised incentive configuration information provided by a merchant. The advertised incentive configuration information defines the content of advertised incentive banners. The advertised incentive banners are provided as needed to merchants to display on the merchant's website. Advertised incentive registration information is received from an account holder after the account holder interacts with the advertised incentive banner. Transaction information is received that contains a qualified purchase made by the account holder. The advertised incentive registration and the qualified purchase are matched. A statement credit is issued against the account holder's account and a debit is issued against the merchant's account in the amount of the statement credit. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231236 | Coupon System and Method - Systems and methods for promotions of selected products in a retail grocery setting include providing electronic coupons for immediate use. Customers are provided an RFID tag that can communicate with RFID devices placed on the grocery shelves adjacent or near the selected products. Touching or approaching the shelf devices with a tag transfers the coupon information to the tag, and an RFID reader at the point of sale retrieves the coupon information and applies the discounts at checkout. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231237 | Virtual Couponing Method and Apparatus for Use with Consumer Kiosk - A method and apparatus for distributing, generating, and redeeming discount Virtual Coupons™, rebate or gift certificates or the like which may be used on conjunction with a frequency card program or the like. Virtual Coupons™ may be distributed electronically, for example, in the form of a diskette or CD-ROM software. Software on the diskette or CD-ROM may prompt a consumer to call a 1-800 number for a validation number or code. During the phone call, telemarketing personnel may request consumer demographic and or identification information which may be entered into a centralized database. Once the software is validated, a consumer may print out a list selected Virtual Coupons™ displayed on a Graphical User Interface (GUI). When a product is purchased, the UPC code of the product may be compared electronically with a list of Virtual Coupons™ authorized for a particular consumer. An appropriate coupon discount may then be applied and the Virtual Coupon™ may be considered “redeemed”. Once redeemed, consumer ID information and Virtual Coupon™ information may be retrieved electronically and used to update a central database. Accurate data may then be produced illustrating which consumers or groups of consumers are redeeming which Virtual Coupons™. Such data may be used for marketing purposes or to generated further diskettes for distribution targeting specific consumers or groups of consumers with specific classes of Virtual Coupon™ offerings. The use of Virtual Coupons™ eliminates or reduces fraud, and allows a frequency card discount to be applied only a limited number of times. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231238 | METHODS, SYSTEMS, AND COMPUTER READABLE MEDIA FOR TRACKING REDEEMED ELECTRONIC CERTIFICATE AND CONSUMER DATA ASSOCIATED WITH A MOBILE DEVICE - Methods, systems, and computer readable media for tracking redeemed electronic certificate and consumer data associated with a mobile device are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method includes receiving, at a wireless device reader, electronic certificate data and consumer identification data, redeeming the electronic certificate data, and generating redemption tracking data using the redeemed electronic certificate data and consumer identification data. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231239 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ATTRIBUTING AN ONLINE CONVERSION TO MULTIPLE INFLUENCERS - A method is provided for identifying and crediting interactions leading to a conversion, comprising acts of for each of at least one defined time interval, defining a recency factor used to scale a credit amount given to an influencing event occurring during the defined time interval; identifying at least one influencing event that influenced a conversion event; for each of the at least one influencing events, identifying a defined time interval in which the influencing event occurred and accessing the recency factor for that defined time interval; and apportioning the credit amount given to the conversion event among the at least one influencing event according to the recency factor for each influencing event. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231240 | Communicating Information in a Social Network System about Activities from Another Domain - In one embodiment, a method is described for tracking information about the activities of users of a social networking system while on another domain. The method includes maintaining a profile for each of one or more users of the social networking system, each profile identifying a connection to one or more other users of the social networking system and including information about the user. The method additionally includes receiving one or more communications from a third-party website having a different domain than the social network system, each message communicating an action taken by a user of the social networking system on the third-party website. The method additionally includes logging the actions taken on the third-party website in the social networking system, each logged action including information about the action. The method further includes correlating the logged actions with one or more advertisements presented to the one or more users on the third-party website as well as correlating the logged actions with a user of the social networking system. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231241 | REAL-TIME PERSONALIZATION OF SPONSORED SEARCH BASED ON PREDICTED CLICK PROPENSITY - Embodiments are directed towards employing long and short term historical user click propensity behaviors to adapt or filter a number of advertisements displayed and their location on a search results' page. A network device tracks a user's short and long term historical click behaviors. For a given search query for the user, a variety of candidate advertisements are selected. A normalized click-through rate (COEC) is estimated for each advertisement. The COEC and the user's short and long term click behavior, represented by User Click Propensity (UCP), is used to generate a User effective Cost Per Thousand (UeCPM) value. Candidate advertisements are filtered based on a minimum threshold value for UeCPMs. Page placement for the remaining advertisements is determined based on a user expected revenue for an advertisement determined from the UCP. Advertisements having a user expected revenue above another threshold are placed in a north page location. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231242 | ADVERTISING VENUES AND OPTIMIZATION - A system for providing an online advertising platform includes a first non-transitory machine-readable medium storing instructions executable by one or more data processors to group impression inventory units based at least in part on performance characteristics of the impression inventory units. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231243 | CUSTOMER STATE-BASED TARGETING - Techniques are provided for targeting of online advertisements. Methods are provided which include classifying an individual into a state, of a set of possible states, relative to relationship with regard to an offering or brand. The classification may be based on offline and online information. The states may relate to a degree of favorability with which the individual is disposed with regard to the offering or brand. The individual is targeted with an online advertisement based at least in part on the state into which the individual is classified. