| Class / Patent application number | Description | Number of patent applications / Date published |
|---|
| 705140110 | Trade or exchange of a good or service for an incentive | 83 |
| 20090276303 | Systems and methods for mobile wireless advertising platform part 1 - A system of wireless advertising platform has a handheld wireless device that has an inbound wireless data function with a storage function to be able to receive and store, audio, text, image, and flash commercial messages from a message server. The device has a message exposure function that exposes these messages to a device user from the stored memory of the device into the incoming and outgoing communication, to and from the device user. The device has a message tracking function that tracks which messages have been exposed and periodically sends an account record to the message server. The message server receives the account records and uses cumulative account records to create billing statements to the message providers. The communication use cost of the device is discounted to the device user for being exposed messages from revenue from message providers. | 11-05-2009 |
| 20090292598 | CREDIT EARNING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR OBTAINING MEDIA RIGHTS - A method and system for earning credits from a content rights provider/issuer ( | 11-26-2009 |
| 20090299839 | First in Home Marketing Method - Time is of the essence when advertising to new homeowners. The present invention is an advertising technique that enables advertisers to reach new homeowners at the time of closing of the new homeowner's home purchase. Hence, advertisers advertising via the present invention are able to reach potential customers at least several days, even weeks, if not months, before other advertisers using conventional approaches. | 12-03-2009 |
| 20090313099 | MESSAGING SYSTEM AND METHOD - A messaging method using a mobile user terminal, the method including the steps of: creating, at the mobile user terminal, at least one graphical messaging symbol adapted to convey a meaning to a message recipient; preparing message content including at least one of the created graphical messaging symbols using the mobile terminal; and sending the message to a recipient via a communication network. | 12-17-2009 |
| 20100004986 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS WHEREIN A SECURITY DEPOSIT FACILITATES A TRANSACTION IN WHICH A BENEFIT IS APPLIED IN EXCHANGE FOR PERFORMANCE OF A TASK - Methods, computer readable media and systems are described wherein a security deposit is used to facilitate a transaction with a customer. In an embodiment, a process includes receiving an indication that a customer is interested in making a purchase during a transaction from a merchant, and transmitting an offer for a benefit to be applied to the transaction in exchange for a future performance of a task by the customer and a security deposit. The task is associated with a subsidy provider other than the merchant. The method also includes providing the offer to the customer, receiving the security deposit, applying the benefit to the transaction before performance of the task, and returning at least a portion of the security deposit to the customer based on the performance of the task. For example, a subsidy provider may offer to apply a subsidy amount to a transaction involving the purchase of a lawn mower in exchange for a future performance of a task by the customer such as test driving a new car. It is also arranged for the customer to provide a security deposit. When the customer performs the task by test driving the car, arrangements are then made to return at least a portion of the security deposit to the customer. | 01-07-2010 |
| 20100082415 | AUTOMATIC DETERMINATION OF SELECTIVE MESSAGE CACHING TO SUPPORT RULES IN A TRADING PARTNER COLLABORATION MANAGEMENT ENVIRONMENT - Systems and methods are provided for selectively cache trading partner transaction messages in a trading partner collaboration environment. At least one trading partner transaction message is received. A determination is made as to whether at least one trading partner business rule requires data from the transaction message. If at least one trading partner business rule requires data from the transaction message, at least a portion of the transaction message in a transaction history cache is selectively cached. Another determination is made as to whether the transaction message is associated with a trading partner business rule. If the transaction message is associated with a trading partner business rule the transaction message is processed based on the associated trading partner business rule and previous transaction message data residing in the transaction history cache. | 04-01-2010 |
| 20100106575 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR DETERMINING THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF A CONSUMER'S ACTUAL RESOURCE CONSUMPTION - Methods, systems, apparatus, and tangible computer-readable media for receiving resource consumption information associated with a consumer from a resource consumption validator, analyzing the received information and storing the received information and/or the analysis results are herein provided. In some cases, an environmental impact associated with a consumer's resource consumption is determined. Methods, systems, apparatus, and tangible computer-readable media for automatically accessing a consumer resource consumption account and retrieving resource consumption information associated with the resource consumption account are also provided. | 04-29-2010 |
| 20100145779 | System and Method for Performing Philanthropic Giving as Marketing Incentive - A business organization attracts a client by way of philanthropic giving. The business organization arranges a partnership with a charitable cause where the charitable cause promotes the business organization to a client and the business organization pledges a donation of an amount of funds to the charitable cause based on doing business with the client. The business organization then establishes contact with the client by way of the charitable cause, communicates to the client a pledge from the business organization of a first amount of funds to the charitable cause if the client agrees to do business with the business organization, receives an agreement from the client to do business with the business organization, commences to do such business, and donates the first amount of funds to the charitable cause at a time relevant to a definition of the first amount of funds. | 06-10-2010 |
| 20100145780 | POINT-BASED CUSTOMER TRACKING AND MAINTENANCE INCENTIVE SYSTEM - A computer terminal | 06-10-2010 |
| 20100145781 | POINT-BASED CUSTOMER TRACKING AND MAINTENANCE INCENTIVE SYSTEM - A computer terminal | 06-10-2010 |
| 20100161398 | WEB-BASED ADVERTISING REWARD SYSTEM - A system for rewarding online viewing of advertisements is described. The system comprises a processor and a memory comprising a set of executable instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to receive a user profile comprising demographic user information; to receive an advertising campaign comprising at least one advertisement, at least one reward amount identifier, and at least one user selection criteria; to transmit at least one advertisement to a user based on a comparison of the at least one user selection criteria and the user profile; and receive a user vote based on the at least one advertisement. | 06-24-2010 |
