52nd week of 2008 patent applcation highlights part 61 |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20080319798 | PERSONALIZED MEDICAL INFORMATION CARD AND METHOD FOR MANAGING SAME - A method for managing an individual's personal medical information includes creating an online medical information record which contains the individual's stored personal medical information, providing the individual with a physical credit card sized card which includes the individual's key medical information from the individual's online medical information record that would be most needed in times of medical emergency and directions for accessing the individual's online medical information record, enabling the individual to update his or her online medical information record with the individual's most recent medical information; and enabling the individual and others to view a read only version of the individual's online medical information record. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319799 | System and method for storing medical data - A method for uploading of a user's medical data to a portable device includes receiving a request for storage of medical data to a portable device and collecting medical data from a plurality of sources. The data is converted to a uniform format for storage on the portable device. At least one user input is received relating to the organization of the medical data into at least one first emergency layer of data representing a first category of information and at least one second secured layer of data representing a second category of information, where the first and second layers of data are an organized medical data. A communication to the user is generated for uploading their organized medical data to the portable device. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319800 | Method for the construction and utilization of a medical records system - A method for the construction and utilization of a medical records system capable of providing a continuous data stream of epidemiological data to the records system via kits provided to the symptomatic population to obtain and record an epidemiological profile in a searchable database by applying data mining or automated intelligence techniques whereby, when a valid epidemiological profile is established in the database, automated diagnosis and prescription of treatment may be had for patients presenting similar symptoms. Knowledge discovery techniques may further operate on the database to provide suggested courses of treatment for a virtual class of patients, epidemic threat awareness, and knowledge of drug resistance mutations by a pathogen without direct query of the database. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319801 | Warranted Retail Transaction - A method of providing a warranty coupled with an identity verification system having the steps of verifying the identity of a party, and, if the identity is fraudulent despite the verification, reimbursing the user of the identity verification system for losses due to the fraud. The warranty may also cover other costs and fees associated with the fraud. The warranty may be provided as part of an identity verification system, or identity verification may be a prerequisite for coverage under the warranty. The warranty may be insured to help distribute costs. There may be exceptions, limitations, and deductibles associated with coverage under the warranty. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319802 | LONG TERM CARE UNDERWRITING SYSTEM AND METHOD - A system and method for analyzing risk for underwriting insurance is provided. The method may comprise: inputting data regarding at least one applicant for insurance, wherein at least one item of data relates to a first category and at least one item of data relates to a second category; assigning a numerical risk factor to at least one item of data; generating a first numerical risk score for the first category; generating a second numerical risk score for the second category; generating a composite risk score based on at least the first numerical risk score and the second numerical risk score; assigning a composite risk score to at least one applicant for insurance; wherein the first category comprises medical conditions or severities of medical conditions and the second category comprises negative medical condition interactions. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319803 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR BOOKING TRAVEL PRODUCTS ONLINE ON THE BASIS OF UP-TO-DATE AVAILABILITY DATA DISPLAYED ON A MAP-BASED CLIENT INTERFACE - A method for booking or checking or saving travel products from a travel service provider operating over a network and having at least one server running a travel application delivering map-based interface web pages to at least one client applications, the method, includes:
| 2008-12-25 |
20080319804 | System and method of global electronic market of educational services in the Internet - A system and a method of global electronic market of educational services in the Internet are provided. The method of operating a global electronic market of educational services for consumers of educational services and educational establishments via the Internet includes registering the consumers of educational services and the educational establishments; providing information regarding offers of the consumers of educational services and the educational establishments to the registered consumers of educational services and educational establishments accordingly; selecting partners in the market of educational services based on the provided information; holding competitions for student's vacancies; conducting contracts between consumers of educational services and educational establishments; providing additional services of the system of global electronic market of educational services. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319805 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR VALIDATING OPEN BASIS RESERVATION AT LODGING - A method of doing business, and related system, for a pre-reservation on an open basis, namely for a guaranteed room on a future unspecified date or future unspecified dates at lodging, which belongs to a group of pre-selected lodgings in a designated geographic area, where the open basis reservation can be converted to a guaranteed room on a specified date or dates. The method and system are useful in one or both of a disaster/emergency or absence of a disaster/emergency. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319806 | Mealtime commerce and publishing in a geo-spatial environment - A method, apparatus and system of mealtime commerce and publishing in a geo-spatial environment are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method includes generating a community network of user profiles, each user profile of the user profiles associated with a specific geographic location, generating meal events, each meal event of the meal events associated with a user profile of the user profiles, associating a first user with a first user profile, generating a first display view to include a three dimensional map view embodied by the community network and representation of a meal event associated with a second user profile of the user profiles represented at a location in the three dimensional map view associated with the specific geographic location of the second user profile of the user profiles, and simultaneously representing other user profiles adjacent to the second user profile in the three dimensional map view. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319807 | Management of Room Cleaning - Systems for management of room cleaning at an accommodation facility such as a hotel. The system records variables related to the occupancy of rooms at the facility and/or operational characteristics of the facility. Daily cleaning times are determined for rooms in accord with the variables. Daily cleaning plans are then determined for the facility in accord with the cleaning times. Cleaning staff carry out the plan and report their progress using conventional means such as the local telephone system or wireless PDAs. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319808 | Travel Monitoring - A Corporate Travel Management & Cost Consolidation system where each member of the Corporation's Travel Management Team, Corporate Executives and each Corporate Traveler uses a single terminal to view, and analyze Travel and Credit Card information from and to conduct travel and card transactions with two or more GDS, Travel Agency and by Credit Card Companies or other comparable ATDSs, alone or in combination with one or more types of electronic travel and card data. Travel and Credit Card information and processes the transactions are placed into a single integrated format. TravelMaster aggregates travel-booking information from each and every GDS, Travel Agency, and Credit Card Company or other vendors utilized by the corporation, including security, PNR identification, and pricing information. Booked travel and ask prices from participating GDS, Travel Agency, and Credit Card Companies may be integrated into the display. The combined information is displayed to a customer with standard views then sorted by price, volume, and other available attributes as desired by the customer. Each client is forwarded travel and card booking and payment information from only those GDSs, Travel Agencies, and Credit Card Companies that the customer is contracted with and thus entitled to receive. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319809 | SYSTEM AND METHOD OF MAINTAINING CONTRACTS IN BUSINESS PROCESS MANAGEMENT - A system and method for establishing and maintaining a contract between a business process model and a monitoring module corresponding to a portion of the business process model is disclosed. In the modeling task, a contract is established and associated with an event in the business process flow. The contract specifies a relationship between the event within the business process model and a monitoring module that is configured to monitor the event. Therefore, if changes are made to the event or process, a user will be warned that the changes may affect an existing monitoring module that exists to monitor this process. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319810 | METHODS AND SYSTEM FOR COLLECTING, STORING AND DISTRIBUTING INFORMATION RELATING TO GOODS AND/OR SERVICES - Presented are methods and systems for collecting, storing and distributing information relating to goods and/or services, and in particular, information relating to the environmental impact of goods and/or services at respective points in a lifecycle of the good and/or service. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319811 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MODELING AN ASSET-BASED BUSINESS - A system for modeling a plurality of assets in a business, the system comprising a database having one or more asset data structures each for storing data representing an asset of the business, the asset having an ascertainable productive output with forecastable market value; and the data structure having one or more attribute values corresponding to the financial and non-financial productive outputs, inputs, and associated impacts of the asset over a time period which relates to the useful productive life of the asset. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319812 | SUSTAINABLE DESIGN DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEM - A software application providing system and methods for using Web Services to connect an Analysis calculator, a Recommendations engine, Social Networking, and Knowledge Management technologies in a platform for operationalizing sustainability into Product Life Cycle Management (e.g., conception, design, manufacture, service, end-of-life disposition) and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) (including enterprise-wide activities of manufacturing, supply change management, financials, human resources, customer relationship management, and external stakeholder engagement). A Web Service Framework integrates Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) software technology with product design, manufacturing, and distribution process design tools. A logic layer can perform sustainability estimates within a Knowledge Management System. A Web Service Framework is utilized for constructing or entering LCA models, methodologies and source data. A social software-based participation environment is integrated with sustainable product design and LCA tools and processes. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319813 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR COLLABORATIVE PROCESS MODELING - The present disclosure provides methods and apparatuses for collaborative process modeling. Using the methods and apparatus herein, users can utilize a plurality of modeling canvases with a plurality of functionality levels during business process design. Additionally, a plurality of users can work collaboratively on a single business process design. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319814 | Quality Control Inspection and Maintenance Result Reporting System - A quality control (QC) inspection and maintenance result reporting system includes a web server, and an inspection database. The web server has various selection and analysis webpages built therein, and the inspection database has quantity analysis reports, production analysis reports, inspection result reports, QC personnel data, unqualified data and photographs for each type of product, and analysis reports for the rates of unqualified and qualified products stored therein. The registrar can be connected with the web server through the Internet. The web server can determine the registrar's privilege, according to the registering account and password, can display webpages for the registrar to select conditional options, according to the registrar's privilege, and can retrieve the requested reports from the inspection database for the registrar to view, according the selection made by the registrar, so that the registrar can know of QC inspection and maintenance results and the relevant QC personnel data in real time. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319815 | COMPUTER-IMPLEMENTED METHOD, SYSTEM, AND PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR CONDUCTING A TRADE-OFF STUDY - A method, system, and program product for conducting a trade-off study are described. Under aspects of the present invention, a mapping of logical model to a physical model for a product that is a subject of the trade-off study is provided. Based on the mapping, component(s) for a configuration of the product will be selected from a semantic component library, which is a resource that identifies available components and possible connections there between. For each component selected, an instance will be generated and then graphically connected to other instances. Parameters can then be designated for the connected instances. Once the configuration has been built in this manner, it can be evaluated and revised as needed. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319816 | ENTERPRISE SERVICE DELIVERY TECHNICAL ARCHITECTURE - An Enterprise Service Delivery Technical Architecture includes a Technical Model, and a Technical Delivery Framework, and is designed to facilitate the development of complete enterprise service management solutions. The use of the Enterprise Service Delivery Technical Architecture as the framework for an enterprise systems management technical solution results in solution designs created to be independent of the technology platform being managed with a view that meets the overall business requirements that span the technology platforms within a business environment. An information technology infrastructure already in place for a customer is analyzed and broken down to its very lowest level building blocks. Then the building blocks within the model of the technical architecture are mapped with the building blocks of the customer's information technology infrastructure to determine which of the building blocks of the model are to be used for the customer's information technology operation. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319817 | Method and System for Monitoring a Vehicle - A method for monitoring a vehicle includes detecting movement or activation of the vehicle, transmitting a signal indicating movement or activation of the vehicle, to a control center, transmitting any received operator identification information to the control center, and determining whether an operator identification was received within a time interval of the detected movement or activation of the vehicle. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319818 | MULTIMEDIA CALENDAR - A method for creating events for use by an electronic calendar application. A computer device running a calendar application displays a GUI having a representation of a calendar. A first widget on the GUI initiates a software routine for defining an event. The routine generates an interface window having a plurality of event detail widgets which allow the user to interactively define details of the event. Once the details are entered, the event is saved as a multimedia object, and the multimedia object is placed onto the calendar representation. Further, details of the event may include additional multimedia content. Also, the calendar representation itself may include multimedia content. The event may be defined with an approximate time frame rather than a specific time frame. For example, an event may be linked to another event rather than to a specific time frame. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319819 | ADJUSTING A PRICING PLAN OF RECORD - The present invention provides a method and system for adjusting a pricing plan. The method may include receiving a baseline and performing a feedback loop method. The feedback loop method may comprise analyzing the pricing plan to see if the pricing plan may include pricing figures that, when applied to units for sale, are projected to yield results conforming to at least one objective of the entity plan, setting the pricing figures so that the pricing figures, when applied to units for sale, are projected to yield the results. The method may further comprise receiving the entity plan, an adjustable parameter, an adjustable attribute, an adjustable rule, and data considered in analysis. The method may comprise repeating the feedback loop method. Further, a second logical flow may branch out of the feedback loop method and may operate substantially in parallel to the flow of the feedback loop. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319820 | MOVE LOT SIZE BALANCING SYSTEM AND METHOD - A method and system for allowing a vehicle dealer and manufacturer to match dealer orders and manufacturing plant shipments easily and equitably are disclosed. The method significantly decreases processing time, saving valuable time, money, and manpower resources. An automated linear expression calculation for determining and balancing vehicle allocation allows for equitable balancing of manufacturing plant orders and efficient optimization. The linear expression calculation may be performed in an iterative series of steps. The linear expression calculation handles a plurality of attribute features, thereby accommodating a plurality of dealer requests and vehicle options. The linear expression calculation creates a matrix representing the plurality of attribute features, and with each iteration the values within the matrix are refined and optimized, with the resulting matrix representing an optimized and balanced allocation of manufacturing plant production orders among a plurality of manufacturing plants. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319821 | Method for optimizing a maintenance program - The present invention discloses a method and a computer program for optimizing the implementation of a maintenance program for maintenance units. In the method of the invention, an estimated duration is determined for each maintenance module, a periodic working capacity is determined for each serviceman carrying out maintenance programs and location data is determined for each maintenance unit. Further the invention comprises optimizing the maintenance work comprised in the maintenance modules for each serviceman in such manner that the unbalance between the working capacity of the serviceman and the amount of maintenance work required by the maintenance units belonging to the maintenance domain attended to by the serviceman is minimized and the required traveling from a maintenance unit to another is minimized, so that the number of maintenance modules located in the vicinity of each maintenance module is maximized. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319822 | Method and system for creating and trading schedules - Systems and methods are provided to facilitate employees in accurately specifying and weighting preferences in the form of a bid to be used in a preferential bidding system (“PBS”) at the time schedules are created and shifts are assigned and to facilitate creating shift trade requests after schedules are created and shifts are assigned. The systems and methods present a sequence of questions to determine relative importance and weighting of criteria specified as preferences for a schedule bid and then provide a read back explaining how PBS will interpret the criteria and weighting at schedule creation. Systems and methods are also provided to display visual representation of shifts. The visual representation includes a horizontal bar that serves as a timeline. The height and/or the color of segments of the bar are changed to depict active and inactive periods of work. Systems and methods are also provide to filter, on the fly, a listing of shifts as criteria are specified as a preference for a schedule bid or as a filter criteria to identify desirable shift trades. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319823 | Communication connectivity via context association, advertising sponsorship, and multiple contact databases - Communication connectivity via context association is provided by associating targeted subscriber contact information with a key at a subscriber database. At a data center, the keys are associated with unique characteristics or aliases (contexts) of the subscribers, thereby facilitating context searching. A caller initiates a connection to a subscriber by providing a subscriber's context. The context is located and associated key identified. The key is resolved in the subscriber database, and the call routed. Use of the key allows subscriber connectivity without revealing, to the caller or to the data center, sensitive contact information. Through a caller database, call initiation occurs by subscriber alias identification in a caller's communication device; thereby foregoing inclusion of sensitive contact information within the caller's communication device. Communication connectivity can be advertiser sponsored, with advertisements accompanying messages selected by matching profile information of targeted subscribers with participating advertiser provided profile information of desired targeted subscribers. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319824 | MARKET-BASED CONTINUOUS QUALITY FUNCTION DEPLOYMENT TOOL AND METHOD OF USE - Certain embodiments of the present invention provide methods and system for gathering feedback regarding clinical software features and/or functionality in a virtual market model. Certain embodiments include allowing one or more authorized users to submit one or more clinical software items for trading in a virtual market; facilitating trading of the one or more clinical software items by one or more authorized users via the virtual market; and generating feedback regarding the one or more clinical software items based on trading data. Certain embodiments include a virtual market facilitating trading of one or more clinical software items by one or more users and a user interface allowing a user to submit one or more software items for trading via the virtual market and allowing a user to trade shares of one or more clinical software items to indicate an opinion regarding one or more clinical software items. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319825 | VIRTUAL MARKETS FOR SELECTING ANSWERS TO OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS - A virtual market system is used to rank-order answers to an open-ended question. A virtual market on which participants can trade securities representing answers to the open-ended question is used to gather information from the participants regarding each answer. Additional securities representing additional answers to the question may be added during the trading period, allowing for the answers to the question to evolve over the operation of the market. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319826 | VIRTUAL MARKETS FOR SELECTING ANSWERS TO OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS - A virtual market system is used to rank-order answers to an open-ended question. A virtual market on which participants can trade securities representing answers to the open-ended question is used to gather information from the participants regarding each answer. Answers to be traded on the market may be provided by the participants, allowing for opinions to be expressed not only as to the relative worth of the securities on the market, but also as to which securities should be on the market. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319827 | MINING IMPLICIT BEHAVIOR - The claimed subject matter relates to an architecture that can monitor transactions between a content consumer and a user-interface that provides the content. The architecture can also monitor environment variables that relate to a content consumption environment. From one or both of these potential sources, the architecture can identify implicit behavior on the part of the content consumer that relates to the consumption of the content. The implicit behavior can be employed to determine or infer effects of the consumed content, which can supplement, enhance, or replace conventional explicit consumer feedback. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319828 | System for Transmitting Syndicated Programs over the Internet - A system and method are provided for exposing Internet users to advertisements together with the distribution of media content in a manner which is germane to conventional syndicated broadcast agreements. The system includes a processor coupled to a memory device. The system further includes software means operable on the processor and memory device. The software means is operable on the processor for obtaining a user specific set of data prior to distributing a media package. The software means is operable for selecting a number of advertisements from a data bank containing a plurality of advertisements based on the user specific set of data. The software means is operable for combining the selected number of advertisements with a requested set of media content to form the media package. The software means is further operable for distributing the media package. In this manner a regional broadcasting station can preserve its investment in purchasing national syndicate broadcast rights by ensuring regional advertisers a penetration of their advertisements across a regional Internet audience. Methods for performing the same are similarly included. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319829 | BIAS REDUCTION USING DATA FUSION OF HOUSEHOLD PANEL DATA AND TRANSACTION DATA - In embodiments of the present invention, a method is described for reducing bias by data fusion of a household panel data and a loyalty card data. In embodiments, a method is provided for receiving a consumer panel dataset in a data fusion facility, receiving a consumer point-of-sale dataset in a data fusion facility, receiving a dimension dataset in a data fusion facility, fusing the datasets received in the data fusion facility into a new panel dataset based at least in part on an encryption key, estimating a consumer behavior using a first model based on the consumer panel dataset, estimating a consumer behavior using a second model based only on those consumers present in both the consumer panel dataset and the consumer point-of-sale dataset, and refining the first model based at least on the results of the second model. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319830 | CREATING A PRICING PLAN OF RECORD - In embodiments, the present invention provides a method and system for creating a pricing plan. The method may include receiving a baseline including at least one entity plan, creating a pricing plan, validating an assumption used in creating the pricing plan, and making the pricing plan available to a price planner for implementing the pricing guidelines. The pricing plan may include pricing guidelines that, when applied to units for sale, are projected to yield results conforming to at least one objective of the at least one entity plan. The method may further include receiving approval to transmit the pricing plan. Furthermore, the method may include transmitting an alert when validating the assumption fails. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319831 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING LOCAL INFORMATION OF PRODUCT - A method and system for providing local information of a product is provided. The method includes the steps of: maintaining an original product register database which records an original product register to specify each product; providing a seller with the original product register so that the seller can select information about a product the seller sells or plans to sell, and receiving the selection information; and matching the product selected by the seller with a document provided to the seller. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319832 | SEARCH METHODS AND SYSTEMS USING PERIODIC PAYMENT DATA TO IDENTIFY ITEMS BY LUMP SUM VALUE - Embodiments of the present invention provide a method and system for identifying items for purchase by the consumer using a computer. The method and system is premised on the search for items based on the amount of a periodic payment to be paid by the purchaser for the item, whether by daily, weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, quarterly, annual or other payment structure. In identifying items for consideration by the purchaser, the method and system may further consider any tax, insurance, maintenance, or other fees typically associated with such items. Items applicable to the present method and system include those items for which a periodic payment may be used to purchase that item, including real estate, automobiles, boats, airplanes, electronics, home appliances, furniture, remodeling services or medical services. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319833 | P2P REAL TIME MEDIA RECOMMENDATIONS - Systems and methods are described for providing peer-to-peer (P2P) media recommendations. In one embodiment, a central streaming media service operates to stream media presentations to user devices of users. For each user desiring to send and receive recommendations, each time a media presentation is streamed to and played by a user device of the user, the central media service provides a recommendation identifying the media presentation to one or more other users associated with the user. Similarly, the central media service provides media recommendations to the user from one or more other users. Once streaming and playback of the media presentation is complete or substantially complete, the central streaming media service automatically selects a next media presentation for the user from a group of media presentations including those identified by the recommendations provided to the user and begins streaming the next media presentation to the user device of the user. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319834 | HOUSEHOLD LEVEL SEGMENTATION METHOD AND SYSTEM - Methods and apparatus for household level segmentation are disclosed. An example method to classify consumers in clusters includes receiving population data indicative of a population of consumers and receiving a plurality of profiles, at least one profile to evaluate partitioning of the population of consumers. The example method also includes selecting at least one of the plurality of profiles based on a count limit value in accordance with a classification tree dimension split. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319835 | Information system and information processing apparatus - An information system capable of analyzing customer interests in unpurchased commodities is provided. The information system specifies a commodity shelf or a commodity of interest to a customer based on information captured by a camera group independently of whether the customer purchases the commodity. The information system immediately displays the specified commodity shelf or commodity on a display apparatus in association with customer information. Before the customer purchases a commodity, a sales assistant can effectively identify the customer and the commodity shelf or commodity of interest and promote the sale of the commodity. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319836 | Method and system for delivering advertisements to mobile terminals - Method and system for targeted advertising of goods and services to users of mobile terminals, based for example on the users' profile. Goods and services are marketed to particular target groups of users sharing a common profile which may be selected to increase the likelihood of the users responding to the advertisements and purchasing the advertised goods and services. The common profile of users may be based on the amount of pre-paid credit available to each user. An advantage of such targeted advertising is that only advertisements for goods and services which particular users can afford, are delivered to these users. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319837 | Pay Parking System and Method - A parking meter system where a vehicle detector is coupled with a microcontroller for detecting the presence or absence of a vehicle in the associated parking space has a plurality of monitoring units communicating with a single unit for accepting payment by coin, credit card or both. In this way the cost of installing and main-taining the system is reduced. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319838 | REWARD SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ONLINE CREDIT AND DEBIT CARD TRANSACTIONS - A reward system and method including a card issuing institution that issues debit or credit cards to cardholders. Each cardholder has a cash back account set up by the institution and a cash back program provided by said institution rewards its cardholders with a predetermined cash value dependent on the cardholder's usage of the credit or debit card used by the cardholder and depositing said cash value in the cardholder's cash back account. The institution provides the identity of at least one supplier and each cardholder has online access to said supplier so that the cardholder can purchase goods or services from the supplier upon accumulation of a predetermined amount of cash in the cardholder's cash back program. The institution provides an online clearing program for receiving sales information from the supplier when a purchase is made by a cardholder and debiting said cardholder's cash in the cash back program with the amount of the sales information. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319839 | DYNAMICALLY CREATING A CONTEXT BASED ADVERTISEMENT - A method and a system dynamically generates an advertisement based on one or more tokens distilled from information about a web session that requested a web page. For example, a token is distilled from information about a web session. Data is retrieved from a commerce database based on the token. The retrieved data is assembled into an advertisement, which is then supplied for rendering with the web page. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319840 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REAL-TIME TV ADVERTISEMENT AUCTION IN A TV-OVER-IP ENVIRONMENT - A system for real time auctioning of advertising timeslots for live TV transmission over IP networks incorates settop boxes interconnected to a searver to provide real time viewing statistics to an advertising management system which also receives subscriber information from a subscriber management system which also management system determines demographics responsive to the subscriber information and viewing statistics and publishes advertising timeslot information and the determined demongraphics. A management terminal is employed for creating user accounts, providing access information to users, inspecting and approving advertisements responsive to input the advertisements from the users. Bid parameters are defined using the management terminal and the publication by the system to the users is responsive to the bid parameters. User terminals are provided for uploading advertisements to the advertising management system and the advertising management system further assigns unique identification to the uploaded advertisements. The user terminals upload advertising parameters, receive the published time slots and demographics and submit bids to the advertising management system. The advertising management system receives the bids and inserts predefined advertisements responsive to a winning bid. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319841 | Per-Machine Based Shared Revenue Ad Delivery Fraud Detection and Mitigation - A per-machine based owner compensation advertising delivery systems targets advertising content to individual computer machines. Computer owners are compensated by receiving a portion of the per-machine advertising revenue, obtaining subsidized ad software, or by other financial agreements corresponding to ad delivery to a specific computer. The client software responsible for showing the ad content is also responsible for requesting ads from a server of an ad delivery service provider based on a deterministic combination of sequence and timing information that is also known by the server. The server may detect potential client fraud based on the comparing the pattern, frequency, and content of received ad requests to the expected behavior of the client machine, and then take action to mitigate the fraud through various strategies. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319842 | PIXEL CLUSTER TRANSIT MONITORING FOR DETECTING CLICK FRAUD - Detecting click fraud that includes a server that hosts a website that includes a web page containing an advertisement. The server provides an advertisement on a web page, provides pixel clusters on the web page with the advertisement, each pixel cluster having an associated mechanism for capturing whether a cursor on the web page has transited the associated pixel cluster, and collects information based on the capturing of each associated mechanism of information regarding the transit of the pixel cluster by a cursor. The collected information is useable in a determination of a confidence level pertinent to the determination of click fraud occurring on the advertisement on the web page. The server verifies the cursor on the web page has transited at least one pixel cluster on the web page prior to a controller of the cursor clicking the advertisement. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319843 | SUPPLY OF REQUESTED OFFER BASED ON POINT-OF-SERVICE TO OFFEREE DISTANCE - An automated communication system supplies a requested offer for inventory to an offeree based on the distance between an offeror-merchant to the offeree. A consumer can request an in-person offer for inventory using a consumer device that transmits to a Requested Offer Supplier (ROS) the request, the location of the consumer device to a Requested Offer Supplier (ROS), and a return address. The ROS matches the consumer's request for inventory to a set of merchants having the requested inventory, and that are willing to make an in-person offer for the requested inventory. The ROS transmits the in-person offer to the consumer with the consumer device. The customer may then travel to the offering merchant and enter into a transaction with the merchant for the requested inventory that applies the in-person offer to the transaction. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319844 | Image Advertising System - Systems and methods are described for image advertising. In one implementation, an image owner registers an image-bearing medium, such as a website, device, email account, messenger account, printing service, etc., including proprietary images, with a service. The service may connect with the image-bearing medium, for example, by using a crawler to find and analyze images and surrounding text on the website or other image-bearing medium. Then a relevancy engine automatically matches each candidate image with one or more relevant advertisements, based on criteria such as visual image content, surrounding text, and textual/thematic description of the image from an automatic content analysis. The matched advertisements are displayed within or near the associated image, whenever the image is displayed or accessed, e.g., on the Internet. The advertisement owner may pay the image owner a monetary compensation, which in one implementation depends on the number of viewers who access the image. The systems and methods may be applied wherever images are displayed, copied, or transferred. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319845 | PRINTING INCENTIVE AND OTHER INCENTIVE METHODS AND SYSTEMS - Embodiments of the invention provide printing incentive methods and systems. In one embodiment, a method of providing advertising content to a customer can be provided. The method can include receiving information associated with a customer. In addition, the method can include receiving information associated with at least one advertiser. Furthermore, the method can include associating at least one keyword with the at least one advertiser. Moreover, the method can include comparing the at least one keyword to a portion of information associated with the customer. Further, the method can include outputting advertising content to the customer based at least in part on the comparison. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319846 | Method and System of Electronic Couponing and Marketing - A method and system of electronic couponing and marketing where a third-party intermediary distributes coupons to consumers through a website and the retailer's existing preferred accounts. The method comprises identifying a user, linking the user to an identifier distributed by a seller, enabling the user to search a database and select coupons, associating the selected coupons with the user, allowing the user to purchase items and redeem the selected coupons, tracking information regarding the searching, selecting and redeeming, and utilizing the information to generate a marketing strategy for vendors directed to users. The system uses a computer with means for connecting to the Internet, a user identification input and a user verification protocol, a storage medium containing demographic and geographic information about the consumer, electronic coupons, and searching, selection and redemption histories of the consumer. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319847 | Platform for Loyalty Services - A platform for a loyalty program provides an interface allowing a consumer to create a benefit tailored for his/her needs. In one embodiment, a consumer accesses the platform via a web-based interface, and selects benefit/reward parameters including but not limited to the nature of the event triggering award of the benefit, the source (i.e. retailer) of the benefit, the nature of the benefit (i.e., discount based upon purchase price or accumulated loyalty points), and/or the events allowing accrual of loyalty points. The interface communicates the inputted parameter to an engine of the loyalty program. The platform would then check the inputted parameter against any constraints, such as parameters of an existing loyalty program in which the consumer is already enrolled. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319848 | Fresh ad - The present invention is a wipe or towelette with advertising space that may be on an outside package or on the wipe itself. The wipe is attached to a product, the product is of a type that would that may have a user utilize the wipe for cleaning various body parts of the user after touching the product. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319849 | Apparatus and method for discount integration into an on-line pricing engine - A user may submit a request for pricing information for an item (such as a product or service). Multiple vendors that offer the item are identified, and multiple discounts associated with the item and/or the vendors are identified. A web page that includes pricing information associated with the item is provided to a user. For example, for each vendor, the web page could identify a price of the item offered by the vendor, a discount amount associated with one of the discounts, and a total cost of the item offered by the vendor (which is based on the discount amount). The web page presented to the user could initially identify an optimal discount for each of the vendors and present a link for each vendor. If the user selects a link, a pop-up window identifying multiple discounts honored by the vendor could be displayed for selection by the user. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319850 | Method for managing website advertising space - Method for managing website advertising space, according to which advertisers access a service provider server, which is dedicated to manage website advertising space of authorized host sites. Each advertiser is associated with a corresponding advertiser server and each of the host sites is associated with a corresponding host site server. The advertiser uploads an advertisement and/or advertiser data, such as target website characteristics and budgetary information, to a database of the service provider server. The host site administrator defines advertising spaces in that site. An executable code that is linkable with the service provider server is embedded within each advertising space of a host site web page and then the host site administrator searches the database and selects an advertisement to be displayed. The service provider server associates an advertising space with the selected advertisement and then a user accesses the host site web page. Identified data is then transmitted with the associated advertising space the executable code associated with the service provider server and the selected advertisement program file is displayed within the associated advertising space. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319851 | Using delegation for distributing protected content - In various embodiments, a content distribution model is provided in which content providers that own content can distribute their content to third-party content distributors who are unaffiliated with the content providers. The content distributors can, in turn, manipulate the content to provide supplemental content, such as advertising and the like, and then distribute the manipulated content to users who are authorized to consume the content. In this way, content providers are relieved of the responsibility of owning or controlling how such other supplemental content is integrated with their protected content. In this manner, manipulation of the content is delegated to third party content distributors. In one or more embodiments, a ticket-based approach is used as a basis to authenticate that third-party distributors are, in fact, authorized to distribute presentations that include the content provider's content. The ticket-based approach can be used for both server-based verification and client-based verification scenarios. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319852 | Interactive advertisement overlays on full-screen content - In accordance with one or more aspects, an interactive advertisement overlay is displayed on a full-screen display of program and/or video commercial content. At the end of display of the video commercial content, the display of the interactive overlay is terminated, and an advertising icon is displayed during a full-screen display of program content. The display of the interactive advertisement overlay is reinstated in response to a user selecting the advertising icon. In accordance with one or more other aspects, program content and video commercial content are displayed on a full-screen display of a display device. An interactive advertisement overlay is also displayed on the full-screen display. The interactive advertisement overlay includes advertising information associated with a sponsor of the program content. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319853 | Method of Obtaining Advertising Locations - A method includes the steps of working with a beer or soft drink company to obtain site placement rights adjacent a beer or soft drink retailer, placing a beer or soft drink staging structure at the site, storing beer or soft drinks in the structure and marketing beer or soft drinks on the structure. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319854 | REWARD SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ONLINE CREDIT AND DEBIT CARD TRANSACTIONS - A reward system and method including a card issuing institution that issues debit or credit cards to cardholders. Each cardholder has a cash back account set up by the institution and a cash back program provided by said institution rewards its cardholders with a predetermined cash value dependent on the cardholder's usage of the credit or debit card used by the cardholder and depositing said cash value in the cardholder's cash back account. The institution provides the identity of at least one supplier and each cardholder has online access to said supplier so that the cardholder can purchase goods or services from the supplier upon accumulation of a predetermined amount of cash in the cardholder's cash back program. The institution provides an online clearing program for receiving sales information from the supplier when a purchase is made by a cardholder and debiting said cardholder's cash in the cash back program with the amount of the sales information. Alternatively, an internet provider may be the clearing house for the system coupled to the cardholder, the card issuing institution, and the supplier. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319855 | ADVERTISING AND MARKETING BASED ON LIFEOTYPES - The methods and systems described herein may involve determining at least one lifeotype of at least one individual, analyzing the at least one lifeotype, and targeting an advertisement to at least one individual based on the analysis. The methods and systems described herein may involve determining at least one lifeotype of at least one individual, analyzing the at least one lifeotype, and providing information regarding the at least one lifeotype to at least one individual. The methods and systems described herein may involve determining at least one lifeotype of a population of individuals, aggregating the lifeotype information, analyzing the lifeotype information, and providing an output regarding the at least one individual in the population. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319856 | Desktop Extension for Readily-Sharable and Accessible Media Playlist and Media - A system and method for distributing and providing access to media and for extending such access to a desktop environment is described. A media player in a webpage or in a desktop environment may reference a centralized location to access a playlist of media files. The playlist itself may reference remotely-located media files that may be streamed to the media player. The media player may be distributed in multiple environments, and updates to the playlist may be automatically distributed to all instances where the playlist is referenced due to the centralized reference in the media player. The embodiments of the media player may also be used in advertising as a mechanism for increasing user contact with an advertising entity and as a mechanism for distributing announcements and information by the advertiser. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319857 | Managing content resources - Content resources are managed. A request is received from a user for access to a source of content resources. It is determined that the user is authorized for access to the source. A portal Web page is generated based on a set of content element data applicable to the subscriber. The portal Web page is returned to the user. A system for use in managing content resources has a switch for receiving requests from Web browsers, a content resource management engine in communication with the switch, and a billing system in communication with the content resource management engine. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319858 | AUTOMATED SYSTEM TO DETERMINE, STORE, AND SHARE THE RELEVANCE OF INFORMATION, AND TO ASSIGN TRUST TO THAT INFORMATION - A system includes a relator configured to receive data from an external source, a data store configured to store the data, a first processor to assign a relevance value to each of the stored data, a transceiver to receive a query for data meeting certain criteria, and a second processor to analyze the relevance value of each of the stored data in order to determine whether the certain criteria are met. The system automatically determines, stores, and shares relevant information by establishing trusted relationships. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319859 | Digital Media Methods - Many digital media methods are detailed. In one, consumers are provided incentives for viewing commercials. In another, charges for entertainment content are assessed based on the percentage actually rendered to a consumer. Signature data can be derived from the advertisements and entertainment content to implement such methods. A variety of other features and arrangements are also disclosed. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319860 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ON-LINE BIDDING - A bidding application embedded into an online video sharing platform enables bidding for advertisements as an overlay on published video clips. The invention is applicable to any user generated video web site. Players, or bidding actors, may bid for the sponsorship of the video clip in an online bidding game. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319861 | System and method for advertising on a peer-to-peer network - A system for advertising on a Peer-to-Peer network detects a search request of a node in a Peer-to-Peer network. After detecting a search request, the system prepares an unsolicited response (e.g., advertisement) to the search request of the node. Once the unsolicited response is prepared, the system sends the unsolicited response to the node. For example, a Peer-to-Peer network node issues a search request and a system prepares an advertisement (e.g., an unsolicited response). After preparing the advertisement, the system sends the advertisement to the Peer-to-Peer network node that issued the search request. The process of sending advertisements can be made to each node issuing a search request without discrimination. In one example, the system detects a search request of a node in a Peer-to-Peer network; prepares an advertisement in response to the search request of the node based on a predetermined search criteria; and sends the advertisement to the node for advertising on the Peer-to-Peer network. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319862 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PREVENTING AD STRIPPING FROM AD-SUPPORTED DIGITAL CONTENT - Methods for preventing ad stripping from ad-supported digital content include removing part of the content, and using a digital rights management (DRM) proxy server to provide links to any removed content part and to ads to be inserted in the content to a player who plays the content with the ads. The DRM proxy server ensures that the player cannot distinguish between removed content parts and the ads. A system enabling the method includes in addition to the DRM server and player an encoder used to remove at least one part from the content, encode the remaining content and the removed part and supplying links to each removed part to the DRM proxy server. The system further includes an ad server used to provide links to ads to the DRM proxy server. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319863 | Using payment mode rankings responsive to item attributes - A method and system are described for obtaining at least a first mode ranking and a second mode ranking responsive to one or more categorical attributes of a first item and to one or more payment mode use constraints and transmitting at least an indication of a first payment mode responsive to at least the first mode ranking or the second mode ranking. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319864 | Method of dynamically routing food items through a restaurant kitchen - Dynamic Routing of food items through a restaurant kitchen improves on advanced routing methods by being forward looking and forecasting the time to prepare each of the menu items within an order based on the current capacity and conditions of individual prep stations. Such Dynamic Routing has the ability to monitor for current status on a user defined basis, updating forecasted times based on real-time factors that can impact these forecasted times. The method improves on advanced routing methods by keeping track of the status of each and every individual item within an order as it goes through the preparation process. Therefore, if one item gets behind or one prep station that is responsible for an item on that particular order gets behind, the remaining items do not commence to the prep stations, keeping the balance of the order on track for all items to complete the preparation process at the same time. Overall, the present invention encompasses every facet of the preparation process and every factor that can impact that preparation process, using advanced logic and algorithms to continuously forecast and adjust forecasted times at a very granular menu item level to protect workflow, labor efficiency, and food quality. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319865 | Automatic price display control by emulation of electronic cash register price lookup - A system and method for distribution of product price and/or sales data in a retail establishment. Product price and/or sales data is stored locally, either in a central computer or master electronic cash register (ECR) or remotely at a master computer. The product price data is stored in the form of a price look-up (PLU) table. The price data can be pushed from the master ECR, local or master computers to and ECR emulation hub to an ECR emulation hub. Similarly, the ECR emulation hub can request product price data from the master ECR, local or master computers. Once the product price data arrives at the ECR emulation hub, it can be processed and sent to a display, which will be located near the appropriate product. The ECR emulation hub can also record and/or transmit prices actually charged for products over time to allow for automatic auditing of promotional pricing offers such as those made by manufacturers of the product. The ECR emulation hub acts like an ECR, thereby requiring no special software or hardware modifications to existing pricing display systems that already support ECRs. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319866 | METHOD AND SYSTEM TO HAND OVER AN ONLINE TRANSACTION TO A HELP DESK ASSISTANT - A method of providing assistance to an end-user of an online software application running from a web server. While the end-user and the web server communicate through at least one data network, during a web session initiated by the end-user from a client software application, the online software application provides a manner of requesting assistance from a help desk on at least one of the web page returned to the client application. When the end-user activates the manner of requesting assistance he/she obtains from the server of the online software application a keyword associated to the web session. End-user further obtains at least one telephone number of the help desk to call. When the end-user is calling the help desk through a telephone network the keyword is communicated to an assistant. After the assistant has successfully logged in to the web server the web session initiated by the end-user is shared with the assistant. Then, a transaction in progress with the online software application can be handed over to the assistant who will complete it on behalf of the end-user. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319867 | DIGITAL FILE PROCESSING FOR SECONDARY SALE - In one embodiment, a method for transferring digital files is provided. The method includes: downloading an application for facilitating the transfer of used digital files; storing the application at the client; receiving an indication of a used digital file that a user desires to sell; searching, using the application, storage on the client to determine any instances of the digital file; deleting any instances of the digital file if they are determined; transferring a forwarded file of the used digital file to a second entity; and deleting, using the application, the used digital file from the client upon transfer of the forwarded file. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319868 | CLIENT CUSTOMIZED CARD FOR USE WITH SELECTED MERCHANTS - A client selects several merchants with whom the card may be redeemed, the amount redeemable, and a design for printing on the card which is personalized for the card recipient. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319869 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR SECURE AND TRANSPARENT CARDLESS TRANSACTIONS - Systems, methods, and apparatus for handling and/or authorizing payment requests by a consumer for a transaction are provided. Payment information can be sent directly from a consumer to a non-merchant, thereby allowing no new entities to obtain the payment information. Transaction identifiers can be used to facilitate communications among the entities. The payment information can be sent to the non-merchant via a merchant application with a submit payment button directed to the non-merchant so little or no deviations from standard practices are required. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319870 | DISTRIBUTED MEDIA REVIEWING FOR CONFORMANCE TO CRITERIA - Distributing review of content or other items for conformance with quality requirements or other criteria. Embodiments include distributing media assets over an electronic network to a number of reviewers. Each reviewer uses an interface to review a media asset and corresponding metadata submitted by a content provider. The interface guides the reviewers through a consistent and easily understood review of the assets, such that reviews need not be domain experts. The reviewer enters pass/fail decisions, comments, additional metadata, one or more ratings on aspects of the asset, or other reviewer information regarding the asset. A media review manager receives the reviewer information regarding each asset and determines whether each asset satisfies overall acceptance criteria. Accepted assets are made accessible to other users such as customers for searching, licensing, or other uses. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319871 | Systems and Methods for Auto-Generation of Rich Media Purchase, Reservation and/or Activity Information - Systems, methods, apparatus and computer-readable mediums as discussed herein provide for a method for generating a dynamic electronic book for display in a multimedia player application including receiving information about a purchase by a consumer from a first remote computing device; accessing content associated with the received information; extracting characteristic data associated with the purchase from the received data; selecting content to be included in the electronic book from the accessed content based on the characteristic data; generating a dynamic configuration file including information identifying the selected content, information identifying at least one template page, and at least a portion of the received information; transmitting the generated dynamic configuration file to a remote device; receiving a request for content and the at least one template page identified in the dynamic configuration file; transmitting the content and the at least one template page in response to the request for display in the electronic book. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319872 | BIOMETRIC IDENTIFICATION DEVICE AND METHODS ASSOCIATED WITH INVENTORY - The invention is directed towards methods, systems and apparatuses, see FIG. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319873 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR FACILITATING VALUE EXCHANGES - A system and method for facilitating a value exchange transaction. A first party initiates the transaction by selecting or providing an identifier of another party and the value to be exchanged. The second party may be identified by a pre-existing identifier such as an electronic mail address, telephone number, etc. The system informs the second party of the transaction (e.g., using the specified pre-existing identifier). If the second party is not a registered user of the system, he or she is invited to register and complete the transaction. The system may comprise a synchronization server for exchanging transaction details with users' devices, a communication server for registering new users and/or conducting transactions online and a financial server for interacting with external financial institutions. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319874 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR EXCHANGING VALUES BASED ON TELEPHONE NUMBER OF AN ENTITY - A system and method for facilitating a value exchange transaction. A first party initiates the transaction by selecting or providing an identifier of another party and the value to be exchanged. The second party may be identified by a pre-existing identifier such as an electronic mail address, telephone number, etc. The system informs the second party of the transaction (e.g., using the specified pre-existing identifier). If the second party is not a registered user of the system, he or she is invited to register and complete the transaction. The system may comprise a synchronization server for exchanging transaction details with users' devices, a communication server for registering new users and/or conducting transactions online and a financial server for interacting with external financial institutions. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319875 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR FACILITATING VALUE EXCHANGES USING MOBILE DEVICES - A system and method for facilitating a value exchange transaction. A first party initiates the transaction by selecting or providing an identifier of another party and the value to be exchanged. The second party may be identified by a pre-existing identifier such as an electronic mail address, telephone number, etc. The system informs the second party of the transaction (e.g., using the specified pre-existing identifier). If the second party is not a registered user of the system, he or she is invited to register and complete the transaction. The system may comprise a synchronization server for exchanging transaction details with users' devices, a communication server for registering new users and/or conducting transactions online and a financial server for interacting with external financial institutions. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319876 | System for and method of acting on beverage bottles - A system for and a method of acting on beverage bottles has a plurality of bottles each provided with a device selected from the group consisting of an electrical device and an electronic device integrated in each of the beverage bottles without interfering with a content of the bottle and providing a function; and a unit for remotely acting on the devices of at least some of the beverage bottles with the use of internet so that the devices produce corresponding functions. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319877 | SUPPLY UNIT ORDERING SYSTEM, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, SUPPLY UNIT ORDERING METHOD AND SUPPLY UNIT ORDERING PROGRAM - An image forming apparatus comprises: a readout portion that reads out from a memory of a supply unit that is replaceably loaded on the image forming apparatus itself, information about a plurality of vendors, which is stored in the memory; and a transmitter that transmits to a terminal apparatus the readout information about the vendors. And a terminal apparatus comprises: an obtainer that obtains information about the supply unit from respective servers owned by the vendors, by making access thereto according to the information about the vendors, which is received from the image forming apparatus; a display that displays on itself the obtained information; and an ordering portion that transmits an order for a supply unit to one of the servers, according to an order instruction issued by a user. After order transmission, information about a vendor owning the server that receives that order is stored in a storage. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319878 | Dynamic Time Series Update Method - Updating metadata for a set of time series quantity data, and re-creating the set of time series quantity data in response to updating the metadata while reading at least one of the set of time series quantity data. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319879 | Optimized Communication Billing Management System - A business method is disclosed directed to attempting to saving clients money on their communications services. Specifically, billing information is obtained for a client and loaded into a database. An initial rate is determined based on this billing information, along with possibly an add on rate for add on services, which can provide a combined rate charge. At least one of the initial rate and combined rates are compared to a derived rate which is calculated by applying an algorithm to the database which applies the actual data to a plurality of rate plans provided by communications carriers to see which rate plan might provide savings for the client, if any. If savings are achieved, at least recommending if not switching to another rate plan, possibly of an other carrier. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319880 | SYSTEM, COMPUTER PROGRAM AND METHOD FOR PROCESSING PRESENTMENT AND ADJUSTMENT INFORMATION TO INSTITUTIONS PARTICIPATING IN A REGIONAL OR NATIONAL CLEARING HOUSE - A system, computer program and method for adjusting debits and credits received from participating institutions are provided. The system includes a plurality of remote computers of participating institutions, a central server, a network interface in communication with the clearing house computer and the plurality of remote computers over a network, and a database in communication with the central server. The network interface is configured to receive a plurality of presentment data from a first computer of the plurality of remote computers of participating institutions. Each of the plurality of presentment data including one or more debit or credit items each having a presentment amount. The central server is configured to store in the database the plurality of presentment data, receive, from a second computer of the remote computers of participating institutions, an adjustment request corresponding to one or more debit or credit items received from the first computer of the plurality of remote computers of participating institutions, communicate the adjustment request to the first computer of the plurality of remote computers of participating institutions via the network interface, enable the first computer of the plurality of remote computers of participating institutions to accept or deny the adjustment request, and initiate an adjustment based on the adjustment amount if the first computer of the plurality of remote computers of participating institutions accepts the adjustment request. The adjustment request includes detailed adjustment data having an adjustment amount and one or more scanned images corresponding to the respective debit or credit items. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319881 | Electronic Commerce Transaction Audit System, Electronic Commerce Transaction Audit Method, and Storage Medium Recording Electronic Commerce Transaction Audit Program Thereon - The present invention comprises agent for gathering transaction log means for automatically collecting all exchange messages notarized and recorded depressively by a plurality of electronic notarize means in connection with the electronic commerce transaction so as to reproduce them as an event of the entire wide network area, agent for gathering protocol standards means for automatically collecting protocols of the specifications on the electronic commerce transaction, whereby correctly grasping an event to be generated in the entire wide network area, and a log analysis engine for comparing the event of the entire wide network area reproduced by the agent for gathering transaction log means with the event to be generated in the entire wide network area grasped by the agent for gathering protocol standards means, whereby carrying out an objective audit. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319882 | EFFICIENT WORK FLOW SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROCESSING TAXPAYER SOURCE DOCUMENTS - A method for processing taxpayer source documents is disclosed. The method may include receiving proforma data and an electronic image of a taxpayer source document, determining a type of tax statement for the taxpayer source document from the electronic image of the taxpayer source document and using the proforma data, a database, and business rules to verify the type of the tax statement for the electronic image of the taxpayer source document. This can be done by searching for an identification code within the electronic image of the taxpayer source document to determine whether the identification code matches the proforma data. The method can also include extracting data from the electronic image of the taxpayer source document and determining if the extracted data from the electronic image of the taxpayer source document has an error. Once the data is extracted, the method can also include creating an electronic document that includes the extracted data. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319883 | Method for Usage Billing In An Internet Environment - The invention presents a novel and efficient method of facilitating accurate usage billing. In a multi-user service provider environment, using weighted records of web-server usage to determine each user's bill for services is provided. The invention provides for billing with a minimal amount of overhead on the web host, which will benefit the web host's profit margin. The invention utilizes three pieces of information to compute the amount of usage. The weights that are associated with the functions are determined in order to score the system resource utilization of the respective functions. The weights need to be determined only once during the entire life cycle of the application, and may be based on empirical data or determined through lab tests. The weight can be stored in a static file. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319884 | CHARGING SYSTEM AND CHARGING METHOD - The present invention provides a charging system and charging method. An online charging system and an offline charging system are interconnected via a shared data center to make up a dual-engine structure, which is able to implement online charging, offline charging, account sharing, switching between prepaid and postpaid modes, and binding of voice and data services. With the invention, an operator can possess more flexible charging and control capabilities, lower the cost of arrearage, and have stronger competitiveness. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319885 | Deposit instruments - Among other things, funds are received at an institution the deposits of which are insured by a third party against loss. In a computer, the received funds are attributed to principal of a single deposit instrument maintained by the institution for the benefit of a depositor. The deposit instrument has a defined maturity time as of which all of the principal will have been returned to the depositor. A computer is used to manage a pattern of principal repayment occasions for the deposit instrument, the occasions occurring prior to the maturity time, so that, at each of the occasions, a specified portion of the principal will be, and an additional non-principal amount may be, paid to the depositor. The pattern of principal repayment occasions is predefined to achieve a generic personal financial objective of a set of depositors that includes the depositor. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319886 | Winans Trend Indicator - Two moving averages are plotted against a market index price to signal long term market trends. To avoid whipsaws, when applied to the S&P 500, the 40 week moving average is given a negative 3.6% filter and the 25 week moving average is given a positive 2% filter. Crossings of the moving averages are ignored. An index price dipping below the negative 3.6% filter of the 40 week moving average will generate a sell signal and an index price rising above the 2% filter over the 25 week moving average will generate a buy signal. A related moving average fund buys and sells financial instruments based upon the methods of disclosed system, know as Winans Trend Indicator. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319887 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ACCESSING A SECURE ELECTRONIC ENVIRONMENT WITH A MOBILE DEVICE - The invention provides a system and methods for multifactor authentication of a mobile device for access to an electronic account. The mobile device may serve as one factor of a multifactor authentication process. A time based activation code may be generated in order to enroll an electronic account for mobile access. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319888 | Allocation of residual value risk - Residual value risk may be allocated for a leased vehicle between a dealer organization and a manufacturer group, where the manufacturing group may include both a financing institution and a sales organization. In one embodiment, residual value risk may be allocated by first calculating a difference between a residual value for the leased vehicle and the vehicle's actual value. This difference may then be allocated between the manufacturer group and the dealer organization according to some predetermined ratio which represents a corresponding financial obligation or benefit, depending on if the difference is positive or negative. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319889 | RESTRICTING ACCESS TO COMPROMISED ACCOUNT INFORMATION - A notification service protects different user accounts from being exposed to fraudulent activity when one of the accounts is compromised. The notification service instructs an issuer of the compromised account to automatically close, freeze or place the other associated accounts on a watch list to prevent potential exposure to the other accounts due to a security breach associated with the compromised account. The card holder may receive notification of the compromised account from the notification service or the issuer via a mobile device. The mobile device may directly contact other issuers with one request to restrict access to any accounts associated with the compromised account. In the event that the compromised account is loaded on the mobile device, the account is cancelled and a new account is loaded to the mobile device. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319890 | System and Method of Enabling an Interactive Online Sales Process for Electronic Real Estate Transactions - An interactive online sales process is presented for electronic real estate transactions. The process includes initializing a bidding file and instantiating an electronic sale transaction based on the data in the file. Parameters of the sale can be customized by a seller or listing agent. An electronic bid can be generated and populated with input received from a buyer. The electronic bid can include standard and custom conditions. A time limit can be set to acknowledge the electronic bid. The time limit is gradually reduced, and upon expiration of the time limit, the process is suspended if the electronic bid has not been acknowledged. Once the seller acknowledges the bid, the interactive sale transaction can be resumed. An electronic bid can be tagged as being a favorite or as being the accepted bid. Upon acceptance, the transaction can complete by populating a contract form with data retrieved from the transaction. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319891 | Clearing System for An Electronic-Based Market - A system for an electronic-based market is disclosed. The system operates with a model where a trader is designated to enter orders for contracts on behalf of a subscriber. The model uses assets of the subscriber that are placed into an account that is accessible by the electronic market to cover risks associated with trades initiated by the trader. The system includes a plurality of client stations for entering orders into the electronic market by traders and a server to receive the orders and match the orders in accordance with matching criteria. The server maintains for the subscriber and the subscriber's associated traders a trading account that is accessible by the electronic market. The server also includes offsetting, clearing, default, and margin protocols functions to administer the market. The market uses species contracts that are derived from a contract genus. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319892 | Systems and methods for allocating size among trading accounts - A system and method for allocating trades of financial instruments among multiple accounts comprising aggregating orders, wherein each order is associated with an account, and wherein each order has an original order size; allocating an executed order based on the aggregated order in a phase I allocation, wherein the phase I allocation is allocated on a pro-rata basis based on the original order size for each account, except for those accounts that would receive an amount less than a minimum allocation; allocating a remainder from the phase I allocation in a phase II allocation, wherein the phase II allocation is allocated among selected accounts in an amount greater than or equal to the minimum allocation or an amount that fills the original order size; repeating the phase II allocation until a remainder from the phase II allocation is less than the minimum allocation; and allocating a reminder from the phase II allocation in a phase III allocation according to predetermined criteria. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319893 | Intelligent Routing Of Electric Power - A method and system for dynamically routing electric power in real time in accordance with parameters submitted by buyers and sellers of electric power using a feedback control scheme. A control node is arranged for receiving the parameters via a wide area network and to generate a route plan based on the parameters as well as current supply and demand in a network. The control node is also connected to the transmission and distribution systems to dynamically route electric power between matched buyers and sellers to effect the route plan. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319894 | PURCHASING OF INVESTMENT PROPERTY BY WAY OF HAVING AN ADVANCED LEASE OPTION OR RENT TO OWN TENANT CHOOSE HIS OWN PROPERTY - A method described herein includes receiving an indication that a prospective purchaser wishes to purchase a property identified by the purchaser by way of a lease-option or lease-purchase agreement. The method additionally includes purchasing the identified property in response to receiving the indication, and providing the prospective purchaser with a lease option or lease purchase agreement with respect to the identified property. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319895 | SYSTEM FOR MATCHING BORROWERS AND LENDERS - A system and method are disclosed for a borrower to obtain and/or evaluate desired financial services. Personal information from the borrower is obtained and recorded. A credit grading for the borrower is determined based on the personal information, and based on pre-established and objective criteria used by at least one established financial institution that provides financing of the type sought by the borrower. The credit grading is determined by an independent entity (or its computer system) that will not provide the financing to the borrower. The financing may be a loan, such as a mortgage loan or an auto loan or the financing may be the issuance of a credit card or a line of credit. The independent entity may also compile a comparison of closing costs associated with the financial transactions. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319896 | CARDLESS CHALLENGE SYSTEMS AND METHODS - Systems, methods, and apparatus for handling and/or authorizing payment requests by a consumer for a transaction are provided. Challenge questions may be presented from the non-merchant to the consumer after receiving the payment information, thereby allowing a judicious determination of when to ask such challenge questions and allowing complex and probative questions. The time limit for such challenge questions may advantageously be unconstrained, while still preserving security. Also, a risk analysis may be started prior to the consumer submitting payment information, thus allowing an efficient and complex risk analysis. Information about an access device used by the consumer may be obtained at the non-merchant from the access device with code sent to the access device from the merchant, and the device information may be used in the risk analysis. | 2008-12-25 |
20080319897 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR SIMULATING AN ANALYTIC VALUE CHAIN - A computer-implemented simulator models the entire analytic value chain so that data generation, model fitting and strategy optimization are an integral part of the simulation. Data collection efforts, data mining algorithms, predictive modeling technologies and strategy development methodologies define the analytic value chain of a business operation: data→models→strategies→profit. Inputs to the simulator include consumer data and potential actions to be taken regarding a consumer or account. The invention maps what is known about a consumer or an account and the potential actions that the business can take on that consumer or account to potential future financial performance. After iteratively performing simulations using varying inputs, modeling the effect of the innovation on a profit model, the simulator outputs a prediction of the commercial value of an analytic innovation. | 2008-12-25 |