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231244 | TOP CUSTOMER TARGETING - Techniques are provided for targeting of online advertisements. Methods are provided in which information including a top set of customers of an advertiser is obtained. Information is obtained relating to online and offline behavior of the top customers in association with one or more brands of the advertiser. For a particular top customer, based at least in part on behavior information relating to the particular top customer in association with the one or more brands, the particular top customer is targeted with an online advertisement. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231245 | OFFLINE METRICS IN ADVERTISEMENT CAMPAIGN TUNING - Techniques are provided relating to optimization of an online advertising campaign. Information is obtained relating to online advertising, associated with a brand associated with an online advertising campaign, directed to each of a set of individuals. Information is also obtained relating to offline behavior of the individuals in association with the brand. One or more metrics are determined that are associated with a relationship between the online advertising and the offline behavior. Optimization of at least one parameter of the online advertising campaign is performed based at least in part on at least one of the one or more metrics. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231246 | ONLINE AND OFFLINE ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN OPTIMIZATION - Techniques are provided relating to advertising campaign optimization. Information is obtained relating to online and offline behavior of a set of individuals in association with a brand associated an advertising campaign. Based at least in part on the information, one or more metrics are determined reflecting an association between online advertising and offline behavior relating to the brand, or vice versa. Optimization is performed for at least one parameter of an online advertising campaign or an offline advertising campaign based at least in part on at least one of the one or more metrics. The campaign could also be a combined offline/online campaign. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231247 | Pay-Per-Call ad system - A method and system are provided for connecting consumer searches and phone calls. In accordance with one or more embodiments, the method includes the steps of (a) receiving from a search system and storing the search results relating to an online or mobile search performed by a consumer, the search results identifying one or more telephone numbers of merchants that signed up with the search system as Advertisers, and the search association identifiers such as IP Address, Cookie, and/or Carrier User ID associated with the consumer; (b) associating the Automatic Number Identification (ANI) to the online or mobile search by matching the search association identifiers based on two phone calls originated from the same ANI within a predetermined period of time of the one or more searches; (c) charging the selected Advertiser a fee for connecting the consumer to the selected Advertiser; and (d) providing detailed Return-On-Investment reports. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231248 | IMPRESSION-TREND TECHNIQUES FOR PROVIDING A DISPLAY ADVERTISING SUPPLY FORECAST - Techniques are described herein for using an impression-trend technique to provide a display advertising supply forecast. A display advertising supply forecast is an estimate of a number of impressions, which are to occur in a future time period, that have specified attribute values. For example, the specified attribute values may be descriptive of impressions with respect to which an advertiser wishes to place ads. An impression-trend technique is a forecasting technique that uses trends regarding past impressions to forecast a number of future impressions that have specified attribute values. The past impressions include attribute values that are related to the specified attribute values. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231249 | METHOD AND SYSTEM TO DETECT INVALID AND FRAUDULENT IMPRESSIONS AND CLICKS IN WEB-BASED ADVERTISEMENT SYSTEMS - This invention improves upon existing pay-per-click arrangements periodically generating a code associated with the search-engine users. This code, preferably in the form of a serial number, is compared to the user of the website, such that by observing a metric like the number of clicks for a given period of time, be it a short time or a longer period, such as a day or a week, the system can automatically determine if certain clicks are illegitimate. This allows the pay-per-click company to more fairly invoice the merchants, thereby preventing fraudulent over use. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231250 | System and Method for Displaying Advertisements on a User Device Based on User Preferences While Operative by the User - A method for displaying advertisements on a user device. The method includes generating at least one window frame on the user device by an agent, wherein the at least one window frame is configurable by a user of the user device; periodically communicating with an advertisement management server (AMS) requesting to provide at least one advertisement and its associated metadata; displaying, upon determination that a user is interacting with the user device, the at least one advertisement on the at least one window frame based in part on the metadata; and generating a message of consumption for debiting an advertisement campaign account of the at least one advertisement for the viewing of the at least one advertisement and for crediting a user account of the user for the viewing of the at least one advertisement; and sending the message of consumption to the AMS. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231251 | Digital broadcast network system for providing widget service and operating method thereof - Provided are a digital broadcast network system for providing a widget service and an operating method thereof The digital broadcast network system includes a communication network, a broadcast terminal, and a broadcasting station system. The broadcasting station system provides widget advertisement contents, received from a widget content provider, to the broadcast terminal. The broadcast terminal outputs the received widget advertisement contents to a display unit in response to a widget display control signal, and transmits product purchase information to the broadcasting station system when receiving a purchase request signal for products included in the widget advertisement contents. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231252 | VOICE-ENABLED TEXT ADVERTISEMENTS - Voice-enabled text advertisements are delivered for presentation to users within electronic advertising environments. When an advertiser provides an advertisement to an advertisement delivery system, the advertiser may specify whether the advertisement is to be voice-enabled. The advertisement delivery system stores advertisements with an indication regarding whether each advertisement is voice-enabled. When an advertisement is selected for presentation to a user, the advertisement delivery system determines if the advertisement is voice-enabled. If a selected advertisement is voice-enabled, audio is generated from the text of the advertisement or audio previously generated from the text of the advertisement is retrieved from storage. The audio comprises voice generated by applying text-to-speech functionality to the advertisement text. When the advertisement text and audio are delivered for presentation to a user, the advertisement text is displayed and the audio is audibly presented to the user. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231253 | CROSS PLATFORM IMPRESSION INVENTORY CLASSIFICATION - A system for providing an online advertising platform includes a first non-transitory machine-readable medium storing information defining an inventory taxonomy that includes a set of platform inventory quality attributes, a set of platform inventory content categories, and a set of non-platform-to-platform mappings. The system further includes a second non-transitory machine-readable medium storing identifiers of classified inventory, each identifier being associated with a unit of inventory that is classified according to the inventory taxonomy. The system also includes a third non-transitory machine-readable medium storing instructions executable by one or more data processors to provide a user interface through which an inventory buyer on the platform defines a set of inventory buying opportunities at least in part by specifying targeting criteria using the inventory taxonomy; and store information characterizing the set of inventory buying opportunities in association with the buyer. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231254 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING ADVERTISEMENTS, AND COMPUTER-READABLE RECORDING MEDIUM - The present invention relates to a method that enables an advertiser to show self-billing information when providing an advertising service, a system thereof, and a computer-readable recording medium. According to one aspect of the invention, provided is an advertising method which comprises: a step for providing the advertiser with a result of online advertising, a step for receiving from the advertiser, based on the result of online advertising, the self-billing information for the online advertisements that have been already published, and a step for processing the billing for the published advertisements based on the self-billing information. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231255 | METHOD, SYSTEM, AND SOFTWARE FOR GEOGRAPHICALLY FOCUSED NETWORK ADVERTISING - A software based system and method of displaying location based information from an information site on a network by determining location data of a user of the location based information on the network. The location based information is generated based on the determined location data of the user; and generated location based information is provided to the user over the network. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231256 | AUTOMATED BUILDING OF A MODEL FOR BEHAVIORAL TARGETING - A method for generating a behavioral model for a targeted advertisement category (TAC), including: obtaining click stream data including ad-clicks and events preceding the ad-clicks and performed on web pages; assigning features having categories and keywords associated with the web pages to the events; identifying an ad-click of the ad-clicks and a subset of the events preceding the ad-click that result in the ad-click, where the subset of the events is associated with at least one feature; generating an aggregated event sequence by aggregating the ad-click and the subset of the events; selecting, in response to the at least one feature being associated with the TAC, a training data set including at least the aggregated event sequence; generating the behavioral model for the TAC by applying a learning algorithm to a portion of the training data set; and evaluating performance of built models and select model based on performance result. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231257 | Systems and Methods to Identify Differences in Spending Patterns - In one aspect, a system includes a transaction handler to process transactions, a data warehouse to store data recording the transactions, and at least one processor coupled with the data warehouse and configured to identify a first set of customers who made first transactions correlated with an advertisement, identify a second set of customers not in the first set of customers, and determine a difference between a first pattern in a first set of transactions of the first set of customers and a second pattern in a second set of transactions of the second set of customers. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231258 | Systems and Methods to Distribute Advertisement Opportunities to Merchants - In one aspect, a system includes a transaction handler to process transactions, a data warehouse to store transaction data recording the transactions, and a portal configured to provide a user interface to receive a set of selection criteria and a plurality of bids from respective merchants for opportunities to present advertisements to users identified by the set of selection criteria based on spending patterns determined from transaction data generated by the transaction handler. The system further includes at least one processor coupled with the data warehouse and the portal and configured to determine, in response to an opportunity for advertising to a user, whether transactions of the user processed by the transaction handler satisfy the set of selection criteria and, if so, select an advertisement of one merchant of the plurality of merchants based at least in part on the bids received from the merchants. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231259 | System and Method For Advertising on the Internet - The present invention is directed to a system or web site for advertising on the internet. The web site comprises a web based server in communication with the internet. The web-site further comprises an advertiser module adapted to receive advertising campaign entered by an advertiser, including a DISPLAY AD and a MESSAGE AD. The advertiser module further comprises a location module having a set of code configured so the advertiser can select a publisher's website to place the DISPLAY AD. The advertiser module further comprises a message module having a first set of code configured to serve an advertiser host web page to the internet surfer upon activation of the DISPLAY AD by the internet surfer. The advertiser host page comprises a first portion having a message box and a second portion displaying the web page of the advertiser corresponding to the URL address entered by the advertiser. The message box comprises first and second a message fields and cell phone number field. The first and second message fields are adapted to receive a SMS message or a MMS entered by the internet surfer, respectively. The cell phone number field is adapted to receive a cell phone number entered by the internet surfer corresponding to the communication device of the recipient. The message module comprises a second set of code adapted to pre-populate the message field with the MESSAGE AD created by the advertiser. The message module further comprises a third set of code adapted to send or transmit the message and the MESSAGE AD to the communication carrier for transmission to the communication device of the recipient. The advertiser module further comprises a billing module having a first set of code adapted to charge the advertiser a fee when the message and MESSAGE AD is sent to the communication carrier. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231260 | METHOD FOR PROVIDING AN ONLINE VIDEO ADVERTISING PLATFORM AND MARKETPLACE - An online video advertising platform and marketplace. The present invention enables sellers to enhance the way they market products by providing them with a platform that uses location, images, product information, and Internet video. Because images and text are static and videos are dynamic, a seller can better represent their product and receive a better price and quicker sale as a result of the dynamic presentation. The marketplace uses both a database and “cloud computing” file storage system. So when a new user is created, there is both an entry in the database, and file structure with the username or other unique identifier in the file system. The database then stores pointers to these files. All listings are tied to a central product (listing) Id (PID). Videos can be searched for by both video and product related metrics. Videos file themselves are tagged with product metadata. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231261 | VOICE CUSTOMIZATION FOR VOICE-ENABLED TEXT ADVERTISEMENTS - Methods are provided for determining a customized voice to be used for an audio advertisement. Text of an advertisement is received, and it is determined that audio is to be generated from the text of the advertisement, and that the audio is to comprise a customized voice. The customized voice is selected by the advertiser. The audio is generated from the text of the advertisement, and the text, audio, and indications that the advertisement is voice-enabled and that a customized voice is to be used in association with the audio are stored in an advertisement storage. When a request is received for advertisements, at least one advertisement is communicated for presentation to the user, such that the text is visually presented to the user and audio comprising the customized voice is audibly presented to the user. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231262 | ADVERTISEMENT DELIVERY SYSTEM, ADVERTISEMENT DELIVERY METHOD, AND ADVERTISEMENT DELIVERY PROGRAM - A system for delivering advertisements is provided capable of effectively advertising companies or products to users through a game as well as attracting the users' interest by varying the game difficulty in real-time according to user's responses. The system for delivering advertisements comprises a registration unit ( | 2011-09-22 |