| 20100174592 | Inventory Control And Balancing System - A method for providing a plurality of users with the ability to engage in the swap of a plurality of items comprising the following: providing a system for the entry of a plurality of items into inventory of a system by a plurality of users; providing a fixed number of credits for each said item entered which can be then used to obtain other items in the system's inventory wherein the number of credits received for each item will be automatically set by the system depending on each item's characteristics and where the total number of credits allocated represent the total value of all entered items. | 07-08-2010 |
| 20100185503 | Product Warranties Having a Residual Value - The present disclosure is directed to product warranties having a residual value and a potential rebate based on the residual value. The residual value can thus be inversely related to the number of claims filed against the warranty. | 07-22-2010 |
| 20100211443 | COORDINATED ENERGY RESOURCE GENERATION - Demand response to reduce energy consumption by individual consumers is provided by aggregating individual consumers, and providing feedback to such consumers regarding their energy consumption relative to other energy consumers in a group. The resulting feedback may result in reduced energy consumption by the individual consumer. | 08-19-2010 |
| 20100241499 | Moneymail - This patent refers to a $MoneyMail™ System Email Service Provider, Database Development, Social Networking Applications and Direct Marketing Engine. The $MoneyMail™ system amalgamates two Prior Arts, email service provider (ESP) and direct email marketing service. The $MoneyMail™ users are generously compensated for receiving and viewing admail. The $MoneyMail™ system ensures that all advertisers admail will successfully reach the user, whereas, other ESPs have many SPAM blocking systems in place that cause mail to be ‘bounced’. The users that receive admail are selected from a comprehensive database dependant upon the advertisers' search criteria. The $MoneyMail™ system compensates users only upon opening and viewing the admail. The advertiser will be refunded for any admail that goes unviewed for a specified period of time. | 09-23-2010 |
| 20100241500 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR INCENTIVIZING AN ACTIVITY OFFERED BY A THIRD PARTY WEBSITE - A system for incentivizing an action offered by a third-party website. To this end, the system includes a host website comprising an offering module configured to display an incentive for taking an action on the third-party website. The host website further includes a user interface module configured to register users as participants, and accept inputs from the participants. In addition, a reporting module receives a report of an action on the third-party website and the identity of the participant taking the action. Further, an incentive calculation module present on the host website calculates an incentive applicable to the identified action and provides information regarding the calculated incentive. Moreover, a data storage module is configured to assemble, store, retrieve, and process information regarding the participant and the third-party website action. | 09-23-2010 |
| 20100262473 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT - This invention relates to methods and a system for developing software. In one embodiment, a method for developing software includes communicating a specification for the design of a software program to a first plurality of developers, in response to the specification, receiving a design from a subset of the developers to a subset of the developers, facilitating a design review process for scoring the designs, selecting one design based on its score, communicating the selected design to a second plurality of software developers, in response to the design, receiving software programs from a subset of the second plurality of developers, facilitating a software review process for scoring the programs, and selecting one program based on its score. In another embodiment, a method for the distributed development of software includes providing a software development system to a distributed community of developers, the system including software development software that utilizes a structured development methodology, a communication server, and a review board for determining the quality of submitted software; accepting a request to create a software program; and facilitating the development of the program by a subset of the distributed community of developers using the software development system. | 10-14-2010 |
| 20100287042 | KNOWLEDGE CREATION SYSTEM FOR A SPONTANEOUS ONLINE COMMUNITY - A method for evaluating and rewarding users' contribution in an Internet system is described. The Internet system accepts user's contribution of articles or multimedia information. The system maintains user profiles. Each user profile comprises a reputation data and a credit data. The Internet system has four kinds of roles to participate in pages of a platform uses one language. The received contribution subject to other's modifications, and system evaluates contribution ratio and page production value to reward the contribution for a certain time. | 11-11-2010 |
| 20100293045 | Centralized Renewable Energy System With Fractional Ownership and a Method of Disaggregated Net Metering of its Renewable Energy Output Among Utility Customers Who Are Fractional Owners - Systems and methods for off-site centralized renewable energy generation systems for utility customers to remotely generate renewable energy that can be credited to their utility bill at their residence or place of business. Fractional ownership of a centralized facility provides cost savings through economies of scale and allows fractional owners to receive all available tax incentives for renewable energy production. | 11-18-2010 |
| 20100332301 | Compensating in Cost-Per-Action Advertising - A method and system are provided for targeting specific users with specific requested actions to be performed by the user and verified by any methods on behalf of an advertiser within an Internet display advertising campaign. The system discloses techniques for receiving an advertiser's requested actions and corresponding definitions of what constitutes a satisfaction of the action. The disclosure also details techniques for determining if and when and to what degree a requested action has been completed or satisfied by the targeted user, and details corresponding techniques for compensating the user and any other real or virtual entity who had contributed to the satisfaction of the requested action. The system implements a network of sensors that can aid in the determination of if and when and to what degree a requested action has been completed or satisfied. The network of sensors registers sensor recordings within a specialized sensor recording marketplace. | 12-30-2010 |
| 20110010230 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR ORGANIZING COMMUNITY SERVICE PARTICIPATION AND CREATING OBJECTIVE RECORDS OF SUCH PARTICIPATION - Methods of and systems for generating on a server computer system an objectively verified record of participation by a helper in one or more community-service-based causes are disclosed. Related computer program products are also disclosed. | 01-13-2011 |
