Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100036727 | Method of Tracking the Impact of Paid Search on Offline Sales - A method whereby internet search keyword(s) can be associated with a purchase at an offline merchant. The process empowers the merchant to optimize bids to invest more money in keyword(s) with a stronger return on investment and less money in keyword(s) with a lower return on investment. | 02-11-2010 |
20120143671 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DELIVERING A RESTRICTED USE IN-STORE PROMOTION TO A CONSUMER - A system and method for delivering a restricted use in-store promotion to a consumer includes storing in an offer database a plurality of offer data items for use in creating an in-store promotion. The method further includes storing in an authorization database an authorization parameter and generating at a server a hyperlink including the authorization parameter. In response to receiving a request from a consumer device to present the in-store promotion, the server verifies that the consumer browser invoked the hyperlink containing the authorization parameter. The server also verifies the status of the authorization parameter. If the consumer browser invoked the hyperlink containing the authorization parameter and the status is active, the server dynamically generates the in-store promotion using at least one of the plurality of data items stored in the offer database. Once generated, the server transmits the in-store promotion to the consumer device. | 06-07-2012 |
20120143680 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DELIVERING AN AUTHORIZED IN-STORE PROMOTION TO A CONSUMER - A system and method for delivering an authorized in-store promotion to a consumer includes storing in an offer database a plurality of offer data items for use in creating an in-store promotion. The method further includes storing in an authorization database an authorization parameter. In response to receiving a request from a consumer device to present the in-store promotion, the server uses the authorization parameter to verify that the request is authorized without requesting additional information from a consumer operating the consumer device. When the request is authorized, the server dynamically generates the in-store promotion using at least one of the plurality of data items stored in the offer database. Once generated, the server transmits the in-store promotion to the consumer device without any system-specific client software to be stored by the consumer device. | 06-07-2012 |
20120143682 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DELIVERING AN IN-STORE PROMOTION TO A CONSUMER - A system and method for delivering an in-store promotion to a consumer includes storing in a database a plurality of predetermined data fields for use in creating an in-store promotion. The method further includes a server receiving inputs for the plurality of predetermined data fields from a user advertiser creating the promotion. In response to receiving a request from a consumer device to present the in-store promotion, the server dynamically generates the in-store promotion using the inputs without requesting additional information from a consumer operating the consumer device. Once generated, the server transmits the in-store promotion to the consumer device without any system-specific client software to be stored by the consumer device. | 06-07-2012 |
20120143690 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DELIVERING A GEOGRAPHICALLY RESTRICTED IN-STORE PROMOTION TO A CONSUMER - A system and method for delivering a geographically restricted in-store promotion to a consumer includes storing in an offer database a plurality of offer data items for use in creating an in-store promotion and at least one participating store location. In response to receiving a request from a consumer device to present the in-store promotion, the server determines if the consumer device is within a predetermined geographic location of the participating store location without requesting additional information from a consumer operating the consumer device. If the consumer device is within the predetermined geographic location of the participating store location, the server dynamically generates the in-store promotion using at least one of the plurality of data items stored in the offer database. Once generated, the server transmits the in-store promotion to the consumer device. | 06-07-2012 |
20130117646 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DELIVERING AND ACTIVATING A VIRTUAL GIFT CARD - A system and method for delivering and activating a virtual gift card includes storing in a database at least one data item for use in creating a virtual gift card. A server creates a unique identifier for the virtual gift card and sends the unique identifier to the virtual gift card recipient. The unique identifier identifies a location for the recipient to retrieve the virtual gift card, but does not include the virtual gift card. In response to receiving a request from a recipient device to present the virtual gift card, the server generates the gift card, instructs a gift card processor to activate the gift card and transmits the virtual gift card to the recipient. The gift card may then be redeemed by the recipient at the corresponding merchant. The recipient thereby activates the gift card using a single action. | 05-09-2013 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090142060 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TRANSFERRING WDM SIGNALS BETWEEN DIFFERENT WAVELENGTH DIVISION MULTIPLEXED OPTICAL COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS IN AN OPTICALLY TRANSPARENT MANNER - In a WDM optical communication system that includes a plurality of nodes interconnected by communication links, a node is provided which includes an optical coupling arrangement having at least one input port for receiving a WDM signal and a plurality of output ports for selectively receiving one or more wavelength components of the WDM optical signal. The optical coupling arrangement is adaptable to reconfigure its operational state to (i) selectively direct any one of the wavelength components received on the input port to any of the output ports independently of any other of the wavelength components and (ii) selectively direct any combination of two or more of the wavelength components from the input port to at least two of the output ports that serve as WDM output ports. At least one optical WDM interface is optically coupled to a first of the WDM output ports. The optical WDM interface is adapted to receive, at different times, a transponder and a transmission link through which a WDM signal can be communicated. At least one transponder is coupled to a second of the WDM output ports. | 06-04-2009 |
