Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080200253 | System and Method to Levy and Collect Taxes in a Virtual Environment - A virtual environment in which players are charged and able to charge taxes for various taxable activities. The tax may be levied by a governmental authority or other entity or by one or more characters in the metaverse. The tax may be imposed at the time of a taxable activity, at periodic intervals, or upon the occurrence of an event. The tax may be imposed for a specific purpose, e.g. to create a fund to use as insurance against possible harms, threats, or misdeeds, to protect the tax payers from impending or realized threats, or for any or no reason. | 08-21-2008 |
20080201316 | Providing Certified Patent Searches Conducted by Third Party Researchers - Improved methods for drafting, preparing, and submitting a patent application are described. The system incorporates a web-based tool in which applications are drafted. The web-based tool allows for real time analysis of the application as it is being drafted. Automated suggestions, prior art searching, researcher and attorney recommendations are also disclosed. | 08-21-2008 |
20080207327 | Virtual Environment with Alerts - A virtual environment in which players are able to receive alerts intended to indicate the occurrence of a given event within the virtual environment. The alerts may be delivered to the player while he is playing the game via an in-game messaging service or other similar device. Alternatively the alerts may be delivered to the player via a real world communication device such as a cell phone, pager, text messaging device, or the like. | 08-28-2008 |
20080313052 | Method and system for managing transactions initiated via a wireless communications device - A system for managing an order received from a wireless communications device (WCD), including: an order element, in a processor in at least one specially programmed general-purpose computer, arranged to receive, via an interface element in the computer, a transmission, via a communication network, from the WCD, including an order for an item at a retail location; a location element, in the processor, to identify, using the interface element and the processor, that the WCD is within a predetermined location with respect to the location; a scheduling element, in the processor, to schedule preparation of the order in response to the predetermined location; an instruction element, in the processor, to generate at least one instruction for fulfilling the order and to transmit the instruction, using the interface element; and, a presentation element, at a point of sales (POS) station at the retail location, to receive and present the instruction. | 12-18-2008 |
20080313122 | Method and system for generating an offer and transmitting the offer to a wireless communications device - A system for a system for generating and transmitting an offer to a wireless communications device (WCD) in response to an order, including: an interface element, for at least one specially programmed general-purpose computer, arranged to receive an order from a WCD, the order including a first item or service available from a business entity; and an offer element, in a processor for the at least one specially programmed computer. The offer element is arranged to generate, using at least one of a set of rules or an artificial intelligence program stored in a memory unit for the at least one specially programmed computer, an offer in response to the order, the offer including a second item or service available from the business entity; and transmit, using the interface element, a completion message to a wireless communications network for transmission to the WCD, the completion message including the offer. | 12-18-2008 |
20090024481 | Method and system for generating a real time offer or a deferred offer - A system for generating a real time offer or a deferred offer, including: an interface element, for at least one specially programmed general-purpose computer, arranged to receive an order from an end user device (EUD), the order including an first or service available from a business entity; and an offer element, in a processor for the computer, arranged to: generate, prior to fulfillment of the order by the business entity and using at least one of a first set of rules or a first artificial intelligence program stored in a memory unit for the computer, a first offer fulfillable as part of the order; and generate, prior to fulfillment of the order by the business entity and using the processor and at least one of a second set of rules or a second artificial intelligence program stored in the memory unit, a second offer fulfillable after fulfillment of the order by the business entity; and transmit, using the interface element, the first and second offers to the EUD. | 01-22-2009 |
20090030797 | Method and apparatus for generating and transmitting an ideal order offer - A system for generating and transmitting an ideal order offer, including: an interface element for at least one specially programmed general-purpose computer; a memory unit for the computer; and an offer element, in a processor for the computer. The offer element is for: receiving, using the interface element, an order from a customer, the order including at least one item or at least one service offered by a business entity; generating at least one ideal order offer using at least one of a first set of rules and a first artificial intelligence program stored in a memory unit for the computer, the at least one ideal order offer including at least one item or service not included in the order or an incentive not associated with the order; and transmitting, using the interface element, the order and the at least one ideal order for presentation to the customer. | 01-29-2009 |
