40th week of 2012 patent applcation highlights part 72 |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20120253900 | ADVERTISING SYSTEM SUPPORTING MULTI-ADVERTISER SYSTEM COMMUNICATIONS - A system for online sales with automatic rebate and coupon redemption provides customers making online purchases to automatically retrieve and redeem all applicable rebates and coupons during an online purchase. Purchase orders from customers are selectively fulfilled and products are shipped to the customers either by the system for online sales with automatic rebate and coupon redemption or by other merchant or manufacturer environments. The system makes purchases from merchants or manufacturers using all applicable coupons and rebates and then sells the products to the customers, passing the savings to them. The system automatically retrieves coupons and rebates for items in a shopping cart during the activity of an online purchase at an electronic mall or an online merchant site and to retrieve manufacturer's and merchant's coupons prior to an online purchasing activity for subsequent submission to an online merchant during a subsequent purchasing activity. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253901 | DYNAMIC OFFER PAIRING AND DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS AND METHODS - An offer pairing and distribution system includes: an electronic processing and storage device associated with an offer pairing engine and an offer distributor, wherein the offer pairing engine receives input profiling events, vendors, venues, and distributors to create one or more offers to be distributed via the offer distributor to one or more qualified users who request distribution of the one or more offers when located within a defined location and epoch. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253902 | LOCATION BASED MARKETING - A location based marketing method includes steps for receiving a participating customer location, comparing that customer location to a list of participating vendor locations, initiating a vendor check-in procedure if the customer location corresponds to a participating vendor location and initiating a map displaying participating vendor locations within a predetermined distance of the customer location if the participating customer location does not correspond to a participating vendor location. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253903 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ANALYZING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF A PROMOTION - The invention provides systems and methods for collecting point-of-sale (POS) data, and then using this data to determine the effectiveness of a given promotion. The transaction data includes a merchant identifier for each of the merchants and a transaction amount for each transaction involving the merchants. One of the merchants is a promotion merchant that is offering a promotion involving transactions made with the merchant. A portion of the transaction data is aggregated into control merchant aggregated data involving control merchants, where the control merchant aggregated data comprises transaction data obtained other than from the promotion merchant. A characteristic of the purchases is calculated, both for transactions involving the promotion merchant and for the control merchants. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253904 | INTERNET-BASED METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR AFFILIATE MARKETING AND COMMISSION SHARING TO CREATE SALES LEADS - A system and method for an internet-based affiliate marketing and commission sharing program that offers novel alternative incentives to potential customers and gives affiliates an opportunity to reach more customers by building affiliate networks to attract individuals who would normally not be interested in participating in a conventional affiliate marketing program. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253905 | SYSTEM AND METHOD OF PROMOTING A SALE OF RETAIL GOODS - There is a system and method for promoting the sale of retail goods over a computerized network. The system and method includes a virtual shopping cart module operationally deliverable to a mobile communication device over a network. The virtual shopping cart module includes a reader module configured to scan a physical tag of a retail item. The virtual shopping cart module includes a purchase module configured to facilitate purchase of items associated with the virtual shopping cart data. The cart module includes a review module configured to query a consumer regarding an opportunity to purchase a retail item associated with virtual shopping cart data. The virtual shopping cart module includes an incentive module and a rewards module configured to manage rewards and incentives of a consumer associated with the virtual shopping cart data. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253906 | AUTOMATED PAYMENT SYSTEM PROVIDING DISCOUNTED PRICING FOR VARIABLY PRICED GOODS OR SERVICES - An automated payment system provides discounts or benefits for the purchase of variably priced goods and services offered by participating merchants. The system may be accessible via a variety of mobile or other client devices. At the time of payment, a user may select a promotion and enter a purchase price. The system may calculate a discounted price based on one or more rules associated with the promotion and charge the user the discounted price by transferring funds from the user. These funds may then be transferred to the merchant to complete payment of the goods or services at a discount to the user. The system may collect one or more fees as to revenue. For example, a subscription fee may be charged or a portion of the user's funds may be collected before the funds are transferred to the merchant. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253907 | Commerce System and Method of Controlling the Commerce System by Generating Individualized Discounted Discounted Offers to Consumers - A commerce system has a plurality of retailers offering products for sale. Product information associated with the products is collected and stored in a central database. A consumer uses a website to create a shopping list with weighted preferences for product attributes. An individualized discount is generated by a consumer service provider for products on the shopping list directed to the consumer. The shopping list is optimized based on the product information in the database, the weighted preferences for the product attributes, and the individualized discount. An incremental profit for the product is determined based on the individualized discount. The incremental profit is shared between the retailer and consumer service provider. The consumer uses the optimized shopping list to assist with purchasing decisions. Purchasing decisions within the commerce system are controlled by enabling the consumer to select the products for purchase based on the optimized shopping list. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253908 | Commerce System and Method of Controlling the Commerce System Using Personalized Shopping List and Trip Planner - A commerce system has retailers offering products for sale. Product information associated with the products is collected and stored in a central database. A consumer uses a website to select preferred retailers on a map. A plurality of product categories is presented on the website. A plurality of product attributes for the product categories is presented on the website. A weighting factor is provided for the product attributes. A shopping list is generated for the consumer based on the product information, product attributes, and weighting factors. The shopping list has an individualized discount directed to the consumer for a product on the shopping list. The shopping list is provided to the consumer to assist with purchasing decisions. A trip plan is generated for the consumer. The purchasing decisions within the commerce system are controlled by enabling the consumer to select the products for purchase from the retailer. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253909 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR USING REWARD POINTS TO LIQUIDATE PRODUCTS - A user selects a product to be liquidated from a product provider and then designates to the transacting entity that reward points are to be used towards the purchase of the liquidated product. The transacting entity acts to decrease the number of reward points in the user's reward account by the required number of points. The reward account holder conveys consideration to the transacting entity equivalent to the par value of the reward points consumer obtains the product in exchange for reward points having a retail value equivalent to what he would have otherwise paid for the product, while the reward account holder is required to convey only the par value of the points. The product provider is able to liquidate the product and obtain payment equivalent to what it would otherwise have obtained in a prior art liquidation process, auction or trading environment. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253910 | GROUP BUYING INCENTIVIZED BY RISK AND IMPACT ADJUSTED REWARDS - Disclosed is a system and method for incentivizing online consumers to engage in an online purchase transaction by maximizing the rewards, such as advantageous pricing, coupons, etc., that an online consumer may enjoy if they accept a higher level of risk, such as by making an offer to purchase a product or service early in its online promotional offering, and/or if they undertake certain promotional efforts that are designated by the seller of such product or service to promote the retailer's offering to their social media community. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253911 | SERVER APPARATUS THAT PROVIDES E-COMMERCE SITE, PRODUCT INFORMATION DISPLAY PROGRAM, PRODUCT INFORMATION DISPLAY METHOD, E-COMMERCE SYSTEM, TERMINAL DEVICE, AND RECORDING MEDIUM ON WHICH PRODUCT INFORMATION DISPLAY PROGRAM IS RECORDED - The present invention provides, for example, a terminal device which allows users to easily check whether or not predetermined conditions such as free shipping conditions are met in, for example, a net supermarket site, and prevents display of a shopping cart from preventing product information from being enlarged and displayed or a great number of pieces of product information from being displayed. Display control is performed such that, while a shopping cart is displayed in the first display area until predetermined conditions are met, the shopping cart is displayed in the second display area below the first display area after the predetermined conditions are met. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253912 | Discounted Pricing - A system and method that facilitates e-commerce volume pricing is provided. According to one aspect of the present invention, the system includes an offers and orders component that receives and aggregates orders for a product from a plurality of buyers. The system also includes a logistics component that determines a shipping price for the product for a subset of the plurality of buyers. The shipping price is determined at least in part upon the subset of buyers sharing a shipping method. According to another aspect of the present invention, a method is provided in which buyers within an aggregated purchasing group may be subject to different pricing structures for the same product. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253913 | METHOD, SYSTEM AND DEVICE FOR EXECUTING A MOBILE TRANSACTION - A method of and system for a user executing a mobile transaction. A virtual wallet is generated on a mobile device, the mobile wallet including a reward value component. Information about an item desired to be purchased by the user is input to the mobile device. A proposed payment solution is generated from the virtual wallet that is sufficient to pay for the item and then presented to a point of sale terminal. The point of sale terminal then executes instructions from the proposed payment solution sufficient to execute payment for the item. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253914 | UNIVERSAL LOYALTY PROGRAM DEVICE - A universal loyalty device (e.g., fob) associated with multiple loyalty programs. The universal loyalty fob could be in the form of a card, or another form factor. A user may register several existing loyalty programs/cards and payment cards with the universal loyalty fob, which can be scanned at a POS terminal. A third party may manage all the loyalty data through the universal loyalty fob, and may provide real-time discounts at the POS terminal. The universal loyalty fob may also be used to redeem points or rewards towards a purchase. Additionally, all recorded purchase and loyalty data may be made available to participating merchants. This data may be used to evaluate competitor merchants' market share or evaluate the efficacy of specific merchants' loyalty programs. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253915 | GLOBAL ELECTRONIC RECEIPT PLATFORM FOR RECORDING, MANAGING AND ACCESSING TRANSACTION RECEIPTS THROUGH RETAILERS' PHYSICAL OR INTERNET BASED POINT OF SALE SYSTEM - A global electronic receipt platform for recording, managing and accessing transaction receipts through retailers' physical or internet based point of sale system. Consumers are assigned a unique identifier (UI), and retailers submit purchase transaction information to this system through secured internet connections between retailers' point of sale systems and the global electronic receipt system every time the UI is presented. Programmed plugs-ins made available to retailers can be integrated into existing point of sale systems in order to process and submit electronic receipts to the database agent. Each consumer is provided with an electronic receipt card which stores their UI and is presented at the time of purchase or in order to process a return, an exchange or claim a promotion such as a coupon or a rebate. This UI is used to get access to different interfaces in order to view, manage and search through their transaction history. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253916 | DELIVERING AD-INITIATED EMAILS TO A USER'S VISUAL EMAIL INBOX TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO CONTENT - Techniques are described herein for delivering ad-initiated emails to a user's visual email inbox to provide access to content. Ad-initiated emails are emails that are generated by an ad server in response to a user's selection of an online advertisement that is served by the ad server. A visual email is an email that is represented using a creative. For instance, the visual email may include metadata that identifies the creative or that may be used to identify the creative. The creative may be an audio component, an image component, and/or a video component. A creative may be used to represent a single email or multiple emails. If a creative is used to represent multiple emails, selection of the creative may provide access to the various emails, information identified by the emails, and/or a list of the emails. Content may include a coupon, a file, an advertisement, etc. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253917 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MANAGING AND PROVIDING USER PURCHASE INFORMATION - A method of managing user purchase information includes parsing information related to a product from a user uploaded data, comparing the parsed information with a purchase data of the product by the user, and linking an indicator to the user uploaded data according to the comparison and a method of providing user purchase data in user equipment. The method also includes purchasing and paying for a product with the user equipment, and posting payment information about the product on a social networking service (SNS). | 2012-10-04 |
20120253918 | ACTIVITY-BASED SOCIAL MARKETING SYSTEM - A user activity-based marketing system includes stand alone computer implemented application or an application within a social network rewarding users for participation in targeted social marketing of a product or service. The computer implemented method allows entities to provide incentives for users to engage in social marketing. Administrators controlling marketing efforts for an entity may define rewards for achievements or badges which recognize a user's level of influence and promote the entity. User activity, including social network activity, is tracked to determine whether a user has completed the achievement and gained access to a reward by engaging in social media activity defined by the achievement. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253919 | ADVERTISING SYSTEM SUPPORTING MULTI-ADVERTISER SYSTEM REMOTE ADVERTISEMENT POSTING - A system for online sales with automatic rebate and coupon redemption provides customers making online purchases to automatically retrieve and redeem all applicable rebates and coupons during an online purchase. Purchase orders from customers are selectively fulfilled and products are shipped to the customers either by the system for online sales with automatic rebate and coupon redemption or by other merchant or manufacturer environments. The system makes purchases from merchants or manufacturers using all applicable coupons and rebates and then sells the products to the customers, passing the savings to them. The system automatically retrieves coupons and rebates for items in a shopping cart during the activity of an online purchase at an electronic mall or an online merchant site and to retrieve manufacturer's and merchant's coupons prior to an online purchasing activity for subsequent submission to an online merchant during a subsequent purchasing activity. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253920 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR VIEWERSHIP VALIDATION BASED ON CROSS-DEVICE CONTEXTUAL INPUTS - Systems and methods to identify a viewer's reactions to an advertisement. A viewer's personal computing platforms (e.g., personal computer, cell phone, etc.), for example, may be utilized to identify user actions. Actions identified through such devices may validate that an advertisement was viewed and acted upon. After an advertisement is presented, the viewer may take any of several actions. A viewer may browse for the advertised product, either online or in a physical store. The viewer may ultimately purchase the advertised product. The user may share information about the product with friends. The reaction of the viewer may be monitored, by capturing context data associated with activity performed using the viewer's personal computing platforms for example. This data may then be correlated with metadata regarding the advertisement. If it is determined that the viewer investigated or purchased the product within a predefined time after being exposed to the advertisement, then this fact may be tallied anonymously. The number of such matches across a set of viewers may be recorded and reported to an audience measurement service. In an embodiment, such data may be sold to an advertiser. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253921 | INTRACLUSTER CONTENT MANAGEMENT USING NEURO-RESPONSE PRIMING DATA - A system uses neuro-response information to evaluate content within a cluster, such as commercials in a pod, advertisements in a frame, or products on a shelf, to determine priming characteristics associated with each pieces of content within the cluster. The priming characteristics and other data are combined to obtain blended attributes. The blended attributes are correlated with each piece of intracluster content to allow intelligent management including selection, arrangement, ordering, presentation, and/or scheduling of intracluster content. Intracluster content may also use priming characteristics associated with extracluster content to further improve management. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253922 | OPTIMIZING PLACEMENT AND DELIVERY OF ADVERTISEMENTS - The efficient allocation of advertisements, also known as creatives, on one or more web sites is provided for while ensuring that guarantees to advertisers are honored. In one embodiment, a linear program solver allocates creatives to advertising slots according to an optimizing function designed to maximize revenue for the site. The linear program solver takes as input a set of creatives, creative performance data, constraints, and slot identifiers. The output of the linear program solver is an optimized schedule not violative of any of the input constraints. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253923 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING TARGETED MARKETING CAMPAIGN TO MERCHANT - Methods, systems and computer readable medium are provided for providing targeted marketing services. Historical transaction data is analyzed by a computer based system to provide an aggregate data profile of transaction account holders which participated in transactions with a first entity. A targeted marketing campaign is selected by the computer based system from a selection of available targeted marketing campaigns to propose to the first entity based on the aggregate data profile of transaction account holders. The selected targeted marketing campaign is then proposed by the computer based system to the first entity. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253924 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR GENERATING MARKETING QUALIFIED LEADS USING EMAIL - A system and method for generating marketing leads using email and only charging for the leads generating. The method includes generating a target audience from a database of potential customers and ranking the members of the target audience. The best members of the target audience are sent marketing emails. Based on the responses, additional members of the target audience are sent emails. The method further includes sending out emails until a specific number of the target audience responds thereby generating a marketing lead. The number of marketing leads is determined according to a budget set by a user. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253925 | Method and System for Promoting Femtocell Services - A method in accordance with particular embodiments includes receiving information indicative of a wireless coverage area associated with each of a plurality of base stations within a geographic area. The method also includes identifying at least one potential deployment customer to deploy at least one femto base station to within the geographic area. The method further includes determining one or more initial configuration parameters for deployment of the at least one femto base station to the at least one potential deployment customer within the geographic area. The method further includes generating one or more promotional offers specific to the at least one potential deployment customer. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253926 | SELECTIVE DELIVERY OF CONTENT ITEMS - Systems, methods, and computer programs encoded on a computer-readable storage medium for allocating a minimum number of impressions to a content item in order to satisfy a delivery goal for the content item during a certain period of time are described. In some implementations, a satisfaction index (SI) for each content item can be used. The SI is a metric that reflects the degree to which a content selection service is on pace to meet a delivery goal for a content item within some period. The SI can be used to compare the number of impressions that have been allocated to the content item thus far in a period to the delivery or allocation goal for the content item in the period. A content selection service may determine scores for impression allocations based on both an estimate of value and the SI for a candidate content item in order to balance the goals of meeting delivery goals and optimizing impression inventory value. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253927 | MACHINE LEARNING APPROACH FOR DETERMINING QUALITY SCORES - Some implementations generate a mapping function using one or more historic performance indicators for a set of ad-keyword pairs and one or more advertisement metrics extracted from the set of ad-keyword pairs. The mapping function may be applied to map one or more advertisement metrics of a particular ad-keyword pair to determine a quality score for the particular ad-keyword pair. For example, the quality score may be used when determining whether to select an advertisement for display or may be provided as feedback to an advertiser. Additionally, in some implementations, the mapping function may be applied to determine a quality score for a new ad-keyword pair that has not yet accumulated historic information. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253928 | Methods and Apparatus for Portfolio and Demand Bucket Management Across Multiple Advertising Exchanges - Methods and apparatus are provided for portfolio and demand bucket management across multiple advertising exchanges. Bid requests (typically corresponding to one or more online advertising impressions) are received from a plurality of advertising exchanges. The bid requests are translated into a common format and compared to a predefined target audience specification for one or more advertising campaigns. If the translated bid request satisfies the predefined target audience specification, a bid is submitted for the online advertising impression. The predefined target audience specification is entered using a user interface and can be used for the plurality of advertising exchanges. The translation of the bid requests extracts one or more fields from the bid request and translating the extracted fields into the common format. The submitted bid comprises a dynamically determined bid price. One or more reports can optionally be generated for the plurality of advertising exchanges. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253929 | ENHANCED ROUTE PLANNING METHOD AND DEVICE - A wireless communication device ( | 2012-10-04 |
20120253930 | USER INTENT STRENGTH AGGREGATING BY DECAY FACTOR - This application describes a system and method for estimating user intent towards categories of content. The estimation of user intent may be based at least in part on a score for prior user actions and a decay function that is applied to that score to provide an estimate of current user intent. The estimate represents current user intent for time periods in which user actions towards a category of content are negligible or non-existent. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253931 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR IMPLEMENTING MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM - A method of implementing a product and/or service promotion membership program, comprising the steps of: enrolling at least one business to participate in the membership program; obtaining personal information from a consumer; contacting the consumer to: obtain confirmation that the consumer desires to participate in the membership program; and obtain information about the consumer's interest in products or services provided by the participating business; and periodically providing information to the consumer concerning a promotion available to the consumer at the participating business. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253932 | Method and System for Fundraising for Member-Based Organizations - The present disclosure provides a system and method for generating fundraising revenues for member-based entities. In a more preferred embodiment, there comprises an online fundraising system and method for providing relevant promotions to members of an entity, such as a non-profit, charitable institution, church or school. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253933 | METHOD OF INTRODUCING ADVERTISEMENTS AND PROVIDING THE ADVERTISEMENTS BY USING ACCESS INTENTIONS OF INTERNET USERS AND A SYSTEM THEREOF - A system for determining an interested field of an Internet user, attracting advertisements from sponsors according to the user's interest, and providing advertisements to the user via the Internet includes a keyword database for recording multiple keywords, keyword type information, predetermined reference information for the type information, and advertisement list information including the number of advertisement files including the keyword. A use event is received and a keyword is recorded as history data corresponding to the event. Keyword type information is searched using a keyword database and reference information of the type information is searched. The keyword is determined an interested field of the user according to the reference information. An advertisement file is generated including the interested field keyword. The number of advertisement files is updated in the advertisement list information in the keyword database and advertisement information is generated including the keyword and the updated advertisement list information. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253934 | SYSTEMS, METHODS, NETWORK ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS FOR TARGETED DELIVERY OF PROMOTIONAL MATERIAL - A method for delivering promotional content to a mobile device user is performed in response to a request from the mobile device user for promotional content pertaining to a specified subject. As part of the method, at least one keyword advertisement inventory including promotional content conventionally delivered via the Internet is accessed to identify promotional content for delivery to the mobile device user. Subsequently, the identified promotional content is reformatted for delivery to the mobile device user in one or more messages including at least one of text and multimedia objects. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253935 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRESENTING ALTERNATIVE SOCIO-SPATIAL STATES OF A USER - An approach is provided for presenting alternative socio-spatial states of a user. The approach involves determining location information associated with a user and other location information associated with one or more other users. The approach also involves determining social interest information associated with the user and other social interest information associated with the one or more other users. The approach further involves processing the location information, the other location information, the social interest information, the other social interest information or combination thereof to cause, at least in part, identification of one or more proposed encounters with respect to the user and the one or more other users. The approach additionally involves generating a presentation of the one or more proposed encounters to the user. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253936 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING COMMERCIAL INFORMATION TO LOCATION-AWARE DEVICES - A method of delivering advertisements to a location-aware device includes determining current time, date, and physical location of the location-aware device; determining user selected proximity limit; determining user selection data criteria regarding which advertisements the user desires; and filtering all available advertisements for subset information matching the current time, date, physical location, proximity limit, and selection criteria. The user can receive advertisements that the user desires to receive on the location-aware device. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253937 | Real Time Media Selection and Creation of a Composite Multimedia File Used for Custom Advertising and Marketing - The present invention relates to a method for automatic conversion of an audio file in a first format to an advertising supported media file in a second format. The method includes the steps of: i) receiving a user selection of the audio file for downloading to an electronic device having a screen; ii) selecting from an advertisement database, advertisements that match a profile of the user; and iii) combining the audio file with selected advertisements to create the advertising supported media file in the second format that is suitable for playback on the electronic device on which the media file is to be downloaded. The advertising supported media file is arranged to playback the selected advertisements in parallel with playback of the requested audio file. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253938 | ADVERTISING SYSTEM SUPPORTING USER INTERACTION WITH PROMOTION PORTAL - A system for online sales with automatic rebate and coupon redemption provides customers making online purchases to automatically retrieve and redeem all applicable rebates and coupons during an online purchase. Purchase orders from customers are selectively fulfilled and products are shipped to the customers either by the system for online sales with automatic rebate and coupon redemption or by other merchant or manufacturer environments. The system makes purchases from merchants or manufacturers using all applicable coupons and rebates and then sells the products to the customers, passing the savings to them. The system automatically retrieves coupons and rebates for items in a shopping cart during the activity of an online purchase at an electronic mall or an online merchant site and to retrieve manufacturer's and merchant's coupons prior to an online purchasing activity for subsequent submission to an online merchant during a subsequent purchasing activity. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253939 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING ADVERTISING CONTENT BASED ON POLICY DATA - An approach for enabling advertising content to be processed for use in connection with an application based on one or more policies is described. An advertising component determines one or more user interface state changes associated with one or more applications executing at a device. The advertising component then determines one or more policies for presenting advertisement information at the one or more applications, the device, or a combination thereof. Processing of the one or more policies is then performed to determine advertisement information for presentation at the one or more applications, the device, or a combination thereof based, at least in part, on the one or more user interface state changes. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253940 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DISTRIBUTION OF MOBILE COUPONS - A method and system for distributing mobile coupons. The method includes providing a mobile coupon to a mobile communication facility; delivering a mobile coupon based on mobile user characteristics such that the mobile coupon may be displayed on the mobile user device; receiving a mobile coupon from mobile user device in order to redeem the mobile coupon; recording transaction in a data repository; and uploading transaction from data repository for analyzing mobile coupon distribution. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253941 | Method And Apparatus For Distributing Content - A targeted content distribution capability via a broadcasting mechanism is disclosed herein. The targeted content distribution capability enables the combining of meta-data with broadcast information to form the broadcast signal. The capability also enables linking the meta-data to the advertised content. By broadcasting content “by reference” instead of by the actual advertised content, receiving devices may be configured to filter content distribution requests based on any suitable criteria. For example, filtering may be based on the receiver's supported capabilities and/or user preferences. Advantageously, a user may then retrieve advertised content targeted at the specific end user and tailored specifically to that end user's preferences and device. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253942 | PROVIDING CONTENT TO USERS - Various embodiments are directed to methods for targeting content based on user interests. The methods may comprise providing a graphical user interface to a first user; displaying to the first user, and through the graphical user interface, a plurality of interest categories; and receiving from the first user, an indication of a first category selected from the plurality of interest categories. Upon receiving the indication of the first category, a plurality of sub-categories of the first interest category may be displayed to the first user through the graphical user interface. The methods may further comprise receiving from the first user, an indication of at least one selected sub-category chosen from the plurality of sub-categories; selecting a first plurality of content items based on the at least one selected sub-category; and providing the first plurality of content items to the first user through the user interface. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253943 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION ITEMS - An invention is disclosed for an advertising system, method, or process that enables sellers to efficiently associate their advertisements with specific content, and presents these ads to consumers whose attention of interest corresponds to the content. Such a system, method, or process also provides a more reliable, accurate, or otherwise effective way of presenting relevant ads to consumers and affording sellers an effective advertising campaign. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253944 | Presenting Content Built Around Word Phrases Selected for Profitability - A computing device receives, over a network, information regarding word phrases (e.g., search terms) and determines longevity values associated with content built around the word phrases. The computing device selects, based on the longevity values, a first phrase from the word phrases. Content is built or created around the first phrase, and the built or created content is presented or published over a network such as the Internet. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253945 | BID TRAFFIC ESTIMATION - Some implementations provide techniques for estimating impression numbers. For example, a log of advertisement bidding data may be used to generate and train an impression estimation model. In some implementations, an impression estimation component may use a boost regression technique to determine a predicted impression value range based on a proposed bid received from an advertiser. For example, the predicted impression value range may be determined based on a predicted estimation error. Additionally, in some instances, the predicted impression value range may be evaluated using one or more evaluation metrics. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253946 | PRICING METHOD AND SYSTEM BASED ON FRACTAL ANALYSIS - There are disclosed computerized systems and methods that provide recommended bid amounts to advertisers, information providers and the like, for example, for categories in which the advertisers and information providers have existing or current bids, based on time fractals. The time fractals are movable within a window to continuously provide the aforementioned recommended bid amounts, for the category. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253947 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING BIDS FOR IMPRESSIONS - Systems and methods are disclosed for placing bids for impressions on exchange servers, and ultimately supplying a creative for each impression to an intended recipient, for which a user of the system has bid on. The impressions, which are delivered to the intended recipient (the computer of the intended recipient), are supported by electronic communications, such as e-mails, banners and the like. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253948 | PRICING METHOD AND SYSTEM - Methods and systems are disclosed that keep conversions constant, by changing the price (based on the bid), that an advertiser or information provider pays for clicks. As a result, the advertiser's or information provider's campaign has a uniform cost per action (CPA) (or pay per click (PPC)) and conversion rate. Additionally, methods and systems are disclosed for keeping conversions constant, regardless of the publisher or source of the clicks, reducing volatility between various publishers or sources | 2012-10-04 |
20120253949 | Creative Single-Layer Advertising Method - An advertising method that increases the effectiveness of a Single Display Layer promotion, and strengthens its impact on recipients, by combing the contents of the business promotion with entertainment & useful information. This combination is printed, painted or digitally placed on a ONE SINGLE DISPLAY LAYER (paper, carton, card, board, screen, spotlight etc.). | 2012-10-04 |