| 20110106597 | Methods And Systems For Offering Discounts - A method for providing incentives includes receiving identification data from a customer; receiving incentive data from a merchant, the incentive data; accessing at least one social network account of the customer to access social network data, the social network data including text of social network communications and a size of the at least one social network account; determining demographic qualities of the at least one social network account determining an incentive based on the size and demographic qualities of the at least one social network account and the incentive data; receiving input from the customer as to whether to accept the incentive determined; and broadcasting a promotional message through the at least one social network account if the costumer accepts the incentive. | 05-05-2011 |
| 20110166919 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS WHEREIN A SECURITY DEPOSIT FACILITATES A TRANSACTION IN WHICH A BENEFIT IS APPLIED IN EXCHANGE FOR PERFORMANCE OF A TASK - Methods, computer readable media and systems are described wherein a security deposit is used to facilitate a transaction with a customer. In an embodiment, a process includes receiving an indication that a customer is interested in making a purchase during a transaction from a merchant, and transmitting an offer for a benefit to be applied to the transaction in exchange for a future performance of a task by the customer and a security deposit. The task is associated with a subsidy provider other than the merchant. The method also includes providing the offer to the customer, receiving the security deposit, applying the benefit to the transaction before performance of the task, and returning at least a portion of the security deposit to the customer based on the performance of the task. For example, a subsidy provider may offer to apply a subsidy amount to a transaction involving the purchase of a lawn mower in exchange for a future performance of a task by the customer such as test driving a new car. It is also arranged for the customer to provide a security deposit. When the customer performs the task by test driving the car, arrangements are then made to return at least a portion of the security deposit to the customer. | 07-07-2011 |
| 20110196722 | MARKETPLACE FOR CAPTCHA DEVELOPERS - Techniques are described herein for providing a marketplace for CAPTCHA developers. A CAPTCHA is a type of challenge-response test that a content provider may present to users for authorizing the users to access content that is hosted by the content provider. CAPTCHA developers may propose CAPTCHAs for testing in the marketplace. A server is configured to provide instances of proposed CAPTCHAs to users along with instances of reference CAPTCHAs that have known difficulties to determine the relative difficulties of the proposed CAPTCHAs for the users. The server may determine a reward to be provided to a developer of a proposed CAPTCHA based on a difficulty that the predetermined automated systems encounter when they attempt to solve the proposed CAPTCHA and an ease with which the users solve the proposed CAPTCHA. The server may determine rewards to be provided to developers of predetermined automated systems that solve the proposed CAPTCHAs. | 08-11-2011 |
| 20110218845 | Interactive Advertising for Computer Mediated Communications - A system, method, and computer program product are provided for interactive advertising for computer mediated communications. An advertisement associated with an advertiser is provided by a communication service provider to a user of the communication service provider. A selected advertisement is associated with a user communication by the communication service provider in response to a user selection to associate the advertisement with the user communication. Compensation from the advertiser associated with the selected advertisement is received for the communication service provider in response to a determination that a recipient of the user communication committed an action associated with the selected advertisement. | 09-08-2011 |
| 20110264493 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR IMPROVING RECYCLING THROUGH THE USE OF FINANCIAL INCENTIVES - Methods and systems are provided for improving recycling and participation rates by providing financial incentives to households engaged in recycling. Certain embodiments of the invention relate to reduction of costs associated with waste collection and the enhancement of collection efficiency. Other embodiments of the invention relate to opening a marketing channel for participating retailers to build value from responsible corporate citizenship. | 10-27-2011 |
| 20110307314 | EXERCISE CREDIT EXCHANGE SYSTEM AND METHOD - A system and method for securely measuring and tracking exercise performed by individuals and energy generated by human powered devices is provided. An amount of exercise and/or energy generated is quantified and converted to reward points usable in a rewards incentive program. Exercise performed and/or energy generated on exercise equipment is measured by measurement apparatus on the equipment. Reward points are issued locally to a user's portable stored value device or card, or may be accumulated on a remotely administered user account. A user interface disposed locally with the exercise equipment receives a user identification and provides credits to the user's stored value device or card, or provides notification to the user of credits being provided to the remote user account. A redemption point in communication with remote user accounts communicates over a network to verify sufficient credits and authorizes rewards to a user commensurate with available credits. | 12-15-2011 |
| 20120004962 | BROKERING AN INCENTIVIZED COMMERCIAL TRANSACTION - An apparatus and associated method for a processor based computing system having logic stored in the computing system in the form of computer-readable instructions stored in memory that are executable so that a business subscriber can create a coupon to incentivize a commercial transaction, the coupon identifying the business subscriber and a consumer subscriber that created the coupon, the apparatus and method operably calculating and accounting for a first financial incentive to the redeemer of the coupon, via a consumer incentive derived by predefined rules stored in the apparatus, and for a second financial incentive to the consumer subscriber, via at least one of an advertising distributor incentive and a system administrator incentive derived by predefined rules stored in the apparatus. | 01-05-2012 |
| 20120016725 | Combination Retailing System For Consumer Based Products Or Precious Stones and Metals - A method for appraising at a retail location an item having one of a precious stone, a semi-precious stone, a precious metal, or a semi-precious metal includes the step of providing a variety of food products at the retail location. Then, by a transaction point computer at the retail location, the item to be appraised is received, along with the consumer's selection of a food product. The item's composition is determined using an evaluating device, and an exchange value is associated with the item using data obtained by the evaluating device and market data obtained over a network. The exchange value of the item is relayed to the consumer after the food product selected by the consumer has been delivered. | 01-19-2012 |
| 20120029985 | System And Method For Managing Recyclable Materials - The disclosure relates to a system and method for receiving recyclable materials, associating the materials with a specific user, capturing data specific to that user and the materials, and providing reward points to the user based on the materials. | 02-02-2012 |
