42nd week of 2012 patent applcation highlights part 53 |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20120265596 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR INTELLIGENT SOCIAL COMMERCE - The invention synthesizes social networking, electronic commerce (including performance based advertisement and electronic payment) and mobile internet device. The synthesized social commerce further dynamically integrates stored information, real time information, information/data/image(s) from an object/array of objects and a unified algorithm. The unified algorithm includes a software agent, a fuzzy logic algorithm, a predictive algorithm, an intelligence rendering algorithm and a self-learning (including relearning) algorithm. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265597 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR FACILITATING PROMOTIONS - Embodiments of the present invention include systems and methods for providing incentives/promotion systems to users and businesses. Embodiments comprise an Internet-based platform enabling businesses to create and maintain their own reward programs and manage customers participating in them. In embodiments, businesses can customize, according to one or more factors (which factors may be obtained from data stored in the system), and track deals and other offerings to customers, potential customers, or both. Embodiments of the platform enable customers to view each business's rewards program, acquire and track rewards and other offering from multiple businesses using a single account offered via the platform. In embodiments, the centralized system allows users, businesses, or both to collaboratively create, promote, and/or redeem promotional activities. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265598 | Systems and Methods for Facilitating the Sale of Goods and/or Services Via Incentives - Systems and methods of the present invention facilitate the sale of products, such as goods and/or services. Specifically, merchants of products provide incentives for consumers that may be defined by time and geography to drives sales of the products, such as during low demand periods. Moreover, the present invention allows consumers to search for and claim time-sensitive incentives from merchants; specifically, incentives requiring instant or nearly instant acceptance and/or redeemability. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265599 | TEMPORAL TRACKING OF MOBILE USER BEHAVIOR WITH RESPECT TO WEB-BASED ADVERTISEMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH TEMPORARY AND KEYED ID USE IN DIGITAL MEDIA CONTENT - A method for tracking downloads of digital media content is disclosed. Digital media content, such as music, games and applications (“apps”) are widely available with the popularity of mobile computing. Content suppliers would appreciate it if their works were more widely disseminated and used. Users or customers may receive an incentive to purchase or to download an application. The incentive may be, for example, a free application, rewards points or a virtual currency. In one method, a user downloads digital media content and receives the incentive in two stages. In the first stage, a user who has expressed interest is sent a first web-based link offering the content and the incentive. In the second stage, after activating the link, the user is allowed to download the content and receive the inventive. The web-based link includes user identifiers that are matched for the user to receive the incentive. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265600 | Discounted Pricing - A system and method that facilitates e-commerce volume pricing is provided. According to one aspect of the present invention, the system includes an offers and orders component that receives and aggregates orders for a product from a plurality of buyers. The system also includes a logistics component that determines a shipping price for the product for a subset of the plurality of buyers. The shipping price is determined at least in part upon the subset of buyers sharing a shipping method. According to another aspect of the present invention, a method is provided in which buyers within an aggregated purchasing group may be subject to different pricing structures for the same product. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265601 | Advertising Campaigns in Retail Outlets and Restaurants - Disclosed is advertising campaigns to attract customers to a business or establishment. One or more advertising campaign parameters are provided to a location based service operating on one or more computer systems. An identification for each appropriate customer is provided by a location based service. A promotion code for a discount for a service or product offered by the business is provided to each appropriate customer. The promotion code is used at a point of sale device of the business when an appropriate customer presents the promotion code at the point of sale. Variations are described. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265602 | MOBILE DIGITAL MEDIA DOWNLOAD INCENTIVE MANAGEMENT THROUGH TRACKING OF ID STORED IN NATIVE FACILITIES OF THE MOBILE DEVICE - A method for tracking downloads to a computer system is disclosed. Digital media content, such as music, games and applications (“apps”) are widely available with the popularity of mobile computing. Suppliers of such digital media content would appreciate it if their works were more widely disseminated and used. Users or customers may receive an incentive to purchase or to download an application. The incentive may be, for example, a free application, rewards points or a virtual currency. In one method, the user downloads digital media content in two stages. In the first stage, the user activates a first web-based link to download the digital media content. In the second stage, after downloading, the user activates a second web-based link to activate the application or other digital media content. The web-based links include user identifiers that are matched for the user to subsequently receive the incentive. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265603 | MOBILE DIGITAL MEDIA DOWNLOAD TRACKING MANAGEMENT UTILIZING STATISTICAL USER FINGERPRINTING TECHNIQUES THROUGH CORRELATION OF WEB-BASED DOWNLOAD USER ACTIONS WITH MOBILE APPLICATION DOWNLOAD USER ACTIONS - A method for tracking downloads to a computer system is disclosed. Digital media content, such as music, games and applications (“apps”) are widely available with the popularity of mobile computing. Suppliers of such digital media content would appreciate it if their works were more widely disseminated and used. Users or customers may receive an incentive to purchase or to download an application. The incentive may be, for example, a free application, rewards points or a virtual currency. In one method, the user downloads digital media content in two stages. In the first stage, the user activates a first web-based link to download the digital media content. In the second stage, after downloading, the user activates a second web-based link to activate the application or other digital media content. The web-based links include user identifiers that are matched for the user to subsequently receive the incentive. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265604 | REWARDING A USER FOR DOWNLOADING A FREE APP WITH THE RIGHT TO USE ANOTHER FREE APP - A method for tracking downloads of digital media content is disclosed. Digital media content, such as music, games and applications (“apps”) are widely available with the popularity of mobile computing. Content suppliers would appreciate it if their works were more widely disseminated and used. Users or customers may receive an incentive to purchase or to download a first portion of content. The incentive may be, for example, a second portion of the content or other incentive. In one method, a user downloads and receives a first portion of digital media content. In the second stage, the user's actions with the first portion of the content are tracked. When the user satisfies one or more conditions of using the first portion, the user is allowed to download the second portion or other incentive. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265605 | MOBILE COUPON BASKET - Techniques are provided in which an advertisement basket application is provided to a user, such as a mobile user, through which the user can store advertisements, including promotions or coupons, as the user enters or encounters them online. Stored advertisements may include advertisements that are or are incorporated into applications with which the user may interact over time. Upon detection of a triggering condition or conditions indicating a potential use of a stored advertisement, an electronic alert is provided to the user. User interaction with stored advertisements is tracked and used in measuring advertisement performance, which may include brand engagement value. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265606 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR OBTAINING CONSUMER INFORMATION - A system and method for obtaining consumer information from an advertising display computer (ADC) located at a plurality of advertising locations is disclosed. In one example, the method comprises the acts of displaying a plurality of advertisements on the ADC, capturing at least one image at the plurality of advertising locations, the at least one image including an image of at least one person, determining at least one impression from the image of at least one person, detecting facial recognition information from the image associated with the at least one impression, storing impression information and the facial recognition information associated with the at least one impression, and associating the impression information and the facial recognition information with one of the plurality of advertisements displayed on the ADC. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265607 | CLICK-TO-REVEAL CONTENT - Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer-readable storage medium, including providing a method for receiving a request for content from a user device; transmitting a content item for display on the user device responsive to the request; wherein the content item includes contact information associated with a sponsor and instructions to obscure at least a portion of the contact information when the content item is first displayed on the user device; receiving an indication that a user has displayed complete contact information; and logging the indication. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265608 | AD BASKET - The present invention provides techniques in which an advertisement basket application is provided to a user. Through the application, the user can store advertisements, including promotions or coupons, as the user enters or encounters them online, as well as tag data about stored advertisements. The user can later search for and retrieve a stored advertisement for use at an appropriate time. Stored advertisements may include advertisements that are or are incorporated into applications with which the user may interact over time. User interactions with stored advertisements can be used in measuring advertisement and campaign performance, which may include brand engagement value. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265609 | AUTHENTICATED ADVERTISEMENT PLATFORM - The present disclosure describes methods and systems for distributing an online advertisement based on a digital certificate received by an advertising platform server. The advertising platform server may validate the digital certificate. In addition, the advertising platform server may determine an advertisement class based on the digital certificate. Based on the determined advertisement class, the advertising platform server may select an advertisement for presentation to a user. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265610 | Techniques for Generating Business Leads - A scheme for analyzing businesses and generating business leads is disclosed. A list of company websites can be gathered from a plurality of data sources and combined to produce an aggregated list of companies. Content from the websites of the companies in the list is extracted and stored. Contact information may automatically be ascertained from the website content, if available. The stored content extracted from the websites may then be analyzed to detect the presence of particular features. The listing of companies may then be filtered to produce a subset of businesses that represent potential business leads. The business leads may be provided to a company seeking such leads, and may optionally be provided to an automated marketing system, which is configured to generate and transmit commercial advertisements to the businesses identified as leads. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265611 | AUTOMATED CREATION AND DELIVERY OF DATABASE CONTENT - A method and apparatus are disclosed which automatically build a database by automatically assigning links to an expert, pushing content to an expert, providing expert annotation, and linking the content to an annotation database. A term is selected by applying rules. An advertiser can sponsor the term. Content windows can be attached to the term, the content window containing information such as definitions, related products or services, sponsorship information, information from content syndicators, translations and reference works. A utility is available to the expert that allows the expert to analyze the term in context by extending or reducing the sentence or paragraph the word is contained in. Data objects that represent the contents of the database and templates are syndicated to remote servers running a processing engine. The processing engine uses these data objects to execute linking rules without requiring a connection to the database. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265612 | Systems And Methods For Facilitating Electronic Purchase Of A Product - Included are embodiments for facilitating purchase of a product. In some embodiments a system and/or method include providing a product-user interface that includes product data, collecting first real-time inventory data of the product from a first vendor website, and collecting second real-time inventory data of the product from a second vendor website. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265613 | EMBEDDING SPONSORED CONTENT IN MOBILE APPLICATIONS - In embodiments, the present invention provides a method and system for distribution of advertising of sponsored content within an application of a mobile communication facility, wherein selection of the sponsored content is based at least on one or more predefined hardware or software characteristics of the mobile communication facility. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265614 | User-Based Segmentation and Selection of Offers - There is disclosed a method for user-based segmentation and selection of offers. The method includes aggregating user activity data based upon online activity of a user and generating user segment data in response to a web page request by the user and a segmentation request incorporating a plurality of user queries based upon the user activity data. The method then includes providing the user segment data to an offer server in response to a segment request from the offer server. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265615 | CLICK TO CHAT IN ONLINE ADVERTISING - Techniques are provided for enabling chat in connection with online advertisements or sponsored search advertisements. Techniques are provided in which at least some sponsored search advertisements are associated with a displayed graphic, which graphic may visually suggest chat functionality. If the user selects or clicks on the graphic, without requiring opening of a Web page, a chat area may be provided, such as through the use of an instant messaging application. Using the chat area, the user may be immediately able to converse with the advertiser or an agent of the advertiser regarding a subject of the sponsored search advertisement. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265616 | DYNAMIC ADVERTISING CONTENT SELECTION - Technologies are generally described for systems and methods effective to dynamically select advertising content. In an example, target sensory content and identification information can be received for a target advertising zone. The target sensory content and the identification information can be analyzed to determine features of the target advertising zone. Based on the features meeting conditions of a predefined function, a subset of advertizing content can be determined. In some embodiments, dynamically selecting advertising content can be performed on remote computing devices. Other embodiments can render the subset of advertising content for consumption in the target advertising zone. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265617 | SYSTEMS FOR AUTOMATIC AUDIENCE SIZE MEASUREMENT AND INTERACTIVITY - A system for automatically measuring the size of a radio or television audience at any particular time is provided. In the system, a remote computer may identify the broadcast stations to which listening devices, such as radios or televisions, are tuned. To identify the broadcast stations, the remote computer commands the listening device instructing/commanding the listening device to poll its radio receiver tuner to determine the frequency it is tuned to. This information is then transmitted from the listening device to the remote computer where it may be used to determine what broadcast station the listening device is tuned to. This data is then stored and accumulated, so that over time the listening habits of the user may be identified. The collected data may be used by broadcast stations to determine the cost of advertisements. Additionally, the system provides for the monetization of advertising by charging advertisers for downloads. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265618 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MONETIZING ON-LINE USER-GENERATED CONTENT - A method and system for generating revenue on the internet by an internet content provider. The method can include the steps of publishing content on a web page accessible via a web browser; providing on the web page a first area for at least one user-generated default-format comment; providing on the web page a second area for an advertisement; providing on the web page a third area for at least one fee-paid comment; displaying on the web page in the first area at least one of the user-generated default-format comment; displaying on the web page in the second area at least one advertisement; and displaying on the web page in the third area at least one fee-paid comment. Readers of the content can read the default-format comment, the advertisement, and the fee-paid comment on the same web page. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265619 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DISPLAYING ADVERTISING - A system and method for displaying advertisements on an advertising display computer (ADC) at a plurality of geographic locations. In one example, the method comprises acts of receiving a selection associated with a geographic location of the plurality of geographic locations, receiving a selection associated with the ADC at the geographic location, displaying, via the computer interface, at least one advertising time slot available on the ADC at the geographic location, receiving at least one bid on the at least one advertising time slot available on the ADC, determining at least one winning bid from the at least one received bid, and transmitting an indication of the at least one winning bid to the ADC for display of an advertisement associated with the winning bit at the at lease one advertising time slot. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265620 | Click-To-Call Web Advertising - A novel and simple interactive web advertising method. A Click to Call feature is placed together with a web advertising message. A viewer may input a phone number and submit it by clicking a submitting button, and the input phone number is then submitted to the hosting server for subsequent actions either by the advertising agency or the advertiser. The web advertising message may be in any form, for example, in banner display, in web link description or boxed text advertising. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265621 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR AN ADVANCED PLAYER IN A NETWORK OF MULTIPLE LIVE VIDEO SOURCES - A method for providing a video player for a network of multiple live video sources includes: causing to be included in a webpage a first program line embedding a universal resource locator wherein, when the webpage is received into a web browser running on a computing device, the first code line causes the web browser to retrieve a file specified by the universal resource locator, the file executed within the web browser; including in the file a program code wherein, when the program code is executed at the web browser, the program code provides in the web browser a video player having capability to communicate messages between the video player and an application server; serving the file to the web browser when the web browser retrieves the executable file at the universal locator; and at the application server, handling message communication between the video player and the application server. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265622 | CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FOR PHYSICAL LOCATIONS - A method for outputting information about a person includes identifying the person utilizing a wireless system upon entry into a physical location, and also includes locating the person within the physical structure. An engagement plan is retrieved based on the identification of the person and output. The engagement plan has information useful for interacting with the person. The engagement plan is created based at least in part on personal information of the person, the preferences of the person, and the past transactions of the person. A system for outputting information about a person, such as a customer, includes an object carried by the person, which is capable of being identified by a wireless system. A wireless interface communicates with the object. A computing device correlates the identification of the object with the person. An output device outputs information relating to the person. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265623 | AUTOMATIC INFORMATION DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM BETWEEN INDICIA READER SYSTEM AND MOBILE DEVICE - Provided is a method for doing business, which comprises the steps of providing an indicia reader at a point of transaction (POT), capturing a digital image with the indicia reader at the POT and archiving the digital image. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265624 | System for Packaging, Processing, and Activating a Bundled Greeting and Gift Card - A greeting card stored-value card combinations and methods of forming said combinations are provided. In one embodiment, these combinations include a greeting card comprising means for affixing a stored-value card thereto. These combinations also include a stored-value card affixed to the greeting card. A single identifier, such as a Stock-Keeping Unit (SKU) or a Universal Product Code (UPC), is assigned to the bundle that uniquely identifies the bundled greeting card and stored-value card. The single identifier provides identification means allowing the stored-value card to be activated. A single capture of the single identifier enables the customer to both purchase the greeting card stored-value card combination product as well as to activate the store-value card. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265625 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR IMPLEMENTING A CARD PRODUCT WITH MULTIPLE CUSTOMIZED RELATIONSHIPS - According to one embodiment, the present invention relates to a method and a system for implementing a card product or access mechanism with multiple relationships with an issuing entity (e.g., bank, etc.) where each relationship may be defined by one or more sets of rules that are customized for a particular customer. A computer implemented method and system for implementing a mechanism with multiple customized relationships may involve identifying one or more customized rules for an access mechanism associated with a customer; establishing a plurality of accounts for the customer wherein the plurality of accounts comprise different accounts with different account characteristics; and invoking one of the plurality of accounts for a transaction through the access mechanism, based at least in part on the one or more customized rules; wherein the plurality of accounts share at least one funding account. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265626 | SYSTEM, METHOD AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR PROCESSING PAYMENTS - A payment processor for providing a payment service includes a transaction processor to process a transaction request. An application programming interface links a merchant to the transaction processor based on an identifier. A merchant center, located between a gateway and a point of sale device of the merchant, queries a database for information associated with a buyer and the merchant based on information received from the point of sale device, to generate the transaction request based from merchant transaction data received from the point of sale device and the information associated with the buyer and the merchant received from the database, and to communicate the transaction request to the transaction processor. The transaction processor also communicates information associated with the transaction request with the merchant based on the identifier. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265627 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ENABLING POINT OF SALE FUNCTIONALITY IN A WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS DEVICE - The invention broadly comprises a method for enabling point of sales (POS) functionality in a wireless communications device (WCD) including the steps of: transmitting, using an interface element in at least one specially programmed general purpose computer, a POS function control signal to a communication network for transmission to a WCD, the WCD located in a retail location; activating a POS function, in response to the control signal, to enable POS functionality in the WCD, the POS function stored in a memory element for the WCD or in a memory element for the at least one specially programmed computer; acquiring, using the POS function, an identification of an item via the WCD; receiving, using the interface element, the identification data for the item from the WCD via the communication network; and generating, using a processor for the at least one general-purpose computer, an order including the first item. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265628 | SELF-CHECKOUT METHOD AND APPARATUS - A point-of-sale self-checkout terminal includes a code reader device for automated entry of a product identification code present on items for purchase and a customer input device for receipt of data from a customer. A customer can initiate a purchase of a non-scannable item and, in response, a database is queried to identify items based on a prediction of purchase of the items, and the identified items are displayed for selection by the customer to purchase the item. Image processing and voice processing, can also be implemented to assist customers with the purchase of non-scannable items. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265629 | Marketplace for multidimensional personal development plans - A marketplace for personal development plans operates within a multidimensional personal development system. The marketplace enables a plan provider within the personal development system to create and market and users within the personal development system to search, acquire and implement personal development plans that track experiences, track facets and subfacets of a user's state of being impacted by the experiences and provide assessments that yield feedback to users relative to the plan. The marketplace is adaptable for implementation in both a server-centric or client-centric architecture. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265630 | Systems and Methods for Balancing a Business Margin Against a Target Customer Value to Fulfill a Request to Purchase a Plurality of Items - The present invention is directed towards systems and methods for balancing a business margin against a target customer value to fulfill a request to purchase a plurality of items. An initial sale price for a request to purchase the items is calculated, the initial sale price based on a sum of retail prices for the items, discounted by a predetermined target customer value. An initial business margin for the request is determined, the initial business margin based on the sum of the retail prices for the items minus a sum of predetermined net prices for the items. The initial sale price is adjusted to create an intermediate sale price, responsive to the initial business margin being outside a range defined by a lower business margin threshold and an upper business margin threshold, and the intermediate sale price is compared to the initial sale price to create a final sale price. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265631 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ENABLING MERCHANTS TO SHARE TOKENS - One embodiment of the present disclosure provides a system and associated processes for sharing cardholder data (CHD) between a merchant that utilizes tokenization and a second merchant that may or may not utilize tokenization. In one embodiment, the merchant, or an employee of the merchant, can use the system and associated processes to reacquire CHD from a tokenization provider system. In one embodiment, the merchant identifies to the tokenization provider system a desire to share CHD, which is associated with a token, with a second merchant. The merchant and/or the tokenization provider system can then invite the second merchant to register with the tokenization provider system. Once registered with the tokenization provider system, the second merchant can access any CHD that the merchant associated with the second merchant. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265632 | ONLINE MARKETPLACE METHODS FACILITATING LOCAL COMMERCE - Method for a seller to offer a product to a buyer on an online electronic commerce system implemented on a networked computer system including a central processing unit, and a shared data storage cooperating with the central processing unit. The method may include the steps of establishing a daily supply associated with the product and a daily availability associated with the seller, selecting an interval length, defining a time interval of the interval length, the time interval occurring within the daily availability, associating an interval supply associated with the product available within the time interval, and offering the product for purchase during the selected time interval. In some examples, the products may be goods; in some others the products may be services. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265633 | REAL PROPERTY INFORMATION MANAGEMENT, RETENTION AND TRANSFERAL SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR USING SAME - The present invention is in the field of computer systems and processes for managing real and personal property. One aspect of the invention is directed to capturing history of a (real) property, which may include a description of the property, the personal property located on the real property, the projects and maintenance performed or to be performed on the property and their impact on the owner's tax basis in the property. Another aspect of invention allows for sharing of this history with an online community and for transferring the history (or portions thereof) on sale to a buyer. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265634 | Buyer-Driven, Online Methods and Systems for Purchasing Motor Vehicles and Related Services - Buyer-driven methods of purchasing a motor vehicle include one or more buyers, each buyer composing a buyer-specific offer to purchase a motor vehicle and optionally motor vehicle-related services. Each offer is based on an individual buyer willing price that is based on an individual buyer perceived value of the motor vehicle and related services, and one or more buyer-specific conditions imposed on purchasing a motor vehicle within the set of motor vehicles. Buyers register with, and communicating their respective buyer-specific offer to, a website hosted by a computer server, the website accessible by network-connected devices of the buyers. One or more website-registered sellers communicate their respective seller conditions to the website, and software in a system server filters the buyer-specific offers. The sellers may accept, decline, or make alternative responses to the website, which ranks the seller response for buyers. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265635 | SOCIAL NETWORK RECOMMENDATION POLLING - The generating of a purchase decision recommendation for a primary user from a plurality of polled users is disclosed. Selections of a plurality of products from the primary user are received, and a selection of the polled users is received. A poll for the purchase decision recommendation is generated, which may include a listing of product entries corresponding to the received selection of the plurality of products. There is a step of transmitting response requests for the poll to the selected polled users. Upon receiving a ballot entry corresponding to a selection of one or more of the product entries in the poll from at least one of the selected polled users, the purchase decision recommendation is generated, based upon an aggregation of the received ballot entries. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265636 | Systems And Methods For Facilitating Electronic Purchase Of A Product - Included are embodiments for facilitating purchase of a product. Some embodiments of a system and/or method include providing a product-user interface that provides data related to a first product that is sold by a first vendor, receiving a user selection of the data related to the first product, and in response to receiving the user selection of the data related to the first product, determining a consumer characterization, the consumer characterization identifying a current state of a consumer. Still some embodiments include determining a second product that corresponds with the current state of the consumer, screen scraping real-time product data related to the second product from a website and provide the real-time product data in the product-user interface, with a purchase option to purchase the second product without navigating to the website. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265637 | Systems And Methods For Facilitating Electronic Purchase Of A Product - Included are embodiments for facilitating purchase of a product. Some embodiments include determining, from first real-time inventory data, whether a first vendor that hosts the first vendor website currently maintains stock of the product, determining, from second real-time inventory data, whether a second vendor that hosts the second vendor website currently maintains stock of the product, and providing a purchase option in the product-user interface to purchase the product, where the purchase option comprises a list of vendors that currently maintains stock of the product, where the list of vendors excludes vendors that do not currently maintain a stock of the product. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265638 | FRAUD PREVENTION TRADING AND PAYMENT SYSTEM FOR BUSINESS AND CONSUMER TRANSACTIONS - A code system for preventing fraud in trading and at the same time a safe payment method for business and consumer. The code system of the present invention ensures security and control for the contracting parties regarding the previously defined attributes of the goods and the payment including all decisional steps of the transactions as well as of the reverse transactions in case of complaint. The contracting parties act complementary, money and goods or money and services are never at the same time under control of one contracting party. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265639 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR FACILITATING ACCOUNT-BASED TRANSACTIONS - Systems, methods and apparatus are presented for facilitating account-based transactions. In an embodiment, the method includes associating a first person with an account, associating a second person with the account, receiving a request from a third party to authorize a transaction between the second person and the third party, determining a first communication address of the first party, and contacting the first party. The process also includes determining that the first person desires to communicate with the second person, determining a second communication address of the second person, initiating a communication between the first person and the second person, and receiving a signal from the first person that authorizes the transaction or declines the transaction. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265640 | ON-LINE SALES CHAIN MANAGEMENT INFRASTRUCTURE SUPPORTING TRANSACTION BRIDGING - A sales system supports sales between a plurality of buyers and a plurality of sellers in a communication network. A sales server has a seller interface used by both a first seller and a second seller respectively via a first seller's computer and a second seller's computer to register availability for sale of a first product and a second product. The sales server, based upon received buyer input from an identified buyer via a buyer computer that includes buyer orders for the first product and the second product dispenses a first sales order to the first seller's computer for the first product and a second sales order to the second seller's computer for the second product. The sales server provides instructions to the first seller's computer for fulfillment of the first sales order and to the second sales computer for the fulfillment of the second sales order. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265641 | SEARCHING FOR MERCHANDISE PRESENTLY UNAVAILABLE ON A COMPUTER NETWORK - A method of searching and purchasing items comprises receiving, via an electronic device having a processor, one or more search queries associated with a user-specified item, and causing a search engine, in communication with the processor, to search one or more databases for the user-specified item using the one or more search queries, thereby generating a search result indicating whether the user-specified item is available or unavailable for purchase. In response to the search result indicating that the user-specified item is unavailable for purchase, the search engine repeatedly searches, the one or more databases at specified time intervals until the search result indicates that the user-specified item is available for purchase. In response to the search result indicating the user-specified item is available for purchase, the method communicates to a user, via the electronic device, that the item is available for purchase. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265642 | AUTOMATED CREATION OF MULTIPLE PROVIDER SERVICES - A method may include receiving, at a service server, a request for services from a requesting device. The service server may identify one or more service options responsive to the request and send a list of the identified service options to the requesting device. The service server may receive a selected service option from the requesting device. The service server may collect payment information for the selected service option from the requesting device and providing accounting information to a service provider of the selected service option based on the payment information | 2012-10-18 |
20120265643 | SYSTEM AND METHOD OF COMMUNICATING WITH DISTRIBUTED MARKETPLACES - A method of processing a specification may include receiving, by a home site, information regarding a search for at least one good or service, automatically generating, by the home site, a specification comprising a command block, an origin block and a routing block, based on the received information, and transmitting, by the home site, the specification to the one or more destination marketplaces. One or more of the command block, the origin block and the routing block may include one or more domain-specific language instructions. The command block may include one or more instructions defining the search and one or more instructions defining one or more actions to perform with respect to results of the search. The origin block may include information identifying the home site. The routing block comprises information identifying one or more destination marketplaces. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265644 | Interactive Collection Book for Mobile Devices - A software-based interactive collection book for mobile devices provides the users a way to connect their customers to products while the products are still being developed. This will allow a user to engage with their customers earlier to drive more sales. This will result in their products being more successful in the market at the time of launch. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265645 | PERSISTENT SALES AGENT FOR COMPLEX ONLINE TRANSACTIONS - The present invention includes systems and methods employing branded virtual characters across multiple network platforms throughout various stages of complex transactions (eg, selling insurance). These characters initially engage prospective customers on a network platform, such as a social network, and persist over time across other network platforms (eg, university and company websites) to educate consumers until they are ready to purchase—from their “trusted advisor”—particular products and services offered by various providers. Even after completing transactions, these characters continue to provide various services, such as notifying a customer whose circumstances have changed of a relevant product or service, while remaining available to answer questions and provide information upon demand. By employing a semi-automated model, the system of the present invention can answer many questions via predetermined vignettes and automated answers generated by expert systems, while still utilizing live human experts (often transparently) when necessary. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265646 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING A MARKETING SERVICE - Apparatus and method for providing a marketing service are described. In one embodiment, a computer-readable storage medium includes: ( | 2012-10-18 |