20120253950 | GENERATING AND USING NETWORK DATA TO PROVIDE A CONTENT CUSTOMIZATION SERVICE - A system is configured to receive a request for a customization packet associated with a user device; retrieve data associated with the device; encode portions of the network data using a group of keys, where each portion is encoded using a different one of the keys, and where each key corresponds to a different set of fields, of one or more sets of fields within the packet; store the encoded portions in the one or more sets of fields within the packet; and transmit, to a content provider, the packet, where the packet enables the content provider to decode all or a portion of the network data using one of the keys, and where all or the portion of the decoded network data enables the content provider to generate customized content for the device. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253951 | SCALABLE INVENTORY PROTECTION AND OPTIMIZATION IN DISPLAY ADVERTISING - Systems and methods for determining the availability of resources, such as Internet advertising opportunities, are described herein. A query may be received to determine eligible resource inventory for a set of attributes and attribute values received in the query. The query may overlap with inventory that protected, and thus is desired to not be covered by the query. Accordingly, the query may be modified to include additional attributes and attribute values, or to include one or more inventory protection tags, to prevent the query from overlapping with the protected inventory. Furthermore, advertisement campaigns may be modified in a similar manner to prevent protected inventory from matching the advertisement campaigns. Still further, individual inventory items may be annotated with tags to prevent the inventory items from being associated with protected inventory defined by tags. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253952 | Method for a plurality of online digital video commercials on a consecutive printing pattern applied during digital music file downloading over internet - A method using TV advertising principles with some interactivity improvements, applied to the internet network domain is used to sponsor a free digital music file download by generating a sufficient amount of money which enables paying all royalties which are constituted by mechanical royalties, production royalties and recording artist royalties, giving the user a complete personal non-commercial license for the use of the digital music files he has just acquired; this process is made possible by using an algorithm to calculate the number of ads required, a process of selection of ads depending on different factors with different weighting but not limited to geographical location, event related, cyclic, targeted audience, special request; controlling the download process by either a slowdown or splitting process, so the complete file is obtained only after the viewing of all ads which is achieved by using a proprietary media player. This method is made possible through the support of a central internet server which includes a song database, advertising database, user database, data concerning standard copyright or specific contract-based copyright, a formula for the calculation of the number of adds required, automatic selection of advertising, and accounting process. This central database has the possibility of linking to external databases from outside partners to obtain songs or advertising, and to link to the computerized unit of the user through the internet network. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253953 | ADJUSTMENT OF A SECURITY LEVEL OF A TRANSACTION SYSTEM BASED ON A BIOMETRIC CHARACTERISTIC OF A CUSTOMER - Methods and systems for adjusting a security level of a transaction system based on biometric characteristics of a customer are disclosed. According to an aspect, a method includes interacting with a customer at a transaction terminal. The method also includes determining a biometric characteristic of the customer based on the interaction with the customer. Further, the method may include adjusting a security level of a transaction system based on the biometric characteristic. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253954 | PAYMENT VERIFICATION SYSTEM - A device comprising a processor, a display coupled to the processor, a keypad, and a memory. Wherein the memory includes processor-readable instructions operable to receive sales transaction information, present said sales information on the display, receive a verification indication from a customer and store the sales transaction information locally or on a remote system. The sales transaction information may include a running total of sales. Also disclosed is an administration operation wherein an administrator may enter a password or PIN to collect the total sales information and reset the running total. Certain embodiments may provide for customer policing of cash sales and increased reporting of sales transactions to landlords, franchisors, sate and local governments. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253955 | SYSTEM AND METHOD OF A PASSPHRASE ACCOUNT IDENTIFIER FOR USE IN A NETWORK ENVIRONMENT - A system and method for facilitating a financial transaction over a network including use of a passphrase account identifier is described herein. In one embodiment, a system for facilitating a financial transaction over a network comprises a communication interface; and a payment provider system configured to receive via the communication interface a passphrase account identifier from a merchant system, match the passphrase account identifier to a corresponding funding instrument number of a corresponding funding instrument, communicated the corresponding funding instrument number to an issuer system, receive from the issuer system a notification indication of one of acceptance of the funding instrument or decline of the funding instrument, and communicate back to the merchant system the notification indication. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253956 | PRESENTATION INSTRUMENT DISPLAY AND ACTIVATION SYSTEMS AND METHODS - A method of validating and activating a purchase card includes providing a purchase card that is removably attached to a card carrier. The purchase card has an account identifier associated therewith and has a card indicium affixed thereto. The purchase card includes a machine-readable information encoding region into which the account identifier is encoded. The card carrier has a carrier indicium affixed thereto. The method includes populating a database with a stored card indicium that relates to the card indicium, a stored carrier indicium that relates to the carrier indicium, and a stored account identifier that relates to the account identifier, thereby uniquely coupling the account identifier to the card indicium. Activating the card by associating value to it includes comparing the information from the card indicium and the information from the carrier indicium with the stored card indicium and the stored carrier indicium. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253957 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR LOCATING A MOBILE SUBSCRIBER TERMINAL WHEN ROAMING - The location of a mobile subscriber roaming outside a home network may be used to authorize a transaction initiated by the mobile subscriber or to authenticate the mobile subscriber when signing into secure accounts. The location of the mobile subscriber is determined by providing a unique mobile subscriber identifier, such as the MSISDN, to an application that communicates with the home network and the roaming network. By communicating with the roaming network, the application can determine the current location of the roaming mobile subscriber terminal with location resolution down to the specific cell in which the mobile subscriber terminal is located. The location of the mobile subscriber terminal may be saved locally in a database associated with an authorization entity, thereby advantageously reducing the number of location look-ups requested by the authorization entity. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253958 | SYSTEM FOR GENERATING DIGITAL RECEIPTS - A digital receipt generator is placed between a point of sale terminal and a printer. The digital receipt generator receives receipt printing requests from the point of sale terminal, identifies the customer making the purchase, and transmits the receipt data to a printer, to a central server or to both. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253959 | LICENSE UPGRADE MANAGEMENT - The claimed subject matter provides a method for managing license upgrades in a computing environment. An exemplary method includes sending a request to upgrade a license status of application software program. The method further includes receiving licensing information indicating a change to the license status of the software program, the change to the license status of the software program being sufficient to allow the user to use the software program under the changed status automatically, and without further action by a user. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253960 | METHODS, SOFTWARE ARRANGEMENTS, STORAGE MEDIA, AND SYSTEMS FOR PROVIDING A SHRINKAGE-BASED SIMILARITY METRIC - The present invention relates to systems, methods, and software arrangements for determining associations between two or more datasets. The systems, methods, and software arrangements used to determine such associations include a determination of a correlation coefficient that incorporates both prior assumptions regarding such datasets and actual information regarding the datasets. The systems, methods, and software arrangements of the present invention can be useful in an analysis of microarray data, including gene expression arrays, to determine correlations between genotypes and phenotypes. Accordingly, the systems, methods, and software arrangements of the present invention may be utilized to determine a genetic basis of complex genetic disorder (e.g. those characterized by the involvement of more than one gene). | 2012-10-04 |
20120253961 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR OPTIMIZED FLIGHT PLANNING - A computer-implemented system and method for the processing and optimization of flight plans is disclosed. Information regarding a plurality of previous flight plans is received over a digital network and is stored in at least a database. The database preferably includes aviation fuel price information, aircraft performance information, and aviation weather information as well. Upon receiving a request, a server generates at least an optimized portion of a flight plan. In one form, historical flight plan data of others is automatically used to aid in the determination of the optimized route offered to the user for review, with the resulting final flight plan being electronically filed with the FAA upon approval. In a further form, the user may arrange fuel transactions at intermediate destinations with the service provider receiving a fee in exchange for facilitating the transaction. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253962 | PERSONALIZED VIRTUAL GOODS HOLIDAY OR EVENT CALENDAR - A printed calendar, method and system for preparing the printed calendar, and system for redeeming virtual goods are provided herein. The printed calendar includes at least one form sheet having printed thereon one or more occurrences of time. The one or more occurrences of time being coupled with at least one viewing panel capable of hiding and revealing an image. The printed calendar further includes at least one back sheet having printed thereon at least one graphical representation associated with the one or more occurrences of time. The at least one graphical representation being aligned with the form sheet, such that, the graphical representation is visible through the at least one viewing panel coupled to the one or more occurrences of time. The at least one graphical representation representing a virtual good accessible to the selected recipient at one of the one or more occurrences of time. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253963 | System and Method for Consolidating Purchases of Goods and Services - A system and method for consolidating the purchase of goods and services is disclosed. Users select or create a request that defines a desired product or service, where others can view and join the open request. Upon the occurrence of an event, all joined users are notified of the cost of purchasing the requested good or service and given the opportunity to accept or reject the solution to the request. If one or more users reject the solution, the cost per user is recalculated and users are notified again until all users accept or reject the solution. The cost for each individual user is the total cost of purchasing the good or service divided by the total number of joined users. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253964 | COMMERICAL TRANSACTION PROCESSING DEVICE, PUTTING-UP CONDITION DETERMINATION METHOD, PUTTING-UP CONDITION DETERMINATION PROGRAM AND RECORDING MEDIUM FOR STORING PROGRAM - A commercial transaction processing device stores commercial transaction information including at least one of the number of putting-up of item, the number of bids, the number of successful bids, the number of watchlist registrations and the number of user requests for an item put up for commercial transaction, per item group, receives item information of an item to reserve for commercial transaction, from a terminal device of a reserving seller of the commercial transaction, and stores the received item information as item information of the reserved item. Further, the commercial transaction processing device determines whether or not the reserved item satisfies predetermined putting-up conditions, and, when the putting-up condition determining means determines that the putting-up conditions are satisfied, executes putting-up processing of providing the item information of the reserved item as item information of a put-up item through the network. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253965 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MANAGING BROADBAND RESIDENTIAL GATEWAYS - A broadband residential gateway (BRG) management system has a communications interface coupled to one or more BRGs and one or more content service providers (CSPs), a memory, and a processor. The processor can be programmed to establish a content profile for each of the BRGs according to one or more attributes of the BRGs and the CSPs, receive a content access request from one or more BRGs, and supply each BRG access to selectable content from one or more of the CSPs according to the content profile. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253966 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS TO FACILITATE A PURCHASE OF AN ITEM ON A NETWORK-BASED MARKETPLACE - A method and system to the generation of a virtual gift on a network-based marketplace platform. The network-based marketplace platform receives a request from a second user. The request identifies an item that is published-on a user interface that is hosted by the network-based marketplace platform. The item is also offered for sale on the network-based marketplace platform. The network-based marketplace platform generates a virtual gift based on the item. The virtual gift includes an image of the item. Finally, the network-based marketplace platform communicates interface information that includes the virtual gift to a network-based social platform. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253967 | DIGITALLY BASED SYSTEM FOR LEASE PROPERTY SELECTION AND LEASE NEGOTIATION - A system and method are provided to maximize the number of participants submitting proposals for requirements of all sizes and to increase transparency in property selection to aggregate more data regarding potential lease properties earlier than current practice, qualify candidate properties for lease, expedite and standardize a request for proposal (RFP) process to use the increased transparency to include not just rent, but other costs and lease provisions respecting candidate lease properties, and negotiate a lease for a target candidate property. Additionally, the system and method preferably enable a simultaneous reverse auction process with various potential Lessors on either or both the financial or qualitative lease terms and conditions increasing the outcomes for the Client Operator/Lessee. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253968 | EFFICIENT CHOICE SELECTION IN A USER INTERFACE - A method for efficiently enabling a user to specify elements in a product includes providing a single user-interactive page in a graphic user interface that includes user selections. The method further includes receiving a user selection of at least one product element and providing at least two separate first product choices wherein each first product choice includes a representation of the selected product element. The method further includes receiving a user selection of one of the first product choices and providing at least two separate second product choices that-are shown to the user in the user-interactive page wherein each second product choice includes a representation of the selected product element and the selected first product choice, and receiving a user selection of one of the second product choices to specify the product with the product element, first product choice, and second product choice. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253969 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS TO TRANSMIT CONSUMER NOTIFICATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH PRINTED PUBLICATION RETAIL LOCATIONS - According to some embodiments, a central platform may receive one or more publication preferences associated with a consumer. Based on the publication preferences, the central platform may access a publication database to identify a publication potentially of interest to the consumer. At least one retail location where the identified publication may be currently available can be determined based at least in part on a current location associated with the consumer. A notification message may then be transmitted to a consumer device to indicate the at least one retail location. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253970 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SHARING GAINS TO PROMOTE SALES THROUGH EVALUATION CONTENTS OF GOODS ON WEB SITE - The present invention provides a system and method for sharing profits with beneficiaries designated by a recommender who evaluates goods of an on-line shopping mall or an on-line portal site etc. (hereinafter, an e-trading system), when a purchaser connects to the e-trading platform and buys goods of the e-trading platform through the evaluation contents. The system includes a web server for administrating general purchasing procedures and performing other functions, an information providing arrangement for providing access to information on the goods including a beneficiary identifying code by connecting to the sales web page of the e-trading platform, and a profit sharing server for distributing the profit to the designated beneficiary, when any purchaser buys the goods or services at the web page of the e-trading platform including the beneficiary identifying codes through the recommendation contents. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253971 | SIMPLIFIED ORDERS USING WORDS OR PHRASES - A user communicates, such as through text, a phrase or word to quickly place and pay for an order. The phrase corresponds to details of the order and one phrase can contain orders with multiple merchants. Once the phrase is communicated, a service provider or merchant determines the order from the phrase and processes the order, which may include transmitting order details to the merchant(s) and processing the payment(s) to the merchant(s) on behalf of the user. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253972 | ELECTRONIC SHARED SHOPPING LIST MANAGEMENT - Disclosed are shared shopping systems and techniques based on social graph information and spanning multiple merchant providers. A device can include a component for implementing a shopping portal and include an access security module. Social graph information for use in connection with any of the embodiments described herein can come from internal sources or external sources. In this regard, the object information respecting items selected by users represented by a given user social graph can be stored in storage. The access security module can be configured to categorize the object information according to a set of predetermined criteria and allow access to the object information by others represented in a social graph for the user that have received authorization to access the object information. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253973 | Carwash With Smartphone Payment and Activation - An example carwash method involves a customer using a smartphone with an app for finding participating carwash locations, making online payments for select carwash options, and then using the smartphone app to start the washing process when the customer arrives at the carwash. Various means can be used for determining when the vehicle is at the carwash entrance. Examples of such means include, but are not limited to, reading the GPS coordinates of the smartphone in the vehicle; establishing Bluetooth, WiFi or some other limited-range wireless communication link between the smartphone and the local carwash controller; displaying and manually entering a code or password at the carwash; and scanning a QR code displayed on the smartphone. During the carwash operation, in some examples, the smartphone app provides the customer with an emergency stop option. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253974 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING MEMORY TAG-BASED PAYMENT METHODS - An approach is provided for memory tag-based payment methods. A transaction management platform receives a payment request via a radio frequency memory tag associated with a device. The transaction management platform also processes and/or facilitates a processing of the payment request to determine whether the radio frequency memory tag includes a value that is sufficient to complete the payment request. On a determination that the value is not sufficient, the transaction management platform further causes, at least in part, one or more actions that result in the device initiating a transfer of additional value to the radio frequency memory tag to complete the payment request. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253975 | Method and System for Using Payment History for Conducting Commercial Transactions - A method is disclosed. The method includes receiving transaction data relating to a plurality of commercial transactions conducted by a plurality of buyers and sellers conducting commercial transactions using a transaction processing system, and then receiving a request for transaction information relating to the received transaction data from an entity, wherein the transaction information also relates to a commercial transaction between a buyer and a seller. The method further includes providing the transaction information to an entity, wherein the entity thereafter makes a decision about further interacting with the buyer or the seller. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253976 | Half-Graphical User Interface Order Processing Method and Web Service - A half-graphical user interface (Half-GUI) order processing (HGOP) system with single sign on and its method of use is described. A set of web services may be utilized for order processing in an electronic commerce system which allows a merchant to host a product catalog and shopping cart, but post the transaction to an e-commerce system in one simple transaction. In response to a shopping cart request and utilizing single sign on technology, the HGOP system exposes a single checkout form, prepopulated with customer account information to a merchant web site. If no edits are required, the transaction posts and an order confirmation/thank you page is displayed. If edits are required or a new customer account is required, the customer's account is updated or created. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253977 | SOCIAL PRICING - Mechanisms are provided to facilitate buying and selling products utilizing social pricing. Sellers initiate sale of a product with volume discounts for a limited time. In other words, the more people that buy a product, the lower the price for the group. Buyers have a real incentive to become prosumers that not only purchase a product but also promote purchase by others. A social pricing system brokers interaction between sellers and buyer groups, and provisions mechanisms to aid promotion of products by consumers utilizing social networks and other online activities. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253978 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR CONDUCTING ELECTRONIC TRANSACTIONS - A system and method for conducting electronic commerce are disclosed, In various embodiments, the electronic transaction is a purchase transaction. A user is provided with an intelligent token, such as a smartcard containing a digital certificate. The intelligent token suitably authenticates with a server on a network that conducts all or portions of the transaction on behalf of the user. In various embodiments a wallet server interacts with a security server to provide enhanced reliability and confidence in the transaction. In various embodiments, the wallet server includes a toolbar. In various embodiments, the digital wallet pre-fills forms. Forms may be pre-filled using an auto-remember component. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253979 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR APPLYING CREDIT CARD - The present invention relates to a method of using a credit card to make international trade payments, and to a system whereby a central the buyer bank may make international trade payments by applying the credit card system. The present international trade payment system allows for debit and credit between the buyers and the suppliers with only an importer country server, and no exporter country server is needed for the buyers and the suppliers to pay for transactions. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253980 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR CARDHOLDER INITIATED TRANSACTIONS - A cardholder-initiated financial transaction using a cardholder controlled input device in communication with a payment card network and a database is disclosed. The cardholder uses a payment card issued to the cardholder by an issuer bank. An exemplary method includes the steps of storing merchant data within the database including data identifying the merchants registered to utilize the card network and receiving from the input device transaction data relating to the financial transaction. The transaction data includes an authorization request and merchant identifying data that identifies the merchant involved in the transaction. The method further includes determining that the identified merchant is registered to utilize the card network by comparing the transaction data with the merchant data stored in the database, forwarding the authorization request to the issuer bank, receiving a response to the request from the issuer bank, and automatically forwarding the response to the input device. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253981 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING REMOTE ORDERING - This invention provides systems and methods for remote ordering where there is a client, that is configurable to accept orders; an information processing system, that is in communication with the client and configurable to receive orders from the client; a plurality of wireless modules in disparate physical locations that are in wireless communication with the information, processing system and configurable to receive orders from the information processing system; and an order presentation client that is in communication with the wireless module and configurable to present the order. Furthermore, the information processing system is configurable to route the orders to a selected wireless module based on the order. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253982 | TRANSACTIONS VIA A USER DEVICE IN THE PROXIMITY OF A SELLER - Embodiments of methods and systems are provided that allow a user to upload inventories, view inventories in the proximity of the user, and/or facilitate transactions over a user device in a simple manner. In an embodiment, a method for transactions comprises loading, by a server at a remote location, an application on a user device of a user, wherein the application allows the user to upload an inventory comprising one or more items and/or services offered for sale by the user, as well as to view on the user device other inventory offered for sale by one or more other users as the user comes into proximity of the one or more other users, and wherein an inventory list maintained at the user device is constantly updated with the other inventory viewed by the user device. The method also comprises receiving, by the server at the remote location, transaction information associated with conducting a transaction in connection with the inventory list over the user device. The method further comprises facilitating, by the server at the remote location, the transaction between the user via the user device and the one or more other users. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253983 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR ISSUING TICKETS - Methods and apparatus for issuing tickets for events are disclosed. In an embodiment, a method includes providing a ticket purchaser with both an electronic ticket and a duplicate replica ticket. The replica ticket provides the user a piece of memorabilia, without presenting the issue of having multiple tickets capable of being used for entry. In an additional embodiment, the replica ticket can also be used to gain access to the event. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253984 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR HIGHLIGHTING DIFFERENCES IN ITEMS IN A SEARCH RESULT LISTING - A received search query is used to create a search result where the search result is a listing of items identified in a data repository of item information where the item information includes data indicative of parametric values for each of a plurality of items. Data indicative of parametric values within the item information of the listing of items is used to order the search result for display whereby at least one subset of items within the listing of items determined to have similar parametric values will be displayed as a group having positions within the listing of items that are proximate relative to each other. Data indicative of parametric values within the item information of the at least one subset of items is also used to discern differences in one or more parametric values between items in the at least one subset of items which discerned differences in the one or more parametric values between items in the at least one subset of items within the listing of items are caused to be highlighted. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253985 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR EXTRACTION AND ACCUMULATION OF SHOPPING DATA - A method for shopping cart validation automation, comprising analyzing a webpage to determine if it contains a shopping cart structure and if the user has expressed desire to initiate a checkout procedure, extracting shopping cart and other price elements from pages of a checkout tunnel, accumulating such information for the shopping transaction, validating the shopping transaction using the accumulated information, and allowing the user to confirm or cancel the transaction upon validation. Alternatively, the method may message the use that the transaction is not reconcilable where the shopping cart could not be validated. Also, the system can advantageously build a history database storing transactional details, including screen shots of pages of the checkout tunnel. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253986 | DYNAMIC MULTI-LEVEL NETWORK MARKETING SYSTEM AND METHOD, AND COMPUTER-READABLE RECORDING MEDIUM - A dynamic multi-level network marketing system includes a communication network, a plurality of user terminal devices and a network trading platform system. The user terminal devices are in communication with the communication network. The network trading platform system is in communication with the user terminal devices through the communication network for providing online commodity sale and shopping service. The network trading platform system generates and stores a plurality of transaction and referral records according to a transaction of a specified product and a referral from the user terminal devices, so that a multi-level marketing relationship between the user terminal devices is dynamically established according to the transaction and referral records. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253987 | METHOD FOR PROVISION OF INFORMATION OVER A NETWORK EMPLOYING USER DETERMINABLE PARAMETERS AFFECTING COST - An information provision system operated over the internet by a provider for communication of information to users communicating with the provider site. Information is provided to the user based upon one or a plurality of user chosen information providing quantifiers and priced accordingly. The quantifiers may be changed by the user in real time causing a change in price. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253988 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR PROVIDING INTERACTIVE STOREFRONTS - A system comprising a networked server; a business establishment database adapted to store descriptive data describing a plurality of business establishments; a business user interface module configured to allow a business user to submit a descriptive data that is configured to be transmitted to the business establishment database; a customer interface module configured to allow a customer to mark a business establishment; a customer database configured to store a customer's profile comprising a list of business establishments marked via the customer interface module; a linking module connected to the business establishment database and the customer database, the linking module configured to link the marked business establishment to the customer's profile and the customer; and a set of programming codes configured to allow a browser that connects to the server to display the descriptive data and a portion of the customer's profile that marked the business establishment. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253989 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PAYMENT BY VIRTUAL CREDIT CARD - The invention relates to vendor payments using a virtual credit card number for security purposes. The invention is used by a company to pay vendors for services or goods using the virtual credit card number, which alleviates the normal security issues associated with making payments through a normal credit card transaction via computer networks. The invention further provides a convenient apparatus and method in securing such vendor payments. The apparatus and method of the present invention operates independently as a stand-alone system that interfaces with a separate accounting system, credit card assignment system, or other components of an invoice payment system, or is integrated with other components of an accounting system. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253990 | INTERACTIVE COMMUNICATION SYSTEM - A system and method of facilitating communications between web-based and telephony networks, including the steps of: providing a web-based interface including selectable options for initiating communications between one or more web-based communication tools and one or more telephony based communication tools; providing access to a network bridge configured to bridge communications between a telephony network and a web-based network; automatically generating a web-based interface, in communication with the network bridge, from user account data for a user having telephony services; and initiating a communication between a web-based network and a telephony based network on receipt of a request from the automatically generated web-based interface. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253991 | System And Method For Displaying A View Of Market Depth On A Graphical User Interface - A graphical interface and method are provided for displaying market information corresponding to a tradeable object. According to one example embodiment, a market depth indicator is displayed in relation to a value axis in a market overview interface. Then, detailed market depth is displayed in a market depth interface, and a plurality of market depth prices displayed in the market depth interface are adjustable based on a position of the market depth indicator in relation to the value axis. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253992 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR INVENTORY GENERATION AND MANAGEMENT - A method and a system to generate and manage an inventory are provided. The system may include a memory to store an inventory having a list of items owned by a consumer. An identification module may add an item to the inventory. A collection module may collect additional data about the added item. A tracking module may collect market data about the added item. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253993 | BEVERAGE PREPARATION MACHINE WITH VIRTUAL SHOPPING FUNCTIONALITY - The present invention relates to beverage preparation machine ( | 2012-10-04 |
20120253994 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AN E-COMMERCE SYSTEM RELATED TO WEAR APPAREL - An e-commerce system for wear apparel on a global computer network, has a fit system that has an apparel designer interface function for an apparel designer to provide apparel data in an apparel data form and a retail apparel merchant interface function to search and select apparel for retail on the merchant website and an embed function in the apparel data form that transfers the apparel data from the apparel data form and embeds it in the web page. The fit system minimizes the resources a retail merchant would require to make available wear apparel for sale on a retail merchant website. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253995 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MERCHANDISE INVENTORY MANAGEMENT TO MAXIMIZE GROSS MARGIN - A system and method for merchandise inventory management to maximize gross margin is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes modeling inventory to maximize gross margin as a function of replenishment of each item in each location based on optimum customer service level. Further, a desired customer service level range is determined. Furthermore, a safety stock level is computed for each customer service level in the determined customer service level range based on supplier information and forecasted future demand. In addition, replenishment quantity is computed for each customer service level in the determined customer service level range based on the computed safety stock level, lost sales information, markdown costs, and economic order quantity. Moreover, gross margin is computed for each customer service level in the determined customer service level range based on the computed replenishment quantity, markdown schedule and other financial information. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253996 | METHOD, SYSTEM AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR CORRELATING INFORMATION AND LOCATION - In one aspect, embodiments of a method of correlating information and location comprise establishing a reference point for an entity. A three-dimensional coordinate is assigned to a device that comprises the entity. The assigned three-dimensional coordinate is relative to the reference point. Information about the device is correlated with the assigned three-dimensional coordinate and stored in a computing device. The computing device receives secondary information, and in response to the secondary information received by the computing device, the computing device provides at least one of the three-dimensional coordinate of the device or at least a portion of the information about the device. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253997 | Method for multi-dimensional accounting of business transactions and system therefor - The present disclosure introduces a computer implemented method and system for business transaction properties registration represented by an event data sheet of the multidimensional data model. The usage of multidimensional data processing tools, such as OLAP, allows one to produce reports corresponding to the requirements of traditional accounting reports quickly and with minimum costs. Examples of such reports are as follows: balance sheet, profit and loss statement, and many others. It allows one to perform all the accounting functions, simplify the execution thereof, enhance them, and significantly increase the capabilities of accounting data analysis. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253998 | COST CALCULATION DEVICE, COST CALCULATION METHOD, AND COST CALCULATION PROGRAM - A cost calculation device executes a cost calculation using a principle of a structure matrix including an upper side portion, a left side portion, and a central portion and includes a production information storage unit for storing production information in which a production item, a production activity amount, and a production unit cost are associated, an investment information storage unit for storing investment information in which an investment item, an investment activity amount, and an investment unit cost are associated, and a ratio information storage unit for storing ratio information representing a ratio of the investment activity amount invested in the production activity amount to the production activity amount. The cost calculation device is configured to have a predetermined link relation and generate a structure matrix with production in an upper side portion, investment information in a left side portion, and ratio information in a central portion. | 2012-10-04 |
20120253999 | INVOICING MANAGEMENT METHOD AND SYSTEM - An invoicing management method and system for an electronic transaction relating to the purchase of goods and/or services by a bearer, characterised in that it has the following steps: collection of at least one bearer-identification element contained in a data medium by the reading device of a terminal; retrieval of an ordered set of data elements corresponding to the transaction characteristics from a previously downloaded application interface and input device of the terminal; transmission of the at least one identification element and the ordered set of retrieved data elements to a central server; generation of an electronic invoice by the processing device of the central server, on the basis of identification data associated with the identification element in a database of the server and the ordered set of retrieved data elements; and archiving of the electronic invoice in the database of the central server. | 2012-10-04 |