| 47th week of 2012 patent applcation highlights part 56 |
| Patent application number | Title | Published |
|---|
| 20120296673 | MEDICAL RECORD CARD AND INTEGRATION OF HEALTH CARE - Systems and methods for updating a user's health record and integrating medical care are provided. A user identification card is associated with the user's health record, and this user identification card may be employed by the user to authorize a user health record connection between an authenticated terminal and a user health record at a central data store. The user health record connection may be established at one or more of a plurality of authenticated terminals. The user health record connection may facilitate maintenance and updating of the user health record from the plurality of authenticated terminals. The user identification card provides seamless integration of the user's health record with a plurality of facilities having authenticated terminals, such as hospitals, clinics, pharmacies, fitness centers, grocery stores, schools, etc. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296674 | MEDICAL RECORD CARD AND INTEGRATION OF HEALTH CARE - Systems and methods for updating a user's health record and integrating medical care are provided. A user identification card is associated with the user's health record, and this user identification card may be employed by the user to transmit user identification information to an authenticated terminal. The identification information may be used by the authenticated terminal and a central data store to select a portion of the user health record for access by the authenticated terminal. A user health record connection may be established at one or more of a plurality of authenticated terminals. The user identification card may facilitate maintenance and updating of the user health record from the plurality of authenticated terminals. The user identification card provides seamless integration of the user's health record with a plurality of facilities having authenticated terminals, such as hospitals, clinics, pharmacies, fitness centers, grocery stores, schools, etc. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296675 | Method and System for Assessing, Quantifying, Coding & Communicating a Patient's Health and Perioperative Risk - A multi-dimensional system for assessing, coding, quantifying, displaying, integrating and communicating information relating to patient health and perioperative risk includes a mechanism for inputting patient information and providing an output relating to the patient health and perioperative risk. The output includes a score for the physical condition of the patient, a score for the degree of expected surgical risk and invasiveness, a score for other vital assessments of perioperative complexity, and alphanumeric codes for other factors that may require special preoperative preparation and planning. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296676 | TRANSFORMING DATA FOR RENDERING AN INSURABILITY DECISION - Transformation of disparate data for use in rendering a decision involving a potentially insurable risk. An Extract, Transform, Load (ETL) process extracts the data and converts it from a plurality of formats into a standard format for processing. A heuristic engine inferentially processes the converted data to identify information relevant to the decision to be rendered. A consolidation and presentation engine generates presentable knowledge from the relevant information and then presents the knowledge to a decision-making entity for rendering the decision. And an optimization feedback process monitors one or more actions on the presented knowledge by the decision-making entity and adjusts one or more of the ETL process, the heuristic engine, and the consolidation and presentation engine as a function of the monitored actions. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296677 | Systems and Methods for Online Sale of Artwork - Systems and methods of transacting purchases of artwork using communications networks are disclosed. Such systems and methods for transacting a purchase of artwork using a communications network may comprise receiving offers to purchase artwork from collector client devices in communication with the communications network, each offer comprising an offer price; displaying, on a gallery client device in communication with the communications network, at least one of the offers, collector profile information corresponding to the at least one offer, and an option to accept the at least one offer; and transmitting to a collector client device an acceptance of one of the offers. The accepted price may be less than the highest offer price of the transmitted offers. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296678 | Systems and Methods for Reservations of Charging Stations for Electric Vehicles - Systems and methods may enable customers to reserve time slots at charging stations for recharging electric vehicles. The systems and methods may include receiving, from a customer computing device associated with a customer, a reservation inquiry to access a charging station to recharge an electric vehicle; providing, to the customer computing device, a respective cost for accessing the charging station during one or more available time periods; receiving a selection from the customer computing device for at least a portion of the available time periods; and delivering, to the customer computing device, a reservation confirmation for the selected time period. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296679 | WEB INTEGRATED POINT-OF-SALE SYSTEM - A system for synchronizing and integrating the reservation data, order data, and e-commerce data, gift card data, and/or loyalty points data residing in a POS device with that of a merchant's website and synchronizing data residing in a website database to the POS device is disclosed. The system includes a POS device to host a POS application, the POS application having a POS database layer, and a web server to host a website application, the website application including a website database layer. The web server hosts a publically accessible website and the website application processes data inputs in the website into the website database layer, and the POS application communicates with the website application to harmonize the website database layer and the POS database layer via Internet protocols. The system can be used to integrate a restaurant or other merchant's POS reservation, ordering, and e-commerce systems with those provided via the website. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296680 | Provision of Alert Messages to Customers of an Establishment - Customer management for an establishment involves operating a server that hosts system software and interacts with various computing devices over internet and wireless network gateway connections. The server communicates with devices at the establishment and customer computing devices in real-time, providing system performance updates, text messaging communications to the customer regarding table availability and marketing information and synchronizing the information communicated within the system. A computer user interface at the establishment communicates with the server and allows an establishment host to capture and transmit customer information to the server and make of the server processing requests that can include sending text message alert notifications to a customer mobile device informing of an available table and providing marketing messages. A secondary device, operated by a waiter of the establishment, communicates with the computing devices of the system and can receive communications, such as customer attention requests, from the customer mobile device. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296681 | Method and Apparatus for Improved Listings of Branch Locations for Booking Rental Vehicle Reservations On-Line - Disclosed herein are techniques for permitting users to efficiently identify a desired branch location for a rental vehicle reservation. For example, a user-selectable link can be provided on a website page that, upon user selection, restricts a list of available branch locations in an area to only airport branch locations in that area. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296682 | REAL TIME E-COMMERCE USER INTERFACE FOR MONITORING AND INTERACTING WITH CONSUMERS - Systems and methods for e-commerce customer support activities are provided via an analytics server, which provides real-time information concerning customer visits to an e-commerce Web site to a merchant that operates the Web site, for example via a dashboard or other user interface. The real-time information allows the merchant to monitor and optionally interact with customers visiting the Web site, for example by viewing requests for customer service and providing real-time customer service via interactive user interfaces. Real-time telemetry concerning the customer visits is provided to the analytics server, which then presents the information in meaningful fashions via the dashboard or user interfaces for review by the merchant. Merchant responses to the information is facilitated via analytics engines, customer support engines, rule engines, deal engines, recommendation engines, and other components, which may operate according to customized rule sets to implement specific customer support policies. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296683 | INFORMATION DELIVERY AND MAINTENANCE SYSTEM FOR DYNAMICALLY GENERATED AND UPDATED DATA PERTAINING TO ROAD MAINTENANCE VEHICLES AND OTHER RELATED INFORMATION - Selected types of information are collected from various sources and a portion thereof transmitted to a remote server. The remote server dynamically compiles and processes this data with information from other similar and separate sources and provides useful and relevant information, such as vehicle and location specific road maintenance radar, forecasts and treatment recommendations, and then transmits the data back to the vehicles in the field for one or more of the appropriate deployment of equipment, instructions and the automated or manual application of materials. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296684 | TASK ASSIGNMENT IN A WORKFLOW SYSTEM - A computer-implemented method for assigning a task in a workflow system to a user of the workflow system includes receiving the task; determining, by a computer, a set of users who are authorized to perform the received task; selecting from the set a user who has the lowest flexibility to perform other tasks in the workflow system; and assigning the task to the selected user. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296685 | Method of Managing Access Right, and System for Computer Program for the Same - A method of managing an access right to at least one asset associated with at least one digital work order, to at least one first element associated with the at least one asset, or to at least one second element associated with an access path to the at least one asset or the first element, and relates to a system and a computer program for the same. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296686 | CUSTOMER SERVICE APPLICATION FOR A PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE - A customer service application resident on a user's portable electronic device is used to get information about a service and also request the service offered by a store. The customer service application can check for nearby stores when launched. Once the user is deemed to be within the service area of the store, the store host server computer can start sending information about various products, servers, events, or workshops offered by the store. The user can use the customer service application to request product or service help from store employees, register for an event/workshop, reserve a product for pickup, etc. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296687 | METHOD, PROCESS AND TECHNIQUE FOR TESTING ERP SOLUTIONS - The present invention provides a method and system for generating testing templates suitable for the testing of ERP package based solutions. Functional test cases are prepared from real-life business processes as defined by industry standard and best practices. The test cases are reusable and can be used for any future ERP package-related projects, thereby reducing test planning effort and duration. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296688 | METHODS FOR SELECTING ONE OF A PLURALITY OF COMPETING IT-LED INNOVATION PROJECTS AND DEVICES THEREOF - Methods, systems, and computer-readable storage media for selecting one of a plurality of information technology (IT)-led innovation projects include obtaining a plurality of IT-led innovation projects. A selection of one or more research projects for each of the obtained IT-led innovation projects is determined based at least on one or more research project criteria. One of the obtained IT-led innovation projects is selected based at least on the determined selection of one or more research projects for each of the obtained IT-led innovation projects and one or more innovation project criteria. The selection of the one of the obtained IT-led innovation projects is provided. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296689 | Computer Implemented Method and System for Analyzing Business Processes - A system and method for monitoring and managing multiple building systems with a single interface as well as customize and revise settings and automated responses for multiple building systems using input and transactions from different building systems and enterprise applications. A drop-in command and interface software module allows a user to integrate control, command and response functions between previously installed and un-integrated building systems and to configure the activation or deactivation of one system function based on the data, alarm, event, or transaction from one or more other systems. The invention takes the data and control functions from any and every control system and allows a user to build his own intelligent building, and to edit the control processes on their own at any time. Responses of building systems are process driven, rather than rules based, and the response process is fully editable by the end user. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296690 | RUNDOWN BLENDING OPTIMIZATION APPARATUS AND METHOD - A computer modeling apparatus and method optimize refinery operations. Included are an input module enabling user specification of inventory information including at least one rundown component, and user specification of refinery product commitments, and a processor routine executable by a computer and coupled to the input module. The processor routine, in response to the user specification, sequences refinery operations into a schedule that matches refinery commitments with inventory and unit rundown operations, wherein the refinery operations include refinery operations events, and provides on output a display of the schedule in a manner enabling optimized refinery operations. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296691 | System and Method for Designing and Executing Subject-State Engine Workflows - The present invention generally relates to systems and methods for providing and building dynamic and adaptable workflows. The present invention moves away from static workflows, such as marketing campaigns that focus on a brand or product, and allows workflows that are generic to a class of subjects (e.g. a consumer, a work order, an automobile, etc.), and permits the workflows to be tailored to the specific subject type and its states. The present invention provides tools for building and simulating one or more scenarios that address a specific subject prior to its launch, and also provides tools for executing and monitoring the workflows according to the one or more scenarios. The present invention provides a way to interface with several external services and data intelligently in order to establish an efficient environment with multiple workflows for each subject type. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296692 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MANAGING A FRAUD EXCHANGE - Systems and methods for presenting fraud detection information are presented. In one example, a computer system for managing and enabling communication of information potentially pertinent to identifying fraudulent activity receives requests via a producer interface, to store a plurality of data points potentially pertinent to identifying fraudulent activity from a plurality of source systems. A fraud exchange engine performs an analysis of the data points to produce a relational data point. And a consumer interface receives, from at least one target system, a request to retrieve at least one of a set of the plurality of data points and the at least one relational data point. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296693 | Risk Portal Including Social Media - Risk information portal systems and methods are provided. The portal allows business managers and others to track, organize and review risks. One or more social media news feeds may provide risk information that is found from social media sources. The portal may also provide research tools and interactive tools to locate industry pricing information. A risk maturity index tool also allows users to obtain a risk maturity score. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296694 | Risk Portal Including Pricing Data - Risk information portal systems and methods are provided. The portal allows business managers and others to track, organize and review risks. One or more social media news feeds may provide risk information that is found from social media sources. The portal may also provide research tools and interactive tools to locate industry pricing information. A risk maturity index tool also allows users to obtain a risk maturity score. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296695 | Risk Portal Including Index Tool - Risk information portal systems and methods are provided. The portal allows business managers and others to track, organize and review risks. One or more social media news feeds may provide risk information that is found from social media sources. The portal may also provide research tools and interactive tools to locate industry pricing information. A risk maturity index tool also allows users to obtain a risk maturity score. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296696 | SUSTAINING ENGINEERING AND MAINTENANCE USING SEM PATTERNS AND THE SEMINAL DASHBOARD - Supporting problem resolution of an organization, in one aspect, may include obtaining operational data associated with the organization, calculating operating metrics based on the operational data, detecting one or more metrics trends based on the calculated operational metrics, identifying one or more relations between the metric trends, and determining one or more SEM patterns from two or more of the calculated operational metrics and metric trends. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296697 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR AUTOMATED REAL TIME E-COMMERCE MARKETING ACTIVITIES - Systems and methods for e-commerce marketing activities are provided via an analytics server, which provides real-time information concerning customer visits to an e-commerce Website to a merchant that operates the Website, for example via a dashboard or other user interface. The real-time information allows the analytics system and merchant to monitor and optionally interact with customers visiting the Website, for example by sending instructions for advertisements or adjusting prices in response to consumer activity. Real-time telemetry concerning the customer visits is provided to the analytics server, which then presents the information in meaningful fashions via the dashboard or user interfaces for review by the merchant. Merchant responses to the information is facilitated via deal engines, recommendation engines, marketing engines, and other components, which may operate according to customized rule sets to implement key word bidding, advertisements, promotions, price adjustments, among other things. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296698 | Method and Apparatus of Forecasting Repurchase Inclination - The present disclosure and data processing technology discloses a method and apparatus of forecasting repurchase inclinations of one or more clients. The disclosed technique improves the forecast accuracy of the clients' repurchasing inclination. The method includes: retrieving a list of a plurality of target clients from a specified storage location; determining historical benefits and a variation trend in historical benefits for at least one client based on respective historical benefits within a specified range of time; determining a purchasing power parameter and a degree of maturity for the client; computing a comfort level score for the client based on the respective historical trends, variation trend in historical benefits, purchasing power parameter, and degree of maturity; and determining a list of clients with repurchase inclination, the list of clients with repurchase inclination including those clients having a respective comfort level score satisfying a threshold condition. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296699 | METHODS AND APPARATUS TO PREDICT NEW PRODUCT PERFORMANCE METRICS - Methods and apparatus are disclosed to predict new product performance metrics. An example disclosed method includes selecting a product hierarchy tree based on a distribution measure for a new product, identifying a segment location of the product hierarchy tree for the new product, retrieving a relationship matrix associated with the segment location of the product hierarchy tree, the relationship matrix comprising available product performance coefficients and attribute information, identifying a spatial location for the new product in the relationship matrix based on the attribute information, calculating, using a programmed processor, an impact parameter based on the spatial location within the relationship matrix, and calculating the performance metric for the new product based on the impact parameter and a channel sales value. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296700 | MODELING THE TEMPORAL BEHAVIOR OF CLIENTS TO DEVELOP A PREDICTIVE SYSTEM - A method, system and computer program product are disclosed for modeling the temporal behavior of clients to develop a predictive system to influence client relationships. In an embodiment, the method comprises establishing for each of a plurality of clients a temporal model for a given time period, and the temporal model identifies a plurality of factors as contributing to a specified relationship with the each client over the given time period. For each of a plurality of different stages of the given time period, the temporal model identifies one or more of these factors as contributing to the specified relationship with the each client. One of the clients is identified as a model client for another client, and the temporal model of this model client is used to predict one or more of the plurality of factors as contributing to a specified relationship with this another client at a specified time. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296701 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR GENERATING RECOMMENDATIONS - A system and method generates recommendations of products or services to individuals. Product rankings by a large number of individuals are translated into approach and avoid response data for various categories of the products or services. The translated data is utilized to compute approach entropy values, avoid entropy values, mean approach intensity values, and mean avoid intensity values. One or more of a trade-off plot, a value function plot, and a saturation plot may be generated from the values. The plots may be analyzed to derive preference feature values. Clusters may be formed of individuals with the same preference feature values. Products or services that are highly ranked by members of a cluster may be recommended to other members of the cluster that have yet to purchase or consume the highly ranked products or services. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296702 | ASSET MARKETING NETWORK BUSINESS METHOD AND MACHINE FOR USE IN CONDUCTING THE SAME - A method of conducting an asset marketing network business, and a machine for conducting the same, is disclosed, which includes the steps of hosting an asset marketing network website and registering asset marketing network members, including asset posting member and asset buying members, where asset marketing network members are allowed access to the asset marketing network website. The machine stores data associated with an asset, including controlled asset posting data and uncontrolled asset posting data. The machine can be used to allow the asset buying member access to the controlled asset posting data, in response to receiving approval from the asset posting member to allow the asset buying member access to the controlled asset posting data. The machine can be used to store and release prequalification data associated with the asset buying member. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296703 | MARKET-BASED PRICE OPTIMIZATION SYSTEM - Disclosed is a market-based software system that will help user-retailers manage price and inventories more effectively. The system will take advantage of available price and sales data to provide pricing recommendations that will achieve a retail user's objectives. The system will offer a solution that will allow for pricing improvement shortly after installation by utilizing data that is readily available. The system will recommend price changes that help a user achieve specified objectives such as contribution, sales volume, desired margins, and the like. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296704 | METHOD OF TESTING ITEM AVAILABILITY AND DELIVERY PERFORMANCE OF AN E-COMMERCE SITE - An inventory management, and a shipping/returns management system can be analyzed to determine various performance characteristics of an e-commerce operator, such as whether the latter maintains sufficient items to meet demand, whether distribution is occurring in a timely fashion, etc. The systems are analyzed using one or more anonymous proxy accounts. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296705 | Method and System for Managing Network Marketing - The present inventive subject matter is a method that can receive sales activity data from a plurality of users, calculate metrics based on the sales activity data, the metrics having an indicator that a first user's sales numbers are greater than fifty percent of a predetermined goal followed by a the ability to generate a message to be sent to a second user with the message configured to inform the second user regarding the progress of the first user's sales activities; the message incorporates a link that is selected by the second user to send a message back to the first user. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296706 | Automatic Valid Vote Count Storage using Secure Embedded Non Volatile Memory - A non-volatile memory system adapted for securely registering votes within a voting system is described. The votes are encoded as a set of logically grouped cells based on a voter's selection of an item. The encoding assures that the votes are easily distinguishable by a read circuit. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296707 | ENABLING COMMUNITY TOURNAMENTS - In an example, generating and enabling a tournament includes a) selecting at least one pair of proposals from the accessed plurality of proposals for consideration, each selected pair of proposals being assigned to at most one match per tier; b) scheduling the at least one match; c) accessing a plurality of registered voters; d) assigning the plurality of registered voters to one match per tier; e) receiving information from the assigned registered voters; f) determining a winner and a loser of each match based on information provided by the registered voters of the respective matches; g) removing the loser of each match from consideration in generating matches in subsequent tiers of the tournament; h) determining if only one proposal remains for consideration; i) repeating a)-h) if more than one proposal remains; and j) identifying the one remaining proposal for consideration as the winner of the tournament. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296708 | System and Method For Managing Payment Based Parking with Near Field Communication - A system for parking payment including a parking device with a near field communications unit and a server, where the server receives a message from a mobile device, the message including parking information received by the mobile device from the near field communications unit and identifying information for the mobile device, locates an account in a client database based on the identifying information for the mobile device, and charges the account the cost of parking for a period of time. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296709 | Multiple Client Field Device Data Acquisition and Storage - A system is provided for acquiring and storing field information, comprising field devices operable to gather field information and receive updated file information. The field devices may be placed in cradles, which facilitate the transfer of the field and file information. A network is provided for receiving the field information from the field devices and transferring the field information to field devices located in the cradles. The system also provides a server operable to receive the field information from the network, store the field information in data tables assigned to at least one client, and transmit updated field information to the network. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296710 | PROCESSING TRANSACTIONS OF DIFFERENT PAYMENT DEVICES OF THE SAME ISSUER ACCOUNT - Each portable payment device associated with a single account within a payment processing system is distinguished using track data. The track data from the portable payment device is read at each of a plurality of merchant point of sale terminals (POS). Rather than relying on the PAN alone, a merchant may utilizes the track data, or a proxy thereof, as the unique identifier for the portable payment device. The merchant may then process transactions involving the portable payment device based on the unique identifier. For example, in the transit environment the transit fare for each rider with different portable payment devices but the same account can be calculated using the unique identifier, such as the full track data read from both tracks of the corresponding portable payment devices | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296711 | METHODS FOR REDUCING THE PEAK DEMAND OF ELECTRIC UTILITIES DURING AIR CONDITIONING SEASON - A method of reducing the peak demand of electric utilities during an air conditioning season, including (a) operating electrically-powered air conditioning equipment to pre-cool a customer's building so that the pre-cooling is effective to keep the building within a desired temperature range during the entire period of the utility's peak demand and to minimize additional electrically-powered cooling of the building, (b) then substantially or completely refraining from cooling the customer's building with electrically-powered air conditioning equipment powered by the utility during the utility's entire period of peak demand later on the same day the building is pre-cooled, and (c) providing the customer of the electric utility with a financial incentive from the utility to carry out (a) and (b). | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296712 | METHOD, SYSTEM, APPARATUS, AND MEDIA FOR IMPROVING PAID SEARCH REALIZATION - A method, system, apparatus and medium are directed to advertising over a network. A server receives a product feed from at least one client device. If a product in the product feed is at least one of newly available and competitively priced and not currently stored and active in a data store of the server, creating or resuming at least one keyword and an advertisement for the product; and sending the created keyword and advertisement to a search engine over an advertisement placement network protocol. If the product is determined to be discontinued or unavailable, or if it is determined that a product price is at a threshold relative to a competitor's price, pausing at least one of: the creation or sending of the keyword or advertisement; or displaying of a paid search result for the product. A savings in an advertisement fund based on the pausing is realized. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296713 | System of Validating Online Advertising From Third Party Sources - A system is provided for security and validation for online advertising from third party sources. The system identifies outgoing calls to known advertising networks when a DNS user loads a webpage by identifying the outgoing call via a link and investigating the DNS query being called. Once the advertiser network which was called has been identified, the system intercepts the call placed by the advertisement code and redirects the call to a server which holds validated and certified third party ads from a certified network. The certified ad platform answers and responds to the call by feeding back a certified advertisement to be displayed on the page of the web visitor page. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296714 | GiveBackMail - Preferred embodiments of an email service or system that derives revenues from advertisements displayed on the user interface of an email client, wherein at least a portion of any advertising revenues derived from the user's use of the email client are donated to a charity of the user's choice. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296715 | MANAGEMENT OF AN OFFER FOR A FINANCIAL INCENTIVE - Management of an offer for a financial incentive offered by an offeror and, in particular, management of redemption of the offer by a particular user which eliminates the need for a redemption entity to capture a user-unique redemption code or otherwise report redemption in order to track and control the user's redemption of the offer is disclosed. Instead, the user's revelation of the redemption code, via a device associated with the user, may be considered a redemption of the financial incentive by the user regardless of whether the user actually receives the incentive. In particular, offers for financial incentives may be provided in an electronic form to a user, via a device associated with the user, such as the user's personal computer or mobile device, from an offer server, such as via a wired and/or wireless network. The offer includes a redemption code which must be exchanged/presented to the redemption entity, e.g. a merchant or retailer, to obtain the financial incentive. Upon delivery of the offer to the user's device, the redemption code is concealed from the user by the device such that user must take some subsequent action to reveal it, ideally in the presence of the redemption entity or otherwise substantially contemporaneously with the purchase. The revelation, or the attempt thereto, of the redemption indicia may cause the offer to be considered redeemed by the offer server and prevent a subsequent redemption. Upon presentment of the redemption code, the redemption entity provides the requisite financial incentive. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296716 | Management of an Offer for a Financial Incentive - A way of providing offers for financial incentives to users as part of an electronic customer loyalty, rewards, or discount program involving one or more merchants is provided. For example, an offer criterion is received from a merchant. The offer criterion is established by the merchant for each user and associated with one or more products or services offered by the merchant. First data indicative of at least partial satisfaction of the offer criterion by a user is received. It is determined whether the first data has caused the user to satisfy the offer criterion for that user. Upon determining that the first data has caused the user to satisfy the offer criterion for that user, second data is provided to a mobile device associated with the user. The second data is representative of an offer for a financial incentive redeemable with the merchant. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296717 | Lucky Day Rewards Program - A Lucky Day Rewards according to the present invention is a loyalty and rewards program that does not require customers to keep track of miles or points. Customers pay nothing to participate in the program. The Lucky Day Rewards program awards the loyal customers based on purchases made within a defined period of time. The purchase is rewarded faster than other type of reward program which may require accumulation for a long period of time for a valuable redemption. On the first day of each month, a random number is generated by spinning a wheel containing 31-numbers, or the like. The number it lands on is the winning day for the previous month. Anyone who purchased anything at a participating business entity during the previous month simply brings back their receipt to the stores or mails the receipt or enters their customer number or receipt number online for a partial or full credit. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296718 | REFERRAL INCENTIVIZED ONLINE TRANSACTIONS - Disclosed herein is a method for conducting electronic commerce comprising generating a first specific link uniquely associating the first member user identifier with an item; receiving a request for the first item via a click-through of the first specific link that results in a financial transaction on the electronic commerce website associated with the first item; and determining an amount of a commission receivable by the first member associated with the financial transaction associated with the first item. A system for conducting electronic commerce is also disclosed. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296719 | System and Method for Providing a Pre-Paid Rebate Card - A system and method for providing pre-paid rebate cards. A rebate offer may be provided to a consumer in relation to a particular purchase. The consumer may then submit a request for redemption of the rebate. A rebate processing center may validate the request for redemption from the consumer and notify a financial institution of the request. The financial institution may subsequently issue the pre-paid rebate card to the consumer. In the case of a reusable rebate card, the financial institution may subsequently add value in the amount of the rebate to a pre-existing reusable rebate card. The financial institution may further fulfill payment obligations upon consumer use of the pre-paid rebate card. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296720 | MOBILE REWARDS REDEMPTION SYSTEM AND METHOD - A mobile rewards real-time redemption system allows members of programs to use a mobile rewards redemption application via their mobile device to redeem currency or points. A ‘ghost’ credit/debit vehicle (account) is used to redeem the rewards currency or points. The ghost card completes the financial transaction which is, from the perspective of a redemption retailer, a conventional card transaction. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296721 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR AWARDING CUSTOMER LOYALTY AWARDS - This invention discloses a novel system and method for implementing an electronic customer loyalty rewarding service that awards credits for continued patronage of a vendor, where the credits can be spent at the vendor or with other vendors that participate in the service. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296722 | METHODS AND SYSTEM TO PERFORM WIRELESS FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS - A method, system and computer program product for performing a financial transaction at a transaction host are disclosed. The method includes the step of receiving, at the transaction host, a first set of information from an electronic portable device. The method further includes the step of identifying an associated account of a user using an identifier from the first set of information, determining loyalty points accrued in the identified associated account; a value proportional to the loyalty points is then subtracted from a first transaction amount to give a second transaction amount. The financial transaction worth the second transaction amount is completed using the payment instrument details derived from the first set of information. The method also includes automatically creating an account for the user using the identifier when the user doesn't have any past transaction associated with the transaction host. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296723 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FACILITATING ELECTRONIC COMMERCE THROUGH PROVIDING CROSS-BENEFITS DURING A TRANSACTION - Accordingly some embodiments, a merchant server receives an indication of acceptance by a customer of an offer for a subsidy from a second merchant of a purchase of at least one item from a first merchant. The customer agrees to participate in an additional transaction with the second merchant in exchange for having the subsidy applied against the purchase from the first merchant. In one embodiment, after selling the at least one item to the customer, the merchant server determines that the customer did not participate in an additional transaction with the second merchant as the customer agreed to, and assesses a penalty against the customer. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296724 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR RECOMMENDING MERCHANTS - A method and a recommender computer system are provided. The recommender computer system is programmed to receive payment card transaction information for a payment cardholder from the interchange network. The payment card transaction information includes data relating to a plurality of purchases made by the cardholder at a plurality of different merchants. The recommender computer system is further programmed to receive merchant rating information, receive merchant descriptive information, and determine location information of each of the plurality of different merchants relative to at least one of a predetermined selectable location and a current location of the cardholder. The recommender computer system then determines a relative ranking of the plurality of different merchants using the received payment card transaction information, the received merchant rating information, the received merchant descriptive information, and the determined location information and displays the determined recommendations to a cardholder. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296725 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MANAGING TRANSACTIONS WITH A PORTABLE COMPUTING DEVICE - A method and system include verifying credentials for gaining access to a central mobile payment controller using the portable computing device (“PCD”). The central mobile payment controller may receive a merchant identifier corresponding to a merchant and then it may compare the merchant identifier against loyalty account data stored in a database. The central controller may also receive product scan data and compare the product scan data against one of offer data and coupon data in a database. After these comparisons, any matches of product scan data to offer data or coupon data may be sent to the PCD and an electronic cash register (“ECR”). Similarly, any matches of the merchant identifier to loyalty account data may be transmitted to the PCD and ECR. During or after the purchase transaction, a message may be generated by the central mobile payment controller which lists one or more preferred payment options. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296726 | System and Method For Managing Transactions With A Portable Computing Device - A method and system include verifying credentials for gaining access to a central mobile payment controller using the portable computing device (“PCD”). The central mobile payment controller may receive a merchant identifier corresponding to a merchant and then it may compare the merchant identifier against loyalty account data stored in a database. The central mobile payment controller through a tender steering module may determine if a profile of the portable computing device is associated with a merchant branded payment account and/or with a merchant branded stored value account. The central mobile payment controller may produce a message that lists one or more preferred payment options in a ranked fashion that may favor a merchant based on interchange rates. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296727 | INCENTIVIZING SAFE DRIVING BEHAVIORS - A computer is used to receive data, including an amount of fuel to which a fuel benefit will apply, and a nominated price for the fuel for a future period, from a driver of a motor vehicle. During the future period, or after the future period has passed, purchase data is received, including a quantity of fuel purchased by the driver during the period, and a price paid for the purchased fuel. The purchase price is compared with the nominated price, and if the purchase price is higher than the nominated price, a refund is issued to the driver of at least a portion of the difference between the purchase price and the nominated price, for at least some of the quantity of fuel purchased. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296728 | Digital Media Content Delivery System - Digital media content is delivered while providing security and solution interoperability. A method for delivering digital content comprises receiving information relating to a user of a loyalty program, the information including a non-monetary balance of the user and a loyalty program status of the user, computing non-monetary prices for a plurality of digital content items based on a monetary value of each digital content item, the loyalty program, and the loyalty program status of the user, and transmitting for display on a user device information representing a digital marketplace, wherein the digital marketplace has been configured to match a look and feel of a loyalty program, and wherein the information representing the digital marketplace includes information relating to at least one digital content item and the information relating to at least one digital content item includes a non-monetary price of the digital content item. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296729 | Card for Locals - Preferred embodiments of a combination group couponing and member-only product discounting system and methods. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296730 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR GAMIFYING COUPON OFFERINGS - Techniques are provided which engage users and increase social interaction in group buying. Methods and systems may offer one or more discount coupons for sale in a plurality of geographic locations. The number of coupons sold in each geographic location may be determined, and the geographic locations where at least a predetermined minimum number of coupons have been sold may be selected. A discount amount for coupons sold in each of the selected geographic locations may be determined and set based at least in part on the number of coupons sold in each respective geographic location. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296731 | CREATING AN AFFINITY RELATIONSHIP - Embodiments of the invention receive an expression of interest for a benefactor from a user, propose creation of an affinity program associated with the benefactor to the user, and create an affinity program associated with the benefactor. Creating includes determining at least one triggering action for triggering a donation to the benefactor, determining at least one potential participant for the affinity program, and inviting the at least one potential participant to join the affinity program. Creating the affinity may also include proposing the affinity program to the benefactor and negotiating contractual terms on behalf of a program administrator, such as, by using an artificial intelligence engine. In some embodiments, creating the affinity also includes, in response to determining the number of expressions of interest from unique users surpasses a predetermined threshold, initiating the affinity program by inviting at least one of the unique users to join the program. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296732 | POINT OF SALE SYSTEM FOR RETAIL, HAVING AUTOMATIC INCLUSION OF PRICE REDUCTIONS IN A FLEXIBLE MANNER WHILE PROTECTING CUSTOMER DATA - The invention relates to a point of sale system comprising a point of sale device ( | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296733 | METHOD TO MONITOR AND REWARD THE USE OF A WEBSITE ACTIVITY BASED ON A REWARD SYSTEM - A method for monitoring and rewarding website activities based on a point reward system. The method for monitoring and rewarding a website activity includes the steps of creating a plurality of webpage links on the website, allocating a point value to each webpage link, tallying point values by navigating through at least one of the webpage links, the tallying is performed by a computer-readable program. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296734 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING A DISCOUNT - Systems and methods are provided for delivering a discount using a partner-issued currency or a combination of virtual currency and partner-issued currency, offering a high-perceived savings value to an end-user while maintaining the perception of product value. An embodiment of an inventive method includes presenting a display of a price paid by a consumer without access to the virtual currency along with a display of an amount payable by the end-user in actual currency in combination with an amount payable in virtual currency. The end-user perceives a benefit to using the virtual currency and since the price paid in actual currency is less than the displayed price to be paid by a consumer without access to the virtual currency. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296735 | UNIFIED METRIC IN ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN PERFORMANCE EVALUATION - The present invention provides techniques that include providing a unified metric for use in advertising campaign performance measurement and evaluation. An advertising campaign may include many aspects, such as portions associated with particular channels and service-providers. Different metrics may be used in measuring performance for particular channels, such as impressions, conversions, etc. Techniques are provided that translate performance of an overall campaign, as well as performance of particular aspects, into terms using a single unified metric measure. Unified metric measures can be used to easily compare campaigns and channels, whether of the same advertiser or against competitors campaigns. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296736 | Method and Apparatus for Transaction Tracking Over A Computer Network - An apparatus and a method for tracking transactions over a computer network is provided. An advertisement is provided to a user using a web client, such as a web browser, at a user node. The user selects the advertisement, e.g., by clicking on the advertisement, to request to an ad server for redirection to a transaction node associated with the advertisement. The ad server formats a cookie and provides to the user node. When the user requests a transaction after the redirection, the transaction node sends a transaction confirmation after performing the transaction. The transaction confirmation includes a command to record the transaction. In response to the command, the user node provides a query string and the cookie to the ad server for the transaction to be recorded. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296737 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DIVIDING AND TRADING EMISSION REDUCTION CREDITS BETWEEN LINKED WEBSITES AND ADVERTISERS - A method and system for dividing and trading of emission reduction credits between linked websites and advertisers is provided. A general emission reduction credit inventory and Portfolios with emission reduction credits can be created in a Sustainable Ad Network platform. The emission reduction credits of the inventory or Portfolios can be divided into micro emission reduction credits. A website or advertiser can be linked to the Sustainable Ad Network platform and a unique emission reduction credit account can be created for each linked website, advertiser or person. A sustainable advertisement can be associated to each linked website, and the sustainable advertisement can be placed on each linked website. When a person clicks, views, or interacts with a sustainable advertisement, micro emission reduction credits can be subtracted from the general emission reduction credits inventory, and added or credited to the emission reduction credit account of the website, advertiser or person. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296738 | Providing Customized Information to a User Based on Identifying a Trend - To provide customized information to the user, a wireless communications network node receives a stream of data associated with a user. A first trend associated with at least a first attribute in the stream of data is identified, and based on the identified first trend, customized information is sent for presentation to the user at a mobile station. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296739 | System For Selling Products Based On Product Collections Represented In Video - A system for marketing products to customers includes an Internet-connected server and software executing on the server from a non-transitory physical medium, the software providing display of links to one or more interactive video showcases; tracking consumer actions during video consumption of a video showcase; re-purposing focus of video content based on the results of the tracked consumer actions; redirecting consumers to a product description page based on consumer selection of a product during video consumption; and conducting one or more transactions through the portal relative to products selected for purchase by the consumers. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296740 | SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR SELECTIVELY IMPLEMENTING ENDORSEMENTS AND VERIFYING ENDORSEMENT COMPLIANCE - A system and method of implementing endorsements on mobile objects such that brands can recruit advertisers to promote their products and services in exchange for a reward. The method also allows for verification of compliance with the endorsement requirements submitted by the brands. Furthermore, the methods of the present invention allow for advertisers to solicit or approach brands whose services they want to promote. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296741 | CLOUD BASED ELECTRONIC WALLET - A payment system including a transaction server, a virtual wallet server (VWS), at least one point of sale device including a secure element and being operative to provide secure data communication of a purchaser wallet personal identification number (WPIN), but not purchaser payment particulars, to at least the VWS and at least one mobile communicator communicating a mobile communicator presence indicator (MCPI) but neither the purchaser WPIN nor the purchaser payment particulars to the at least one point of sale device. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296742 | ADVERTISING UTILIZING DEVICE-TO-DEVICE INTERACTIONS - Methods and systems for enabling an advertiser to utilize device-to-device interactions to track word-of-mouth advertising and to take advantage of differentiated pricing schemes based on a quantity of an item are provided. An advertisement is received on a first device, and the first device identifies a second device that is receptive to interaction. The first device interacts with the second device. Concurrently with the interaction, an advertisement identifier associated with the advertisement is communicated from the first device to the second device. The advertisement identifier enables the second device to receive the advertisement. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296743 | Method and System for Personalized Search Suggestions - Method, system, and programs for providing personalized suggest-as-you-type suggestions in response to a user search query wherein the personalized query suggestions are based on the user's past interactions with the system. The system is able to identify frequent queries issued by the user that result in the user clicking on the same universal resource locator. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296744 | CUSTOM STORES - A custom store web page uses an external administrator to provide configuration data for a custom store web page. The configuration data can include virtual bundles of products for sale. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296745 | USING A MEDIA CONTENT RECEIVER TO PROVIDE PROMOTIONAL INFORMATION TO A MOBILE DEVICE - A method of communicating promotional information to a mobile device begins by determining that a user of a media content receiver is likely to be interested in an advertised item. In response to the determination, the method obtains promotional information related to the advertised item, generates a message that includes the promotional information, and communicates the message from the media content receiver in a manner intended for wireless receipt by the mobile device. In certain situations, the message includes or identifies an electronic coupon for the advertised item, and the message is directly transmitted in a wireless format from the media content receiver to the mobile device. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296746 | TECHNIQUES TO AUTOMATICALLY SEARCH SELECTED CONTENT - Techniques to automatically search selected content are described. In some embodiments, a method to automatically search selected content may include receiving a user selection of one or more objects in a document, automatically performing a search of local content on one or more servers associated with the document based on the one or more selected objects and displaying results from the search in a window within the document wherein the user selection comprises a highlighting of the one or more objects and the search is performed automatically in response to the highlighting. Other embodiments are described and claimed. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296747 | METHOD, SYSTEM, APPARATUS, AND PROGRAM FOR DISPLAYING TARGETED ADVERTISEMENTS - A method, system, apparatus, and program for advertising in a web portal, such as an electronic document processing web portal, and displaying advertisements to users that are particularly tailored to the user. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296748 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AUTOMATED GENERATION OF COMMUNICATIONS INVOLVING PRODUCTS OR SERVICES - Methods and systems for preparing combined communications having a plurality of client communication sections is presented. Initial interest in a product or service offer is received from a client at a computer system. The computer system generates a communications that combine host information and one or more client communication sections, wherein the client communication sections contain a second offer for the product or service. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296749 | AUCTION-BASED SELECTION AND PRESENTATION OF POLLS TO USERS - A system and method for auction based polling is provided. Parameters related to a poll are received from a first user. Parameters related to a poll are received from a first user. A query is associated with the poll. A priority of the poll is determined based on the parameters. The poll is distributed to one or more second users according to the priority. Results to the poll are gathered. The results are reported to the first user. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296750 | POINT OF SALE COMPUTER SYSTEM DELIVERING COMPOSITED TWO- AND THREE-DIMENSIONAL IMAGES - A point of sale computer system that allows a customer to select and consummate a sale himself. The system may include graphics storage media configured to store two- and three-dimensional graphics data relating to the sale, as well as business rules storage media, configured to store business rules that specify the graphics that should be displayed during the selection and consummation process based on input received from the customer. The technology allows a presentation to be made to the customer that is entertaining and that maintains the attention of the customer throughout the sale selection and consummation process. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296751 | POINT OF SALE DEVICE FOR USE WITH A SHOPPING CART - A point of sale device for use with a shopping cart, the shopping cart having a basket for holding products, the basket having a bottom, and an upstanding sidewall extending from said bottom and defining open top. The point of sale device has a product detector for monitoring and validating the products in the basket, a control unit communicating with the product detector, the control unit having a user interface with a display screen, and an information detector communicating with the control unit for detecting product information and sending the product information to the control unit. The control unit communicates with the store's accounting/inventory system and has a calculator which calculates the cost of the products in the basket of the shopping cart using the product information and displays at least the cost of the products on the display screen. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296752 | Maintenance of a Company Profile of a Company Associated with a Supplier/Buyer Commerce Network - Embodiments for maintaining a company profile of a company associated with a supplier/buyer commerce network are disclosed. One method includes collecting activity information of the company. The collecting includes monitoring a plurality of databases that each maintains activity information associated with the company, assigning a unique identification for the company across the plurality of databases, exporting the activity information associated with the company from each of the plurality of databases, and aggregating the activity information. The method further includes updating the company profile with the aggregated activity information of the company. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296753 | Supplier/Buyer Commerce Network that Electronically Introduces Buyers and Suppliers - Embodiments for methods, systems and apparatuses of a supplier/buyer commerce network electronically introducing buyer and suppliers are disclosed. One computer-method includes electronically harvesting information related to characteristics of at least one of the buyers and anonymizing the harvested information. The anonymously harvested information is presented to a selected set of the suppliers, and a formation of a business relationship is facilitated between suppliers who express an interest in the at least one buyer. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296754 | Image Capture and Identification System and Process - A digital image of the object is captured and the object is recognized from plurality of objects in a database. An information address corresponding to the object is then used to access information and initiate communication pertinent to the object. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296755 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR SERVICE COMPOSITION IN A SERVICE E-MARKETPLACE - A method and a system for improving the selection of a group of services, in an exchange services environment, by a user of a telecommunication network. The following steps are comprised by the invention: defining a first set of requirements in a selection criteria manager module to be fulfilled by the services; performing a search among all services available, according to services functionalities defined in a service catalog and matching the first set of requirements; discarding services which do not fulfilled the first set of requirements; defining a second set of requirements in the selection criteria manager module, the second set of requirements indicates user preferences; assigning weights to the services taking into account the second set of requirements, data from an historical information module of previous selections of the user, data from a profile of the user with previous preferences; arranging all service combination according to the weights obtained, being the first one an optimal selection; storing the selection of the user at the historical information module. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296756 | COMPUTER APPLICATION FOR SWAPPING ITEMS WITHIN A USER CONTACT NETWORK - A computer application that interfaces with a known network to identify and notify users of opportunities to swap or trade items. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296757 | ITERATIVE AUCTION SYSTEM AND METHOD - A method, computer program product, and computing system for defining one or more auction parameters for an online auction. If it is determined that the one or more auction parameters were met, the online auction is initiated. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296758 | ITERATIVE AUCTION SYSTEM AND METHOD - A method, computer program product, and computing system for defining an entry fee for an online auction for an auctioned product. One or more users are registered for participation in the online auction. The entry fee is collected from each of the registered user, wherein payment of the entry fee is required to participate in the online auction. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296759 | ONLINE MARKET FOR RETAIL GOODS - Systems and methods are provided for creating a dynamic, exchange-like online market for retail goods. The online market receives quotations from a seller to sell a quantity of an item and buy orders from buyers to purchase the items. The price per item from each seller is calculated and the buyers are provided with a ranking of the available items. Furthermore, a buyer may request a ranking of resting sell orders or a seller may request a ranking of resting buy orders. Furthermore, the rankings provided to the buyers may be a function of both the quotations to sell from the seller of an item and available gift cards available. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296760 | ITERATIVE AUCTION SYSTEM AND METHOD - A method, computer program product, and computing system for initiating an online auction, wherein a defined quantity of users have registered to participate in the online action and the online auction includes a plurality of timed rounds. At the expiry of one of the plurality of timed rounds of the online auction, determining whether any additional rounds of the online auction need to be completed. If additional rounds of the online auction need to be completed, reducing the pool of registered users participating in the online action by a defined amount. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296761 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR GROUP BIDDING ACCORDING TO AN OVERALL GROUP BID - A system and method for group bidding in which the supplier accepts or rejects the bids of the group as a group according to at least the overall group bid of the group, without being allowed to select or remove individual user bids, and optionally based upon one or more other characteristics of the group. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296762 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR COMPETITIVE PRICING AND PROCUREMENT OF CUSTOMIZED GOODS AND SERVICES - An apparatus and method for selecting a vendor for a customized good or service, including receiving vendor attributes from the vendors and receiving invitation-for-bid data from the buyer defining a custom job. The invitation-for-bid-data is received through a web browser and is compared to the vendor's attributes based on at least one selection criterion to generate a vendor selection pool of vendors qualified to bid on the job. Vendors in the vendor selection pool receive a vendor's invitation-for-bid. A bid is received from at least one vendor. The lowest price bid is identified, the buyer is informed of the identity of the selected vendor, and solicited for approval of the selected vendor. Upon receipt of approval from the buyer, an order is issued to the selected vendor. The non-selected vendors in the selection pool are informed of the bid prices and of the selection results. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296763 | AUCTION METHOD AND SERVER - Provided are an auction method and server that enable a seller and bidders to determine the price of a product at their own discretion by enabling the bidders to participate in a bid between the lowest price offered by the seller and the highest price of the product, and give benefit to both the seller and successful bidders by applying the successful bid price of a lowest successful bidder to all the successful bidders as a sale price. The auction method includes maintaining, at an auction server, a database of a highest price of a specific product, a lowest price offered by a seller, and a successful bid rate, receiving, at the auction server, bidding information including bid prices for the specific product between the lowest price and the highest price from bidders, selecting, at the auction server, a lowest successful bidder from among the bidders in consideration of the successful bid rate and the bidding information when a predetermined bidding time elapses, and requesting, at the auction server, payment from all successful bidders using a successful bid price of the lowest successful bidder as a sale price on the basis of bidding information about the lowest successful bidder. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296764 | GENERATING A RECOMMENDATION - A method and an apparatus for communicating a recommended item to a user of a network-based transaction facility are described. The method comprises determining that the user has been unsuccessful in concluding a transaction pertaining to an item offered for sale via the network-based transaction facility, and in response to this determination, communicating information concerning a recommended item to the user over a network. The recommended item is available for purchase via the network-based transaction facility. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296765 | SYSTEM FOR SALES, PRICING, AND SOURCING SPONSORED MATERIALS TO TARGET MARKET - A system and method for providing customized or personalized memorabilia to end users, wherein the system allows the price for the customized or personalized memorabilia to be established by obtaining the lowest production costs from approved vendors, and further allowing such costs to be offset by any sponsorship underwriting of the memorabilia. The system further allows establishment of advertising to target demographic audiences by underwriting customized or personalized memorabilia orders and placing advertising indicia for the sponsor on or with the ordered customized or personalized memorabilia. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296766 | METHODS FOR SELECTING, ORDERING AND PURCHASING GLASS PRODUCTS - The present invention relates to a system, apparatus and method for facilitating the selection, purchasing and ordering glass products. The apparatus includes a processor which is controlled by software to facilitate a selection process which integrates the comparison of glass products and their properties, as well as, including particular properties of particular components of a glass product. The apparatus can work with a user input device and is programmed to display graphics associated with selections and potential selections for glass products. The system and method providing selection menus for display on a display device and an animation graphic associated with a selection presented to the user. The system, apparatus, and method integrates the glass product selection information, and makes selections for the user, based on the user's previous choices and specified target performances to present to the user potential glass products. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296767 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR GENERATING AN ALTERNATIVE PRODUCT RECOMMENDATION - A method and system for automatically generating a self-updating naturally-reading narrative product summary including assertions about a selected product. In one embodiment, the system and method includes evaluating an existing narrative product summary, comparing an existing attribute name, attribute value, attribute unit, and assertion model, respectively, to a current attribute name, attribute value, attribute unit, and assertion model to determine if one of the comparisons shows a change. The system and method further determines a new attribute associated with the selected product, selects an alternative product, retrieves a new assertion model with assertions that describe the selected product and identify an alternative product in a natural manner. The system and method then generates a naturally-reading narrative product summary by combining the new attribute with the new retrieved assertion model, and by combining the selected alternative product with another retrieved assertion model to recommend the selected alternative product in the narrative. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296768 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MOTIVATING CONSUMERS AWAY FROM IMPULSE SPENDING - A system includes a computer-implemented method of motivating users toward at least one constructive financial alternative to spending. The method includes receiving, at a server, from a user at a first consumer device, an initial configuration for at least one financial goal, wherein the configuration includes a goal name and a target amount representing a financial value associated with the at least one constructive financial alternative to spending; receiving, at the server, from the user at a second consumer device after the initial configuration is complete, an electronic command directing potential application of funds of a given amount benefiting the at least one financial goal, representing a choice from among a plurality of spending options integrated into the user's lifestyle and spending patterns. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296769 | SYSTEM AND METHOD OF INVENTORY MANAGEMENT - An order management system including a server including a processor, a network interface for communicating with at least one medical device having an associated plurality of consumables, data storage means for storing relationship information for each consumable, current inventory for each consumable, usage history for each consumable, and an order management module including program instructions that, when executed by the processor, are configured to calculate consumable order information based on the relationship information, current inventory, and usage history for each consumable. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296770 | ON-THE-GO SHOPPING LIST - Systems and methods for providing shopping-related information to a consumer are provided. Embodiments of the system allow a consumer to create an electronic shopping list by scanning products. In some embodiments, shopping-related information may be obtained for items in the shopping list, such as pricing information, product quality, consumer ratings, and other information that may help a consumer to make an informed purchasing decision. Other embodiments allow a consumer to obtain and compare retail prices offered by several retailers for products in the shopping list. Still other embodiments provide a store-wide network that allows a shopper to scan items in the store, add the scanned items to a shopping list, and then check-out electronically. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296771 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR FILTERING IMAGE DATA AND USE THEREOF IN VIRTUAL ENDOSCOPY - A method for filtering image data having at least three types of distinct regions from a selected type of region, each of the at least three types of distinct regions being characterized by a plurality of unitary image elements, the method comprising providing the image data; selecting a portion of the image data comprising at least a corresponding portion of each of the at least three types of regions; determining at least one distribution for each of the at least three types of regions in the selected portion; determining at least one function for associating each unitary image element of the selected type of region in the selected portion to another type of region of the at least three types of regions such that the at least one distribution of the selected type of regions in the selected portion is transposed into a corresponding distribution of the another type of region; and applying the at least one function to each unitary image element of the selected type of region of the selected portion to thereby provide filtered image data. Applications of the method for suppressing tagged material in virtual colonoscopy are also disclosed. | 2012-11-22 |
| 20120296772 | Online Purchasing System Supporting Lenders With Affordability Screening - A method and system for comparing a plurality of financing options to facilitate the purchase and finance of products offered for sale. The method or system may include a credit application that, once completed, is analyzed. The method or system may also communicate whether the credit application has been approved. | 2012-11-22 |