20120265647 | INTEGRATED FINDING EXPERIENCE SYSTEMS AND METHODS - An integrated finding experience is a workflow configured to facilitate a search by a user for one or more items among many items (e.g., an inventory of items). An integrated finding experience machine may provide one or more user interfaces that support the workflow in presenting information differently as the user progresses through a search process (e.g., a finding experience) with respect to a database (e.g., storing information regarding one or more items). For example, the workflow may include various stages of a search process from defining a query, to refining the query, to visually scanning search results, to displaying details of one or more selected search results, to comparing selected search results to each other. Each stage may have a specialized user interface configured to facilitate one or more user activities pertinent to that stage. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265648 | Web-based Dealership Management System - An integrated web-based dealership management system providing accounting, financial reporting, parts and service sales tracking, vehicle and parts inventory, vehicle sales tracking, and customer management software developed on a relational database on a web server and with web application tools. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265649 | Method, System and Program Product for Transactions - A method, system and program product comprise communicating a seller's registration information and the seller's item information to a transaction unit. The transaction unit registers an account for the seller comprising a dashboard. The seller's item information comprises a description of the item without a price. A buyer's registration information and the buyer's offer for the seller's item are communicated to the transaction unit. The transaction unit registers an account for the buyer comprising a dashboard. The buyer's offer comprises an offer price and a description of an expected item to be delivered. The transaction unit posts the buyer's offer to the seller's dashboard and notifies the seller. The seller's response for the buyer's offer comprises an acceptable price and a description of the item to be provided at the acceptable price. The transaction unit posts the seller's response to the buyer's dashboard and notifies the buyer. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265650 | Diet and Nutrition Planning System based on health needs - A diet planning system is describes which assists a user to plan his/her diet plan according to the health needs. A user is provided to select a health status from a list of available health effects, a food group and food item list appear upon selection of the health status from which the user selects a plurality of food items. A food item rank calculator provides a priority score for the selected food item. The calculation basis of the priority score can be altered by user using a dial and accordingly make it depend totally upon the user's health needs or the overall nutrient content of the food item. The user is further provided an option to make a virtual plate, a smoothie or shop for the grocery online. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265651 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR THE REMOTE EVALUATION AND PURCHASE OF GOODS - A system for the remote evaluation and purchase of goods, comprising a remote buyer, a communication network, and a device for evaluation and purchase of goods that is configured to establish communication between a seller and a remote buyer using the communication network, assist the buyer in examining the one or more items for sale, assist the buyer and seller to establish the terms of a sale, assist the seller in transferring the one or more items to the buyer, and provide payment to the seller. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265652 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ILLUSTRATING WHERE A TICKET IS LOCATED IN AN EVENT VENUE - A system accepts event criteria for at least one ticket and at least one event; accepts price criteria for the ticket(s) and the event(s); displays an interactive graphics-based event venue map illustrating a location of all sections at a venue with at least one ticket meeting the event and price criteria; accepts section selection criteria, at least one section being selected from the interactive graphics-based event venue map; displays ticket information to allow a user to drill down to a specific ticket, cause a location of the specific ticket to be displayed in the interactive venue map; and enable a capability to utilize the interactive venue map to choose a section of interest, causing corresponding ticket information to be displayed in the web browsing language. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265653 | Secure, Differentiated Reading of Sensors and RFID Tags - Secure access to inventory data concerning a supplier's product located at a seller's premises is provided by tagging units of product with a supplier identifier and a product identifier. The identifiers may be embedded in RFID tags or EPC labels. A secure VPN tunnel is established between a supplier and a seller. The VPN tunnel is associated with a particular supplier identifier such that only inventory data associated with the supplier identifier that matches the supplier is transmitted on the VPN tunnel, and inventory data associated with supplier identifiers that do not match the supplier are filtered out. Hence, the seller can provide the supplier with access to inventory data without exposing sensitive information related to the seller and other suppliers. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265654 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CREATING A BUILD SET AND BILL OF MATERIALS FROM A MASTER SOURCE MODEL - A system and method for creating a build set and a BOM from user selected options from a single source model. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265655 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROCESSING A TRANSACTION DOCUMENT INCLUDING ONE OR MORE FINANCIAL TRANSACTION ENTRIES - A system for processing a transaction document including one or more financial transaction entries, including a record generation subsystem having data processing means configured to a) receive or generate a complete character string characterising the financial transaction entries displayed on the document; b) analyse each complete character string to identify known transaction identifiers used in financial transactions; c) analyse each complete character string to identify transaction data strings associated with each identified transaction character string; and d) store transaction data, including the transaction character strings and associated transaction data strings, for each single financial transaction in a database. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265656 | METHOD FOR DISTRIBUTING ALTERNATIVELY GENERATED POWER TO A REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT - A method for distributing alternatively generated power to a real estate development includes subdividing the real estate development into a plurality of plots. A portion of the subdivided real estate development is dedicated to alternative energy power generation. An alternative energy power generator is provided that forms a cooperative power farm electrically coupled to a power grid. Power is at least in part generated on the dedicated portion of the subdivided real estate development. Rights to a portion of an output of the cooperative power farm are included with ownership of at least one of the plurality of plots. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265657 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR REAL-TIME LABOR MANAGEMENT - A system for performing real-time labor management and timesheet reporting comprising: a plurality of portable and dedicated time tracking units, with each unit operable to wirelessly transmit timesheet information; and a labor management system operable to receive the timesheet information from each of the time tracking units and thereby maintain the timesheet information for each time tracking unit. Each unit may be dedicated to tracking time and incapable of providing unrelated functions. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265658 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR AUTOMATED GENERATION OF BILLS - The present invention provides methods and systems for processing bills electronically. Generally, a bill is created for a customer using billing information and master data from a biller and master data from a customer. Billing information is received from the biller by a first processing module having access to the master data of the biller. The first processing module generates a bill using the billing information and the master data of the biller. A second processing module having access to the master data of the customer provides customer data to the first processing module. The bill is transformed into a format specified in the master data of the customer by the first processing module if the format of the generated bill is not the format specified in the master data of the customer. The generated or transformed bill is transferred to the second processing module by the first processing module. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265659 | LOAN REPORTING ASSOCIATED WITH REAL ESTATE - Aspects described herein provide techniques for providing information on real estate loans. First user input indicating a request for identifying at least one exception for data elements associated with at least one real estate loan may be received. The at least one exception may be representative of a conditionally acceptable data element value or an unacceptable data element value. Data for the at least one real estate loan may be compared with business rules data concerning unconditionally acceptable values of the data. The at least one exception may be identified based upon the comparison. Second user input indicating one of a verification of the at least one exception for the conditionally acceptable data element value or a change of the value for the at least one exception for the unacceptable data element value may be received. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265660 | APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING IMAGE SERVICE IN MOBILE TERMINAL, AND SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING AN IMAGE SERVICE - A system for providing an image service includes a Social Networking Service (SNS) server for requesting and collecting data from multiple service users connected through the internet; a map server for providing a regional map in association with a Global Positioning System (GPS); a portal server for providing a content search service; and an image server for managing objects provided from each server in association with the servers, and providing objects acquired from each server to a user terminal in association with each other upon receiving a data request from the user terminal. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265661 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DEVELOPMENT AND USE OF A CREDIT SCORE BASED ON SPEND CAPACITY - Share of Wallet (“SOW”) is a modeling approach that utilizes various data sources to provide outputs that describe a consumers spending capability, tradeline history including balance transfers, and balance information. These outputs can be appended to data profiles of customers and prospects and can be utilized to support decisions involving prospecting, new applicant evaluation, and customer management across the lifecycle. A SOW score focusing on a consumer's spending capability can be used in the same manner as a credit bureau score. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265662 | METHODS, SYSTEMS, AND PRODUCTS FOR EFFICIENT ANNUITIZATION - A method of creating a variable universal life anti-martingale immediate annuity (VULAMIA) including the steps of soliciting preferences from an annuitant for annuity income and timing of annuity income versus a risk of loss of an annuity purchase price from early death, determining an annuity cashflow start date and a rate of return to be paid on an annuity consideration premium upon death, structuring a variable universal life policy to act as a wrapper for a separate account used to purchase immediate annuities and a death benefit which provides the rate of return on the annuity consideration premium, receiving premium payments into a VULAMIA to purchase the variable universal life policy and the immediate annuities, reinvesting immediate annuity payments until a predetermined payout date; and at death of the annuitant, providing a death benefit and the predetermined rate of return on the annuity consideration premiums. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265663 | Perpetual Futures Contracts With Periodic Reckonings - Systems and methods that provide for a perpetual futures/derivatives contract with periodic reckoning are disclosed. An embodiment may include a method of receiving a new perpetual contract and managing that contract through to its termination. The perpetual futures contract may comprise an option to terminate the contract at recurring predetermined intervals. The exchange may allow or prohibit exercise of the option based on particular parameters. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265664 | Dynamically Activating and Deactivating One or More Elements of a Trading Tool - Various embodiments relate to intelligently activating and deactivating a trading tool element of a trading tool to improve a user's confidence in the trading tool. By dynamically activating and deactivating elements on the trading screen, the trading tool effectively increases a user's confidence in placing a trading order, canceling a trade order, or both, for example, by eliminating or reducing undesirable options. Undesirable options might include those that are risky, contrary to a particular trading strategy, would result in a loss of money, and so on. Such an embodiment can improve the overall speed at which a user places or cancels a trade order by, among other things, effectively increasing the user's overall confidence in the trading tool. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265665 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CREATING AND TRADING PACKAGED COLLAR OPTIONS ON AN EXCHANGE - A method of creating and trading packaged standard option collars on an exchange is provided, as well as a trading facility for trading such packaged standard option collars. Collars are created by identifying an underlying asset, a first leg of a collar is determined by determining the desired strike price for the first leg and selecting a standard option contract traded on the exchange having a strike price closest to the desired strike price. The second leg is determined by selecting another standard option, the opposite of the first leg, having an option price substantially offsetting the option price of the first leg. Once the legs of the collar have been selected the collar package may be listed on the exchange, and orders for the collars may be processed by matching orders for opposite positions in the collar. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265666 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR INTEREST RATE SWAPS - The present invention is a system and method for providing improved functionality to an interest rate swap platform. The improved system includes functionality implementing single interest rate sale sessions initiated either as a result of market conditions or a user request, risk adjustment sales to allow users to balance portfolio risks, consolidated sweeps to more efficiently allow a user to manage an investment swap portfolio, and credit limit clearance functionality to improve the management of credit limits associated with users and clearance facilities. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265667 | FINANCIAL INSTRUMENT DISCOVERY, TRANSPARENCY, COMMUNICATION, AND TRADING FACILITATION - The Financial Instrument Discovery, Transparency, Communication, and Trading Facilitation invention allows parties to virtualize prospective and existing financial instruments (including derivative and other analogous complex financial instruments) into one or more computer software applications via a user authoring software toolkit, and to upload such one or more virtualized instrument to a cloud hosting environment (or analogous online storage ecosystem) for further sharing of such virtualized instruments with interested parties over a communications network where other market participants may engage with the cloud hosting environment and search for, download, and review such virtualized instruments. Further, the Invention allows for downloading parties and authors to communicate directly and to do such “peer to peer” communications on an anonymous, partially anonymous, or non-anonymous basis, and have such communications be secure and/or encrypted. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265668 | DETERMINATION OF IMPLIED ORDERS IN A TRADE MATCHING SYSTEM - A computer implemented method for determining implied orders in an electronic trading system is provided. The method comprises receiving a first set of one or more real orders, wherein the orders are not tradable against each other. One or more implied orders are identified within the first set of real orders. Market data corresponding to the implied orders can also be identified. At least one additional order is received and the tradability of the additional order is determined against the real or implied orders within the first set of real orders. A resting set of orders is determined from those real and implied orders within the first set of orders not affected by the tradability of the additional order. Implied orders are determined from within the set of resting orders. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265669 | Method and Apparatus for Providing Order Queue Information - A system and method for providing market information are disclosed. In this application, updates are received for a tradeable object at a price level from at least one exchange. To the extent that the updates do not include enough details to compute the number of orders resting at a particular price level in a market, estimation may be used to provide order queue information. As a result, the number of orders which are pending in the market at various price levels may be determined using the techniques described herein. The interface disclosed herein may be used to display the number and/or quantity of the orders in the order queue. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265670 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR GENERATING AN INDEX OF PERFORMANCE USING NON-TRANSACTIONAL TRADE DATA - There is provided a method for providing an index of performance of a party. the method includes (a) generating a transactional index, (b) generating a non-transactional index, and (c) generating the index of performance based on a weighted average of the transactional index and the non-transactional index. There is also provided a system that performs the method, and a storage medium having instructions that control a processor to perform the method. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265671 | Systems and Methods for Validating an Order Purchased With an Unspecified Term - The present invention is directed towards systems and methods for validating an order purchased with an unspecified term. The order may comprise an order for an access ticket or admission ticket or access token, an order for goods or services, or any combination of access, goods, and services. Validation may comprise determining the ticket or token is valid and/or allowing access based on a determined data value for an access term unspecified at the time of purchase; or determining that the order is valid and fulfilling the order based on an identified data value for a term unspecified at the time of purchase. A data value may be set for the unspecified term and a hierarchical tree searched for a leaf corresponding to the set value for the unspecified term and one or more terms specified at time of purchase, the existence of the leaf indicating the order is valid. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265672 | Waiver Decisioning - A system and method of identifying one or more waivers for waiving a fee associated with an account of a customer at a financial institution. The system and method may include identifying, based one or more criteria of the account, customer, and the like, one or more waivers applicable to the account, customer, and the like. The applicable waivers may be provided for selection. In some examples, a history of all waivers associated with the account or customer may also be provided. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265673 | Systems and methods for providing gaming activities - A system and method for determining the location of a location tracking device, employs a satellite based location determining infrastructure and a wireless data communications network. A location tracking device which cannot easily obtain valid ephemeris data from the satellite based location, determining infrastructure, requests the necessary data from a data set stored at a tracking device hub via the wireless communications network. The tracking device hub determines and transmits an estimated position of the location tracking device to the location tracking device, along with the appropriate required valid ephemeris data, to allow the location tracking device to determine its location. If the location tracking device is still unable to make a location determination from the satellite based location determining infrastructure, then the estimated location can be provided. The base station topography is self-determined by a process executing in the system and can include base stations from different networks. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265674 | Method and system for facilitating fundraising via a communication network - A funding facilitator hosts a web site that allows an entity seeking funding to create a funding request and either forward the request to preselected individuals, or entities, or make the request publicly available. If a potential funder wishes to contribute, it establishes an account and login credentials with the funding facilitator and authorizes a transfer of funds from its account to a payment processor account associated with a fundee at the funding facilitator. The funding facilitator receives information from the payment processor related to the fundee's transactions, and makes the information available to respective funders that enter their already-established login credentials through the hosted web site. The funding facilitator initiates repayments to funders who are lenders according to a repayment schedule and to proportions that they contributed to the funding amount. The repayment schedule may also reflect interest. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265675 | Proprietary Risk Management Clearinghouse - A computerized risk management method and system for facilitating analysis and quantification of risk associated with a risk subject on a proprietary basis. A proprietary risk management system combines gathered information with information received from a source such as an automated risk management clearinghouse system and maintains a database to relate risk variables and calculate a measurement of risk. The measurement, which can be a risk quotient or other rating based upon a weighted algorithm applied to the risk variables, is indicative of risk associated with the risk subject. Actions commensurate with a risk quotient can be presented to a user to facilitate management of risk associated with a particular entity or transaction or other transaction. A stored history can be created to mitigate adverse effects relating to a problematic transaction. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265676 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PAYMENT FUNDING - Embodiments of a method and system for payment funding are provided. A funding specification request is received that defines a plurality of payment sources and a priority for the plurality of payment sources for making payments in a networked system. A determination as to whether a payment allocation is received in the funding specification request that designates an allocation of a portion of an amount of value to be provided by a plurality of users for a transaction conducted through the networked system is made. Based on the determination that the payment allocation is not received in the funding specification request, a default payment allocation to be provided by the plurality of users is identified. A payment for at least the portion of the amount from at least one of the plurality of payment sources based on the priority indicated in the funding specification request is processed. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265677 | Methods and Systems For Making a Payment Via a Stored Value Card in a Mobile Environment - Methods and systems for making a financial payment to a payee via a stored value (SV) card utilizing a mobile device such as a mobile telephone (cellphone) or wireless connected personal digital assistant (PDA). The mobile device communicates wirelessly with a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) that stores user information and transaction information. A user enters information via the mobile device identifying a payee and indicating a stored value card payment method. The mobile device generates a mobile payment instruction that includes information corresponding to the identified payee and indicating a stored value card payment method. The mobile payment instruction is wirelessly communicated to the MFTS. The MFTS generates an MFTS payment instruction to a payment instruction recipient that can issue a new stored value card and/or reload funds onto a pre-existing stored value card. The MFTS communicates the MFTS payment instruction to the payment instruction recipient. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265678 | SOCIAL NETWORK PAYMENT SETTLEMENT SYSTEM - A method for effecting transfer of a payment amount to a merchant during a transaction between a customer and the merchant includes determining, using a processing device, a funds shortfall, accessing a funds sharing network comprising a plurality of users, identifying one or more of the users of the funds sharing network, requesting funds from the identified one or more users, and applying funds received from the one or more users to the funds shortfall. In some embodiments, identifying one or more of the users includes determining whether one or more of the users are indebted to the customer, determining levels of connection between two or more of the users and the customer, and developing a hierarchy of users based on the indebted users and the levels of connection. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265679 | AUTOMATED TELLER MACHINE (ATM) TO MOBILE COMMUNICATION DEVICE SESSION INTEGRATION - Embodiments of the invention provide for seamless transferring of a user interaction session initiated at an ATM to a customer's mobile communication device. By transferring the user interaction session to the customer's mobile communication device, the customer limits their time interacting with the ATM and, thus, frees up the ATM for any other waiting customers. Additionally, the embodiments provide for a highly secure means of transferring the user interaction session from the ATM to the customer's mobile communication device. For example, Near Field Communication (NFC) or the like may be implemented as the communication mechanism, such that the customer is not required to re-authenticate when the interaction session is presented on the mobile communication device. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265680 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR ROUTING PAYMENT TRANSACTIONS - Methods and systems for routing payment transactions electronically involve interrogating by computer logic each payment transaction received by a payments interface processor to identify a payment destination and a payment source and to determine, according to pre-defined parameters, whether the payment transaction is eligible for processing via an internal payment transaction processor of the financial institution that minimizes processing costs. Eligible payment transactions may be routed, for example, to an internal debit or credit card processor or ACH processor, and ineligible payment transactions may be routed to external card processing networks. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265681 | DYNAMIC CREDIT LIMIT INCREASE - In general terms, embodiments of the present invention relate to methods and apparatuses for dynamically increasing a credit limit associated with a credit account. For example, in some embodiments, a method is provided that includes: (a) receiving transaction information associated with a transaction, where the transaction involves a credit account, and where the credit account has a credit limit; (b) determining, based at least partially on the transaction information, that at least a predetermined portion of the credit limit (e.g., 90% of the credit limit, the total credit limit, etc.) will be used as a result of the transaction; and/or (c) increasing the credit limit based at least partially on the determining that at least a predetermined portion of the credit limit will be used. In some embodiments, the method further includes: (a) determining, after increasing the credit limit, that the credit account has available credit sufficient to cover the transaction; and (b) authorizing the transaction based at least partially on the determining that the credit account has available credit sufficient to cover the transaction. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265682 | Methods and Systems Using Contactless Card - It is desirable to implement security features that can prevent the unauthorized use of a customer's sensitive account information from an RFID sticker. The methods and systems described herein attempt to resolve the deficiencies with the conventional RFID stickers. In a more secure implementation, a financial institution allows a customer to activate or deactivate the account for use with the RFID sticker by submitting a request to the financial institution using internet banking, mobile banking, SMS texting, or other communications method. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265683 | Upgrading of Recurring Payment Cancellation Services - A method of reducing chargebacks due to a cancelled recurring payment, wherein the payment occurs within a card-based financial network, and wherein the network includes a database of unauthorized recurring charges and a defined chargeback procedure. The method generally includes the step of upgrading a recurring payment cancellation services file based on predefined occurrences relating to the identifying of cancelled recurring payments. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265684 | Message Routing Using Logically Independent Recipient Identifiers - Embodiments are directed to methods for routing messages using logically independent recipient identifiers and server computers operable to implement those methods. In one embodiment, an authorization request message is received at the server computer from a sending institution. The authorization request message comprises a non-financial institution identifier and a recipient identifier separate from the non-financial institution identifier, the non-financial institution identifier identifying a non-financial institution, the recipient identifier associated with a recipient, wherein the authorization request message requests authorization for a transaction between a sender and the recipient. The server computer then determines the non-financial institution from a number of different non-financial institutions, routes the authorization request message to the non-financial institution, and receives, from the non-financial institution, an authorization response message, the authorization response message indicating whether or not the transaction is approved or not approved. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265685 | System and Method for Physical-World Based Dynamic Contactless Data Emulation in a Portable Communication Device - This invention involves, in part, a system for automatically selecting a credential among a plurality of credentials on a portable communication device based on a geo-location of the portable communication device and based on a user preference, for use in an electronic wallet transaction. The system includes a geo-location device configured to detect the geo-location of the portable communication device; a location identification service unit configured to be activated by a pre-determined user input, and configured to determine a merchant where the portable communication device is most likely to be located based on said geo-location; means for storing preferences corresponding to the plurality of credentials; and means for automatically determining which of the plurality of credentials to use for the electronic wallet transaction based on the preferences. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265686 | ELECTRONIC TRANSACTION SECURITY SYSTEM AND METHOD - A computerized method for generating a time-limited number for use in a payment card transaction involving a payment card issued by a financial institution. The payment card comprises an original payment card number. A first plurality of digits of the original payment card number is provided to a processor. The first plurality of digits are predetermined digits associated to the financial institution. A desired expiration date through which the time-limited number is valid for acceptance in the payment card transaction is provided to the processor. A program is executed by the processor to set a first plurality of digits in the time-limited number to the first plurality of digits in the original payment card number, generate a first number corresponding to the desired expiration date, set a second plurality of digits in the time-limited number to the first number, and output the time-limited number. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265687 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MANAGING TRANSACTIONS - A system receives account access information from a user. The account is then accessed using the received access information. Data is harvested from a web page associated with the account or received from another financial data source. The user's ability to access the account is authenticated based on the obtained information. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265688 | Secure and Mobile Financial Transaction - A portable device is configured to transmit a first encrypted message to an account database server. The first encrypted message may comprise a request to get information about a financial account. The portable device receives a second encrypted message comprising the financial account information. The portable device wirelessly receives a signal from a merchant machine and wirelessly transmits a response message to the merchant machine. The response message comprises account related information for the merchant machine to trigger a financial transaction. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265689 | Methods for Customizing Secured Transactions that are Verified by a Money Source - Methods for providing secure transactions in which a customization parameter and an encrypted transaction validation code are received from a user to positively identify a transaction for a user who has a first entity identifier. The validation code and first entity identifier are used by a money source which electronically verifies that the transaction is valid by use of the first entity identifier and the validation code while the first transaction is customized through use of the customization parameter. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265690 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR CONDUCTING ELECTRONIC TRANSACTIONS - A system and method for conducting electronic commerce are disclosed. In various embodiments, the electronic transaction is a purchase transaction. A user is provided with an intelligent token, such as a smartcard containing a digital certificate. The intelligent token suitably authenticates with a server on a network that conducts all or portions of the transaction on behalf of the user. In various embodiments a wallet server interacts with a security server to provide enhanced reliability and confidence in the transaction. In various embodiments, the wallet server includes a toolbar. In various embodiments, the digital wallet pre-fills forms. Forms may be pre-filled using an auto-remember component. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265691 | Visualizing and Managing Complex Scheduling Constraints - An approach is provided in which a project task is retrieved from a nonvolatile data store with the project task corresponding to a configuration change management project. A set of constraints that are retrieved from a change and configuration management database (CCMDB) are identified with each of the constraints being associated with the retrieved project task. A proposed time window is also retrieved with the proposed time window being a time period in which the retrieved task is tentatively scheduled to be performed. Constraint exception values are also retrieved with the exception values corresponding to some of the identified constraints. The constraint values are compared with the proposed time window and with the retrieved constraint exceptions resulting in a set of status values corresponding to the constraints. The constraints and their corresponding status values are then displayed to a user on a display device. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265692 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROJECT ESTIMATES - A system for providing timely and accurate proposal estimates comprising of at least three computers connected to the internet, wherein all users, through the use of a web-based system, are simultaneously connected to one database, for the purpose of providing integrated specifications and bids placed by tradesmen and material suppliers, along with overhead and profit markups submitted to a residential or commercial client. A system administrator or system manager assigns users to projects initiated by the base system. By uploading documents, plans, and pictures and assigning them to the appropriate users, when used in conjunction with the estimate module, create a complete set of estimation documentation for use in an integrated labor and material installation. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265693 | ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION SYSTEM FOR PRODUCT TRANSACTIONS - An electronic registration system which facilitates authorized product returns and reduces the incidence of improper returns. A retailer sales associate is prompted to enter individual product identification information such as an individual serial number. This individual product identification information is then stored in a data base along with the date on which the product was sold and an appropriate UPC code, SKU number or manufacturer code. A check digit algorithm may be used to verify the serial number prior to storage. A sales receipt may be imprinted with at least the date of the transaction and the serial number. When a product is returned, the retailer may cross-reference the serial number on the product with that on the receipt to verify the sales receipt. Otherwise, the database may be searched for pertinent sales information. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265694 | ONE-TOUCH PLATFORM FOR PRODUCT REGISTRATION AND SUPPORT - According to one embodiment, a request is received at a support center a request from a user for registering a product, where the request includes a machine-readable code that uniquely represents the product. In response to the request, the product is identified and product information is compiled based on the machine-readable code without requiring the user to specifically provide the product information. The product information of the identified product is stored in a user asset store associated with the user, where the product information stored in the user asset store is utilized subsequently for supporting identified product. | 2012-10-18 |
20120265695 | ONE-TOUCH SUPPORT SERVICES APPLICATION PROGRAMMING INTERFACES - According to one aspect, a request is received at a support services application programming interface (API) of a support center that provides support services to a plurality of products of a plurality of vendors, where the request is received from a user for support services of a product. In response to the request, a case identifier (ID) is instantly generated that uniquely identifies a current instant support services session associated with the user for supporting the product. A touch plan is dynamically created representing an instance of the support services session, where the touch plan is identified and tracked by the case ID. A communication session is established between an agent and the user to allow the agent to provide support services to the user based on the touch plan. | 2012-10-18 |