19th week of 2012 patent applcation highlights part 62 |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20120116824 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ADMINISTERING TELEMATICS BASED REINSURANCE POOLS - A data processing system includes a processor that is configured for determining a percentage share to assign a share of relative risk in an insurance pool between an insurer, a first safety vendor and at least one other safety vendor. The processor is further configured to allocate portions of the insurance pool among the insurer and the safety vendors according to the determined shares assigned to the insurer and the safety vendors, to aggregate by the insurer loss information related to the insurance pool, and transmit the loss information to the safety vendors. Also, the processor is configured to allocate portions of a claim liability or a received premium associated with the insurance pool among the insurer and the safety vendors according to the determined shares assigned to the insurer and the safety vendors. The data processing system also includes a memory for storing the determined shares assigned to the insurer and the safety vendors. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116825 | METHODS AND SYSTEM MAKING IT POSSIBLE TO PLACE AN INDIVIDUAL PUBLIC VEHICLE AT THE DISPOSAL OF A USER - Method for placing one vehicle of a group of individual public vehicles at the disposal of a user, the said method being characterized in that it comprises the following steps: receiving from each individual public vehicle information including the geographic position of the vehicle, creating a database including the information of the geographic positions of the vehicles, receiving a request to place a vehicle at the disposal of the user in a position, using the database to identify a vehicle available in this position or close to this position, and sending the user the information relating to the actual exact position of the available vehicle. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116826 | EVALUATING CAPITAL FOR REPLACEMENT - A method for evaluating an asset for replacement includes retrieving one or more pieces of information corresponding to the asset, each piece of information corresponding to one or more factors, wherein each factor has an associated factor weight, determining, by a processing device, an associated factor score for each factor based at least in part on the pieces of information corresponding to the factor, the factor score for each factor also based at least in part on the associated factor weight, and determining a replacement eligibility score based upon the factor scores associated with two or more of the factors. In some embodiments, the method includes comparing a plurality of replacement eligibility scores corresponding to a plurality of assets and initiating creation of a schedule for the plurality of assets based on the comparison. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116827 | PLANT ANALYZING SYSTEM - A plant analyzing system which can include an accepting section that accepts a definition of a soft-sensor for creating key information used for diagnosing the plant based on the data obtained from the plant; a storage section that stores the soft-sensor; a monitoring data generating section that generates the key information in real time as data for monitoring the plant based on the data obtained from the plant and using the stored soft-sensor; a monitoring data display section that displays in real time the data for monitoring the plant on a screen for monitoring an operation; a history data accumulating section that accumulates the data obtained from the plant as history data; and an analyzing data generating section that generates the key information, as data for analyzing a plant state of the past, based on the accumulated history data and using the stored soft-sensor. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116828 | PROMOTIONS AND ADVERTISING SYSTEM - A system for promoting a business includes a business interface module and a consumer interface module. The business interface module receives information from businesses identifying information to be conveyed to consumers, such as special offers available from the businesses. The consumer interface module conveys the information to the consumers. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116829 | OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT METHOD - An operations management method | 2012-05-10 |
20120116830 | Availability-Based Contact Routing and Scheduling System - A contact routing and scheduling system is provided allowing users to define various contact routing and scheduling contexts to direct a contact to a calendar of appointment availability representing the availability of a set of representatives pre-qualified to have times available for an appropriate appointment and to book an appointment as an integral part of the contact routing function. The system utilizes multiple visual user interfaces to allow users, contacts, and administrators to interact with the contact routing and appointment scheduling system. The system allows for user selection of contact routing and scheduling rules, association of scheduling activities to the contact routing process, and association of representatives who will ultimately accept appointments with contacts. The system also utilizes various techniques to associate contacts with particular contact routing and scheduling contexts received by the contact through email and/or other correspondence means. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116831 | Using Cloud Brokering Services for an Opportunistic Cloud Offering - In accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure, a method comprises publishing descriptions available from a plurality of publishing parties. The descriptions describe a plurality of published services available for a requesting party to request. The method receives requests to broker a transaction from the requesting party, associates a requested service to one of the published services, and facilitates a transaction for the one of the published services. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116832 | DEVICE, SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR LIVESTOCK FEEDING - A device, system and a method for livestock feeding, and in particular, to such a device, system and method in which, the meal size and frequency of meal delivery are controllable based on measureable parameters and expected livestock growth curve, more preferably real time parameters. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116833 | ADAPTIVE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SOLUTION DESIGN AND DEPLOYMENT - An automated incremental solution deployment strategy created for an enterprise organization based upon evaluation of a set of possible information technology solution alternatives within an automated architectural framework is received. An information technology solution is incrementally deployed and incrementally selected from the set of possible information technology solution alternatives during the incremental deployment using the automated incremental solution deployment strategy. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116834 | HYBRID TASK BOARD AND CRITICAL PATH METHOD BASED PROJECT APPLICATION - Tasks can be visualized and tracked through automatic generation of a task board based on data from a project management application and data transferred from a task board to a project management application. Summary tasks, which represent grouping of related tasks in project management, are pivoted such that sub-tasks can be laid out in task board rows or “stories.” Progress status indicators in a task board (or columns) are derived automatically from intrinsic and traditional project management application fields like “percent complete” enabling users to take advantage of traditional project management features such as dependencies, resource leveling, etc., while presenting a simplified and intuitive task board interface to a project manager and/or a project team. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116835 | HYBRID TASK BOARD AND CRITICAL PATH METHOD BASED PROJECT MANAGEMENT APPLICATION INTERFACE - Seamless interaction between a task board and an underlying Critical Path Method (CPM) based project management application is provided, where users are enabled to move tasks on a task board user interface across columns or summary task (“story”) rows. Upon detecting a move of a task, a task board application (or its parent project management application) updates a project hierarchy of tasks reflecting the new grouping if the move is across rows such that critical path and other computations for the overall project can be updated by the project management application. If the move is across columns indicating a change of task property, relevant properties associated with the task (and/or its parent task(s)) are updated and provided to the project management application for re-computation of appropriate aspects of the project. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116836 | CONSOLIDATING BUSINESS PROCESS WORKFLOWS THROUGH THE USE OF SEMANTIC ANALYSIS - A first and a second workflow can be identified. The workflows can be a sequence of connected steps representing work of a business process which can be modeled within a computing environment as an object. The object can be an activity or an event of the business process. A semantic analysis can be automatically performed upon the workflows. The semantic analysis can compare each object of the workflows to each other. An object report can be generated from the comparison which can indicate a similarity and/or a difference between each object of the workflows. The similarity can denote two or more objects are identical and the difference can denote two or more objects are not identical. The workflows can be programmatically consolidated into one or more consolidated roadmap using the object report. The roadmap can be a business process workflow comprised of each unique object of first and second workflow. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116837 | SOCIAL RISK MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND METHOD - The present invention provides a social risk management system and method capable of analyzing data pertaining to an economic venture, identifying social risks that may be encountered, generating specific prevention and mitigation measures for those hazards, and evaluating the results. In one embodiment, the present invention provides a user-friendly graphic user interface through which users may access the unique functionality of the present invention. In one embodiment, the present invention is capable of utilizing feedback data to generate one or more evaluation reports illustrating the success, or lack thereof, of the implemented prevention/mitigation measures. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116838 | ANALYSIS OF IT RESOURCE PERFORMANCE TO BUSINESS ORGANIZATION - A system, method and computer program product for determining at least one association between at least one business process and at least one network entity. The system maps at least one user to the business process. The system maps the user to at least one network end-point. The system maps the network end-point to at least one application. The system maps the network entity to the application. The system identifies the association among the business process, the user, the network end-point, the application and the network entity based on one or more of the mappings. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116839 | ENTERPRISE RISK ANALYSIS SYSTEM - A system is provided in which multiple sub-organizations are part of a parent organization and participate in common risk management. The system includes a first sub-system whereby each sub-organization provides a risk assessment, a second sub-system whereby the risk assessment of each sub-organization is converted into a risk assessment of the parent organization and a third sub-system whereby the respective risk assessments of the sub-organizations and the parent organization are employed for additional analysis. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116840 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MARKETING MANAGEMENT - A method and apparatus are disclosed for initiating and managing a mobile-based dialog by receiving a response to a request for a dialog, recording information about a respondent correlated with their response, analyzing the response, and sending a return response with a request to continue the dialog. Responses are individualized to particular consumers and may establish a market of one. Personal and/or relevant information may be sent between a consumer and a brand based on previous patterns unique to an individual consumer, and unique to individual preferences. Privacy of a consumer is maintained. The method may be applied to clinical trials and surveys. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116841 | SYSTEM FOR MODELING DRINK SUPPLY AND DEMAND - A system for modeling supply and demand. The system can include a processor configured to aggregate material information, determine a product lineup based on the aggregate material information, and determine a consumer demand based on a consumer liking of the product lineup. The material information can include quantity information, availability information, and quality information. The material information can be variable. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116842 | DRINK PRODUCTION PROCESS SIMULATOR - A system for simulating drink production. The system can include a processor configured to aggregate existing material information, receive predicted material information, aggregate production information, receive timing information of at least one drink product, model consumer liking of the at least one drink product, and determine a production plan based on the existing material information, the predicted material information, the production information, the timing information and the consumer liking. The existing material information can be associated with a beverage input of at least one drink product. The predicted material information can be associated with the beverage input of the at least one drink product. The production information is associated with production resources of the at least one drink product. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116843 | ASSESSING DEMAND FOR PRODUCTS AND SERVICES - Concepts for new/different products, services, or bundles of products and/or services are tested using discrete choice modeling, and, in some instances a combination of discrete choice modeling and monadic concept testing. In one embodiment, monadic and discrete choice data are gathered at the same time and combined. Discrete choice modeling data is then used to generate specific diagnostic information, and a web-enabled interface facilitates choices among the concepts. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116844 | TRAVEL PRICE OPTIMIZATION (TPO) - TPO is an industry-neutral price optimization solution that recommends optimal prices by performing a simultaneous evaluation of all network-wide demand and supply considerations. TPO produces an optimal time-phased price profile designed to achieve the greatest return on inventory. An optimizer technique takes the baseline demand forecasts, competitive intelligence, inventory data, and other related parameters and data representing real-world objects, and determines the optimal prices at which the user will achieve the greatest return on inventory. The optimizer technique can be directed to maximize revenues, profits, or market share. TPO produces a recommended price profile, that can be manipulated in an interactive graphical user interface, and illustrates what price must be charged now, and what prices must be charged later in the booking cycle. Using price sensitive forecasting to estimate how price impacts demand, TPO helps users to maximize revenues, profits, or market share. TPO recommends prices by dated-resources or dated DFUs. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116845 | SYSTEM FOR REAL-TIME RESPONDENT SELECTION AND INTERVIEW AND ASSOCIATED METHODS - A system and a method to implement real-time respondent selection and interview. A real-time evaluator selects a respondent in real-time for interview with a user of the system, where the respondent selection is based upon criteria defined by the user. An interview manager conducts the interview between the user and the respondent and records a transcript of the interview. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116846 | METHOD FOR ACQUIRING DATA FROM A USER AT THE TIME OF A CARD PAYMENT MADE USING A PAYMENT TERMINAL - The invention relates to a method for acquiring data from a user at the time of a card payment made using a payment terminal, in which: a data acquisition request is displayed ( | 2012-05-10 |
20120116847 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MANAGING ELECTRIC PURCHASING STRATEGIES - Provide is a system and method for managing electric purchasing strategies. A processor receives electric pricing information, electric usage information, a plurality of input parameters, and generates electric purchasing strategies based on the electric pricing information, the electric usage information, and the plurality of input parameters; and a memory stores the electric pricing information, the electric usage information, the plurality of input parameters, and the electric purchasing strategies. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116848 | OPTIMIZING BUSINESS OPERATIONAL ENVIRONMENTS - Methods and systems are provided to optimize business value by providing and/or implementing business solutions, e.g., solutions to improve operational environments. A method is implemented in a computer infrastructure which has computer executable code tangibly embodied on a computer readable storage medium having programming instructions operable to: provide an initial assessment of business operations, using a framework based on lean capabilities and lean components, as well as at least one of business and environmental constraints; determine a need for improvement based on scores provided in the initial assessment; and provide a complete assessment using business drivers and specifications of a solution to identify areas for improvement of business operations. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116849 | SOFTWARE TESTING TO VALIDATE TENANT OPERATIONS - Systems, methods, computer program products, and the like for testing to validate software operations are described. A first part of a test can be executed in a tenant currently having a first system state. The tenant can be transitioned from the first system state to a second system state. The transitioning can have an unknown effect on a business process or business scenario running in the tenant. A second part of the test can be executed in the tenant while the tenant is in the second system state. Upon completion of the test, it can be determined whether the transition of the tenant from the first system state to the second system state negatively impacts the running of the business process or business scenario. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116850 | CAUSAL MODELING OF MULTI-DIMENSIONAL HIERACHICAL METRIC CUBES - A computing system initializes a first frontier to be a root of a multi-dimensional hierarchical data structure representing an entity. The system acquires first data corresponding to the first frontier. The system performs modeling on the first data to obtain a first model and a corresponding first statistic. The system expands a dimension of the first frontier. The system gathers second data corresponding to the expanded frontier. The system applies the data modeling on the second data to obtain a second model and a corresponding second statistic. The system compares the first statistic of the first model and the second statistic of the second model. The system sets the second model to be the first model in response to determining that the second model statistic is better than the first model statistic. The system outputs the first model. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116851 | APPARATUS AND APPROACH FOR ELECTRONIC DATA MANAGEMENT, PROCESSING AND IMPLEMENTATION - Electronic processing and management of electronic project data is facilitated. According to an example embodiment of the present invention, project data including incentives data is processed for a plurality of different projects, using authentication to control data communication and access. Incentive-related data fields are automatically updated upon the receipt of project data, and authenticated users are provided access to the data in real-time. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116852 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR IDENTIFYING, QUANTIFYING, ANALYZING, AND OPTIMIZING THE LEVEL OF ENGAGEMENT OF COMPONENTS WITHIN A DEFINED ECOSYSTEM OR CONTEXT - A method and system for optimizing the level of engagement of components within a defined ecosystem or context includes defining an initial ecosystem or context ‘A’ in structural, functional, operational, and conceptual terms. One or more components are identified in the defined ecosystem or context ‘A’. It is determined whether all identified components account for all of the structural, functional, operational, and conceptual terms of the initial ecosystem or context ‘A’. If so, levels of disengagement and engagement are quantified for each of the identified components. For each of the identified components, one or more gaps are measured between a current component engagement level and a potential component engagement level. A report associated with the one or more identified components and the one or more measured gaps is produced and output. The report includes an organizational structure of the one or more components within a new ecosystem or context ‘B’. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116853 | SYSTEM AND PROCESS FOR EVALUATION OF ATHLETE PERFORMANCE - A system and process for evaluation of athlete performance where the player performance can be evaluated to form a score, ranking, and position and used for any kind of sport and to measure an individual or the entire team as one unit. A user or a team has to answer a set of questions specifically to that sport or specifically to the athlete role/position on the team. Based on those questions, through complex logic the present invention calculates a score and exhibit on a chart for visual presentation. For each question a unit called “Data Field” is formed comprising of logical and mathematical calculation. Each data field is added and the athlete level or score of performance will be displayed visually on graph. The present invention measures the athlete's present performance based on various points and is not entirely based on his past record. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116854 | Method and system for raising funds using a participant vote based program via a communications network - A method for raising funds using a participant vote based program via a communications network comprising: a) providing an online program that participants joins; b) providing a program fund where money is added to the fund based on at least one of the following ways: fees paid by participants in the program, fees paid by business related to consumer purchases, fees paid from advertising or related revenue from the program, fees paid by business partners related to participant purchases, contributions from business partners or participants, and contributions from individuals or organizations; c) providing a submission process for a submitter, who request funding; d) providing a voting process where the participant can vote on the submission, and participant can earn and use bonus votes; e) providing a disbursement process where the money is disbursed from the program fund based at least partially on the results of the vote. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116855 | Receiving and Recording of Content and of Timing Information - A method of receiving content at a user unit is disclosed. The method includes: receiving at the user unit a transmission stream, the transmission stream including: (a) a content item followed by a following content sub-item set, the following content sub-item set including one or more following content sub-items, and (b) following start time data indicating a following start point of the following content sub-item set, wherein the following start time is received in advance of the following start point during reception of the content item. The method further includes continuing to receive the following start time data periodically throughout reception of the following content sub-item set. Related methods are also disclosed. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116856 | COMPUTERIZED SYSTEM AND METHODOLOGY FOR SALE OF PRODUCTS BY DRAW - A system for selling products on-line including a seller module providing functionality for offering a product, establishing a minimum price for the product, and establishing at least one of a target price higher than the minimum price, and an offer expiration date; a transaction engine publishing the offering of the product; and a buyer module, providing functionality for purchasing, by potential acquirers of the product, rights to participate in a draw for the product; and wherein the transaction engine is operative to automatically conduct the draw in accordance with criteria which include purchase by potential acquirers of rights for a total amount not less than the minimum price, and arrival of offer expiration date or purchase by potential acquirers of the product of rights for a total amount which is not less than target price, and wherein transaction engine is also operative to award the product to winner of draw. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116857 | System And Method For Converting Points Linked With Purchases Using Card Transactions Into Annuities - Disclosed are a system and a method for accumulating, as funds for individual annuities for each customer, points acquired as a result of goods purchased at participating stores by customers who have concluded contracts to make payments by credit card. A system management computer ( | 2012-05-10 |
20120116858 | CONSUMER CREATED COUPONS - Apparatus and a method using the apparatus to create on-line obtainable coupons include at least a first server enabling communication with a first class of third party on-line communicators having user inputs. The first server receives proposed content on coupons from the first class of third party communicators (consumers, vendees, or service users). The first server posts a list of proposed coupons, with or without modification of the proposed coupons after receipt from the first class of third-party on-line communicators. The server enables access to the server to a second class of third party communicators, which may be businesses. The server allows members of the second third party communicators to approve or disapprove of proposed coupons that are dedicated to business of the second third party communicator. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116859 | Method and System for Point of Sale Online Coupon Management - An online coupon system may provide retailers with the ability to process and track online coupons displayed on personal computing devices at the point of sale without using sophisticated electronic input, image recognition devices, or other input devices. A customer may present a coupon displayed on a computing device with an active network connection. Using the computing device, the retailer may validate or activate the coupon. Activating the coupon may then send a message to a back end server that processes and tracks the discount for the retailer. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116860 | PAYMENT DETERMINATION IN AUCTIONS - An auction may include a general schema to create incentives for those agents or bidders to bid on items at auction truthfully. The schema may implement any allocation rule, including a monotone allocation rule. The schema may provide for accepting bids from bidders, transforming the bids in a manner appropriate to the item being auctioned, and applying the allocation rule on the transformed bid. The schema may further provide for providing a rebate or payment back to the bidders. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116861 | TECHNIQUES FOR WIRELESS COMMUNICATION OF PROXIMITY BASED MARKETING - A system and method for wireless communication of proximity based marketing is provided. The method includes determining whether a proximity device and a mobile computing device are within a first proximity to each other, wherein the proximity device is associated with at least one of a product and a service, and communicating information indicating that the proximity device and the mobile computing device are within the first proximity to each other, when it is determined that the proximity device and the mobile computing device are within the first proximity to each other. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116862 | INTERNET STRAWMAN AND USER INTERFACE THEREFOR - A user account including a personal profile is stored by a server for subsequent use. The user is provided a list of displayable entries sortable using specified criteria in a manner that allows the user to review a selection of entries and to make a change to the selection prior to submitting a transaction for processing. Responsive to a request to log into the user account, the identity of the user is verified. Once verified, the transaction is facilitated between a vendor and the user pursuant to instructions from the user. The instructions are generated based on a shopping cart screen rendered by a client device of the user. The user is sent a confirmation message regarding the transaction while the user is logged in the server. The user can be provided an account screen allowing access to information relating to user transactions and information relating to an account balance. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116863 | OPTIMAL SCHEDULING OF VENUE ATTENDANCE BASED ON QUEUE SIZE AND LOCATION - Embodiments of the invention provide for managing attraction attendance levels through tracking current attendance levels and notifying patrons of incentives to alter their attraction selections in real-time. Examples identify an attraction queue that has a customer wait time failing to meet a threshold and determine a geographic relationship of a tracking device associated with a registered customer to the queue. Accordingly, an incentive is created from metadata associated with the queue and offered to the registered customer to urge the registered customer to take a queue balancing action. The queue balancing action may be leaving the queue if the customer wait time exceeds a threshold maximum wait time and the tracking device is within the queue, or choosing to enter the queue if the customer wait time is less than a threshold minimum wait time and the tracking device is outside of the queue. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116864 | System, Method, and Computer Readable Medium for Improving e-Commerce through Appointment-based Advertisements - A system, method, and non-transitory computer readable medium for enabling the use of an appointment-based electronic ad that restricts or grants access to electronic advertising content based upon an appointed time frame. Access to the restricted advertised content is restricted based upon whether a user is attempting to access the restricted advertised content via an appropriate appointment-based electronic ad and during the appropriate time frame. Furthermore, the system, method, and non-transitory computer readable medium enables the storage, retrieval, sharing, and manipulation of appointment-based electronic ads by an individual user in order to increase the likelihood of their use. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116865 | Cooperative Purchasing System That Utilizes SNS, and Method Thereof - What is presented is consolidating purchasing power and points into an SNS with payment of an individual member's shopping covered in advance by the SNS, and providing system and method to return benefits obtained thereby to SNS Members. SNS1's system control computer [ | 2012-05-10 |
20120116866 | CO-BRANDED INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDER AND RETAILER INTERNET SERVICE SITE WITH RETAILER-OFFERED INCENTIVES FOR MEMBER USE - A system and method for a retailer to sell merchandise over the Internet in affiliation with an Internet service provider. The co-branded Internet site is accessible through the Internet service site of the Internet service provider. The co-branded Internet site includes designations of both the retailer and the Internet service provider. The co-branded Internet site including one or more links to the Internet shopping site of the retailer. Client software for accessing the co-branded Internet site is distributed at retailer locations. Members of the co-branded Internet site are provided with incentives to access and shop on the Internet shopping site of the retailer through the co-branded Internet site. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116867 | SOCIAL OVERLAYS ON ADS - Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer-readable storage medium, for providing a user interaction point on a user device in conjunction with content that is provided by a content publisher. A method includes receiving a request for an advertisement to be displayed in a slot associated with a third-party content site; identifying a relevant advertisement to be provided in the slot; determining information to be included in an annotation associated with the advertisement, the annotation including customized information related to the user or a group associated with the user; and providing the advertisement responsive to the request including providing the annotation for presentation along with the relevant advertisement. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116868 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR OPTIMIZING MARKETING EFFECTIVENESS - The claimed invention relates to a system and computer implemented method for quantitatively measuring effectiveness of a marketing campaign or marketing strategy execution. The client device accesses the server over a communications network to define targeted customer segments based on the marketing campaign or a specific set of marketing objectives and to define a quantifiable outcome or payoff for each targeted customer segment of the client, thereby linking the performance of client's marketing campaign or objectives to the quantifiable outcome for each targeted customer segment. The server generates behavior paths for each targeted customer segment on a client website for effective measurement of adherence of a website visitor/customer to the behavior paths leading to the quantifiable outcome. The rules engine calculates a path score to determine whether the customer adheres to or diverges from a preferred behavior path established for the customer's targeted customer segment. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116869 | COORDINATING ADVERTISING AMONG USER DEVICES - Disclosed are methods for coordinating advertising among at least two devices currently being used by the same user. A server receives information about what advertising is sent to a first user device. Based on that information, the server creates a “context directive” that specifies how to appropriately direct advertising to a second user device. The context directive is sent to a device that manages an advertising campaign for the second device. The context directive can be based on advertising policy rules set by campaign managers for the first and second user devices. The policy rules may be based on demographic information associated with the user of the second device. In some embodiments, a server collects information on advertisements sent to the various user devices, correlates that information, and produces a report. Advertising managers use this report to gauge the effectiveness of their campaigns across devices. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116870 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR OPTIMIZING MARKETING DECISIONS BASED ON VISITOR PROFITABILITY - Marketing is facilitated based on a profitability prediction. A merchant optimizes offers to a website visitor based on predicted profit for potentially offered items. The profitability predication can be deployed to determine incentives to marketing affiliates, and to determine bids for search terms when the merchant uses a paid search bid manager. Information specific to a site visitor is used to predict a profitability metric for specific items that can be offered to that visitor. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116871 | SOCIAL OVERLAYS ON ADS - Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer-readable storage medium, for providing a user interaction point on a user device in conjunction with content that is provided by a content publisher. A method includes receiving a request for an advertisement to be displayed in a slot associated with a third-party content site; identifying a relevant advertisement to be provided in the slot; determining information to be included in an annotation associated with the advertisement, the annotation including customized information related to the user or a group associated with the user; and providing the advertisement responsive to the request including providing the annotation for presentation along with the relevant advertisement. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116872 | Selecting Advertisements from One or More Databases for Sending to a Publisher - An advertising system determines the context of a user accessing a publication media (e.g., an online web site). The advertising system retrieves candidate advertisements from one or more databases based on the user's context (e.g., a user search request). The advertising system selects particular advertisements and then sends them to the user (e.g. for display on the user's terminal or device). | 2012-05-10 |
20120116873 | Network Traffic Redirection And Conversion Tracking - Network traffic associated with a set of domain names is redirected according to campaigns provided by one or more potential purchasers of network traffic. The campaigns include a set of preferences for the network traffic a campaign targets. Individual requests for a domain in the set of domain names are analyzed to determine a set of request attributes. The set of request attributes are compared with the sets of preferences provided by the potential purchasers. The traffic is redirected according to the campaigns provided by purchasers. Network traffic for a set of domain names can be auctioned or otherwise sold in real-time based on campaigns provided by potential purchasers. Conversion tracking may provided independently or in combination with redirecting network traffic according to campaigns. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116874 | ELECTRONIC ADVERTISING METHOD AND ELECTRONIC APPARATUS - An electronic advertising method and an electronic apparatus are provided. In the method, an amount of a factor of the electronic apparatus in executing a task function is accumulated and whether the amount is over a preset value of the electronic apparatus or not is determined. An advertisement is displayed if the amount is over the preset value and a question according to content of the advertisement is displayed. An operation responding an answer to the question is detected and a non-advertisement function is executed if the operation is detected. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116875 | PROVIDING ADVERTISEMENTS BASED ON USER GROUPING - Techniques for providing advertisements in association with electronic content are provided. The advertisements may be provided with electronic content that satisfies a content request made by a particular individual. The advertisements provided in association with the electronic content may depend on the results of an auction between advertisers submitting bids to have their respective advertisements provided in association with the electronic content. The bids may be submitted with respect to different value groups. Each value group includes individuals that may provide an estimated amount of value to a respective advertiser as a customer. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116876 | APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING TARGETED ADVERTISING FROM USER BEHAVIOR - Various embodiments for providing advertisements targeted from user behavior are described. In one or more embodiments, an ad optimizing service may collect user behavior events and compare the collected behavior to a set of rules. When behavior matches a rule, the user may be associated with a segment, which may be provided to an advertising service. The advertising service may select an advertisement for the user based on the segment. Other embodiments are described and claimed. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116877 | UNIFIED ONSCREEN ADVERTISEMENT SYSTEM FOR CE DEVICES - A client-server architecture allows consumer electronics (CE) devices to obtain advertisements, including TV and network content recommendations, via a unified application programming interface (API). A gateway server between online advertisement providers and CE devices prioritizes and personalizes the advertisements and recommendations for a requesting CE device. This architecture scales over time and evolves more functionality without requiring CE device software updates. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116878 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR GENERATING CUSTOMER SURVEYS AND PROMOTIONAL OFFERS - A method and system for automatically generating targeted promotional offers for specific subscribers to an Internet based service. A database that stores details regarding subscriber purchases is accessed for purchased items data relating to a specific subscriber's purchases. This purchased items data is then analyzed to determine the specific subscriber's buying patterns. From this analysis of what the specific subscriber has previously purchased, a suitable item or service is determined to be offered to the specific subscriber to the Internet based service. The promotional offer may be made in conjunction with the gathering of customer or survey feedback data by way of questionnaires. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116879 | AUTOMATIC INFORMATION SELECTION BASED ON INVOLVEMENT CLASSIFICATION - The present invention relates to an automatic selection or placement engine that, given an ancillary information belonging to a certain category, places it in a congruent or contrasting context depending on the degree of involvement of the user in that product category. User profiles are automatically classified as low or high user involvement in a certain category. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116880 | Personalized Interactive Network With Knowledge Management System that Personalizes Content and Format for Presentation - 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. The user requests are serviced in such a manner that they are personalized in multiple dimensions, including but not limited to personalization of the content of the response and personalization of the format and presentation of the response | 2012-05-10 |
20120116881 | NON-INTRUSIVE ADVERTISEMENT PRESENTATION - Advertisements are often presented in the context of a media content viewing experience. Advertisement presentation may be intrusive or subtle. In many instances, users may be interested in particular advertisements but may not want to disrupt a media content viewing experience by launching an advertisement window, opening an advertisement application, or otherwise being redirected to another piece of content. Consequently, mechanisms are provided to allow a user to identify advertisements or save advertisement interests for presentation at a later time. Saved advertisement interests can be used to inform future advertisement and/or content suggestions, and the user can be presented with selected advertisements within an application or through external mechanisms. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116882 | ONLINE ADVERTISING TECHNIQUES UTILIZING TAXONOMICAL MAPPING - Techniques arc provided for allowing a user to cause a displayed advertisement to be replaced by an alternative advertisement. The user is provided with a graphical user interface that includes display of multiple user-selectable alternative advertisement topics or topical categories. The alternative advertisement topics or topical categories may be derived based on an advertisement taxonomy which relates to topics or topical categories of advertisements, and may be topically related to the displayed advertisement. Based at least in part on a selected alternative advertisement topic of topical category, an alternative advertisement is selected for display to the user. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116883 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR USE IN INCORPORATING TARGETED ADVERTISING INTO MULTIMEDIA CONTENT STREAMS - Some embodiments provide methods, systems and apparatuses for use in distributing multimedia content. Some of these methods comprise: receiving a substantially live media stream comprising visual multimedia content and a playlist file that defines the playback of the visual multimedia content; identifying, within the media stream, a first advertisement content; identifying a source location identifier corresponding to a segment of the first advertisement content; identifying a replacement advertisement content; identifying a source location identifier corresponding to a segment of the replacement advertisement content; modifying the playlist file replacing the source location identifier corresponding to the segment of the first advertisement content with the source location identifier corresponding to the segment of the replacement advertisement content; and communicating, in substantially real time, the modified playlist file over the Internet to a remote CE device. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116884 | USING LOCATION-SPECIFIC AD CREATIVES AND/OR AD LANDING PAGES IN AN AD SYSTEM - The usefulness, and consequently the performance, of advertisements are improved by allowing businesses to better target their ads to a responsive audience. For example, location information may be used in ad relevancy determination, and in attribute (e.g., position) arbitration. Such location information may be associated with price information, such as a maximum price bid, and/or with ad performance information. Ad performance information may be tracked on the basis of location information. The content of an ad creative, and/or of a landing page may be selected and/or modified using location information. Tools may be provided to enter and/or modify location information, such as location-dependent targeting information and price information. The location information used to target and/or score ads may be, include, or define an area. The area may be defined by at least one geographic reference point (e.g., defined by latitude and longitude coordinates) and perhaps additional information. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116885 | SOCIAL NETWORK BASED ONLINE ADVERTISING AND ADVERTISEMENT BRANDING - Techniques are provided in which positive review, positive comment, or purchase information is obtained, of a first user and relating to a product, service or brand. A second user is identified who is in a social network of the first user. An online advertisement is generated, targeted to a second user, that includes at least one visible feature to allow the second user to recognize the advertisement as relating to a product, service or brand that has been positively commented on, positively reviewed, or purchased by a user in a social network of the first user. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116886 | USING A FIRST NETWORK TO CONTROL ACCESS TO A SECOND NETWORK - A wireless communication device is configured to be able to communicate via both a first access point and a second access point for using the first access point to obtain validation credentials in order to permit use of the second access point to access a network. The wireless communication device comprises a processor; and a non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon computer executable instructions. The instructions are operable to: initiate communication with the second access point in order to access a network; obtain an access point identifier from the second access point, the access point identifier for identifying the second access point; transmit the access point identifier to a validation server via the first access point; receive validation credentials from the validation server via the first access point; the validation credentials including at identifier of a third party, the third party sponsoring access to the second access point; use the validation credentials to validate the wireless communication device with the second access point to obtain access to the network; and present advertising information on the wireless communication device, the advertising information pertaining to the third party. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116887 | Method and Apparatus for Electronic Payment and Authentication - A first device may be operable to receive a request to accept a payment via an ISO 18000-7 interface. The first device may transmit, via the ISO 18000-7 interface, a wake-up message to a second device comprising an ISO 18000-7 interface. The first device may transmit, via the ISO 18000-7 interface, an authorization request to the second device. The first device may receive an authorization message from the second device. The first device may decide whether to accept the payment based on the received authorization message. The first device may register with a retail outlet's network upon coming into range of a registration terminal of the network. While registered with the network, the first device may communicate with the network utilizing the ISO 18000-7 interface. The first device may deregister with the network upon coming into range of a deregistration terminal of the network. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116888 | Advertising that is Relevant to a Person - A person is viewing a display. By evaluating tracked information about the person, the display and/or the content being viewed, a tracking system determines that an opportunity exists to present an advertisement that is relevant to the person in the context of the person currently viewing the display. The tracking system provides advertiser data for the advertisement and instructions for generating the advertisement to a synthesis system local to the viewer and the viewer's display system, which dynamically synthesizes the advertisement and provides it to the display. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116889 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING AUDIO ADVERTISEMENTS IN A COMPUTER NETWORK - A method and apparatus for providing audio advertisements in a computer network enables Web sites to deliver audio advertisements that cannot be bypassed by a visitor. More particularly, an advertising or sponsoring Web site receives a request from at least one user for delivery of a user-selected Web page associated with the Web site. The Web site selects at least one audio advertisement from a plurality of audio advertisements for delivery to the user in conjunction with the user-selected Web page. The Web site then delivers the audio advertisement to the user via the network in a format that precludes the user from controlling the manner of playback of the audio advertisement. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116890 | GENERATING CUSTOMER-SPECIFIC VEHICLE PROPOSALS BASED ON VEHICLE FINANCE PAY-OFF INFORMATION RECEIVED FROM A THIRD-PARTY ENTITY - Methods, systems and computer program products for generating customer-specific vehicle proposals based on ongoing vehicle finance pay-off information received from a third party entity. The embodiments of the invention herein disclosed provide for efficient identification of potential customers based on their current vehicle and the ongoing financial obligation related to the current vehicle. A replacement vehicle is identified and a vehicle proposal, such as a sales or lease proposal, is generated for one or more of the identified potential customers. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116891 | Systems and Methods for Matching Complementary Risk Profiles to Enhance Digital Ad Delivery - Systems and methods for matching complementary risk profiles to enhance digital ad delivery are disclosed. Generally, a model is generated to determine a risk profile associated with an advertiser or a publisher. After receipt of a digital ad request, a risk profile of an advertiser is determined based on the model and a risk profile of a publisher is determined based on the model. A determination is made whether to serve a digital ad associated with the advertiser for display on a webpage associated with the publisher based on the risk profile associated with the advertiser and the risk profile associated with the publisher. The digital ad is served for display on the webpage in response to determining the risk profile associated with the advertiser compliments the risk profile associated with the publisher. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116892 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DELIVERING AND OPTIMIZING MEDIA PROGRAMMING IN PUBLIC SPACES WITH FEDERATION OF DIGITAL SIGNAGE NETWORKS - A system and corresponding methods for automating the execution, measurement, and optimization of in-store promotional digital media campaigns are provided. In one embodiment, a method in a computing system for deploying content to digital signage networks includes receiving from a user a marketing campaign goal and at least one optimization constraint suitable for generating a playlist. The method also includes generating a playlist designed to maximize a learning opportunity to achieve the marketing campaign goal. The method further includes provisioning the playlist to a point of presence on the digital signage network. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116893 | AUCTION-BASED SHIPMENT ADVERTISING - A marketing system and method for interacting with existing commerce processes for delivering relevant, timely, and useful marketing information to a consumer. A method implemented using a computing system includes (a) obtaining, using the computing system, a set of shipment parameters for a shipment to be delivered to a receiver; (b) auctioning electronically a shipment addition responsive to the set of shipment parameters wherein the auctioning identifies a selected content provider from a plurality of content providers as a winning content provider; (c) acquiring, from the winning content provider, a particular shipment addition for the shipment addition; (d) producing a specified shipment addition including the particular shipment addition; and thereafter (e) associating the specified shipment addition with the shipment wherein the shipment and the specified shipment addition are to be shipped to the receiver. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116894 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR OPTIMIZING MARKETING DECISIONS BASED ON VISITOR PROFITABILITY - Marketing is facilitated based on a profitability prediction. A merchant optimizes offers to a website visitor based on predicted profit for potentially offered items. The profitability predication can be deployed to determine incentives to marketing affiliates, and to determine bids for search terms when the merchant uses a paid search bid manager. Information specific to a site visitor is used to predict a profitability metric for specific items that can be offered to that visitor. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116895 | Customizable Marketing Campaign Framework - A system and method of creating and generating marketing campaigns is provided. The system and method may include generating a plurality of customizable marketing campaign components. One or more marketing campaign components may be selected, such as by a user, for insertion into the marketing campaign and, in some examples, the marketing campaign components may be predefined or preconfigured and/or may be customizable by a user. Upon selection of the desired marketing campaign component(s), the marketing campaign system may generate the marketing campaign based on the selected components for use, for instance, as a web-based advertisement or marketing promotion. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116896 | INTERNET-BASED PROXY SERVICE TO MODIFY INTERNET RESPONSES - A proxy server receives from a client device a request for a network resource that is hosted at an origin server for a domain. The request is received at the proxy server as a result of a DNS request for the domain resolving to the proxy server. The origin server is one of multiple origin servers that belong to different domains that resolve to the proxy server and are owned by different entities. The proxy server retrieves the requested network resource. The proxy server determines that the requested resource is an HTML page, automatically modifies the HTML page, and transmits the modified HTML page to the client device. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116897 | System and method for propagating interactive online advertisements - A system for enabling interactive online advertisements, comprising a merchant interface software adapted to receive requests over a network, an advertising server software coupled to one or more networks, a shopping cart software adapted to receive requests over a network, is disclosed. According to the embodiment, the merchant interface receives requests from a plurality of merchants over a network to upload one or more advertisements to the advertising server, and the merchant interface receives requests from a plurality of merchants over a network to place product-related information at specific points in time within an advertisement, and, upon receiving requests for uploading an advertisement and for placing product-related information at specific points in time within the advertisement, the advertising server creates an interactive online advertisement wherein, when a user views a web page with which the interactive online advertisement has been associated, the user is provided with a the advertisement for viewing and, at the specific points in time within the advertisement, the product-related information is provided to the user, and, upon receiving a request from a user viewing an interactive online advertisement to place a product about which product-specific information has been provided, the shopping cart server software adds a desired quantity of the product into the user's shopping cart, without the user having to leave the page or the interactive online advertisement within which the user was able to view the product-specific information. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116898 | PET OF THE MONTH EXCLUSIVE LIMITED TIME REWARDS - A unique code is used to register a virtual pet or other item using a code that is associated with the pet, and which, when entered, allows viewing and interacting with a virtual representation of the actual item on the website. If the code is entered during a specific time period, it allows obtaining at least one additional item, for example an exclusive item that cannot be obtained in any other way. The specific time period can be extended, e.g., using supplemental codes. The codes may specify fixed or variable time periods, and may be generic extension codes and extend other things other than this period. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116899 | MANAGEMENT OF PROSPECTIVE CUSTOMER DATA OVER A COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK - A method and computer system for managing prospective customer data in a central repository over a communications network is disclosed. The method includes receiving profile data from a prospective customer, storing the profile data in a central data repository, displaying the profile data for viewing by a representative, wherein selected profile data is highlighted for use by the representative in selling to the prospective customer, generating a schedule of actions pertaining to the prospective customer based on the profile data, wherein an action includes sending a communication to the prospective customer, transmitting one or more communications to the prospective customer based on the schedule of actions, receiving updates regarding results of the communications transmitted to the prospective customer and augmenting the profile data of the prospective customer in the central repository with the results of the communications transmitted to the prospective customer. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116900 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR RISK TRIGGERING VALUES - Systems and methods for facilitating risk assessment for point of sale transactions utilizing at least one risk triggering value (RTV) is disclosed. An RTV is a condensed version of a set of complex risk data and strategies usually found in central processing sites. After receiving a request for payment authorization, a risk value is calculated for the request. The distributed processing site compares the risk value to the RTV to determine whether to authorize payment. If the risk value is less than or equal to the RTV, the payment is authorized while a risk value greater than the RTV will not be authorized. The central site calculates a new RTV for the account and distributes the new RTV to the distributed processing site. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116901 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR RISK TRIGGERING VALUES - Systems and methods for facilitating risk assessment for point of sale transactions utilizing at least one risk triggering value (RTV) is disclosed. An RTV is a condensed version of a set of complex risk data and strategies usually found in central processing sites. After receiving a request for payment authorization, a risk value is calculated for the request. The distributed processing site compares the risk value to the RTV to determine whether to authorize payment. If the risk value is less than or equal to the RTV, the payment is authorized while a risk value greater than the RTV will not be authorized. The central site calculates a new RTV for the account and distributes the new RTV to the distributed processing site. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116902 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR RANDOMIZED MOBILE PAYMENT - Systems and methods for improving security in mobile payment systems are described. A user device may be operated to request temporary account data for an account. No actual account number may be stored on the device. A remote system may correlate temporary account data to actual account data and transmit temporary account data to the user device, which use the data to make a purchase or generate a temporary account number than may be used to make a purchase. Temporary account data may be automatically erased or expire. A purchase authorization request may be sent by a merchant with temporary account data to a provider of temporary account data. The provider may transmit a request for purchase authorization using actual account data to a payment processor, sending a response to the merchant that does not include actual account data based on a response from the payment processor. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116903 | REMOVABLY SECURING SMALL CONTACTLESS PAYMENT CARD TO ELECTRONIC DEVICE - A holder for a contactless payment card includes a substrate that has a first side and a second side that is opposite to the first side. There is an adhesive material on the first side of the substrate. The holder also includes at least one sheet that is joined to the substrate to form a pouch. The second side of the substrate faces the pouch. The pouch is shaped and sized to securely hold a contactless integrated circuit identification card that has no more than half of a planar extent defined for the standard ID-1 identification card. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116904 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PAYING TAXES - A method and system for efficiently managing and submitting taxes by placing taxes that are collected from sales into separate, verifiable, one or more virtual banks accounts, before submitting the owed taxes to the appropriate government agencies. The user can specify the frequency of tax submission, such as weekly or monthly. The software system can distinguish taxable sales from non-taxable sales for sales tax, as well as apply other types of taxes, including use taxes, luxury taxes, value added taxes, fuel taxes, tobacco taxes, alcohol taxes, and the like. The software system can also be configured to set aside the required payroll taxes and garnishments for each employee based on entered input, such as hourly wages, number of hours worked, etc. After setting aside the payroll taxes into one or more virtual accounts, the taxes are sent to the appropriate government agencies. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116905 | APPLICATION STORE TASTEMAKER RECOMMENDATIONS - An application store tastemaker recommendation service is usable to determine experts within a user's social network(s), receive recommendations from the experts, and filter and/or rank mobile application query results based at least in part on the recommendations. Additionally, the service may be usable to determine experts based on data compiled about previous actions, reviews, comments, etc., of the experts. Further, the service may be usable to provide recommendations to the user to aid in selecting mobile applications for purchase, and may provide an avenue for completing such purchases. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116906 | CREDIT CARD READER FOLIO AND BILLING SYSTEM FOR WAIT STAFF - According to the present invention, restaurant folios, for example, are equipped with a credit card reader, the card reader having memory and a communication port. The customers swipe their credit cards, for example, at the table and the credit card information is stored in the card reader. Waiters retrieve the card reader/folios combinations and carry them to an existing remote billing location. At the billing location a docking system receives local, preferably wireless, communication from the card readers and transfers card information to an establishment's existing centralized point-of-sale (POS) system as though the card had been taken from the customer at the table and swiped at the remote billing location. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116907 | LIFE EXPERIENCES CERTIFICATION PROCESS - A process of information certification is provided. The process includes receiving a request from a user, such as an individual, group, or entity, and dividing the categories into two parts. Checking and certification is performed by a Host where possible on existing categories of subject matter. Additional categories are generated for new information to be checked and certified. Certifications are provided for all categories which can be and have been checked. The certification process is continued in the future—either automatically and/or upon request—to include any new information provided by the user or found in regular searches. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116908 | Facilitating Electronic Auction of Prepayment of an Invoice - Embodiments for facilitating an electronic auction of prepayment of an invoice are disclosed. One method includes a supplier and a buyer approving the invoice with definite terms. The supplier electronically submits the invoice with proposed prepayment terms to an exchange platform. The exchange platform provides an electronic auction of the invoice with proposed prepayment terms to a plurality of bidders and receiving a bid from at least one of the plurality of bidders. Payment of the invoice between the winning bidder and the supplier is electronically facilitated if a winning bid is received. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116909 | REVERSE BIDDING SYSTEM AND METHOD - A reverse bidding system and method are disclosed. A reverse auction occurs when the price of an item to be sold decreases over time with each bid. A potential buyer bids to view a decreasing current price of an item. The current price and/or availability status of an item can be hidden from view from a potential buyer. The potential buyer has the option to purchase the item at the current price when it is revealed following the potential buyer's bid. The seller can choose to wait for a specified time while the potential buyer makes a decision to purchase the item. With an increased quantity of bids to view the current price of an item, the price of the item can approach $0.00. If the item's price reaches $0.00, the item is sold by default to the last user who bid to view the price of the item. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116910 | Real estate auction method - This invention relates to method for using a computer to facilitate an auction of an interest in real estate on the World Wide Web wherein an owner inputs into a computer relevant parameters pertaining to the real estate interest on offer. The real estate interest and related data are then posted on a website on the World Wide Web to create a searchable database which is made available to prospective purchasers. Prospective purchasers may to submit a conditional offer or offers to purchase the selected real estate interest which is transmitted to the owner of the real estate interest on offer. If the property on offer receives multiple offers, the respective conditional offers to purchase are posted on the website to encourage additional higher offers. The provider of the website earns a fee for the service of connecting the buyer and seller of the subject interest in real estate. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116911 | Data Valuation Estimates in Online Systems - A request for a valuation of a data set is received, over a network, from a requesting user. A plurality of valuation elements associated with the data set are identified, using a data processing system. A data valuation estimate is determined, using the data processing system, for the data set using the plurality of valuation elements. A representation of the data valuation estimate is transmitted, over the network, to the requesting user such that the representation of the data valuation estimate is caused to be displayed on a display device associated with the requesting user. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116912 | METHOD AND SYSTEM USING A SECURE COMPUTER NETWORK FOR MATCHING CUSTOMERS AND VENDORS - A secure computer network, competitive offer system, and associated methods for facilitating the exchange of confidential information between service vendors and consumers with a reasonable expectation of privacy. In an embodiment, the methods and systems comprise using a secure computer network for facilitating the exchange of confidential information between vendors and consumer in service or service/good hybrid industries. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116913 | SYSTEM AND METHOD OF SELECTING FREIGHT FORWARDING COMPANIES - A system and method for selecting freight forwarding companies is provided wherein bids for shipping lanes and the like are received well in advance of a freight move. Bids are submitted on shipping lanes and other move associated transactions by pre-approved freight forwarding companies. This information is stored in a database. Selection of the freight forwarding company or companies occurs in connection with evaluating the bid information submitted and historical data stored on the database. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116914 | Method and Apparatus for Generating Customized Furniture Documentation - Preferred embodiments include a method and apparatus for generating customized product documentation for a furniture item having a plurality of surface material options. A computer receives a plurality of images of surface materials which may be applied to a furniture item and stores the images into a computer database. Label information describing each of the plurality of images and the furniture item is also received into the database. Surface material images are electronically displayed and an image is selected for application to the furniture item. The computer maps the selected surface material onto an image depicting the furniture item. An electronic document is generated which includes an image of the furniture item having the selected surface material mapped thereon and the label information associated with the selected surface material and the furniture item. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116915 | Mobile-Based Real-Time Food-and-Beverage Recommendation System - Particular embodiments extract a plurality of users, a plurality of establishments, and a plurality of items from dining information provided by at least one of the plurality of users, each of the plurality of establishments sells food or beverage; construct a user-establishment matrix, a user-item matrix, and an establishment-item matrix using the plurality of users, the plurality of establishments, and the plurality of items; generate a user latent representation for the plurality of users, an establishment latent representation for the plurality of establishments, and an item latent representation for the plurality of items; and compute one or more correlations using the user latent representation, the establishment latent representation, or the item latent representation, wherein each of the one or more correlations is between two users, two establishments, two items, one user and one establishment, one of user and one item, or one establishment and one item. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116916 | SHOPPING ASSISTANCE SYSTEMS AND METHODS - Shopping systems and methods that automate the merchandise selection process are implemented for producing picking/shipping documents that allow the merchandise to be picked at a warehouse and sent to recipients. The initiator of the process is a purchaser that specifies the recipients' demographics and other parameters as they relate to the merchandise. The purchaser may also specify various constraints that both limit the amount of merchandise selected and filter the merchandise to better match the recipients' requirements as a group. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116917 | FASHION MATCHING ALGORITHM SOLUTION - In one example embodiment, a system and method is illustrated that includes receiving an item choice including a fashion item. The system and method also includes matching the fashion item with an additional fashion item selected from a style matrix, the matching based upon an attribute. Further, the system and method includes transmitting the additional fashion item as part of an outfit match set. Moreover, the system and method includes selecting the fashion item from a digital closet. The system and method includes processing the fashion item to build an attribute association matrix. In addition, the system and method includes comparing the attribute association matrix and the style matrix to determine a match of the fashion item and the additional item. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116918 | SECURE PAYMENT MECHANISM - A processing device of a user, comprising a user interface, processing capability, a biometric reader, and a connection to the Internet, configured to acquire biometric data from the user by the biometric reader, transmit a claim to a payment server, via the Internet, that a payment should be executed, receive an authentication request form from the payment server via the Internet, forward the authentication request form together with identification data including a representation of the biometric data to an identity provider, IdP, server via the Internet, receive an authentication reply form from the IdP server, and forward the authentication reply form to the payment server is disclosed. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116919 | Method for Recipient Orientated Financial Services - A method allowing a first person to provide a “virtual” gift to a second party is disclosed, referred to as a “credit gifting” system, wherein the first person accesses an application allowing predetermined aspects of the gift, such as the retailer, store, product type etc. to predetermined whilst adding personal messages etc. The second person receives a credit towards the purchase of the gift, the credit being redeemable at the defined retailer or store for any wares/services or only those identified by first person. If the credit so gifted is not redeemed within predetermined time the first person is re-credited. In another embodiment the second person is able to select the retailer or store to redeem from or if unable to redeem themselves allocate a proxy. Accordingly the method overcomes drawbacks of current “captive” gift cards and pre-paid gift cards whilst also offering enhanced registry services etc. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116920 | AUGMENTED REALITY SYSTEM FOR PRODUCT IDENTIFICATION AND PROMOTION - A system, method, and computer program product for automatically combining computer-generated imagery with real-world imagery in a portable electronic device by retrieving, manipulating, and sharing relevant stored videos, preferably in real time. A video is captured with a hand-held device and stored. Metadata including the camera's physical location and orientation is appended to a data stream, along with user input. The server analyzes the data stream and further annotates the metadata, producing a searchable library of videos and metadata. Later, when a camera user generates a new data stream, the linked server analyzes it, identifies relevant material from the library, retrieves the material and tagged information, adjusts it for proper orientation, then renders and superimposes it onto the current camera view so the user views an augmented reality. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116921 | METHOD AND COMPUTER SYSTEM FOR PURCHASE ON THE WEB - A method for online purchase automation, comprising identifying when the user has selected to navigate to or receive a web page related to a purchasing action, identifying when content of the web page is received; analyzing the web page concurrent with the purchase action, without requiring detailed structural information about the web page in advance, and determining whether the web page is related to a purchasing action, by parsing the web page or related data elements. If the web page is related to a purchasing action, the next steps are determining the user interface elements of the web page or related data elements, retrieving site-independent customer data for the purchase based on the analyzing of the user interface elements, simulating user input using the site-independent customer data to populate at least portions of the web page, and displaying to the user the populated purchasing page for user action. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116922 | Method and System for Managing On-Line Market with Direct Receipt Delivery Option of Purchased Merchandise - The present invention relates to an online market management method and system capable of supporting a delivery option for direct pickup of purchased products. The present invention is constructed such that, when a purchaser who purchases a product traded on an online market selects a delivery option requesting the direct pickup of a product, the method and system verify an authentication key, issued by the online market in various forms to the purchaser, at a product pickup place agreed upon with a merchant, and allow the purchaser to directly pick up the purchased product. In the online market management method, a delivery option for direct pickup of a product, for which payment has been completed by a purchaser, is selected through a server for mediating trading of products. Thereafter, the server performs authentication to identify the purchaser and updating delivery information about the product for which payment has been completed if authentication information, provided in real time by the server to a purchaser terminal, or authentication information, previously assigned to the purchaser, has been input through a merchant terminal depending on the selection of the delivery option for direct pickup. | 2012-05-10 |
20120116923 | Privacy Risk Metrics in Online Systems - A plurality of persona attributes are identified within a data set received from a data seller. A persona privacy risk associated with the persona attributes of the dataset is determined. The persona privacy risk comprises an estimate of the potential sensitivity of the persona attributes. A plurality of identity attributes within a data set received from a data seller are identified. An identity privacy risk associated with the plurality of identity attributes is determined. The persona privacy risk comprises an estimate of the risk that the plurality of identity attributes identify the data seller. A total privacy risk is then determined using the persona privacy risk and the identity privacy risk associated with the dataset, the total privacy risk comprising an estimate of a total risk to the privacy of the data seller that disclosure of the dataset represents. | 2012-05-10 |