20090196549 | MODULAR ALL-OPTICAL CROSS-CONNECT - An all-optical, optical cross-connect includes first and second pluralities of multiport optical devices. Each of the first plurality of multiport optical devices have at least one input port for receiving a WDM optical signal and a plurality of output ports for selectively receiving one of more wavelength components of the optical signal. Each of the second plurality of multiport optical devices have a plurality of input ports for selectively receiving one of more wavelength components of the optical signal and at least one output port for selectively receiving one of more wavelength components of the optical signal. At least one of the first or second plurality of multiport optical devices are all-optical switches that can route every wavelength component independently of every other wavelength component. The plurality of input ports of the second plurality of multiport optical devices are optically coupled to respective ones of the plurality of output ports of the first plurality of multiport optical devices. | 08-06-2009 |
20100098406 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR INTERCONNECTING A PLURALITY OF OPTICAL TRANSDUCERS WITH A WAVELENGTH DIVISION MULTIPLEXED OPTICAL SWITCH - In a WDM optical communication system that includes a plurality of nodes interconnected by communication links, a node is provided that includes a first plurality of transponders each generating and/or receiving an information-bearing optical signal at a different channel wavelength from one another. An optical coupling arrangement, which may include one or more reconfigurable optical switches, transfers the channel wavelengths between a link connected to the node and the first plurality of transponders. The arrangement is adaptable to reconfigure its operational state to selectively direct different ones of the channel wavelengths from the link to different ones of the transponders without disturbing the optical path through the node traversed by any other channel wavelengths. A communications and configuration arrangement is provided, which transfers data identifying the respective channel wavelengths at which the transponders operate from the transponders to the optical coupling arrangement. In response to the transferred data, the communications and configuration arrangement reconfigures the operational state of the optical coupling arrangement. | 04-22-2010 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20110276474 | Method for Facilitating Payment of a Computerized Transaction - A method for facilitating the transfer of a payment for a computerized transaction between a buyer and a seller for the purchase of an item using a computer network, such as the Internet. The method includes the steps of communicating, from a seller's computing station to an agent computing system, data regarding the transaction between the buyer and the seller, wherein the data identifies the buyer, the seller, and the amount of the transaction. The agent computing system communicates transaction information displayable to the buyer, such as a confirmation number created by the agent computing system for identifying the transaction, an order number corresponding to a merchant order number provided by the merchant for identifying the transaction, an exchange rate between a first local currency usable to the buyer and a second currency usable by the seller, and a total price of the transaction expressed in the first local currency usable by the buyer. Receiving an actual payment from the buyer at a plurality of agent locations is provided for, the agent locations being in communication with the agent computing system. Upon receiving the actual payment from the buyer at one of the agent locations, a message is communicated to the seller that the actual payment for the transaction was received at the agent location, thereby permitting the seller to begin shipment of the item to the buyer. Funds are transferred to the seller preferably paid in the second currency usable by the seller. | 11-10-2011 |
20130262297 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR GRADUATED SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY DETECTION - Systems and methods for evaluating electronic value transfers. Various of the methods include graduating a defined affinity between transactions to increasing levels of scrutiny. At an increased level of scrutiny, reports can be generated indicating suspicious activity and/or interdiction procedures can be implemented to reduce the occurrence of the detected suspicious activity. Various of the systems are tailored to implement the aforementioned methods. | 10-03-2013 |
20140108248 | Method for Facilitating Payment of a Computerized Transaction - A system and method for facilitating the transfer of a payment for a computerized transaction between a buyer and a seller for the purchase of an item using a computer network, such as the Internet. For example, the method can include communicating data regarding the transaction between the buyer and the seller, receiving an actual payment from the buyer at one or more agent locations, and upon receiving the actual payment from the buyer at one of the agent locations, communicating a message to the seller that the actual payment for the transaction was received at the agent location, thereby permitting the seller to begin shipment of the item. | 04-17-2014 |