53rd week of 2009 patent applcation highlights part 69 |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20090326981 | UNIVERSAL HEALTH DATA COLLECTOR AND ADVISOR FOR PEOPLE - The claimed subject matter provides a system and/or a method that facilitates collecting a portion of health data from a collection of users. An interface component can receive health data communicated from a collection of users, wherein each user within the collection is associated with a respective portion of health data. A verification component can authenticate at least one of a transmission source of the portion of health data, an ownership between a portion of health data and a user, an integrity level associated with the portion of health data, or a user submitting the portion of health data. A collection component can aggregate authenticated health data into a semantic data store in which the health data is indicative of a raw and unmolested source of health information from the collection of users. The collection component can further organize the health data to facilitate identification of a medical related trend. | 2009-12-31 |
20090326982 | ESTABLISHING A PATIENT - PROVIDER CONSENT RELATIONSHIP FOR DATA SHARING - A shared secret may be shared between a patient and the patient's healthcare provider. The healthcare provider may submit the shared secret to the database system via a provider interface to generate a validation code. The validation code may be later submitted to the database system by the patient via a patient interface to cause the database system to prompt the patient to submit the shared secret. Upon submission of the shared secret to the database system, the patient may be prompted to approve or deny a request of the healthcare provider to access the electronic medical record of the patient. Access may be granted to the healthcare provider upon approval of the request by the patient. | 2009-12-31 |
20090326983 | DATA COLLECTION AND DATA MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR USE IN HEALTH DELIVERY SETTINGS - A data collection and data management system and method enables an entity user, such as a corporation, that owns and operates more than one type of health delivery setting to coordinate and control patient initial placement and or transfer between multiple health delivery settings to optimize care, improve utilization of resources and staff, and coordinate reimbursement outcomes for multiple health delivery settings. Base raw data is input by the multiple health delivery settings, translated and cleaned for use in a standardized format, and then processed for multiple uses in accordance with a pre-programmed scheme. | 2009-12-31 |
20090326984 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR IMPROVED ORAL HEALTH CARE - Disclosed herein is an apparatus and method for improving oral health in which a secure database is provided containing medical information specific to and updateable by a patient. The data input by the patient is authenticated at time of input and the patient is provided with real-time access to the database information to obtain suggested behavioral modifications that suggest steps for the patients to take to avoid patient illness, based on a most recent health assessment. | 2009-12-31 |
20090326985 | Automatically Pre-Populated Templated Clinical Daily Progress Notes - A system and method for providing a pre-populated daily progress note to a health care provider in response to a request for such a note or on a pre-determined schedule. The system includes a server, and databases in communication with the server. The server is connected to a communication network. Software on server the generates a pre-populated daily progress note for a patient by retrieving clinical data related to that patient and populating the corresponding fields of the template. The system transmits the daily progress note to a health care provider who may enter additional data into the template. The health care provider transmits the completed daily progress note to the hospital server. | 2009-12-31 |
20090326986 | AUTOMATED IMAGE ACQUISITION NOTIFICATION - A system and physical computer-readable media for automatic image acquisition notification and routing. A visual and/or audible indication is provided to a user of an application to indicate to the user that image acquisition has occurred. At least one digital image is acquired at a local location using an imaging modality, and an image acquisition notification message is transmitted, (e.g., via a network) to a remote location. The image acquisition notification message is automatically received at the remote location and at least one associated digital image is automatically displayed at the remote location in response to receiving the image acquisition notification message. | 2009-12-31 |
20090326987 | COMPREHENSIVE INSURANCE PRODUCT WITH LOSS COVERAGE AND ASSISTANCE SERVICES - Aspects of the disclosure describe systems and methods for providing a combined insurance and assistance product to an insured. Insurance coverage can be provided to the insured for at least one insured loss event in conjunction with assistance services coverage based upon the at least one insured loss event. A base premium for the combined insurance and assistance product can be calculated based at least in part on a premium for the insurance coverage and a premium for the assistance services coverage. Assistance services can include preventive services directed to helping avoid the occurrence of at least one insured loss event and/or rehabilitative services directed to providing assistance after an occurrence of at least one insured loss event. | 2009-12-31 |
20090326988 | MANAGING CONSISTENT INTERFACES FOR BUSINESS OBJECTS ACROSS HETEROGENEOUS SYSTEMS - A business object model, which reflects data that is used during a given business transaction, is utilized to generate interfaces. This business object model facilitates commercial transactions by providing consistent interfaces that are suitable for use across industries, across businesses, and across different departments within a business during a business transaction. In some operations, software creates, updates, or otherwise processes information related to a budget availability control register, a financial accounting view of work order, a funds commitment document, an insurance contract, and/or a project cost estimate business object. | 2009-12-31 |
