06th week of 2009 patent applcation highlights part 59 |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20090037275 | Consolidated membership/rewards card system - A bank or credit card issuing authority provided consolidated membership/rewards card has standard credit card features including cardholder's name, card number, expiration date, secret code and a permanently coded permanent magnetic strip. The card has a programmable second magnetic strip with inductors directly below the strip energized by a CPU in the card recording a merchant provided loyalty or discount number. The cardholder selects a merchant from a list displayed card screen by pressing up and down buttons and a ‘go’ button to program the second magnetic strip. A USB connector associated with the card is used for uploading merchant data from a personal computer and transmitting the card discount number to a USB enabled cash register. The cash register provides eligible discounts for purchases upon receipt of the card discount number by swiping the second magnetic strip or by establishing USB connectivity. Payment is made using the permanent magnetic strip of the card or by other payment means. Discounts and membership rewards are thereby provided to a cardholder without need for carrying a plurality of merchant issued membership/rewards cards. Credit card functionality facilitates immediate payment for the purchases made. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037276 | SYSTEM AND METHOD OF DELIVERING AUDIO COMMUNICATIONS - A method of delivering an audio communication is disclosed and includes selectively delivering an audio message including a content portion and an advertising portion to a voice communication device. The audio message has a first available delivery format for live communication with a user of the voice communication device and a second available delivery format for communication with a voice mail system associated with the voice communication device. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037277 | System and methods for auction based polling - A system and method for auction based polling is provided. Parameters related to a poll are received from a first user. Parameters related to a poll are received from a first user. A query is associated with the poll. A priority of the poll is determined based on the parameters. The poll is distributed to one or more second users according to the priority. Results to the poll are gathered. The results are reported to the first user. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037278 | Implementing visual substitution options in media works - A classification method and system for possible content alteration of a media work may include criteria regarding content that is feasible for alteration. Such criteria may be maintained in records that are accessible to an interested party. Some embodiments may include a record of primary authorization rights applicable to a possible content alteration. A further embodiment feature may include a record of secondary authorization rights applicable to substitute altered content incorporated in a derivative version. Various exemplary techniques may be used to provide audio and/or visual substitution options in a derivative version of the media work in accordance with applicable alteration guidelines. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037279 | Dynamic Creation of Personalized Presentations For Network Communication Systems - A personalized presentation is provided to an intended recipient through a network communication system by selecting personalization content for an associated presentation template in accordance with contemporaneous information relating to an intended recipient and generating an assembled presentation comprising the selected personalization content and the associated presentation template such that the assembled presentation can be sent to the intended recipient. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037280 | Method of Diagnosing Hair Thinning and Business Method for Promoting Sales of Hair Treatment Products - A method of business uses a hair and or scalp scanner such as a hair densitometer to raise awareness of the prevalence of hair thinning. Incentives provided to hair care providers for using the hair scanner increases the likelihood that clients of the hair care provider will be exposed the hair scanner. Sales of hair regrowth products may also be discounted for clients of hair care providers. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037281 | System and method of providing purchase receipts - A system and method for providing a purchaser a purchase transaction receipt having a reduced set of information including a transaction identification number, where the transaction identification number can be used by the purchaser to access rebate information and the purchase transaction related information. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037282 | Method and system for providing local information over a network - A method and system is provided where a first computer (e.g., a central server) collects information to be presented to one or more users. The information is organized into a plurality of first web-sites where each of these web-sites is addressable by a unique Universal Resource Locator (URL). A physical location is associated with each of the first web-sites. One of the first web-sites may be provided to a user as a user web-site. When the user or other individual seeks to access the user web-site, links to a plurality of the first web-sites are provided based on a relationship between the physical locations associated with the first web-sites and the physical location associated with the user web-site. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037283 | INVENTORY MANAGEMENT AND ORDERING SYSTEM - In some embodiments, systems, methods and graphical user interfaces for managing inventory and ordering supplies are provided. A scanner can be provided for scanning inventory bar codes and for receiving inventory quantities associated with the bar codes. The inventory quantities can be loaded onto a computer in association with corresponding bar codes, and a computer can be used to calculate ordering requirements for each inventory item based on a difference between a par value for each inventory item and its corresponding inventory level. The system can also calculate par values for ingredient items and notify a user of required ingredients to match the calculated par value. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037284 | POINT OF SALE SYSTEM WITH ABILITY TO REMOTELY UPDATE FIRMWARE - A point of sale system comprises a microprocessor system, a peripheral interface, and a communication interface. The point of sale system is configured to receive, through the communication interface, an update to peripheral operation software associated with a peripheral device that may be connected to the peripheral interface. The peripheral device may be a contactless reader. The updated software may be received from a terminal management system connected to the point of sale device through the communication interface. The updated software may comprise a peripheral driver that is stored in memory comprised in the point of sale device. The updated software may comprise peripheral firmware that is stored in memory comprised in the peripheral device. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037285 | Method and system for dynamic funding - An identifier of a mobile device may be accessed. The identifier may be associated with a payment account. A single use authentication code relating to the identifier may be generated. The single use authentication code may be capable of being used to authenticate the mobile device at a point of sale (POS) device and enable a funds adjustment to the payment account. The single use authentication code may be provided to the mobile device through a communications network. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037286 | Restaurant patron payment system and method for mobile devices - A secure and efficient system and method that allows restaurant patrons to combine, split and/or pay for one or more components of an outstanding bill via a mobile computing device. In the most ideal embodiment, the restaurant has an existing order management/Point of Sale (POS) system installed on a computer network with wireless (Wi-Fi or Bluetooth) capabilities. When patrons have finished eating and are ready to pay for their bill, all outstanding check details are downloaded from a POS database to a mobile computing device over the wireless network. Each patron reviews the check details (listed in an orderly fashion on the screen of the mobile device) to determine how much they each want to pay. Patrons can pay for all or specific parts of the entire bill as well as all or specific parts of each item that was ordered. After a specific payment amount has been identified, each patron can manually enter their card details, swipe a bank card through a magnetic card reader attached to the mobile device or they can choose to have the waitperson pick up a specific amount of cash. The use of smart cards can be used for incentive programs or other related processes. If communicated over a wireless network, bank card transaction details can be sent to the server of the restaurant and can be processed by a 3rd party credit agency of choice. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037287 | Software Marketplace and Distribution System - In an embodiment, a computer implemented method is described. The method is performed at one or more servers, hosting a marketplace application. A software application is received from a software vendor for distribution. License terms are associated with the software application. The software application is made available for distribution through the marketplace application. The software application is deployed to one or more user accounts on one or more hosting servers, in accordance with the license terms. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037288 | RECIPE MANAGEMENT AND EXECUTION SYSTEMS AND METHODS - Systems and methods are provided herein that provide for recipe management and execution. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037289 | Method for facilitating chemical supplier transactions - A business-to-business transaction clearinghouse integrates the traditional point-to-point business supply chain at the clearinghouse. The clearinghouse provides cost effective access to a wide variety of members and includes value-added services. Members of the clearinghouse can include trading members, members that help the trading members ship their products, and banking members. The clearinghouse facilitates business among the trading members by providing a single point of contact for all transactions. The clearinghouse can be specific to an industry, such as the chemical industry. Multiple industry specific clearinghouses may form a network clearinghouses to effectively create one larger and more general business-to-business electronic commerce community. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037290 | Distributed System for Commerce - A distributed system for commerce including a merchant system with a communication system for receiving, processing and transmitting data. The system further includes an intermediate server system in communication with the merchant system, and this intermediate server system includes a data storage system for storing data transmitted thereto, as well as a communication system for receiving, processing and transmitting data. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037291 | DYNAMIC VIRTUAL SHOPPING AREA BASED ON USER PREFERENCES AND HISTORY - The present invention is directed to a dynamic virtual shopping area based on user preferences and history. A method for providing a dynamic virtual shopping area in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention includes: capturing user preferences; and dynamically customizing a virtual shopping area for an avatar based on the user preferences, such that the avatar is presented with items the avatar is more likely to purchase upon entering the virtual shopping area. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037292 | Intelligent shopping search system - This invention provides a method of building an intelligent electronic shopping search system that helps a customer search and shop items which have the best match for him/her using a programmed computer, CD-ROM, television, Internet or other electronic medium such as video. The method comprises receiving personal information including body characteristics, personal preferences and style from the customer; making the customer selects the item he wants to shop or search; using expert and fashion knowledge rules which contain information of what works best for people along with his personal preferences to find the items in the descending order of their personal scores for the customer; and presenting the shopping search items to the customer in the descending order of their personal scores, such that the items with higher personal score come before the items with lower scores. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037293 | LABELS, CONTAINERS, SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING REAGENTS - The invention relates to systems and methods for marketing and using products such as liquid materials, especially liquid reagents for use in microbiological and cellular biological laboratory settings include the use of unique color and simple numeric or alphanumeric identifiers to quickly and easily identify any product from a catalog list of products. Methods of marketing, advertising and producing such products are also disclosed. Particular embodiments include products, product packaging and product labeling. The invention also relates to collars and sleeves for containers, as well as related methods of use. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037294 | MOBILE COMMUNICATION DEVICE TRANSACTION CONTROL SYSTEMS - A method of enabling a user of a mobile device to select a billing method for a transaction to acquire an item of content, the method comprising: implementing steps on a meta-payment server, comprising: logging content provider data and content item metadata for a plurality of items of content, said content item metadata comprising a link; logging phone network data comprising a user identification number; storing a list of available payment methods, each with allowed types of content for which a payment using the payment method may be made and a maximum transaction value; generating/identifying an account for said user comprising, a transaction history for said user defining previous successful and unsuccessful payments made by said user and the payment method for each; receiving a request from a content provider comprising a request for said meta-payment server to serve a list of payment methods to said user in response to said content provider; receiving a request from said user to purchase a said item of content by activation of said link; reading said content item metadata for said identified item of content; reading a recent portion of said transaction history data for said user; identifying a plurality of available payment methods for said user to pay for said item of content by filtering said available payment methods using said portion of said transaction history and said content item metadata for said item of content in association with said payment method data; and sending from said meta-payment server to said user, as a mobile web page, said identified selection of a plurality of available payment methods as a set of links each of said links activating a respective said payment method, together with a price of said item of content such that by selecting a said link the user is able to pay by the selected method. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037295 | FASHION MATCHING ALGORITHM SOLUTION - In one example embodiment, a system and method is illustrated that includes receiving an item choice including a fashion item. The system and method also includes matching the fashion item with an additional fashion item selected from a style matrix, the matching based upon an attribute. Further, the system and method includes transmitting the additional fashion item as part of an outfit match set. Moreover, the system and method includes selecting the fashion item from a digital closet. The system and method includes processing the fashion item to build an attribute association matrix. In addition, the system and method includes comparing the attribute association matrix and the style matrix to determine a match of the fashion item and the additional item. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037296 | Mobile Collegiate Commerce System - A mobile commerce system and method includes a fronted software that enables a variety of displays on a mobile device. The displays display information about college-related merchandise. The information can be tailored for a specific college to which the user has pre-approved access, via a user account management module employed on a server associated with the college. A backend, including a database, stores a product catalogue of the merchandise, which is accessible by the user operating mobile device, and which is transmitted on request to the user for display and operation by the mobile device. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037297 | COST AND CONTRIBUTION SALES CALCULATOR AND METHOD - Embodiments consistent with the invention include a system | 2009-02-05 |
20090037298 | Product Design System and Method - Computer-implemented product design creation system and method for quickly developing a product design having desirable component elements. Multiple candidate product designs are simultaneously displayed for review. Controls are provided allowing a reviewer to enter a preference level for individual component elements of each of the displayed designs. A new set of candidate designs is created based on the entered preference levels. The new candidate designs are displayed for further review and further preference level selection. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037299 | Systems and methods for inventory level improvement - Methods and systems for inventory management are disclosed. In one embodiment, an inventory manager may use an inventory management system to perform an inventory management process. The inventory management process includes receiving inventory management data related to a service level, a supply chain response time, and demand, and determining a base inventory based on the supply chain response time the demand. The inventory management process further includes determining a variability inventory based on one or more variations in the supply chain response time and the demand and the service level, and providing a proper inventory level based on consideration of the base inventory and the variability inventory. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037300 | Systems, Methods, and Computer Readable Storage Media for Tracking Assets - Systems, methods, and computer readable storage media for tracking assets are disclosed. A system for tracking assets include a processor and memory comprising instructions configured to enable the processor to provide selectable options corresponding to respective premises. After the user selects a premises, then the user is provided with selectable options corresponding to aisles within the premises. The user is then provided with selectable options corresponding to frames along the selected aisle, shelves on a selected frame, and equipment or equipment locations on a selected shelf The user may then view and/or enter information related to a selected piece of equipment. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037301 | INVENTORY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM WITH TIME FEATURE - An inventory system which stores information indicative of a time until the inventory will be ready for reuse. The inventory system may automatically estimate that time based on information. The information can include a time of testing, a time until testing can be carried out, and/or a repair time. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037302 | PROGRAMMATICALLY SCHEDULED VERIFICATION - The claimed subject matter provides a system and/or method that facilitates verifying an asset within an industrial environment based upon a programmatically defined state. A sensing component can determine a state of a process that corresponds to a programmatically defined state. A verification component can verify an asset associated with the process upon the sensing component that determines the state of the process. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037303 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR PROCESSING A FINANCIAL TRANSACTION - A method for processing a financial transaction such as an electronic bill payment is provided. The method includes receiving an electronic bill payment wherein the bill payment is submitted on behalf of a consumer in response to a bill associated with a biller, determining using a computer system that the received electronic bill payment is an exception payment wherein the exception payment includes the electronic bill payment submitted by the consumer having consumer entered information not matching a criterion for accepting electronic payment required by the biller, creating an exception addenda record for the exception payment using data stored within a database wherein the addenda record identifies the consumer submitting the exception payment, and posting the exception payment to an appropriate consumer account for the biller based on the addenda record. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037304 | CONDUCTING COMMERCE BETWEEN INDIVIDUALS - Receiving payment includes the establishment, at a first server, a transaction record including information identifying a payment amount, a first account to be credited by the payment amount, and a second account to be debited by a debit amount. A financial authorization network performs an authorization analysis on at least the second account. The second account is debited if the authorization analysis is successfully completed, and the first account is directly credited by the payment amount to conclude the transaction. Risk analysis may be performed for each individual. Payment is integrated with shipping. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037305 | System and Method for Monitoring Tax Information - This disclosure provides various embodiments of software for monitoring tax information in a business application. In one aspect, the software collects a set of tax information associated with at least one taxed entity from a plurality of logically disparate sub-modules, each sub-module associated with a business application. The software presents at least a portion of the collected set of tax information at a centralized reporting interface to a first client authorized by the particular taxed entity, wherein presenting at least a portion of the set of tax information comprises displaying one or more of the following: tax information related to one or more tax returns associated with the particular taxed entity; tax information related to one or more tax registers associated with the particular taxed entity; or tax information related to one or more tax payments associated with the particular taxed entity. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037306 | System and Method for Managing Customer Interactions - Systems and methods for managing customer interactions allow an organization or individual to identify, prioritize, and manage customer interactions efficiently prior to a customer reaching a specialized customer service agent or station. A terminal may be used in a lobby of an office or business (e.g., by a lobby leader) to identify, queue, and process customers. For example, in a banking environment, a customer's needs and identification information may be collected and/or identified prior to the customer reaching a bank teller or other transaction station by a lobby leader. In one or more instances, a terminal used by a lobby leader may be configured to process one or more transactions so that the customer does not need to wait in a queue. A lobby leader terminal may also include a variety of other functions to facilitate customer management. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037307 | ONLINE ORIGINATION MACHINE - A system that facilitates an identification of potential investment banking opportunities and matches those identified potential banking investment opportunities to investment banking products is disclosed. More opportunities are acted on and more deals are closed than without the subject innovation. Additionally, a user interface facilitates product match and product configuration. After a product is configured and matched to an opportunity, a presentation is generated to ‘pitch’ to a customer. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037308 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MODELING FUTURE ACTION IMPACT IN CREDIT SCORING - A method and system for predicting impact of future actions on subsequent performance involves developing a prediction model that predicts a statistical interaction of performance expectation with likely behavior. In one embodiment, sensitivity to new, post-scoring date credit behaviors in the analytic solution greatly improves snapshot score predictions. The modeling approach involves multiple snapshots: predictive and performance snapshots, plus an intermediate snapshot shortly after the predictive snapshot to quantify interim behavior. Predictive interaction variables are calculated on the predictive data using simulated profiles before and after an action. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037309 | Systems and Methods to Convert a Real Time Communication Connection - Methods and apparatuses to convert a free connection for real time communications between people into a dynamically priced communication session to facilitate the delivery of services over the established connection. One embodiment includes: establishing a connection for real time communications between a first user and a second user; after the connection is established for a period of time, receiving a selection of a price from a plurality of predetermined prices for a service to be provided by the second user over the established connection, where the prices are specified prior to the connection; and charging the first user on behalf of the second user according to the price selected from the list for the service provided by the second user over the established connection. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037310 | Account With Easily Interchangeable Features - An account, such as a checking account or other instrument, is provided having a number of interchangeable features. The customer is given a choice of a number of available features such that a tailored account is created. Further, in a preferred embodiment the features are divided into standard and premium features of which the customer can choose a select number of each upon opening the account. The customer can thereafter change and interchange the features as needed, at no cost, and in real time as often as desired, such that as the customer's life or conditions change the account is always tailor-fit to the customer's needs. Further, additional features can be added to the account at an additional cost to the customer. Changes in features can be made with no need to close an account and then open a substitute account and at no cost to the customer. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037311 | SYSTEM FOR AND A METHOD OF A MULTIFUNCTION TRANSACTION - A system for processing a multifunctional ticket is described. The ticket represents an entry item in both a short-term multiple-entry event and a long-term event. The system comprises: receiving means for receiving a request for a user entry into the short-term multiple-entry event; authorising means for implementing an authorisation event authorising the request, the authorising means being arranged to generate a unique ticket identifier associated with the user entry; first storing means for storing the unique ticket identifier and a timestamp relating to the request authorisation event in a database record relating to a first function of the ticket; identification obtaining means for obtaining owner identifier information relating to an owner of the multifunction ticket independently of the authorisation event; and second storing means for storing the owner identifier information, the unique ticket identifier or an identifier uniquely associated with the ticket identifier and the timestamp or a date associated with the timestamp in a database record relating to a second function of the ticket, wherein the first and second functions are executed on different timescales and the first function relates to the short-term event and the second function relates to the long-term event. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037312 | Investment Method for Incentivizing Economic Development - A method for managing an account to produce tax money for the benefit of a sponsoring entity and a designated beneficiary entity. A beneficiary account is designated into which an owner of an original corpus of funds transfers such funds. The beneficiary account produces a growth and/or income to which no or a reduced or deferred rate of first taxation is applied. A second tax is periodically assessed against all or part of the original corpus of funds. The second tax may be paid to the sponsoring entity or the beneficiary entity or split between both entities. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037313 | System and Method for the Automated Brokerage of Financial Instruments - Disclosed herein in a preferred embodiment is an automated financial instrument brokerage system wherein a front end layer interacts with customers to generate activity requests for an intermediate layer. The intermediate layer preferably processes the activity requests and places financial instrument orders on a financial market if appropriate. A backend layer preferably provides data to the intermediate layer for processing activity requests. Multiple heterogeneous front end customer applications may be supported by the same intermediate layer. Further, multiple backend layer applications may interact with the intermediate layer in a manner transparent to the front end layer. Further, scalability can be achieved be partitioning various tasks of the intermediate layer onto separate servers, and more preferably on separate redundant servers. Load balancers may then be used in the intermediate layer to provide distributed access to these servers. Also disclosed herein is a caching technique whereby turnaround time for processing activity requests can be reduced by reducing the number of times that the intermediate layer needs to interact with the backend layer. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037314 | Method and system for implementing automatic bid status refresh and item attribute updates in an electronic exchange - An auction method for implementing automatic bid status refresh and item attribute updates in an electronic exchange. The method includes the step of receiving update configuration information from remote bidders via a distributed computer network. The update configuration information includes a time interval for receiving bid status updates. An auction is conducted wherein bid information received from the remote bidders is compared to determine a bid status and wherein the bid status is used to determine the bid status updates for the remote bidders. The bid status includes information regarding the most competitive, or winning, bid and any associated terms. The bid status updates are disseminated to the remote bidders via the distributed computer network in accordance with the update configuration information. At the conclusion of the auction, an auction winner is designated in accordance with the latest most competitive bid of the bid status. The time interval of the update configuration information is user selected and can be adjusted dynamically during the auction. Remote bidders receive bid status updates in accordance with their specified time interval. Changes to the items and/or item attributes of the auction are also disseminated to the remote bidders via the distributed computer network in accordance with the time interval of the update configuration information. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037315 | System and method for brokering agents and auditionees - Example embodiments relate to methods and systems for ranking a content submitted by an auditionee. The method may further include retrieving the content stored in a talent broker management system by a user, reviewing the submitted content, rating the content based on a ranking score, recording an IP address of the user, recording the submitted ranked content, and determining whether the user is a duplicate user that rates the same submitted content, wherein when the user is determined a duplicate, the system may reduce the ranking score of the duplicate user. The method may also allow auditionees to bid their submitted video to be displayed for a particular time slot. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037316 | Allocating Goods to Bidders in Combinatorial Auctions - Embodiments are directed to systems, methods, and apparatus for allocating goods to bidders in combinatorial auctions. In one embodiment, bids are received in a combinatorial auction and the winner determination problem is modeled as an interval knapsack problem (I-KP) or an interval multiple-choice knapsack problem (I-MCKP), efficient algorithms (both pseudo-polynomial-time exact algorithms and FPTAS) for I-KP (and I-MCKP) are used to compute an allocation of goods to winning bidders. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037317 | Bidding in Online Auctions - Embodiments are directed to systems, methods, and apparatus for bidding in online auctions. In one embodiment, bids for advertising include an amount that is a function of an expected value-per-click and a fraction of a budget already spent for advertising slots. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037318 | Trading method for trading between trading systems and trading system - In a trading method for trading financial products between first and second trading systems, if an order to buy/sell a product as received in a first trading system is not completed within a prescribed time, an order notice is transmitted to a second trading system at a predetermined timing. The second trading system makes a search to detect whether a reverse order is present, locks therein a reverse order thus detected, and transmits an order instruction according to the reverse order. The first trading system then executes the buying/selling in response to the order instruction, and transmits an execution result in response to the order instruction to the second trading system. The second trading system executes the buying/selling for the locked reverse order, based on the results of the execution performed by the first trading system. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037319 | RANDOMIZED TRADING APPARATUS AND METHOD - An apparatus and method of training helps separate emotions from decisions. A user account with single masked login allows selective access to a live account with actual funds and a demo account with false funds. A program randomly causes trading in the live and/or demo accounts according to a predetermined percentage, allowing the user to place trades/bets but without letting the user know which account is active. The present method further determines if trades/bets on the live and demo accounts are not offset/flat, and potentially forces the user to continue trading on the same accessed account. When the user logs out, the present method syncs the demo account to the live account, generates data concerning differences between live and demo accounts, and gives feedback to at least one of the user and a system controller. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037320 | System and Method for the Automated Brokerage of Financial Instruments - Disclosed herein in a preferred embodiment is an automated financial instrument brokerage system wherein a front end layer interacts with customers to generate activity requests for an intermediate layer. The intermediate layer preferably processes the activity requests and places financial instrument orders on a financial market if appropriate. A backend layer preferably provides data to the intermediate layer for processing activity requests. Multiple heterogeneous front end customer applications may be supported by the same intermediate layer. Further, multiple backend layer applications may interact with the intermediate layer in a manner transparent to the front end layer. Further, scalability can be achieved be partitioning various tasks of the intermediate layer onto separate servers, and more preferably on separate redundant servers. Load balancers may then be used in the intermediate layer to provide distributed access to these servers. Also disclosed herein is a caching technique whereby turnaround time for processing activity requests can be reduced by reducing the number of times that the intermediate layer needs to interact with the backend layer. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037321 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROCESSING LOAN APPLICATIONS - A method for processing loan applications includes several steps, and may be practiced with a financial institution including an origination entity and a distribution entity. Loan applications are received from a plurality of applicants, at the origination entity. Each of the loan applications is submitted to an underwriting entity for evaluation, along with some information for each loan application. The underwriting entity approves or denies the loan applications. Each of the denied loan applications is reviewed at the distribution entity, to determine whether each denied loan application is acceptable for syndication or securitization. A message is communicated from the distribution entity to the origination entity, and includes an indication of whether one of the denied loan applications is acceptable for syndication or securitization. A system can include components for practicing the method. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037322 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROCESSING LOAN APPLICATIONS THROUGH COMPETITIVE BIDDING - A method for processing loan applications includes several steps. A financial institution is provided, including an origination entity and a distribution entity. Loan applications are received from a plurality of applicants. A website is provided for hosting a forum for competitive bidding among the distribution entity and a plurality of third-party entities, for each loan application. Access is provided to at least some information for each loan application by the distribution entity and the plurality of third-party entities through the website. A winner of the competitive bidding is determined for each loan application receiving at least one bid through the competitive bidding. A loan is created with the applicant corresponding to each loan application receiving at least one bid through the competitive bidding. Each loan is distributed to the winner of the corresponding loan application. A system can include components for practicing the method. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037323 | METHOD AND APPARATUS SYSTEM FOR MODELING CONSUMER CAPACITY FOR FUTURE INCREMENTAL DEBT IN CREDIT SCORING - Predicting impact of future actions on subsequent creditworthiness involves developing a prediction model that predicts a statistical interaction of performance expectation with likely post-scoring behavior. Including sensitivity to new, post-scoring date credit behaviors in the analytic solution greatly improves snapshot score predictions. The modeling approach involves multiple snapshots: predictive and performance snapshots, plus an intermediate snapshot shortly after the predictive snapshot to quantify interim consumer behavior post-scoring date. Predictive interaction variables are calculated on the predictive data using simulated consumer profiles before and after assuming a sizeable simulated balance to infer the consumer's tolerance for incremental future debt. Using an adjustor approach in predicting capacity allows isolation of the confounding effect of risk from the capacity determination. A resulting capacity index can be used to rank order originations and line increases according to capacity in consumer, bankcard, automobile and mortgage lending. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037324 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CURRENCY EXCHANGE - A method for exchanging funds between currencies. The method comprises receiving a plurality of requests to exchange funds from one currency to another currency, the plurality of requests comprising a first request to exchange first funds of a first party in a first currency for funds in a second currency, and a second request to exchange second funds of a second party in said second currency for funds in said first currency. The plurality of requests are stored in a queue. A request is selected for processing from said queue based upon queue processing data, wherein the selected request is the first request. Data indicating a match between said first and second requests is generated. At least part of said first funds of said first currency is transferred directly from said first party to said second party. At least part of said second funds of said second currency is transferred directly from said second party to said first party. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037325 | Offline and online affiliate sales network - A method of marketing a merchant's goods and/or services including the steps of registering each of a merchant, a publisher, and a consumer's payment vehicle with a network, such that each time a publisher causes a consumer to use a registered payment vehicle to purchase goods and/or services from the merchant, the merchant pays a first fee to the network and the network pays a second fee to the publisher. The network may also keep a portion of the first fee for itself. The network or the publisher optionally sends a portion of the fee back to the consumer. The entire method can be practiced either on-line, off-line or via a combination of both on-line and off-line. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037326 | Virtual Card Selector for a Portable Electronic Device - A portable electronic device ( | 2009-02-05 |
