52nd week of 2013 patent applcation highlights part 61 |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20130346148 | PERSONAL PROFILE BROADCASTING APPARATUS AND METHOD OF USE THEREOF - The invention comprises a profile system and/or a profile matching system. In the profile matching system, a profile of an individual is optionally linked to a second profile using a matching system. For example, a broadcast profile of an individual is matched with any of: (1) a second individual, (2) a group, (3) a piece of property, (4) a cluster of property, (5) an event, and (6) a company. Matching of profiles allows personalized service to the individual and more efficient use of resources. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346149 | Network-Based Methods and Systems for Initiating a Research Panel of Persons Operating Under a Group Agreement - Methods and systems for initiating participation of a user of a portable device (PUA) in a research operation using a respective one of a plurality of PUA's providing communication services pursuant to a single agreement with a communication service provider. Data identifying the PUA user is associated with data identifying a group of persons receiving communication services pursuant to the single agreement, and demographic data of the PUA user is associated with the data identifying the PUA user. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346150 | SYSTEM, METHOD, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR FORECASTING SALES - In general terms, embodiments of the present invention relate to systems, methods, and computer program products for determining forecasting data relating to a product using a neural network and accessing that forecasting data. In some embodiments, a system is provided that includes (a) forecasting apparatus, which stores product information, a data matrix, and a neural network; and (b) a computing system that access the forecasting apparatus via a web portal and transmits some or all of the product information to the forecasting apparatus. In some embodiments, the forecasting apparatus is configured to determine a sales forecast using the product information, data matrix, and neural network and present the sales forecast to the computing system via the web portal. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346151 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR AUTOMATED VALUATION OF REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENTS - Examples of systems and methods for determining automated valuations of real estate developments are disclosed. In various embodiments, the systems and methods can receive information on properties that are to be constructed in the development. The systems and methods can use automated valuation models (AVMs) to calculate valuations for the properties and to determine a valuation for the development based at least partly on the AVM valuations. In some implementations, the systems and methods can forecast market demand for the properties and generate a sales timeline for projected sales of the properties. The systems and methods can be used to value residential, commercial, or mixed-use real estate developments. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346152 | DETERMINING CUSTOMER GROUPS FOR CONTROLLED PROVISION OF OFFERS - A controlled and optimal provision of offers to customers on associated products is described. A three dimensional matrix characterizes product, customer, and time dimensions. Each product is associated with volume constraint(s). The three dimensional matrix is populated with scores. A score characterizes likelihood of a customer to purchase a corresponding product in an associated time period. First pairs of products and customers are randomly selected. The scores associated with the first pairs are changed to zero. Using volume constraints, an optimization is performed that excludes customers of the first pairs from a provision of best offers so that those customers are provided alternate offers. Based on the volume constraints, second pairs of products and customers are selected. The scores associated with the second pairs of products and customers are changed to one. Using volume constraints, optimization is performed such that customers of the second pairs are always provided best offers. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346153 | PRODUCTS OR SERVICES DEMAND ANALYTICS SYSTEMS AND RELATED METHODS AND ELECTRONIC EXCHANGES - Products or services demand analytics systems are provided. The systems may include a processor configured to determine whether to make an offer from a buyer to purchase a product or service at a buyer-determined price available to a seller of the product or service, based on a demand analytics preference of the seller for the product or service. Moreover, the processor may be configured to adjust whether the offer is made available to the seller and/or how the offer is communicated to the seller in response to an adjustment by the seller of the demand analytics preference for the product or service. Related methods and electronic exchanges are also described. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346154 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR AUDIENCE MEASUREMENT ANALYSIS - Example methods, apparatus, systems, and computer-readable storage media for audience measurement analysis. An example method includes determining an engagement model defining a relationship between media performance data, media activity data, and a rating score. The media performance data is associated with a first time period and the media activity data associated with a second time period where the second time period is before the first time period. The example method includes applying first media performance data and first media activity data to the engagement model to determine coefficients for parameters of the engagement model. The parameters of the engagement model are associated with the media performance data and the media activity data. The example method includes applying second media performance data and second media activity data associated with media to the engagement model using the coefficients to determine a rating score for the media. The rating score reflects a percentage of an audience that is exposed to the media. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346155 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR COLLECTING AND ANALYZING REAL-TIME CUSTOMER FEEDBACK - A system and method for digitally collecting and analyzing real-time customer feedback. In at least one embodiment, a tablet computer or other digital device is used to collect guest feedback on-site in real time. The device sends the feedback to a server where the feedback is stored and analyzed. The feedback can then be viewed from a Client Portal, which can also be used to customize and configure the Device in real-time. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346156 | System and method for targeted advertising on parcel packages - A method for displaying messages that are placed on packages being shipped to consumers in the form of labels that are targeted to specific consumers based on publicly available data or shopping behavior data. The method includes receiving information regarding one or more packages to be delivered to one or more recipients. The method also includes retrieving promotion data regarding one or more promotions targeted to the one or more recipients. One or more personalized promotion labels are generated from the promotion data. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346157 | REVENUE OPTIMIZATION PLATFORM APPARATUSES, METHODS, SYSTEMS AND SERVICES - The revenue optimization platform apparatuses, methods, systems and services (“ROP”) implement revenue optimization algorithms to transform event data via ROP components into product optimal prices, purchasing probabilities at suggested sales prices, revenue leakage and revenue potential calculations. The ROP components can be deployed in centralized or distributed systems, either physical or virtualized. The ROP functionality can be intuitively used through graphical user interfaces accompanying the ROP or through APIs, which will be used to interface with the ROP Service through the appropriate functions. The ROP hides the complexity of the revenue optimization calculations and provides an easy-to-use, flexible means of implementing revenue optimization in numerous real life situations. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346158 | METHOD FOR DRIVERS OF MOTOR VEHICLES OR MOTOR BOATS TO LOCK IN THE PRICE THEY PAY FOR FUEL IRRESPECTIVE OF THE QUANTITY OF FUEL THEY USE IN THE FUTURE - Using a monitoring system to track fuel consumption and a computer to record the fuel consumption data, a hedging company can let its customers lock in the price of fuel and not the quantity or the delivery schedule because the hedging company has expertise in knowing the customers usage of the motor vehicle, including knowing the expected quantity and schedule of the fuel consumption, and can guarantee the price a customer pays for the fuel based in part on the customer's usage. For example, irrespective of if the customer actually uses 500 gallons of fuel or 1000 gallons of fuel, the price per gallon will be guaranteed to be ‘X’ dollars. ‘X’ being the price that the customer and the hedging company agree to. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346159 | Method of Determining Requirements for Modification of a Business Operation - The disclosure depicts a method of determining requirements for modification of a business operational system. The method requires the steps of compiling and documenting an inventory of a plurality of current business capabilities, and entering the inventory of the plurality of current business capabilities into a data system. The disclosure also depicts the inventive step of enumerating at least one modified capability that proposes improvement of the current business capabilities. The invention also includes the steps of entering the at least one modified capability into the data system and performing a delta analysis. Additionally, the disclosure depicts the inventive step(s) of enumerating into a readable format a set of skills required to carry out the current business capability, and enumerating a set of skills required to carry out the modified business capability; and displaying into a readable format the requirements for achieving the modifications of the current business capabilities. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346160 | Commerce System and Method of Using Consumer Feedback to Invoke Corrective Action - A commerce system has a plurality of members including manufacturers, distributors, retailer, consumers, and feedback service provider. Feedback information is collected from a consumer associated with products and services. The feedback information can be collected with a wireless communication device. The consumer receives an incentive in the form of a discount or promotion to provide the feedback information. The feedback information is stored in a database. A feedback score is determined based on the feedback information. The feedback information is weighted based on consumer value. The feedback score and the feedback information are provided to a retailer. The feedback information can be presented on a website for comment by other consumers. The retailer implements corrective action based on the feedback score and the feedback information. The corrective action is reported back to the consumer. The commerce system is controlled using the feedback information and corrective action. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346161 | BENCHMARKING WITH PEER GROUPS IN A CLOUD ENVIRONMENT - The embodiments provide a cloud server including a communication manager configured to receive information identifying a set of key performance indicators, over a network, from a benchmarking application associated with an enterprise having a plurality of business processes for which performance is to be benchmarked against a peer group, a peer group controller configured to receive peer group information, a data collector configured to collect first business data corresponding to the enterprise and second business data corresponding to at least one other enterprise according to the peer group information, and a root cause analyzer configured to analyze the first business data against the second business data and generate performance results based on the set of key performance indicators. The communication manager is configured to provide the performance results, over the network, to the benchmarking application for display. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346162 | PRIORITIZING CLIENT ACCOUNTS - A method and system for prioritizing accounts is provided. The method includes receiving operational metrics and data values associated with the operational metrics. The data values are aggregated and noisy data is removed from the operational metrics. Statistical averages associated with a performance of accounts are calculated and each account is modeled as a collection of operational performance variables and key performance indicators A ranking list is generated and a minimum number of independent operational parameters necessary are calculated. Pairwise ranks {r} of the accounts are calculated and values associated with a tolerance limit epsilon and selected. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346163 | AUTOMATICALLY MEASURING THE QUALITY OF PRODUCT MODULES - Various embodiments of systems and methods for measuring the quality of individual product modules over a lifecycle of a product are described herein. The method involves integrating error reports received from an internal incident management system and a customer incident management system. The method further includes associating the quality information in the error reports to a corresponding one or more product modules of a product and storing the association in a metadata repository. Using the quality information from the metadata repository, an automated evaluation of the quality of a product module is performed. In an aspect, the quality of a product module is represented as a quality indicator which is normalized with respect to a usage index of the product module. The generated quality indicator for the product module is associated with the product module and stored in the metadata repository with a time stamp for later access. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346164 | PEER-TO-PEER (P2P) CURRENCY PLATFORM INCORPORATING DEMURRAGE - A method includes providing, through an agent executing on a computing platform at a data processing device, a capability to a user of the data processing device to form a group of members. Each of the members is associated with a data processing device coupled to the data processing device forming the group through Internet. The method also includes generating, through the data processing device forming the group, a currency to be distributed across the members as a value exchange token for goods and/or services within the group, and providing a capability to each member to participate in management of the currency within the group. Further, the method includes recording currency transactions within the group through a currency server, and implementing demurrage on the currency to incentivize quick spending on part of the members. The demurrage is associated with a decrease in value of the currency over time. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346165 | Electronic Toll Management and Vehicle Identification - Identifying a vehicle in a toll system includes accessing image data for a first vehicle and obtaining first vehicle identifier data from the accessed image data for the first vehicle. A set of records is accessed. Each record includes first vehicle identifier data for a vehicle. The first vehicle identifier data for the first vehicle is compared with the first vehicle identifier data for vehicles in the set of records. Based on the results of the comparison of the first vehicle identifier data, a set of vehicles is identified from the vehicles having records in the set of records. Second vehicle identifier data is accessed for the first vehicle and is compared to second vehicle identifier data for the set of vehicles in order to identify the first vehicle. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346166 | CHARGING SERVICE SYSTEM, SERVER APPARATUS, AND CHARGING SERVICE METHOD | 2013-12-26 |
20130346167 | UNIFIED LOYALTY PROGRAM MEDIA - The present invention generally relates to a media that incorporates several distinct rewards/relationship/fidelity/loyalty programs, and/or other sorts of information into a single media, particularly, but not limited to, a card, making it easier for the user who typically carries and uses several such cards or media, in a simple and convenient way. The invention concerns a method of creating such a single media, as well as the single media itself. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346168 | WEARABLE AUGMENTED REALITY EYEGLASS COMMUNICATION DEVICE INCLUDING MOBILE PHONE AND MOBILE COMPUTING VIA VIRTUAL TOUCH SCREEN GESTURE CONTROL AND NEURON COMMAND - Provided are an augmented reality eyeglass communication device and a method for facilitating shopping using an augmented reality eyeglass communication device. The augmented reality eyeglass communication device may comprise a frame, and a right earpiece and a left earpiece connected to the frame. Furthermore, the eyeglass communication device may comprise a processor configured to receive one or more commands of a user, perform operations associated with the commands of the user, receive product information, and process the product information. The eyeglass communication device may comprise a display connected to the frame and configured to display data received from the processor. In addition to that, the eyeglass communication device may comprise a transceiver electrically connected to the processor and configured to receive and transmit data over a wireless network. The eyeglass communication device may comprise a Subscriber Identification Module card slot, a camera, an earphone, a microphone, and a charging unit. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346169 | Device, Method and System for Facilitating a Transaction - The present invention relates to a device, method and system for facilitating a transaction. In particular, it relates to a drinks container lid on which is provided transaction data, such as a machine readable code. The transaction data may be entered into a mobile communications device, such as a mobile phone, by key entry or by scanning. It then may facilitate a transaction. In one embodiment, the transaction data is a programme which causes the mobile device to communicate with a remote transaction processing system to implement a transaction. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346170 | Customized Customer Loyalty Rewards Program Enhanced Rewards Distribution System and Method - A customer loyalty rewards program random enhanced reward distribution system and method may comprise a server ( | 2013-12-26 |
