48th week of 2011 patent applcation highlights part 61 |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20110295645 | SERVICE DELIVERY MANAGEMENT FOR BROKERED SERVICE DELIVERY - A broker consumer gateway may interface with a service consumer of a computing device consuming at least one service of at least one service provider, including receiving requests for forms, providing the forms, and receiving submitted forms. A service delivery manager may deliver the at least one service. The service delivery manager may include a consumer session manager that creates at least one consumer session to execute at least a portion of the at least one service, a consumer instance manager that creates at least one instance of the at least one service, and a service coordinator configured to coordinate the delivery of the at least one service, based on a coordination model characterizing the at least one service in which the forms are associated with service states of the at least one service and in which transitions between the service states are executed based on the submitted forms. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295646 | SERVICE DELIVERY MANAGEMENT FOR BROKERED SERVICE DELIVERY OF SERVICE GROUPS - A broker consumer gateway may interface with a service consumer of a computing device consuming a service group including at least two asynchronously executing services, including receiving requests for forms, providing the forms, and receiving submitted forms. A service delivery manager may execute delivery of the service group to the service consumer. The service delivery manager may include a service coordinator that coordinates the delivery of the service group, based on a coordination model characterizing the service group in which the forms are associated with service states of the at least two services of the service group, and in which transitions between the service states are executed based on the submitted forms. The service delivery manager may include a service group manager that identifies synchronization states within the coordination model at which it is allowable for the service delivery manager to alter a group level attribute of the service group. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295647 | MANUFACTURING PLAN DRAWING-UP SYSTEM AND METHOD - Planning items necessary for the evaluation of a manufacturing capability in a production line are categorized from process routes of operation achievement information for every ordered product, so that operation time per process unit is calculated. Thereupon the similarity of the process routes of the categorized planning items to those of an ordered product is evaluated, the planning items are allocated to the ordered product, and different product operation time is set up for every specification, so that a manufacturing capability of a production line is precisely evaluated to make a production plan. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295648 | Computer and Computer Program for Evaluating the Sales Force Effectiveness of a Selected Business - A computer for evaluating the sales force effectiveness of a selected business includes a processor, a data communication device operatively connected to the processor and computer readable memory operatively connected to the processor and storing a program. The program comprises code adapted to calculate a final score representing the sales force effectiveness of the selected business by calculating the difference between the sales force effectiveness score of the selected business and a sales force effectiveness benchmark score which it also calculates. Also provided are computer executable steps for evaluating the sales force effectiveness of a selected business. Finally provided is a computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein, the computer readable program code adapted to be executed to implement a method for evaluating the sales force effectiveness of a selected business. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295649 | AUTOMATIC CHURN PREDICTION - Churn prediction is performed by monitoring quality of service levels provided to customers. A time in which the customer is due to either churn or renew his agreement with the service provider may be monitored or computed. Machine learning methods may be utilized to determine a probability of churn based on historic data. Based upon the determination an output to retention personnel may be provided and an improved offer may be made to customers that are deemed in risk of churning. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295650 | Analyzing merchandise information for messiness - Analyzing merchandise information includes: receiving merchandise information input by a user; analyzing the merchandise information, including at least obtaining values corresponding to one or more characteristic attributes from the merchandise information, wherein the values corresponding to one or more characteristic attributes are used to determine whether the merchandise information is messy; determining a messiness confidence level associated with the merchandise information based at least in part on the obtained values corresponding to one or more characteristic attributes; and determining whether the messiness confidence level associated with the merchandise information exceeds a preset threshold value; in the event that the messiness confidence level exceeds the preset threshold value, sending an indication to stop publication of the merchandise information and in the event that the messiness confidence level does not exceed the preset threshold value, not sending an indication to stop publication of the merchandise information. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295651 | MESH PLATFORM UTILITY COMPUTING PORTAL - A utility computing portal supports public and private modules for application development in a cloud computing environment. The public modules support downloads, customer support and access to a development community. The private modules are accessible to users with valid login credentials or those authenticated via a related entity, such as a Live ID. The private modules may include modules for testing, analysis, and billing. The utility computing portal also supports access to application configuration, for example, allowing a manager to change the number of front end and backend physical/virtual machines available to various application roles. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295652 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR DEMONSTRATING AND APPLYING PRODUCTIVITY GAINS - The difference between estimated costs predicted for performing a first workscope and actual costs for performing the first workscope is determined. The model used to generate the estimated costs is adjusted to compensate for the difference, resulting in an improved model. Before beginning a second scope of work that is comparable to the first workscope, the improved model is used to predict estimated costs and a price for the second workscope. The estimated costs for the second workscope include predicted productivity gains. The price for the second workscope can be reduced relative to the price for the first workscope as a result of the improved model and the predicted productivity gains. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295653 | METHOD, COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT, AND COMPUTER FOR MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND OPERATING CONTROL (MSOC) CAPABILITY MATURITY MODEL (CMM) - A method is provided for assessing implementation of Management System and Operating Control (MSOC) by an organization. Matrixes for key process areas of the MSOC are displayed. Each matrix corresponds to one key process area, and each of the key process areas includes different goals for assessing implementation of the MSOC. Input from an assessor is received in each of the matrixes, and the input assesses the different goals of the key process areas of the MSOC implementation. Based on the input in each of the matrixes, a corresponding score is individually calculate for each of the key process areas of the MSOC, and each of the key process areas has its own corresponding score. Maturity levels are individually determined for each of the key process areas of the MSOC based on the corresponding score. The maturity levels are displayed for each of the key process areas. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295654 | CUSTOMER-LEVEL MACRO BUSINESS PERFORMANCE MONITORING - Embodiments of the invention relate to systems, methods, and computer program products for client/customer-centric macro (e.g., business-wide) monitoring of business performance and determination of business-wide customer impact trends associated with the client's/customer's composite relationship with the business. Additionally, embodiments provide for determining customer impact trends at other levels of the business relationship, such as at business unit/line of business levels, product/service levels and the like. Based on the determined customer impact trends, further determinations may be made regarding whether alerts are warranted based on the trends, and generating and communicating the alerts if warranted. Determining business-wide customer impact trends provides for the business to identify problems or potential problems that may adversely impact the global relationship between the overall client entity and the business implementing the performance monitoring system. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295655 | INFORMATION PROCESSING SYSTEM AND INFORMATION PROCESSING DEVICE - A terminal includes a sensor for detecting a physical quantity and a data transmitting unit for transmitting data representing the physical quantity to a processing device. An input/output device includes an input unit for receiving an input of data representing a productivity relating to the person wearing the terminal and a data transmitting unit for transmitting the data representing the productivity to the processing device. The processing device includes a feature value extracting unit for extracting a feature value from the data representing the physical quantity, a conflict calculating unit for determining items of data bringing about conflict from the data representing the productivity, and a coefficient-of-influence calculating unit for calculating a degree of the correlation between the feature value and the items of the data bringing about conflict. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295656 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING BALANCED SCORECARD BASED ON A BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE SERVER - A scorecard application can support business strategy management using a business intelligence (BI) server. The BI server can take inputs from different data sources. The scorecard application can define an internal data structure that holds a plurality of strategy components and one or more key performance indicators (KPIs). Then, the scorecard application can populate each said strategy component in the internal data structure based on the inputs from the different data sources, and perform one or more actions once an alert is triggered, wherein the alert is triggered when a said KPI meets one or more criteria. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295657 | TEST-WEIGHTED VOTING - The object of the invention is to provide a method of voting whereby votes are weighted by voters' score on a test. Say officials are not sufficiently science-minded. Votes for officials are weighted with the scores of voters on tests which could be mostly from high school algebra where good grades enable students to go on to science and engineering. This weighted vote reveals the science-quality problem-solving ability, or lack, of candidates, and so more science-minded officials are elected. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295658 | COLLECTING MEDIA DATA DESCRIPTIVE OF A PRODUCT - A crowd-sourcing system performs a method that includes generating a request that a user provide candidate media data to the crowd-sourcing system. The candidate media is descriptive of a product, and the request includes information about the product. The crowd-sourcing system transmits the request to a user system and receives the candidate media data from the user system. The crowd-sourcing system selects the candidate media data as stock media data for the product. The selection of the candidate media data may be based on a selection criterion, such as a grade of the candidate media data determined by the crowd-sourcing system. The crowd-sourcing system provides a reward to the user based on the selecting of the candidate media data as the stock media data for the product. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295659 | SYSTEM OF DELIVERING ADVERTISEMENTS VIA WIRELESS NETWORK - A system for delivering advertisements is provided. The system comprises a server, an active device, and an inactive device. The server is configured to store an advertising message. The active device is coupled to the server and configured to receive the advertising message. The active device receives the advertising message from the server upon occurrence of an event. The inactive device is coupled to the server. The inactive device is substantially similar to the active device. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295660 | METHOD FOR PROCESSING MOBILE ADVERTISEMENT - Disclosed herein is a mobile advertisement processing method. The method is performed by a mobile terminal and an advertisement server connected over a network to an application server for providing an application. An advertisement to be exposed on the application and an advertisement completion condition are set. Advertisement data to be played on the application is provided in response to a request of the application run in the mobile terminal. Notification of whether the user has recognized the advertisement is received through the application, and exposures of the advertisement are totalized. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295661 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR ANALYZING USER PREFERENCES TO DYNAMICALLY IDENTIFY REMOTELY LOCATED MEDIA FOR LOCAL ACCESS - A method enables analyzing user preferences to dynamically identify remotely located media for local access. The method includes accessing, by a media selection component executing on a first computing device, an identification of a type of media preferred by a user local to a second computing device. The method includes identifying, by the media selection component, remotely located media of the type preferred by the user. The method includes providing, by a media player executing on the second computing device, local access to the identified remotely located media. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295662 | Local Payment Collection and Information Management Apparatus and Method - An apparatus for collecting payments and managing information, which allows for a payment to be made when the payee is not present and makes a record of the same, and a method is provided. The apparatus comprises a payer interface, a system for receiving payments, a secure lock box for storing payments, and a system for retaining and retrieving information. The payer identifies the payment to be made, enters the type of payment and the amount and submits the payment, which is scanned. The information entered or scanned is stored in a database. The apparatus securely stores the payment and issues a receipt with payment information and images of the payment made. The payee may access the database records and obtain the payments at a later time. The apparatus allows low-income payers, who may not have access to bank accounts or credit cards, to submit cash payments when the payee is unavailable. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295663 | Environment-Responsive Advertising System and Method - An environment-responsive system and method delivers advertisements to advertisement recipients in accordance with monitored usage behaviors and environment conditions local to the advertisement recipients. The advertisement recipients may interact with the advertisement delivery system so as to, for example, obtain additional information about the advertisement, including an explanation of why the advertisement recipient received the advertisement. Advertising fees may be processed based on advertisement recipient responses to the advertisements. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295664 | Dynamically-Assembled Advertisement System and Method - A dynamically-assembled advertisement system and method dynamically generates advertisements from advertisement components based on inferences of preferences from usage behaviors. Personalization features of the dynamically assembled advertisements include applying people and locales that are familiar to advertisement recipients within the advertisements, as well as including the recommendation recipient within the context of a product promoted by the advertisement. Advertising fees may be processed based on personalization features and advertisement recipient responses to the advertisements. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295665 | Subscription-Based Community Advertising System and Method - A subscription-based community advertising system and method delivers advertisements to system users that are members of computer-implemented communities in which the users subscribe to objects representing other users. The delivered advertisements may be generated in accordance with inferences of preferences from usage behaviors. The advertisements may be personalized, including making reference to other users, and explanations for why the advertisement was delivered may be provided. Advertising fees may be processed based advertisement recipient responses to the advertisements. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295666 | OPERATIONAL MANAGEMENT OF MULTI-MEDIA GAMING DEVICES - Operational management of a multi-media system includes assessing end user performance with respect to operation of a multi-media device in the multi-media system. Upon determining a performance value derived from assessment of the end user performance exceeds a pre-defined threshold value, the operational management further includes identifying accommodation options that specify modifications to the operation of the multi-media device and/or operations of another multi-media device in the multi-media system that is engaged in a media activity concurrent with the end user of the multi-media device. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295667 | Interactive advertising System - A system and computerized process for interactive display of advertisements is contemplated. The computerized process is embodied by online software that enables end users to voluntarily view and interact with an advertisement. Incentives may be offered for interacting with the advertisement. The incentives may relate to data transmission parameters such as data transmission rate. The incentives may be based on a monitored level of interaction by a user with the advertisement. Upon acceptance and/or interaction with the advertisement the transmission rate of the file may be increased up to the limit of the bandwidth otherwise available to the user. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295668 | MANAGEMENT OF ADVERTISING RELATED DATA ON NETWORKED MOBILE COMPUTING DEVICES - The present invention discloses a method for managing advertising related data over a distributed computer network, wherein the method includes receiving from an advertiser at least one data record defining a coupon and target data specifying demographics for targeting the coupon. The method further includes receiving from the consumers identifying data, demographic data and purchase preference data and providing to each consumer a coupon based on the demographic data, preference data and target data. The method further includes entering the consumers in a sweepstakes and receiving validation notices confirming that a plurality of coupons was utilized by a subset of the consumers at the advertiser via a purchase. The method further includes receiving from an advertiser a request to view aggregate data representing coupon provision and coupon validation and generating a data record including aggregate data representing coupon provision and coupon validation according to demographic data. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295669 | Internet-Assisted Systems and Methods for Building a Customer Base for Musicians - Method for building a customer base for a musician, comprising offering a discount on food or drinks at a venue where a musician plays or has played a piece of music to a listener who hears or has heard the piece of music of the musician, the discount is to be in exchange for the listener providing a rating of the piece of music of the musician or the listener providing a rating of the musician, accepting a rating by the listener of the piece of music of the musician or a rating by the listener of the musician. Optionally, offering at least one song of the musician for purchase to the listener who rated the piece of music or offering a song of the musician for purchase to the listener who rated the musician. Optionally, wherein the at least one song of the musician comprises the piece of music. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295670 | ADAPTABLE RETAIL PRICING ENVIRONMENT AND ELECTRONIC EXCHANGE, DELIVERING CUSTOMIZED BUYER PROMOTION REWARDS AND DISCOUNTS - An individualized discount and reward server includes one or more linked databases storing customer data including at least one retailer account and purchase history associated with the customer. The server including a processor to allocate at least one customized offer to the retailer account using at least the purchase history associated with the customer, the at least one customized offer including a loyalty adjustment changing a general market price point of a retail product in accordance with a competitor price. The processor further displays to the customer, via the interface, a display page including the at least one customized offer and an option for selection of the at least one customized offer. The processor also updates, upon reception of the customer input indicating selection of the at least one customized offer, the retailer account to indicate selection of the at least one customized offer. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295671 | ADAPTABLE RETAIL PRICING ENVIRONMENT AND ELECTRONIC EXCHANGE, DELIVERING CUSTOMIZED BRAND SWITCHING REWARDS AND DISCOUNTS - An individualized discount and reward server including one or more linked databases to store customer data associated with a loyalty program of a retailer, where the customer data including at least one retailer account and purchase history associated with a customer. The server further includes a processor to select a brand associated with an allocation category and determine an amount the customer spends on the allocation category. The processor determines a likelihood of brand switching indicating a likelihood of the customer purchasing the selected brand according to the purchase history associated with the customer. The processor also allocates one or more brand switching offers for the selected brand to the at least one retailer account associated with the customer for the selected brand based on at least the amount the customer spends on the allocation category and the likelihood of brand switching. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295672 | METHODS AND A SYSTEM FOR DETECTING FRAUD IN BETTING AND LOTTERY GAMES - In one embodiment of the invention, a method to detect fraud includes a) receiving by the computer system from a source information regarding a plurality of played coupons for at least one game, wherein the plurality of played coupons comprises at least one first coupon; b) populating by the computer system a two-dimensional array for each played game from the received information, wherein the at least one two-dimensional array holds aggregated game statistics, c) storing by the computer system the at least one two-dimensional array with in a data structure; d) scanning, using the received information for the at least one first coupon, by the computer system the at least one data structure to identify at least one abnormal pattern; and e) generating, when the at least one abnormal pattern is identified, by the computer system an alert prior to a payout on the at least one first coupon. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295673 | RESTRICTED USE CONSUMER COUPON AND METHOD USING SAME - A computer system ( | 2011-12-01 |
20110295674 | System and method for redemption of awards by award program participants - A system and method for maximizing airline award program participant's use of the accumulated award miles even in light of mileage shortfalls for the redemption of mileage awards is described. The system and method not only a benefit to the award program participant, but also provides financial benefits to the airline offering the award program, and these financial benefits are ones that the airline would not ordinarily obtain. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295675 | LOYALTY PRESENTATION, METHOD AND SYSTEM - Methods and systems are presented for sending an update to a customer's loyalty program account through a credit card authorization response message as well as sending the update by SMS, MMS, or other electronic message to the customer's mobile phone or device. The electronic message can allow the user to switch between the type of loyalty points to be accrued as well as offer coupons and other incentives for further purchase. Store returns can update loyalty points and result in update messages as well. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295676 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR RECOGNIZING COMPACT DISCS AND ISSUING CORRESPONDING CREDITS - For possible use in an electronic content distribution system, automatic recognition of compact discs or other storage media containing particular content, and corresponding account crediting is described. In an electronic content distribution system, such as those providing music available by digital downloading or streaming technologies, a user may ordinarily pay a full price to receive the music. A user who possesses and apparently owns a compact disc containing particular content can be conveniently offered a discount or credit usable towards the purchase of the analogous particular content in a form provided by the electronic content distribution system. Preferably, compact discs are uniquely identified by determining whether their digital fingerprint matches a known reference fingerprint for a compact disc containing the particular content. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295677 | EVENT-BASED AD TARGETING - Embodiments of the present invention enable an advertiser to target ads to users based on occurrences of events that may influence the purchasing behavior of the users. The advertiser may specify an event to be used in targeting an ad. The event's region of influence is determined, and ads are targeted to users that are located within the region of influence. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295678 | Expanding Ad Group Themes Using Aggregated Sequential Search Queries - Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for creating ad groups based on sequential search queries are disclosed. A seed ad group theme can be selected. Aggregated sequential search queries can be obtained from a seed search query having identical terms as the seed ad group theme. The aggregated sequential search queries can be used as additional ad group themes for generating new ad groups. Keywords can be selected for each new ad groups based on one or more performance criteria. Performance of ad groups and keywords and changes in aggregated sequential search queries can be monitored for subsequent ad group creation, removal, and dynamic tuning. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295679 | PRESENTING CONTENT PACKAGES BASED ON AUDIENCE EXCLUSION - The present technology maintains a profile for each user known to a content delivery system and selectively excludes delivery of certain content to some users based on past performance. The user profile includes a listing of all completed conversion actions associated with the invitational content presented to the user. When presented with a request for invitational content, the system identifies the set of all possible invitational content for the given context. Based on the user profile, the system removes from the set all invitational content for which the user has completed the associated conversion action to create a user-specific set of invitational content. The system selects an invitational content from the user-specific set of invitational content to include in the content package presented to the user. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295680 | Single Conversion Advertisements - This specification describes technologies relating to content presentation. In general, one aspect of the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in methods that include the actions of receiving ad information from a seller; generating, using one or more processors, a single conversion ad using the received ad information, where the single conversion ad has an available inventory of one such that only a single conversion of the ad can be performed; transmitting the single conversion ad to one or more potential buyers; receive an input from one of the one or more potential buyers; and notifying the seller of the user input. Other embodiments of this aspect include corresponding systems, apparatus, and computer program products. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295681 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CONTENT AND APPLICATION SERVING MECHANISM - A method and system for content and application serving mechanism is disclosed. According to one embodiment, a tiered campaign is created that contains a plurality of advertisements. The plurality of advertisements is served in one or more sections of a web browser. Each of the assignments is assigned with a priority and preferences and served to the web browser based on the assigned preferences and priorities. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295682 | OPTIMIZED SEARCH RESULT COLUMNS ON SEARCH RESULTS PAGES - Computer-implemented system and methods are disclosed for optimizing the relative positions of sponsored and organic search results on a search results page displayed to a user, including calculating, by a search engine, a degree of commerciality of a search query; receiving the search query from a user by the search engine; and delivering, by the search engine to a browser of a user, a plurality of sponsored search results in at least two columns and a plurality of organic search results in at least a third column of one or more search results pages, wherein a layout of the at least three columns depends on the degree of commerciality of the search query. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295683 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR RAPID AND SCALEABLE DIRECTED ADVERTISTING SERVICE - A method and apparatus for selecting a subset of advertisements complying with an advertisement request from a set of advertisements is disclosed. Advertisements rules are specified according to a logical semantic simplifying search combinatorials yet allowing for flexible specification of advertising rules, and permitting significant precomputation of advertising rules to permit rapid identification of advertisements complying with advertisement requests. In one embodiment, advertisement rules and requests are represented as easily manipulable and computable bit arrays. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295684 | METHOD AND SERVER FOR MANAGING ADVERTISEMENTS - A method and server for managing advertisements are provided. The method and server attract a searcher's attention by a contest among a plurality of items extracted in relation to a search word, give a predetermined benefit according to contest ranks, and provide an advertisement of an advertiser supporting the benefit to the searcher, thereby maximizing advertising effects. The method includes receiving, at a receiver of an advertisement managing server, a search word input by a searcher, providing, at a contest space provider of the advertisement managing server, a contest space to the searcher to hold a contest among a plurality of items related to the search word and including link information, determining, at a contest rank determiner of the advertisement managing server, contest ranks of the items in consideration of the number of links, providing, at a benefit provider of the advertisement managing server, a benefit corresponding to the determined contest ranks, and providing, at an advertisement provider of the advertisement managing server, an advertisement of an advertiser supporting provision of the benefit to the searcher. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295685 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR TRANSMITTING AND ADVERTISING COMPANY INFORMATION - An advertisement method that transfers company information and a system to perform the method are provided. The company information transferring advertisement system includes a page display unit to display company information and a company information transfer icon on a content page, an information transfer unit to transfer the company information to a destination when the company information transfer icon is selected, and a charge unit to charge the company with a transfer fee for the company information. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295686 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAINTAINING ADVERTISING LOGIC - A method and apparatus for tracking electronic advertisements for use with an electronic device and an ad server, the method comprising the steps of providing an ad client on the electronic device, modifying at least one ad reference such that a modified ad reference includes the ad client on an ad-link path, storing the modified ad reference on the electronic device, when an ad request is received from an application, the ad client providing the modified ad reference to the application, receiving an ad fetch request at the ad client directed along the ad-link path from the application and performing a function at the ad client in response to the fetch request. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295687 | Per-User Predictive Profiles for Personalized Advertising - Described is using per-user profile data (e.g., maintained in a browser cookie) as a factor in selecting advertisements to be presented to a user for a current context such as containing query keywords. For example, an advertiser may be willing to bid more if the current context's keywords match the user profile data that indicates a particular area of interest to the user and advertiser. Also described is updating the per-user profile data with the current context if doing so increases the expected utility of the per-user profile data, e.g., increases the predicted amount of revenue from advertisement clicking. Also described is other advertisement personalization based upon the per-user profile data, e.g., the ranking and/or appearance of the advertisements. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295688 | DEFINING USER INTENT - Methods and computer-readable media are provided for defining user intent so that user intent can be determined and advertisements and other information can be provided to a user based on that user's intent. A topical expression is identified and is associated with attributes and actions. Actions indicate steps that can be performed to achieve a task associated with the topical expression. An intent structure is then generated. The intent structure illustrates a relationship between the identified topical expression and other topical expressions. User data may then be received and mapped to the intent structures to determine present and future user intent. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295689 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS TO MODIFY ADVERTISING AND CONTENT DELIVERED OVER THE INTERNET - A method for presenting tailored content to a user, comprising: presenting a central coordinating interface to a client; Generating a portion of client specific computer code, including a unique site identification token for a client site and at least one operating parameter; Integrating the client specific computer code into the client site, serving at least one user the client site having integrated client specific computer code therein and giving the option to download an end-user application; Sending a request with at least one request parameter when a user selects to download the end-user application; Processing the request parameters and the operating parameters to dynamically generate an end-user application; providing the end-user application to the user, which presents tailored content to the user according to at least one of detail, request parameter and operating parameter. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295690 | PROVIDING INFORMATION TO POTENTIAL PURCHASERS ELECTRONICALLY - In a electronic curbside information system, a seller is provided with an electronic “seller unit” that can be placed in physical proximity to a display, usually an advertising sign. Potential buyers carry “buyers units” usually in the form of smart phones in which an application is downloaded and stored. The buyer unit is programmed to communicate with the seller unit and store a unique identification associated with the seller unit. In a “profile server”, accessible over a public global communications network, the unique identification of each seller unit is associated with detailed product information, and is accessible directly by the buyer unit if the buyer unit can gain access to the global network. Alternatively, the identification stored in the buyer unit can be transferred to the buyer's personal computer, which can then communicate over the global network with the profile server and download the product details. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295691 | RADIO RECEIVER BASED GREETING CARD SYSTEM - A method and system for providing location-based advertising and location-based greeting through a radio receiver based greeting is disclosed. The system for providing location-based advertising comprises a greeting card having at least one surface, a radio receiver coupled to the surface, an information module coupled to the radio receiver, and a power source coupled to at least one of the radio receiver and the information module. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295692 | Method of Using Location Information for Advertising System Based on 3-Dimensional Shapes - A method of delivering an advertisement to an electronic communications device via an electronic communications network includes obtaining, via the electronic communications network, a location of an electronic communications device, the location of the device corresponding to a longitude, a latitude, and an altitude of the communications device, accessing a database of advertisements, each advertisement in the database having an associated three-dimensional geographic region, identifying at least one advertisement in the database such that the location of the electronic communications device is within the associated three-dimensional geographic region of the advertisement, and delivering the advertisement to the electronic communications device via the electronic communications network. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295693 | Generating Tailored Content Based On Scene Image Detection - A method for generating tailored content for a user based on analyzing images of a scene is provided. Images from a scene captured by a capture device of a target recognition and analysis system are received. The images are analyzed to detect one or more brand identifiers in the images. In an embodiment, the brand identifiers include symbols or words identifying a brand, product or service associated with the brand identifier. The detected brand identifiers are compared to one or more known brand identifiers and user preference information is assigned to the detected brand identifiers based on the comparison. Tailored content is generated for the user based on the user preference information. The tailored content is rendered on a display device to the user. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295694 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AN INDIVIDUAL DATA MARKETPLACE AND MONETIZATION - A platform or marketplace for individual users to store, control, maintain ownership over, and monetize data related to themselves and their activities. The platform or marketplace facilitates company offers, such as product offers from producers, to members on mutually agreeable contract terms, facilitating mass connection of individual users. The platform or marketplace facilitates protected communication, third part advertising, member payment, and various other functions related to user data ownership and individual monetization. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295695 | INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS, INFORMATION PROCESSING METHOD, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An information processing apparatus includes a receiving unit configured to receive a utilization request for one of plural services provided by a computer; a service attribute information storage unit configured to store service attribute information of each of the services, the service attribute information including information indicating a type of the service and information indicating an evaluation of a content of the service; and a service recommending unit configured to search the service attribute information storage unit for the service attribute information corresponding to the type of the requested service, and determine a utilization-recommended service based on the evaluation information in the service attribute information retrieved from the service attribute information storage unit. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295696 | Personalized Advertising for Gesture Monitoring Systems - A computer-implemented personalized advertising system and method delivers dynamically generated advertisements to users of gesture-monitoring systems. The personalized advertisements are based, at least in part, on monitored behaviors, and personalization features of the advertisements include depicting the user in the context of promoted products, as well as including people and/or locales familiar to the advertisement recipient in the advertisement. Fees may be processed in accordance with advertiser selection of personalization features. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295697 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR RENDERING CONTENT ON THE EXTERIOR OF A VEHICLE - One embodiment includes a display system for use on the exterior of a vehicle having a display, a vehicle speed sensor, and a processor coupled to the vehicle speed sensor. The processor is configured to implement one of three operational modes of the display system based on the speed and state of the vehicle: a first operational mode, wherein a first content, including identification and/or registration information of the vehicle is rendered on the display at a first power consumption level; a second operational mode, wherein a second content, including a message, identification and/or registration information of the vehicle, is rendered on the display; and a third operational mode, wherein content is rendered on the display at a second power consumption level less than the first power consumption level. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295698 | VIRTUAL-WORLD AVATAR-BASED ADVERTISING WITH GESTURES AND PREDETERMINED PAYMENTS - A technique for advertising in a virtual-world includes installing an advertising gesture in an inventory of a user that has an associated avatar. The user is credited with a predetermined payment when the associated avatar performs the advertising gesture and the associated avatar is viewable on-screen when the advertising gesture is performed. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295699 | Gesture-Responsive Advertising Process - A gesture-responsive advertising process provides advertising fee processing for advertisements delivered on a gesture-responsive system. Fees are associated with advertisement recipient behaviors that are made in response to receipt of an advertisement. These behaviors include oral and gestural-based communications, and include requesting more information, requesting location-based information, and providing feedback on the advertisement. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295700 | Auctioning Segmented Avails - Various embodiments enable auctioning of segmented advertisement insertion opportunities, e.g., segmented avails, associated with distributed content. In at least some embodiments, bids from advertisers to place advertisements in conjunction with a segmented avail are obtained. The bids that are obtained can have different durations (e.g., 60, 30, 15 seconds) that can be selectively enabled by a segmented avail in various combinations to fill a total duration of the segmented avail. Ranking criteria and/or logic can be applied to rank the bids one to another. In at least some embodiments, the bids are ranked within groups corresponding to different time durations. Bids can be allocated to the segmented avail by testing one or more combinations of the bids and selecting a winning combination based at least in part upon a sum of the ranks associated with bids in the combination. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295701 | WEB-BASED SYSTEM AND METHOD TO IMPLEMENT DIGITAL OUT-OF-HOME ADVERTISEMENTS - A method and apparatus are disclosed to implement digital out-of-home advertisements. The method includes logging in an advertisement system. The method also includes starting an advertisement campaign. In addition, the method includes searching for locations where advertisements can be shown. The method further includes selecting and purchasing advertisement space. Furthermore, the method includes creating an advertisement from ad templates, and uploading and submitting the advertisement to an appropriate advertising network for display. In addition, the method includes managing information related to the advertisement campaign, and proof of play. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295702 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MANAGING AND LINKING USER ACCOUNTS - A method and system for managing and linking user accounts is disclosed. According to one embodiment, a first user sends a request for account linking containing a username of a second user. The request is sent to the second user, and in response to the request, the second user approves or denies the request from the first user. The approval or denial response is sent back to the first user. With the approval from the second user, the first user and the second user are linked, and the first user and the second user are allowed to share access to web pages, content, ads and/or revenue based on performance of the second user and/or the first user. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295703 | Gesture-Responsive Advertising System and Method - A gesture-responsive system and method delivers interactive advertisements to advertisement recipients in accordance with monitored gestures and/or other behaviors, including other bodily movements. The advertisement recipient may interact with the advertisement delivery system so as to obtain additional information about the advertisement or to provide feedback, and the interactions may include gestural or oral-based interactions. Explanations of why the advertisement recipient received the advertisement may be generated and delivered by the system. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295704 | Techniques for assisted self checkout - Techniques for assisted self checkout are provided. Customers or store personnel use scan devices that are independent of a self-checkout kiosk as they shop in a store to scan goods that are to be purchased. The transactions are independent of any particular checkout terminal. When the customer is ready to checkout, the customer approaches a checkout station and the transaction for the customer is located and recalled. The customer completes payment at the station to end the transaction and exit the store. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295705 | SECONDARY MARKET FOR GIFT CARDS WHERE SECONDARY MARKET TRANSACTIONS DO NOT PHYSICALLY TRANSFER THE SAME GIFT CARD BETWEEN A SELLER AND A PURCHASER - A secondary entity can purchase a gift card from a card holder. The secondary entity can extract complete information including identification and access information from the gift card and store this information on a database. The physical artifact of the gift card can then be optionally discarded or recycled. This information including the credit value can then be sold independent of the physical artifact (e.g., original gift card object) within the secondary market. When sold, the specific information for the original gift card is extracted from the database and programmed into a new artifact (i.e., blank gift card), which may be at a different location as the original gift card. For example, the credit value can be made accessible from a different physical artifact, which can be physically conveyed to a value purchaser. This different physical artifact can be utilized in the same manner as the original gift card. In one embodiment, the secondary entity can be remunerated for facilitating the transactions between the card holder and the value purchaser. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295706 | ONLINE PAY-PER-USE SYSTEM AND METHOD - Aspects of the invention may involve systems, methods, and computer readable medium. In an embodiment of the invention, a computer-implemented method for paying for usage of a pay per use device may be provided. The method may transmit device identification information from the device to a server. Device setup information and vend price may be received and the vend price may be displayed. User identification may be received and transmitted to the server. An account balance value may be received and displayed on the display. A start request may be received and transmitted to the server. The device may start and an updated account balance may be displayed. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295707 | METHOD, SYSTEM, AND DEVICE FOR IMPLEMENTING NETWORK BANKING SERVICE - In the field of communications, a method, a system, and devices for implementing a network banking service are provided. The method includes: after an agent device establishes a connection with a Point Of Sale (POS) device, the agent device performs identification with the POS device; after successful identification, the agent device performs authentication with the POS device; after successful authentication, the agent device establishes a connection with a network banking server according to a preset address of the network banking server through wireless access to the Internet; and the agent device forwards network banking service data between the POS device and the network banking server, thereby implementing the network banking service. Therefore, it is convenient for users to use a network banking service, the functions of POS devices are simplified, and the cost of manufacturing and maintaining POS devices is reduced. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295708 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING SOFTWARE RENTAL SERVICES TO DEVICES CONNECTED TO A NETWORK - Methods and computer readable media for providing a rental service for a software application via a network. The user of a device downloads a rental agent application via the network and installs a rental agent application in the device. The user also downloads a software application via the network and installs the software application in the device, where the software application includes a decryption key embedded therein. The user causes the rental agent application to send to a rental system a request for a key to activate the software application via the network. The rental system sends the key to the rental agent via the network, where the key is encrypted with an encryption key that forms an asymmetric key pair with the decryption key. Then, the rental agent relays the key to the software application to thereby activate the software application for a rental period. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295709 | COMPUTER-READABLE STORAGE MEDIUM, INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS, INFORMATION PROCESSING SYSTEM, AND INFORMATION PROCESSING METHOD - A game apparatus executes an application loaded from a storage section, and generates an application information frame that contains most-recently-used app ID information that is identification information of the executed application. Then, the game apparatus transmits the application information frame to another game apparatus. The game apparatus receives, from the other game apparatus, most-recently-used app ID information that identifies an application executed by the other game apparatus. The game apparatus displays the received most-recently-used app ID information. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295710 | BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT TOOL AND TOM$CORE SCORING MODEL - Embodiments of the invention relate to a system, method, computer product and computer system for selling a business. The method forms a set of qualified buyers and a set of qualified sellers; enabling only the set of qualified buyers to view at least one business offered for sale by the set of qualified sellers. The method further enables the set of qualified buyers and the set of qualified sellers to upload documents necessary to fund and close the sale of the at least one business; and provides the set of qualified buyers and the set of qualified sellers access to trusted support professionals. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295711 | Apparel Fit Advisory Service - A data processing method determines an appropriate size of a selected apparel for an individual based on the individual's fit indicators characterizing the fit of apparels to the individual. The fit indicators factor in the individual's body profile and fit preferences. The method employs data on fit indicators associated with other individuals, where these fit indicators are for apparels that are at least of the same type and style as the apparel in question. In addition, at least one fit indicator associated with the other individuals is related to a certain size of the apparel in question. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295712 | METHOD AND APPARATUS TO ACCELERATE AND IMPROVE EFFICIENCY OF BUSINESS PROCESSES THROUGH RESOURCE ALLOCATION - The present invention is directed to a computer-implemented method, system and apparatus to enable data-driven, multi-channel communications to facilitate business processes. By providing more than one channel for communication between market participants, which includes suppliers and consumers, real-time requests for information, services, or the like can be solicited in a way that those selected to provide responses have certain attributes, and the supplier is selected for the solicitation automatically and instantaneously notified of the request based on automatic selection of those attributes. The notification is instantaneously communicated using more than one channel of communication, potentially in a mode that the potential supplier has indicated is a more likely way of actually and instantly receiving the request. The system further provides at least one mechanism by which all of the selected suppliers can instantly respond to the request, which is then communicated to the requestor. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295713 | PURCHASING SYSTEM AND A METHOD FOR COMPUTERIZED SELLING IN A SERVICE STATION - A portable purchasing device is delivered to a vehicle of a customer of a service station. The customer initiates a purchase order by using the portable purchasing device. The purchase order is transmitted by the portable purchasing device, to a central purchase management computer that adds the purchase order to an order queue. A basket that includes products indicated in the purchase order, is delivered to the vehicle. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295714 | Object Information Derived from Object Images - Search terms are derived automatically from images captured by a camera equipped cell phone, PDA, or other image capturing device, submitted to a search engine to obtain information of interest, and at least a portion of the resulting information is transmitted back locally to, or nearby, the device that captured the image. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295715 | Sales System and System Management Device - This sales system includes a personal information management means managing personal information of the user in association with a one-time ID issued by an issuing means and disclosing information other than that allowing specification of the user himself/herself included in personal information corresponding to the one-time ID. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295716 | METHOD, MEDIUM, AND SYSTEM FOR ADJUSTING PRODUCT RANKING SCORES BASED ON AN ADJUSTMENT FACTOR - Methods and systems for evaluating business rules for the purpose of promoting or demoting an item listing are presented. Consistent with an example embodiment, a conditional statement of a business rule that includes one or more expressions involving an item attribute and/or a seller attribute for an item listing is evaluated. If the conditional statement evaluates true, an adjustment factor set forth in the business rule is applied to a ranking score assigned to the item listing. The item listing is then presented in a search results page in a position relative to other item listings based upon the adjusted ranking score. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295717 | METHOD FOR PRESENTING VISUAL ASSETS FOR SALE, USING SEARCH ENGINES - The present invention relates to a method for causing purchasable visual assets that can otherwise be accessed only by the visual assets provider' proprietary search engine, to appear within the result lists of public search engines, comprising: providing for each of said purchasable visual assets web page which includes at least the following: (a)—a representation image of said purchasable asset; (b) textual description best describing the content of said purchasable visual asset; (c) indication within said page or representation image for indicating that the asset is purchasable; and (d) a link to said stock library where the purchasable visual asset is sold. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295718 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR COORDINATION OF REMOTE INSPECTORS - A method and a system to automatically coordinate remote inspectors are provided. Initially, a listing is identified for remote inspection in an online publication system. The listing may describe an item for sale that is, in turn, associated with a geographical location and a category. One or more remote inspectors are identified based on the geographical location and the category associated with the item for sale. The listing and respective profiles of each of the one or more remote inspectors is published to a buyer. A selection of a selected remote inspector is received from the buyer. A template inspection report is provided to the selected remote inspector. Once the remote inspector has inspected the item for sale, the buyer is provided a completed inspection report received from the selected remote inspector. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295719 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR SUPPORTING ELECTRONIC REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION AND PROMOTIONS ON MULTIPLE DEVICE PLATFORMS IN AN INTEGRATED MANNER - Methods and apparatus for supporting electronic promotions and electronic requests for information, e.g., in an integrated manner, on multiple platforms including, e.g., cable network systems, cell phones, etc., are described. Rewards and/or benefits are tracked in a centralized manner and a subscriber is allowed to accumulate rewards and benefits in a single account irrespective of which device or platform was used to initiate an eRFI and/or to act upon a promotion. The methods and apparatus of the present invention allow a cable service provider which supports eRFI on set top boxes to use the same eRFI server to provide responses to eRFI requests received from devices, e.g., cell phones and/or E-mail devices corresponding to a service subscriber, to forward electronic promotion information and to reward users in a forwarding chain for redemptions of coupons included in forwarded promotion information. Forwarded promotion information securely identifies each device/user in the forwarding chain. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295720 | PERSONALIZED SEARCH WIDGETS FOR CUSTOMIZED USER INTERFACE - A set of personalized search widgets for providing a customized user interface are provided. Among the personalized search widgets include a related searches menu to depict related search terms according to popularity and type. A query builder for explicitly including or excluding particular terms from the query may be provided. The search widgets may further include a history of past searches received from a user, a selection of categories to be searched, and one or more category suggestions. Some widgets associated with sellers allow a user to filter results according to a trusted seller status of the seller or the identity of the seller, and provide to the user a tag cloud including feedback about the seller. The results of a search may be presented in a spreadsheet style format. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295721 | USER INFORMATION AND DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM - Method and system for managing personal information about members in a data storage unit and distributing digital communication to the members. The data storage unit is accessible through a member device, such as a mobile phone or PDA, thereby enabling entry of the personal information. At least one part of the member's personal information is associated with a unique identifier that enables tracking of how the personal information is used. The data storage unit provides the member an opportunity to select what personal information can be distributed by the data storage unit and in what manner. Personal information from each member is made available to clients through a client interface via a communication network element. A notification message is sent to the member when the member's personal information is made available to the client and/or utilized by the client to send the digital communication. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295722 | Methods, Apparatus, and Systems for Enabling Feedback-Dependent Transactions - Systems, apparatus, and methods for facilitating feedback-dependent transactions are provided. For example, feedback is collected on transactions involving particular buyers, with respect to the buyer, and then used to facilitate the process of pricing future transactions involving that buyer, selectively leading to further sales. In some embodiments, offers are made to buyers on behalf of sellers on the basis that the buyer may is permitted to set the price for the product/service after taking delivery of the item and then determining its actual value to the buyer. In such embodiments, the offer terms can optionally specify that the price setting will be tracked with respect to the buyer and reported through the computer network system, and specify that that information, with attribution to that buyer, can later be used by the seller (and/or other sellers) to determine whether to extend and fulfill other similar offers in the future. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295723 | ADVERTISEMENT INVENTORY MANAGEMENT - Systems and methods are provided for automating booking and pricing of inventory atoms are provided, where each atom defines a granular traffic target in a k-dimensional booking space. In operation, a content delivery system receives a request for an inventory slot, consisting of at least some segment characteristics and a cost objective. In response to this request, the content delivery system retrieves availability for each atom in the target inventory slot from an inventory atom database. Additionally, a pricing for each atom in the request inventory slot is also obtained. Thereafter, the content delivery system will assemble a proposed inventory slot for the advertiser that includes the atoms that meet the advertiser's cost objective and the total cost for the proposed inventory slot. If accepted, the atom inventory database can be updated to reflect the new unavailability of the atoms in the proposed database. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295724 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR TRACKING AND MONITORING INVENTORY - Apparatus and methods for monitoring and tracking collateral and inventory are disclosed. The methods include receiving location information and collateral or inventory identification information from one or more location devices attached to one or more pieces of collateral or inventory. The methods also include storing the received location and collateral or inventory identification information for the one or more pieces of collateral or inventory and identifying a location of one more pieces of collateral or inventory using the received location and collateral or inventory identification information. The methods further include presenting on a dashboard information regarding the location of the one or more pieces of collateral or inventory. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295725 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATED DEPOSIT RECONCILIATION - Methods and apparatus for reconciling bank transactions with stored deposit entries in a practice management system. A plurality of bank transactions received from a bank are processed to select bank deposits from the plurality of bank transactions. A plurality of matching rules are used to automatically match at least some of the selected bank deposits with the stored deposits in the practice management system. A user interface enables a user to review the results of the automatic matching process and to manually match bank deposits to stored deposit entries. The user interface also enables users to reconcile stored deposit entries in the practice management system to bank statements to facilitate the preparation of month-end financial statements. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295726 | CALENDAR SPREAD FUTURES - A calendar spread futures contract is a forward contract on the intermonth spread of futures contracts. The calendar spread futures contract can be independently traded and accounted for independent of the traditional roll periods of the complementary futures contracts. An open interest holder can hedge against price volatility in the related futures contracts that may occur prior to or during the roll period. In other words, the calendar spread futures contract locks in the current spread between the front-month contract and the first-deferred contract. Buying a calendar spread futures control is equivalent to buying the spread difference between the expiring contract and the second expiry. Selling a calendar spread futures contract is equivalent to selling the spread difference between the expiring contract and the second expiry. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295727 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR AGGREGATE MONITORING OF UTILIZATION DATA FOR VENDOR PRODUCTS IN CLOUD NETWORKS - Embodiments relate to systems and methods for the aggregate monitoring of utilization data for vendor products in cloud networks. A service can be abstracted and provided external to a set of cloud networks which can access the management system(s), vendor databases, or other resources in those clouds, and generate selective reports on application or other usage across those diverse cloud networks. A network user may wish to generate a report on the usage history of software or services in multiple host clouds, without establishing or accessing individual tracking servers or services in each of the host cloud networks. In aspects, the user may also wish to generate an aggregate report combining multiple vendors, user groups, software, or other attributes. The usage report(s) can be configured to use different criteria or generate different outputs on a dynamic basis, e.g. in different times frames, or altering reports under different usage conditions. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295728 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR AUTOMATICALLY COLLECTION OF PERFORMANCE DATA IN A MULTI-TENANT DATABASE SYSTEM ENVIRONMENT - A method of collecting data from multiple sources in a multi-tenant system is provided. The method includes obtaining data corresponding to a first tenant in the multi-tenant system and a second tenant in the multi-tenant system from a first source, obtaining data corresponding to the first tenant in the multi-tenant system and the second tenant in the multi-tenant system from a second source, and aggregating the data obtained from the first and second sources into a single database and associating each entry of the obtained data with at least one of the tenants of the multi-tenant system. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295729 | Management apparatus and billing method thereof - A management apparatus and a billing method which calculates a billing charge by using a cumulative output amount for a target billing period. In the management apparatus and billing method a billing charge is calculated by using a cumulative output amount for a target billing period, a cumulative output amount quota having the cumulative output amount for the target billing period, and a quota unit price corresponding to the cumulative output amount quota of at least one image forming apparatus. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295730 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CHARGING VEHICLES - Systems and methods for charging vehicles. In some embodiments, a system includes at least one mobile device and a utility network management center (“NMC”). The at least one mobile device is configured as an electronic utility device and includes a network interface card (“NIC”). The at least one mobile device is also associated with a utility billing account and at least one utility commodity meter. The utility NMC is configured to communicate with the at least one mobile device and the at least one utility commodity meter over a network, locate the at least one mobile device, and monitor a state of the at least one utility commodity meter. The utility NMC is also configured to determine a usage of a commodity based on the state of the at least one utility commodity meter, and bill the utility billing account associated with the mobile device for the usage of the commodity. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295731 | FINANCIAL CUSTOMER ACCOUNT ACTIVITY MONITORING AND PREDICTIVE ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM - Embodiments of the invention relate to systems, methods, and computer program products for providing financial institution customers real-time financial account management. Present embodiments leverage the financial institution's ability to monitor a customer's financial accounts and, specifically, financial account activity trends to determine, or otherwise predict, future financial transactions, such as financial obligations or the like. Based on these determined future financial transactions/obligations, the financial institution can provide real-time financial advice, such as financial advice alerts or the like, to a customer who is contemplating, or otherwise in the vicinity of conducting, a purchase transaction. For example, the financial advice alert may remind the customer of an imminent recurring financial obligation, such as an upcoming mortgage/rent, automobile payment or the like. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295732 | System and method of ascertaining market value of an asset, liability, or other article, through a competitive valuation process - System and method are provided for analyzing the value of an asset, liability, or other article. Generally, this is done by the relationship between two processes. The first process is of gathering and averaging valuation estimates from multiple independent sources. The second process is that of compensating the providers of those estimates according to the proximity of their valuation to the median or average of those estimates. The compensation motivates the providers of valuations, known here as Evaluators, to compete in giving valuations which will be closer to the average or median than other valuations, and they will find that this is accomplished by competing to be more accurate than their competitors. These systems, when working together, find synergy in creating an altogether more accurate system of valuing assets, liabilities, or other articles that may need to be valued, than that of tradition, computerized, or prior art methods. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295733 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DEVELOPMENT AND USE OF A CREDIT SCORE BASED ON SPEND CAPACITY - Share of Wallet (“SOW”) is a modeling approach that utilizes various data sources to provide outputs that describe a consumers spending capability, tradeline history including balance transfers, and balance information. These outputs can be appended to data profiles of customers and prospects and can be utilized to support decisions involving prospecting, new applicant evaluation, and customer management across the lifecycle. A SOW score focusing on a consumer's spending capability can be used in the same manner as a credit bureau score. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295734 | System and Method for Implementing and Managing Basis Futures - A method for implementing a basis futures contract is disclosed. The method includes receiving trade data at a server, defining, at the server, a first futures contract based on an index identified in the received trade data, defining, at the server, a second futures contract based on a basis associated with the index identified in the received trade data, such that the basis reflects a fair value associated with the first futures contract, listing, via a match module, at least the second futures contract, matching, via the match module, at least the second futures contract, and calculating, at the server, a final settlement price associated with the first contract based on a daily settlement price of the index and a basis future settlement price associated with the second contract. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295735 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS INCLUDING CONTRARY POSITIONS - A market for trading hedged instruments is provided. The market includes at least one hedged instrument having a value based at least on a first position on a first tradable instrument and a second position on a second tradable instrument. The second position is contrary to the first position. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295736 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR RELATIVISTIC STATISTICAL SECURITIES TRADING - A system comprising a processor configured to calculate a location for a server along a communication link between a first trading center and a second trading center based at least in part on a property of the communication link. The server may be configured to send first trade instructions for trading a first financial instrument to the first trading center and send second trade instructions for trading a second financial instrument to the second trading center. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295737 | Settling Over-The-Counter Derivatives Using Synthetic Spot Benchmark Rates - Techniques and systems for settling over-the-counter financial instruments includes sampling over a periodic interval are disclosed. A volume weighted average price of the sampled process may be calculated and forward points may be applied to the volume weighted average priced to determine an associated spot exchange rate. Such a synthetic spot FX exchange rate may be published to subscribers. Over-the-counter financial derivatives may establish delivery obligations according to the spot exchange rate. In the event where a number of transactions during the sampling period is less than a threshold, a midpoint of bids and asks associated with orders for the exchange traded financial derivative may be used to determine an average of the midpoint, to which the forward points may be applied to determine the spot exchange rate. Alternatively, the time-weighted average of the bid and ask orders during a periodic interval may be used in computing the volume-weighted average price. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295738 | AQUA INDEX - A method and system for computing a stable index value of a regulated substance by computing a virtual value of the substance based on the value of a freely marketed product of the substance. Particularly the invention may be applied to develop a stable investment instrument for investing in fresh water. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295739 | BANKRUPTCY PAYMENT AND DEBT TRACKING - In general terms, embodiments of the present invention relate to methods and apparatuses for tracking payments and debts associated with a bankruptcy debtor. For example, some embodiments of the present invention are configured to: (a) receive information associated with one or more payments, where the one or more payments are associated with a debtor; (b) determine that a first portion of the one or more payments applies to pre-petition debt associated with the debtor; (c) determine that a second portion of the one or more payments applies to post-petition debt associated with the debtor; and (d) post, to a network-accessible account associated with the debtor, information that indicates that the first portion applies to the pre-petition debt and information that indicates that the second portion applies to the post-petition debt. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295740 | System And Method For Secure Transactions - A secure transaction system includes an image generator configured to generate human readable characters, a random placement generator coupled to the image generator, and an encoding system configured to encode the human readable characters in a data stream in an order determined by the placement generator, wherein the transaction system is configured to transmit the data stream to a user interface and to receive a selected data stream from the user interface. Also included is a method for secure transaction processing including receiving an encoded data stream representative of a plurality of human readable characters positioned in a random order, selecting a human readable character from the plurality of human readable characters, and transmitting a portion of an encoded data stream representative of the selected human readable character. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295741 | MONEY MANAGEMENT DEVICE, MONEY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, MONEY MANAGEMENT METHOD AND TELLER MACHINE - A money management system related to one embodiment of the present invention includes a teller machine provided for managing a money amount in a branch of a financial institution, and a money management device that is connectable with the teller machine so as to be able to communicate with each other, and is capable of independently managing the money amount, wherein the teller machine includes: a cooperation-process-information preparation unit configured to prepare cooperation process information for specifying the content of a storage/take-out process, in the case in which the storage/take-out process is performed in regard to the total amount of money stored in the money management device (or money-management-device money amount); and a cooperation-process-information transmission/reception unit configured to transmit and receive the cooperation process information between the teller machine and the money management device, such that the teller machine can manage the money amount including the money-management-device money amount. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295742 | Object Information Derived from Object Images - Search terms are derived automatically from images captured by a camera equipped cell phone, PDA, or other image capturing device, submitted to a search engine to obtain information of interest, and at least a portion of the resulting information is transmitted back locally to, or nearby, the device that captured the image. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295743 | RECURRING TRANSACTION PROCESSING - Techniques for processing of recurring payments are provided that do not require merchants to update consumer account information when a consumer is issued a new account number for a payment card or the like. For example, when a consumer is issued a new account number by an issuer, the new account number can be provided to a payment processing network. A server computer in the payment processing network then identifies any recurring payments associated with the user's old account number and provides the consumer with a list of merchants for which the consumer had established recurring payments associated with the old account number. The consumer is then provided the opportunity to select those merchants for whom the consumer wishes to continue the recurring payments using the new account number. The payment processing network then creates a mapping between the old account number and the new account number for the merchants designated by the consumer and continues to process recurring payment authorization requests received from the designated merchants using the old account information. As a result, the merchants do not need to make any updates to the consumer account information maintained by the merchants, and the consumer is provided with the ability to easily select which merchants can continue processing recurring payments using the old account number. | 2011-12-01 |
20110295744 | GIFT CARD PROCESSING - The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for processing gift cards. Some embodiments permit a user to aggregate value from a plurality of merchant specific gift cards onto a universal gift card useable at a variety of merchants. Embodiments also facilitate ignoring and/or adding restrictions from merchant specific gift cards when values are aggregated. Unused balances from universal card accounts can be transferred to an interest bearing account for the benefit of a universal card management system. In other separate embodiments, characteristics of a plurality of other types of cards, such as, rewards cards, are aggregated under a user card account. | 2011-12-01 |