20090037327 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR THE ANONYMOUS EXCHANGE AND VERIFICATION OF ELECTRONIC FILES IN ESCROW OVER A COMPUTER NETWORK - A method and system for exchanging electronic files, such as digital images, digital documents, and/or digital audio files, via an escrow transaction. The method allows two transaction partners to store electronic files on a third party system and then grant each partner access to the files of the other partner only after both partners agree. The two partners can review partial information about the electronic files that is sufficient to determine if the files contain the expected data, but insufficient to derive meaningful information about said data. Instead of electronic files, it is also possible for one of the partners to provide payment in various forms in exchange for the electronic documents provided by the other partner. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037328 | REAL ESTATE APPRECIATION CONTRACT - A method and system for providing a contract between a property purchaser, e.g., the purchaser of a house, co-op or condo, and an investment fund in which a down payment or other financing is provided to the buyer from the fund in return for a portion of the capital appreciation of the real estate asset. The contract may be grouped with other such contracts and traded in an electronic market. Upon maturity or earlier sale of the property, a portion of the appreciated value of the property paid back to the Fund. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037329 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DEPLOYING APPLICATION PROGRAMS - A communication system includes a development sector for registering a plurality of wireless devices, a business sector for controlling utilization of an application program and for receiving application data, a service sector for deploying the application program and for providing the application data to the business sector in accordance with communication with at least one wireless device of the plurality; and a mobile sector comprising the plurality of wireless devices, each device for receiving the application program deployed by the service sector, executing the application program in response to the business sector, and communicating with the service sector to support provision of the application data to the business sector. The wireless device, such as a cell phone, personal digital assistant, or palm top computer may include an auxiliary device such as a bar code scanner, a magnetic stripe card reader, or a printer. The business sector or service sector may monitor or limit utilization of the auxiliary device. Deployment of application programs may be controlled by the business sector or the development sector by rendering an application program or auxiliary device available for use only after a particular time or after receipt of a message. Distributed processing application programs having components in the business, service, and mobile sectors may thereby be updated in an orderly manner. An application program on a wireless device may assist confirmation of an order made by a buyer via a web site. The wireless device is expected to be operated by the buyer. Fraud reporting is accomplished by comparing data obtained by registration of the wireless device with data provided in the confirmation. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037330 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DEPLOYING APPLICATION PROGRAM COMPONENTS - A communication system includes a development sector for registering a plurality of wireless devices, a business sector for controlling utilization of an application program and for receiving application data, a service sector for deploying the application program and for providing the application data to the business sector in accordance with communication with at least one wireless device of the plurality; and a mobile sector comprising the plurality of wireless devices, each device for receiving the application program deployed by the service sector, executing the application program in response to the business sector, and communicating with the service sector to support provision of the application data to the business sector. The wireless device, such as a cell phone, personal digital assistant, or palm top computer may include an auxiliary device such as a bar code scanner, a magnetic stripe card reader, or a printer. The business sector or service sector may monitor or limit utilization of the auxiliary device. Deployment of application programs may be controlled by the business sector or the development sector by rendering an application program or auxiliary device available for use only after a particular time or after receipt of a message. Distributed processing application programs having components in the business, service, and mobile sectors may thereby be updated in an orderly manner. An application program on a wireless device may assist confirmation of an order made by a buyer via a web site. The wireless device is expected to be operated by the buyer. Fraud reporting is accomplished by comparing data obtained by registration of the wireless device with data provided in the confirmation. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037331 | REMOTE RECHARGEABLE PREPAID CELLULAR SERVICE PERIPHERAL DEVICE - An integrated prepaid cellular service and telephone unit including a cellular transceiver, a storage unit, a processor; and a credit/debit card interface. In a further aspect, the invention includes code for contacting a cellular provider, transmitting user debit/credit information, receiving a quantity of pre-paid cellular service units, storing the units, and allowing use of the cellular transceiver as long as said units does not equal zero. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037332 | Systems and Methods for Processing Banking Transactions - A system and method for providing an efficient and robust interface that allows banking transactions to be processed by an online banking system and third party accounting software packages via a single user point of entry. The system is configured to receive a transaction request from a third party accounting software, the transaction request including one or more transactions; verify, based on information stored in a first database, that the transaction request is from a valid source; store information regarding the one or more transactions from the transaction request in a second database; process the one or more transactions; and provide a response to the third party accounting software indicating a status of at least one transaction in the transaction request. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037333 | Credit cards system and method having additional features - A credit card system is provided which has the added feature of providing additional limited use credit card numbers and/or cards. These numbers and/or cards can be used for a single or limited use transaction, thereby reducing the potential for fraudulent reuse of these numbers and/or cards. The credit card system finds application to “card remote” transactions such as by phone or Internet. Additionally, when a single use or limited use credit card is used for “card present” transactions, so called “skimming” fraud is eliminated. Various other features enhance the credit card system, which will allow secure trade without the use of elaborate encryption techniques. Methods for limiting, distributing and using a limited use card number, controlling the validity of a limited use credit card number, conducting a limited use credit card number transaction and providing remote access devices for accessing a limited use credit card number are also provided. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037334 | ELECTRONIC MEDICAL RECORD SYSTEM, METHOD FOR STORING MEDICAL RECORD DATA IN THE MEDICAL RECORD SYSTEM, AND A PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE LOADING THE ELECTRONIC MEDICAL RECORD SYSTEM THEREIN - An electronic medical record system is disclosed. The disclosed electronic medical record system comprises a data input module for receiving medical record data; a certificate module for receiving the medical record data from the data input module and processing the medical record data; a medical record data module for receiving the medical record data from the certificate module and storing the medical record data therein; and a data output module for receiving the medical record data from the certificate module and outputting the medical record data. A method for storing the medical record data into the electronic medical record system and a portable electronic device loading the electronic medical record system are also disclosed. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037335 | Operator-assisted transaction system - An operator-assisted transaction system for communicating with a portable terminal presented by a customer. The system has a wireless transceiver for communicating with the portable terminal. The system also has a transaction processor coupled to the wireless transceiver. The transaction processor establishes communications with the portable terminal, receives a pre-staged request block including a pre-staged transaction from the portable terminal, and parses the request block to ascertain a customer identification and transaction details. The system also has an operator display coupled to the transaction processor for presenting the customer identification and transaction details to an operator to allow the operator to fulfill the pre-staged transaction. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037336 | LICENSE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND LICENSE MANAGEMENT METHOD - A device managing server is configured to generate, in the case of a device causing an error, device-unavailable information including the operation status of the device thereof, and a license information issuance server is configured to obtain the compensation worth of a license based on the device-unavailable information in the case of determining that the device cannot be used regarding which the user cannot be faulted. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037337 | Software Licensing and Enforcement System - In an embodiment, a computer implemented method is described. The method is performed at one or more servers, hosting a marketplace application. A software application is received from a vendor for distribution. License terms are generated in response to a selection by the vendor from options provided by the marketplace application. The license terms are associated with the software application. The software application is made available for distribution through the marketplace application, in accordance with the license terms. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037338 | METHOD FOR OPTIMIZING THE PERFORMANCE OF A NETWORKED MAIL PROCESSING SYSTEM - A method of optimizing the performance of a networked mailing system having a plurality of metering systems includes determining in a first metering system that a cryptographic operation needs to be performed, and identifying a device coupled to the network that can perform the cryptographic operation faster than the first metering system. If a device has been so identified, the method further includes sending a request to the identified device to perform the cryptographic operation. If the request has been sent, the method includes receiving a response including processed data in the first metering system from the device. The processed data includes a result of the cryptographic operation being performed on the piece of data in question. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037339 | Methods of authenticating a bank customer desiring to conduct an electronic check deposit transaction - A method is provided of a bank authenticating a bank customer desiring to electronically deposit at least one check. The method comprises receiving a secret password from the bank customer, retrieving information relating to the bank customer, receiving an image of a security document which has been optically scanned by the bank customer, extracting information from the image of the physical security document, and authenticating the bank customer when both the secret password received from the bank customer and the extracted information from the image of the security document match the retrieved information relating to the bank customer. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037340 | Digital certification method and apparatus - A document is recorded with authenticity certification information by receiving an indication that a client is prepared to indicate acceptance and/or receipt of a proposed set of documentary content elements. A visual display of the documentary content elements is presented. An actuatable acknowledgment mechanism and a field for receipt of account information is presented. The actuation of said actuatable acknowledgment mechanism is detected and the account information is transmitted to an account provider. Asymmetric key pairs from one or more items associated with the account are generated. A digital certificate derived from one or more items associated with the account is generated. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037341 | Method and System for On-line Sales - Embodiments of the present invention relate to a system and software methods employed by a web-based system that facilitates business to business buyer and seller interaction, and more particularly to a system to fix a long-standing disconnect between corporate buyers and sellers that helps manufacturers engage with prospective business customers by providing “self-service pricing” for their products and services. In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a method of providing electronic price quotes includes receiving a request to prepare a price quote on a product or service offered by a seller; preparing a price quote for the product or service; communicating the price quote for approval; receiving approval of the price quote; and communicating the approved price quote in response to the request to prepare the price quote to a source of the request and to at least an approver of the price quote. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037342 | SYSTEMS & METHODS FOR DETERMINING A VALUE OF AN INTELLECTUAL ASSET PORTFOLIO - Systems and methods determine an aggregate value of a portfolio of patents or other intellectual assets based upon a number of ratings. Each rating is determined with respect to one of a group of categories for each of the intellectual assets in the portfolio, including a category representing the claim strength of the asset being evaluated. For each of the intellectual assets in the portfolio, inputs corresponding to one of the plurality of ratings assigned to the asset are received. A value for each of the intellectual assets is computed as a function of the input representing the claim strength of the intellectual asset, adjusted by the other inputs for that intellectual asset. The aggregate value of the portfolio of intellectual assets is output as a function of the values of each of the intellectual assets in the portfolio. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037343 | INCUBATOR INVESTMENT STRUCTURE - An incubator investment structure including at least one incubated fund, an incubator participation fund investing in the incubated fund, and investors investing in the incubator participation fund. The incubated fund includes assets other than investments from the incubator participation fund. The incubated fund charges a management fee and/or a performance fee to its investors. However, it returns a portion of the fee it charges to the other assets to the incubator participation fund. Moreover, it gives a discount on the fees charged to the incubator participation fund. The incubator participation fund, in turn, passes a fraction of this returned portion of the other assets fee and the discount on to its investors. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037344 | Multiple Fund Structure For Mutual Funds Based On A Matrix Design Created By The Intersection Of Multiple Risk/Reward Investment Strategy Models And Multiple Fixed Percentage Rate Distribution Schedules For Investment Funds - A Multiple Fund Structure For Investment Funds Based On A Matrix Design Created By The Intersection Of Multiple Risk/Reward Investment Strategy Models And Multiple Fixed Percentage Rate Distribution Schedules For Investment Funds allows an investment company to serve the diverse needs of the large population of retirement income investors by developing a series of strategic asset allocation portfolios each with a menu of fixed rate distribution choices. The matrix structure offers an easy to understand design model. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037345 | Bundled Financial Instruments - Networks, systems and methods that match orders for bundled financial instruments are disclosed. In one example, the bundled financial instrument includes packaged underlying financial instruments that together provide an economic equivalent exposure to a long-term investment vehicle. The bundled financial instrument may include any set of contracts considered a linear combination of a plurality of standardized contracts associated with an obligation to exchange an asset at a set price on a future date. An open position for the bundled financial instrument is a function of the prices for each of the standardized contracts of the bundle and remains open from execution of the order to the earlier of a maturity of the bundled financial instrument, a conversion of the bundled financial instrument into constituent parts of the linear combination of a plurality of standardized contracts, or in the case where the bundled instrument is fractional size contract, when multiple bundles are converted to a single position of a corresponding full-sized instrument. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037346 | Periodic rate reset security with a conversion feature - A computer implemented method for an issuer of a periodic rate reset security with a conversion feature (PRRSC), other than a traditional convertible security issuer, to issue a PRRSC including the steps of designating the PRRSC as one of an equity or a debt instrument; designating an underlying security associated with the PRRSC; setting a conversion price and a conversion ratio for the PRRSC; designating a period for setting a periodic rate associated with the PRRSC; determining a value of the periodic rate in a market environment; and issuing the PRRSC, wherein conversion of the periodic rate reset security is non-dilutive to the net asset value and earnings per share of the underlying security of the PRRSC Issuer. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037347 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR OFFERING, PRICING, AND SELLING SECURITIES OVER A NETWORK - The present invention relates to a system and method of offering, automatically pricing, preparing for sale, selling, and managing securities, such as municipal bonds, over a network, such as the Internet. The present invention also relates to a system and method for an on-line, one-stop and one-source platform for municipal borrowing, production of associated bond legal documents and offering materials, and satisfaction of continuing disclosure requirements. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037348 | Method of calculating and displaying premium freight costs - Methods for calculating and displaying premium freight costs are provided. The methods comprise the steps of: A) selecting a time period of interest; B) selecting all shipments occurring within the selected time period and indexing the shipments into a list; C) for each shipment in the list, evaluating whether the shipment was delivered in the optimal mode, optimal source, and/or optimal carrier, and if a non-optimal mode, source or carrier was used, calculating premium freight cost; D) if the premium freight cost is not negative, adding the premium freight cost to a lane for the non-optimal mode; and E) displaying the premium freight cost by lane on a computer screen. Information for carrying out the methods of the present invention is contained in various databases containing shipment data and optimality tables. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037349 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MANANGING TRAVEL CLUBS - Systems and methods for managing travel clubs are described. A system comprises a client computer; a server computer, communicatively connected to the client computer with a network system; and a processing system to run on the client computer, wherein the processing system is configured to: present indications of a plurality of participating airlines to a user, wherein the participating airlines are included in a travel club; receive a selection of at least one airline from the plurality of airlines from the user; and use a pricing model to determine a fare for a flight associated with the selected at least one airline, wherein the pricing model is associated with the travel club. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037350 | METHOD FOR AUTOMATICALLY DISPLAYING ELECTRONIC INFORMATION RECEIVED BY A RECIPIENT IN A SORTED ORDER AND A COMMUNICATION SYSTEM AND/OR SYSTEM FOR EXCHANGING INFORMATION - Trustability and importance of incoming electronic information such as electronic messages and electronic data files are automatically calculated on the basis of the relationship between recipient and sender. The relationship comprises the communication behavior and the social connection between recipient and sender. For each incoming message it is checked whether predefined relationship items are fulfilled. Concrete relationship values are assigned to each fulfilled relationship item, enabling the calculation. The information about the behavior and the social connections are predominantly stored in a contact list not visible by the recipient and containing information of all contacts the recipient has communicated with during a predefined period of time. The electronic messages can be categorized into trusted and distrusted messages and in a trusted view they can be listed in rank order or marked-up with respect to importance. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037351 | System and Method to Enable Training a Machine Learning Network in the Presence of Weak or Absent Training Exemplars - Described is a system and method for training a machine learning network. The method comprises initializing at least one of nodes in a machine learning network and connections between the nodes to a predetermined strength value, wherein the nodes represent factors determining an output of the network, providing a first set of questions to a plurality of users, the first set of questions relating to at least one of the factors, receiving at least one of choices and guesstimates from the users in response to the first set of questions and adjusting the predetermined strength value as a function of the choices/guesstimates. The real and simulated examples presented demonstrate that synthetic training sets derived from expert or non-expert human guesstimates can replace or augment training data sets comprised of actual training exemplars that are too limited in size, scope, or quality to otherwise generate accurate predictions. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037352 | System and method for automated determination of solutions to known equations - A system for automated determination of solutions to known equations, including a process orchestrator configured to retrieve at least one known solution from a known solutions datastore, a mathematics preprocessor configured to convert the at least one known solution to at least one machine-usable converted known solution, a genetic algorithm processor configured to generate at least one candidate solution from the at least one machine-usable converted known solution, and a results datastore configured to store a new solution corresponding to the candidate solution. There is also a method including retrieving at least one known solution from a known solutions datastore using a process orchestrator, converting convert the at least one known solution to at least one machine-usable converted known solution, generating at least one candidate solution from the at least one machine-usable converted known solution using a genetic algorithm processor, and storing a new solution corresponding to the candidate solution. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037353 | Method and system for evaluating tests used in operating system fingerprinting - In a system for evaluating classification systems such as an operating system (OS) fingerprinting tool (e.g., Nmap), information gain is used as a metric to evaluate the quality of the tool's classification tests, including fingerprinting tests and their associated probes. Information gain is determined using the OS fingerprinting tool's signature database rather than raw training samples, including taking into account signatures/data that are represented by ranges of test values, disjunctive values, and missing values. Uniform distributions over test values and classifications are assumed in applying these methods to an example signature database for Nmap. Other assumptions or a priori information (e.g., normal distributions over ranges) can also be accommodated. The information gain measure provided can be applied to other classification problems as well. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037354 | DOMESTIC INFORMATION SYSTEM BASED ON TIME, SPACE AND RELEVANCE - A domestic system that gathers extensible markup language (XML) feeds from the Internet, presents them in a unified, structured format, and utilizes usage data to make suggestions to the user. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037355 | Method and Apparatus for Context-Based Content Recommendation - Starting with the people in and around enterprises, the expertise and work patterns stored in people's brains as exhibited in their daily behavior is detected and captured. A behavioral based knowledge index is thus created that is used to produce expert-guided, personalized information. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037356 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR GENERATING SALES LEADS DATA - A method and system for generating sales leads information from a plurality of online sources is disclosed. The method includes the following steps: | 2009-02-05 |
20090037357 | COMPUTER ARCHIVE TRAVERSAL - A method and apparatus for computer file system traversal. An embodiment of a method includes obtaining a computer archive, the computer archive including one or more data elements. The computer archive is traversed, with traversing the computer archive including processing a data element of the computer archive. Processing a data element includes reading a name of the data element, and determining whether to process the first data element based on the name of the first element. If the first data element is to be processed, the data element is extracted and traversal of the first data element continues. If the data element is not to be processed, the data element is skipped. A serial data stream representing selected data elements of the computer archive is output. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037358 | Computer Program Product and System for Autonomous Classification - An autonomous classification device which enables the creation of autonomous classifiers that are easy to deploy, adapt and optimize in the environment in which they are used. The classifier is autonomous in that it can perform three functions that define autonomic systems: automatically configure itself in an environment, optimize its performance using the environment and mechanisms for performance, and continually adapting to improve performance and heal itself in a changing environment. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037359 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ENFORCING RULE SELECTION ON USER INBOXES - A method and system for enforcing rule selection on user email inboxes include an inbox monitor and administrative rules at an email server. The inbox monitor includes a first agent for identifying inactive user inboxes from email messages stored at the email database, and a second agent for identifying, from the inactive user inboxes identified by the first agent, user inboxes without appropriate user rules activated. For each user inbox identified by the second agent, administrative rules are applied to the user inbox if the user inbox has been inactive for at least a predetermined period of time. If the user inbox has not been inactive for at least the predetermined period of time, a notification message is sent to a user associated with the user inbox. The notification message informs the user that administrative rules will be applied to the user inbox if appropriate user rules are not activated. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037360 | Auto-Triggered Incremental Execution of Object Business Rules in Database Applications - A method for applying business rules to data stored in a table of a database. The method includes creating a plurality of maps wherein each map comprises a list of business rules that are triggered by a change of data stored in the table of the database. In one aspect, responsive to a given business rule being modified, an old version of the modified business rule is removed from the plurality of maps, and a new version of the modified business rule is re-registered within the plurality of maps, the new version of the modified rule is then automatically applied to data stored in the table of the database. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037361 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR GLOBAL LOAD BALANCING OF REQUESTS FOR CONTENT - The present invention is directed towards systems and methods for directing a user request for content over a network to a given content server on the basis of one or more rules. The method of the present invention comprises receiving a request for content form a user, the request for content including a profile of the user identifying one or more characteristics associated with the user. One or more rules are retrieved for identifying a content server to which a request for content is to be delivered, the one or more rules including at least one of business rules, network rules, and user profile rules. The one or more retrieved rules are applied to the request for content to identify a content server to which the request for content is to be delivered and the request for content is delivered to the identified content server. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037362 | METHOD OF AND SOFTWARE FOR PERFORMING A TASK - A method of establishing a computerised system and software for performing a task, including creating a list of actions (“action list”) to be done by a practitioner in performing a task for storage on a computer; creating a database of information relevant to the actions on the action list for storage on the computer; providing means for associating the actions in the action list with the relevant information in the database; providing file opening means for opening a file for the task to be performed; providing means for creating a file action list in the file to be opened for the task to be performed corresponding to the action list; and providing data input means for inputting data relevant to the actions to be done on the file action list. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037363 | Methods And Systems For Managing A Data Mining Model - Methods, systems, and a computer readable medium storing a computer executable program for managing a data mining model are disclosed. A first notification associated with a data mining model is received at a business process system. A second notification associated with the data mining model is transmitted from the business process system responsive to the first notification. A determination is made regarding whether a first response operable to define an association between the data mining model and business data has been received at the business process system responsive to the second notification. A command is issued from the business process system to update model metadata associated with the data mining model based on the determination. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037364 | Participation profiles of virtual world players - A method and system provides arrangements creating a relationship between a real-world entity and a virtual world environment. A participant or player can participate in various virtual world activities including transactions to acquire virtual products, virtual services, and/or virtual items of value. Feedback may be provided and records kept regarding the virtual world activities and transactions. The participant or player may also have an opportunity of engaging in related real-world activities and transactions. In some implementations, multiple players at different locations can be involved in the virtual world and real-world activities and transactions. Some embodiments include arrangements for real-world informational data to be made available in the virtual world environment to a participant or player, based on virtual world activities related to a topic of interest to a real-world entity. Other embodiments provide for making a profile record for use by a real-world entity, wherein the profile record may include particular types of participation activity by a participant or player in the virtual world environment. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037365 | PRODUCT JOIN DYNAMIC PARTITION ELIMINATION FOR MULTILEVEL PARTITIONING - A method of searching a multilevel partitioned database includes receiving a query data from the multilevel partitioned database. At least for one level partitions are dynamically included. For some levels, partitions may also be statically included for execution of the query. The query is the executed over the partitions that are both dynamically and statically included. In one example, the cost of joining two tables in a multilevel partitioned database includes determining level partitions that can be statically included, estimating level partitions that will be dynamically considered for the join, and determining a cost as a function of the estimated statically included level partitions and estimated dynamically included level partitions. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037366 | ONLINE INDEX BUILDS AND REBUILDS WITHOUT BLOCKING LOCKS - Techniques are provided for processing a CREATE INDEX statement that avoids one or more locks on the underlying table. The processing of such a statement may be divided into a build phase and a cooperation phase. During the build phase, a journal table is created and published. A snapshot of the table is obtained after the last DML transaction (that was pending at the time the journal table was published) commits. The index is built based on the state of the table as of the snapshot. Any changes to the table while the index is built are recorded in the journal table. During the cooperation phase, the index is partially published. A subsequent DML statement determines whether any changes in the journal table affect the same data as the subsequent DML statement. If so, then those changes are applied to the index followed by the subsequent DML statement. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037367 | System and Methodology Providing Workload Management in Database Cluster - A system and methodology providing workload management in a database cluster. In one embodiment, for example, a method for allocating workload amongst a plurality of database servers sharing access to data comprises steps of: periodically collecting information about workload at each database server; distributing the workload information to each of the plurality of database servers; in response to a client connected to a first database server requesting that work be performed, examining the workload information to determine whether the requested work should be performed at a second database server having a lower workload than the first database server; if it is determined that the work should be performed at the second database server, automatically transferring the client connection to the second database server and performing the requested work at the second database server; and otherwise, performing the requested work at the first database server. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037368 | FAST PATH LOADING OF XML DATA - Techniques for implementing fast loading of binary XML into a binary XML database repository are provided. A client application reduces the processing burden on the repository by doing pre-processing of the binary XML data prior to loading. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037369 | Using sibling-count in XML indexes to optimize single-path queries - A method and apparatus are provided for using sibling-counts in XML indices to optimize single-path queries. Using a b-tree XML index with a SQL query logarithmically reduces the number of disk accesses by passing over index entries where it is determined that a match will not be found. However, because certain index entries are passed over, it is impossible to ascertain if a path expression occurs more than once in the XML index, as certain queries sometimes require. This hurdle can be overcome by maintaining a sibling count with each node entry in the XML index. Because the sibling count is stored with the index entry, the index will reveal whether the matching node is single or has other siblings. In additional to re-writing the original query for optimization by use of an XML index, it will be re-written to check for a single-path condition in the index. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037370 | DISTRIBUTED EVENT PROCESSING - Methods and systems for distributed event processing are disclosed. In one embodiment, a system for distributed event processing includes a first event processor and a second event processor. The first event processor receives event data associated with an event stream. The second event processor receives a query associated with the event stream. A request to the first event processor is generated by the second event processor based on the query for a first portion of event data associated with the event stream. The second event processor receives the first portion of event data from the first event processor. The second event processor then generates an event based on the first portion of event data. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037371 | EFFICIENT STORAGE AND SEARCH OF WORD LISTS AND OTHER TEXT - A computer readable storage medium tangibly embodying machine-readable digital data arranged to facilitate expedited searching. The data includes a plurality of words residing in a table having rows and columns, each word residing in a different row and each letter of the word occupying a different column in that row. Each continuous run of same letters in a column forms an interval. The words are positioned relative to each other to maximize lengths of the intervals, and/or optimize efficiency of compression of the columns by run length encoding. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037372 | CREATING PROFILING INDICES - A database engine and optimizer framework support creation of a series of profiling indices over a column having character string data, such as a traditional “varchar” data type. The profiling indices result in a reduction of the number of records that are searched when searching for a sub-string match within that column. In some embodiments, the series of indices are created over a column that is typically searched using the LIKE predicate or some similar technique; these indices indicate for each record whether certain sub-strings may exist in that record's value in the column. Thus, the indices are used to find the rows that may match one or more portions of the particular term being queried or, in other words, eliminate those records that do not have at least a portion of the term to be matched. The number of records actually retrieved and searched for the query sub-string is thereby reduced. | 2009-02-05 |
20090037373 | Method and System for Management and Publication of Media Assets in a Distributed Network | 2009-02-05 |
20090037374 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR REPORTING AND RELATING FIREARM DISCHARGE DATA TO A CRIME REPORTING DATABASE - A method for utilizing firearm discharge data in a crime reporting and tracking database, includes: recording one or more discharges of a firearm; transmitting information from the discharging firearm to a crime reporting and tracking database; utilizing the transmitted information to establish relationships between the discharged firearm, committed crimes, and missing persons within the crime reporting and tracking database; and wherein the recording and transmitting is carried out by devices within the firearm. | 2009-02-05 |