20130346171 | INCENTIVIZED COMMUNICATIONS WITHIN SOCIAL NETWORKS - Incentivized social communications technologies are provided herein. According to some embodiments, methods for exchanging rewards for personal endorsements on a social network may include receiving, via a server, an offer from a provider, the offer including criteria for receiving a reward, the criteria at least including requirements for an endorsement of the provider that is to be placed on at least one social network, providing the offer to an endorser, and also providing a reward to the endorser upon confirmation of placement of the endorsement on the social network. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346172 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR VALUING AND REWARDING THIRD PARTY MARKETING OF PRODUCTS VIA A SOCIAL NETWORK - The principles of the present invention relate to methods and systems for marketing products by prompting customers to identify purchased items to be shared through their social networks and displaying links on the customer's social networking sites, thereby promoting particular products to members of their social networks, which may then propagate through other parties' social networks, where the amount of social activity generated by the sharing of interest in the products is tracked and scored, and the original customer can receive a portion of their purchase cost credited back as a reward. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346173 | Driving New User Acquisition from Payment Transactions - Systems and methods are disclosed for a payment service provider to provide benefits through provisional accounts established at in-store checkout to consumers who do not have accounts with the payment service provider to drive use sign-up. The payment service provider may offer cash paying consumers electronic cash stored in provisional accounts instead of any change at a point-of-sale, or offer credit card paying consumers a guest checkout experience to receive discounts, incentives, or rewards. The consumers are asked to provide identifying information such as a phone number of their mobile devices. A provisional account is established and linked it to the identification information if the provisional account does not already exist. Otherwise, the payment service provider may verify that the provisional account has not expired. The payment service provider may send reminders to the mobile devices to encourage the consumers to register an account before the provisional account expires. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346174 | COUPON STACKING FOR SCENARIOS INCLUDING SOCIAL NETWORKING - A transaction server may enable users to purchase goods and services from vendors, and may receive and fulfill coupons applied to the transactions. In some scenarios, the transaction server may only accept one coupon per transaction, or may accept multiple coupons for a transaction that are separately and independently applied to the transaction. However, in other scenarios, a coupon may alter the effect of another coupon on the transaction (e.g., doubling a discount presented by another coupon). Accordingly, the transaction server may be configured to apply a base coupon to the transaction, and alter the effect of the base coupon on the transaction according to an auxiliary coupon. In many such scenarios, the transaction may involve individuals in a social network (e.g., a user presenting the base coupon, and an individual in the user's social network presenting the auxiliary coupon in order to participate in the same transaction). | 2013-12-26 |
20130346175 | PROMOTION (E.G., COUPON, GIFT CARD) REDEMPTION AFTER PURCHASE COMPLETION - Methods and systems are provided for a user to redeem, even after a purchase (online or offline), any sort of promotional payment that may applied to a purchase, such as a coupon, gift card, reward, loyalty card, or other promotional payment or savings discount. The user may make payment to a merchant using a payment service. Many consumers forget to take a promotion—such as a coupon, gift card, loyalty card, or reward—to redeem at the time of purchase. Using the service, the consumer user may be able to redeem a promotion, e.g., coupon, for a purchase even after the purchase has been made, thus separating the purchase decision from the payment decision, and increasing user satisfaction. During the payment process using the service, the service provider may let the user decide which promotional payment (e.g., coupons, gift cards, rewards) to use, possibly subject to various limitations. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346176 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PAYMENT INCENTIVIZING - The present invention generally relates to systems and methods for incentivizing payment means. Specifically, this invention relates to a system and method for incentivizing the use of cash payments for completion of in person transactions. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346177 | Real-World Profile Data for Making Virtual World Contacts - A method and system provides arrangements creating a relationship between a real-world entity and a virtual world environment. A virtual world patron can participate in various virtual world activities and transactions. Feedback may be provided and records kept regarding the virtual world activities and transactions. The virtual world patron may be a possible recipient of a real-world consequence or benefit based on a virtual world occurrence. In some instances confirmation of an awarded real-world benefit may be provided via a communication interconnection. Real-world profile data may be used in connection with promotional activities in a virtual world environment. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346178 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING COUPON IN CONNECTION WITH SOCIAL NETWORKING SERVICE - A method and system for providing a coupon in connection with Social Networking Service (SNS), the method includes transmitting a coupon guide page including coupon guide information to a user terminal through a transceiver of a service server by a page manager, providing a mission completion input page for a mission to the user terminal by a mission completion input page provider, when the user terminal transmits an authorization grant signal to an SNS management server operating the SNS, the authorization grant signal granting the service server with authority for an SNS account to which a user logs in, receiving mission completion information input to the mission completion input page from the user terminal by the transceiver of the service server, and transmitting a coupon corresponding to the coupon guide information to the user terminal through the transceiver of the service server by a coupon provider of the service server. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346179 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ELECTRONIC EXCHANGE OF REWARD POINTS - A system and method for operating a reward points accumulation and redemption program wherein a user earns rewards from a plurality of independent reward issuing entities, with each tracking the user's earned rewards. A trading server accumulates some or all of the user's earned rewards from the reward servers and credits the accumulated points rewards into a single reward exchange account associated with the user. The user may then select an item for purchase with the accumulated rewards. The item is provided to the user in exchange for a subset or all of the rewards. Reward points may also be redeemed in exchange for services, such as the playing of a video game or Internet access. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346180 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR BENEFITS TRACKING AND ALLOCATION - Methods and systems for benefits tracking and allocation are disclosed. One system includes a benefits server comprising a database including stored customer accounts associated with at least one member having at least one member server. The benefits server is configured to communicate with the at least one member server via a network, and retrieve customer transaction data from the at least one member server, the customer transaction data indicative of interactions between the at least one member and customers of the at least one member. The benefits server is further configured to extract customer information from the customer transaction data, search the database for the customer transaction data, and, when the customer information is found in the database, update a customer account in the database with the customer transaction. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346181 | CO-BRANDED INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDER AND RETAILER INTERNET SERVICE SITE WITH RETAILER-OFFERED INCENTIVES FOR MEMBER USE - A method for a retailer having an Internet shopping website to sell merchandise over the Internet. The method includes using a retailer server computer to manage access to the Internet shopping website of the retailer including providing members access to the Internet shopping website of the retailer via a co-branded Internet site primarily relating to non-retail activities of a first entity, wherein the members are subscribers of the co-branded Internet site. Using the retailer server computer further includes providing members with a discount on any purchases made using the Internet shopping website only when the members access the Internet shopping website via the co-branded Internet site. Providing members with the discount includes taking the discount off a price charged for any purchases made using the Internet shopping website only when the members access the Internet shopping website via the co-branded Internet site. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346182 | MULTIMEDIA FEATURES FOR CLICK PREDICTION OF NEW ADVERTISEMENTS - Multimedia features extracted from display advertisements may be integrated into a click prediction model for improving click prediction accuracy. Multimedia features may help capture the attractiveness of ads with similar contents or aesthetics. Numerous multimedia features (in addition to user, advertiser and publisher features) may be utilized for the purposes of improving click prediction in ads with limited or no history. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346183 | ENTITY-BASED AGGREGATION OF ENDORSEMENT DATA - Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for performing entity-based aggregation of endorsement data are provided. Entity-endorsement data is received from a plurality of different sources, e.g., websites, web pages, database records, files, data feeds, or networks. Entity resolution is then performed to identify like entities. Once the entities are resolved, the relevant endorsement data from each appropriate source is aggregated. The aggregated endorsement data may then be presented with or without an identification of the sources from which the data was aggregated. In this way, sparseness and fragmentation of endorsement data are mitigated and a more complete picture of an entity's endorsement status may be seen. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346184 | CONTACT HISTORY FOR PROMOTION MANAGEMENT - A computer implemented method for producing a contact history for a marketing campaign is described. The method includes producing a promotion version history table for the marketing campaign, with the promotion version history table recording promotion attribute values for each promotion version at runtime, producing a treatment history table for the marketing campaign, with the treatment history table representing promotion instances given to a group, producing a contact history table for the marketing campaign, the contact history table recording which contact entities were in which groups at runtime, linking the promotion version history table, the treatment history table, and the contact history table, wherein the linking preserves referential integrity between the promotion version history table, the treatment history table, and the contact history table, and producing the contact history from the promotion version history table, the treatment history table, and the contact history table. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346185 | TRACKING RESPONSES TO PROMOTIONS - A computer implemented method for response tracking is described. The method includes obtaining one or more responses to one or more promotions, attributing the one or more responses to one or more treatment instances, with the one or more treatment instances correspond to a promotion version assigned to a group of contact entities at an execution of a computer implemented marketing campaign, and generating a response table, the response table including one or more entries, the entries in the response table being in accordance with attribution of the one or more responses to one or more treatment instances. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346186 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ALLOCATING DISPLAY SPACE - Display space on web page may be allocated by bids. In one embodiment, the display space system receives bids indicating a bid amount and an advertisement. When providing a web page with the display space, the display space system selects a bid. The display space system adds the advertisement of the selected bid to the web page. The bid may specify web pages on which the advertisement may be placed, the users to whom the advertisement may be presented, and time when the advertisement may be placed. The bid amount may be in an established currency or in advertising points. Activities for which advertising points may be awarded may include listing an auction, auction bidding, or purchasing of an item. When a user advertisement is placed, the display space system reduces user advertising points. The display space system may also place bids for display space on behalf of the user. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346187 | CONTENT SELECTION BASED ON CONSUMER INTERATIONS - In some embodiments, there is provided a technique for detecting a consumer's skipping habits at a given time and determining the consumer's current preferences based at least in part on those skipping habits. Skipping habits are determined by detecting which content is skipped (or not skipped) during presentation of content. Skipping habits, indicating trends in the consumer's consuming or skipping of content, that are detected during presentation of content may be used to determine a consumer's current preferences. Selection of content for presentation may be based on current preferences of the consumer. In this way, a consumer's interactions with the content, including the consumer's skipping habits, can be used to alter a selection of content to be presented to the consumer. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346188 | Estimating Costs of behavioral Targeting | 2013-12-26 |
20130346189 | GEOGRAPHICALLY-ORIENTED PROFILE-BASED OBJECT ASSISTANCE - The technology disclosed relates to connecting a user's location via a location mediation server with indications of interest in products and product groups and in real time. An application executing on a user's mobile computing device supplies a location. The location mediation server works with the application, using various allocations of effort, to match current locations to sales environments that set the product(s) of interest and, in some implementations, to product exemplars outside sales environments. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346190 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR INFLUENCING A POSITION ON A SEARCH RESULT LIST GENERATED BY A COMPUTER NETWORK SEARCH ENGINE - The present application is related to systems and methods for enabling information providers to influence a position for a search listing within a search result list generated by an Internet search engine. The systems and methods may provide accounts for the network information providers. Each account may contain a search listing having at least three components: a description, a search term comprising one or more keywords, and a bid amount. The network information provider may add, delete, or modify a search listing to influence the position for a search listing within a corresponding search result list. The systems and methods may send a notification to an external destination upon occurrence of a predetermined event, such as the change of position in the search listing. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346191 | PROMOTION VERIFICATION METHOD - A promotion verification method which is based upon locally stored information. The promotion verification method includes recording entry of a promotion code by a computer, determining a key from the promotion code by the computer, and applying the key to obtain promotion information associated with the promotion code by the computer. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346192 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DISPLAYING A THEME BASED ADVERTISEMENT ON A SEARCH BOX - A method and system for displaying advertisements on a search box. The method includes receiving a search query from a user; determining a match between the search query and an advertisement that is relevant to the search query; retrieving the advertisement; altering one or more data formats associated with the advertisement to generate a theme based advertisement; and displaying, to the user, the theme based advertisement on at least one of the search box and areas encircling the search box. The system includes an electronic device, a communication interface, a memory and a processor to receive a search query, to determine a match between the search query and an advertisement, to retrieve the advertisement, to alter one or more data formats associated with the advertisement and to display the theme based advertisement on at least one of the search box and areas encircling the search box. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346193 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PLACING ADVERTISEMENTS - Systems and methods provide techniques for associating advertisements with relevant content on a user interface. A method for placing advertisements on a user interface includes providing a user interface having a plurality of user interface screens, at least some of the plurality of user interface screens containing user-selectable control objects, and determining which of a plurality of advertisements to display on a user interface screen based on at least one of the following criteria: topical relevance, contextual relevance, path relevance and cognitive prominence | 2013-12-26 |
20130346194 | SOFTWARE PROGRAM AND METHOD FOR OFFERING PROMOTIONS ON A PHONE - The present invention includes a method and software application for providing a promotion to a user on a phone. The software application resides on a user's phone and “listens” for phone numbers dialed by a user. In response to the user dialing a phone number, the software determines whether a promotion or an offer for a promotion should be provided to the user. In response to determining to play or offer to play a promotion to the user, the software application on the phone effectively “intercepts” the call and plays to the user either a promotion or an offer to hear about a promotion prior to placing an outbound voice call. The software application may retrieve the promotion from local memory or may connect with a remote server to download an applicable promotion. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346195 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR RECOMMENDING CONTENT - A system and method for automatically recommending content. User activity history, such as user transaction and purchase history, are maintained in a user profile database. Recommended content is determined from a content database based on the user activity. Icons for the recommended content are shown on the icon layout for a user interface on a user's device. The icons, when clicked, touched, or otherwise selected, causes the transactions necessary for the recommended content to be communicated to the user's device. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346196 | LIFE CYCLE MILESTONE SUGGESTION - Embodiments of the invention relate to lifecycle milestone suggestion. An aspect of the invention includes identifying a resource related to a user. A start date an end date for the resource is determined. A suggestion for at least one piece of web content is provided based on a current milestone for the resource. The current milestone is updated, and suggestions are provided based on the updated current milestone over an entire lifecycle of the resource. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346197 | CONTENT CATEGORY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS AND METHODS - A method of managing content includes identifying a first web page presented during a user session associated with a first user identifier; identifying a first vertical category to which the first web page belongs; identifying an event occurring during the user session associated with the first user identifier; identifying a second vertical category to which the event belongs; generating association data representing an association between the first vertical category and the second vertical category; identifying a second web page, the second web page presented during a user session associated with a second user identifier; determining a vertical category to which the second web page belongs; and in response to determining the vertical category to which the second web page belongs is the first vertical category, selecting a content item for display during the user session associated with the second user identifier based on the association data. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346198 | LIFE CYCLE MILESTONE SUGGESTION - Embodiments of the invention relate to lifecycle milestone suggestion. An aspect of the invention includes identifying a resource related to a user. A start date an end date for the resource is determined. A suggestion for at least one piece of web content is provided based on a current milestone for the resource. The current milestone is updated, and suggestions are provided based on the updated current milestone over an entire lifecycle of the resource. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346199 | DIGITAL-MEDIA ADVERTISING OPTIMIZATION PLATFORM - This invention provides a model and architecture that allows databases from diverse advertisers/brands and databases from diverse digital content providers to be virtually intertwined without compromising privacy and without actually comingling any of information any the databases. A trusted third party establishes relationships with advertisers/brands on the one hand and digital content providers on the other hand. If desired, additional demographic information about individuals who have established relationships with the advertisers/brands and the digital content providers may also be utilized to further target the advertising. As described in more detail below and in connection with the drawings and attachments hereto, using the method and architecture of the present invention, advertising can be targeted precisely and in accordance with strategic concerns, rather than using a best estimate as to the optimality of the advertising based on the opinions and gut-instincts of an advertising executive or advertising campaign management-team. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346200 | PURCHASE SUPPORT SERVER, PURCHASE SUPPORT METHOD, PURCHASE SUPPORT PROGRAM, AND COMPUTER-READABLE RECORDING MEDIUM FOR RECORDING SAID PROGRAM - A mediation server ( | 2013-12-26 |
