23rd week of 2014 patent applcation highlights part 64 |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20140156462 | INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS, INFORMATION PROCESSING METHOD, PROGRAM, TERMINAL APPARATUS, AND COMMUNICATION APPARATUS - There is provided an information processing apparatus including a database configured to store position data indicating a current position of at least one search target person, the position data being received from a communication apparatus of the at least one search target person, an information providing unit configured to provide the position data of the at least one search target person to a terminal apparatus of a searcher in response to an information request from the terminal apparatus of the searcher, and a communication mediation unit configured to receive, from the terminal apparatus, a communication request for requesting communication with a search target person who is selected by the searcher based on the provided position data, and to transmit a communication message to a communication apparatus of the selected search target person. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156463 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING MUSIC - A method for use in a process to provide music includes obtaining a first set of data that indicates a music preference of a first user, wherein the first user has a first music list, obtaining a second set of data that indicates a music preference of a second user, wherein the second user has a second music list, processing the first set of data and the second set of data, using a processor, to determine whether the first user and the second user have a similar music preference, and identifying a song in the second music list that is not in the first music list. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156464 | INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS, INFORMATION PROCESSING METHOD, INFORMATION PROCESSING PROGRAM, RECORDING MEDIUM HAVING STORED THEREIN INFORMATION PROCESSING PROGRAM - Provided are an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, an information processing program, and a recording medium having stored therein the information processing program, which can further reflect a user's preference with respect to a display order of information of a plurality of transaction targets as compared with the prior art. The information processing apparatus acquires review information of a user trying to select a transaction target, from a database that stores user's review information regarding a plurality of transaction targets and user's evaluation scores regarding each of a plurality of predetermined evaluation items in association with each piece of information of the plurality of transaction targets. Then, the information processing apparatus specifies an evaluation item on which a user puts emphasis among the plurality of evaluation items when selecting the transaction target, based on the acquired review information, and displays the information of the transaction targets in display order based on the evaluation score with respect to the evaluation item. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156465 | BUY NOW OPTION FROM MAP VIEW - Product search results may be presented to a user via a map view, with merchants selling a selected product displayed on a map. A buy now button may be displayed for a merchant within the map view, allowing the user to execute a purchase transaction directly from the map view. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156466 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING AUTOMATED CUSTOMER ORDER CROSS REFERENCING - An auto cross-referencing functionality related to an order number directed to a product within an electronic catalog hosted by a vendor system is presented on a client computing device in a page providing an access point for ordering an item. The system allows a customer to enter a manufacturer, competitor, or other non-vendor specific ordering number into an ordering system and have the provided number transformed in-situ to the vendor's ordering number, either in real-time and/or through a batch-like process. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156467 | APPLICATION/CONTENT BUNDLING AND MONETIZATION PLATFORM - Based on submitted software applications, a management system can combine two or more software applications into a bundle that provides users access to the software applications included in the software application bundle. Access to the software applications, including type of access, duration of access, etc., is controlled by financial terms or other credits associated by the management system with the selected software application bundle, such as a monthly subscription fee. Once users are provided access to various software applications, the users and respective publishers may capture various use events related to accessing one or more software applications. After collecting use information, the management system can then initiate a reconciliation event. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156468 | PRINT ORDER RECEIVING AND PLACING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE SAME - A print order receiving and placing system capable of reducing workloads on operator's ordering operations and input errors. The system for receiving a print product production request from an order placing terminal includes a print process registration unit configured to register a print process including setting information about printing by a printing machine, a processing process registration unit configured to register a processing process including setting information about processing by a processing machine, a product registration unit configured to register a product including a product specification for defining a print process selected from a plurality of registered print processes, a processing process selected from a plurality of registered processing processes, and order information regarding an execution order of these processes, and an item registration unit configured to register the registered product as an item which can be ordered from the order placing terminal. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156469 | Method Of Controlling Product Inventory - A business method and system for executing the method that involves gathering merchandise orders at a show in the home of a hostess. The method compiles the merchandise orders while maintaining a relationship between each individual order and information pertaining to the guest making the order. The guest information maintains an association with the order throughout the method such that each order made at the show may be individually packaged and labeled, obviating the need for the hostess to sort the ordered items upon receiving them from a warehouse. The system stores records of all purchased items and maintains a running inventory of each item, accessible by the consultants so they may warn customers of potentially low inventories. The database also facilitates returns and exchanges of purchased items. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156470 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING A TRANSIENT VIRTUAL SHOP - An approach for providing a transient virtual shop is described. A transaction request is received, from a mobile device, for a virtual merchant service. Contextual information relating to the mobile device is determined. Communication is initiated with a merchant system configured to facilitate a transaction associated with the merchant service. Transaction data is received from the merchant system based on the determined contextual information. Transmission of the transaction data is initiated to the mobile device for presentation, wherein the presentation includes projecting a graphical user interface to represent the transaction data. The graphical user interface supports gesture-based input. User input corresponding to the transaction is received via the graphical user interface. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156471 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING AUTOMATED CUSTOMER ORDER CROSS REFERENCING - An auto cross-referencing functionality related to an order number directed to a product within an electronic catalog hosted by a vendor system is presented on a client computing device in a page providing an access point for ordering an item. The system allows a customer to enter a manufacturer, competitor, or other non-vendor specific ordering number into an ordering system and have the provided number transformed in-situ to the vendor's ordering number, either in real-time and/or through a batch-like process. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156472 | Logistics and Supply Chain Tracking and Management via Mobile Device - Logistics and supply chain tracking and management via mobile devices may be provided. Data about a plurality of inventory items may be collected via a networked device. Upon receiving an order for at least one of the plurality of inventory items, an instruction associated with fulfillment of the order may be created and performed. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156473 | SURCHARGE COMPLIANCE REGISTRY - Apparatus and methods for auditing a transaction record are provided. The transaction record may correspond to a credit card transaction. The auditing may include identifying a surcharge violation. The surcharge violation may be an unlawful surcharge. The auditing may identify patterns of double surcharging. Transaction-level auditing may include ensuring that a surcharge is returned upon a product return. A mobile wallet application may allow consumers to access and/or report merchant surcharge compliance activity. Functionality may include surcharge receipt scanning for use in crosschecking authenticity of a consumer report. Additional crosscheck functionality provided by geographic location support. Embodiments may include a registry for merchants that certify their surcharge calculations. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156474 | METHOD OF FORECASTING A RESIDUAL VALUE OF A VEHICLE - A method for forecasting a residual value of a first vehicle having existent and nonexistent model years is disclosed. Part of the method includes creating a proxy vehicle form a selected one of a plurality of second vehicles for each nonexistent model year within a predetermined time frame with the proxy vehicle having a proxy vehicle identifier, populating an initial database with the proxy vehicle identifier for each nonexistent model year to create a comprehensive database, and converting the proxy vehicle identifier for each first existent model year into a monetary value, and utilizing a processor to calculate the residual value of the first vehicle utilizing the monetary value of the proxy vehicle. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156475 | MULTI-LEVEL WORK HOUR ROUNDING BASED ON ROUNDING RULES - A first server may: store a first start time and a first end time; receive a data record having a second start time and a second end time; determine a first number of time units corresponding to a total number of time units between the first start time and the first end time; determine a second number of time units corresponding to a difference between the first start time and the second start time; apply a first rounding rule to the second number of time units to form a first rounded number; determine a second rounded number by subtracting the first rounded number from the first number of time units; apply a second rounding rule to the second rounded number to form a third rounded number; and provide the third rounded number to a second server to determine a payment based on a rate and the third rounded number. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156476 | SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING EMPLOYEES ACCESS TO ACCRUED BUT UNPAID EARNINGS - A system for interfacing predetermined services to a user at a fixed location includes a processing platform running an operating system. Also included are a plurality of physical system resource interfaces for interfacing with available physical system resources. The physical system resources allow a user to gain access to the predetermined desired services. The system further includes a data store for storing configuration information for enabling the operating system to interface with the available physical system resources through the physical system resource interface associated therewith. A communication resource for interfacing with the operating system allows communication of the operating system with a central office for downloading configuration information to selectively enable ones of the available physical system resources to interface with the operating system through associated ones of the physical system resource interfaces in accordance with the configuration information and the predetermined service selected by a user. A plurality of configurations are stored in the data store, and each is associated with a predetermined service and one or more of the available physical system resources. Each physical system resource interface is uniquely associated with a defined one of the physical system resources. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156477 | PLATFORM-AS-A-SERVICE BILLING - An illustrative embodiment of a process for reconciling billing measures to cost factors, comprising receiving, by one or more processors, a set of billing measures from one or more applications and a set of cost factors from infrastructure feeds. Analyzing the set of billing measures and cost factors received, using a set of defined relationships to create analyzed information and generates, by the one or more processors, a set of reports using the analyzed information. Responsive to a determination to update the set of definitions, update the sets of definitions using information from the generated reports. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156478 | NON-METERED WIRELESS SYSTEM AND METHOD TO RENDER USAGE BASED INVOICES FOR STORAGE TANK CONSUMABLES - A method, system and computer-readable medium for managing usage of storage tank consumables in a storage tank are provided. This is achieved by receiving and storing by a central server comprising a processor and a storage device, measurements of storage tank consumables from a remote system associated with a storage tank; periodically calculating by the processor usage-based data for generating invoices for storage tank consumables based on sensor measurements representative of an estimated usage of the storage tank consumables; receiving and storing by the central server a fill value representing an actual usage reported to the central server when the storage tank is filled; and reconciling the estimated usage with the actual usage by the processor by summing all estimated usages since a last fill of the storage tank, calculating a difference between the sum of the estimated usages and the fill value, and issuing a debit or credit based on the difference for reconciliation. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156479 | On Net Faxing - Distribution of electronic documents is described, including receiving an electronic document to be distributed, identifying whether a destination identifier is associated with a destination account among a known group of customer accounts, routing the electronic document, and calculating a fee associated with delivery of the electronic document based on whether the destination account is among the known group of customers and a set of billing rules. The set of billing rules may specify a discounted fee for routing an electronic document to each of a known group of customer accounts. In other aspects, the set of billing rules may specify a discounted fee for routing an electronic document to a first group of the known group of customer accounts and specify a standard fee for a second group of the known group of customer accounts. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156480 | PERSONAL FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT PAYMENT ALLOCATION - Devices, methods and computer program are defined that provide recommendations to users based on the user's personal financial management information and a benefit to the user. The personal financial management information may include a snapshot of the user's accounts, a timeline of the user's accounts, or a cash flow of the user's accounts. The benefit can be a financial benefit, such as a lower interest rate, or a non-financial benefit, such as an improved return policy. In a further embodiment, the recommendation is determined by crowdsourcing using a cohort of financial institution customers that share some characteristics with the user. As a result the user makes informed decisions on which payment type to use or other change for a future transaction at the merchant. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156481 | USING A FINANCIAL ACCOUNT STATEMENT TO PRESENT AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE CONTENT RELATED TO A GOOD OR SERVICE - Techniques for determining that an opportunity to solicit content from a user are described. Such content may relate to a user's experience with goods or services purchased by the user with a financial account (e.g., a credit card). Account information and/or transaction information may be analyzed to determine that a content submission opportunity exists. After determining that a content submission opportunity exists, a link may be inserted into a financial account statement allowing the user to provide the content. Multiple content or content types may be submitted for a single purchase (e.g., for different items in a purchase). Other variations are also described. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156482 | FINANCIAL APPARATUS, METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CONTROLLING THE APPARATUS - The present disclosure relates to a financial apparatus, and a method and a system for controlling the apparatus. The financial apparatus is embodied so that, if a service request is received from at least one teller terminal, a determination part determines a service type from the received service request, and a controlling part performs an occupied service process or an unoccupied service process according to the determined service type, and thus the service requests can be processed in parallel. Due to the parallel processing, task processing efficiency can be maximized and also waiting time can be reduced. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156483 | System and Method for Analyzing Strategic Network Investments in Wireless Networks - A method and a system to assist wireless telecom service providers to make strategic investment decisions in their wireless networks is provided. Geographical profitability information in a wireless network is determined to decide where to invest capital funds in order to increase the revenue and profit for wireless service providers. The profitability of a geographical area or a sector is calculated based on network Operation Measurements and subscriber CDR (Call Detail Record) data. The system prioritizes the geographical areas and sectors for capital investments based on the profitability of the areas and sites. Similar information may be determined to assist wireless service providers in developing a decommissioning strategy. Embodiments of the present invention may also be used to reduce network churn by understanding where dissatisfied subscribers experience poor service and where network investments need to be made to improve the services and reduce churn. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156484 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR USING ASSIGNABLE FEE PROFILES TO DEFINE FEE STRUCTURES FOR REMITTANCE SERVICES - Methods, apparatus and systems for receiving a selection of a service fee profile option from a user and implementing it in an international remittance system. The process includes providing, by an administrative computer server to a user computer, a data entry page for defining a class of remittance transactions, receiving a selection that includes a sender country and currency and a recipient country and currency, wherein the sender country is different from the recipient country. The process also includes providing a plurality of service fee profiles to the user computer, receiving a user selection, transmitting a fee structure to the user computer, and receiving a confirmation to assign the selected service fee profile to the currency remittance channel. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156485 | Method and Systems for Advanced Spread Price Calculation - Methods and systems for advanced spread price calculation are disclosed. An example method to calculate a spread price includes receiving a trading spread including a plurality of legs, wherein each leg of the plurality of legs is associated with a tradeable object. The example method includes facilitating a definition of a mathematic equation that describes a relationship between each of the plurality of legs based on at least two parameters relating the plurality of legs to the spread price. The example method includes calculating the spread price based on the defined mathematic equation. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156486 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AUTOMATED TRADE REPLICATION TRADE BUNDLING AND DETACHMENT - A system and method for automated securities trading is provided. The system includes a lead trader account database, a follower account database, and a trade determination system. Trade information is received from a lead trader and a listing of followers for the lead trader is retrieved from the lead account database. For each follower, their account at the follower account database is accessed to confirm that they desire to participate in the lead trader's trade and that they have enough funds to do so. The lead trader and follower's traders are then grouped together and traded as a single trade. The traded shares are then provided to the lead trader and followers at the average price of the trade. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156487 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AUTOMATED MOBILE ALERT-BASED TRADING MOBILE TRADE REPLICATION AND DETACHMENT - A system and method for automated securities trading is provided. The system includes a lead trader account database, a follower account database, and a trade determination system. Trade information is received from a lead trader and a listing of followers for the lead trader is retrieved from the lead account database. For each follower, their account at the follower account database is accessed to confirm that they desire to participate in the lead trader's trade and that they have enough funds to do so. The lead trader and follower's traders are then grouped together and traded as a single trade. The traded shares are then provided to the lead trader and followers at the average price of the trade. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156488 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR A FAIR EXCHANGE - A fair exchange is disclosed to reduce potential inequities in an electronic trading environment. Market data is sent from a host system to client devices through one or more synchronized local communication servers such that the data can be displayed simultaneously or nearly simultaneously at each client device. Market data sent to client devices might include price information. Likewise, a host system may transaction data sent from client devices via the local communication servers. The ordering of transaction data is based, at least in part, on when the local communication servers received the transaction data from the client devices. Transaction data sent to a host system might include order information. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156489 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PREVENTING CROSS TRADING - Information regarding the current state in the market is used to prevent orders from crossing. In an example provided herein, when an order is entered into a market, information regarding current positions in the market is taken into account to determine whether the order will cross with other orders. If the orders would cross, appropriate action is taken to prevent the crossing of orders in a way suitable for the person or persons trading. The teachings described herein may be used for any reason to prevent orders from crossing. Moreover, they may be used in other areas of trading to assist the trader in obeying any other rule or regulation that might involve analyzing current positions in the market before taking action. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156490 | System and Method for Management and Analysis of Electronic Trade Orders - A system and methods are provided for using order descriptor identifiers in relation to orders being used in trading strategies. According to one example method, when a hedge order is submitted upon detecting a fill of another order, the hedge order includes one or more order descriptor identifiers conveying a purpose of the hedge order to a user. The order descriptor identifiers can be used to search for desired orders and perform more effective order management and post trade analysis. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156491 | Financial System And Method Based On Absolute Returns - A financial instrument exchange, system and method based upon the intensity of an underlying index. The instrument having a predetermined formula for a settlement price based at least in part on the formula: | 2014-06-05 |
20140156492 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONDUCTING AN EXCHANGE AUCTION - A method for conducting an exchange auction includes a computer receiving financial positions data defining long and short positions associated with a first financial instrument. The method further includes matching, by the computer, one of the short positions and one of the long positions and generating a first proposed trade including the matched positions. The method further includes generating, by the computer, a second proposed trade including a short position and long position associated with second financial instrument, such that a net notion of the first proposed is equal to a notional of the second propose trade. The method further includes executing the first and second proposed trades. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156493 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROCESSING A TRADE ORDER - A method for processing a trade order includes a computer receiving a market data for a financial asset, receiving pricing parameters and receiving proposed order quantity and price data. The method further includes constructing, by a computer, proposed trades based on the proposed order quantity and price data. The method further includes calculating, by a computer, a theoretical price for the financial asset based on the market data, pricing parameters as well as the proposed order price data. The method further includes comparing the constructed trades with the theoretical price. The method further includes displaying market data indicators relative to the theoretical price indicators based on the performed comparison. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156494 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR LINKING AND MANAGING LINKED ORDERS IN AN ELECTRONIC TRADING ENVIRONMENT - A system and method for linking and managing linked orders are described. According to one method, a trader may first link two or more orders into a linked order, and then one or more parameters associated with one of the orders may be dynamically changed based on user inputs or information being received from an exchange. For example, a trader may link any two orders as an order cancel order, and each linked order may be associated with the same or different tradable objects, order quantities, and may be submitted to one or more exchanges. The order quantities may be then dynamically updated based on updates being received from the one or more exchanges and further based on a quantity ratio between the two orders. Further, the linked order may be submitted upon detecting a fill for another order. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156495 | Delta Neutral Futures Allocation - In an Exchange which assigns only a whole number/integer approximate of a computed number of futures contracts to a covered order for one or more option contracts, the disclosed embodiments relate to factoring a residual number of futures contracts, remaining after fulfillment of an incoming covered order counter to a resting covered order for a quantity of options contracts less than the resting quantity and approximation of the computed number of futures contracts assigned thereto, into the approximation of the computed number of futures contracts assigned to fulfillment of a subsequent order from the same trader counter to the same resting order for less than or equal to the remaining resting quantity of options contracts. This may have the effect of increasing or decreasing the number of futures contracts assigned to the subsequent order. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156496 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROCESSING A TRADE ORDER - Systems and apparatus for processing a trade order include a computer configured for receiving market data for a financial asset, receiving pricing parameters and receiving proposed order quantity and price data. The computer is further configured for constructing proposed trades based on the proposed order quantity and price data, and for calculating a theoretical price for the financial asset based on the market data, pricing parameters as well as the proposed order price data. In addition, the computer is configured for comparing the constructed trades with the theoretical price, and displaying market data indicators relative to the theoretical price indicators based on the comparison. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156497 | ALTERNATIVE VALUE EXCHANGE SYSTEMS AND METHODS - This disclosure describes, generally, methods and systems for exchanging alternative currencies. The method includes creating, at an alternative currency platform, a plurality of user accounts and receiving, from a first user in the plurality of user accounts, an alternative currency exchange offer. The alternative currency exchange offer includes one or more offer terms and associated assets. Furthermore, the method includes extending the alternative currency exchange offer from the first user to the second user, in response to receiving acceptance of the offer from the second user, verifying the associated assets of the first user and the second user, and in response to verification of the assets of the first user and second user, providing settlement of the alternative currency exchange offer. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156498 | System and Method for Hedging Risks in Commercial Leases - A system and method for hedging risks in commercial leases is disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, a method for hedging risks in a commercial lease may comprise: receiving information related to a lease agreement between a lessor and a lessee, the lease agreement calling for the lessor to lease an asset to the lessee for a period of time in return for lease payments; estimating potential losses that the lessor will suffer if at least one credit event causes the lessee to default on the lease agreement; and providing the lessor a put option, whereby, upon the at least one credit event, the lessor can choose to sell a claim against the defaulting lessee at a strike price, the strike price being an amount that varies based at least in part on the estimated potential losses and the time at which the lessee defaults. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156499 | BUSINESS METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR FACILITATING AND ENSURING ONLINE TRANSACTIONS THROUGH LIVE VIDEO AND AUDIO CONFERENCING AND RECORDING - The present invention relates to a method and a system for facilitating and ensuring online transactions' quality and security, and more particularly to a method and a system for providing an online payment service that uses video and audio recording to facilitate and ensure online transactions. The system comprises a website for customers to interact with a representative from said payment service system and/or view their payment service accounts utilizing a variety of features. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156500 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING A CUSTOMIZABLE CREDIT REPORT - Systems and methods are provided for enabling a user to select the types of data to be included in a credit reporting product, and for generating credit reports that are configured to be dynamically updated with additional data in response to user selections. In some embodiments, data selectable by a user for inclusion in a credit report or other product may include a variety of data not typically found on traditional credit reports. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156501 | REAL-TIME INTERACTIVE CREDIT SCORE IMPROVEMENT COACH - A method and system for providing a credit coaching service for providing real-time recommendations to improve a credit score for a user retrieves credit report data issued from a credit reporting agency for analysis by a processor and initializes datafeeds for accessing in real-time financial transactions by the user from at least one financial source. Corrective actions are determined and alerts transmitted in real-time to the user in response to detection of a real-time financial transaction that adversely affects the user's credit score. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156502 | CONDUCTING A LOAN - Methods and systems are disclosed for conducting a loan, including a construction loan, and fully funding the loan at closing. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156503 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING A CUSTOMIZABLE CREDIT REPORT - Systems and methods are provided for enabling a user to select the types of data to be included in a credit reporting product, and for generating credit reports that are configured to be dynamically updated with additional data in response to user selections. In some embodiments, data selectable by a user for inclusion in a credit report or other product may include a variety of data not typically found on traditional credit reports. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156504 | COLLEGE LOAN FINANCIAL SYSTEM AND METHOD - A method of determining default risk without use of credit score and providing discounted loans includes, receiving from a customer payments put into an account of the customer of a predetermined amount paid periodically over a predetermined time frame, determining default risk based on such received amounts, determining whether the customer qualifies for a discounted loan rate, and providing the customer such loan at discounted rate if the customer qualifies. Apparatus for carrying out one or more of the foregoing steps. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156505 | AGENT-AIDED TRANSACTION - Embodiments of the invention are directed to systems, methods and computer program products for serving a user at a facility. In some embodiments, a system is configured to determine a user has entered a facility, wherein the user has a mobile device, and wherein the user is waiting to interact with at least one of an agent at the facility or a computing device at the facility; communicate with the mobile device to determine a reason for the user's visit to the facility, the reason comprising a transaction intended to be executed by the user at the facility; determine the transaction can be executed on the mobile device; and in response to determining the transaction can be executed on the mobile device, demonstrate the transaction to the user, wherein the demonstration assists the user to execute the transaction. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156506 | SELF-SERVICE USING MOBILE DEVICE - Embodiments of the invention are directed to systems, methods and computer program products for enabling self-service at a facility. In some embodiments, a system is configured to: determine a user has entered a facility or is a predetermined distance from the facility, wherein the user has a mobile device, and wherein the user is waiting to interact with at least one of an agent at or away from the facility or a computing device at the facility; communicate with the mobile device to determine a reason for the user's visit to the facility, the reason comprising a transaction intended to be executed by the user at the facility; prompt the user to perform, on the mobile device, an action associated with the intended transaction while the user is waiting to interact with at least one of the agent or the computing device. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156507 | LOCATION BASED BANKING - A system provides assistance to a user having a user device proximate a financial institution location by receiving a communication initiated by an application running on the user device without initiation by the user; establishing a connection with the user device; determining an identity of the user; determining a user purpose for visiting the location; and communicating instructions to the application running on the user device, the instructions to cause the user device to navigate to a page of a website of the financial institution corresponding to the determined user purpose for visiting the location. In some embodiments, the identity of the user is determined by determining whether a received PIN matches a stored PIN associated with a device ID received from the user device. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156508 | Splitting A Purchase Among Multiple Parties Using An Electronic Receipt After The Transaction - A method is disclosed for a customer splitting the cost of a purchase with other persons. An electronic receipt may be viewed on a mobile electronic device with electronic receipts software thereon. Using a device configured according to one or more embodiments of the invention, a customer is able to select the receipt for splitting as well as selecting other persons to share the cost of items on the receipt. The customer may allocate item cost among those other persons. Information may be sent to a server or computer system to provide notifications to the other persons. The server may then process the request and transmit receipt information/notifications to the person requested by the customer. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156509 | Collateral Mechanisms - Techniques for providing collateral and satisfying collateral requirements are disclosed. The techniques involve participation rights to allow a second party having commercial contracts with a first party to draw against assets of a legal trust whose assets are funded by investors, determining terms for issuance of the obligations, including a guarantee by the first party to redeem assets in the legal trust that are drawn by the second party and recording contracts formed with two or more independent contract providers that are jointly and severally liable for a negative difference between the value of assets the first party contributes to the legal trust and the value of the assets actually drawn by the second party. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156510 | METHOD AND SYSTEM OF PROVIDING FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS FOR THE VISUALLY IMPAIRED - A method for audibly communicating transaction details includes: storing payment card details for a payment card, the card details including a payment card number; receiving transaction details for a financial transaction involving the payment card, the transaction details including a transaction amount; and audibly emitting the transaction amount for the financial transaction. A method for audibly communicating account information which includes: capturing an image of a payment card; processing the captured image of the payment card to identify payment card details, the card details including a payment card number; transmitting the identified card details; receiving account details for a financial account associated with the payment card, the account details including at least an account balance; and audibly emitting the account balance for the financial account. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156511 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING EXCHANGE OF GIFT CARDS - An approach for a way to exchange gift cards (as well as other incentives, such as coupons) in a fair, efficient and secure environment. A first gift card information associated with a first merchant is received. The gift card information and user request information are evaluated to determine an exchange value. A second gift card information associated with a second merchant is determined based upon the exchange value. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156512 | PROVIDING MONEY TRANSFER USING A MONEY TRANSFER PLATFORM - The present disclosure describes methods, systems, and computer program products for providing funds transfer over an existing retail payment system using a money transfer platform. One method includes receiving a funds transfer request associated with a funds pack for transferring funds from a first location to a receiver in a second location, requesting validation of a unique identifier associated with the funds pack from a first-location payment network provider, receiving a validation success notification responsive to the requested validation of a unique identifier from the first payment network provider, generating a termination identifier identifying the funds transfer transaction request, transmitting the termination identifier to the receiver, providing instructions causing funds to be paid to the receiver upon presentation of the termination identifier, and receiving a request for funds from a second-location payment network provider, the request for funds associated with payment of funds based on presentation of the termination identifier. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156513 | USING NON-PUBLIC SHIPPER RECORDS TO FACILITATE RATING AN ENTITY BASED ON PUBLIC RECORDS OF SUPPLY TRANSACTIONS - A platform facilitates buyers, sellers, and third parties in obtaining information related to each other's transaction histories, such as a supplier's shipment history, the types of materials typically shipped, a supplier's customers, a supplier's expertise, what materials and how much a buyer purchases, buyer and shipper reliability, similarity between buyers, similarity between suppliers, and the like. The platform aggregates data from a variety of sources, including, without limitation, customs data associated with actual import/export transactions, non-public shipper records, and facilitates the generation of reports as to the quality of buyers and suppliers, the reports relating to a variety of parameters that are associated with buyer and supplier quality. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156514 | Mobile Payment Method, Device and System for Server and Client - The present invention provides a mobile payment method, device and system for a server and a client. The mobile payment method for a server includes: receiving a payment request message sent by a client; and selecting one piece of payment channel information in a preset payment channel information set and issuing the same to the client. The payment channel information set includes a plurality of pieces of channel information, regions covered by different payment channel information do not overlap completely, and the multiple pieces of payment channel information cover all regions. The server may select different payment channel information provided by a plurality of payment providers to form a payment channel information set so that the payment server that may be provided can cover all regions, which overcomes the limitation in the prior art that a certain piece of payment channel information only covers some regions. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156515 | DYNAMICALLY REACTING POLICIES AND PROTECTIONS FOR SECURING MOBILE FINANCIAL TRANSACTION DATA IN TRANSIT - A secure mobile financial transaction is provided by receiving, over a communication network, a list of protection mechanisms available for implementation by an external terminal. Security-related data is received from one or more sensors and an attack signature is computed based on the security-related data. An appropriate security policy is selected from multiple security policies stored in a database based on the list of protection mechanisms and the attack signature. A secure communication session is established between the external terminal and an internal network component according to the selected security policy. A data message associated with a mobile financial transaction is communicated over the communication network during the communication session. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156516 | PROVIDING CUSTOM SCRIPTS FOR CONTENT FILES - A first server may: receive, from a user device, an indication of a selection of a particular content file; provide a first query to request a script list having a list of one or more scripts associated with the particular content file, each one of the one or more scripts including an instruction to direct the user device to modify playback of the particular content file; receive, a response to the first query including the script list; and provide one of the one or more scripts to the user device, the user device being capable of executing the instruction of the one of the one or more scripts to modify playback of the particular content file when the user device plays the particular content file. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156517 | SPLITTING A PURCHASE AMONG MULTIPLE PARTIES USING AN ELECTRONIC RECEIPT AFTER THE TRANSACTION - A method is disclosed for a customer splitting a bill with other persons. A bill may be obtained and viewed electronically on a mobile electronic device with electronic receipts software thereon. Using a device configured according to one or more embodiments of the invention, a customer is able to select the bill for splitting as well as selecting other persons to share the cost of items on the receipt. The customer may allocate item cost among those other persons and each person may pay for their individual portion of the bill. Notifications and/or receipt copies may be sent electronically to each person associated with the bill. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156518 | METHOD AND SYSTEMS FOR SUB-ALLOCATING COMPUTATIONAL RESOURCES - The disclosed embodiments relate to systems and methods for method and systems for sub-allocating computational resources. A first computing device receives information associated with a first set of computational resources from a cloud infrastructure. The first set of computational resources has been allocated to the first computing device by the cloud infrastructure. A first set of parameters associated with a workflow received by the first computing device is determined. The first set of parameters is indicative of a need of the first set of computational resources by the first computing device. One or more computational resources from the first set of computational resources are sub-allocated based on the determined first set of parameters. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156519 | PLATFORM-AS-A-SERVICE BILLING - An illustrative embodiment of a process for reconciling billing measures to cost factors, comprising receiving, by one or more processors, a set of billing measures from one or more applications and a set of cost factors from infrastructure feeds. Analyzing the set of billing measures and cost factors received, using a set of defined relationships to create analyzed information and generates, by the one or more processors, a set of reports using the analyzed information. Responsive to a determination to update the set of definitions, update the sets of definitions using information from the generated reports. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156520 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR BILL PRESENTMENT AND PAYMENT - Under control of an operator of a payment processing network, a bill presentment service is provided, wherein bills received from a plurality of billing entities are made available to a plurality of consuming entities. The operator also provides at least a portion of a bill payment service wherein the consuming entities are afforded an option of paying the bills from the plurality of billing entities. The operator stores, in a database, registration and preference data pertaining to each of the plurality of consuming entities. At least portion of the registration and preference data includes payment preference data specifying how a given one of the consuming entities wishes to pay at least two of the billing entities. The given one of the consuming entities is afforded an option to pay the at least two of the billing entities with a single command, in accordance with the payment preference data. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156521 | METHODS FOR DISCOVERING AND PAYING DEBTS OWED BY A GROUP - Ranking payment requests includes a peer-to-peer payment system that employs a server configured for receiving a payment request from a requester computing device; receiving location data of the requester network device; receiving a request for a ranking of payment requests; searching social network information of the payor for occurrences of the requester of the payment request; receiving location data of the payor network device, the location data comprising a location of the payor computing device and a location history of the payor computing device; searching a transaction history of the payor; ranking the payment requests based at least in part on one or more of the location of the requester, a strength of social network connections to the payor for each of the payment requesters, and number of previous transactions between the payor and the requester; and providing the ranking of the payment requests to the payor. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156522 | METHOD FOR MANAGING BUYER TRANSACTIONS AND SETTLEMENTS USING COMMUNICATION NETWORK BETWEEN COMPUTERS, AND METHOD FOR RELAYING INFORMATION FOLLOWING BUYER CONSUMPTION TRENDS TO THE BUYER - It is an object of the present invention to enable a buyer to collectively manage information related to a variety of commercial transactions performed by the buyer as well as to the settlements for these transactions. The calendar server | 2014-06-05 |
20140156523 | METHODS, SYSTEMS, AND COMPUTER READABLE MEDIA FOR PEER-TO-PEER THIRD PARTY DISTRIBUTION OF GIFT CARDS AND PEER-TO-PEER TRANSACTION ROUTING THEREFOR - A method for peer-to-peer gift card transaction routing includes creating a record in a database corresponding to the agreement between the third party seller and the gift card provider. In response to a gift card transaction by the third party seller for a gift card issued by the gift card provider, the method includes, at the peer-to-peer gift card transaction router, receiving a gift card transaction message from the third party seller. The method includes accessing the database using information in the gift card transaction message and locating a record in the database corresponding to the agreement between the gift card provider and the third party seller. The method further includes, using information in the record, communicating notification of the gift card transaction to the gift card provider. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156524 | VEHICLE WEIGHMENT SYSTEM AND METHOD UTILIZING A WIRELESS DEVICE - A method and system for remotely exchanging weighment information via a wireless device, such as a cell phone, pertaining to a vehicle, such as truck, at a vehicle weight station. The system and method may include determining a present location of a vehicle to be weighed, verifying identification information of the vehicle to be weighed and receiving a vehicle weight from a server remote from the wireless device. The system and method may also include exchanging payment information between one or more servers and a wireless device. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156525 | SECURE PROXIMATE LOCATION BANKING - A system provides assistance to a user having a user device proximate a financial institution location. The system determines a user device is within a wireless communication range of the system; establishes a secure connection between the system and the user device; receives user input comprising information indicating a user purpose for visiting the location; and transmits at least one communication based at least in part on the received user purpose for visiting the location. In some embodiments, the system receives user authentication information; authenticates the identity of the user; provides the user access to transactional functionality; receives user information indicating a type of transaction and transaction details; processes the user information to conduct a transaction based at least in part on the type of transaction and the transaction details received from the user; and communicates a message indicating the transaction has been processed to the user. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156526 | CARD ACTIVATED CASH DISPENSING AUTOMATED BANKING MACHINE SYSTEM AND METHOD - An automated banking machine system operates to cause financial transfers responsive to data read from data bearing records. The system is operative to read a financial card bearing account indicia with a card reader. A user is able to perform at least one banking operation with an automated banking machine responsive to account indicia read by the card reader from the card. The banking operations include dispensing cash and accessing financial accounts. A user is also able to perform at least one banking operation with an automated banking machine responsive to financial account data received by the system from a mobile phone. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156527 | PRE-PAYMENT AUTHORIZATION CATEGORIZATION - Systems, methods, and computer program products are provided for categorizing transactions prior to authorization. The system includes a computer apparatus including a processor and a memory; and a software module stored in the memory. The software module includes executable instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to receive an input from a user associated with a component of a future transaction; determine that the user is conducting a transaction; determine a category associated with the input; associate the category with the transaction that is being conducted by the user; and store the category in association with the transaction. In some embodiments, the user provides the input by scanning a product or service using a mobile device. In further embodiments, the system determines the category by evaluating the product or service, evaluating previous categories identified at the user's location, or some combination thereof. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156528 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR SECURE MOBILE PAYMENT OF A VENDOR OR SERVICE PROVIDER VIA A DEMAND DRAFT - A method and system for consumers to pay vendors or service providers is presented. A demand draft is created and sent to a vendor or service provider from a trusted third party on behalf of a consumer. The verification of consumer funds available to cover the demand draft is not necessary because the demand draft is from a trusted third party to a vendor or service provider. The method employs real-time geolocation information available within mobile devices and time-synchronized one time passwords to increase the security of the process. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156529 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TRANSFERRING ELECTRONIC MONEY - The present invention concerns a system and method for transferring electronic money. More particularly, it relates to improving the checking method used to validate the transfer at a central server. Furthermore the proposed solution improves the traceability of the operations. It is also proposed a data record to implement efficiently the electronic money. Its purpose is to make the check of the consistency of the history of transactions related to a particular electronic banknote easier. The proposed solution minimizes the access to the database by embedding the history of transaction within the coding of the electronic banknote itself. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156530 | Method and Device for Carrying Out Cashless Payments - A method for carrying out cashless payments by means of mobile telecommunications terminals, wherein each mobile telecommunications terminal stores a subscriber identifier and a payment limit, which is assigned to the subscriber identifier, a transaction code, which is specific to the payment transaction, includes generating them using an algorithm and transmitting the mobile telecommunications terminal. The telecommunications terminal transmits the subscriber identifier, the transaction code and the payment limit to a cash register system of a cashless payment transaction, where the transmitted payment limit is compared to the desired payment amount and the validity of the transaction code is checked using a verification algorithm stored in the cash register system. If the check is positive, the payment is released in the cash register system. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156531 | System and Method for Authenticating Transactions Through a Mobile Device - A user may claim to have not made or allowed a transaction and that the transaction was made in error. Where it appears the user has not authorized the transaction, the funds of the transaction are returned to the user, or are charged back. Systems and methods provide a way to confirm whether or not a transaction was actually authorized by the user, thereby settling a chargeback dispute for a previously executed transaction. The method comprises receiving the dispute regarding the transaction including associated transaction data, and retrieving a digital signature associated with the transaction data, the digital signature computed by signing the transaction data. The digital signature is then verified using a public key, wherein the public key corresponds to a private key stored on a mobile device. It is then determined whether or not the transaction is fraudulent based on a verification result of the digital signature. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156532 | UNIVERSAL MERCHANT PLATFORM FOR PAYMENT AUTHENTICATION - A method of processing of a transaction between a first and second party is provided. The method includes: receiving payment information at a server operatively connected to a communications network, the payment information identifying a particular payment option used by the second party for the transaction, and the server being equipped to format and route messages over the communications network in different manners to accommodate a plurality of different authentication protocols; determining which of the different authentication protocols is prescribed for the type of payment option identified in the payment information; selecting a particular authentication protocol from the plurality of different authentication protocols supported by the server; obtaining an authentication determination for the transaction, including formatting messages and routing the formatted messages over the communications network in accordance with one or more mandates of the selected authentication protocol. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156533 | SYSTEM FOR DYNAMICALLY ENCRYPTING INFORMATION FOR SECURE INTERNET COMMERCE AND PROVIDING EMBEDDED FULFILLMENT SOFTWARE - A data distribution system is provided which supplies customers with an executable for requested secured data files to provide the customer with fulfillment software, obviating the need for the customer to download fulfillment software prior to requesting secure data. The data distribution system is characterized by server technology which can dynamically encrypt secured data files just prior to a customer request to download the data file. A framework for building a universal data distribution infrastructure is provided which employs Requesters. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156534 | METHOD FOR SECURELY STORING AND FORWARDING PAYMENT TRANSACTIONS - Method, systems, and apparatus for receiving transaction data for the payment transaction, where the transaction data includes at least card track data; encrypting the transaction data at the data processing apparatus using an encryption key of a cryptographic key pair to generate encrypted transaction data, where the cryptographic key pair includes the encryption key and a decryption key; storing a plurality of copies of the encrypted transaction data in a plurality of storage devices; receiving an instruction to submit the transaction data for processing; decrypting the encrypted transaction data using the decryption key; and submitting the transaction data for processing by an issuer. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156535 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR REQUESTING AND PROCESSING PIN DATA USING A DIGIT SUBSET FOR SUBSEQUENT PIN AUTHENTICATION - A system and method for authenticating a personal identification number (PIN) associated with a payment card of a cardholder, the PIN being a code having a sequence of digits, the method comprising the steps of: presenting a PIN entry request including identifying a digit subset of the code, such that the digits in the digit subset is at least one digit less than the digits of the code; receiving the digit subset in response to the PIN entry request; sending an authentication request based on the digit subset; receiving an authentication response including response data; and presenting a response to the cardholder based on the response data, the response including information representative of whether the PIN was successfully authenticated or not using the digit subset. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156536 | TRANSACTION PREPARATION USING MOBILE DEVICE - Embodiments of the invention are directed to systems, methods and computer program products for performing preliminary steps of a transaction on a mobile device. In some embodiments, a system is configured to: determine a user has entered a facility, wherein the user has a mobile device, and wherein the user is waiting to interact with at least one of an agent at or away from the facility or a computing device at the facility; communicate with the mobile device to determine a reason for the user's visit to the facility, the reason comprising a transaction intended to be executed by the user at the facility; transmit a form to the user's mobile device, the form being based on the intended transaction, and the form prompting the user to input information associated with the intended transaction; receive the user-filled form from the user's mobile device. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156537 | POST-TRANSACTION SERVICE USING MOBILE DEVICE - Embodiments of the invention are directed to systems, methods and computer program products for providing post-transaction service. In some embodiments, a system is configured to: determine a user has exited a facility after performing a transaction at the facility, wherein the user has a mobile device, wherein the user executed the transaction at the facility with assistance of an agent at the facility; and communicate with the mobile device to provide a post-transaction service to the user, the post-transaction service comprising providing a communication channel to establish contact with the agent who assisted the user at the facility. The invention enables provision of a personalized transaction service to the user. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156538 | Customer Contact Management - Concepts and technologies are disclosed herein for customer contact management. According to one aspect described herein, a method can include a computing system receiving customer information from a customer access point. The method can also include the computing system generating a customer contact plan based at least in part upon the customer information. The customer contact plan can be useable by an individual to provide a service to a customer associated with the customer information. The method can also include the computing system presenting the customer contact plan to the individual so that the individual can utilize the customer contact plan to provide the service to the customer. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156539 | Device Profile-Based Rule Making for Customer Care - A method is provided for delivering customer care to a user of a mobile device. A first device profile of the mobile device is collected. Based on aspects of this first device profile displayed on a customer care interface, and a problem report, a fix is provided to the mobile device with respect to the problem report. After the fix, a second device profile is collected. The system determines at least one difference between the first device profile and the second device profile. This difference is used to automatically generate a proto-rule for future fixes based on the problem report. In this way, automatic rule-making is possible. An editor is also provided so that the proto-rule can be edited. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156540 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MANAGING DATABASE OF BUYERS - A system and method for managing a database of buyers includes a server configured to store a buyers database having data related to a plurality of buyers. For each of the plurality of buyers, the data includes buyer identification information for the buyer, purchasing criteria of the buyer, and buyer agent information associated with the buyer. The server is further configured to retrieve and store in the buyers database supplemental information about each buyer based upon the buyer identification information. The server receives a first query of the buyers database from a first remote device, the first query returning first query results which includes the purchasing criteria and buyer agent information for each buyer included in the first query results. The server transmits the first query results to the first remote device. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156541 | Compactor System and Related Baling and Recycling Method - A recycling method is disclosed that includes the steps of compacting recyclable material into a fixed bale of recyclable material while concurrently weighing the OCC in the compactor and independently of the force that the compactor applies to the material or to the bale, assigning an individual identifier to the fixed bale in which the identifier includes at least the weight of the bale, and sending the fixed identified bale to a destination selected from the group consisting of shippers, mills, rebalers, or a customers for the baled recyclable material. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156542 | SYSTEM FOR MANAGING THE SHIPMENT OF ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS - A system for repurposing electronic components is provided. The system utilizes a distributed software system which assists in the valuation and repurposing of a pre-owned electronic component. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156543 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MANAGING CONTENT DISTRIBUTION AND ROYALTIES - A system comprising at least one processor, and computer executable instructions configured to analyze at least one piece of content at a point of consumption, identify at least one distribution right associated with at least one piece of content, determine at least one condition at the point of consumption, wherein the at least one condition is associated with the at least one distribution right, or broker or apportion royalty fees between at least one first distributor of the at least one piece of content and at least one second distributor of the at least one piece of content based on the at least one distribution right or the at least one condition. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156544 | Non-Tangible Assets Valuation Tool - An analytical tool for valuating non-tangible assets, including, but not limited to, patents, patent applications, invention disclosures, etc., based on an analysis of attributes of, and logical connections between, said non-tangible assets. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156545 | Automated Generation Of Affidavits And Legal Requisitions Including Mobile Device Identification - Approaches for a server, upon receiving notification that a device has been stolen, composing a legal requisition document. An identification of the device is received or otherwise obtained. A legal requisition template for use in a particular jurisdiction where the device was stolen is retrieved. Upon consulting a database which stores information about police departments of a plurality of jurisdictions, the legal requisition document is composed using the template, the identification, and data retrieved from the database. The server may electronically send the legal requisition document to a police department associated with the particular jurisdiction. Advantageously, information about the activity of a device reported stolen may be obtained before the device is factory reset. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156546 | COMMUNICATION SYSTEM AND METHOD BETWEEN A HOME BUYER, SELLER, STRATEGIC BUSINESS SOURCE, AND LENDER - A computerized system and method are presented for exchanging information between a buyer, a seller, a lender, and a strategic business source. The system permits sellers, lenders and strategic business sources to input buyers that are then submitted for activation. The buyers use the system to obtain information about items, while the sellers, lenders, and strategic business sources make consistent contact with the buyer in order to work with the buyer. Information about the buyers is shared with the sellers, lenders, and strategic business sources. A business plan is input into the system for the financial institution employing the lender while another business plan is input for the seller institution employing the seller. Activity on the computerized system is calculated for compliance with the business plan. Feedback is provided to management relating to whether the business plan is being met. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156547 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR ASSESSING COMPUTER APPLICATIONS - Methods for assessing the effectiveness of computer applications are disclosed. Methods and systems for creating studies to assess computer applications are also disclosed. An assessable computer application may be created by storing application activities and assessment activities in a database, defining study arms for assessing a computer application, defining each study arm with a computer by receiving selections of application activities and assessment activities from the database, and storing the defined study arms as a study for assessing the effectiveness of the computer application. A computer application for achieving a goal may be assessed by defining application activities corresponding to the goal, defining at least one assessment activity corresponding to the goal, presenting the defined application activities and at least one assessment activity to study participants, collecting application interaction and assessment data, and analyzing the collected data to determine the effectiveness of the application at achieving the goal. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156548 | Systems and Methods for Selecting and Prioritizing Construction Checkpoints - A computer-based system uses information about a building project to select from a repository of construction checkpoints a subset of the checkpoints that are relevant to improving a building's safety, durability and comfort and to reducing financial risk. The checkpoints are prioritized based on at least one of: project geographic location, project-specific exposure, type of structure, complexity of building components, product quality, builder's repeated deficiencies, and codes and specifications. The system can be configured to use information about a current stage of construction of the building project to provide an inspector with checkpoints relevant to the current stage of construction. The system can be configured to prioritize selected checkpoints based on an assessment of financial risk posed by improper installation or construction of the checkpoints. Checkpoints that do not pass inspection are tracked until repaired. Repair records are stored to allow verification that the error was repaired. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156549 | METHOD FOR ESTIMATING CARBON SEQUESTRATION IN GRASSLANDS - A method of estimating the soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks for a grassland based on the plant-derived SOC plus the dung-derived SOC minus the carbon lost through microbial maintenance respiration. The plant-derived SOC, dung-derived SOC, and microbial maintenance respiration are estimated by considering the effect of one or more of the lignin and cellulose content of the plant material, the estimated annual aboveground and belowground plant production, the grazing intensity, the number of fires per year, the mean annual rainfall, the belowground net primary production, and the soil texture. The method thus provides an allowance of plants to compensate for grazing without losing leaf area, and the diversion of carbon through grazing animals and into soil through the deposit of dung. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156550 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CONDUCTING AN INTERVIEW - A system for scheduling interviews includes an interviewer database and a calendar database. Interviewers are selected as a function of one or more modules of questions that are associated with each of the interviewers, and an interview schedule is generated for a job candidate from the selected interviewers. The system can also schedule and invite people to meetings based on their calendar availability and the skills, characteristics, or attributes associated with potential meeting attendees. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156551 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONSTRUCTING A UNIVERSITY MODEL GRAPH - An educational institution (also referred as a university) is rich with multiple kinds of data: students, faculty members, departments, divisions, and at university level. Relating and correlating this data at and across various levels help in obtaining a perspective about the educational institution. A structural representation captures the essence of all of the relationships in a unified manner and an important aspect of the relationship is the so-called “influence factor.” This factor indicates influencing effect of an entity over another entity, wherein the entities are a part of the structural representation. A system and method for the construction of such a structural representation of an educational institution based on the educational institution specific information is discussed. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156552 | CONSTRUCTION CONTAINER - The present disclosure relates to a reusable container, and specifically, a dual service reusable container. The containers may be prepositioned at a particular location until the items stored within the container are needed. This is possible because the dual service reusable containers may be both weather resistant and lockable. The containers are designed to be stackable when loaded, reducing the footprint occupied by the containers, improving shipping efficiency, and improving the utilization of the valuable floor space. When unloaded or when partially loaded, the containers may be nested so that valuable floor space is efficiently used. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156553 | Systems and Methods for Fulfilling Orders - Various embodiments for facilitating the fulfillment of orders are disclosed. One embodiment is a method implemented in at least one computing device for fulfilling an order for an item in a storage facility. The method comprises obtaining an order for the item from a third party order provider, converting the order to a predetermined format for fulfillment, generating guidance information based on the converted order and at least one attribute of the item, and transmitting the guidance information to a wireless computing device for fulfillment of the order by a picker. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156554 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR THE CATEGORIZATION OF SCANNED INFORMATION, IN PARTICULAR THE MATURITY LEVEL OF LITERATURE DISTRIBUTED TO CONSUMERS, TO EXPRESS THE CATEGORIZATIONS TO CONSUMERS - Apparatus and a method are disclosed for the assignment of a maturity rating on a piece of literature, namely a book, which requires no extra time or energy from those involved in the process, performed by an original process of assigning a numerical value to portions of a book's literature, which is carried out either by a software apparatus or method involving human involvement, with ratings being obtained under license and recorded in a central database, and displaying that book's category of maturity level to the public during the process of offering a book for consumption in one form or another, in an expression of an already created piece of literature pertaining to only English and not any spin-off language contained within. The rating process uses an established curriculum. Ratings are solely used for advantages to all of those involved. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156555 | SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING FINANCIAL ACCOUNT INFORMATION OVER A NETWORK - A system and method for providing financial account messages to customers while accessing web sites is disclosed. Methods, systems and articles of manufacture consistent with the present invention enable a financial account issuer to provide an application to customer's computer system over a network. The application may be configured to provide various messages associated with the customer's financial account provided by the financial account issuer while the customer browses web sites. The financial account messages may be configured to provide interactive and dynamically changing account status information based on attempted purchases of goods and/or services by the customer at merchants' web sites. The application may also be configured to provide rating information associated with web sites accessed by the customer. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156556 | TIME VARIANT RATING SYSTEM AND METHOD THEREOF - Embodiments of the present invention provide a system for enhancing reliability in computation of ratings provided by a user over a social network. The system comprises of a processor and a memory coupled to the processor. The memory further comprises a rater score database, a satisfaction database, a social network registration database, a user profile database, and a plurality of instruction executable by the processor. Said instructions in the memory are enabled to accept a message from at least one user wherein said message comprises a satisfaction score associated with at least one service provider and to retrieve a rater score associated with said at least one user from said rater score database. Further, the memory includes instructions in order to compute a new satisfaction score based on said rater score and said satisfaction score and update said satisfaction database to include said new satisfaction score. In a similar manner, the new satisfaction score can be computed based upon the information stored in the social network registration database and user profile database. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156557 | Providing a Simulation Service by a Cloud-Based Infrastructure - A cloud-based infrastructure provides a simulation service accessible by a plurality of different enterprises. The cloud-based infrastructure executes an operation simulation in response to access of the simulation service by a particular one of the plurality of enterprises, wherein the operation simulation is of a business process of the particular enterprise and uses information provided by the particular enterprise. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156558 | Collateral Mechanisms - Techniques for providing collateral and satisfying collateral requirements involve receipt of a request for obligations that grant to a first party a right to allow a second party having commercial contracts with the first party to draw against assets of a legal trust funded by investors and recording receipt of eligible assets obtained from the first party that are placed in a first account for the first party in the legal trust, determining terms for issuance of the obligations, the terms including a lien on the eligible assets in the first account for the first party and a guarantee by the first party to redeem assets in the legal trust that are drawn by the second party, and recording a transfer of the requested obligations to a collateral account that benefits the second party. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156559 | TRANSACTIONAL DECISION MAKING DEVICE AND METHOD - A system for assisting groups of individuals in making personal and private transactions deploys a common large display means and a plurality of small portable data access and display devices for receiving and viewing private information associated with the matter shown on the common display. The small portable devices access existing transactional websites. The device and the associated method can be used for investment education and transaction execution, as well as enrollment in financial, health and related service plans requiring the user's selection from among options that depend on individual and generally private circumstances, and in particular for retirement plan enrollment and investment management. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156560 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR INVESTMENT STRATEGIES DERIVED FROM VARIOUS RESEARCH METHODOLOGIES AND EXTRACTIONS - The present invention provides a computer based apparatus and methodology for generating investment strategies for individuals by using a variety of research and screening methodologies to extract investment tools and data from publicly available data basis, while also utilizing computerized search skills, this business model looks to improve on investment methods currently offered by brokers and registered investment advisors. Several modules are provided that perform certain analyses based on information from the investor as well as other sources. Each module can be used as a stand-alone unit or can share information and prepare aggregate reports to the investor. In one preferred embodiment, an asset allocation module is used to generate a proposed asset allocation to an individual based on at least one of his risk profile, assets, and planned retirement age. | 2014-06-05 |
20140156561 | METHOD OF SECURITY SCREENING AND SECURITY TRAY FOR USE THEREWITH - A method for allowing security personnel in screening stations to more quickly identify prohibited articles and to identify and interrogate the screened individual responsible for the prohibited article, thereby improving throughput and reducing human error. If an operator observes articles which raise a security concern, the operator isolates the location of such articles by referencing the compartment in the tray where it is located and optionally whether the article is in a high or low position in the compartment and by referencing a tray's unique identifier. A security tray design is provided to carry out the method which includes discrete delineated compartments, and optionally a unique identifier and an area for displaying the screened individual's identification to connect the individual to a unique tray, to assist in preventing individuals from gaining access to restricted areas with prohibited articles. | 2014-06-05 |