| 20120089446 | Publishing Commercial Information in a Social Network - A publishing engine captures commercial information associated with a first user and automatically notifies other users in the first user's social network of this commercial information. The first user authorizes an e-commerce system to access his or her social network and to publish commercial information about the first user's commercial activity (e.g., a purchase or other commercial transaction) to users in the social network. By this automated notification, the notified users in the first user's social network can learn that the first user has completed a commercial transaction pertaining to a particular product or service. If a notified user is interested in a similar product or service, he or she can contact the first user to inquire about the first user's experience and information with the product or service. | 04-12-2012 |
| 20120123832 | STORED VALUE EXCHANGE METHOD AND APPARATUS - An apparatus and method for exchanging one form of stored value for another form of value. In one embodiment, a method for exchanging stored value for an alternative form of value comprises receiving stored value account information relating to the stored value from a remote user device, sending at least a portion the stored value account information to a first value provider and receiving a first offer to exchange the stored value for an alternative form of value. A request is then sent to a second value provider requesting that the second value provider provide a supplemental offer, the supplemental offer adding a second form of value to the alternative from of value. The supplemental offer is received, and then both the first and supplemental offers are provided to the remote user device for acceptance. | 05-17-2012 |
| 20120123833 | STORED VALUE EXCHANGE METHOD AND APPARATUS - An apparatus and method for exchanging one form of stored value for another form of value. In one embodiment, a method for exchanging stored value for an alternative form of value comprises receiving stored value account information relating to the stored value from a remote user device and generating a first offer to exchange the stored value for an alternative form of value. A request is sent to a first value provider to provide a supplemental offer to the first offer. The supplemental offer is then received from the first value provider, and the first offer and the supplemental offer are sent to the remote user device for acceptance. | 05-17-2012 |
| 20120123834 | STORED VALUE EXCHANGE METHOD AND APPARATUS - An apparatus and method for exchanging one form of stored value for another form of value. In one embodiment, a method for exchanging stored value for an alternative form of value comprises receiving stored value account information relating to the stored value from a remote user device and sending a request to a first value provider to provide an offer to exchange the store value for the alternative form of value. The method further comprises receiving the offer, the offer comprising a first offer to exchange the stored value for an alternative form of value and a supplemental offer comprising a supplemental value. The method further comprises sending the first offer and the supplemental offer to the remote user device for acceptance. | 05-17-2012 |
| 20120130783 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR IMMEDIATE ISSUANCE OF TRANSACTION CARDS - A system and method for substantially immediate issuance of transaction cards includes at least one unassigned transaction card including a storage medium having a card number encoded thereupon. The system also includes a computing system configured to receive application information from an applicant that has been provided said unassigned transaction card, and to activate the unassigned transaction card so that access to monetary funds is extended to the applicant through said unassigned transaction card, upon an evaluation of said application information indicating that the applicant has been approved for access to the monetary funds. The unassigned transaction card bears no visible marking presenting information concerning the applicant and encodes no information concerning said applicant upon the storage medium of said unassigned transaction card. | 05-24-2012 |
| 20120197699 | TRADE-IN VEHICLE VALUE OPTIMIZING SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR SELLERS, BUYERS, AND DEALERSHIPS - Computer-implemented methods and computer systems for offering vehicles, which are subject to sale agreements between sellers and buyers, on online markets and soliciting additional offers for these vehicles by third parties. This additional offering may generate additional revenues, above the agreed upon prices between the initial seller and buyer, and these revenues can be shared by sellers, buyers, and service providers. For example, a seller may contract with a dealer to sell a used car for a certain price, which may be a part of a trade-in transaction. Information about the car, including a price, is then posted on a website. Third parties may view this information and post their offers, which are higher than the initial contract price. The new higher offer may be accepted and the proceeds may be shared by sellers, buyers, and service providers. | 08-02-2012 |
| 20120245984 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ACQUIRING A CAPTIVE CUSTOMER BASE WITHIN A CLOUD ENVIRONMENT - In one example embodiment, a computer-implemented method for acquiring a captive customer base within a cloud computing environment comprises providing customer software to a service organization, with the customer software being configurable to facilitate communications between the service organization and a client base of the service organization. The customer software provided to the service organization is subsidized based on a condition that the service organization allows a software provider to embed context-based marketing content in the customer software, and is provided to the client base via the customer software, with the context-based marketing content directed to products offered by the software provider, and the products being supplemental to service organization services, thereby using the customer software to generate revenue for the software provider, with costs of the context-based marketing being determined by software development costs. | 09-27-2012 |
| 20120265589 | Method For Collection And Processing For Recycling - A method for recycling recyclable material involving revenue sharing of the value of the recyclable material for individualized users based upon the amount, quality and/or value of the recyclables contributed by each individual user. A system for recycling recyclable material involving a densification apparatus, a processor, and a computer for allowing revenue sharing of the value of recyclable material. | 10-18-2012 |
| 20120290374 | Social Marketplace Process and Architecture - A method and system are disclosed for managing social commerce within a social media environment. A merchant implements a social commerce storefront on behalf of an affiliate, who selects a subset of available products contained in a master catalog. The selected products are then displayed as purchasable products within the affiliate's social commerce storefront. Users of various social media environments are then referred by the affiliate to the social commerce storefront, where they purchase the merchant's products. In turn, the affiliate receives a portion of each sale as compensation for referring the user. | 11-15-2012 |
