| Patent application number | Description | Published |
| 20090043855 | SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING INFORMATION TO ORIGINATOR OF MISDIRECTED EMAIL - The invention provides a computer-implemented method for responding to an email message sent by a sender to an intended recipient. The method includes the steps of extracting the recipient email address from the initial email message and determining whether there exists a valid email account corresponding to the extracted recipient email address. When it is determined that no valid email account exists corresponding to the recipient email address, a response email message is generated and directed to the sender email address. The response email message not only indicates that the initial email message was undeliverable, but it includes supplemental information that may be of use to the sender. For example, the supplemental information may include advertisement information or search links that may or may not be contextually relevant to the content of the initial email. | 02-12-2009 |
| 20090168987 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING DIRECTORY ASSISTANCE TO ERRONEOUS TELEPHONE CALLS - A method and system for providing directory assistance to erroneous calls. The method and system includes an intercept system that intercepts erroneous calls and automatically routes them to a directory assistance service. The directory assistance service provides a least one advertisement and a variety of other services to the callers using a business subscriber information service, a white page database service; a yellow pages database service; a business intelligence database service; rule-based expert system service; and/or an Internet search service. The directory assistance service accepts fees from advertisers, businesses and providers of the variety of services to refer information to callers. | 07-02-2009 |
| 20090175431 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING DIRECTORY ASSISTANCE TO ERRONEOUS TELEPHONE CALLS - A method and system for providing directory assistance to erroneous calls. The method and system includes an intercept system that intercepts erroneous calls and automatically routes them to a directory assistance service. The directory assistance service provides a least one advertisement and a variety of other internal and external information services to the callers using a business subscriber information service, a white page database service; a yellow pages database service; a business intelligence database service; and/or an Internet search service. | 07-09-2009 |
| 20090175433 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING DIRECTORY ASSISTANCE TO ERRONEOUS TELEPHONE CALLS - A method and system for providing directory assistance to erroneous calls. The method and system includes an intercept system that intercepts erroneous calls and automatically routes them to a directory assistance service. The directory assistance service provides a least one advertisement and a variety of other services to the callers using a rule-based expert system service. | 07-09-2009 |
| 20100217675 | AUTOMATICALLY ADDING GRATUITY TO AMOUNT CHARGED IN ELECTRONIC TRANSACTION - A method includes receiving a payment object for payment of a certain amount owed by a first party to a second party. The payment object carries sufficient account information for the payment from an account associated with the payment object. The second party communicates the account information from the payment object and an identification of the second party for receipt by a third party; and receives in return data that is indicative of a gratuity to be charged against the account. The second party prints a document that includes the certain amount owed and the gratuity, as indicated by the data received by the second party, and presents the document for signature by the first party. The printed document preferably includes the total of the amount owed and the gratuity. The payment object may be a credit card, charge card, debit card, rebate card, or stored-value card. | 08-26-2010 |
| 20100217676 | AUTOMATICALLY ADDING GRATUITY TO AMOUNT CHARGED IN ELECTRONIC TRANSACTION - A method includes receiving a payment object for payment of a certain amount owed by a first party to a second party. The payment object carries sufficient account information for the payment from an account associated with the payment object. The second party communicates the account information from the payment object and an identification of the second party for receipt by a third party; and receives in return data that is indicative of a gratuity to be charged against the account. The second party prints a document that includes the certain amount owed and the gratuity, as indicated by the data received by the second party, and presents the document for signature by the first party. The printed document preferably includes the total of the amount owed and the gratuity. The payment object may be a credit card, charge card, debit card, rebate card, or stored-value card. | 08-26-2010 |
| 20100217699 | AUTOMATICALLY ADDING GRATUITY TO AMOUNT CHARGED IN ELECTRONIC TRANSACTION - A method includes receiving a payment object for payment of a certain amount owed by a first party to a second party. The payment object carries sufficient account information for the payment from an account associated with the payment object. The second party communicates the account information from the payment object and an identification of the second party for receipt by a third party; and receives in return data that is indicative of a gratuity to be charged against the account. The second party prints a document that includes the certain amount owed and the gratuity, as indicated by the data received by the second party, and presents the document for signature by the first party. The printed document preferably includes the total of the amount owed and the gratuity. The payment object may be a credit card, charge card, debit card, rebate card, or stored-value card. | 08-26-2010 |
| 20100268597 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATED INTELLEGENT ELECTRONIC ADVERTISING - A method and system for automated intelligent electronic advertising. The method and system parse electronic information messages (e.g., e-mail, IM, SMS, MMS, social networking messages, etc.) using information theory for keywords and make search engine queries or database queries for electronic links based on the identified keywords. Hierarchical electronic links are added to the electronic information messages creating a modified electronic information message. This allows additional electronic information to be accessed from the modified electronic information message based on information content of the original electronic information message via pre-determined hierarchy. | 10-21-2010 |