20090030798 | System and method for providing incentives to an end user for referring another end user - A system for generating an incentive for an end user to refer other end users, including: first and second offer elements, in a processor for at least one specially programmed general-purpose computer. The first offer element: receives, using an interface element for the computer, a first order from an end user device, generates using the processor and a set of rules or an artificial intelligence program stored in a memory unit for the computer, a first offer in response to the first order, the offer conditional upon receipt of at least one email address; and transmits, using the interface element, the first offer. The second offer element receives, using the interface element, an address in response to the first offer; generates, using the processor, at least one second offer; and transmits, using the interface element, the at least one second offer to the at least one email address. | 01-29-2009 |
20090119168 | System and method for providing an incentive based on the hardware used to place an order - A system for providing an incentive based on the hardware used to place an order, including: an interface element for at least one specially programmed general-purpose computer; and an offer element, in a processor for the general-purpose computer for: generating an offer to place an order with a business entity, the offer based upon a category for a hardware device or an identification of a hardware device; identifying, using the interface element, a hardware device included in the category or having the identification; and transmitting, using the interface element, the offer for display on the hardware device included in the category or having the identification. In one embodiment, the offer element is for generating an offer using at least one of a set of rules and a artificial intelligence program stored in a memory unit for the general-purpose computer. | 05-07-2009 |
20090123004 | Method and system for automated volume adjustments for a marketing system - A method for adjusting volume for a marketing system, including the steps of: determining, using a processor in a general-purpose computer, a parameter associated with the marketing system; generating, using the processor, a volume control level based on the parameter; and controlling, using the processor and an interface element for the computer, an audio output portion of a sales offer from an audio component of the marketing system such that the audio output portion matches the volume control level. The general-purpose computer is arranged to perform the steps of determining, generating, and controlling. In a preferred embodiment, the parameter is an ambient noise level proximate the marketing system and determining a parameter includes measuring the ambient noise level proximate the marketing system. In a first embodiment, the parameter is a temporal parameter. A system for adjusting volume for a selling system. | 05-14-2009 |
20090125396 | System and method for generating and transmitting location based promotional offer reminders - A computer-based system for generating and transmitting a location based offer reminder, including: an interface element for at least one specially programmed general-purpose computer; a memory element for the computer, the memory element storing a record of at least one communication sent to at least one wireless communications device (WCD); and a reminder element, in a processor for the computer. The reminder element is for: identifying, using the interface element, the at least one WCD as being within a prescribed geographical area; determining that a response to the communication has not been received; generating at least one reminder regarding the communication; and transmitting, using the interface element, the reminder to a wireless communications network for transmission to WCD. In one embodiment, the reminder element generates the at least one reminder using at least one of a set of rules or an artificial intelligence program stored in the memory unit. | 05-14-2009 |
20090132344 | System and method for scanning a coupon to initiate an order - A system for initiating an order by scanning a coupon, including: a processor for at least one specially programmed general-purpose computer; an interface element for the at least one specially programmed general-purpose computer; and, an offer element, in the processor for: generating barcode data including information regarding items or services included in a fulfilled order; transmitting, using an interface element, the barcode data for output at a first point of sale (POS) device; receiving, using the interface element, the barcode data inputted via a second POS device; generating, in response to the inputted barcode data, a order offer including at least one item or service included in the fulfilled order; and transmitting, using the interface element, the order offer for output via the second POS device. A method for initiating an order by scanning a coupon | 05-21-2009 |
20090138342 | Method and system for providing an employee award using artificial intelligence - A system for providing an incentive for an employee, including: an interface element for at least one specially programmed general-purpose computer; a memory unit for the at least one specially programmed general-purpose computer; and a processor for the at least one specially programmed general-purpose computer for: generating, using an artificial intelligence program (AIP) in the memory unit, an incentive for at least one employee of a first business entity to perform at least one desired operation; and transmitting, using the interface element, the incentive for display on a display device. In one embodiment, the desired operation includes presenting an upsell offer. | 05-28-2009 |
20090157483 | Method and system for using artificial intelligence to generate or modify an employee prompt or a customer survey - A system for modifying a prompt or a survey, including: an interface element for at least one specially programmed general-purpose computer for receiving an audio input including: a response of an employee of a business entity to a prompt presented to the employee; or a response of a customer of the business entity to a question presented to the customer following a transaction between the customer and the business entity. The system also includes: a memory unit for the computer storing an artificial intelligence program (AIP); and a processor for the computer for: storing the audio input in the memory unit; comparing the audio input to a metric; modifying the prompt or the question using the AIP and the audio input comparison; and transmitting, using the interface element, the prompt or the question for presentation, on a respective display device, to the employee or the customer. | 06-18-2009 |