20110231263 | PRICING FOR VOICE-ENABLED TEXT ADVERTISEMENTS - Systems and methods for identifying monetization values for voice-enabled text advertisements and for providing the voice-enabled text advertisements for presentation to users within electronic advertising environments are provided. Advertisers may submit bids on both text advertisements and voice-enabled text advertisements. Using the bids submitted by advertisers, monetization values for text advertisements and voice-enabled text advertisements are calculated. The monetization values for voice-enabled text advertisements may be calculated based on a cost-per-voice bid submitted by the advertiser indicating a monetary amount the advertiser is willing to pay for voice audio of the voice-enabled text advertisement. Based on the monetization value of each of the voice-enabled text advertisements, at least one voice-enabled text advertisement is selected for presentation. The selected voice-enabled text advertisement is communicated for presentation to the user. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231264 | ADVERTISING BID PRICE MODIFIERS - Systems, methods, and apparatuses, including computer program products for receiving, at a transaction management computing subsystem of an advertising platform, a set of original bid responses from a set of decisioning computing subsystems of the advertising platform, each original bid response including an original bid price, generating, by the transaction management computing subsystem, a set of adjusted bid responses according to a yield management criterion, each adjusted bid response including an adjusted bid price; and selecting a winning bid response from among the set of bid responses based on the adjusted bid prices. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231265 | NON-EXPANDING INTERACTIVE ADVERTISEMENT - An embodiment is directed to a non-expanding advertisement that displays a video loop or a portion of a video within the advertisement. If the user interacts with the advertisement, the entire video is played within the advertisement without expanding. The user is not given the option to stop or pause the video. In addition, since the advertisement does not expand, the user is not given the option to close the video, ensuring that a complete view of the video is delivered to the user. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231266 | Remote Ordering System - A remote ordering system is provided using an electronic menu having a series of input devices associated with various menu items, and a wireless transmitter to send selected menu items to a receiving device for processing. A display to show selected menu items, an alpha-numeric keyboard, a non-cash payment device, and a printer for receipts are also contemplated for increased functionality. The menu may be remotely updated to reflect the customer's preferences or a change to the menu choices. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231267 | NAIL POLISH COLOR SELECTION SYSTEM - A user interactive custom nail polish color and effects dispensing system and method of doing business, including for both point of sale and remote (e.g., via internet) transactions. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231268 | ONLINE BARCODE DIRECTORY AND SYSTEMS FOR FACILITATING TRANSACTIONS UTILIZING THE SAME - An online directory of people, businesses and products which is accessible by a user is described herein. Each person, business or product may be associated with a unique visual identifier such as a barcode which facilitates transactions between the parties. Moreover, the barcode may be an electronic barcode which can be displayed on a user's phone and scanned by a camera of the other party's electronic system. It is contemplated that the electronic barcode may be displayed only after entering a password on the user's mobile phone. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231269 | Method for Recipient Orientated Financial Services - A method allowing a first person to provide a “virtual” gift to a second party is disclosed, referred to as a “credit gifting” system, wherein the first person accesses an application allowing predetermined aspects of the gift, such as the retailer, store, product type etc to predetermined whilst adding personal messages etc. The second person receives a credit towards the purchase of the gift, the credit being redeemable at the defined retailer or store for any wares/services or only those identified by first person. If the credit so gifted is not redeemed within predetermined time the first person is re-credited. In another embodiment the second person is able to select the retailer or store to redeem from or if unable to redeem themselves allocate a proxy. Accordingly the method overcomes drawbacks of current “captive” gift cards and pre-paid gift cards whilst also offering enhanced registry services etc. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231270 | PAYMENT SYSTEMS AND METHODOLOGIES - A transaction system including at least two transaction communicators, at least one of which is a mobile communicator, at least one of the at least two transaction communicators having sequential visually sensible indicia generation functionality operative to generate a time sequence of indicia which provides at least transaction data and at least one of the at least two transaction communicators having sequential visually sensible indicia receiving functionality and transaction data extraction functionality capable of extracting at least the transaction data from the time sequence of particular indicia, whereby a time sequence of indicia which provides at least transaction data is transmitted from one of the at least two transaction communicators to another of the at least two transaction communicators. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231271 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRESENTING ARTICLES OF CLOTHING AND THE LIKE - A method and an apparatus for presenting clothing products and/or the like at sales points ( | 2011-09-22 |