20090326989 | INTERACTIVE INFORMATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND METHOD - A method is provided for interactively managing insurance claim information using a web site with an insured side and an insurer side. An insured provides information pertaining to lost or damaged items associated with a property loss claim. Upon submitting a claim to the claim management system, the insurer has access to the information from the insurer side of the website to process the claim. The adjuster can verify the information associated with each item, and can adjust the estimated replacement values for each item before reimbursing the insured for the claim and memorialize a justification for the adjustment. The adjuster can assist an insured with submission of the claim by remotely accessing the insured's claim on the insured's side of the website and either completing the claim information on their behalf, or coach the insured during completion of the claim. | 2009-12-31 |
20090326990 | METHOD FOR MANAGING CUSTOMER-BASED AVAILABILITY FOR A TRANSPORTATION CARRIER - A customer-based availability method for a service provider such as a transportation carrier is disclosed. This method provides programmable logic to allow predetermined request types and service types to be defined. Associations are then formed between request types and service types. When a request is received from a potential customer to book a service, it is automatically determined whether the request is included within one of the request types. If so, it is automatically determined whether that request type is associated with a service type that includes the requested service. If this is the case, the request is allowed to book the service regardless of whether the service is considered to be unavailable, or the sale of the service is otherwise restricted. | 2009-12-31 |
20090326991 | GPS AND WIRELESS INTEGRATED FLEET MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND METHOD - A fleet management system has a chauffeur or driver module and a communication and positioning module associated with each fleet vehicle, and a backend monitoring and control system located at a fleet data center in communication with each vehicle. The system monitors each trip automatically and generates time stamps at the start of a trip, a pick up location, a drop off location, and return of the vehicle to a garage at the end of a trip. Vehicle status information is collected and stored along with timestamps. The information is used to generate billing and payroll accounts, and also in monitoring conditions of fleet vehicles and generating alerts as needed. Turn-by-turn route instructions are provided to drivers by voice output on request. | 2009-12-31 |
20090326992 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR NETWORK-ENABLED VENUE BOOKING - Method and system for network-enabled means to book a venue. Via a network, a bidding sub-system is deployed for providing information related to a venue to a subscriber and receiving a bid from the subscriber to book the venue for a future event. Information related to a received bid is posted via electronic means and provided to a venue representative who represents the venue and desires to receive a bid via the network for booking the venue. Through a venue representative control sub-system, the venue representative is able to select a bid to book the venue for a future event hosted by a subscriber who placed the selected bid via the bidding mechanism. | 2009-12-31 |
20090326993 | Time Delimited Multiple Admission Method and System - Systems and methods are disclosed for providing a provision of access to services. A time delimited, multiple use ticket/admissions card is provided that controls admission to services offered by participating service providers. The ticket/admissions card is issued to a ticket holder, and the card is valid for a certain amount of uses, where each use should be completed during a certain period of time. The first use of the card, for example, should be completed within a first time period, and if the first use is not completed during this first time period, then the first use expires; the second use of the card should be completed within a second time period, and if the second use is not completed during this second time period, then the second use expires. In this way, the ticket/admissions card provides a time delimited, multiple use scheme to control allowed admittance to authorized services. | 2009-12-31 |
20090326994 | Test Method for Detecting Deviations of Geoobjects - Test method for optimizing the collection of tolls from vehicles on toll roads of a road network, which is carried out by a vehicle-mounted position-determining unit and a vehicle-external management unit which has a data connection to the latter, the toll roads of the road network having detection zones superimposed on them in an electronic image of the road network and the vehicle-mounted position-determining unit transmitting toll-related data to the management unit when vehicle positions are determined within the detection range. There is provision for monitoring zones to be additionally provided in the electronic image of the road network, which monitoring zones are assigned to detection zones and in their spatial extent extend in each case beyond the detection zone assigned to them, the position-determining unit transmitting the position data, located within the monitoring zone, of the vehicle to the management unit when vehicle positions are determined within the monitoring zone and outside the detection zone. | 2009-12-31 |
20090326995 | APPARATUSES, METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR A TRADE BUSINESS CARD - This disclosure details apparatuses, methods and systems for a Trade Business Card. The Trade Business Card and Trade Business Card Platform allows users to enter some key business profile data about their company (e.g., address, category of business, customs, DHL, D&B information, telephone number, etc.). This information may then provide other companies and individuals who receive the Trade Business Card access to and the ability to view a provider's services, products and other offerings and to generate a good faith estimate. In one embodiment, the Trade Business Card travels (i.e., is visible) on every Trade Business Card Platform web page and is automatically populated with required data entry fields from searches through the approved purchase process. This eliminates the need for the user or other Trade Business Card Platform participants and/or administrators from having to type in any information about the customer profile manually. | 2009-12-31 |