20090164304 | Method and system for using a self learning algorithm to manage a progressive discount - A system for managing a progressive incentive, including: an interface element for at least one specially programmed general-purpose computer for receiving data regarding a current transaction between a customer and a business entity; and a memory unit for the specially programmed general-purpose computer for storing at least one compliance parameter and an artificial intelligence program (AIP). The system also includes a processor for the specially programmed general-purpose computer for: determining, using the data, compliance of the current transaction with at least one compliance parameter; for compliance of the current transaction with the at least one compliance parameter, augmenting, using the AIP, an incentive included in an offer previously presented to the customer, the augmented incentive to optimize revenue for the business entity or profitability of the business entity; generating a second offer including the augmented incentive; and transmitting, using the interface element, the second offer for presentation to the customer. | 06-25-2009 |
20090164391 | Self learning method and system to revenue manage a published price in a retail environment - A computer-based self-learning system for managing a price in a retail environment, including: an interface element for at least one specially programmed general-purpose computer for receiving an input related to initiation of a transaction between a customer and a first business entity; a memory unit for the at least one specially programmed general-purpose computer for storing an artificial intelligence program (AIP) and a history of at least one previous transaction between the customer and the first business entity; and a processor for the at least one specially programmed general-purpose computer for: determining, using the AIP, the input, and the history, a price for the good or service to optimize revenue for the first business entity or profitability of the first business entity. The interface element is for receiving a request for the price, and the processor is for transmitting, using the interface element, the price for display. | 06-25-2009 |
20090182677 | Upsell system embedded in a system and controlled by a third party - A method of determining compensation, including the steps of: generating, using a processor of a specially programmed general-purpose computer and a first software program stored in a memory element of the general-purpose computer and offered by a first business entity, at least one sales offer; transmitting the at least one sales offer using an interface element for the general-purpose computer; tracking, using the processor and a second software program stored in the memory element and supplied by a third business entity, the at least one sales offer and respective acceptances of sales offers from the at least one sales offer, the respective acceptances received by the interface element; determining, using the processor and the second software program, revenue from the respective acceptances; and calculating, using the processor and the second software program, compensation for use of the product or service, based on the revenue. | 07-16-2009 |
20120123864 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SELECTING A SUPPLEMENTAL PRODUCT TO OFFER FOR SALE DURING A TRANSACTION - According to some embodiments, a supplemental product or service may be offered to a user during a transaction, either in addition to products and/or services the user is purchasing, or as a replacement to one or more of the products and/or services that the user is purchasing. The functionality may be implemented, for example, in a retail embodiment where a user is purchasing products and/or services at a cash register or other point-of-sale terminal. One or more embodiments may be implemented online where a user is purchasing products and/or services using a computer, terminal, telephone or other client or user device and accessing a World Wide Web site, online catalog, interactive voice response unit or system, etc. | 05-17-2012 |
20130339182 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SELECTING A SUPPLEMENTAL PRODUCT TO OFFER FOR SALE DURING A TRANSACTION - According to some embodiments, a supplemental product or service may be offered to a user during a transaction, either in addition to products and/or services the user is purchasing, or as a replacement to one or more of the products and/or services that the user is purchasing. The functionality may be implemented, for example, in a retail embodiment where a user is purchasing products and/or services at a cash register or other point-of-sale terminal. One or more embodiments may be implemented online where a user is purchasing products and/or services using a computer, terminal, telephone or other client or user device and accessing a World Wide Web site, online catalog, interactive voice response unit or system, etc. | 12-19-2013 |
20140089085 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SELECTING A SUPPLEMENTAL PRODUCT TO OFFER FOR SALE DURING A TRANSACTION - According to some embodiments, a supplemental product or service may be offered to a user during a transaction, either in addition to products and/or services the user is purchasing, or as a replacement to one or more of the products and/or services that the user is purchasing. The functionality may be implemented, for example, in a retail embodiment where a user is purchasing products and/or services at a cash register or other point-of-sale terminal. One or more embodiments may be implemented online where a user is purchasing products and/or services using a computer, terminal, telephone or other client or user device and accessing a World Wide Web site, online catalog, interactive voice response unit or system, etc. | 03-27-2014 |