37th week of 2011 patent applcation highlights part 56 |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20110225014 | WEB-BASED METHOD OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT - The present disclosure provides an application that can be manipulated by users with varying levels of access to schedule tasks for personnel. The application can be accessed remotely, through a web browser or mobile device. In one embodiment, the application is used by models, and their agents and agencies, to manage their schedules. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225015 | INTERACTIVE CALENDAR OF SCHEDULED WEB-BASED EVENTS - A system for generating an interactive calendar guide to scheduled online events is described. The guide can be presented in any format, including a grid view and a list view, within various media, including at a website hosting the interactive guide and as a widget on a computer display. A user can interact with elements of the guide, select elements of the guide for more information, customize events presented in the guide, filter the results displayed in the guide, send a response to attend an event, go directly to an event from the guide, and modify the presentation format of the guide. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225016 | CONSTRAINED RESOURCE MANAGEMENT - Implementation of resource management services is provided. A method includes setting a price, per unit of a resource, for a defined time period and based upon a collective projected resource demand corresponding to resource consumption entities (RCEs). For the duration of the time period, the method includes iteratively performing: monitoring actual usage of the resource for each of the RCEs. If, in response to the monitoring, it is determined that a projected shortage exists for an RCE and a projected surplus exists for another RCE, the method includes re-allocating a number of projected surplus units of the resource from the RCE having the projected surplus to the other RCE having the projected shortage. If, in response to the monitoring, it is determined that a projected shortage exists for an RCE and no projected surplus exists for any of the other RCEs, the method includes acquiring additional units of the resource. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225017 | ANALYTIC-BASED SCALING OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY RESOURCES - Embodiments of the present invention provide a solution for service-supporting resources (e.g., IT resources such as processor, storage, network, etc.). Specifically, the present invention will first create a resource configuration data repository that includes resource scaling capabilities (e.g., dynamic scaling, automated aggregation, concurrent scaling needs of specific resources such as file system and database table space, storage zoning and input/output multi-pathing, etc.) of a set of IT resources. A unit of work data repository that includes details of jobs handled by the IT resources will also be included. Then, a profile will be created for the set of IT resources. In a typical embodiment, the profile includes information related to a service demand, a capacity, a utilization, and a performance of the set of IT resources. Resource utilization and performance data (e.g., historical and/or real-time data) will then be collected. Using the resource configuration data repository, the unit of work data repository, the profile, and the resource utilization and performance data, a scaling strategy will be generated/developed and implemented for the IT resources. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225018 | METHOD FOR MANAGING PRODUCTION SYSTEM OPERATIONS - Disclosed is a system and method for managing operations of a system. The method includes partitioning the system into a plurality of subsystems. The method further includes, for each subsystem, creating an agent to associate with the subsystem, providing to the agent one or more goals for the subsystem, and providing to the agent an overall objective function for the system. The method also includes using an optimization algorithm involving the agents to manage system operation based on the goals and the overall objective function. The system includes an agent module for providing a set of agents associated with the subsystems, a throughput target module for providing a throughput target for each agent, an objective module for providing, for each agent, a common production throughput objective. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225019 | SEARCH, ANALYSIS AND CATEGORIZATION - A method of categorizing a brand comprising the steps of: (i) Collecting a brand-related search term from a user via an interface; (ii) Scanning a computer network (optionally the Internet) for data containing the brand; (iii) Scanning one or more pre-selected data sources for data containing the brand; (iv) Returning search results from the two said scanning steps; (v) Comparing the search results with a set of keywords associated with one or more predetermined categories; (vi) Suggesting one or more categories for the brand based on the results of the keyword search; (vii) Ranking the suggested categories in order of relevance to the brand; | 2011-09-15 |
20110225020 | METHODOLOGY FOR IMPROVING A MERCHANT ACQUIRING LINE OF BUSINESS - A methodology for a merchant acquirer to leverage its own internal data for analysis purposes whereby it analyzes data associated with its issuing line of business to provide information for use in promoting/retaining business within its acquiring line of business. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225021 | EMOTIONAL MAPPING - Methods and systems are provided for emotional mapping, such as of online users, based at least in part on online activities of users. Techniques are provided in which information including a set of emotional states is generated or obtained, such as a hierarchical network of emotional states representing a spectrum of human emotions. Information regarding user online activities and content choices of a user is obtained. Based at least in part on this information, the user is classified into an emotional state of the set of emotional states, and advertisements or content may be targeted to the user accordingly. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225022 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DETERMINING PRINT REVENUE BEHAVIOR - Methods and systems for determining print revenue behavior for an account are disclosed. A computing device may determine a print revenue for an account for each of a plurality of time periods. The computing device may select a best fit model from a plurality of models based on the print revenue for the account for the plurality of time periods. The computing device may determine a risk level associated with the account based on a best fit model. The risk level may be based on a difference between the best fit model and the print revenue for the account for each of time period. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225023 | Prioritized Product Distribution - In one embodiment, a distribution server can be configured to coordinate the distribution of products to multiple retail locations. Upon receiving data representative of a product, one or more retail locations, and a promotional event, the distribution server may predict an effect on product sales from the promotional event, generate a sales forecast for each of the locations, and determine a quantity of the product to be delivered to each of the locations. Based at least in part on receiving capabilities of the retail locations, the distribution server may determine a confidence level for each of the locations associated with a probability that the product is stocked at a particular time. The distribution server may prioritize product distribution to the retail locations, based at least in part on the determined confidence levels. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225024 | VOTING COMMUNICATING SYSTEM - A system and method that comprises receiving, at a communication system, an allocation of user votes across a set of entities eligible to receive votes. Communications from the communication system to a vote receiving system are automatically initiated in accordance with the allocation of user votes; the communications to register the user votes with the vote receiving system. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225025 | PERIODICAL RECYCLING AND REWARD DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS AND METHODS - Methods and systems for recycling a periodical are described. The methods may include the step of providing periodical information about the periodical to a recycling device, where the periodical is deposited with the recycling device. The methods may further include calculating one or more of discount offers based on the periodical information, and displaying the one or more of discount offers at the recycling device. One or more of the discount offers may be selected at the recycling device, and the selected offers may be printed into a ticket, coupon, or some other printed material at the recycling device. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225026 | Map-Based Interface for Booking Broadcast Advertisements - Various aspects can be implemented for a map-based interface for booking broadcast advertisements. One aspect can be a method that includes calculating an advertising campaign budget for each of one or more advertising markets based on campaigns settings including at least a target reach and a target frequency, and displaying the one or more advertising markets and the respective budgets on a map-based user interface. Other implementations of this aspect include corresponding systems, apparatus, and computer program products. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225027 | Global Competitive Positions - A system to determine the global competitive position of every product manufactured in the world. We define global competitive position as the margin in price that a product presents when compared to similar or equal products offered in other countries. With the idea of comparing all products on an equal basis, we have also incorporated the duties and taxes that must be paid to be delivered door to door in other countries. These global competitive positions show an important utility on e-commerce, which allows us to determinate the yield margin of a product. Consequently, this determination permits the promotion of products that we know to be competitive in foreign markets. This dispersion of competitive situations, based on global positions, impacts and modifies the actual competitive situation of the products manufactured, the companies that manufacture these products, the investors that finance these goods and the consumers that acquire them. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225028 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING COMMUNICATION WITH AN ADVERTISER FROM AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE - A system and method for establishing communication between an electronic device and at least one contact associated with electronic content presented at the electronic device. The system and method may comprise a presentation module configured to present electronic content at an electronic device, where the electronic content may be associated with contact information of at least one contact; an interactive module configured to receive at least one user command from an input at the electronic device; and a communication module configured to establish communication between the electronic device and the at least one contact regarding the presented electronic content. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225029 | Method For Compensating Subscribers to a Network Upon Which Works of Authorship Are Published - A method is provided for compensating subscribers to a network upon which works of authorship are published. The method comprises (a) providing a network having a plurality of subscribers; (b) publishing to the network works of authorship created by subscribers; and (c) compensating subscribers based on the number of times a work of authorship created by the subscriber is downloaded by other members of the network. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225030 | INTEGRATED QUALIFICATION AND MONITORING FOR CUSTOMER PROMOTIONS - A device receives, from a user device, a request for qualified offers for a particular customer, and retrieves, based on the request, profile information associated with the particular customer. The device generates a call to a backend database based on the profile information, and receives, from the backend database, offer qualification indicators based on the call. The device determines qualified offers based on the offer qualification indicators, and provides the qualified offers to the user device for display. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225031 | SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING COUPON SERVICE USING RECEIPTS AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING COUPON SERVICE USING THE SAME - Disclosed is a system for providing a coupon service using receipts and a method for providing a coupon service using the same. More specifically, the invention relates to the system and the method that extract coupon information from the image of a receipt provided by a customer or a distribution store in order to accumulate points for a corresponding coupon given to the customer, wherein the consumer and the distribution store are respectively registered as a member and a member store of the coupon service provider. The system according to the invention comprises: a personal terminal of the consumer which includes an image acquisition unit for acquiring an image of the receipt; a coupon product manufacturer server which stores the coupon product information for a product to which a coupon is attached; a coupon service provider server that is connected to the personal terminal and the coupon product manufacturer server through the Internet and provides point information to consumers; a database server that is connected to the coupon service provider server and stores the coupon product information, the receipt image provided by the consumer, and the point information extracted from the receipt image; and an image analyzing and processing device that extracts the coupon information from the receipt information provided by the consumer in order to accumulate the points given to the corresponding consumer, wherein the points are calculated through the extracted coupon information. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225032 | APPARATUS, SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE FLOW OF CUSTOMERS - An apparatus, system and method are presented for controlling the flow of customers using self-service terminals. It is possible for self-service terminals to receive and process customer orders faster than the orders can be prepared for delivery to the customer thus causes long wait times for the customer if the condition is allowed to exist for an extended period of time. Controlling the flow of customers through the order entry process prevents the situation. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225033 | System And Method For Providing Consumer Rewards - An automated consumer rewards/incentive program that accepts a registration of a consumer. The registration entitles the consumer to receive the benefits of the incentive program. To track the fulfillment of reward earning criteria established by member businesses, the registration includes information indicative of a credit card of the consumer. The system may track member consumer credit card transactions without receiving personal information for non-members by using a one way hash function. The system uses the credit card information to determine when member customers perform a transaction at a member business. When a member customer performs a transaction at a member business using the registered credit card, the system and method examines the credit card transactional information to determine if the consumer fulfilled the requirements of the incentive program for the member business. If the transactional information indicates that the consumer fulfilled the criteria of the rewards program of the member business, the consumer is rewarded in accordance with the benefits of the incentive program. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225034 | Customized Coupon Delivery System And Method - Methods and apparatus for delivering customized electronic coupons are provided. Consumer users register with the customized electronic coupon provider website and create a consumer user profile. Retailer users also register with the customized electronic coupon provider site and create a retailer user profile and electronic coupons. A software program compares the consumer user profiles with the retailer user profiles and detects matches. A customized electronic coupon is generated for each instance of a profile match. The customized electronic coupon is then delivered electronically to the consumer user. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225035 | Determining Supply and Demand Using Online Advertisements - Systems, methods, and computer media for determining supply of and demand for a category of product or service are provided. Demand for a category of good or service is determined by combining advertising performance information for online advertisements relating to the category of goods or services and Internet query information relating to the category of goods or services using a weighting scheme. Supply of the category of good or service is determined by combining online advertisement placement information, offline advertisement placement information, and offline sales location information relating to the category of good or service using a weighting scheme. A user may select to view supply, demand, or supply and demand for the category of good or service. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225036 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETERMING EARNINGS PER-CLICK FOR ADS PUBLISHED WITHIN A SOCIAL ADVERTISING PLATFORM - One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for determining an earnings per-click for a social publisher who, along with other types of digital content, publishes advertisements within a digital content distribution channel. The earnings per-click for a social publisher is determined based on an engagement score of the publisher that indicates the effectiveness of the publisher in terms of generating successful advertising outcomes. The engagement score is computed based on the performance of the advertisements published by the social publisher as well as different metrics associated with the social publisher that are collected from the advertising platform. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225037 | Advertising Exchange System Valuation of Information Services - Disclosed is a system to price usage of a user-action Probability estimation system provided by an advertising exchange system. A bid from each bidder in an auction for an advertising opportunity is presented in a computer. The bidders comprise a first group of bidders that utilize the Probability estimation system and a second group of bidders that do not utilize the Probability estimation system. The bids are processed by determining a first equilibrium bid for a first bidder as a member of the first group. The bids are further processed by determining a second equilibrium bid for the first bidder as a member of the second group. The system then utilizes the first equilibrium bid and the second equilibrium bid to determine a value of utilizing the Probability estimation system. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225038 | System and Method for Efficiently Evaluating Complex Boolean Expressions - An improved system and method for efficiently evaluating complex Boolean expressions is provided. Leaf nodes of Boolean expression trees for objects represented by Boolean expressions of attribute-value pairs may be assigned a positional identifier that indicates the position of a node in the Boolean expression tree. The positional identifiers of each object may be indexed by attribute-value pairs of the leaf nodes of the Boolean expression trees in an inverted index. Given an input set of attribute-value pairs, a list of positional identifiers for leaf nodes of virtual Boolean expression trees may be found in the index matching the attribute-value pairs of the input set. The list of positional identifiers of leaf nodes may be sorted in order by positional identifier for each contract. An expression evaluator may then verify whether a virtual Boolean expression tree for each contract is satisfied by the list of positional identifiers. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225039 | VIRTUAL SOCIAL VENUE FEEDING MULTIPLE VIDEO STREAMS - A method is provided for creating a virtual social media experience. A virtual social venue is provided that comprises a virtual three-dimensional representation of a stadium, coliseum, arena, stage, or theater for congregating an audience of people in close proximity to each other. Users are invited to share a multimedia content experience comprising multiple simultaneously-fed video streams at the virtual social venue. Animated three-dimensional avatars are provided to represent participating users who accept those invitations, and the virtual social venue is populated with those avatars. The multimedia content experience is then displayed to the participating users in a three-dimensional setting that simultaneously displays the avatars of neighboring participating users within the context of the virtual social venue. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225040 | MULTI-USER COMPUTER-CONTROLLED ADVERTISEMENT PRESENTATION SYSTEM AND A METHOD OF PROVIDING USER AND ADVERTISEMENT RELATED DATA - System and method for presenting advertisement to a plurality of users, the system comprising: at least one display device (D) for displaying advertisement to an audience of at least two users (P); a plurality of user input devices (GP), at least one for each user (P), providing user input data (IN) to the computer-controlled advertisement presentation system; at least one computing device (WS) executing a software application controlled by said user input data or by control input data (IN*) being generated thereof for providing output (OUT) to the display device (D) to display the advertisement with at least one conjointly controlled advertising object (A) being displayed therein; wherein the least one computing device (WS) provides user and advertisement related data (TDAT) to a central data system (CS), the data (TDAT) being generated from the presentation of the advertising object and from the input data (IN, IN*) occurring in response to said presentation. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225041 | System and Method for Using Voice Over a Telephone to Access, Process, and Carry Out Transactions Over the Internet - A method for executing a transaction related to an item or a service using a telephone includes providing information identifying the item or the service, providing a query as to a transaction to be performed in which the transaction is related to the identified item or service, and sending to a server system a request to execute the transaction related to the identified item or service in response to a user answer. The transaction is executed without the user performing a single action on a computer interface. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225042 | MAXIMUM LIKELIHOOD ESTIMATION UNDER A COVARIANCE CONSTRAINT FOR PREDICTIVE MODELING - Embodiments employ a maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) under a covariance matrix floor constraint to predict missing data from observed data. An MLE solution is obtained for approximately Gaussian distributions under the constraint that the covariance matrix is greater than or equal to a positive-definite matrix. In one embodiment, an offline model estimation is performed using an expectation-maximization (EM) approach to estimate various statistical parameters based on observed data. Then, in an online approach, parameters for various missing CTR data may be predicted based on the offline estimated statistical parameters. A non-limiting, non-exhaustive example using the constrained MLE approach is described for predicting missing click-through rate data useable in selecting an advertisement to display with a search query result. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225043 | EMOTIONAL TARGETING - Methods and systems are provided for emotional targeting of online users, including targeting of advertisements and content. Techniques are provided in which, based at least in part on online user behavior, a user is classified into one of a set of emotional states. Advertisements or content are targeted to the user based on at least in part on an emotional state of the user, or a forecasted, predicted, or likely emotional state of the user at a particular time or during a particular period of time. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225044 | Mobile/Internet Advertising Integration System - The Mobile/Internet Advertising Integration System is a method for creating highly targeted advertisements based on a digital consumer profile that will be integrated into a user's electronic device (e.g., mobile phone). This consumer profile will in the most likely embodiment be paired with a users digital wallet and digital rewards manager applications. Every purchase the user makes, every website the consumer interacts with, every digital display add the consumer views will modify his/her consumer profile and possibly add coupons or special offers into his/her digital rewards manager. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225045 | Paperless Coupon Transactions System - Users can conduct financial transactions in a secured manner without using traditional financial instruments, such as currency, credit cards, debit cards, prepaid cards, stored value cards, ATM cards, checks, coupons, tokens, tickets, vouchers, certificates, notes, securities, letters of credit, etc. In addition, a user's identity is kept confidential in the financial transactions. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225046 | Method and System for Presenting Targeted Advertisements - A method and system for presenting targeted advertisements to a subscriber includes extracting probabilistic information about subscriber activities from one or more source and processing the probabilistic information about subscriber activities to generate a subscriber characterization vector. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225047 | APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR GENERATION AND UTILIZATION OF SALES LEADS - Methods and apparatus for generating and utilizing sales leads and related information. In one embodiment, an item information collection (IIC) server communicates with a plurality of client devices via a web server and/or an SMS server. The IIC server services requests for information regarding subject vehicles by forwarding information in the request to vehicle information sources. The resulting information is compiled and formatted for provision to the customer. The IIC server provides portions of the information to advertisers and related product/service providers according to one or more business rules. An operator of the IIC server may charge a premium to the advertisers and related product/service providers for the ability to present information and advertisements to the customer. Where the information includes customer contact information, the advertiser may optionally contact the customer directly. Business methods and rules for lead generation and utilization are also disclosed. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225048 | GENERATING A USER PROFILE BASED ON SELF DISCLOSED PUBLIC STATUS INFORMATION - A method, device and/or medium for generating a user profile based on an online user's self disclosed public status information. An indication may be received of updates self-published by the user at one or more sites. At least one context regarding the user may then be determined based on the published updates, and the context(s) may be employed to infer at least one attribute of the user. A profile of the user may then be determined based at least on the inferred attribute(s). The determined profile may be employed to enable an advertisement to be provided to the user. In this way, a heuristic may be provided for predicting advertising content that may be of interest to the user based on self-published information about the user. Thus, relevant advertisements may be more accurately targeted to those users who may be most interested in their content. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225049 | EMOTICLIPS - Techniques are provided which include generating, providing or obtaining emoticlips. An emoticlip, which may be customizable or personalizable, can include a rich media segment designed at least to facilitate communication of an emotional state or an emotional experience. Particular emoticlips can be associated with emotional states of a set of emotional states. User association with, use of, or interaction with an emoticlip, as well as an emotional state associated with the emoticlip, can be used in classifying the user in an emotional state, or in targeting the user with an online advertisement or content, or both. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225050 | Intelligent Selection Based on Customized Palate Preferences - A system and process for intelligently selecting consumable goods, comprising a consumer palate preference device capable of indicating a consumer's palate preferences, a consumable good having attributes, whereby the consumer's palate preferences are compared against the attributes of the consumable good to determine selection. Another aspect of the present invention includes a method of intelligently selecting a consumable good, comprising the steps of using a consumer palate preference device having consumer's palate preferences, comparing the consumer's palate preferences to a consumable good having attributes, and selecting the consumable good based on the consumer's palate preferences. Another aspect of the present invention includes a method of labeling consumable goods, comprising the steps of creating attributes for the consumable goods, scoring the attributes for the consumable goods, and associating the scores of the attributes with the consumable goods. Another aspect of the present invention includes a method of intelligently pairing consumable goods, comprising the steps of creating attributes for at least two separate consumable goods, scoring the attributes for the separate consumable goods, obtaining a consumer's palate preferences, and pairing the separate consumable goods based on the consumer's palate preferences. Another aspect of the present invention includes a method of promoting consumable goods, comprising the steps of obtaining a consumer's palate preferences, scoring the consumer's palate preferences, creating attributes for a consumable good, scoring the attributes of the consumable good, and using the consumer's palate preferences to promote consumable goods suited to the consumer's palate preferences. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225051 | Method and stored program for accumulating descriptive profile data along with source information for use in targeting third-party advertisements - A descriptive-profile mercantile method, for use at a juncture in a data-communications topology having associated therewith a maintained databank of partial profiles, is disclosed. The method includes the steps of: from a user, receiving a transaction having therein a first partial profile; using the first partial profile, searching a databank having a plurality of second partial profiles, wherein is included in said databank at least one null profile so that said searching will always yield at least one proximate second partial profile to the first partial profile; and between the user and the databank, contracting: (I) for the databank to own or represent a right to a first mutually agreed portion of the first partial profile, and substantially thereafter said databank incorporating the agreed portion of the first profile into at least one second partial profile; or (II) for the user to own or represent a right to a second mutually agreed portion of at least one said proximate second partial profile, and substantially thereafter the databank transmitting to the user the second mutually agreed portion of the second profile. The present invention operates best on a brokerage representation model; and thereby provides a means for making viable the economic commerce in information attributes. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225052 | Recursive Method and System for Accessing Classification Information - Web based menu system and method allows users such as buyers and sellers to locate, purchase, and sell goods, items and services. Knowledge of the system increases with user interaction. The system can respond to voice activation and recognition commands. At the web site, the user selects a category followed by a selection of makes, items, or services called a Sub-Category. The system responds by displaying menus referred to as a “Fluidity of Taxonomy”. This process repeats until the user reaches the finite end of the menus. Users can place requests for instant notification of new ad placements. Banner ads can be applicable to the buyers' interest. Sellers can grow the database based on menu selections. The system can retrieve any orderly classification of information. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225053 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR IMPLEMENTING MOBILE CODE ADVERTISEMENTS - Advertising with machine-readable (mobile) codes by printing a machine-readable code on a print publication, which is then scanned with a device, and the URL of an ad management computer and an ad identification number are decoded from the mobile code. This URL is used to send the ad identification number to the ad management computer, which accesses a database to determine if a link limit for that ad identification number has been exceeded. If not exceeded, then a destination URL of an advertisement web page associated with the ad identification number in the database is sent to the device so it can connect to that URL. If the link limit has been exceeded, then the destination URL from the database is not sent, but is used as an argument to generate search web page, and the ad content management computer transmits the generated search web page to the device. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225054 | DISPLAYING ADVERTISEMENTS IN A COMPUTER NETWORK ENVIRONMENT - A method of presenting advertising to viewers in a computer network environment includes monitoring a viewer's interactions with an associated computer system, and adjusting a timing of displayed advertisements on the viewer's associated computer system based on one or more of the viewer's monitored interactions. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225055 | CHECKOUT APPARATUS AND CHECKOUT PROCESSING METHOD - According to one embodiment, a checkout processing apparatus includes an operator unit, a rotation mechanism, a determination unit, and a switching unit. The operator unit executes checkout processing. The rotation mechanism rotatably supports the operator unit and stops the operator unit at least at two positions. The determination unit determines which of the positions the operator unit is stopped at. The switching unit switches a function of the checkout processing according to a result of the determination by the determination unit. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225056 | CHECKOUT APPARATUS AND MODE SWITCHING METHOD - According to one embodiment, a checkout apparatus includes an apparatus body, a monitor, a rotation mechanism, a lock mechanism, a notification unit, and a control unit. The apparatus body can switch a mode for checkout processing between a cashier mode in which a cashier operates the apparatus and a self-service mode in which a customer operates the apparatus. The monitor is provided on the apparatus body and displays a status of the checkout processing. The rotation mechanism rotates the apparatus body. The lock mechanism locks the rotation of the rotation mechanism at least at two positions. The notification unit causes the monitor to display guidance showing a procedure for mode switching, including locking and unlocking by the lock mechanism. The control unit switches checkout processing modes in response to that the rotation of the rotation mechanism is stopped at one of the positions with the locking by the lock mechanism. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225057 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TRANSACTION PAYMENTS USING A MOBILE DEVICE - A system and method for performing a financial transaction may include processing a purchase transaction for products for purchase by a customer to determine a transaction amount. A communication with a mobile device of the customer may include communicating a store identifier, POS identifier, and the transaction amount. In response to receiving an approval number for the purchase transaction from a financial institution of the customer, completing the purchase transaction for the purchase of the products by the customer. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225058 | MESSAGING INCLUDING VALUE ACCOUNT CONVERSION - A system, method, and computer-readable storage medium configured to facilitate, for example, point-of-sale check approval in real-time. The system converts a demand type payment transaction into a payment card transaction. A cardholder database contains a cardholder record. The cardholder record includes a demand account and payment card information of a cardholder. A network interface receives point-of-service transaction data. A transaction processor correlates the user with the cardholder record, and generates an authorization request message which is sent to an issuer for approval. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225059 | POS SALES TRANSACTION SAFETY NET - A method for monitoring a register is provided which comprises (a) providing a register having associated therewith (i) an electronic journal which resides on a hosting server separate from the register, and which receives digitally transmitted records of all transactions occurring at a register, and (ii) a secure, nonvolatile memory device which stores sales transaction data for the register; (b) determining whether the memory device associated with the register has sales transactions with a date within a specified date range; (c) if the memory device does not have sales transactions with the specified date range, then marking the memory device as having been examined for transactions in the specified date range; (d) if the memory device does have sales transactions with the specified date range, then determining whether the transaction data stored therein corresponds to the transaction data stored in the register's electronic journal for the specified date range; (e) if the transaction data stored in the memory device corresponds to the transaction data stored in the register's electronic journal, then marking the memory device as having been examined for transactions in the specified date range; and (f) if the transaction data stored in the memory device does not correspond to the transaction data stored in the register's electronic journal, then marking the memory device as having been examined, initiating a data recovery process and generating a notice of the discrepancy. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225060 | Mobility Network Operator Service Delivery Hub - A service delivery hub controlled by a network operator includes an access controller; a network services gateway in communication with the access controller and in communication with external network elements, a partner management center in communication with the access controller and the network services gateway, the partner management center configured to establish a service level agreement with application service providers or enabler providers; an interface defined by the service level agreement, the interface configured to provide a single point access to the application service developers, to provide a set of programming interfaces to the developers whereas the programming interfaces provide access to the external network elements; and a charging system interface to a charging gateway, wherein the charging system is subject to the service level agreement and wherein the service delivery hub allocates revenue in accordance with the service level agreement. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225061 | Method For Automating Onboarding Of User Generated Ringback Tones To Sales Distribution Channel - A method for automating an onboarding process for a developer onto a service delivery hub operated by a network operator includes providing the developer with information relating to use of the service delivery hub, receiving data relating to the developer, approving the developer, certifying an application provided by the developer, and configuring the application for use. A method for synchronization with the service delivery hub is also provided. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225062 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR EFFICIENTLY RESPONDING TO ELECTRONIC REQUESTS FOR QUOTE - Embodiments of the components and processes for recording selected Web site data described herein adhere to long-term stability guidelines so as to improve maintainability and viability over time. Additionally, the data recording components can be placed within a software architecture to minimize the number of redundant data recording components. Furthermore, the data recording components can be tailored to specific data recording purposes. Additionally, the data recording components can be designed to take into account system performance issues and minimally impact system performance. Furthermore, the data recording components can be tailored to gather specific data useful for various analytical processes. Additionally, embodiments of the data recording components are relatively easy to implement and able to handle idiosyncrasies and changes of various Web sites in which they are placed. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225063 | Method for Processing Cash Payment for Online Purchases - A system and method for processing a cash payment for an online purchase is provided herein, including purchasing online from a payee at least one item of goods or services by a payer defining a transaction; generating a bill for an amount due to the payee by the payer for the item, the bill including a unique identifier for the transaction; paying for the bill in cash by the payer to a third party the amount due to the payee; confirming payer's payment in cash for the item to the payee; and delivering to the payee all or a portion of the amount due to the payee from the payer. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225064 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR USING UNIVERSALLY UNIQUE ITEM IDENTIFIERS - Methods and systems for facilitating commercial programs involving consumer products using universally unique item identifiers (UUIIs) include supplying pluralities of universally unique item identifiers to third parties that mat be affixed on a one-to-one basis to products or various other items, and replying to requests for information corresponding to the UUII or an item to which it is affixed. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225065 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROCESSING SINGLE SALE TRANSACTIONS INVOLVING ONE OR MORE PAYORS - A system for processing sales transactions may include a first computing device in communication with a buyer-operated computing device, and a computer-readable storage medium in communication with the first computing device. The computer-readable storage medium may include programming instructions for receiving an order including one or more of a commitment of a buyer to purchase an item, and a preferred share value associated with the buyer, receiving contact information associated with one or more third parties, receiving a fractional share value associated with each of the one or more third parties, and in response to a sum of the fractional share values associated with each third party and the preferred share value equaling the purchase price associated with the item, using the received contact information to send a message to each third party. Each message may include the fractional share associated with the third party. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225066 | WEB SERVICE FOR GENERATING PORTABLE MULTIMEDIA PRESENTATIONS - A software application executed at a user computer and/or server allows a user to select one or more multimedia files. The multimedia files may be provided at the user computer, sold at the server, or procured from a third party provider. The user can arrange the multimedia files into a presentation. A user can then specify a display device that will be used to present the multimedia presentation. The display device can be a television, portable media player, a computer, or other device. The system can translate the multimedia presentation into a format compatible with the device. Thus, the user is provided with a simple system to create multimedia presentation and receive the file in a format compatible with a device. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225067 | FRAUD PREVENTION USING CUSTOMER AND AGENT FACING DEVICES - A method of restricting the disbursement of funds in a money transfer, the method occurring at a money transfer system, the method comprising: receiving a money transfer request from a requester including information about a pending transaction between the requester and a provider; providing the money transfer request to a sender, the money transfer request informing the sender of the pending transaction and requesting that the sender provide funds for the pending transaction; receiving an acceptance from the sender to perform the money transfer, the acceptance restricting the use of the funds to pay for the pending transaction; and executing a money transfer from the sender to the provider such that the money is transferred without being accessible to the requester. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225068 | SHOPPING ASSISTANT - Various embodiments are disclosed herein that relate to the dynamic calculation and presentation of efficient travel routes for in-person shoppers. For example, an adaptive shopping server system is configured to generate, for display on a shopping client device, an efficient travel route to a location of one or more user-requested merchandise items, the efficient travel route being advantageously distinct relative to other potential travel routes in consideration of a route efficiency selection criterion received from the shopping client device. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225069 | Purchase and Delivery of Goods and Services, and Payment Gateway in An Augmented Reality-Enabled Distribution Network - The present invention relates to systems and methods for purchasing goods and services in an augmented reality-enabled distribution network. The system includes a server supporting the presentation of information within augmented reality of a plurality of participants. A communication network is included for facilitating the transfer of information from the server to devices of the plurality of participants. Also included is a purchase and delivery exchange that facilitates the sale of goods and services deliverable through augmented reality. In addition, a payment gateway facilitates the transfer of funds between a buyer and seller in association with a transaction conducted through the purchase and delivery exchange. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225070 | INVENTORY SALES SYSTEM AND METHOD - A computer system and method of facilitating a sale which permits inventory information to be used in connection with a technology enabled selling (TES) system to facilitate a sale. The inventory information may be used during configuration of an item to be sold to a customer in a manner which allows the sales representative to more easily sell items from inventory if desired. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225071 | INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS, INFORMATION DISPLAY APPARATUS, AND DISPLAY CONTROL METHOD - According to one embodiment, an information processing apparatus includes an input unit, a generating unit, and a transmitting unit. The input unit receives input of receipt time information of a commodity. The generating unit generates, according to the receipt time information input to the input unit, commodity information concerning the commodity including at least one of receipt date and time information and display date and time information of the commodity. The transmitting unit transmits the commodity information generated by the generating unit to an information display apparatus. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225072 | AUTOMATED UTILITY METERING SYSTEMS AND METHODS - Utility metering systems and methods are disclosed. An exemplary utility metering system can comprise a middleware system and a plurality of firmware systems. Each firmware system can be installed at a utility meter. A firmware system can maintain data related to an associated customer's utility services account. The firmware system can perform real time calculations to update the customer's account and balance as needed and can make decisions related to the customer's account, such as connection and disconnection of services, which can be implemented in real time. The middleware system can enable customers to interact with their respective utility meters, so that modifications made by the customers to their accounts can be transmitted to the applicable utility meters in real time. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225073 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PERFORMING WIRELESS CHARGING - A wireless charging method includes searching one or more rechargeable electronic devices, receiving power service information from one or more searched electronic devices, determining whether the one or more searched electronic devices are rechargeable based on the received power service information, and if the one or more searched electronic devices are rechargeable, receiving power from the electronic devices. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225074 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING INFORMATION AS A SERVICE VIA WEB SERVICES - Aspects are disclosed for providing information as a service via web services. Access to at least one application programming interface (API) database is facilitated and requests for a requested API are parsed. Here, such API requests facilitate a processing of data provided by at least one content provider. In an aspect, each request includes a key associated with a developer of the requested API and a unique identifier associated with a user of the requested API. A usage of the requested API is then tracked based on the key and/or unique identifier. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225075 | Field 55 Data Relationships - A data mining device, method, and apparatus configured to associate customer exclusive data from a payment card or device after a financial transaction. A financial transaction processing system comprises a report distribution management system, a data relationship manager, and a customer exclusive data association database. The report distribution management system receives financial transaction data. The data relationship manager determines an issuer associated with the financial transaction data, queries a subscription database for subscription data associated with the issuer and a core database for the issuer processing parameters. The processing parameters are applied to the financial transaction data and the subscription data. A customer exclusive data association database is updated with the financial transaction data once the processing parameters are applied. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225076 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DETECTING FRAUDULENT INTERNET MERCHANTS - Systems and methods for detecting fraudulent merchants using the content of orders completed by the merchants. A fraud detection engine of a fraud detection system generates a fraud detection model using feature data extracted from order content data for known fraudulent and known non-fraudulent merchants. The fraud detection engine executes the model using feature data extracted from order content data for a target merchant to determine a fraud risk associated with the target merchant. If the fraud risk of the merchant is indicative of a fraudulent merchant, the fraud detection system can issue a request to a fraud analyst to review the target merchant further. The results of the fraud analyst's review can be used to update the fraud detection model. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225077 | Activity Ranking - A system and method of ranking activities and/or services to offer to a customer is provided. In some examples, one or more products, activities or services of a financial institution may be ranked for a customer based on customer information. One or more of the ranked products, activities and services may be offered to the customer. The customer's acceptance or refusal of the offered activity may be stored and used in future rankings. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225078 | COMPUTER-AIDED PROCESS FOR INFLATION-IMMUNIZED DERIVATIVES - System and method of making and using, products produced by the method, articles, and necessary intermediates of the foregoing as regards controlling a computer system in computing directed to inflation-immunized derivatives. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225079 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PERSONALIZED EDUCATION - The present invention is directed to methods and systems for producing educational material on a specific topic of interest. More specifically, the invention relates to an automated platform for providing specific financial information, through a graphic user interface, responsive to an end user's query. The invention is operative to generate financial wellness assessments and education plans personalized for individuals. The invention also includes systems and methods for aggregating and analyzing responses of a plurality of associated users to generate financial wellness assessment reports for associations (e.g., employers). Associations using this aggregated and analyzed data are therefore able to design an effective and impactful financial education program for their members. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225080 | TEST TRADING - Disclosed are systems and methods for placing and processing test orders and real orders. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225081 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CANCELING ORDERS FOR FINANCIAL ARTICLES OF TRADES - Market data is monitored for purposes of canceling orders for financial articles of trade. Real-time data is collected from multiple liquidity destinations trading at least one financial article of trade. The real-time data comprises disparate data corresponding to associated liquidity destinations. The collected real-time data is normalized into a standardized form. A condition is defined of a trading market that includes one or both of submitted and executed transactions of financial articles of trade over the multiple liquidity destinations. The condition is associated with an entity. Through monitoring of the normalized real-time data, an event is identified in the trading market that matches the condition. Upon identification of the condition, at least one communication session between the entity and a corresponding liquidity destination is terminated causing a process at the corresponding liquidity destination to cancel pending or outstanding orders for financial articles of trades from the entity. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225082 | SYSTEM FOR IMPLEMENTING AUTOMATED OPEN MARKED AUCTIONING OF LEADS - In an automated leads-and-bids exchange system, bid profiles are defined to describe desires of lead buyers. Received leads are matched to active ones of the bid profiles whose specifications the leads substantially match. An auctioning subsystem finds the highest one or group of bids for each given lead. A quality rating database rates the quality of leads provided by different sellers. A price discounting engine discounts the amount paid to sellers who are rated as inferior sources of leads. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225083 | METHOD AND INTERFACE FOR PRESENTING LAST TRADED QUANTITY INFORMATION - Trading software may receive trading information from an exchange. The trading software may use the trading information to compute an estimate of last traded total sweep quantity. The trading software may also display the last traded total sweep quantity on a trading screen. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225084 | Method for customer selectable overdraft avoidance - A method for providing a bank customer facing an impending overdraft with options for directing the bank as to which transactions to pay and in what order to pay them. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225085 | INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS, INFORMATION PROCESSING METHOD, AND PROGRAM PRODUCT - Aspects of the invention relate to creating virtual data of an effective obligor number N based on setting information, determining ratings after transition of the virtual data for a plurality of scenarios according to rating transition data representing transition of each rating, calculating a risk amount for each of the scenarios based on the rating after transition of the virtual data and specifying a risk amount corresponding to a confidence level as a predicted risk amount of the virtual data, setting a minimum effective obligor number N among the effective obligor numbers N when predicted risk amounts smaller than an allowable risk amount are specified, as a diversification object number, and calculating a credit limit based on the set diversification object number and a total credit. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225086 | CREDIT PROVISION SYSTEM AND METHOD - A system and method for providing credit to a subscriber, including a plurality of networks, each of said networks supporting a plurality of subscribers; a central settlement facility coupled to each network within the plurality of networks, said central settlement facility maintaining a plurality of subscriber accounts and wherein the central settlement facility is adapted, on receipt of a request for credit from a subscriber, to convert the request for credit to an intermediate value; obtain credit from a credit provider with said intermediate value; credit an account held by the subscriber on the settlement facility with an amount equivalent to the request for credit; and advise the subscriber of the approval of the request for credit is disclosed. The system is further configured for the provision of airtime to a subscriber. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225087 | Method of and apparatus for forecasting cash demand and load schedules for money dispensers - A method of and apparatus for forecasting cash demand for an automated teller machine (ATM) or any other cash dispensing devices for individual days, weeks and multi-day load periods. In one embodiment, an expected value of withdrawal for any particular period, as well as an upper limit on expected withdrawals for a given confidence level, are computed. The invention facilitates the creation of a daily and multi-day withdrawal forecast for a given ATM. The forecasts are also used to compute an optimum load amount for a given load period (the period between loading operations) for a given ATM, subject to given parameters (such as courier cost, interest rate, transit time, desired confidence level, cost of run-out, and the like) and given constraints (bundle size, maximum capacity, possible delivery days, and the like). The forecasts are also used to determine an optimal load period length and schedule. After the ATM is loaded, the system monitors cash in the ATM during a load period to facilitate potential corrective action if actual withdrawals exceed forecasted withdrawals or, in the alternative, if the ATM will contain excessive funds on its upcoming regularly scheduled load date, e.g., due to much lower withdrawals than expected or due to the ATM becoming unavailable for a given portion of the load period. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225088 | RECEIVER-BASED FUNDS TRANSFER - Methods, systems, and devices are described for a receiver-initiated funds transfer. A prospective receiver of a funds transfer may identify a funds transfer amount and provide a sender identifier, to thereby initiate and request the funds transfer. Authorization for the funds transfer may be received from a sender corresponding to the sender identifier. Funds associated with the funds transfer and sourced from the sender may be received. The funds transfer may be made in response the receiver-initiated request. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225089 | SYSTEM AND METHOD INCLUDING SECURITY PARAMETERS USED FOR GENERATION OF VERIFICATION VALUE - Systems and methods for generating a dynamic verification value for electronic payment transactions are disclosed. The dynamic verification value is generated via a function-based algorithm that accepts a plurality of security values as input. By selecting a set of security values from the plurality of the available security values, the level of complexity and security of the dynamic verification value can be adjusted and a unique security characteristic for the dynamic verification value is obtained. Also, the issuers of portable consumer devices are able to regenerate the dynamic verification value by inputting an issuer secret phrase into the same type of function-based algorithm that was used originally to generate the dynamic verification value. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225090 | SYSTEM AND METHOD INCLUDING CUSTOMIZED LINKAGE RULES IN PAYMENT TRANSACTIONS - Systems and methods for generating a dynamic verification value for electronic payment transactions are disclosed. A user of a portable consumer device enrolls the account identifier associated with the portable consumer device and specifies one or more customized linkage rules that identify one or more user communication devices and user identifiers that should be used to submit an authentication request message to an entity that generates a dynamic verification value. A server computer that receives an authentication request message determines whether the authentication request message complies with the specified customized linkage rules and generates a dynamic verification value. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225091 | METHODS, SYSTEMS, AND COMPUTER READABLE MEDIA FOR TRANSACTIONAL FRAUD DETECTION USING WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORK MOBILITY MANAGEMENT INFORMATION - Methods, systems, and computer readable media for detecting transactional fraud can involve, for a transaction associated with a first transaction location and account holder, receiving a request for mobile location information associated with the account holder. Mobile location information associated with the account holder may then be obtained, wherein the mobile location information is derived from mobility management signaling messages or other data associated with a mobile communication device used by the account holder. The mobile location information associated with the account holder can then be provided to the requestor. The mobile location information may be compared against the first transaction location to determine, at least in part, whether the transaction is fraudulent. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225092 | Secure Transaction Execution - A method and system for executing a transaction is described. A payment obligation for a transaction is issued including a transaction value and details of goods and/or services to be provided by a seller following the transaction. An acceptance of the payment obligation is received from the buyer. A determination may be made regarding whether there is sufficient insured credit issued by an insurer for the buyer to cover the transaction value. A funder may be instructed to pay seller funds covering the transaction value following the buyer's acceptance of the payment obligation. A payment to reimburse the funder such that the transaction is executed may be received from the buyer. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225093 | Depository-Based Security Trading System - A system for protecting individuals (including institutions) involved in securities transactions has been created that utilizes an “independent” depository as an intermediary between a security owner and a brokerage firm. The inclusion of a depository is considered to protect the security owner from untoward actions on the part of the brokerage firm. The depository is used to “hold” the securities behalf of the owner. The security owners and brokerage firms must be registered with the depository and maintain accounts with the depository. All transactions involving the securities are still performed by the broker, but the requests are transmitted from the security owner to the depository, and the depository then relays messages regarding the transactions to the broker. Thus, the securities are only in the possession of the broker on a transaction-by-transaction basis. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225094 | SYSTEM AND METHOD INCLUDING DYNAMIC VERIFICATION VALUE - System and methods for generating a dynamic verification value for electronic payment transactions are disclosed. An account identifier and an account attribute associated with an account of a user are received at a server computer. A dynamic account attribute is created and concatenated with the account identifier. The concatenated account identifier and the dynamic account attribute are then used to generate a dynamic verification value. The dynamic verification value and the dynamic account attribute are then sent to a user communication device and used for authentication in a payment transaction. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225095 | SYSTEM AND METHOD TO DEFINE, VISUALIZE AND MANAGE A COMPOSITE SERVICE GROUP IN A HIGH-AVAILABILITY DISASTER RECOVERY ENVIRONMENT - A method for defining and managing a composite service group for a cluster based computer system is disclosed. The method includes instantiating a plurality of application units on a cluster based computer system, wherein the application units implement a business service. The method further includes receiving a composite service group definition, wherein a composite service group enumerates application units, out of the plurality of application units, that implement the business service, and generating a consolidated status of the composite service group. The business service is then started (online)/stopped (offline)/migrated/failed-over/failed-back in accordance with the consolidated status, as a single unit, by using the composite service group. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225096 | Method And System For Providing Diagnostic Feedback Based On Diagnostic Data - A system and method for providing diagnostic feedback based on vehicle diagnostic data is disclosed. According to one embodiment, vehicle data is received from a communication device connected to a motor vehicle. The vehicle data comprises a vehicle identifier and diagnostic data. The diagnostic data is analyzed based on the vehicle identifier. A list of diagnoses is generated based on the analysis. Diagnostic feedback corresponding to the list of diagnoses is transmitted to the communication device. According to one embodiment, the diagnostic feedback is service pricing comprising a list of parts and estimated labor corresponding to the list of diagnoses. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225097 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR VALUATION OF A RESOURCE - A computer-implemented method of valuing a resource using a computer comprising a processor and a memory storing processor readable instructions, the method comprising: storing in the memory a model representing a relationship between the economic value of the resource, a rate of extraction of the resource and a parameter indicative of a property of the resource; processing, by the processor, the model to generate an economic value of the resource, the model; wherein the model stored in the memory and processed by the processor represents variation of the property of the resource with respect to a parameter based upon a quantity of the resource. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225098 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS USED IN THE OPERATON OF A RECYCLING ENTERPRISE - A system and computer program product for communicating with a recycling user during recycling activities of a recycling vehicle, including: receiving recycling user information, associated with a recycling user via a web-based user interface, having a street address, contact information, a reward point total and recycling data associated with the recycling user; associating a unique identifier with the recycling user; periodically storing and updating the recycling user information in an account identified by the unique identifier in the database; converting the street address into a recycling user geographic coordinate; periodically receiving a recycling vehicle geographic coordinate associated with the real-time location of a recycling vehicle via a wireless network; comparing the received recycling vehicle geographic coordinate with the recycling user geographic coordinate and determining whether the received recycling vehicle geographic coordinate associated with the recycling user geographic coordinate are within a predefined geographic distance of each other; retrieving the account of the recyclable user within the determined predefined geographic distance; and transmitting an electronic communication over a network to an electronic address identified by the contact information associated with the account of the recyclable user. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225099 | PROPERTY TRANSACTION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM - There is provided a method for managing property transactions, the method comprising: providing to each user a reserved space for collecting and classifying information relating to a plurality of properties offered for sale, the reserved space including a public space containing information accessible by other users and a private space containing information inaccessible by other users; receiving documents from each user and automatically classifying them according to a pre-determined classification system; automatically transferring documents for registration to governing bodies and completing administrative formalities using information provided in documents received; temporarily linking listings in public spaces for a buying agent and selling agent during the course of a transaction, from receipt of a purchase offer to final rejection or conclusion of the transaction; managing access to the public and private space of a user and transfer of information to another party from a remote location; and recording deadlines from the documents received and automatically notifying users of impending deadlines in accordance with predefined user preferences. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225100 | SYSTEM, METHOD AND INTERFACE DISPLAY FOR VERIFYING AND MANAGING DISTRIBUTION AND SALES OF MEDICINE - A system, method and graphical user interface display for validating, monitoring and otherwise reviewing the sales and distribution of medicines, to reduce the instances of counterfeit medicines. A pharmaceutical company provides medicines to users, either directly or through representatives for the pharmaceutical company. The products have associated identifying codes that are used to track the sales of the products. The system provides verifications of the medicines, as well as statistical analysis of the sales and distribution. The verifications and comparisons of the distribution and sales of the medicines can be reviewed by the user or on a dashboard user interface. The system further allows pharmaceutical companies provided the medicines to provide response messages to users. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225101 | Authentication and Tracking System - A subset of unique codes are generated from a set of codes. The subset of codes are stored in a database on a secure server and each of the codes is marked on a corresponding instantiation of the product. The marked instantiations are distributed. During their distribution, the marked instantiations are verified for authenticity and for routing. This verification is performed by reading or scanning the codes on the instantiations, and transmitting that information to the secure server for comparison against the codes and other information located in the database contained therein. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225102 | SYSTEM AND METHOD OF SELECTING A RELEVANT USER FOR INTRODUCTION TO A USER IN AN ONLINE ENVIRONMENT - Systems and methods of selecting a relevant user for introduction to a user in an online environment are disclosed. In one aspect, embodiments of the present disclosure include a method, which may be implemented on a system, of receiving a request to identify the relevant user to be introduced to the participating user in the social network, identifying a set of social history records that occurred among the multiple users in the social network, selecting, from the multiple users, the relevant user to be introduced to the participating user using the set of social history records. The relevant user that is selected is not a social connection of the participating user in the social network. One embodiment includes, determining whether the participating user is interested in meeting the relevant user in the social network based on an indication made by the participating user via interaction with the user device. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225103 | EFFICIENCY OF COMPUTER MODELING AND ANALYSIS OF COMPLEX PROCESSES - A system and method for constructing and analyzing a graphical representation of a complex process comprises steps and means for receiving input of content related to the complex process; processing said input to identify entities and actions instrumental in the execution of the complex process; constructing a graphical representation of the process as a network comprising first nodes, representing decision points, second nodes representing primary stakeholders and actions providing direct input to decision making points, and leaves representing secondary stakeholders providing indirect input to decision making points; and applying at least one analytic approach for evaluating the decision points of the graphical representation of the process. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225104 | Predicting the Cost Associated with Translating Textual Content - A prediction of the cost associated with translating textual content in a source language can be determined. A first quantity estimation of first textual content may be determined. The first textual content is to be translated via human translation. A second quantity estimation of second textual content may also be determined. The second textual content is to be translated via machine translation. An indication of a target language is obtained, wherein the source language and the target language form a language pair. The prediction of the cost associated with translating the first textual content and the second textual content from the source language to the target language is then determined. The prediction is based at least in part on the first quantity estimation, the second quantity estimation, and the language pair. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225105 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MONITORING AN ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEM FOR A VEHICLE FOR TRIP PLANNING - One or more embodiments may include a trip planning system for planning a trip based on the charge of an electric vehicle battery. The trip planning system may include one or more computers located remotely from an electric vehicle which may have one or more battery packs for powering the electric vehicle. The computer(s) may be configured to receive geographic parameters defining a trip and a battery charge status of the one or more electric vehicle battery packs. The computer(s) may be further configured to determine that the trip cannot be completed based on the battery charge status. The computer(s) may additionally be configured to present a battery charge requirement for completing the trip. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225106 | PERSONAL CONTAINER REFILL MARKETING SYSTEM - The present invention is a marketing and distribution method for introducing and maintaining refillable containers for personal care products such as cosmetics, creams, lotions, and sprays. The refillable container is refilled at local refill stations at stores, kiosks, vending machines, and the like, to eliminate the need for new packaging with each purchase. The method is designed to reduce waste and costs associated with product packaging by using refillable containers to dispense personal care products. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225107 | SEMANTICS UPDATE AND ADAPTIVE INTERFACES IN CONNECTION WITH INFORMATION AS A SERVICE - Additional semantic information that describes data sets is inferred in response to a request for data from the data sets, e.g., in response to a query over the data sets, including analyzing a subset of results extracted based on the request for data to determine the additional semantic information. The additional semantic information can be verified by the publisher as correct, or satisfy correctness probabilistically. Mapping information based on the additional semantic information can be maintained and updated as the system learns additional semantic information (e.g., information about what a given column represents and data types represented), and the form of future data requests (e.g., URL based queries) can be updated to more closely correspond to the updated additional semantic information. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225108 | TEMPORAL MEMORY USING SPARSE DISTRIBUTED REPRESENTATION - A processing node in a temporal memory system includes a spatial pooler and a sequence processor. The spatial pooler generates a spatial pooler signal representing similarity between received spatial patterns in an input signal and stored co-occurrence patterns. The spatial pooler signal is represented by a combination of elements that are active or inactive. Each co-occurrence pattern is mapped to different subsets of elements of an input signal. The spatial pooler signal is fed to a sequence processor receiving and processed to learn, recognize and predict temporal sequences in the input signal. The sequence processor includes one or more columns, each column including one or more cells. A subset of columns may be selected by the spatial pooler signal, causing one or more cells in these columns to activate. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225109 | Hardware acceleration of DNA codeword searching and fitness determination - An apparatus for a hybrid architecture that consists of a general purpose microprocessor and a hardware accelerator for accelerating the discovery of DNA reverse complement, edit distance codes. Two embodiments are implemented and evaluated, including a code generator that uses a genetic algorithm (GA) to produce nearly locally optimal codes in a few minutes, and a code extender that uses exhaustive search to produce locally optimum codes in about 1.5 hours for the case of length 16 codes. Experimental results demonstrate that the GA embodiment can find ˜99% of the words in locally optimum libraries, and that the hybrid architecture embodiment provides more than 1000 times speed-up compared to a software only implementation. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225110 | Software control of hardware accelerated DNA codeword searching - An apparatus for a hybrid architecture that consists of a general purpose microprocessor and a hardware accelerator for accelerating the discovery of DNA reverse complement, edit distance codes. Two embodiments are implemented and evaluated, including a code generator that uses a genetic algorithm (GA) to produce nearly locally optimal codes in a few minutes, and a code extender that uses exhaustive search to produce locally optimum codes in about 1.5 hours for the case of length 16 codes. Experimental results demonstrate that the GA embodiment can find ˜99% of the words in locally optimum libraries, and that the hybrid architecture embodiment provides more than 1000 times speed-up compared to a software only implementation. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225111 | USE OF GENERAL BAYESIAN NETWORKS IN OILFIELD OPERATIONS - Embodiments of the present invention provide methods of using General Bayesian Networks to automate oilfield operations. In certain aspects, a Monte-Carlo method is used to propagate probability density functions for root-variables to continuous-valued hidden variables reflecting some oilfield operation properties. Evidence in the form of observed properties are used to weight samples used in the Monte-Carlo process thereby propagating the observed values onto other variables. The inferred probability distributions are provided to an oilfield control system or monitoring system. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225112 | Multifunctional Neural Network System and Uses Thereof - A multifunctional neural network system for prediction which includes memory components to store previous values of data within a network. The memory components provide the system with the ability to learn relationships/patterns existent in the data over time. | 2011-09-15 |
20110225113 | DIVERSE MESSAGE SYNCHRONIZATION - Various exemplary embodiments relate to a method and related network node and machine-readable storage medium relating to the receipt, association, and synchronization of a plurality of messages from diverse sources. Various embodiments relate to a Policy Charging and Rules Node (PCRN) receiving related messages from at least two sources and acquiring a lock associated with the received message's session binding identifier (SBI). The PCRN may use the lock to prioritize the processing of the related requests that share a common SBI. Various embodiments relate to the PCRN rejecting subsequent related requests unless the subsequent request is of a higher priority. Various other embodiments relate to the PCRN waiting for the receipt of the subsequent request before fully processing the first request. | 2011-09-15 |