20130346201 | METHOD FOR IN-STORE COMPETITION WITH INTERNET SALES PRICING - Methods and systems for intercepting Internet product searches conducted by a consumer within a store enable a merchant to initiate in-store actions, such as presenting counteroffers, to compete for the consumer's business and recover sales that otherwise might be lost to online competitors. The merchant system may employ a variety of technologies to monitor Internet product searches conducted by consumers. In response to determine that an Internet product search has been conducted by the consumer, a merchant server may determine whether any in-store action is warranted to compete. If the merchant server concludes that an in-store counteroffer should be generated, the server may generate an in-store display, announcement or sale agent action to present a counteroffer to the consumer. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346202 | Automated IPv6, IPv4 Address Classifier - Various embodiments pertain to techniques for automatically classifying an IP address using information received as part of a request for an advertisement. In some embodiments, the information received can include an IP address associated with the request, a client identifier, and a unique request identifier, such as a request global user identifier (RGUID). In various embodiments, the information is analyzed and used to classify the IP address. For example, the IP address can be classified as belonging to a unique or real end user, belonging to a proxy, or belonging to a potential exploit. Advertisements can be served, or not served at all, according to the classification of the IP address. In various embodiments, some classifications of IP addresses can be further analyzed to determine a geo-location associated with the IP address or to enable processes to mitigate malicious or fraudulent request risks. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346203 | Mobile software allowing retail establishments to sell via a third party application - A Method of consumer shopping where the consumer could use a Mobile device that is equipped with pin locator where the merchants could sell their goods or services thru a direct communication to a buyer of their goods and services using the capabilities of an additional software or hardware or both added to their mobile device. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346204 | In-Store Guidance Systems and Methods - The present invention is directed to providing a map of a retail store to guide a customer in the retail store. A map can be displayed in a user interface on a customer's computing device such as a smart phone. The customer can provide input to the user interface that requests assistance in locating one or more products in the store. The user interface can update the map to provide the requested assistance. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346205 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR LOCATIONAL MESSAGING - Positional communication systems and methods include receiving a definition of a first geographic area including a first commercial location by a computer system and storing the first geographic area in a memory. The location of a mobile device in the possession of a customer is determined, and if the mobile device is determined to be at a location within the first geographic area, an incentive message for the customer to leave the location and go to a second commercial location is sent to the mobile device. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346206 | MEDIA TARGETING SYSTEM AND METHOD - A media targeting system and method uses visual pattern recognition techniques in association with consumer transactions as the basis for building a targeting database, which is then later used for automated consumer identification and targeted advertising purposes. The invention solves the problem of generating a large scale, robust media targeting database without relying on active or passive participation by consumers. Also disclosed are other demographics estimation systems and methods which facilitate less expensive media targeting capabilities which can be used in conjunction with the more robust transaction associated method disclosed. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346207 | WIRELESS COMMUNICATION DEVICE AND METHODS FOR SYNCHED DISTRIBUTED ADVERTISEMENT FOR DEVICE-TO-DEVICE DISCOVERY - Examples of a communication device and methods for synched distributed advertisement for device-to-device are generally described herein. In some embodiments, a method can include transmitting, from a first device of a publishing group, at a group publishing beacon interval (T), a first publishing beacon (PB) including social information of the first device and social information of (N−1) other devices, wherein the group publishing beacon interval (T) represents a preset interval of time between each successive publishing beacon transmission of the publishing group, and wherein the first publishing beacon and the each successive publishing beacon includes a first value representative of the group publishing beacon interval. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346208 | APPARATUSES, METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR AD-HOC APPLICATIONS BASED ON ADVERTISEMENT - The disclosure details the implementation of apparatuses, methods and systems for a Framework for Ad-hoc Applications Based on Advertising (FAABA). The FAABA may employ short-range radio-frequency communications. The disclosure teaches mechanisms for providing targeted advertising in connection with ad-hoc applications/point-to-point (P2P) communications between user terminals. In a manner, the invention teaches general collection components for user terminals, which is responsible for collecting and maintaining a dynamic set of advertisements as a background operation. This allows the user terminals to initiate applications that are based on P2P communication, and furthermore, allows collections of pre-loaded advertisements to be provided to the user terminals along and/or during the P2P communications. Also, the FAABA teaches that after advertisements are stored in the receiving device, the advertisements can be tailored more closely to the interests of the user of the device and the advertisements can be filtered based on current context of the user. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346209 | Mobile Device Advertising Chains - Mobile device advertising chains are described herein. Presenting a primary offer, comprising a first action, is caused on a mobile computing device. The first action is caused on the mobile computing device. An end of the first action is detected. Presenting a purchase offer, comprising a purchase action, is caused on the mobile computing device after the end of the first action. Data indicating that the purchase action was completed in connection with the mobile computing device based on the purchase offer is received. A sum of the value to confer in connection with the device for accepting both the primary offer and the purchase offer is determined. The sum of the values may be used in optimizing subsequent presentations of the primary offer to other mobile devices. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346210 | Apparatus and Method for Branded Messaging - A server has a message processing module with instructions executed by a processor to support the generation of a message with a branded element with an associated hyperlink. The branded element includes an identifier of a vendor of goods or services. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346211 | Location Blocking Service From a Wireless Service Provider - Subscriber authorization information from a wireless communication device is identified. The subscriber authorization information indicates that an identity of a subscriber associated with the wireless communication device is authorized to be shared without sharing information that identifies a location of the wireless communication device. Subsequent to the subscriber authorization information being identified, the identity of the subscriber associated with the wireless communication device is received or retrieved without information that identifies the location of the wireless communication device. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346212 | COMMUNICATION METHOD OF A MOBILE TERMINAL AND METHOD OF ADVERTISING TO A MOBILE TERMINAL - A communication method of a macro base station including reporting information about a broadcast channel section in order to identify a femtocell in a macrocell of the macro base station set in a downlink broadcast channel of the macrocell, is provided. The macro base station receives position information of a mobile terminal and a request for information about neighboring femto base stations from the mobile terminal, when the mobile terminal identifies an accessible femto base station among the at least one femto base station in the broadcast channel section. The macro base station generates a list of the neighboring femto base stations of the mobile terminal and information about the neighboring femto base stations based on the position information of the mobile terminal, and transmits the list of the neighboring femto base stations and the information about the neighboring femto base stations to the mobile terminal. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346213 | Brand Promotion in a Social Networking System - A social networking system enables brands to form relationships with each other and use these relationships when communicating content to social networking system users. The social networking system receives an endorsement request from a brand to establish a relationship with another brand in the social networking system. Responsive to an approval from the other brand, the relationship is formed by the social networking system, and may be used to distribute content to users connected to one of the brands. For example, a brand may endorse an advertising brand, allowing the advertising brand to target the endorsement to users connected to the endorsing brand. The advertising brand may provide content, such as an advertisement, as well as the endorsement. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346214 | INFORMATION PROVIDING APPARATUS, ADVERTISEMENT DELIVERY SYSTEM, INFORMATION PROVIDING METHOD, AND INFORMATION PROVIDING PROGRAM - There is provided an information providing apparatus including a reception unit, a provision determining unit, and a request reply unit. The reception unit receives provision availability information indicating whether provision of user information for an advertisement delivery apparatus is permitted from a user terminal accessing any one of a plurality of site providing apparatuses or the like. The provision determining unit determines whether the provision availability information corresponding to the user terminal represents a provision permission in a case where an acquisition request for the user information relating to the user terminal is received from the advertisement delivery apparatus. The request reply unit replies to the advertisement delivery apparatus with the user information of the user terminal in a case where the provision permission is determined to be represented by the provision determining unit. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346215 | ADVERTISEMENT DISTRIBUTION APPARATUS, DISTRIBUTION METHOD, AND DISTRIBUTION PROGRAM - An advertisement distribution apparatus according to an embodiment includes a user information table, a determining unit, a request unit, and a distribution unit. The user information table stores user information about a user. When the advertisement distribution apparatus is accessed by a user terminal, the determining unit determines whether the user information of the user of the user terminal has been stored in the user information table. When the determining unit determines that the user information has not been stored in the storage unit, the request unit requests an information provision apparatus to transmit the user information. When the determining unit determines that the user information has not been stored in the storage unit, the distribution unit distributes advertisement content to the user terminal using the user information which is acquired from the information provision apparatus by the request unit. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346216 | TECHNIQUES FOR ASSIGNING PROMOTIONS TO CONTACT ENTITIES - A computer implemented method for target group management is described. The method includes producing a table including one or more group entries corresponding to one or more defined contact group entities with each of the entries having a first set of group attributes, and producing a visual representation of a marketing campaign, the representation including one or more instances of defined contact group entities, with the one or more instances having a second set of group attributes and with the representation linked to the table according to the second set of group attributes. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346217 | MOBILE DEVICE LOCATION ANALYTICS FOR USE IN CONTENT SELECTION - In one embodiment, a method includes receiving location data for a plurality of mobile devices located in an area comprising a display screen, processing at a network device, the location data to generate location analytics for the area, the location analytics comprising dwell time for users of the mobile devices, and transmitting the location analytics to a content source operable to select content for display on the display screen based on the location analytics. An apparatus and logic are also disclosed herein. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346218 | Bidding on Impression Opportunities Using Confidence Indicators - Various embodiments pertain to techniques for utilizing confidence indicators to adjust bidding values used to obtain impression opportunities. In various embodiments, a system clusters a plurality of ad impression opportunities according to received information regarding each of the ad impression opportunities. Information about the clusters, referred to as data spots, is calculated and utilized to classify the data spots into one or more categories. Bidding strategies are assigned to each category. When the system receives an ad impression opportunity from an impression provider, the system identifies a data spot to which the received ad impression opportunity corresponds and determines a bid for the ad impression opportunity according to the bidding strategy assigned to the category into which the identified data spot is classified. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346219 | BID ESTIMATION FOR CONTEXTUAL ADVERTISEMENTS - Methods and systems for estimating the value of a contextual ad impression are provided. Requests for value-based bids for ad impressions are received from bidders and the value of the ad impression is estimated based primarily upon leveraging sell-side data (user and publisher). The estimation is highly economized through a fast implementation of k-nearest-neighbor (kNN) regression. Embodiments of the present invention further address the cold-start problem or the exploration vs. exploitation requirement by Bayesian (hierarchical) smoothing using a beta prior, and adapt to the temporal dynamics using an autoregressive model to decay importance of certain data. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346220 | User Generated Photo Ads Used As Status Updates - Systems and methods are disclosed for generating and utilizing photo advertisements (“ads”). In one embodiment, a photo advertisement is posted as a status update for a user via a social networking service. A plurality of filler images representing one or more participants is associated with a photo ad template having one or more photo wells. A photo advertisement based on the photo ad template is generated by an electronic device such that the associated plurality of filler images are inserted into the one or more photo wells in the photo ad template. A status update that includes the photo advertisement for presentation with the status update is initiated responsive to generating the photo advertisement. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346221 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING MERCHANTS WITH USER INTERFACES FOR MANAGING ONLINE DEALS - A computer system for e-commerce management includes a merchant user interface module configured to allow a merchant to define a deal for offering via a plurality of online distribution channels. The computer system further includes a business layer configured to use the defined deal to publish offers of the defined deal to the plurality of online distribution channels. The business layer aggregates data relating to the published offers and the plurality of online distribution channels. The merchant user interface module is further configured to allow the merchant to view the aggregated data and to make adjustments to the published offers. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346222 | MOBILE PAYMENT SYSTEM - During a financial transaction, a customer provides an identifier to a peripheral device (which may be a barcode scanner, a wireless receiver or a keyboard) coupled to the point-of-sale terminal. This identifier corresponds to a one-time payment credential token that includes financial information of the customer. Then, a service object executing on the point-of-sale terminal, which acts as a driver for the peripheral device, performs one or more operations based on at least the identifier to obtain the financial information. After providing the financial information and transaction information associated with the financial transaction to a financial institution specified in the financial information, the point-of-sale terminal receives a confirmation from the financial institution that the financial transaction has been completed. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346223 | PROCESSING POINT-OF-SALE TRANSACTIONS USING A MOBILE CARD AND MOBILE PHONE - In some example embodiments, a mobile card is determined to have been presented as payment in a point-of-sale (POS) transaction and a mobile phone is determined to be associated with the mobile card. A transaction request is then sent to a mobile phone and a transaction authorization is received from the mobile phone. The POS transaction is then authorized. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346224 | TRANSACTION AUTHENTICATION WITH A NON-MSISDN ID AND AUTHORIZATION BY COMMUNICATING WITH A CONSUMER DEVICE - A computer-based method of managing electronic transactions is described. A plurality of consumer accounts is stored in a data store, each consumer account having a first consumer account identifier. A second consumer account identifier is received in a point-of-sale device. A charge request including an amount and a second consumer account identifier is received, wherein the second consumer account identifier is not an MSISDN. A selected one of the consumer accounts is identified by associating one of the first consumer account identifiers with the second consumer account identifier. An authorization request is transmitted to a consumer device. A response to the authorization request is received from the consumer device, and the charge request is processed based on an account detail of the selected consumer account, wherein the charge request is processed if the response is the authorization response. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346225 | PERSONALIZED VIRTUAL GOODS HOLIDAY OR EVENT CALENDAR - A printed calendar, method and system for preparing the printed calendar, and system for redeeming virtual goods are provided herein. The printed calendar includes at least one form sheet having printed thereon one or more occurrences of time. The one or more occurrences of time being coupled with at least one viewing panel capable of hiding and revealing an image. The printed calendar further includes at least one back sheet having printed thereon at least one graphical representation associated with the one or more occurrences of time. The at least one graphical representation being aligned with the form sheet, such that, the graphical representation is visible through the at least one viewing panel coupled to the one or more occurrences of time. The at least one graphical representation representing a virtual good accessible to the selected recipient at one of the one or more occurrences of time. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346226 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR EVENT PLANNING AND PARTICIPATION AND A BALLOT PLATFORM FOR TRANSACTIONS FOR GOODS AND SERVICES - A website provides facilities for organizing an event including location, time and date selection, performer selection and promotion. Users can present themselves as performers for selection by an event organizer for an event performance. Users at the event are permitted access to the website to upload recorded media from the event, which can be live streaming content. Users can comment on the event in association with the uploaded media. Previous event recordings and comments can be archived for later viewing. Users can rent and selectively send/receive media to/from other users. A VIP event purchase option is available for groups to register to attend an event. The website permits product and/or service purchases, such as event ticket purchase, where the event need not be organized through the website. Users may be granted special status as regular commentators. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346227 | Performance-Based Pricing for Cloud Computing - Described are performance-based pricing models for pricing execution of a client job in a cloud service. Client-provided performance-related parameters are used to determine a price. The price may be a minimum bid price that is evaluated against a bid received from client bidder to accept or reject the bid. Alternatively, the price may be returned as a quote. For batch application-type jobs, performance parameters include a work volume parameter and a deadline or the like. For an interactive-type application job, example performance-related parameters may include an average load parameter, a peak load parameter, an acceptance rate parameter, a minimum capacity parameter, a maximum capacity parameter, and/or a time window parameter over which load is specified. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346228 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MANAGING NEWS MATERIALS OBTAINED BY BYSTANDERS - A system and method are configured to provide business entities with news materials obtained by bystanders. The method includes receiving a news material from a device of a bystander, the news material related to an event that the bystander encountered, sending the news material to one or more business entities who want to obtain the news material, and managing associated transactions. The transfer of the news material can be made either exclusively to a winning bidder through an action or non-exclusively to multiple business entities through licensing. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346229 | Lighting Infrastructure and Revenue Model - Methods, devices, and systems for implementing lighting infrastructure application frameworks and networks and associated revenue models. In one embodiment, a computing device may receive a request from a first device to access data from a lighting infrastructure application framework, and the data from the lighting infrastructure application framework may include data from lighting node platform(s). In an embodiment, the computing device may perform authorizations related to providing access to data, as well as transmit responses to requests for data. Costs and revenues associated with applications may also be performed based on usage of platforms, sensors, and controllers within a lighting infrastructure. In an embodiment, software, applications, and other instructions may be transmitted by a computing device in response to receiving requests. In another embodiment, a computing device may process received data (e.g., sensor data from lighting node platforms) to detect trends or events relevant to applications. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346230 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR ONLINE AUCTIONS AND MARKETPLACES UTILIZING PROGRAM TERMS - An on-line market-place includes an auction wherein one or more predefined terms, qualities, incentives, or other such indicia (generally, “Program Terms”) are associated with the particular product and/or service which is the subject of the auction. Customers rank or otherwise designate their preference for these Program Terms (e.g., by selecting a “Preferred Program Term”), and the system then partitions the customers into “pools” in accordance with the selected Program Terms. Merchants then compete to obtain that pool of customers by bidding on the Preferred Program Term. Customers may be pooled according to demographic or other customer characteristics (“Characteristic Pooling”), or according to level of commitment to purchase (“Commitment Pooling”). | 2013-12-26 |
20130346231 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR OFFERING AND PURCHASING ITEM WITH MACHINE-READABLE LABEL - A method of processing an order request for an item. The method includes offering, using a machine-readable label, the item to a customer, in response to receiving an indication that a mobile device has read the machine-readable label using a purchasing application, receiving, using a processor, customer information and the order request for the item from the mobile device, and processing the order request for the item using the customer information from the mobile device. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346232 | Automated Computer System and Method For Procurement Management - A procurement management system and automated computer-implemented method for providing users with eco-friendly alternatives found in the marketplace. A procurement management system gives businesses of all size the ability to streamline their buying process and make this process more efficient and cost effective. The computer-implemented method is driven by a processor that queries for eco-friendly merchandise, similar to that of the products queried by the user. This automated computer-implemented method calculates and presents to customers (a) the number of trees saved; (b) the number of British Thermal Units saved; (c) the number of gallons of water saved; and (d) the pounds of CO | 2013-12-26 |
20130346233 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR GENERATING LOCATION-BASED GROUP RECOMMENDATIONS - Methods and systems for generating location-aware group recommendations are discussed. For example, a method can include operations for receiving a group recommendation request, accessing user profile data associated with members of the group, and generating a group recommendation. The group recommendation request can be received at a network-based system and include identification of a first and second user as well as information identifying a current location associated with the first and second users. Accessing the user profile information can include accessing user profile information for both the first and second users. The group recommendation can be generated based on the current location data and a combination of at least a portion of the user profile data from the first and second users. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346234 | RECOMMENDATIONS SYSTEM - A recommendation system communicates with end user devices over a computer communications network and includes a recommendations engine that communicates with the network from behind a firewall that inhibits unauthorized communications from the network, a data file system that receives disposition update data in response to purchase actions initiated by an end user device and receives ingested user activity data in response to activity at a network storefront initiated by an end user device, and a database system that updates a recommendation model for the end user device in response to receiving the disposition update data and ingested user activity data. The recommendations engine generates a recommendation for the end user device in response to the update of the recommendation model. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346235 | Systems, Methods, and Computer Program Products for Caching of Shopping Items - An electronic system including an input/output interface operable to receive an input from a user and communicate an output to the user, a transceiver operable to electronically communicate with a computer network, a computer processor operable to execute instructions, and a memory storage operable to store the instructions, the memory storage further comprising a program module that is operable to: receive identifying information of a physical shopping item while at a physical shopping location selling the physical shopping item, the identifying information including at least an identifier of the physical shopping location and a visual depiction of the physical shopping item, cache the identifying information in a shopping list with a plurality of other physical shopping items, and provide access to the shopping list for a user at a later time. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346236 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING A MULTIMEDIA MARKETPLACE - A system and method for providing a multimedia marketplace amongst consumer devices, artist devices and service provider devices. A consumer account including a credit account is stored for each consumer registration request received from consumer devices. An artist account including an artist credit account is stored for each artist registration request from artist devices. A service provider registration request including an offer to sell a product is received from a service provider device. When a play of the media composition is detected at a consumer device, credit is deposited into the consumer's credit account. When a donation request associated with that consumer account is received, credit is donated from the consumer's credit account to an artist credit account. A purchase request associated with an artist account is received from an artist device, the purchase request requesting to spend credit from the artist credit account to purchase the product. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346237 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR FACILITATING LOGISTICS TIME SAVINGS - A logistics management system is provided that alerts a customer regarding nearby purchasing opportunities as the customer travels about accomplishing other scheduled tasks. By gathering information regarding expected locations of the customer at expected times, as well as by tracking customer inventory information along with geographically proximate retailer inventories, the logistics management system may automate orders of products such that the customer may perform curbside pickups of the products as they travel between previously scheduled appointments. The logistics management system may negotiate with retailers for better prices, and/or may cancel other existing orders for products if it is determined that performing a curbside pickup of a product would be preferable. In some embodiments, the logistics management system may manage not only curbside pickups of products, but also access to other resources, such as places in a queue for a resource at a retailer. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346238 | PACKAGE AND METHOD FOR CREATING SUCH A PACKAGE FOR ASSISTING A PERSON IN TRANSITIONING FROM ONE DISPOSABLE ABSORBENT PRODUCT TO ANOTHER - A package includes a plurality of a first absorbent product from a first product category and at least one sample of a second absorbent product from a second product category. The first absorbent product and the second absorbent product have a common characteristic. A transition aid has a first region including a depiction of the first absorbent product, a second region including a depiction of the second absorbent product, and a third region including at least one scale of reference comprising a depiction of the common characteristic of both the first absorbent product and the second absorbent product. The depiction of each of the first absorbent product and the second absorbent product is positioned along the scale to indicate the common characteristics of each product. A method for creating such a package is also disclosed. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346239 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS TO FACILITATE A PURCHASE OF AN ITEM ON A NETWORK-BASED MARKETPLACE - A method and system to facilitate a purchase of an item on a network-based marketplace. The system receives a request from a first user on a network-based social platform. The request identifies a virtual gift. Next, the system associates the virtual gift to an item for sale on the network-based marketplace. Finally, the system communicates interface information that enables the first user to purchase the item on the network-based marketplace. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346240 | Media Content Location Methods and Systems - An exemplary method includes a media content location system 1) detecting a geographic location of a mobile device associated with a user, 2) determining, based on the detected geographic location of the mobile device, that a media content instance designated as being of interest to the user is available for vending at a media content store that is within a geographic vicinity of the mobile device, 3) directing the mobile device to present a graphical depiction of the geographic vicinity of the mobile device, and 4) directing the mobile device to present a graphical object representative of the media content instance within the graphical depiction of the geographic vicinity at a position that corresponds to a geographic location of the media content store. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346241 | INFRASTRUCTURE SUPPORTING A DISTRIBUTED APPROVAL WORKFLOW - The validation of a product for placement in a catalog in a marketplace utilizes a distributed approval workflow. A validation engine receives product submissions for inclusion into the marketplace's catalog. The validation engine initiates the distributed approval workflow to one or more approval engines that are equipped to perform the tasks needed to validate the product. The validation engine monitors the distributed approval workflow performed by the approval engines until completion. Upon successful completion of the distributed approval workflow, the product may be placed onto the marketplace's catalog for distribution. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346242 | Color changing tag for authentication - Product counterfeiting is a major problem. It is estimated that about 10% of all goods sold are counterfeits!. In recent years counterfeiters have improved significantly the quality of their products as a good counterfeit can be sold at a much higher value than a poor one. It is very difficult for untrained, regular customers to tell the difference. Currently, there are no reliable means for a person to authenticate a product. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346243 | TRANSACTION MANAGEMENT BASED ON INDIVIDUAL ORDERS OR NUMBER OF DEVICES AT TABLE FOR DESIRED DISTRIBUTION - A mobile device performs admixed transactions at a merchant. The mobile device receives a purchase amount. The mobile device connects to at least one other mobile device. Responsive to connecting to the at least one other mobile device, the mobile device receives account authorization for at least one other purchase amount. Responsive to receiving the account authorization from the at least one other device, the mobile device creates an admixed authorization. The admixed authorization comprises individual account authorizations for users of the mobile device and the at least one other mobile device. The mobile device initiates a single transaction at a merchant. The mobile device transfers the admixed authorization to the merchant. Each of the individual account authorizations are applied to the single transaction based on the purchase amount and the at least one other purchase amount authorized in the individual account authorizations. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346244 | ONLINE/OFFLINE PAYMENT SYSTEM - A method for receiving a payment includes receiving information for a transaction with a merchant over the network, wherein the transaction includes an incomplete online transaction associated with a user account. A location of a user device that is associated with the user account is then retrieved, and a payment location is determined that is within a predetermined distance of the location of the user device. The payment location is then sent over the network to the user device. The user of the user device may then go to the payment location to provide payment information offline to a payment location device (e.g., by presenting a payment card to the payment location device provider, providing cash, etc.). That payment information is then received over the network from the payment location device and, in response, the online transaction is completed. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346245 | System and Method for Conducting Delegated Payments - The present disclosure involves an electronic device. The electronic device includes a user interface configured to receive an input from, and display output to, a user. The electronic device includes a memory storage configured to store programming code. The electronic device includes a computer processor operatively coupled to the memory storage. The computer processor component is configured to execute the computer programming code to perform the following operations: approving a group of contacts of the user as delegated buyers; receiving, through the user interface, an alert that one of the contacts is within a predefined geographical range of a remote merchant; requesting the contact to buy merchandise from the merchant on behalf of the user; establishing a secure electronic payment channel with a mobile communications device of the contact; and transferring, via the secure electronic payment channel, funds to the contact for buying the merchandise on behalf of the user. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346246 | PERSONALIZED INTERACTIVE NETWORK WITH SOCIAL MARKETING PERSONALIZED OFFERS - Systems and methods are disclosed for personalizing interaction between an information/service/product provider using a knowledge management (KM) system that tracks data exchanged between users and the provider over multiple communication channels. User requests to an information/service/product provider can made via multiple different channels, such as by using ATMs, PDAs, cell phones, computers accessing web sites or other Web Devices, Voice Response Units (VRUs), and others. User requests submitted over these multiple channels are routed into an integrated KM system that services these requests and selects personalized offers and/or personalized content and/or personalized format presentation to be provided to the users. | 2013-12-26 |
20130346247 | Recommending Options Based on Sustainability Metrics - Recommending options based on sustainability metrics includes identifying multiple end to end service delivery options, each of the end to end service delivery options having a kind of service, an application service provider to provide the kind of service, and a client device; calculating a sustainability value for each of the end to end service delivery options, and recommending one of the end to end service delivery options based on the sustainability value. | 2013-12-26 |