| 49th week of 2012 patent applcation highlights part 64 |
| Patent application number | Title | Published |
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| 20120310655 | EXECUTING A BUSINESS PROCESS IN A BUSINESS REPORTING MANAGER - Various embodiments of systems and methods for executing a business process in a business reporting manager are disclosed. At a first instance, a first business data to be extracted from an enterprise application is determined. A replication of the first business data is migrated to a migration repository to render the first message for data recovery. At a second instance, a second business data to be extracted from an enterprise application is determined. The first business data and the second business data are configured to execute the business process according to a data model associated with the business process. Based upon a modification in the data model, the second business data and the replication of the first business data is compiled to execute the business process according to the modified data model associated with the business process. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310656 | REMOTE VENDING MACHINE CONTROLLER - A vending machine controller is described that is able to communicate with a number of vending machines in a vending machine system and a number of potential users of those vending machines (typically by sending messages to communication devices of those users). The controller is able to set prices of items in vending machines, wherein a particular price for a product can be dependent not only of the identity of the products itself, but also on the identity of the vending machine selling the product and even the identity of the user purchasing the product. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310657 | RETURN FRAUD PROTECTION SYSTEM - A method and a system for determining a return fraud at a store are described. The return fraud protection system has a video recording module, a face capture module, a face icon generator module, and an entrance video clip module. The video recording module records a video at an entrance of the store. The face capture module captures a face of a customer entering the store from the video. The face icon generator module generates a face icon comprising the face of the customer. The entrance video clip generator module generates a video clip of the customer entering the store, associates the video clip of the customer with the corresponding face icon, and provides a client device with a list of face icons with corresponding video clips. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310658 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DYNAMIC PROFILE STRUCTURE HANDLING AND MANAGEMENT - A method and system for creating a dynamic profile structure for managing and handling transactions between a travel agent and a customer, where the transactions require a plurality of predefined fields to be entered by a user to instigate a transaction are disclosed. The disclosed method includes developing via a computer a model of a geographical structure for use with any user, which geographical structure includes a number of levels and nodes. The method further includes defining via a computer a first profile structure for each node which includes a plurality of predetermined geographical fields specific to each level or node. The method further includes developing via a computer a model of a second structure associated with the customer requirements, which second structure includes a number of nodes, such as countries. The method further includes defining via a computer a second profile structure for each node which includes a plurality of predetermined second fields specific to each node. The method further includes forming via a computer a combined profile structure for a first use case from the plurality of geographical fields and the plurality of second fields based on a customer defined requirement. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310659 | RELIEF SUPPORT SYSTEM - A user desiring to check safety of an individual to be rescued can check safety estimation information, medical insurance information, information about a vital sign, and clinical information about an individual via a portable terminal. A system includes a relief database receiving information recorded on a personal medical database and a vital device and recording the information, a safety condition calculating unit calculating safety estimation information where a safety condition of the individual is estimated by comparing the clinical information and the information about the vital sign recorded on the relief database, and a portable terminal accessing the medial insurance information recorded on the relief database, the safety estimation information, and the information about the vital sign and the clinical information recorded on the relief database and displaying the medical insurance information, the safety estimation information, the information about the vital sign, and the clinical information. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310660 | HEALTH MONITORING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MONITORING HEALTH USING THE SAME - Health monitoring system, including a data acquisition system, a fixed patient system, a mobile patient system, a mobile review system, a fixed review system, and a network server system. The data acquisition system includes a data hub, and a plurality of medical devices connected thereto via a communication interface, and operates to acquire medical data of a patient, and to transmit the medical data to the mobile patient system and/or the fixed patient system. The mobile patient system and the fixed patient system operate to determine whether to transmit the medical data to the mobile review system and/or the fixed review system via the network server system, or directly to the mobile review system and/or the fixed review system. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310661 | Methods for Improving the Clinical Outcome of Patient Care and for Reducing Overall Health Care Costs - System and method for reducing healthcare costs by improving care and encouraging healthy behaviors. A web-based or telephonic program using health plan sponsor funded financial incentives, offered to patients and providers for declaring or demonstrating adherence or providing a reason for non-adherence to performance standards. Financial incentives are contingent upon patient's and provider's agreement to allow the other to confirm or acknowledge the other's declaration or demonstration of adherence or non-adherence reason. Combining financial incentives with a set of checks and balances motivates participation in the program and adherence to the performance standards. Performance standards include evidence-based treatment guidelines, information therapy, wellness and prevention solutions, care management, and other methods proven to control costs by improving behaviors and healthcare. The system and method achieves improved health and more affordable healthcare by aligning the interests of providers, patients/consumers, and health plan sponsors in a win-win-win arrangement. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310662 | SYSTEMS, COMPUTER PROGRAMS, AND METHODS FOR CONTROLLING COSTS OF A HEALTHCARE PRACTICE - Systems, computer programs, and methods for controlling ancillary medical costs of a healthcare practice and/or insurance network with a plurality of physicians participating therein, are provided. According to an example method, the steps include identifying one or more a plurality of physicians having ancillary medical costs that exceed a certain level to thereby identify the physician or physicians for behavior modification with respect to ancillary medical costs. The method can also include generating information identifying recommended alternative ancillary medical procedures to modify behavior of a physician or physicians with respect to management of the ancillary medical costs. The method can also determining whether the ancillary medical costs of the physician or physicians have decreased to a preselected/baseline level, and distributing a percentage of a savings attributed to the modified ancillary medical cost management behavior when the ancillary medical costs have decreased to or below the preselected/baseline level. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310663 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MANAGING AND/OR ADMINISTERING PRESCRIPTION BENEFITS - Systems and methods for allowing a user (e.g., a benefits administrator) to maintain and modify a contract or a group for a prescription drug plan may be provided. In response to receiving a request to modify a contract or a group, a prescription benefits management application may retrieve data relating to the contract or group and allow the user to input information relating to the contract or group, input broker information, input billing information, select a pharmacy network, select pricing options for the prescription plan, create a customized prescription plan, input brand/generic difference overrides, etc. In some embodiments, the modifications and/or additions made to a contract or group may be transmitted to a pharmacist, thereby allowing the pharmacist to fill one or more prescriptions in real-time or upon updating the system (e.g., within 48 to 72 hours). | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310664 | System and Method for Monitoring Hospital Workflow Compliance with a Hand Hygiene Network - A system and method for monitoring compliance with a plurality of workflow procedures in a hospital or other health care facility using a hand hygiene compliance system (HHC). A control unit of an HHC gathers data based upon the presence, identification, and movement of a plurality of assets, including persons, equipment, or supplies, having wearable detectable tags, such as RFID tages, and communicates that data to a local or remote server. The server is programmed to monitor or cause compliance with hospital workflow procedures relevant to the communicated data, such as rounding requirements and proper use of equipment, or may generate alarms or notifications where a workflow procedure has not been followed. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310665 | PERSONALIZED MEDICAL RECORD - The present disclosure provides a personalized medical video story, comprising: at least a portion of a prerecorded stock tutorial video having stock information and one or more uncompleted segments for inserting personalized medical information onto a single recording medium. The personalized medical information includes personalized health information including vital health statistics. The at least a portion of the prerecorded stock tutorial video includes stock information on a variety of medical maladies combined with the personalized medical information. The stock tutorial video includes insertion points within the uncompleted segments for inserting the personalized medical information. The personalized medical information at the insertion points is merged with the at least a portion of the prerecorded stock tutorial video for producing at least a portion of the personalized medical video story. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310666 | PERSONALIZED MEDICAL RECORD - The present disclosure provides a method of producing a personalized medical record, comprising: incorporating at least a portion of a prerecorded stock tutorial video having stock information and one or more uncompleted segments for inserting personalized medical information onto a single recording medium. The personalized medical information can include personalized health information including vital health statistics. The method combines the at least a portion of the prerecorded stock tutorial video including the stock information on a variety of medical maladies with the personalized medical information. The stock tutorial video can include at least one predeterminable insertion point within the uncompleted segments for inserting the personalized medical information. The method further provides the personalized medical information at the at least one predeterminable insertion point for merging with the at least a portion of the prerecorded stock tutorial video for producing at least a portion of the personalized medical record. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310667 | DYNAMIC CLINICAL PATHWAYS - Medical professionals diagnose conditions and prescribe treatments or tests based on a process called a clinical pathway. The criteria within the pathway are largely memory-based. The system here manages the process and allows the physician or other health care professional to focus on decision making and patient care using clinical pathways programmed as spheres in a network connected by business rules. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310668 | ORGANIZING MEDICAL IMAGES FOR DISPLAY - The subject matter of this specification can be implemented in, among other things, a system for interfacing with multiple medical imaging modalities that includes a manifest generator for generating a manifest of medical images. The manifest can be used to determine an ordering or a layout of the medical images generated by the modalities, optionally as a function of the modality type, anatomical area, and other variables. In some embodiments, the various medical images and metadata may be received at an image order management system that parses the metadata and assembles the metadata into the manifest files that may be transmitted independently to remote interpretation sites, which in turn may be equipped with image viewer applications that analyze the manifest files and determine a rearranged ordering and/or grouping of the medical images, wherein the rearrangement is executed as a function of modality, anatomy, orientation and other variables. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310669 | Method and System for Acquiring Patient-Related Data - A method performed by a data processing system of registering patient-related data, the method including receiving, from a registration device, a set of identification data items and one or more identification time stamps, wherein each identification time stamp is associated with at least one of the identification data items, and the set of identification data items comprises a device identification data item identifying an electronic device and a patient identification data item identifying a patient; receiving, from the electronic device, patient-related data to be registered and an acquisition time stamp indicative of an acquisition time at which the patient-related data has been acquired; and associating the received patient-related data with an identified patient based on at least the received device identification data item, the received patient identification data item, the received one or more identification time stamps and the received acquisition time stamp. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310670 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR AUTOMATED INFORMED CONSENT - An automated, personalized informed consent creation and verification process is provided herein. Multimedia, interactive informed consent presentations may be created for medical procedures or clinical trials which are procedure-specific or trial-specific by providing standardized disclosure information to a patient regarding a specific medical procedure or clinical trial which is being performed. The presentation is also patient specific by using the patient's medical history to personalize the disclosures regarding risk and expected outcome of the procedure. The presentation may be provided on a computer, such as a tablet, where the patient views and interacts with the informed consent presentation to ask and answer questions, indicate their capacity to make a decision and verify comprehension of the content of the presentation. The patient's consent may be recorded in an audio or video record in order to more accurately capture the patient's consent and verify that the patient consented to the procedure. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310671 | Method and Apparatus for Verification of Clinical Trial Adherence - A system and method of confirming administration of medication in a clinical trial is provided. The method comprises the steps of receiving information identifying a particular medication prescription regimen in accordance with the clinical trial, determining one or more procedures for administering such prescription regimen and identifying one or more activity sequences associated with such procedures. Activity sequences of actual administration of such prescription regimen are captured and then compared to the identified activity sequences to determine differences therebetween. A notice is provided if differences are determined. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310672 | HOSPITAL DISPLAY TERMINAL - A system is described for managing administration of medical care. The system can include a patient record system that contains electronic records for patients in a hospital. The electronic records may include scheduling information for medicine administration to the patient. A display terminal can be connected to the patient record system and be configured to read an RFID tag on the patient. The display terminal can then identify the patient and display the patient's medicine schedule. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310673 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR LINKING A WEB-BASED RESOURCE WITH AN ELECTRONIC MEDICAL RECORD - A data processing system and method that, in some cases, include an EMR system and a web server. In some cases, the EMR system includes a plurality of electronic medical records for a plurality of patients. One or more of the electronic medical records may include a URL or HTTP Post message that defines a path to a web-based resource, such as a treatment algorithm or medical calculator. In some embodiments, the URL and/or HTTP Post message is constructed based on information in a patient's medical record. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310674 | Electronic Health Record System Utilizing Disparate Record Sources - A system for facilitating patient ownership of his or her medical data through the use of third-party health repositories that preserves the maximum information content of the medical records by displaying information relevant to the authority of the medical data as reflected by its source and types of modification as it has moved between institutions, as well as the data itself. In this way, improved use of this data is made possible. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310675 | System and Method for Loss Checks Payable to Secured Party and Property Owner - Methods of and systems for distributing insurance proceeds from an insurer are disclosed. Insurance proceeds may be distributed to a property owner and a party with a security interest in the property. In accordance with some embodiments, the methods general comprise the steps of determining the amount of insurance proceeds to pay, capturing banking information associated with the property owner, providing the insurance proceeds to the party with a security interest in the property, removing the amount of value the party with the security interest in the property is entitled to and providing the residual value to the property owner. Systems in accordance with some embodiments of the invention general comprise a data capture device configured to capture banking information associated with the property owner, and a processor configured to provide a potion of the insurance proceeds to a first banking institution associated with the party with a security interest in the property and configured to provide the residual insurance proceeds to a second banking institution associated with the property owner. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310676 | SYSTEM AND COMPUTER-IMPLEMENTED METHOD FOR AUDITING WORKERS' COMPENSATION RELATED INVOICES - Disclosed herein are processor-executable methods, computing systems, and related technologies that may be used to audit invoices that have been repriced by Preferred Provider Organizations (PPOs). The invoices relate to services that were rendered pursuant to a workers' compensation insurance policy issued by an insurance company. Data related to invoices that have been repriced by PPOs are stored in a database, and an audit application is used to audit the invoices by analyzing the data stored in the database. Auditing the data may include determining whether the repricing was performed accurately, and assembling and storing data that reflects the accuracy of the repricing. After the auditing is performed, reports may be generated based on the audit results. Further, actions may be taken based on the audit results, such as reimbursing service providers for underpaid invoices and/or updating contracts between the insurance company and the PPOs. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310677 | BACKEND SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR GRAPHICALLY ENABLED RETIREMENT PLANNING - According to some embodiments, supplemental data associated with a user's retirement planning may be received. In addition, a first set of user goals may be received, from the user, as basic expenses along with a second set of user goals as optional expenses. Predictable monthly retirement income and retirement assets associated with the user may then be determined A retirement planning platform may then automatically calculate a financial gap for the user based at least in part on the supplemental data, the first set of user goals, the predictable monthly retirement income, and the retirement assets associated with the user. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310678 | MANAGING AN INSURNACE PLAN - Managing an insurance plan includes receiving data relating to a life insurance policy of an insured person, the life insurance policy relating to in the event of the insured person dying, paying a predetermined amount to beneficiaries nominated in terms of the life insurance policy. Data relating to the occurrence of an insured event to the insured person is received, the insured event being an event other than dying. On the occurrence of the insured event, data is transmitted, including an instruction to pay an amount of funds to the insured person and reducing the predetermined amount to be paid to the beneficiaries nominated in the terms of the life insurance policy upon the death of the insured person, by an amount related to the amount of funds paid to the insured person for the insured event. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310679 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR INSURING AGAINST CROP LOSSES - A method and apparatus for insuring farm crops against low crop yields includes insuring a farm enterprise gains low crop yields averaged across the farm enterprise. The farm enterprise being insured against a crop yield below a first percentage of historical crop yields for the farm enterprise. The farm enterprise also being insured against a low crop yield for crop units, such as fields, wherein the crop unit is insured against a crop yield below a second percentage of historical crop yields for each insured crop unit. An insured loss occurs if the average yield for the farm is below the first percentage. An insured loss also occurs if the yield of one or more farm units is below the second percentage even if the average yield for the farm is above the first percentage. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310680 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR OPTIMIZING REVENUE MANAGEMENT IN A TRAVEL ENVIRONMENT - A method of allocating capacity in a vehicle, such as an airplane, which vehicle has a scheduled departure time and a predetermined starting and finishing location and where the capacity includes an inventory of passenger spaces which can be sold to a user is disclosed. The method includes determining at a predetermined time before the scheduled departure time, the number of currently available passenger spaces. The method further includes determining if any of the available passenger spaces can be made available for alternative uses. The method further includes receiving a request for available capacity in the vehicle from a third party to carry a load of cargo having a measure. The method further includes converting the available passenger spaces into an equivalent load having said measure based on a predetermined conversion factor. The method further includes allocating the equivalent load a required capacity. The method further includes updating the number of available passenger spaces now available in the inventory on the basis of the equivalent load and the conversion factor. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310681 | SYSTEMS AND/OR METHODS FOR IDENTIFYING SERVICE CANDIDATES BASED ON SERVICE IDENTIFICATION INDICATORS AND ASSOCIATED ALGORITHMS - Certain example embodiments relate to algorithmic and/or programmatic approaches to identifying service candidates from among business process functions. In certain example embodiments, a method of analyzing functions of a business process model for possible exposure as service capabilities in a service-oriented business process system (SO-BPS) is provided. A business process model defined by a plurality of objects is received, with each said object having metadata attributes associated therewith. Business process analysis intelligence is obtained at design time for each said object. Process performance intelligence at run time is obtained for each said object. Indicators corresponding to the design time and run time gathered intelligence are stored together with the metadata attributes for the corresponding object. Via at least one processor of the SO-BPS, an overall service candidate algorithm is applied to the stored indicators to arrive at a total service eligibility value for each process function in the model. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310682 | ENGINE, SYSTEM AND METHOD OF PROVIDING CLOUD-BASED BUSINESS VALUATION AND ASSOCIATED SERVICES - A computer-implemented engine, system and method for generating business valuations, scoring, and/or flagging over a network, responsively to information input by a user remote from the engine, system and method. The invention may include a graphical user interface capable of locally querying a user to input the company information, at least one network port capable of remotely receiving the company information from the graphical user interface, and at least one engine communicatively connected to the at least one network port, which engine preferably includes a plurality of rules to generate, responsively to the input company information, at least one of a business valuation, a business score, and/or one or more business flags to be used as indicators in a network marketplace, for the company associated with the inputted company information. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310683 | ENGINE, SYSTEM AND METHOD OF PROVIDING CLOUD-BASED BUSINESS VALUATION AND ASSOCIATED RULES-BASED SERVICES - A computer-implemented engine, system and method for generating business valuations, scoring, and/or flagging over a network, responsively to information input by a user remote from the engine, system and method. The invention may include a graphical user interface capable of locally querying a user to input the company information, at least one network port capable of remotely receiving the company information from the graphical user interface, and at least one engine communicatively connected to the at least one network port, which engine preferably includes a plurality of rules to generate, responsively to the input company information, at least one of a business valuation, a business score, and/or one or more business flags to be used as indicators in a network marketplace, for the company associated with the inputted company information. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310684 | SYSTEM AND METHOD OF PROVIDING CLOUD-BASED BUSINESS VALUATION SERVICES VIA A MOBILE APP - A computer-implemented engine, system and method for generating business valuations, scoring, and/or flagging over a network, responsively to information input by a user remote from the engine, system and method. The invention may include a graphical user interface capable of locally querying a user to input the company information, at least one network port capable of remotely receiving the company information from the graphical user interface, and at least one engine communicatively connected to the at least one network port, which engine preferably includes a plurality of rules to generate, responsively to the input company information, at least one of a business valuation, a business score, and/or one or more business flags to be used as indicators in a network marketplace, for the company associated with the inputted company information. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310685 | ENGINE, SYSTEM AND METHOD OF PROVIDING COMPARATIVE BUSINESS VALUATION ANALYSIS - A computer-implemented engine, system and method for generating business valuations, scoring, and/or flagging over a network, responsively to information input by a user remote from the engine, system and method. The invention may include a graphical user interface capable of locally querying a user to input the company information, at least one network port capable of remotely receiving the company information from the graphical user interface, and at least one engine communicatively connected to the at least one network port, which engine preferably includes a plurality of rules to generate, responsively to the input company information, at least one of a business valuation, a business score, and/or one or more business flags to be used as indicators in a network marketplace, for the company associated with the inputted company information. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310686 | ENGINE, SYSTEM AND METHOD OF PROVIDING BUSINESS VALUATION AND DATABASE SERVICES USING ALTERNATIVE PAYMENT ARRANGEMENTS - A computer-implemented engine, system and method for generating business valuations, scoring, and/or flagging over a network, responsively to information input by a user remote from the engine, system and method. The invention may include a graphical user interface capable of locally querying a user to input the company information, at least one network port capable of remotely receiving the company information from the graphical user interface, and at least one engine communicatively connected to the at least one network port, which engine preferably includes a plurality of rules to generate, responsively to the input company information, at least one of a business valuation, a business score, and/or one or more business flags to be used as indicators in a network marketplace, for the company associated with the inputted company information. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310687 | ENGINE, SYSTEM AND METHOD OF PROVIDING CLOUD-BASED BUSINESS VALUATION AND ASSOCIATED SERVICES - A computer-implemented engine, system and method for generating business valuations, scoring, and/or flagging over a network, responsively to information input by a user remote from the engine, system and method. The invention may include a graphical user interface capable of locally querying a user to input the company information, at least one network port capable of remotely receiving the company information from the graphical user interface, and at least one engine communicatively connected to the at least one network port, which engine preferably includes a plurality of rules to generate, responsively to the input company information, at least one of a business valuation, a business score, and/or one or more business flags to be used as indicators in a network marketplace, for the company associated with the inputted company information. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310688 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MANAGING SECURITY INTEREST ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS - A legal process management system facilitates simultaneous dynamic dialogs between legal process managers and networked attorneys and contractors providing services in connection with security interest enforcement actions (SIEAs). The legal process managers submit queries and deadlines selected to timely guide the attorneys and contractors through the requirements of the SIEAs. The attorneys and contractors submit responsive answers revealing the status of their SIEAs. In some embodiments, an events based management system uses a stochastic model to calculate completion times for the milestones of the SIEA, including the “events” that make up subparts of the milestones. This provides a flexible and powerful system for managing prosecution of the SIEA and for predicting likely durations. The stochastic model incorporates the concept of both fixed-frequency events and random-frequency events, and also allows for both controlled events and managed events. A reporting system is also provided for keeping track of event and milestone completion. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310689 | OPTIMAL PLANNING OF BUILDING RETROFIT FOR A PORTFOLIO OF BUILDINGS - Generating an optimal planning of building retrofit for a portfolio of buildings may include providing a plurality of objective functions that may be selected for maximizing cost reduction, maximizing green house gas emission reduction, or maximizing energy reduction, or combinations thereof. The objective function may be solved based on information including at least a retrofit cost for retrofitting a building, payback period specifying the length of time needed to recover the retrofit cost, a budget available for retrofitting the building, expected price of energy, estimated energy savings from retrofitting and estimated green house gas emission from retrofitting. The planning of building retrofit may be generated based on the solutions of one or more of the objective functions, which may provide for an optimal plan of building retrofit. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310690 | ERP TRANSACTION RECORDING TO TABLES SYSTEM AND METHOD - An ERP client may automatically determine a list of one or more ERP database tables that store the data associated with a particular business transaction in the ERP system. At the time a given business transaction is executed via a business transaction UI, various embodiments record screen fields presented via the business transaction UI, map the screen fields to persistent ERP database fields, and report to the business user a list of database tables that the business transaction updated. The business user may then use this information to construct reports related to the business transaction or for other purposes. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310691 | Systems and Methods for Multi-Vehicle Resource Allocation and Routing Solutions - A computer system for allocating and routing a plurality of servicing objects within a map of a region such that work load is balanced across the plurality of servicing objects is provided. The system formulates a model for allocating and routing the plurality of servicing objects in the region. The model comprises a distance matrix based upon a first plurality of segments or a second plurality of intersections in the map. The memory stores instructions for partitioning the map into a plurality of disjoint contiguous sub-regions in view of the distance matrix using an equitable convex region partition algorithm. The memory further stores instructions for calculating a corresponding tour graph for each sub-region in the plurality of sub-regions, where, for each respective sub-region in the plurality of sub-regions, a servicing object in the plurality of servicing objects is assigned to the tour graph that corresponds to the respective sub-region. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310692 | PARTNER PORTAL SOLUTION FOR FINANCIAL SECTOR - A variety of technologies for partner portals are presented. The portal can support a wide variety of partner types and supporting functionality. Rights administration by partners can be supported via the portal. Common access functions, generic framework functions, co-partnering functions, and other functions can be supported. Partner collaboration workflow can support a variety of processes. Customer onboarding can be accomplished by partners via the portal. Numerous other scenarios can be supported, such as partner empanelment, co-branding, incentive specification, tracking, and fulfillment, and communication between customers and independent service providers. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310693 | RESOURCE SCHEDULING METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR USE WITH COMPUTER DIRECTED ASSEMBLY AND MANUFACTURE - Methods, systems, and computer program products are provided for determining a manufacturing capacity at a facility with assemblers performing assembly instructions in a computer directed assembly (CDA) system. Determining a manufacturing capacity includes selecting a production time interval for a product assembled using a sequence of assembly instructions. A scheduler system identifies assemblers available during the timeframe that have been trained and have performed the sequence of assembly instructions. Once this set of assemblers is identified, the scheduler projects an individual capacity for each assembler in the set of assemblers to perform the sequence of assembly instructions during the production time interval. The projected individual capacity is projected based on historical assembly performance data for each assembler stored in an assembly record database. The manufacturing capacity is then generated by aggregating the projected individual capacity for each assembler to perform the sequence of assembly instructions over the production time interval. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310694 | Enhancements To Executable Guideline Engines - A system and method for loading and displaying a guideline graph based on a first user input, receiving a second user input selecting a desired portion of the guideline graph and processing the second user input to load and display a sub-graph including the desired portion of the guideline graph. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310695 | Systems and Methods for Service Request Management - A service request management system is disclosed that enables collaborative information sharing between an occupant of a building and an individual associated with building operations who is responsible for receiving, delegating, or performing a function related to the service request. The system includes one or more processors capable of receiving, from the occupant of the building, a new service request requesting a service or maintenance task to be performed for the occupant at the building, and storing the service request and related service request information in a service request database of the system. The processors are capable of enabling the individual to retrieve the service request from the service request database and to provide service request modification information to modify the service request information stored in the database. The processors are capable of updating the service request information stored in the database based on the service request modification information. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310696 | PERFORMANCE OBSERVATION, TRACKING AND IMPROVEMENT SYSTEM AND METHOD - A system for conducting observations of individual professionals and administering observation results in a professional growth cycle includes an observation software module that generates from a list of learners a listing for a scheduled observation event by an observer. A number of action element options are selectable by the observer. Each action element relates to the observation event. A scheduling module communicates with a calendar module. The scheduling module is programmed for an observer, learner or administrator to enter data and extract data associated with one or more scheduled observation events from the calendar module. An observation criteria module is arranged to generate observation a plurality of observation criteria for guiding the observer in conducting the observation event. The observation criteria includes evaluation levels associated with rules for determining a performance level of the professional. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310697 | VARIANCE MANAGEMENT - Method and system for determining estimation variance associated with project planning are provided. In one aspect, information associated with a project is obtained and initial estimations for the tasks in the project are determined using available information. The tasks are performed and actual measurements are obtained from the completed tasks. The actual measurements are used to revise the estimates of the remaining tasks. The revised estimates are used to compute a project level estimate and a variance on that estimate, and to enable better project management. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310698 | Method and Apparatus for Review and Analysis of Project Schedules - A timeline schedule analysis study is modeled for automatically generating business intelligence information regarding the timeline schedule. A software application program is provided that has equations and business rules that together define a process, a timeline, and deliverables associated with the timeline schedule analysis. The program is populated with timeline schedules prepared using other software. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310699 | APPROACH AND TOOL BLENDING AD-HOC AND FORMAL WORKFLOW MODELS IN SUPPORT OF DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDER NEEDS - A flexible project management workflow uses a flexible process model that supports structured, unstructured and semi-structured workflow execution. The model combines formal models with data triggers and spontaneously triggered action items that may be added ad hoc by approvers or actors involved in the workflow. The model makes use of Web-based implementation, automatic tracking of data evolution and e-mail notifications as usability components. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310700 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR EVALUATING COMPLIANCE OF AN ENTITY USING ENTITY COMPLIANCE OPERATIONS - A server defines a plurality of compliance factors that specify one or more operations for compliance with a policy. The server configures at least one of the plurality of compliance factors to be completed based on an entity type of an entity. The server receives entity data of an entity. The entity data pertains to the compliance factors that correspond to an entity type of the entity. The server determines the status of at least one compliance factor based on the entity data and determines a compliance score for the entity based on the status of the at least one compliance factor. The server provides the compliance score to a user to notify the user of a level of compliance of the entity. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310701 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DYNAMIC USER PROFILE HANDLING AND MANAGEMENT - A method of generating a dynamic user profile for a user accessing products and/or services from a Travel Agent based on customer defined rules, the method comprising: determining via a computer a static user profile for a particular use case; determining via a computer one or more customer defined rules that apply to the use case; and determining via a computer a set of required fields for the dynamic user profile for the use case based on the applicable customer defined rules using the dynamic user profile to collect the required fields from the user in use. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310702 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MONITORING COMPULSIVE BEHAVIOR AND FOR IDENTIFYING EARLY WARNING INDICATORS ACROSS MULTIPLE WEBSITES - Various embodiments provide systems for monitoring a plurality of users over one or more websites. Such systems comprise a memory and at least one processor configured to: (a) receive transaction information from the one or more websites for the plurality of users; (b) after receiving the transaction information: (1) determine norms of behavior based on the transaction information; (2) compare the one or more attributes from the transaction information for each individual user of the plurality of users against the norms of behavior; (3) identify individual users of the plurality of users as potentially problem users, the potentially problem users comprising each individual user of the plurality of users who has at least one attribute diverge from the norms of behavior; and (4) save information on the potentially problem users in the memory. Associated methods are likewise provided. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310703 | TARGETED CONTENT DELIVERY USING OUTDOOR LIGHTING NETWORKS (OLNs) - This invention describes a system and method to provide a service to advertisers and businesses that enables adaptation of advertising priorities using information collected by a lighting infrastructure. The system uses outdoor lighting networks to manage/control data sensors connected to a network, e.g. hosted at lighting units. This invention enables new business scenarios where operators and/or owners of the city's lighting infrastructure can provide a value added service or generate revenue from ad providers and local businesses by leveraging the data acquired through the lighting and adjacent infrastructure (e.g. sensors) to help the businesses to increase their advertising performance/targets; particularly, with respect to Location Based Services (LBS). | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310704 | COMPUTING MARKETING SCENARIOS BASED ON MARKET CHARACTERISTICS - A technique for determining and presenting marketing scenarios based on market characteristics are described herein. The technique includes receiving data regarding market environment and an expected change in the market environment. A number of market characteristics are calculated based on the collected data for a number of alternative marketing scenarios for addressing the change. A number of graphical objects corresponding to the marketing scenarios are displayed in a coordinate system to show correlation between a number of selected market characteristics. A number of additional components are assigned to the graphical objects to indicate additional characteristics of the presented marketing scenarios. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310705 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR SEPARATING DEMAND MODELS AND DEMAND FORECASTS INTO CAUSAL COMPONENTS - According to some embodiments, a method and system provides separating demand models and forecasts into demand components thereof. The methods include receiving a demand model to forecast a demand for a product or service; decomposing the demand model into a plurality of distinct demand components, each of the demand components associated with a causal contribution to a demand for the product or service; and generating a demand forecast including an indication of the plurality of demand components associated with the causal contributions contributing to the demand forecast for the product or service. Some embodiments include a method to determine demand components of a demand model for a product or service based on historical data. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310706 | REVENUE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND ASSOCIATED METHOD - A revenue management system comprising a first revenue management route which includes a forecast module and an optimization module and which calculates expected revenue for sales of inventory items based on historical data; a second revenue management route which is selected if the confidence in the forecasting in the first route is below a predetermined value. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310707 | ESTIMATION OF TRANSIT DEMAND MODELS FOR ENHANCING RIDERSHIP - A method of estimating a transit demand graph includes collecting conditional information that includes at least one condition that when satisfied converts at least one non-rider into a rider, generating a non-rider transit demand graph by satisfying one of the conditions, and generating a normalized transit demand graph from the non-rider transit demand graph and a rider transit demand graph. The riders use public transit and the non-riders do not use public transit. The non-rider transit demand graph shows the demand of the non-riders for a public transit route. The rider transit demand graph shows the demand of riders for the same public transit route. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310708 | Method and System for Selecting Similar Consumers - Illustrative embodiments of the present invention are directed to methods and computer systems for reporting a consumer's usage of a resource. A computer system retrieves consumer characteristic data and resource usage data for the first consumer and a set of second consumers including characteristic data related to each consumer. The computer system selects at least one consumer that is similar to the first consumer from the set of second consumers based upon a plurality of common criteria between the first consumer's characteristic data and a second consumer's characteristic data. The computer processes may be performing iteratively until the total number of similar consumers is equal to or greater than the predetermined number of consumers. Once a desired number of similar consumers is found, the computer system generates a report that displays the first consumer's resource usage data and the at least one similar consumers' resource usage data. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310709 | COMPUTER-IMPLEMENTED METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR INTEGRATING HETEROGENEOUS BUSINESS PROCESSES - A computer-implemented method and apparatus for integrating heterogeneous business processes. In one embodiment, there is provided a computer-implemented method for integrating heterogeneous business processes, the method comprising: reading first process information of a first business process; obtaining from a unified process view second process information of a second business process; and integrating at least one part of the first process information and at least one part of the second process information into a third business process; wherein the first business process and the second business process are heterogeneous business processes. In another embodiment, there is provided a computer-implemented apparatus for integrating heterogeneous business processes. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310710 | Defining Service Ownership For A Service Oriented Architecture - Defining service ownership for an SOA including defining, in response to an event requiring a change in service ownership and in dependence upon data describing business functions within a business, a service domain; reviewing, by a service domain ownership review board, the defined service domain for approval; upon approval of the defined service domain, identifying potential impact upon currently existing service domains caused by implementation of the defined service domain; identifying a potential owner of the defined service domain in dependence upon a service type of the defined service domain and funding requirements of the service domain; presenting, to relevant stakeholders in the business, the potential owner of the defined service domain for approval; and upon approval of the potential owner of the defined service domain, assigning the potential owner of the defined service domain responsibility for managing the defined service domain. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310711 | SYSTEM USING FEEDBACK COMMENTS LINKED TO PERFORMANCE DOCUMENT CONTENT - A system and method for facilitating controlling locations or associations of displayed content in a user interface. An example method includes displaying a first type of information; providing a first user option to select a portion of the first type of information; providing a second user option to associate selected information with one or more information categories; and displaying an instance of the selected information in association with the one or more information categories. In a specific embodiment, the user interface displays content pertaining to a performance evaluation document, which is associated with one or more enterprise employees. The first type of information includes feedback comments associated with a performance of the one or more enterprise employees. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310712 | PARKING MANAGEMENT - A parking management approach includes associating a payment source with a vehicle identifier. The approach also includes receiving a message indicating initiation of a parking event at a parking location, and updating a parking database to indicate that a vehicle having the vehicle identifier is parked at the parking location. The message includes an identification of at least one of the payment source and the vehicle identifier. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310713 | PRESENTING OFFERS TO CONSUMERS BASED ON INFORMATION FROM A VEHICLE - An automotive incentive system is described herein that uses vehicle information, location data, customer demographics, and other information to make real-time targeted offers to consumers to encourage particular consumer behavior. The system focuses on the delivery of targeted offers to consumers based on information available from the automobile and geographic information from the car. The system receives vehicle-based information and potentially along with other information identifies one or more offers to provide to the consumer. The system provides an interface through which merchants can add offers to the system and define criteria of consumers and environmental data that trigger each offer. The merchant can specify each of these criteria as well as a corresponding offer. Thus, the automotive incentive system provides consumers with highly relevant offers related to vehicle information and provides merchants with strong sales leads for their products and services. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310714 | COUPON REDEEMABLE UPON COMPLETION OF A PREDETERMINED THRESHOLD OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY - A coupon for providing an incentive for a user to participate in physical activity. The coupon detects the physical activity of a user and indicates to the user when the threshold of physical activity has been reached. Once the coupon has indicated that the threshold has been reached, the user may redeem the coupon for a reward. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310715 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR AN ELECTRONIC COUPON SYSTEM - A coupon delivery and redemption system provides, (i) for wireless delivery of a product coupon file with the coupons of the product merchants to customers' wireless mobile devices from a coupon system anywhere, at home or in store while shopping, (ii) for customer to search and select for display a product coupon from the coupon file, (iii) for coupon redemptions by retail merchants by scanning the coupon bar code from the wireless device screen, (iv) for validation of the coupon for one time use by interfacing of the retail merchant system with the coupon system, (iv) for the product merchant to receive coupon redemption data from the coupon system, and (v) for the retail merchant to receive aggregate funds for redeemed coupons via the coupon system for an efficient and convenient paperless coupon system. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310716 | HIGH VALUE DISPLAY CASE SYSTEM - A display case system has a display case, a gateway, and a communication device. The display case houses a product. The gateway is coupled to the display case and communicates with a client device associated with the product in the display case. A communication device is coupled to the gateway and enables a communication session between the communication device and the client device associated with the product. The client device remotely locks and unlocks the display case to allow access to the product based on the communication session. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310717 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING A PERSPECTIVE DISPLAY OF ADVERTISEMENTS USING SENSOR DATA - An approach is provided for controlling perspective display of advertisement using sensor data. The advertising engine causes, at least in part, a presentation of at least one advertisement banner at a device, the advertisement banner including at least one perspective display of one or more advertisement items. The advertising engine determines positional information based, at least in part, on one or more sensors associated with the device. The advertising engine processes and/or facilitates a processing of the positional information to cause, at least in part, a rendering of the at least one perspective display, the one or more advertisement items, or a combination thereof in the at least one advertisement banner. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310718 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR RANDOMLY PROVIDING FREE GOODS AND SERVICES - A system and method is disclosed for merchants or vendors to contract with a company to accept a particular credit card, software application or gift card. The card or software application is linked to a proprietary software system that incorporates payment terminals. Consumer use the credit card or a software application on a computer device to purchase goods or services and the proprietary software randomly selects a predetermined percentage of the transactions at that merchant to be free of charge. Neither the consumer nor the merchant know when making the purchase which transaction will be free of charge. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310719 | VARIABLE VALUE COUPONS - In one embodiment, a coupon is created. The coupon includes a delivery date and data associated with a variable value schema, the schema dependent upon an elapsed time between the delivery date and redemption of the coupon. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310720 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING COUPONS/PURCHASES BASED ON RADIO FREQUENCY MEMORY TAG DETECTION - An approach is provided for processing promotional information for facilitating a point-of-sales transaction via radio frequency (RF) memory tags. A platform causes, at least in part, a capture of promotional information from a radio frequency memory tag associated with a merchant. The tags are placed at locations including a point-of-sales terminal, store entrance or near a poster to facilitate customer access. The platform processes and/or facilitates a processing of the promotional information to present one or more offers at a device, and receives an input for selecting at least one of the one or more offers for redemption. In response, the platform causes, at least in part, a validation of the redemption of at least one of the one or more offers. The platform then causes, at least in part, a presentation of the validation at the device for a confirmation by the merchant. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310721 | DELIVERY, ORGANIZATION, AND REDEMPTION OF VIRTUAL OFFERS FROM THE INTERNET, INTERACTIVE-TV, WIRELESS DEVICES AND OTHER ELECTRONIC MEANS - Disclosed are methods and systems for redeeming virtual coupons by associating the coupons with a consumer and a payment system associated with the consumer. In some embodiments, the method includes distributing the enabled promotional offers, from one or more source sites, via the electronic contact addresses for the plurality of consumers, such that the promotional offers can be electronically accepted by at least some of the particular consumers with whom they are identified without redeeming the accepted offers. The method further includes electronically receiving a redemption of the promotional offer by means of the consumer's presentment of the associated payment system for purchasing the subject matter of the accepted promotional offer. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310722 | ELECTRONIC OFFER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND METHOD THEREFOR - An electronic offer management system and method thereof is disclosed. In particular, the system comprises means for receiving information related to a plurality of offers distributed by a plurality of different offer distributors to customer for redemption at plurality of stores, means for automatically routing the information related to an offer to a point-of-sale system of each store in which the offer can be redeemed, and means for automatically clearing the offers redeemed by the customer at the stores. The system further comprises means for automatically reconciling financial obligations associated with each cleared offer, as well means for dynamically profiling customers so that improved offer targeting can be achieved. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310723 | CREDIT AND DEBIT CARD WITH REWARD CHOICE FOR CARD HOLDERS - Provided is a method for allowing a debit or credit holder to choose the amount of rewards received depending on a category of purchase. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310724 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING A GIFT CARD WHICH AFFORDS BENEFITS BEYOND WHAT IS PURCHASED - A system, computer product and method are provided for a card issuer providing a prepaid gift card to a purchaser, the gift card usable by a recipient of the card to pay merchants who participate in a financial network. The method includes receiving a payment of a predetermined amount, and loading the predetermined amount received from the purchaser into the prepaid gift card. The method further includes activating the loaded prepaid gift card, the activated prepaid gift card being usable by the recipient for paying any of the merchants in the financial network until the predetermined amount loaded in the prepaid gift card is exhausted, and being usable by the recipient to obtain a benefit beyond what is purchased from at least some of the merchants in the financial network. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310725 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR USING LOYALTY REWARDS AS CURRENCY - The present invention involves spending loyalty points over a computerized network to facilitate a transaction. With this system, a loyalty program participant is able to use an existing transaction card to purchase an item over a computerized network, while at the same time offsetting the cost of that transaction by converting loyalty points to a currency value credit and having the credit applied to the participant's financial transaction account. Currency credit from converted loyalty points may also be applied to stored value cards, online digital wallet accounts and the like. Further, currency credit may also be applied to other accounts to effect a gift or donation. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310726 | Digital Watermarking Applications - The disclosure relates generally to digital watermarking applications. One claim recites a method comprising: obtaining identifying information for a party seeking attribution for content to be distributed; using a programmed processor, digital watermarking the content with the identifying information; and associating an attribution action with the identifying information in a data repository; in which the attribution action is triggered when a rendering device decodes the digital watermarking and obtains the identifying information during a transaction, in which performing the attribution action does not occur when the content includes limited functionality for initial evaluation but said performing the royalty payment action does occur when the content is purchased or enabled for longer evaluation relative to the initial evaluation. Other claims and combinations are provided as well. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310727 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR GENERATION OF ANONYMOUS PROFILES FROM A TRI-LEVEL MAPPING OF MOBILE NETWORK MARKETING ECONOMETRICS - A method and system for measuring interest in a product. A processor operating on a server receives an identifier associated with a mobile computing device. The processor determines a location of the mobile computing device within a marketing environment and associates the location of the mobile computing device with a location of a product. The processor obtains interaction data indicative of an engagement of the mobile computing device with the product and determines a measure of interest in the product using the interaction data. Alternatively, data indicating an interaction of the mobile computing device with a product are received by the processor. The product location, which is known, is used to determine the location of the mobile computing device. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310728 | BUY-SIDE ADVERTISING FACTORS OPTIMIZATION - A computer-implemented system, method, and computer program are disclosed for optimizing buy-side advertising factors for an internet-based first advertising campaign, thereby improving the performance of the first advertising campaign. The optimization involves classifying and identifying stored advertisement campaigns that share similar data, such as subject matter, advertising parameters, and result parameters, to a first advertising campaign that is to be optimized. Advertising factors, including pricing options and pricing values, are then computed by performing multivariate analysis on advertising parameters and result parameters corresponding to the stored advertising campaigns that perform optimally compared to the first advertising campaign to be optimized. The multivariate analysis identifies pricing options, like creative, targeting, and bid cost-per-click (CPC), and related pricing values, where pricing values for each pricing option indicates how an advertiser may spend an existing advertising budget to optimize the first advertising campaign to match the stored and optimally performing advertising campaign. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310729 | TARGETED LEARNING IN ONLINE ADVERTISING AUCTION EXCHANGES - A method of placing a bid in an auction for digital advertisement space in an online advertising platform includes determining whether a threshold for optimized bidding has been met, and, upon determining that the threshold has been met, formulating, based at least in part on actual success event data, an optimized value as the bid. If the threshold has not been met, a learn value is formulated as the bid. Formulating the learn value includes receiving a desired payment value for obtaining a success event, calculating a ratio of actual and projected success events to actual and projected impressions to obtain a conversion rate, and applying the conversion rate to the desired payment value to determine the bid value. The bid is then submitted to the digital advertisement space auction. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310730 | MEDIA CAMPAIGN RESPONSE METERING SYSTEM - A system comprising the metering of the effectiveness of media campaigns, the system comprising a network and a system backend communicable with said network, the system backend having a processor configured to track at least one media campaign, wherein the at least one media campaign is further associated with at least one manifest indicia embodying a media campaign point of contact and the system backend further configured to communicate via said network with at least one campaign management client managing the at least one media campaign, and define an interface for the at least one campaign management client to associate at least one media affiliate client to the at least one media campaign. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310731 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DISPLAYING RELATED PRODUCT INFORMATION - Displaying related product information includes receiving a request to display main product information of a requested main product, retrieving related product information for a plurality of related products of the requested main product from a product relationship center, selecting a predetermined number of related products based at least in part on association strengths between the requested main product and a plurality of related products of the requested main product, and displaying product information of the selected related products. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310732 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR TARGETED CONTENT PLACEMENT - A system for delivering targeted content to a device includes a database and a processor. The database stores anonymous identifications for a plurality of customers of a financial institution. Each anonymous identification is associated with financial information for a respective customer of the financial institution. The processor includes software that is configured to classify consumers, create a targeted list of content viewers, and deliver a targeted advertisement over a network to a device used by a content viewer on the targeted list. The classifications can be based on the financial information associated with each anonymous identification. The target list of content viewers can be based on at least one selected classification. The advertisement can be delivered to a device used by a content viewer on the targeted list after the device has been used to log onto an application offered by the at least one financial institution. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310733 | Method and System for Generating and Distributing Electronic Communications for Maximum Revenue - Systems and methods are disclosed for providing content in accordance with informational campaigns or advertisements administered by one or more distribution partners. the distribution partners typically revenue share with the system administrator (system owner), who coordinates the informational campaigns and sends electronic mails (e-mails) associated therewith. By applying a distribution optimization formula to various informational or advertising campaigns of the distribution partners, e-mails with links to these distribution partners will be sent to users, and each user who opens the e-mail and clicks on a portion of the e-mail over an underlying link, will be directed to the requisite distribution partner, typically the server associated therewith. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310734 | TRANSACTION TRACKING, MANAGING, ASSESSMENT, AND AUDITING DATA PROCESSING SYSTEM AND NETWORK - An improved processing system for tracking commerce on the Internet provides for subvariable processing and includes web page scanning to discern fraud or improper content to insure proper promotion of select products within the network environment. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310735 | CONTENT REQUESTS FOR AN ENVIRONMENT - Advertisements are selected from a plurality of advertisements and associated with an advertisement environment in a document. Document advertisement request code that is configured to issue an advertisement request for one of the selected advertisements for presentation in the advertisement environment is stored in the document. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310736 | Determining locations of interest based on user visits - Techniques are described for determining locations of interest based on user visits. In some situations, the techniques include obtaining information about actual locations of users at various times, and automatically analyzing the information to determine particular locations in a geographic area that are of interest, such as for frequent destinations visited by users. After determining a particular location of interest, it may be represented by generating a corresponding location model to describe the geographic subarea or other location point(s) covered by the determined location of interest, and one or more points of interest (e.g., businesses, parks, schools, landmarks, etc.) may be identified that are located at or otherwise correspond to the determined location of interest. In addition, a determined location of interest may be further used in various ways, including to identify later user visits to that location (e.g., to a point of interest identified for the location). | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310737 | METHOD FOR PROVIDING ADVERTISEMENT, COMPUTER-READABLE MEDIUM INCLUDING PROGRAM FOR PERFORMING THE METHOD AND ADVERTISEMENT PROVIDING SYSTEM - A visit-pattern-aware mobile advertising system is provided for urban commercial complexes. In order to provide highly relevant advertisements to mobile users, next visit place is predicted through a probabilistic reasoning technique based on the collected visit place history, and an advertisement to be provided is selected based on the predicted next visit place. Since the advertisement is selectively provided according to the next visit place predicted based on a visit place history of an advertisement receiver, it is possible to increase an advertisement effect. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310738 | PROMOTING OFFERS THROUGH SOCIAL NETWORK INFLUENCERS - Mechanisms are provided to facilitate buying and selling products utilizing social pricing. Sellers initiate sale of a product with volume discounts for a limited time. In other words, the more people that buy a product, the lower the price for the group. Buyers have a real incentive to become prosumers that not only purchase a product but also promote purchase by others. A social pricing system brokers interaction between sellers and buyer groups, and provisions mechanisms to aid promotion of products by consumers utilizing social networks and other online activities. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310739 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TARGETING ADVERTISING TO A DEVICE BASED ON INSTALLED APPLICATIONS - A system and method for targeting advertising to devices based on the applications installed on the device are provided. The system and method comprise retrieving data pertaining to the applications a user has installed on a device and assigning the applications weights based on their patterns of usage. The applications are categorized according to their genre and/or the time of day during which they are typically used, and each category is assigned a priority value based on the patterns of usage of the applications therein. An advertisement corresponding to the highest priority category is delivered to the device. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310740 | Mechanism for Geographically-Aware Electronic Traveling Advertisements - A mechanism for geographically-aware electronic traveling advertisements is disclosed. A method of the invention includes displaying each of a plurality of advertisements on an electronic display of a mobile advertising unit in a general rotation and on a random basis, determining a current location of the mobile advertising unit from a Geographic Positioning System (GPS) unit and a current time from a clock, interrupting the general rotation to display a high priority advertisement if the current location of the mobile advertising unit is within a GPS waypoint range of the high-priority advertisement, interrupting the general rotation to display a high priority advertisement if the current time of the mobile advertising unit is within a time range of the high-priority advertisement, and recording statistics for each advertisement displayed on the electronic display in a log stored at the mobile advertising unit. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310741 | Advertisement Verification - Methods, computing devices and systems may be provided for verifying and effectiveness of electronic coupons or electronic advertisements. A computing device, which may have navigation functions, may be located within a vehicle. The computing device may receive an electronic coupon or an electronic advertisement, which may be presented to a user via a display and may be sent to a nearby mobile device via a narrowband transmission. The computing device may determine whether a current location is proximate to a business associated with the presented electronic coupon or the electronic advertisement. The computing device may indicate to other computing devices within a system whether one or more separate or combined conditions are met with respect to the presented electronic coupon or the electronic advertisement. If the one or more conditions have been met, then a communication may be transmitted to a remote computing device executing an advertisement application. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310742 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ADVERTISING ON SHIPPING CONTAINERS - Systems and methods for distributing advertising materials to recipients of shipping containers is disclosed. A driver of a shipping company places an advertisement on the shipping container during delivery. The advertisement is preferably placed on the address label for enhanced visibility and consumer interaction. Systems and methods for target marking to recipients may preferably be employed to further enhance consumer response. A processing controller may be employed to determine the profile of the recipient of a shipping container, and an advertisement may be selected. A processing controller may determine which advertisement would most likely to be of interest to the recipient of the shipping container. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310743 | Using mobile devices to make secure and reliable payments for store or online purchases - Payment systems currently in vogue (credit/debit cards) use a form of identity applicable only to a specific payment network (card number). This prevents the aggregation of one's payment options, and exposes the sensitive account information to the relatively insecure parts (merchant locations) of the transaction chain. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310744 | METHOD FOR MANAGING AND/OR CONTROLLING STORE AND SYSTEM FOR THE SAME - A method for managing and controlling a store and a system for the same are disclosed. The system includes a digital display shelf being provided with a recognition unit configured to recognize a product displayed on the shelf and an output unit configured to output information on the recognized product, a digital signage display configured to output data respective to the recognized product, and a managing system configured to communicate with the digital display shelf and the digital signage display so as to transmit control data and to receive processing data. Herein, the data respective to the recognized product may include at least one of audio data, video data, and text data configured to advertise and promote the corresponding product. And, the managing system may include a database related to the data respective to the recognized product. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310745 | SYSTEM FOR MANAGING ADVERTISEMENTS AND PROMOTIONS - A computer-implemented method of marketing includes identifying an opportunity to serve an advertisement or a promotion to a user. Information about the user is gathered. Through the use of at least one processor, an expected responsiveness of the user to advertisements is determined based on the gathered information. Through the use of the at least one processor, an expected responsiveness of the user to promotions is also determined based on the gathered information. The advertisement or the promotion is provided to the user based on the determined expected responsiveness of the user to advertisements and the determined expected responsiveness of the user to promotions. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310746 | LEARNED CONTEXT CORRELATION THROUGH NETWORK COMMUNICATION OBSERVATIONS - Establishing a correlation between a user's context and wireless signal observations from that context enables wireless computing devices to provide users with targeted information. Rather than performing an expensive calibration, mobile sensor data indicative of a user's context is bundled with wireless signal observations and transmitted to server computing devices that can obtain a context from the mobile sensor data, correlate that to the wireless signal observations, and store the same in a context/wireless correlations database. When other wireless computing devices request a context based on wireless signal observations made by those wireless computing devices, reference can be made to the database and a context correlated to those wireless signal observations is obtained and provided to them, enabling targeted information to be delivered to their users. To accommodate heterogeneity among wireless computing devices the database maintains correlations according to the wireless computing devices from which the data originated. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310747 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR DELIVERING CUSTOMIZED ADVERTISEMENTS - Methods and systems for selecting and customizing an advertisement for a known user are disclosed. The advertisement is customized responsive to social distance between the user and members of the user's social network. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310748 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MANAGING ADVERTISEMENTS BASED ON BENCHMARKING - Provided is a system and method for managing advertisements. The advertising management system may transfer information about advertising indices of other advertisers to be benchmarked to advertisers who are inexperienced in advertising management and may automatically modify bidding information of the inexperienced advertisers based on the advertising indices of the other advertisers, thereby preventing the inexperienced advertisers from leaving the search advertisement market. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310749 | AD CREATIVE SELECTION BASED ON IMAGE CONTEXT - Disclosed herein are systems and method for providing contextually relevant advertisements, and/or facilitating digital media advertising campaigns. For example, in one embodiment, there is provided a method of providing a contextually relevant advertisement, based on a digitally published image, the method comprising: (a) receiving the image from a publisher; (b) analyzing the image to obtain the context of the image; (c) matching an advertisement campaign to the image, based on the context of the image; and (d) providing the publisher with an ad creative that is mutually relevant to the context of the image and the advertisement campaign. In one embodiment, the systems and methods described are used in digital media and computer-implemented advertising. Various other alternative aspects and embodiments are further described herein. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310750 | INTERFACE AND MODULE FOR REAL-TIME ADVERTISING PRESENTATION - An expanded function set for advertising campaigns and social network driven sales environments, unified across presenting sites and maintained at the presenting site. A banner ad can include a live streaming product presentation, such as an infomercial where users can expand the presentation, purchase the product, and share with networked friends. Video on demand and pay per view/download content can be provided via the integrated system and user experience. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310751 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING ONLINE ADVERTISEMENT - The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for providing online advertisements, in which a fade-in type advertisement window that becomes gradually clear over a preset time is provided to a specific region of the content area of the web page. The apparatus for providing the online advertisement according to the present invention includes a web page control module ( | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310752 | System, method, and computer program product for Data Entry Free electronic purchasing - Systems, methods and computer program products for the secure, efficient, and accurate purchasing of products and services electronically without the User entering any alpha numeric data (e.g., login, password, shipping address, credit card and bank account information). In response to an advertisement sent to a User's electronic communications account (e.g. email account), a purchase is made by clicking on a hyperlink within the electronic message, wherein they are redirected to a webpage confirming the purchase. Within the webpage, non-verified Users must subsequently select the form of electronic communications to receive from the Offer Provider in order to confirm the purchase again or to cancel the order. Forms of electronic communications comprise email, SMS/text, or phone call with their verbal response. In all scenarios, the User must have previously provided the merchant, or Offer Provider, with their electronic communications address, billing information, and possibly shipping information, such as through a previous purchase. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310753 | SYSTEM, METHOD, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR ELECTRONIC PURCHASING WITHOUT ALPHA NUMERIC DATA ENTRY - Systems, methods and computer program products for the secure, efficient, and accurate purchasing of products and services electronically without the User entering any alpha numeric data (e.g., login, password, shipping address, credit card and bank account information). In response to an advertisement sent to a User's electronic communications account (e.g. email account), a purchase is made by clicking on a hyperlink within the electronic message, wherein they are redirected to a webpage confirming the purchase. Within the webpage, non-verified Users must subsequently select the form of electronic communications to receive from the Offer Provider in order to confirm the purchase again or to cancel the order. Forms of electronic communications comprise email, SMS/text, or phone call with their verbal response. In all scenarios, the User must have previously provided the merchant, or Offer Provider, with their electronic communications address, billing information, and possibly shipping information, such as through a previous purchase. | 2012-12-06 |
| 20120310754 | Managing Display of Advertisements on a Web Page with Respect to a Portion of Web Page Content - Processes, devices, and articles of manufacture are disclosed for managing the display of advertisements on a web page. Each may be configured for steps that include determining the length of a portion of web page content, assigning a priority to each of a set of advertisements for display on a web page, selecting advertisements for display on a web page, determining the difference between said length of said portion of web page content and the cumulative length of said selected advertisements, and if the length of the advertisement exceeds said difference then omitting the advertisement and selecting another. | 2012-12-06 |