| 20130060615 | MANAGING ACCESS TO DIGITAL CONTENT ITEMS - Techniques are provided for managing access to a digital content item (such as an ebook, music, movie, software application) to be transferred from one user to another. The transferor is prevented from accessing the digital content item after the transfer occurs. The entity that sold the digital content item to the transferor enforces the access rights to the digital content item by storing data that establishes which user currently has access to the digital content item. After the change in access rights, only the transferee is allowed access to the digital content item. As part of the change in access rights, the transferee may pay to obtain access to the digital content item. A portion of the proceeds of the “resale” may be paid to the creator or publisher of the digital content item and/or the entity that originally sold the digital content item to the original owner. | 03-07-2013 |
| 20130060616 | MANAGING ACCESS TO DIGITAL CONTENT ITEMS - Techniques are provided for managing access to a digital content item (such as an ebook, music, movie, software application) to be transferred from one user to another. The transferor is prevented from accessing the digital content item after the transfer occurs. The entity that sold the digital content item to the transferor enforces the access rights to the digital content item by storing data that establishes which user currently has access to the digital content item. After the change in access rights, only the transferee is allowed access to the digital content item. As part of the change in access rights, the transferee may pay to obtain access to the digital content item. A portion of the proceeds of the “resale” may be paid to the creator or publisher of the digital content item and/or the entity that originally sold the digital content item to the original owner. | 03-07-2013 |
| 20130066693 | CROWD-SOURCED QUESTION AND ANSWERING - In a crowd-sourced question answering system, the user is allowed to provide clarifying information to eliminate some of the most probable solutions or answers. This allows the user to find less common solutions to a query. | 03-14-2013 |
| 20130073357 | BASELESS TOKEN USER INTERACTION INCENTIVE SYSTEM, METHOD, AND APPARATUS - A system, methods, and apparatus for facilitating a user interaction using baseless tokens are disclosed. In an example embodiment, a campaign is purchased by a campaign ruler from a campaign administrator for a cost that includes a rebate amount allocated to a rebate account. A set of rules for creation is received from the campaign ruler defining interactions with corresponding baseless token awards. A set of rules for destruction is received from the campaign ruler defining interactions such as participation in an auction with corresponding destruction of baseless tokens. Users are awarded baseless tokens which are redeemable only through a right of participation, and baseless tokens are destroyed based on user participation. A prize is delivered to a winning user. A rebate is provided to the campaign ruler for delivery of the prize, from the rebate account, which is maintained independently of baseless token creation and destruction. | 03-21-2013 |
| 20130073358 | RECOMMENDING PRINT LOCATIONS - Systems, methods, and computer-readable and executable instructions are provided for recommending print locations. Recommending print locations can include receiving recommendation, user, and geographic information for a first mobile print location (MPL) and a second MPL. Recommending print locations can also include indexing the recommendation, user, and geographic information for each of the first MPL and the second MPL as an automatically created uniform resource indicator (URI) on an MPL system. Furthermore, recommending print locations can include ranking the first MPL and the second MPL based on the recommendation, user, and geographic information and presenting a list, via a user interface, of the ranked first MPL and the second MPL. | 03-21-2013 |
| 20130080223 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MANAGEMENT OF CREDIT SUBSCRIPTIONS - A system and method of managing credit subscriptions corresponding to a customer are disclosed. The credit subscriptions may include quantities of one or more credits with predetermined validity durations. The credit subscriptions may be active for a subscription lifetime, and the credits may be redeemable in a variable value transaction involving a piece of media content. Managing a credit subscription may include receiving a subscription management message, translating a subscription package code to a quantity of credits, creating or renewing the credit subscription with the quantity of credits, modifying the credit subscription, or deleting the credit subscription. The subscription management message may include a customer number, a subscription package code, and a subscription lifetime specification. Credits and credit subscriptions may be created as a one-time issuance or may be automatically renewed on a periodic basis. | 03-28-2013 |
| 20130110596 | FOREIGN LANGUAGE INCENTIVE STRUCTURE FOR CROWDSOURCED RESEARCH | 05-02-2013 |
| 20130124278 | METHODS, APPARATUS AND SYSTEMS FOR PROVIDING A MULTI-PURPOSE TASK COMPLETION PLATFORM - A computer-implemented method of sourcing electronic tasks is disclosed. The method includes receiving customized electronic tasks, each customized electronic task being customized for a content managing entity. The method also includes identifying a plurality of users that selected to participate in receiving customized electronic tasks. The method further includes communicating one or more of the customized electronic tasks to at least one of the identified plurality of users. A method of consuming electronic tasks is also disclosed. The method includes displaying indicators of customized electronic tasks to a user, receiving a user selection of one of the customized electronic tasks, and generating feedback information regarding the selected customized electronic task. | 05-16-2013 |
| 20130124279 | Location of Available Passenger Seats in a Dynamic Transporting Pool - An embodiment of the invention provides a system including an interface for receiving a request from a rider, wherein the request includes a start location of the rider and an end location of the rider. A vehicle identification module connected to the interface identifies at least one vehicle located within a threshold distance from the start location. A communications module connected to the vehicle identification module sends the request to a driver of the vehicle. A validation module connected to the interface verifies that the rider and the driver and/or the vehicle were each located at the start location at the same time, and verifies that the rider and thdriver and/or the vehicle were each located at the end location at the same time. | 05-16-2013 |
| 20130204681 | Combination Retailing System For Appraising Precious Stones And Metals And Dispensing Gift Cards, Coupons And The Like - A system for incentivizing purchases by consumers comprises a kiosk configured to appraise an item having one constituent selected from the group consisting of a precious stone, a semi-precious stone, a precious metal, and a semi-precious metal. A composition of the item is determined using an evaluating device. A cash value is associated with the item using data obtained by the evaluating device and market data obtained over a network, and an exchange value of the item is determined by subtracting a processing fee from the cash value. At least one of the cash value and the exchange value is relayed to the consumer on an output device. The consumer is asked to select via an input device between at least a first offer and a second offer in exchange for the item. | 08-08-2013 |
