| 27th week of 2009 patent applcation highlights part 67 |
| Patent application number | Title | Published |
|---|
| 20090171797 | Positionally Trackable Payment Device - A payment device includes a positioning module for determining a location of the payment device. The positioning module has a receiver for receiving a signal from a navigational system. A first antenna is operably connected to the positioning module. A transmitting module is operably connected to the positioning module. The transmitting module emits a location signal corresponding to the location of the payment device as determined by the positioning module. An account information element is interrogatable by a point of sale device for permitting the completion of a commercial transaction. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171798 | MERCHANDISE SALES DATA PROCESSING APPARATUS AND COMPUTER READABLE MEDIUM - Articles are placed in a commodity placement area thereby to acquire figure images of the articles, based on stored data acquired from wireless tags respectively attached to the articles. The acquired image forms are developed and displayed in X-axis and Y-axis directions in a display area of a display. A commodity registration screen that enables the choice of each article by an operation at a touch panel, e.g., a registration method selection dialogue, a voice registration dialogue, selection candidates, etc. are displayed on the display. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171799 | WIRELESS POINT-OF-SALE TRANSACTION SYSTEM AND METHOD - A wireless consumer transaction system and method includes wireless equipment coupled to a point-of-sale system, whereby consumers are enabled to set up and carry out point-of-sale transactions in an automated or semi-automated manner using a wireless device. Users entering within the coverage area of the wireless equipment are prompted to conduct a point-of-sale transaction. The point-of-sale system transmits menu options to the user's wireless device. The user selects from the options provided, and is given the ability to purchase the desired goods or services in an automated manner using the wireless device. The wireless equipment of the point-of-sale system is preferably coupled to a point-of-sale computer, which is in turn coupled to a remote processing center. An automated purchase transaction may be conducted by obtaining approval and/or automatically withdrawing funds from the remote processing center in response to user-initiated activity. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171800 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR GENERATING RECEIPTS - Systems and methods for electronically processing accounts receivable (AR) check transactions via a location-base device associated with a merchant. The location-base device, such as a point-of-sale (POS) device, can be configured to perform various functions that facilitate processing of AR checks. Such functions may include improved user interface, an ability to handle a repetitive input parameter, an ability to handle multiple merchant identifiers, an ability to generate multiple receipt types, an ability to edit check transactions, an ability to manage throughput of the device, and an ability to allow scanning of different types of checks so as to allow subsequent processing of the scanned checks to be different based on the type of the check. The location-base device configured in one or more of the foregoing manner facilitates a check authorization process performed by a check processing service. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171801 | SELF- CHECKOUT TERMINAL - In the case of displaying a button in a predetermined scene during an item sales data process on a self-checkout terminal, an operation history stored in association with an input customer code is referred to. When it is determined that the number of times of touching a button to be displayed in the scene is equal to or larger than a predetermined number of times, display of the button is skipped, and the process is continued without stopping the item sales data process. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171802 | ZERO INTEGRATION MODEL FOR E-COMMERCE MERCHANTS - Solutions for e-commerce merchants that allow such merchants to interact with buyers in foreign jurisdictions are disclosed. More specifically, solutions are presented that provide an intermediation service that operates to provide variants of e-commerce (or other) Web sites in a local language of a visitor to such site, such variants including facilities to accept payments for goods or services in the currencies and/or payment forms of the foreign jurisdiction and to provide the e-commerce merchant with required shipment documents to assist in order fulfillment. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171803 | Accounting for spatial and environmental factors in equipment order configurations - A method for processing an incoming order for equipment can be provided. A plurality of objects representing environmental factors is read, each object comprising at least one of a required parts list and an excluded parts list. Next, a customer places an order for computer equipment, wherein the order comprises a list of parts. A list of environmental factors is entered by the customer and the list of environmental factors is matched to at least one of the objects. The method can further include comparing the list of parts of the order to the required parts list and/or the excluded parts list of the at least one object. Finally, a record that the order is validated is stored if the list of parts of the order is consistent with the required parts list and/or the excluded parts list of the at least one object. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171804 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONDUCTING A GIFT VALUE TRANSACTION - A system and method for conducting a gift value transaction is described herein. The method includes receiving a request for payment for a gift; notifying a gift recipient of the gift; prompting the gift recipient to accept or reject the gift; and receiving a response from the gift recipient, wherein if the response is to accept the gift, the gift is released to the gift recipient, and if the response is to reject the gift, prompting the gift recipient to select an alternative gift in place of the gift. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171805 | Method and System for Conditional Transactions - A method and system for conditional transactions are provided. The system provides one or more master accounts wherein each master account is tied to and control one or more subordinated accounts. Each subordinated account may have a configurable/customizable set of permissions defined by the master account. The subordinated account holder would optionally require permission from the master account holder to complete a purchase. The master account holder would have a number of configurable/customizable permission rules to choose from for each subordinate account. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171806 | Method and system for monetizing third-party content - An e-commerce system, comprising an endorsement engine and interface software coupled to the endorsement engine and adapted to interact with one or more content sources connected over a network. In an embodiment, the interface software enables an endorsing user to browse the content sources and select a content item, to enter code associated with the selected content element, to view product information, to select a product for endorsement, and to enter code associated with the selected product. Upon activation of the content-specific code by a viewing user, the viewing user is connected to the selected content and is able to view the selected content, and upon activation of the product-specific code by a viewing user, the viewing user is connected to a network-connected shopping cart, and is thereby enabled to buy the product. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171807 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR INTERACTIVE ELECTRONIC DATA CARD WITH SURVEY AND PURCHASE OPTIONS - An interactive electronic data card and method for enabling a user to communicate information and data to others through a seamless interface that transmits directly into a receiver's communication device of choice and for a receiver to respond to a user's questions and/or surveys. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171808 | NETWORKING SYSTEM FOR REFERRALS - A networking system for referrals that connects businesses (vendor) with their customers (member) and potential customers (prospective member) across a network. Once a vendor has joined the network, the vendor may invite other members to join. A member can then refer a prospective member to the vendor. If the prospective member purchases goods or services from the vendor, the vendor will confirm the sale by paying a referral fee to the network. The network distributes said referral fee according to the connection relationship of the members of the network. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171809 | EFFICIENT PURCHASE ORDER CREATION - A system may include detection of a user selection of a purchasing-related document and, in response to the detection, automatic creation of a new purchase order based on the selected document. At least one data element of the new purchase order is identical to a data element of the selected document. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171810 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR FACILITATING FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS OVER A NETWORK - Systems and methods for facilitating financial transactions over a network include a merchant device, a client device and a payment processing device. The merchant device is adapted to allow a merchant to provide items for purchase via the network. The client device is adapted to allow a user to access the merchant device via the network and view the items for purchase. The client device is adapted to provide a payment mechanism to the user. The user generates a purchase request for an item by selecting the one item, dragging the item to the payment mechanism, and dropping the item over the payment mechanism. The payment processing device is adapted to receive the purchase request from the client device via the network and authorize the user to purchase the item from the merchant based on information passed with the purchase request. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171811 | Architectural Design For Product Catalog Management Application Software - Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, for implementing a software architecture design for a software application implementing product catalog management. The application is structured as multiple process components interacting with each other through service interfaces, and multiple service operations, each being implemented for a respective process component. The process components include a product catalog authoring process component that creates and edits a product catalog; a product catalog publishing process component that provides a released product catalog in electronic form; and a purchasing contract processing process component that creates and maintains purchasing contracts. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171812 | Media streams and media store - This invention is directed to providing access to one or more media streams in exchange for purchasing articles or items that may be related to at least one of the media streams. In some embodiments, the item purchased may include a media item related to a media item provided as part of a particular media stream. For example, a user may be provided access to an Internet radio station in exchange for purchasing a song. The song may include any song available from a store, a song transmitted by the Internet radio station, or a song related to a song transmitted by the Internet radio station. Each media item purchased may provide the user with a particular amount of media stream credit that may be used to access media streams. In some embodiments, different purchased media items may provide the user with the same or different amounts of credit. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171813 | SYSTEM, PROGRAM PRODUCT, AND METHOD OF ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION NETWORK GUIDED NAVIGATION - Systems, program product, and methods of electronic communication network guided navigation which allow users to obtain more relevant product search results much more quickly, are provided. An example of a system can allow a user to enter or start a product search request for a relatively broad term in a search engine and quickly start looking for relevant information by assisting the user in narrowing the product search results in a more efficient guided search. The results can be displayed to a user in a row of boxes, which focus the user on categories of potential intentions or meanings behind the product search request term or terms so that the user's intent can be quickly ascertained and the user directed to results more closely aligned with or coinciding with the user's intent behind the product search request. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171814 | REMOTE WAREHOUSE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM - The invention relates to a remote warehouse management system comprising a central processing system and one or more remote data collection terminals, which exchange data with the central processing system, wherein each of the remote data collection terminals includes a wireless transceiver module which conducts wireless communication with the central processing system through a wireless base station, wherein the central processing system includes a matched wireless transceiver module which receives entry-exit data of various goods delivered by the data collection terminals through the wireless base station, wherein the central processing system making statistics and analyzes on the entry-exit data received and making them stored. This system can not only collect and process data automatically but also optimize the stock mode, stock balance and stock time of goods according to the enterprise's operating conditions. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171815 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MANAGING PRODUCT RETURNS - A computer-implemented method for managing product returns includes: receiving information of a set of returned products, and recording the returned product information into a storage of a computer; generating a returned product order based on the returned product information; determining if any returned products are reusable; determining to scrap the non-reusable products if the returned products are non-reusable; selecting the reusable products from the returned products if there are reusable products in the returned products; determining if there are any qualified products in the reusable products; warehousing the qualified products into a stock of a manufacturer if there are qualified products in the reusable products; generating a reproduction report for the unqualified products according to the returned product order, and storing the reproduction report into the storage of the computer. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171816 | ATTRIBUTE BASED INVENTORY USAGE AND STOCKING - A novel and non-obvious method, system and apparatus for controlling inventory stocking and usage based on part attributes. A method for controlling inventory stocking and usage based on part attributes that can include establishing a stock footprint, which maps stocking locations to attributes on a part, establishing a usage strategy, which maps a prioritized list of attributes to a part request order type, establishing a usage characteristic set, which maps a set of usage characteristics to the usage strategy, receiving a request order, and, applying the established usage strategy to the received request order based on matching a characteristic set of the received request order with the usage characteristic set of the established usage strategy. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171817 | REMOTE ACCOUNT MAINTENANCE SYSTEM AND METHOD - A remote bill maintenance and payment system is described, wherein consumers and billing creditors can sign up for service. Consumer bill payment by internet access is provided, complete with accounting and status display. Creditors sign up to provide service to their customers, allowing consumer customers to send payments and receive bills remotely. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171818 | ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN FOR EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENT APPLICATION SOFTWARE - Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, for implementing a software architecture design for a software application implementing expense reimbursement. The application is structured as multiple process components interacting with each other through service interfaces, and multiple service operations, each being implemented for a respective process component. The process components include an Expense and Reimbursement Management process component, a Due Item Processing process component, a Payment Processing process component, a Payroll Processing process component, and an Accounting process component. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171819 | PROVIDING PAYMENT SOFTWARE APPLICATION AS ENTERPRISE SERVICES - Methods and apparatus, including systems and computer program products, for a service architecture design that provides enterprise services having payment functionality at the level of an enterprise application. The design includes a set of service operations, process components, and optionally deployment units. Suitable business objects are also described. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171820 | System and Method for Automated Comprehensive Reconciliation Processing - A system and method of reconciliation processing that automates multiple steps of data validation. One of the key steps of reconciliation is the review and validation of the input and outputs. An embodiment of this invention includes the maintenance of an automated checklist of the various reconciliation steps, which enables maintaining an audit trail and the generation of metrics. A web-based system can be implemented to achieve the objectives of improving the reconciliation process and utilizing computerized controls. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171821 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING RESOURCE ALLOCATION IN A NETWORKED ENVIRONMENT - Systems and methods are described for adjusting an item characteristic. An illustrative system includes a first network interface, a database storing information regarding a plurality of items, a load balancer, a web proxy processor configured to selectively block or route an inbound user browser request, a cache cluster system configured to cache data and states for access by other system components, and program code stored in computer readable memory, which, when executed is configured to receive a plurality of requests for items from corresponding users, wherein the plurality of requests are associated with corresponding offer amounts and determine what the users are to provide for the items based at least in part on how many requests were received, how many items are allocated to users, and/or how many unallocated items are available, wherein at least a portion of the users are to provide an amount different than their corresponding offer amount. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171822 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR IMAGE DATA BASED VALUATION - The present invention teaches methods and apparatus for capturing image of a subject property and utilizing the captured image data to determine a value of the subject property. In some embodiments, one or more of VideoDriveBy and VideoWalkABout are included in the captured image data. The captured image data can support a valuation of loan collateral. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171823 | UNDERWRITING THE SALE OF SHARES OF EQUITY IN A DOMAIN NAME - Systems and methods are disclosed for underwriting a sale of shares of equity in a domain name. Domain information (including domain registrant, description, organizations, performance, business plans and risks) is submitted to a network of underwriters. Based on this information, the potential underwriters submit proposals to underwrite the sale of shares of equity in the domain name. The registrant selects a proposal, and the registrant and selected underwriter negotiate the number of shares and price per share. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171824 | MARGIN OFFSETS ACROSS PORTFOLIOS - A method for managing a risk associated with a plurality portfolios wherein each of the plurality of portfolios includes a plurality of positions representative of products traded on an exchange is disclosed. The method includes determining a risk assessment for each of a plurality of portfolios, calculating a margin offset associated with each of the plurality of portfolios, adjusting the risk assessments associated with each of the plurality of portfolios as a function of the margin offset, determining a portfolio risk assessment for the plurality of portfolios, and calculating a margin requirements for the plurality of portfolios, wherein the margin requirement calculated as a function of the portfolio risk assessment. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171825 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROCESSING A PAYMENT TRANSACTION - Systems and methods for real-time check authorization and clearing are provided. In one aspect, a method is provided for processing a payment transaction using a check and an input device at a point of sale (POS). The method includes electronically capturing at the input device information from the check used in the payment transaction. The method also includes converting the check transaction to a debit transaction, transmitting data associated with the debit transaction to a transaction processor, and processing the debit transaction data to generate one of an authorization for the debit transaction and a denial for the debit transaction. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171826 | CONVERSION OF OVER-THE-COUNTER SWAPS TO STANDARDIZED FORWARD SWAPS - Systems, processes and methods are described for converting over-the-counter derivative products such as interest rate swaps (IRSs) to standardized forward swaps, such as centrally cleared interest rate swaps. The value of each leg of the over-the counter swap may be determined and compared to a value of a corresponding leg of the forward swap. A mark-to-market value may be determined as the difference between the values. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171827 | AUTHENTICATED THIRD-PARTY CHECK CASHING - Tools for facilitating the process of providing presentation instrument redemption services, including without limitation tools that implement techniques for authenticating the identity of a check cashing customer through the use of biometric data that is derived from one or more biometric characteristics of the customer. The tools can be used to enroll the customer in a check cashing program, using biometric data as an authentication key. Thereafter, when the customer attempts to redeem a presentation instrument, the customer can provide the same biometric data, and the tools can authenticate the identity of the customer based one the biometric data. The tools can implement additional risk-prevention measures, such as risk-profiling routines, which can be used to estimate the risk of a fraudulent transaction, based on a variety of risk factors associated with the customer and/or the requested transaction. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171828 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR INTEGRATED ADVANCE LIFE PLANNING - An integrated advance life planning and management system provides to a user, through a single convenient Internet interface, a plurality of advance life planning and management services including estate planning, will preparation, and funeral planning services. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171829 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DERIVING BENCHMARKS FOR TRADING INSTRUMENTS - Benchmarks for the price of a financial instrument such as FX spot rate for a currency pair are calculated by an algorithm based on a previous benchmark and a market price. The market price is derived from a deal price and a quote price. The deal price is based on deals conducted since the last benchmark and the quote price is based on bids and offers entered since the last benchmark. For each of the deal and quote prices, a price, weight and scatter is calculated which is used to calculate a benchmark price, weight and scatter and a benchmark error. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171830 | Payment Transaction System - A system for allocating a resource used in payment transactions is disclosed. The system includes an allocation module that allows a user of a payment device to specify a class of good or service and an allowable resource amount that can be charged to a user account for the selected class of good or service and a control module that authorizes a charge to the user account based on the selected class of good or service and the allowable resource amount. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171831 | Managing an Insurance Plan - Described are computer-based methods and apparatuses, including computer program products, for managing insurance plans. Multiple bids are received from multiple reinsurance companies for the price of a unit of an insurance product (e.g., a fixed annuity paying ten dollars a month starting at the age of sixty five). The unit of the insurance product is associated with a set of one or more risk factors (e.g., age, range of ages). A bid is selected from the bids based on a relationship between the bids (e.g., lowest bid, lowest weighted bid). The selected bid is associated with a selected reinsurance company. Units of the insurance product associated with the selected bid are offered to participants associated with the set of one or more risk factors. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171832 | METHOD FOR DISPLAYING MULTIPLE MARKETS - A method is provided for displaying contract information for a plurality of markets within the single window of an electronic display, and displaying a price axis common to the displayed plurality of markets. In a preferred embodiment the electronic display is a computer monitor and the price axis is on the vertical axis of a graph within the single window displaying contract information for the plurality of markets. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171833 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DISPLAYING AND/OR ANALYZING A LIMIT ORDER BOOK - According to one embodiment, a method of generating a display of a limit order book is provided. Data regarding a plurality of limit orders entered onto an electronic market is received and recorded, at least temporarily. The data regarding each limit order includes a price and a time associated with that limit order. Based on the received data, a graphical display is generated that indicates, for each recorded limit order entered into the electronic market within a period of time, the price and the time associated with that limit order. The price associated with each limit order is indicated by a first axis of the graphical display and the time associated with each limit order is indicated by a second axis of the graphical display. The graphical display may be displayed using an electronic display device. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171834 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS TO SELECT A CREDIT MIGRATION PATH FOR A CONSUMER - According to some embodiments, supplemental information about a consumer is determined, the consumer being associated with a first level of credit availability. One of a plurality of potential credit migration paths may then be selected for the consumer based on the supplemental information. Each potential credit migration path may, for example, begin at the first level of credit availability, include a plurality of intermediate credit products, and end at a level of credit availability higher than the first level. An offer for an intermediate credit product may then be transmitted to the consumer based on the selected credit migration path. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171835 | Multiple Payment Transaction Systems - A system and method of conducting multiple payment transactions is disclosed. The system and method allow a consumer to make contributions to selected groups based upon the consumer's financial activity. The invention could be used by a consumer to identify beneficiaries and can be used by merchants and payment network providers to provide donations. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171836 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR IDENTIFICATION VERIFICATION OVER A FINANCIAL NETWORK - A system and method for identification verification over a network is described herein. In one embodiment, the system for identification verification over a network comprises a communication interface; and a payment provider system configured to receive via the communication interface an image of an individual from a merchant system, verify the image received from the merchant system by comparing the image received with a known good image of the individual, and indicated one of positive identification or negative identification back to the merchant system. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171837 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MOBILE PAYMENT - Mobile payment methods and systems using Short Message System (SMS) messages include a card distribution point with a plurality of mobile payment cards, each card having an initially concealed card code, an initially concealed confirmation number, and a plurality of initially concealed Transfer Authorization Numbers (TANs), a payor device, a payee device, a merchant device, and a mobile payment system server. The server is configured to receive deposit SMS messages, determine whether a card code matches a card code associated with an active mobile payment card, and when a valid card code is received, increase an account balance associated with the payor device based on a value of the card, associate a plurality of TANs with the payor device based on TANs associated with the card, and send a reply SMS message including a confirmation number, transfers code for receiving a transfer SMS message from a payor device having a payee device identifier, a payment amount, and a TAN, determine whether the TAN included with the transfer SMS message is associated with the payor device, determine whether or not there are sufficient funds to cover the payment amount in the account associated with the payor device, and when a valid TAN is received and there are sufficient funds, update the account balance associated with the payor device and an account balance associated with the payee device, disassociate the TAN from the payor device, and generate an account balance SMS message for the payor device and the payee device. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171838 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS WHEREIN A CREDIT PRODUCT IS OFFERED IN ACCORDANCE WITH USAGE OF A PRE-PAID CARD ACCOUNT - According to some embodiments, a consumer is associated with a pre-paid card account. Purchase transactions for the consumer may be facilitated via the pre-paid card account, including a transfer of funds out of the pre-paid card account. Funds may also be transferred for the consumer to re-load the pre-paid card account. The consumer's usage of the pre-paid card account may be tracked, and at least one credit product to be offered to the consumer may be determined based on said tracking. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171839 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROCESSING RECURRING PAYMENT TRANSACTIONS - Systems and methods for updating payment card records in real time for payment cards registered to be used for recurring payments in which the payment card itself is not present. In one aspect, a method for processing card-not-present recurring payment (CNP/RP) transactions is provided. The transactions include recurring purchases made by a cardholder using payment card information stored by a merchant. The method includes receiving, at an interchange network, a first authorization request message for the transaction, and querying a database coupled to the interchange network to determine whether the database includes updated payment card information for a payment card used in the transaction. The method also includes transmitting the updated payment card information from the interchange network to the merchant and updating the payment card information stored by the merchant to match the updated payment card information received from the interchange network. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171840 | Method and System for Facilitating Credit Transactions - Disclosed is a system and method for Facilitating Credit Transactions, which may allow for the division of a given purchase or cash-withdrawal transaction amount, into periodical installments by enabling the financing of said transaction. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171841 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR TRANSFERRING FUNDS BETWEEN ACCOUNT HOLDERS - The preferred embodiments are directed to facilitating a transfer of funds between account holders. The preferred embodiments can receive account information from a transaction devices associated with a first account and a second account and can receive a specified amount of funds to be transferred to the second account. The preferred embodiments can transfer the specified amount of funds from the first account to the second account in response to receiving the account information from the transaction devices of associated with the first and second accounts and the specified amount of funds. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171842 | Techniques For Conducting Financial Transactions Using Mobile Communication Devices - The present invention advantageously combines communications aspects of mobile devices with financial transaction system capabilities in a novel manner. This advantageous combination enables a user to automatically initiate a financial transaction with a merchant upon the user being located in a particular geographic vicinity. Numerous types of transactions can be enabled using the present invention. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171843 | UNIVERSAL FUNDING CARD AND DELAYED ASSIGNMENT OF A FUNDING INSTRUMENT FOR A FINANCIAL TRANSACTION - A universal funding card and the delayed assignment of a funding instrument for a financial transaction are described herein. In one embodiment, a system for facilitating a financial transaction comprises a communications interface; a database storing data regarding a user and a plurality of funding instruments associated with that user; and a payment processing system configured to receive a request for payment authorization from a merchant via the communications interface, to authorize payment to the merchant prior to selection of a funding instrument, and after authorizing payment to the merchant, receive instructions regarding a funding instrument to debit for the payment. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171844 | SYSTEM AND METHOD OF A PASSPHRASE ACCOUNT IDENTIFIER FOR USE IN A NETWORK ENVIRONMENT - A system and method for facilitating a financial transaction over a network including use of a passphrase account identifier is described herein. In one embodiment, a system for facilitating a financial transaction over a network comprises a communication interface; and a payment provider system configured to receive via the communication interface a passphrase account identifier from a merchant system, match the passphrase account identifier to a corresponding funding instrument number of a corresponding funding instrument, communicated the corresponding funding instrument number to an issuer system, receive from the issuer system a notification indication of one of acceptance of the funding instrument or decline of the funding instrument, and communicate back to the merchant system the notification indication. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171845 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR CARDHOLDER INITIATED TRANSACTIONS - A cardholder-initiated financial transaction using a cardholder controlled input device in communication with a payment card network and a database is disclosed. The cardholder uses a payment card issued to the cardholder by an issuer bank. An exemplary method includes the steps of storing merchant data within the database including data identifying the merchants registered to utilize the card network and receiving from the input device transaction data relating to the financial transaction. The transaction data includes an authorization request and merchant identifying data that identifies the merchant involved in the transaction. The method further includes determining that the identified merchant is registered to utilize the card network by comparing the transaction data with the merchant data stored in the database, forwarding the authorization request to the issuer bank, receiving a response to the request from the issuer bank, and automatically forwarding the response to the input device. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171846 | Contactless Payment Through Satellite Radio Devices - A method and system for making a purchase using a payment card and a satellite radio. The method includes: broadcasting information relating to goods or services for sale via a satellite radio; receiving a request to purchase goods or services via a satellite radio that includes a payment card account number; identifying subscriber account information based on the payment card account number; submitting a request for payment authorization; receiving an authorization and delivering the goods or services to a purchaser. The system includes: a satellite radio that has a receiver and a transmitter; radio programming that includes an advertisement for the sale of goods or services; a payment card with a microprocessor chip or a magnetic stripe that contains account information and a payment card reader connected to the satellite radio for reading the account information from the microprocessor chip or magnetic stripe. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171847 | MULTI-MERCHANT PURCHASING ENVIRONMENT FOR DOWNLOADABLE PRODUCTS - A multi-merchant purchasing system is configured to identify downloadable products selected by a user for purchase. The identified downloadable products are offered by multiple merchants. The multi-merchant purchasing system enables the user to purchase all of the downloadable products in a single transaction. Specifically, the multi-merchant purchasing system determines payment information associated with the user and, with minimum user-interaction, sends the payment information to applications associated with the merchants for processing. The multi-merchant purchasing system may also be configured to receive purchase information from the merchant applications and maintains the purchase information for the user in a locker. The multi-merchant purchasing system may further be configured to automatically download and install the purchased product onto the user's computing device through a software assistant. To ensure privacy and security, the multi-merchant purchasing system may include a credit card quarantine module to secure credit card data by encoding and multiple levels of encryptions. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171848 | MAILING MACHINE HAVING DYNAMICALLY CONFIGURABLE POSTAL SECURITY DEVICE TO SUPPORT MULTIPLE CUSTOMERS AND CARRIERS - A mail processing system having a postal security device (PSD) that can be dynamically configured to support multiple customers and carriers is provided. Meter records are maintained at a data center. Each meter record includes information necessary to configure the PSD for a particular customer and/or a specified carrier. The data center provides a requested meter record to the PSD, which then is configured according to the meter record. Once loaded with a complete meter record, the PSD will function as a traditional PSD and mail processing can be performed by the mail processing system using the configured PSD. All accounting takes place locally in the PSD, and all records maintained in the meter record are updated locally in the PSD. Upon completion of the mail run, the updated meter record can then be uploaded to the data center until the next mail run that requires the meter record. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171849 | TRACK DATA ENCRYPTION - A method for using a secondary PAN is disclosed. The method includes providing a secondary PAN associated with a primary PAN, where the secondary PAN has at least one end portion that is the same as the primary PAN, but has a middle portion of that is different than the primary PAN. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171850 | TRANSACTION AUTHENTICATION PLATFORM USING VIDEO - A transaction authentication platform using video is provided. In an illustrative implementation, a computing environment comprises a video transaction authentication engine and an instruction set comprising at least one instruction to the video transaction authentication to process, store, manage, and monitor data representative of video transaction authentication requests to generate a trust capsule representative of video authentication trust for a consumer. Consumers, merchants, and transaction processors can illustratively cooperate with the video transaction authentication engine as part of transaction fulfillment and reconciliation. Illustratively, a merchant can request generated trust capsule data for a consumer and compare the received data with the consumer at the point of sale to determine whether to fulfill a transaction. Additionally, the video data about a consumer can be captured at the point of sale and stored as part of a transaction dispute resolution process. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171851 | REGISTERING A BIOMETRIC FOR RADIO FREQUENCY TRANSACTIONS - An authorized sample receiver configured to verify an RF device in response to proffered biometric sample data is disclosed. The authorized sample receiver may be configured to receive data from the RF device and decrypt an encrypted authentication code using a unique device identification code. The RF device is authenticated in response to verifying proffered biometric sample data and the authentication code. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171852 | Method and System for Providing Secure Processing of Electronic Transactions - Disclosed is a method and system for providing secure processing of electronic transactions for customers. Each customer maintains at least one payment account for use in the electronic transactions. The method includes processing a first electronic transaction. The first electronic transaction is processed using a payment account of the at least one payment account. Further, the method includes generating a transaction code for the first electronic transaction that is capable of identifying the payment account used for processing the first electronic transaction. Furthermore, the method includes processing a second electronic transaction for the customer using the transaction code on selection of the payment account. A transaction code is generated for each electronic transaction subsequent to the first electronic transaction. Further, each transaction code is used to process an electronic transaction processed subsequent to the generation of the each transaction code on selection of the payment account by the customer. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171853 | Method and System for Hosting an In-Store Electronic Auction - A system for hosting an in-store electronic auction including a plurality of shoppers including a store server capable of synchronizing with handheld portable devices within a predetermined geographic area, a plurality of customers having portable electronic devices. The portable electronic devices are capable of synchronizing with the store server, such that the plurality of customers can individually send and receive auction information therethrough, as well as an inventory of products within the predetermined geographic area from which a customer can shop. The store server identifies the shoppers in the predetermined geographical area through the portable electronic device, and determines a shopper's eligibility to participate in the auction. If the shopper is determined to be eligible to participate, the system synchronizes the shopper's portable electronic device to the store server. Upon receiving an offer for the purchase of an item from the inventory of products from a first eligible shopper, placed through the shopper's portable electronic device, the system determines if the first shopper's offer for the item in inventory is above a predetermined price, if the offer from the first shopper is above a predetermined price, system approves and authorizes the sales transaction. If the offer from the first shopper is not above a predetermined price the server notifies other eligible shoppers from the plurality of an auction for the item in inventory through the eligible shoppers' portable electronic device. The system then receives offers for the purchase of the item from the eligible shoppers of the plurality through the eligible shoppers' portable electronic device. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171854 | Increasing health insurance benefits - Disclosed herein is a computer implemented method and system for providing increased health insurance benefits to employees of business entities for an insurance premium charge. A third party collects health plan requirements and critical health information from the employees. The third party then proposes health plans from health insurance companies to the business entities. Each employee of the business entities chooses a health plan. The third party combines the employees into groups based on the chosen health plans and geographic location of the business entities. The third party negotiates with the health insurance companies regarding health insurance benefits and insurance premium charges offered for the combined employee groups. Authorized personnel may be provided access to the critical health information of the employees. The access to the critical health information improves quality of health care provided to the employees by the attending physicians and reduces the liability to health insurance companies. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171855 | Monitizing Network Connected User Bases Utilizing Distributed Processing Systems - Various embodiments enable network service providers to receive revenue from their user bases by providing network services to various distributed devices in exchange for the distributed devices agreeing to process workloads for customer paid projects. In at least one embodiment, a method of operating a distributed processing system may include identifying a first party with a first user base with several first distributed devices, and identifying a different party with a different user base with several second distributed devices. Processing workloads for a customer paid project using the first and second distributed devices. Then, sharing revenue from the customer project between the first party and the second party based in part on a size of a user base, a user base's processing capability, or a type of project processed by the user base. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171856 | System and Method for Negotiating According to Improved Matching Criteria - A computer-implemented system stores profiles for parties to the negotiation, each profile specifying values for one or more parameters negotiated, the values reflecting a desirable outcome of the negotiation for the associated party. A matching server accesses an offer from a first party containing values for one or more of the parameters negotiated and computes a distance between the offer values and the profile values of a second party. If the distance is acceptably small, the server causes the offer to be accepted by the second party to conclude the negotiation. If the distance is not acceptably small, the server automatically modifies one or more values in the offer such that the distances between the modified offer and the profiles of the first and second parties are acceptably small simultaneously and causes the modified offer to be accepted by the first and second parties to conclude the automatic negotiation. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171857 | Method of increasing the sale value of the equity of a business entity - A business entity or investment entity increases the sale value of its own equity by forming a new hybrid investment unit that includes the combination of a debt instrument and the equity share. The debt instrument pays interest that is tax deductible to the business entity or investment entity and is not subject to the double taxation of dividends. The price of an ordinary equity share traded on an exchange is artificially reduced by the amount the cash dividend paid. The hybrid investment unit prevents the exchange from artificially reducing the equity in the unit because the debt in the unit pays interest and principal instead of dividends. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171858 | Method and system for the exchange of intellectual property assets - A computer based method and system for exchange of intellectual property assets which permits intellectual property IP) buyers and IP sellers to interact via a marketplace exchange includes a marketplace exchange accessed via a global communication network by IP buyers and IP sellers through utilization of computers. The marketplace exchange also includes a mechanism for posting of a listing of IP sellers on the marketplace exchange and a transactions section for facilitating transactions relating to intellectual property assets posted on the marketplace exchange. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171859 | METHOD FOR BALANCING THE RISK/REWARD STRUCTURE FOR TRANCHES IN COLLATERALIZED DEBT OBLIGATIONS - A structured finance transaction, such as an asset securitization, is disclosed which includes a method for balancing the risk reward structure in the transaction by providing an additional tranch of securities, Class X. The Class X tranch of securities, for example, may be amortizing senior secured securities that are used to reduce the payout risks to senior and subordinate tranches. The principal and interest payments to the note holders of the Class X tranch are paid from interest proceeds received from the asset pool, and the excess spread remaining is reinvested during a specified reinvestment period. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171860 | Process for optimized lifetime return on personal investment capital or wealth creation - A process for managing investment funds to realize the highest return after taxes. First and second distinct closed end funds are established. The first of said funds is a personal account (PA) fund designed to be purchased with taxable monies, and the second of said funds is a tax deferred (TD) fund designed to be purchased with tax deferred monies. A single investment manager is designated for the funds. The investment manager manages investments in the funds separately from each other, and makes buy and sell determinations on assets for each fund based on the manager's assessment of the prospective holding period of the asset and the characterization of income from and appreciation of the asset expected over time such that taxable gains and taxable income are minimized in the first fund. Tax losses are recognized in the first fund such that they can be employed to offset potential future gains, thereby realizing the minimum tax burden on investment returns from both funds in both long and short taxation periods. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171861 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR USING MULTIPLE PERMANENT POSTAGE RATES IN MAILING MACHINES - A mailing machine that provides for permanent postage is described. Postage may be purchased at one point of time at a then prevailing rate and used in the future at the same effective purchasing power even if a new more expensive rate schedule is in effect. The mailing machine provides for the accounting of such rate purchased postage using a Postal Security Device and may include multiple rate-table based accounts each associated with a particular postage rate table. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171862 | ENERGY CONTROL SYSTEM - A method for adjusting an economic balance point in a dual fuel HVAC system includes a furnace, a heat pump and a control system. The method comprises providing a control device having a preprogrammed algorithm for controlling the HVAC system, providing a communication path between the control device and at least one component of the HVAC system, and accessing current fuel cost data; determining an economic balance point temperature based on the current fuel cost data; and updating the economic balance point temperature in the preprogrammed algorithm to adjust an actual balance point of the HVAC system. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171863 | Symmetrical re-balancing system - This is a new investment strategy which involves a new way to make a possibly decent return at a low risk. The new part of this process involves purchasing a long (or ultra long) fund of some index from a fund family. Also it involves simultaneously purchasing a short (or ultra short) fund based on the same underlying index from the same fund family. This strategy seeks to exploit the difference in percentage gained by the winner compared with a lesser percentage loss of the loser. This strategy also involves the already existing arts of technical and fundamental analysis in order to rebalance at a time when enough of a gain can be realized and when it becomes clear that the funds will change direction forcing the investor to buy low and sell high. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171864 | Methods and Systems for Displaying Mattresses by Color - A method for displaying a plurality of mattresses according to a color scheme is provided. The method includes categorizing a plurality of mattresses into at least three different types based on features of the mattresses other than size (e.g., based on comfort or style), designating a different color for each type of mattress, and displaying each of the mattresses with the designated color, or an article having the designated color, for the particular mattress type. For example, the article may include a pillow and/or foot protector having the designated color displayed prominently for a customer's reference. The method may further include grouping at least a portion of the mattresses together within the showroom based on the type of mattress, and displaying one of each type of mattress in a common region (e.g., a comparison center) for side-by-side comparisons of the different types of mattresses by customers. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171865 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING ADVISORY INFORMATION TO A FIELD SERVICE PROVIDER - A network advisory system that provides advisory information to a field service provider is disclosed. The network advisory system receives collected data from one or more destination facilities and analyzes the information to generate advisory information. The advisory information is used by the field service provider to provide a service at the destination facility. The field service provider may receive the advisory information while in transit to the destination facility or while located at a destination facility. The field service provider receives the advisory information through a network connection. The network connection may be either a wireless connection or a land-based connection. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171866 | System and method for learning associations between logical objects and determining relevance based upon user activity - User activity streams are used to automatically learn associations between logical objects and form logical groups. Search results are sorted based upon their relevance to current user activity. Combined with a graphical user interface component and object database, the invention automatically retrieves and display groups and objects related to the active object. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171867 | DETERMINING QUALITY OF TIER ASSIGNMENTS - Described herein is a method that includes receiving user history data and generating an indication of quality of a tier assignment used to store searchable digital items in a tiered storage system, wherein the indication is based at least in part upon a subset of the user history data. Also described herein is a system that includes a receiver component that receives user history data. The system further includes a quality indicator component that determines an indication of quality of a tier assignment used to store digital items that are retrievable by way of querying, wherein the quality indicator component generates the indication based at least in part upon a subset of the user history data and the tier assignment indicates where digital items are to be stored in a tiered storage system. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171868 | Method and Apparatus for Early Termination in Training of Support Vector Machines - Disclosed is a method for early termination in training support vector machines. A support vector machine is iteratively trained based on training examples using an objective function having primal and dual formulations. At each iteration, a termination threshold is calculated based on the current SVM solution. The termination threshold increases with the number of training examples. The termination threshold can be calculated based on the observed variance of the loss for the current SVM solution. The termination threshold is compared to a duality gap between primal and dual formulations at the current SVM solution. When the duality gap is less than the termination threshold, the training is terminated. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171869 | HOT TERM PREDICTION FOR CONTEXTUAL SHORTCUTS - Subject matter disclosed herein may relate to predicting hot terms, and may also relate to creating contextual shortcuts based, at least in part, on the predicted hot terms. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171870 | System and method of feature selection for text classification using subspace sampling - An improved system and method is provided for feature selection for text classification using subspace sampling. A text classifier generator may be provided for selecting a small set of features using subspace sampling from the corpus of training data to train a text classifier for using the small set of features for classification of texts. To select the small set of features, a subspace of features from the corpus of training data may be randomly sampled according to a probability distribution over the set of features where a probability may be assigned to each of the features that is proportional to the square of the Euclidean norms of the rows of left singular vectors of a matrix of the features representing the corpus of training texts. The small set of features may classify texts using only the relevant features among a very large number of training features. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171871 | COMBINATION MACHINE LEARNING ALGORITHMS FOR COMPUTER-AIDED DETECTION, REVIEW AND DIAGNOSIS - This invention utilizes a number of Computational Intelligence (CI) techniques with different learning methods in a computer-aided detection, review and diagnosis (CAD) device. Specifically, an unsupervised learning method is used for clustering of types of abnormal findings. Then a number of classifiers for each type of findings are trained with appropriate learning algorithms; and combined in three different manners to produce one classifier that can be operated at three different operating points. A fuzzy system is used for mapping the findings to diagnostic reports constructed using a formal language. Finally, the finding statistics is calculated based on Bayesian probability. During image review, the device provides the readers some insight as to how it derives its outputs. The output of the device can be updated in an interactive and progressive manner by a human reader (radiologist). The output from classification can be updated by the human, and is fed as input to the assessment task. Again the output from assessment can be updated by the human reader, and is fed as input for the machine to produce statistical information. If so configured, the interactive information can be added to an online database so that the device can adapt its future behavior based on the new information. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171872 | Selection of head and neck cancer patients for treatment with drugs targeting EGFR pathway - Methods using mass spectral data analysis and a classification algorithm provide an ability to determine whether a head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patient is likely to benefit from a drug targeting an epidermal growth factor receptor pathway, including small molecule epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) and monoclonal antibody EGFR inhibitors. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171873 | DETERMINING THE INTERESTINGNESS OF CONTENT UPDATE NOTIFICATIONS - A notification server rates the interest a first user has in notifications associated with events generated by a plurality of interactions with an online community. The notification server receives a plurality of notifications for a first user from a plurality of other users indicating an event has occurred in response to the other users' interactions with the online community. Each notification is rated based on the connections between the first user and the user associated with the notification. The connections may indicate a type of relationship between the first user and the user associated with the notification or the connections may indicate the first user's interest in the event associated with the notification. Each notification is rated based on the connections. The rated notifications are displayed to the first user based on their respective ratings. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171874 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONFIGURING A COMMUNICATION CHANNEL - A method of configuring a communication channel prior to the transmission of an input signal along the communication channel, the communication channel comprising a plurality of sub-channels, the method comprising determining the strength of the input signal and in accordance with the determined signal strength, selecting a set of the plurality of sub-channels and transmitting said in put signal along the set of sub-channels in parallel, wherein each of the sub-channels has a predetermined noise characteristic such that the set of selected sub-channels exhibits a combined noise characteristic in which the standard deviation of the noise is proportional to the signal strength. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171875 | SYSTEMS, METHODS AND APPARATUSES FOR RANK COORDINATION - Embodiments of the invention are generally directed to systems, methods, and apparatuses for rank coordination. In some embodiments, a host includes rank coordination logic. The rank coordination logic may include performance measurement logic to measure a performance of a memory channel and dwell period control logic to select a length of a dwell period based, at least in part, on the performance of the memory channel. Other embodiments are described and claimed. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171876 | Cover type controlled graph rewriting based parallel system for automated problem solving - The invention gives desired algorithmic solutions, even impossible to derive denumerably from preceding ones, as transducers for any kind of problem, e.g. groups of equations or construction puzzles with variables unlimited even by type. The invention treats problems as triples of a mother graph as the subject of the problem, a solving determining recognizer and limit demands for proper solution types. The invention disperses the mother graphs into abstract partial problems regarding chosen interacting rewriting types with mutual relations controlling profoundness in memory hunting, and by bijective partitions creates abstract sisters for those conceptual graphs. As solutions for the examined problems are micros for the parallel transducers of macros of known solving transducers having common parts with substances of those macros and being not necessarily limited to reducing ones. All conceivable solutions are obtained interacting rewrite type being right sides distinct generalized cover renetting, if the mother graph is denumerable and contents in iteration are not expanded. As an exact universal mathematical structure of controlling inventiveness the invention can be considered as the prime algorithm of independently programs inventing machines for problem solving. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171877 | Printer - A printer includes a use status computation section which collects statistics of a use status of an analyzed print job and computes a use frequency and an execution interval of a language translation program based on a result of the statistics, and a resident mode switching section which causes a language translation program with a highest use frequency to initially stay resident in a memory and further causing a language translation program with a high use frequency and a long execution interval to stay resident next to the language translation program with the highest use frequency in the memory. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171878 | PROVABLE DATA INTEGRITY VERIFYING METHOD, APPARATUSES AND SYSTEM - The present invention proposes a Provable Data Integrity (PDI) verifying method, in which data are firstly fingerprinted at a client, and the fingerprints are sent to an archive along with the data; when necessary, the client sends a “challenge” to the archive so as to determine the integrity of the data, and the archive proves the integrity of the data by using the received fingerprints; and finally, the client verifies the integrity of the data based on the output from the archive in response to the “challenge”. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171879 | Systems and/or methods for prediction and/or root cause analysis of events based on business activity monitoring related data - In certain example embodiments of this invention, there is provided systems and/or methods for processing BAM-related data to predict when events of interest are about to happen and/or to identify the root causes of, or at least data correlated with, such events of interest. In certain example embodiments, key performance indicators (KPIs) are gathered and gardened. The gardening process may identify KPI values of interest (e.g., based on a Z-factor analysis thereof across one or more collection intervals). The gardened KPIs may be processed using a time-series transform (e.g., a Fast Fourier Transform), matched to one of a plurality of predefined waveforms, and fed into a dynamic Naïve Bayesian Network (NBN) for prediction. The gardened data also may be used to determine the relevance of the KPI for root causes of problems (e.g., based on a chi-square analysis). | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171880 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CLASSIFYING AND DEFINING RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN PRODUCT INFORMATION DATA - A system and method for classifying and defining relationships between product information data is provided. The method classifies the product information data to two different data types. Each data type includes a plurality of items. The items of each of the two types are arranged in a product information tree. The items of all the product information trees are associated to construct a new tree for showing the relationships of the product information data. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171881 | Method and Apparatus for Modifying a Process Based on Closed-Loop Feedback - A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer program product for managing a lesson learned through a client application. A lesson learned is information describing a task associated with a project. A rating value for the lesson learned is identified using a predefined level matrix. A workflow notification process is generated to address the lesson learned using a notification manager. The lesson learned is monitored throughout the duration of a project. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171882 | DEVICE, SYSTEM, AND METHOD OF KNOWLEDGE PROPAGATION FOR LOGICAL PLATFORM CREATION - Device, system, and method of knowledge propagation for logical platform creation. For example, an apparatus includes: a Dynamically Composable Computing (DCC) engine to store DCC information; and a knowledge sharing manager to automatically exchange DCC information stored in the DCC engine with DCC information stored in another DCC engine of another apparatus. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171883 | EXTENSIBLE CONFIGURATION ENGINE SYSTEM AND METHOD - Methods and systems are provided for facilitating decision making through an improved recommendation system. The data used in the system, such as the questions and business logic for navigating between questions, is stored in relational database tables that are easy to access and edit by users. A backend application program reads the data and processes the navigation logic depending upon answers received from users to automatically generate a decision tree. Users are allowed to select questions earlier in the tree, and the application can regenerate a tree from the point of the selected question and on. The application program stores the questions to be presented in a structured document which is handed off to a user interface generation program. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171884 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR WEB-BASED CASE MANAGEMENT - A web-based case management system includes a centrally-located database for electronically storing case information including data, documents, and images. Further, the system includes an interface webpage that is viewable at a remote location. On the interface webpage, a plurality of links is provided, and each link is associated with specific case information. Also, the system provides a plurality of content webpages accessed by a user via respective links. When accessed, a content webpage displays the case information stored in the database and associated with the selected link. In addition to providing access to case information, the system also processes case information and generates reports. Specifically, the reports include selected case information and have a consistent format and appearance. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171885 | EFFICIENT BULK LOAD - The subject matter disclosed herein relates to bulk loading of data into a database comprising a plurality of database partitions. In one particular example, the database partitioning may be revised before addition of the new data to the partitions. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171886 | FILE MANAGEMENT METHOD OF A RING BUFFER AND RELATED FILE MANAGEMENT APPARATUS - A file management method of a ring buffer includes translating actual positions of an actual file stored in the ring buffer into virtual positions of a virtual file according to a specific mapping manner, searching the actual positions in the actual file according to the virtual positions, and accessing data at the actual positions of the actual file stored in the ring buffer. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171887 | PROCESSING ALGEBRAIC EXPRESSIONS FOR KEYED DATA SETS - Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to managed object expression and provide a method, system and computer program product for algebraically expressing a managed object in a keyed data set. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for algebraically expressing a managed object in a keyed data set can be provided. The method can include specifying one-dimensional sets of managed objects each with a corresponding single partial object identifier with wildcard and incorporating each single partial object identifier with wildcard into an algebraic expression compositing managed objects in the keyed data set. The method further can include evaluating the algebraic expression to generate an index for the composited managed objects in the keyed data set, and managing the composited index in a computer communications network by reference to the index. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171888 | DATA DEDUPLICATION BY SEPARATING DATA FROM META DATA - Provided are techniques for data deduplication. A chunk of data and a mapping of boundaries between file data and meta data in the chunk of data are received. The mapping is used to split the chunk of data into a file data stream and a meta data stream and to store file data from the file data stream in a first file and to store meta data from the meta data stream in a second file, wherein the first file and the second file are separate files. The file data in the first file is deduplicated. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171889 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR OPTIMIZING FEDERATED AND ETL'D DATABASES WITH CONSIDERATIONS OF SPECIALIZED DATA STRUCTURES WITHIN AN ENVIRONMENT HAVING MULTIDIMENSIONAL CONSTRAINTS - A method for creating a data warehousing scheme having optimally selected components. A mathematical model of a goal for the data warehousing scheme is input into an optimization engine. At least one constraint on the data warehousing scheme is input into the optimization engine. A mathematical optimization algorithm is performed using the optimization engine, wherein an output of the optimization engine is an optimized data warehousing scheme having optimally selected components. The optimized data warehousing scheme can be stored. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171890 | Efficient predicate prefilter for high speed data analysis - A method and system are disclosed for operating a high speed data stream management system which runs a query plan including a set of queries on a data feed in the form of a stream of tuples. A predicate prefilter is placed outside the query plan upstream of the set of queries, and includes predicates selected from those used by the queries. Predicates are selected for inclusion in the prefilter based on a cost heuristic, and predicates are combined into composites using a rectangle mapping heuristic. The prefilter evaluates the presence of individual and composite predicates in the tuples and returns a bit vector for each tuple with bits representing the presence or absence of predicates in the tuple. A bit signature is assigned to each query to represent the predicates related to that query, and a query is invoked when the tuple bit vector and the query bit signature are compatible. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171891 | DATA INDEXING BY LOCAL STORAGE DEVICE - A computing device including a host device (HD) is in communication with a local storage device (LSD), wherein the LSD includes a memory array. A search index is generated with respect to data stored in the memory array of the LSD. By the LSD without involvement of the HD, the index data is generated with respect to the data stored in the memory array of the LSD. By the LSD, the generated index data is stored on the LSD as at least a part of the search index. The index may include data that can be used to respond to search queries with respect to data of the LSD. The queries may be originated from a HD or from within the LSD. The use of the index is not limited to responding to search queries. For example, the index may be used for content screening. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171892 | Object Query Over Previous Query Results - A method, apparatus and program product is provided for querying an object database. In response to performing a first query, a first set of query results is generated from an object database. Metadata associated with and describing the first set of query results is generated. The first query results and the associated metadata are mapped to a results entity. A second set of query results is generated by querying the results entity using query terms from the metadata in response to performing a second query. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171893 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TRACKING TESTING OF SOFTWARE MODIFICATION PROJECTS - A system for tracking the testing of a set of software modification projects in an install plan provides a centralized project database where the testers can update their progress of testing software modification projects as they perform the tests. The central database advantageously eliminates the need to contact individual testers of each and every project every time a status report needs to be generated. Instead, a manager can automatically generate status reports which contain the testing progress of particular projects in real-time to more accurately monitor what projects are on track and what projects may be falling behind schedule. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171894 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR GENERATING EXPERTISE BASED SEARCH RESULTS - Embodiments of the present invention provide systems, methods and computer program products for generating search results comprising web documents with associated expert information. One embodiment of a method for generating such search results includes receiving one or more search queries, selecting one of the one or more search queries, determining one or more categories of web documents responsive to the selected search query and crawling a web graph of linked web documents to identify one or more web documents tagged as within the one or more categories responsive to the selected search query. The method further includes generating a result set of the one or more web documents identified as within the one or more categories responsive to the selected search query, ranking the result set and generating a list of ranked search results responsive to the selected search. | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171895 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR GENERATING DYNAMIC ASSOCIATIONS TO DATA OBJECTS - A method and system for generating dynamic associations to data objects is provided. A structure hierarchy is generated based on a first configuration data. The structure hierarchy has a folder node. A second configuration for a query is generated. The query is associated to the folder node in the structure hierarchy. The query is executed in a data object based on the configuration data. A data object instance is retrieved as a result of executing the query. The data object instance is associated to the structure hierarchy | 2009-07-02 |
| 20090171896 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR GENERATING A LINK HIERARCHY - A method and system for generating a link hierarchy is provided. A configuration data is generated. A link hierarchy is generated using the configuration data. A first node is generated in the link hierarchy of instance type. A second node is generated in the link hierarchy of query type. A third node is generated in the link hierarchy of target placeholder type that is instantiable by create. A fourth node is generated in the link hierarchy of target placeholder type instantiable by query. A data object assembly is generated using the link hierarchy. | 2009-07-02 |