20110231272 | Retail mobile point-of-sale (POS) software application and retail middleware software application - A portable electronic device includes a memory and processor. The memory stores instructions, which are part of a retail mobile software purchase software application. The instructions, which when executed by the processor cause the portable electronic device to first transmit a search request for an item. The device receives item information including item description and item price and also receives a selection to purchase the item from a purchaser. The retail mobile software creates an order including the selected item and adds other selected items to the order. The retail mobile software application displays payment options for the order and receives a payment option selection for the order including the selected item. The retail mobile software application receives payment confirmation for the order including the selected item and displays receipt options for the order including the selected item. The retail mobile software application receives a selection of a receipt option and generates an electronic receipt for the order. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231273 | SECONDARY MARKETPLACE FOR DIGITAL MEDIA CONTENT - A secondary marketplace can provide potential consumers with a plurality of previously sold digital media content items. Each of the previously sold digital media content items can include a utilization right and a transfer right. A user selection of one of the digital media content items of the secondary marketplace can be received. Responsive to the user selection, a utilization right to the selected one of the digital media content items can be transferred to a user, who is different from the original consumer. The transferring of the utilization right occurs without the secondary marketplace providing the user with a new tangible storage medium that contains the selected one of the digital media content items. Thus, the user received digital media content item can be a digital only item, such as a downloadable one. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231274 | Apparatus and method for providing and/or for fulfilling subscription services - An apparatus, including a receiver for receiving a request to receive or pick-up a good, service, or printed issue of a periodical, a newspaper, or a magazine, at a retail facility or store or at a location of a service provider, pursuant to a subscription, a processing device for processing information regarding the request, wherein the processing device determines whether the subscription is active or not active or determines whether any good, service, or issue or issues remain to be fulfilled pursuant to the subscription, and a transmitter for transmitting a message in response to the request, wherein the message contains an authorization or a denial of the request. The message is transmitted to a transaction device located at the retail facility or the store or at the location of the service provider. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231275 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR POSTING AND AUCTIONING ITEMS - A method and system for providing on-line sale of items through electronic exchange of information. The system includes a host database configured and operative to store sales information pertaining to a plurality of items. The system is further configured to provide an on-line classified sales listing for each of the items stored in the host database at the discretion of a user. The system also provides an on-line auction for each of the items stored in the host database at the discretion of a user. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231276 | METHODS FOR ACCESSING PAYABLE CONTENT USING SOCIAL NETWORKS - A social network server executes instructions to implement a method that comprises: establishing a connection to a payable content management server that stores a set of preview items corresponding to payable content items and a location element for each payable content item; rendering the preview items accessible to a computing appliance connected to the social network server; receiving an indication that a particular one of the preview items has been selected using the computing appliance; and forwarding to the computing appliance the location element for the payable content item corresponding to the selected preview item. The location element for the payable content item corresponding to the selected preview item comprises an address of (or a domain name routable to) a designated network entity operated by an organization with which an operator of the payable content management server or the payable content item server has an inter-organizational billing arrangement. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231277 | CIS-Regulatory Modules - A process for identifying a cis-regulatory module including aligning a target sequence with at least one sequence from a moderately distant species; determining a non-coding region of the target sequence, wherein the non-coding region comprises at least one of a high level of conservation and a suppression of indels; and identifying at least one cis-regulatory module in the target sequence is disclosed. Also disclosed is a method for providing assays to a consumer. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231278 | GARMENT SIZING SYSTEM - The present invention is a garment sizing system that that identifies the correct garment size for a particular garment type for a plurality of brands. In an embodiment, the garment sizing system is a client-server system that uses at least one server to host a website, garment sizing software, and at least one database. The consumers access the website over a communication network using networked devices. The database is populated with garment data such as garment type, brand name, brand line, retailers that sell that sell the brand, garment size, and dimensional garment measurements. Using the website, the consumer inputs the consumer's body measurement or the size of a specific garment that is known to fit the consumer, and the system retrieves and displays from the database the correct sizes for a specific garment type from a variety of brands based on the inputted data. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231279 | MERCHANDISING ITEMS OF TOPICAL INTEREST - Various embodiments are described herein that provide one or more of a systems, methods, software, and data structures within an Internet marketplace context that are useful to promote products that may be associated with an event occurrence. Some embodiments further utilize collaborative filtering to augment event-based product recommendations. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231280 | CLOUD-BASED DESKTOP AND SUBSCRIPTION APPLICATION PLATFORM APPARATUSES, METHODS AND SYSTEMS - The A CLOUD-BASED DESKTOP AND SUBSCRIPTION APPLICATION PLATFORM APPARATUSES, METHODS AND SYSTEMS (“CDSA Platform”) transforms service sign up, site creation, application registration data inputs via CDSA Platform components into new site display and Subscription App Store registration confirmation outputs. In some embodiments the CDSA Platform may facilitate generation of cloud-based desktop representations within a web browser. In one implementation, the CDSA Platform may receive a first user input, including identifying user information and a web Site address. In response to the first input, the CDSA Platform may create a new web Site at the received web Site address. In one implementation, the new website may comprise a first desktop representation on a web browser at the web Site address and may present a plurality of application icons on the first desktop representation. In a further implementation, the CDSA Platform may receive a second user input which may include an action on one of the plurality of application icons. In one implementation, in response to the second input, the CDSA Platform may present a second desktop representation on the web browser at the web Site address. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231281 | System and Method for Handling Software Activation in Entitlement - A system, method, and computer-readable medium are disclosed for separating the purchase of digital assets from their fulfillment and activation. Digital assets purchase information comprising digital assets identifier information and activation key data, and system identifier information comprising system identifier data, is received. The purchase information and the system identifier information are processed to generate digital assets activation request data, which is then processed by the provider of the digital assets to generate digital assets activation data. Associated digital assets data is provided with the digital assets activation data and then processed with the purchase transaction data to generate digital assets entitlement data. A personalization agent associated with a target system automatically downloads the purchased digital assets and associated digital assets entitlement data, which is used to install the digital assets, thereby entitling the system to process the installed digital assets. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231282 | Online Evaluation System and Method - An online evaluation system and method compute multiple types of evaluation parameters including at least an overall evaluation type and a categorical evaluation type using evaluation data received from users. The system calls the multiple types of evaluation parameters upon receiving a request for evaluation information of the user of the second type from a web page, and sends the multiple types of evaluation parameters to a front end of the system to be displayed to a user who has requested the information. The multiple types of evaluation parameters are displayed on a web page using a format pre-configured by the system. Using the method and system help achieve a more comprehensive evaluation of the user, and provide more detailed, more accurate and more reliable evaluation information. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231283 | Online Processing for Offshore Business Transactions - A method and system for processing offshore online transaction use an intermediary platform to conduct foreign currency exchange on behalf of a buyer and an offshore seller. The method allows the buyer to purchase a product of an offshore merchant website using a local currency through the intermediary platform. The buyer places an order at the offshore merchant website, which sends an order request to the intermediary platform. The intermediary platform calculates the purchase amount in local currency, and exchanges the local currency amount provided by the user into an equivalent foreign currency amount through a financial platform, and sends a transaction message indicating successful payment to the offshore merchant website to allow shipping of the product. The intermediary platform periodically conducts accounting and profit sharing operations with the offshore merchant website. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231284 | MULTISYSTEM DISTRIBUTED PROCESSING OF PAYMENT AND/OR NON PAYMENT INFORMATION - Various systems and methods that may relate to referral and/or delivery services are described. Some embodiments may include communication using a payment processing device. Various other embodiments are described. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231285 | RETAIL MOBILE POINT-OF-SALE (POS) SOFTWARE APPLICATION - A portable electronic device includes a memory and processor. The memory stores instructions, which are part of a retail mobile software purchase software application. The instructions, which when executed by the processor cause the portable electronic device to first transmit an item search request. The device receives item information including item description and item price and also receives an item selection to purchase the item. The retail mobile software creates an order including the selected item and may add other selected items to the order. The retail mobile software application displays payment options for the order and receives a payment option selection for the order including the selected item. The retail mobile software application receives payment confirmation for the order including the selected item and displays receipt options for the order including the selected item. The retail mobile software application generates an electronic receipt for the order. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231286 | ON-LINE PAYMENT TRANSACTIONS - A computer-implemented method includes generating on a user terminal a merchant web site associated with a merchant with code for a merchant web page, transmitting a product selection request for the user to a remote open payment system that is separate from the merchant, and displaying purchase information responsive to the product selection request using the code for the merchant web page. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231287 | Method and system to market and distribute a product or service - A method of tiered promotion and distribution of a product comprises hosting a transactional applet accessible via the Internet; accessing the host to execute the applet for a first fan; enabling the first fan to process a voucher for the product; and enabling the first fan to propagate the applet to a terminal of a second fan wherein the propagated applet (i) renders content associated with the first fan and the product, (ii) accepts an input from the second fan to process a subsequent transaction relative to the product; (iii) credits the first fan with a credit, and (iv) generates a transactional record for delivery to the first fan. The generated record may include a notation of account credit, evidence of an entry ticket, or other information. The applet may be propagated to third or subsequent fans to provide further credits for the first, second, or subsequent fans. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231288 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING COMPUTER APPLICATION SUPPORT - A method and system for providing computer application support. The method comprises determining a set of installed applications on a source computer using a software manager module executing on a computer, generating a set of usage information for the set of installed applications on the one or more source computers, deriving a set of analysis results from the usage information using a software analysis module executing on a computer, generating a list of applications from the set of analysis results using the software analysis module, and providing the list to a destination computer. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231289 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR TRANSACTION OF SPORT INFORMATION - A method is applied in a transaction system for transaction of sport information among information seller and buyer, and the transaction center so as to result in paying a transaction fee. The buyer operates a first electronic device to fetch a selection chart and personal data of an individual seller, and transmits a transaction signal to a transaction module. After completing each transaction, a website module transmits a prediction result of a coming match to a second electronic device, hence the buyer. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231290 | ONLINE MARKETPLACE PORTAL FOR CONTENT PUBLISHERS AND CONTENT CREATORS - An online marketplace portal enables the exchange of content and payments for content between content publishers and content creators, such as organizations and professional freelancers, respectively. The online portal allows publishers and creators to exchange exclusive content concepts and completed works through a dosed platform. Users can negotiate terms relating to access and rights to publish content, manage distribution of content, and process payment through the online portal. Content publishers can use the online marketplace portal to purchase syndicated content and manage relationships with freelancers. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231291 | PRICE DISTRIBUTION SLIDER HISTOGRAM - In various example embodiments, systems and methods to navigate item listings using a slider histogram include receiving a request from a client device and determining a list of item listings satisfying the request. Additionally, a histogram based on an attribute found in the item listings of the list is determined. The list and the histogram are provided to the client device, the histogram including a slider that allows refinement of the item listings being displayed based on a position of the slider on the histogram. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231292 | SYSTEMS, APPARATUS, AND METHODS FOR PROXIMITY-BASED PEER-TO-PEER PAYMENT TRANSACTIONS - In a system, method, GUI, apparatus, and/or computer-readable media for providing a secure, proximity based peer-to-peer payment transaction service a signal may be received from a personal electronic device (PED) by a server. An identity of the PED may be verified based on the received signal and, upon verification the PED may be enabled to discover one or more offers to participate in a transaction provided by one or more sellers. A selection and acceptance of an offer may be received from the PED and funds to a seller providing the selected offer. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231293 | Interactive Image Activation And Distribution System And Associated Methods - A system for distributing a digital image of a customer includes receiving a request from a customer to a human representative (i.e., a “roving” photographer) for an image to be taken of the customer at a site. An image of the customer is captured by the “roving” photographer at the site in response to the received request. The image is transmitted to a remote processor. An electronic request is received from the customer to view the transmitted image, and the image is transmitted from the remote processor to the customer's communication device. If the customer decides to purchase the image, a transaction is finalized by receiving payment data from the customer, and the final image is provided to the customer. A commission is then paid to the photographer for the transaction. In another embodiment, the cost is at least partially subsidized by advertisement pushed to the customer's communication device. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231294 | Licensed Electronic Investment Portfolio Management Bidding System - A licensed electronic investment portfolio management bidding system comprises of a website interface allowing an owner of investment portfolios to list their investment portfolio in a directory or post the investment portfolio in an investment marketplace. Approved financial advisors may submit requests to manage an investment portfolio listed or bid on a listed investment portfolio. The portfolio owner awards management to a financial advisor and transfers ownership of the portfolio to a controlling company which grants access to the awarded financial advisor. The present invention allows an investment portfolio owner to place their investment portfolio up to be competed for by financial advisors. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231295 | CENTRALIZED CHECK IMAGE STORAGE SYSTEM - Centralized check image storage system. The present invention provides for sharing check images stored in a substantially centralized storage system between and/or among banks in support of the check collection process. In some embodiments, check images are received from the capture bank via a landing zone at the centralized storage facility. These images and information supporting the check collection process can be in the form of load file. A cross-reference file including information supporting the check clearing process such as unique handles identifying the check images is received from a paying bank, possibly also via a landing zone. Check images can be identified based on these unique handles, so that the check images can be made accessible to both the capture bank and the paying bank from the substantially centralized storage system. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231296 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR INTERACTING WITH MESSAGES, AUTHORS, AND FOLLOWERS - Embodiments of a search engine are disclosed that enable authors and third parties to influence the persistence and ranking of the author or the author's posts in search result listings using a bidding process or other compensation-based mechanism. In one embodiment, the search engine allows authors to submit bids in auction for ranking in order to keep their posts (or posts of other authors) visible to targeted searchers for a longer period of time than would normally be available. The bid amount, together with other attributes, can be used to determine the relevance and ranking of posts or authors provided in a search results page to a searcher. Embodiments of the search engine may be utilized with a microblogging service or a social networking service. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231297 | Issuing machine and issuing system - An issuing system for issuing unmodifiable and/or unforgeable hardcopy documents or securities includes a server and a plurality of issuing machines connected to the server via a network. Each of the issuing machines receives an ID recording medium provided by a potential purchaser, retrieves an identification recoded in the received ID recording medium, requests the potential purchaser to input request for a transaction of the security or fixed rate financing instrument, processes the requested transaction by retrieving information via a network from the server, and prints out on demand a hardcopy of the security or fixed rate financing instrument as purchased by the potential purchaser and a checksum thereon. A method for forming a new market with the issuing system. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231298 | Diverse options order types in an electronic guaranteed entitlement environment - An enhanced system and method for handling, matching and executing a diverse group of limit-priced orders in an electronic options environment is disclosed. Most of the order types disclosed are automatically repriced and reposted as the NBBO changes to increase their execution opportunities. Market maker entitlements are integrated with the order processing, so that the market maker is guaranteed an allocation of the trade if the market maker is at the NBBO when an order priced at or better than the NBBO is received. Once posted to the order book, the displayed price of an order may be eligible for preferential execution in a market maker entitlement process, regardless of whether the displayed price is original or has been automatically repriced. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231299 | System for hedging of financial risk posed by changes in public policy - The invention provides a manner of hedging or protecting against a perceived adverse financial impact associated with the occurrence or non-occurrence of prospective future changes in public policy, including—but not necessarily limited to—enactment of federal, state or local legislation; regulatory decisions; and the disposition of civil and criminal court proceedings. The machine-based implementation of the invention includes an electronic exchange platform that facilitates trading of financial contracts, whose values are derived from the occurrence or non-occurrence of specific political outcomes, via a simultaneous double auction market. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231300 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AUTOMATED AUCTIONING OF WEB SERVICES - An automated auctioning system includes a customer, a web services register server (such as an Extended Markup Language (XML)-based registry server like an Universal Description, Discovery and Integration (UDDI) registry) and a number of web service providers. Automated auctioning processes of a web service desired by the customer are undertaken between the potential customer and the web service providers. The potential customer issues a bid request, and each web service provider determines whether the value of a bid in response to the bid request is below a value warranted by market demand and issues the bid if the value is higher. The potential customer assesses the bid, creating a bid assessment score. The potential customer performs an iteration on the bid assessment score using a new bid request if the score has improved since a last iteration, while engaging the web service if the score has not improved. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231301 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR POOLING COMPUTING SERVER RESOURCES - A method and system for pooling computing resources is provided. In an embodiment a system comprises a plurality of quotation servers connected to a quotation engine. The quotation is also connected to a clearing server. The quotation engine receives data representing quotations from different servers. The quotation engine also receives data representing actual trades from the clearing server. The quotation engine is configured to perform operations on the quotations and the actual trades in a fashion that deletes certain quotations to reduce consumption of computing resources on the quotation engine and thereby increase efficiency of processing of the quotes to arrive at a final quotation. The system also relieves processing burden on the quotation servers by shifting the processing to the quotation engine. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231302 | SPECTRUM MANAGEMENT SYSTEM - Transferring spectrum use rights may include ascertaining information regarding available spectrum for use in wireless communications. A request for spectrum use from a spectrum user system may be matched with available spectrum. A spectrum certificate may be issued to the spectrum user system, where the spectrum certificate contains at least one spectrum-related variable under which the spectrum user system is to engage in wireless communications. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231303 | TERMINAL DEVICE AND DIGITAL CONTENT MANAGING APPARATUS - A terminal device for receiving encrypted digital content provided by a digital content managing apparatus through a digital transmission system is provided. The terminal device comprise a processor which includes an ID obtaining module configured for obtaining an identification (ID) of the terminal device; and a decryption module configured for generating the password according to the ID and decrypting the encrypted digital content received by the receiving unit. The ID is provided to the digital content apparatus to generate a password to encrypt digital content subscribed by the terminal device. A digital content managing apparatus accessible for the terminal device is also provided. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231304 | SECURE METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REMOTE FUNDING OF CURRENT PAYMENT ACCOUNTS - A funding method and apparatus between a monetary account holder and a remote cash provider allows the cash provider to fulfill the request for funding received from the account holder through ordinary electronic communication means by redeeming a load voucher against cash into the account of the requester, without the need for the account holder to share any identification of his/her account with the cash provider and without the cash provider having to share any identification of the load voucher with the account holder. The account holder initiates a request for funding by logging into his/her online monetary account and by providing the email address and/or phone number of the solicited cash provider. The cash provider receives a funding request message including either a printable or displayable cash load voucher, or including a link to a data entry form where he/she will be able to input the identifier of a load voucher obtained locally from a distributor of vouchers of the background art. The cash load voucher identifier or the link included in the message sent to the cash provider are uniquely derived from the identity of the account to be funded through the use of a one-way function, thus allowing the cash provider to redeem his/her voucher into the correct account without explicit transmission of the account details. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231305 | Systems and Methods to Identify Spending Patterns - In one aspect, a system includes a transaction handler to process transactions, a data warehouse to store transaction data recording the transactions, a portal configured to determine online activity tracking data, and at least one processor coupled with the data warehouse and the portal and configured to identify, using the transaction data and the online activity tracking data, first users who have not been to a website of a first merchant within a predetermined period of time, identify a set of transactions of the first users, and determine a spending pattern in the set of transactions of the first users. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231306 | Remotely controlled system and method for the preparation of a user-defined food product or beverage - A remotely controlled system for the preparation of a user-defined food product or beverage including an input module on a remote device configured to input user-specified parameters associated with the preparation of the user-defined food product or beverage. A user profile module on one or more servers is configured to store one or more of the user-specified parameters, predetermined alerts, and nutritional information associated with the user-specified parameters and send one or more of the user-specified parameters, predetermined alerts and nutritional information for display on the input module. A local controlling computer subsystem is responsive to the input module controlling computer subsystem and is configured to prepare the user-defined food product or beverage based on the one or more commands and interactive instructions from the user. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231307 | SYSTEM FACILITATING TRI-PARTY REPURCHASE AGREEMENT TRANSACTIONS - In accordance with at least one embodiment, a system configured to provide a collateral management service for tri-party hybrid repo transactions includes hardware and/or software for receiving, at a repo service provider, instructions specifying a tri-party hybrid repo transaction as well as a payable date for the tri-party hybrid repo transaction; hardware and/or software for transferring collateral that is the subject of the tri-party hybrid repo transaction on or prior to the payable date to a buyer/investor for the tri-party hybrid repo transaction in the buyer/investor's Securities Account at the Federal Reserve Bank via the Fedwire Securities Service and free of payment or versus payment; and hardware and/or software for returning collateral on or prior to the payable date to the broker/dealer/seller for the tri-party hybrid repo transaction via the repo service provider versus payment via the Fedwire Securities Service. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231308 | Notification and Response System with Financial Tracking Features - A notification and response system utilizing a processor with dynamic information database and an administrator interface to transmit a financial messages from an administrator to a contact devices for guardians, and others associated with persons in an institution. The database has guardian, employee, and other person contact data, priority information, and response data. The administrator initiates distribution of the financial message based upon priority information and the priority order. The message is transmitted through at least two industry standard protocols simultaneously to guardians, employee, and other persons listed contact devices based upon priority information. Once the financial message is received a response is transmitted back through the two industry standard protocols back to the dynamic information database to insure the financial account is fully funded. | 2011-09-22 |
20110231309 | HANDHELD ORDER UNIT AND CASH HANDLING DEVICE - Methods and devices allow a handheld order unit to be used with a cash handling device. A handheld order unit may be used by a staff person to enter order information, to display an amount due for the meal or other transaction, to facilitate payment, to print receipts, and to communicate information about the transaction to a cash handling device. The cash handling device may identify the handheld order unit and the assigned user for the unit and determine what financial documents need to be inserted by the user for reconciliation purposes. | 2011-09-22 |