| 20130211889 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ENCOURAGING CONSUMPTION OF A PRODUCT - A method and apparatus for engaging consumers in the performance of predetermined action. The method comprises the steps determining performance of a predetermined action, providing feedback related to the determined performance of the predetermined action, and broadcasting confirmation of performance of the predetermined action along with at least a portion of the provided feedback. An incentive be provided based upon performance of the predetermined action, or upon broadcasting. The predetermined action may include eating a candy or other edible item. The feedback may include material related to an advertising campaign, or otherwise related to the candy or edible item. | 08-15-2013 |
| 20130226679 | Secondary Market And Vending System For Devices - A recycling kiosk for recycling and financial remuneration for submission of a mobile telephone is disclosed herein. The recycling kiosk includes an inspection area with at least one camera and a plurality of electrical connectors in order to perform a visual analysis and an electrical analysis of the mobile telephone for determination of a value of the mobile telephone. The recycling kiosk also includes a processor, a display and a user interface. | 08-29-2013 |
| 20130238410 | Registering User with Reward Incentive System - Computer systems and methods on computer servers in a communication network, including computers with processors and using computer-readable medium coupled to the computers having instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the computers, causes them to perform operations. These operations include receiving profile information from a user at a communication network, registering the user with the reward incentive system in response to receiving the profile information, creating a registered user profile, and sending a notification to the user about reward postings based on factors from the profile information. | 09-12-2013 |
| 20130262202 | TRADE-IN OPTION LEVEL - A method performed by at least one processing system includes detecting that a purchaser of an item with a trade-in option has performed an action corresponding to the trade-in option using the processing system and modifying a trade-in option level of the purchaser using the processing system based on the action. | 10-03-2013 |
| 20130290081 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR INCENTIVE BASED COMPENSATION - Exemplary embodiments of a method and system for providing an incentive based compensation for an employee in a firm are provided. The employee can have an incentive based compensation that allows for compensation based on cash, firm equity, and service linked securities. The cash can be deliverable immediately, while the firm equity and service-linked securities can be vested and/or deliverable in equal or different portions each year. The service-linked security can be related to various parameters associated with service quality. | 10-31-2013 |
| 20130297388 | VENDOR-BASED RECYCLING PROGRAM - Methods, systems and apparatus for administering a recycling program having one or more vendor participants. An exemplary method involves electronically receiving an indication of a quantity of recycled goods corresponding to at least one of the one or more vendor participants, calculating a coupon value applicable to the purchase of new goods from at least one of the one or more vendor participants based at least in part on the indication, and electronically transmitting and/or electronically storing the coupon value to provide the coupon value to a consumer as a reward for providing the recycled goods. | 11-07-2013 |
| 20130332247 | BAR CODE BASED RECYCLING - Methods, systems, and apparatuses, including computer programs encoded on computer-readable media, for scanning a barcode on an article to obtain article recycling information. A first incentive is received based upon the scanning of the article and a second incentive is received based upon verification that the article was recycled. | 12-12-2013 |
| 20140006119 | TECHNOLOGY MIGRATION PROGRAM | 01-02-2014 |
| 20140012643 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR ENCOURAGING RECYCLING - Methods and systems for encouraging recycling of used items are disclosed. A central authority receives an indication of a plurality of items and determines a deposit value for each item based on at least an amount and an identity of one or more recyclable materials included in the item. The central authority receives an indication that an item has been sold by a retailer and receives the deposit value for the item from the retailer. The deposit value is invested for the usable life span of the item. The retailer sends a message to the central authority when the item has been returned, and the central authority reimburses the retailer for the deposit value. The return on investment is used to provide subsidies to manufacturers of recyclable material as an incentive to purchase recycled materials. | 01-09-2014 |
| 20140032288 | Method For Facilitating Decision-Making Related To Goal Attainment - The invention relates to a method for facilitating decision-making related to goal attainment, the steps of the method including providing a pool of prospective category-specific advisors, each of which have joined a membership community; selecting from the pool of category specific advisors, a subset thereof sufficient to define an online forum qualified for consideration of a given goal-related question; and then syntactically refining the goal-oriented question expressed by a system user by resolving the question into components, the refining step including (i) reviewing for and providing accuracy of forum of the components by a language processing agent of the system; and (ii) reviewing for accuracy of substantive meaning by the system user of the goal oriented question components. The method further comprises the step of providing the refined question components to the forum for consideration; and then providing from the forum to the system user respective answers or opinions of the forum in response to the goal oriented question and components of it. | 01-30-2014 |
| 20140052510 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR INCENTIVIZING AN ACTIVITY OFFERED BY A THIRD PARTY WEBSITE - A system for incentivizing an action offered by a third-party website. To this end, the system includes a host website comprising an offering module configured to display an incentive for taking an action on the third-party website. The host website further includes a user interface module configured to register users as participants, and accept inputs from the participants. In addition, a reporting module receives a report of an action on the third-party website and the identity of the participant taking the action. Further, an incentive calculation module present on the host website calculates an incentive applicable to the identified action and provides information regarding the calculated incentive. Moreover, a data storage module is configured to assemble, store, retrieve, and process information regarding the participant and the third-party website action. | 02-20-2014 |
| 20140108110 | Goal-Oriented Long Term Incentive Learning, Feedback and Survey Award System - A long term goal oriented incentive learning and feedback award system is disclosed. A plurality of third party providers are enabled to directly provide financial incentives to a user in exchange for a specific user performance. A user is enabled to set up a trust account on the system to accumulate the financial incentives under the restriction of a long term goal. The long term goal includes supporting college education, supporting retirement, staring a business, or patenting an innovation. A user performance includes a school study, a feedback to teachers or a feedback about a medicine or a political survey. | 04-17-2014 |
| 20140143035 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TWO-WAY TRANSFER OF FUNDS AND ELECTRONIC CONTENT BETWEEN SUMMA ACCOUNT USERS WITH GATHERING OF BEHAVIORAL METRICS AND MANAGEMENT OF MULTIPLE CURRENCIES AND ESCROW ACCOUNTS - A method and system for creating a pre-defined electronic transactions is disclosed. The system comprises a server in communication with a database and a computer network, and the server is configured to: (1) receive a request to create a pre-defined electronic transaction from a client computer via the computer network, (2) receive input from the client computer comprising information that at least partially defines the pre-defined electronic transaction, and (3) store the received information in the database. | 05-22-2014 |
| 20140156365 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR INCENTIVIZING PROFESSIONALS IN A CONSULTATION SYSTEM - In exemplary embodiments, a computer implemented method for incentivizing professionals answering questions or responding to service requests in a consultation system is described where a ranking score is calculated for each professional admitted to the consultation system, and based on the professional's ranking score, he is provided early or delayed access to the user posted questions and requests. | 06-05-2014 |
| 20140180779 | AUTOMATED INCENTIVE COMPUTATION IN CROWDSOURCING SYSTEMS - An embodiment of the invention pertaining to a given task to be submitted for crowdsourcing computes an initial incentive range having minimum, maximum and midrange incentives, the maximum incentive being equal to a prespecified maximum incentive value. Historical data pertaining to tasks of the given type that were previously crowdsourced is acquired, wherein the historical data includes completion time and incentive information. The historical data is used with the minimum, midrange and maximum incentives to compute minimum, midrange and maximum incentive task completion times. These completion times are used to determine whether a first, second, or a third criterion has been met, and responsive to a first or second criterion being met, the given task is transformed, and the incentive range is updated, for use in computing a final incentive value. | 06-26-2014 |
| 20140180780 | AUTOMATED INCENTIVE COMPUTATION IN CROWDSOURCING SYSTEMS - An embodiment of the invention pertaining to a given task to be submitted for crowdsourcing computes an initial incentive range having minimum, maximum and midrange incentives, the maximum incentive being equal to a prespecified maximum incentive value. Historical data pertaining to tasks of the given type that were previously crowdsourced is acquired, wherein the historical data includes completion time and incentive information. The historical data is used with the minimum, midrange and maximum incentives to compute minimum, midrange and maximum incentive task completion times. These completion times are used to determine whether a first, second, or a third criterion has been met, and responsive to a first or second criterion being met, the given task is transformed, and the incentive range is updated, for use in computing a final incentive value. | 06-26-2014 |
| 20140188583 | METHODS OF ALLOCATING BENEFITS DERIVED FROM ENERGY GENERATED WITHIN COMMUNITIES - Methods of allocating benefits received in response to generating energy within a community to a community interest. The methods include deploying energy generating equipment on property of a host community member and receiving a benefit associated with purchasing the energy generating equipment or generating energy with the energy generating equipment. The methods further include estimating a benefit rate according to an expected generation value, the expected generation value defining an amount of energy expected to be generated by the energy generating equipment at a later time. Moreover, the methods include distributing at least a portion of the benefit to the community interest, the portion of the benefit distributed to the community interest calculated based on the benefit rate. | 07-03-2014 |
| 20140195315 | Apparatus for Collecting Objects - An apparatus for collecting objects has a container for receiving and collecting objects, a unit in the container for determining a weight of an object introduced in the container, and a unit providing compensation to a person who introduced the object into the container, based on the weight of the object determined by the weight determining unit. | 07-10-2014 |
| 20140214505 | RATES OF RECYCLING AND OTHER ENVIRONMENTALLY BENEFICIAL ACTIONS - A system, method, and apparatus is provided that identifies recycling or other environmentally beneficial activities and provides the user with easily understood data about the environmental impact of such activities. The activities are measured and may be used to provide incentives for recycling, such as credits for online applications, positions on a leaderboard, identification of recycling achievements on social networking sites, and financial and other rewards. | 07-31-2014 |
| 20140257951 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR REMUNERATING CROWDWORKERS - According to embodiments illustrated herein there is provided methods and systems implementable on a computing device for remunerating one or more crowdworkers. The method comprising allotting at least one crowdworker from the one or more crowdworkers with a first lottery ticket from a set of lottery tickets on completion of a task allocated to the at least one crowdworker. One or more lottery tickets from the set of lottery tickets are selected by utilizing one or more techniques. Winnings are remunerated to each of a set of crowdworkers from the one or more crowdworkers associated with the one or more selected lottery tickets. | 09-11-2014 |
| 20140278850 | CROWD SOURCING BUSINESS SERVICES - Business services are crowd sourced via a system including a database of customer data and participant data, a web server, an app server, and an analytics engine. The system is configured to distribute tasks to suitable participants, to assess task data generated by participants, and to award incentives to participants based on the task data. | 09-18-2014 |
| 20140278851 | METHOD AND A TRUSTED SOCIAL NETWORK PLATFORM FOR FACILITATING PEER-TO-PEER SHIPMENT DELIVERY - A method and a trusted social network platform ( | 09-18-2014 |
| 20140278852 | Method and System for Using Points in a Social Network or Community Marketplace - A method and system is described for using points in an online transaction between users comprising storing users' points earned from sharing or providing services, storing users' points earned from borrowing or receiving services, establishing a point value for a transaction, adding the transaction point value to a borrowing or receiving user's borrowing points total, and calculating a point value and adding it to a sharing or providing user's sharing points total. Additionally, the borrowing user's sharing points to borrowing points ratio can be used to calculate the point value to be added to the sharing user's sharing points total. | 09-18-2014 |
| 20150012343 | RETAIL SYSTEM FOR SELLING PRODUCTS BASED ON A FLEXIBLE PRODUCT DESCRIPTION - According to one described embodiment, a method is provided in which transaction information is determined. The transaction information is associated with (i) a buyer who has arranged to purchase a product from a central controller at a first price established between the buyer and the central controller and (ii) a merchant that offers the product for sale at a second price, different from the first price, without offering the product for sale to buyers at the first price. Information is transmitted that facilitates the acquisition of the product by the buyer, in exchange for payment provided by the buyer to the central controller. An amount based on the second price is provided to the merchant. | 01-08-2015 |
| 20150025951 | Incentive Providing Task Management System - An incentive providing task management system is disclosed. A plurality of providers are enabled to directly provide financial incentives to a user in exchange for a specific user performance. A user is enabled to set up a trust account on the system to accumulate the financial incentives. A user task performance may include a school study, a feedback to teachers or a feedback about a medicine or a political survey, or a contracted task performance between two contracting parties. | 01-22-2015 |
| 20150046236 | SYSTEM FOR FACILITATING AND REWARDING PARTING WITH GOODS AND SERVICES - A new computer based economic model is disclosed which relies on users to donate or give away at a low cost material things or services in exchange for discounts on goods. In one embodiment, a person posts an old item, gives the old item away, buys a new item and gets a rebate within predetermined time period. | 02-12-2015 |
| 20150381650 | COMPUTER SYSTEM FOR DISTRIBUTED DISCOVERY OF VULNERABILITIES IN APPLICATIONS - In one aspect, the disclosure provides: A method comprising: inviting a distributed plurality of researchers to participate in one or more computer vulnerability research projects directed to identifying computer vulnerabilities of one or more networks and/or computers that are owned or operated by a third party; assessing reputation and skills of one or more of the researchers, and accepting a subset of the researchers who have a positive reputation and sufficient skills to perform the investigations of the computer vulnerabilities; assigning a particular computer vulnerability research project, relating to a particular network under test, to a particular researcher from among the subset of the researchers; using a computer that is logically interposed between the particular researcher and the particular network under test, monitoring communications between the particular researcher and the particular network under test, wherein the communications relate to attempting to identify a candidate security vulnerability of the particular network under test; validating a report of the candidate security vulnerability of the particular network under test that is received from the particular researcher; determining and providing an award to the particular researcher in response to successfully validating the report of the candidate security vulnerability of the particular network under test that is received from the particular researcher. | 12-31-2015 |
| 20160034914 | PROCESS FOR CROWD-SOURCED COMPLETION OF INVESTIGATIVE TASKS - A process for crowd-sourced completion of one or more investigative tasks may be utilized by intellectual property (IP) rights holders to identify trends in the infringement of intellectual property rights. As such, the inventive process may be utilized as a mobile trademark monitoring system. The process includes the steps of registering a plurality of users in a database on a centralized platform, and providing a software application to each of the users. The software application generates a report including information pertaining to the investigative task. A system server receives separate reports from two or more of the users and the reports are analyzed to identify trends. | 02-04-2016 |
| 20160071138 | ASSET REPOSITIONING - A system and method is presented in which a mobile customer base is incentivized to reposition inventory in rental article-dispensing machine served areas. By utilizing the systems and methods presented herein, an effective increase in the utilization of existing inventory is realized thus making for an overall more efficient system. In part, the system and method entails providing incentive to a mobile customer base through the real time generation of alternative rental contracts during user interface interactions. | 03-10-2016 |
| 20160125367 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR RECYCLING CONSUMER ELECTRONIC DEVICES - Systems and associated methods for recycling and performing other processes with consumer electronic devices are described herein. In various embodiments, the present technology includes systems and methods for identifying and evaluating an electronic device to facilitate processing (e.g., purchasing) the device. In some embodiments, the present technology includes a self-service evaluation apparatus and a cashier terminal that identifies and evaluates a device and that facilitates purchase and recycling of the device. Various other aspects of the present technology are described herein. | 05-05-2016 |
| 20160148245 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR CROWDSOURCING TASKS - The disclosed embodiments illustrate methods and systems for crowdsourcing a task. The method includes presenting one or more advertisements to a worker along with said task. The one or more advertisements are determined based on at least a type of said task being attempted by said worker, one or more tasks previously attempted by said worker, and a profile of said worker. Thereafter, an incentive to said worker is provided based on said presentation of said one or more advertisements, in addition to providing a remuneration for attempting said task. | 05-26-2016 |
| 20160162921 | DETERMINING INCENTIVE FOR CROWD SOURCED QUESTION - A computing device receives one or more questions. The computing device determines at least one of an urgency factor, an importance factor, and a difficulty level associated with the received one or more questions and determines at least one of an availability factor, a skill factor, and a quality level associated with the received one or more questions. The computing device determines an incentive based on the determined at least one of an urgency factor, an importance factor, and a difficulty level associated with the received one or more questions, and the determined at least one of an availability factor, a skill factor, and a quality level associated with the received one or more questions. | 06-09-2016 |
| 20160162922 | DETERMINING INCENTIVE FOR CROWD SOURCED QUESTION - A computing device receives one or more questions. The computing device determines at least one of an urgency factor, an importance factor, and a difficulty level associated with the received one or more questions and determines at least one of an availability factor, a skill factor, and a quality level associated with the received one or more questions. The computing device determines an incentive based on the determined at least one of an urgency factor, an importance factor, and a difficulty level associated with the received one or more questions, and the determined at least one of an availability factor, a skill factor, and a quality level associated with the received one or more questions. | 06-09-2016 |
| 20170236177 | REWARD-BASED SURROGATE SHOPPING SYSTEM AND METHOD | 08-17-2017 |