20090326996 | LOT HANDLING DURING MANUFACTURING - A system for determining a list of potential lots for consolidation is presented. The system includes a module having a database and an input for receiving an event occurrence. The database may include a set of consolidation rules. The module, upon receiving the event occurrence, retrieves the consolidation rules and initiates a consolidation analysis to determine the list of potential lots for consolidation based on the consolidation rules. | 2009-12-31 |
20090326997 | MANAGING A COMPANY'S COMPLIANCE WITH MULTIPLE STANDARDS AND PERFORMING COST/BENEFIT ANALYSIS OF THE SAME - A set of internal processes of a business entity can be identified. At least one compliance standard can be selected. Each compliance standard can include a set of required processes for compliance. The internal processes can be programmatically compared against the set of required processes for the compliance standard. Differences between the internal processes and the required processes can be determined. A compliance cost can be estimated based at least in part upon the determined differences. An expected benefit of satisfying the compliance standard can be determined as can an expected return on investment. When compliance standards change, new compliance standards emerge, and/or business factors of the entity change, data used in previous runs can be re-used. Data concerning internal processes of the entity can be reused when determining compliance costs/benefits for a different standard. | 2009-12-31 |
20090326998 | TRANSACTION RISK MANAGEMENT - The innovation assists risk management staff within a financial institution to effectively and efficiently, establish, monitor and act upon transaction risks that may occur related to treasury services. The process can include establishing a unique customer information, their account relationships with the bank, assigning transactional exposure limits, monitoring those limits, notifying appropriate (or desired) personnel when limits are breached, and notifying customers as appropriate. Additionally, approval matrices are employed to evaluate risk associated with transaction services. | 2009-12-31 |
20090326999 | INNOVATION DEVELOPMENT TRACKING AND MANAGEMENT - Systems (and corresponding methodologies) for monitoring and tracking the evolution of innovations within organizations, such as corporations, are provided. The innovation employs an image rendering to graphically convey development status. Overall, the innovation discloses a formalized mechanism by which innovations can be progressed from conception to product (or process) development and deployment. Thus, the innovation structures the evolution process of ideas throughout the development from conception to application. | 2009-12-31 |
20090327000 | Managing Change Requests in an Enterprise - Systems, methods, and apparatus, including software tangibly stored on a computer readable medium, involve managing change requests in an enterprise. Multiple factors for assessing risk associated with implementing changes within an enterprise are defined, and multiple risk assessment characteristics are associated with each factor. An identification of one of the risk assessment characteristics for each of the factors is received through a user interface. The received identification of risk assessment characteristics is associated with a particular request for approval of a change within the enterprise. A maximum overall risk assessment level for the particular request is identified based on the received identification of risk assessment characteristics for each of a first subset of the factors. An overall risk assessment level is determined for the particular request based, at least in part, on the maximum overall risk assessment level. | 2009-12-31 |
20090327001 | DEFINING AND IMPLEMENTING CONFIGURATION STANDARDS FOR FACILITATING COMPLIANCE TESTING IN AN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ENVIRONMENT - A method for facilitating compliance testing in an information technology (IT) environment is provided. The method includes defining each IT component of an enterprise as a set of attribute value pairs represented as a configuration item (CI) and defining relationships among the CIs. Configuration Standards for the CIs are defined to include scope identifying CIs to which the Configuration Standards apply and restrictions defining requirements for compliance. Compliance testing is performed for IT components of the enterprise against a selected Configuration Standards by determining, depending on the scope and the restrictions of each of the selected Configuration Standards, which of the IT components within the scope of the selected Configuration Standards fails to meet the restrictions of respective ones of the selected Configuration Standards; and by outputting results as a list, which includes each of the IT components that failed to meet respective ones of the selected Configuration Standards. | 2009-12-31 |
20090327002 | AUTOMATED WORKFLOW FOR CONTENT LOCALIZATION MANAGEMENT - According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method for automating content localization workflow including translation processes. The method includes generating initial metadata relating to the status of a content localization workflow. The current status of the metadata is determined and displayed on a user interface dashboard. The user interface dashboard may be used to modify the content localization workflow. The metadata is used to drive changes and interaction from one phase of the workflow to another in an automated manner. | 2009-12-31 |
20090327003 | Electronic business method for monitoring the activity of an establishment - An electronic business method for monitoring the activity of an establishment, including the non-limiting step of: providing an electronic information database preferably associated with a server, wherein the electronic information database includes at least one establishment record; storing activity information about an establishment within an establishment record; receiving a search inquiry regarding the activity of an establishment; and generating at least one content page via a server, wherein the at least one content page includes activity information about an establishment. | 2009-12-31 |
20090327004 | Personnel cost planning - Computer-implemented prospective planning of personnel costs for an enterprise includes conducting planning preparation to plan the personnel costs, electronically collecting data relating to personnel costs, electronically performing a cost planning run, electronically conducting a detailed analysis of the results to revise and modify the collected data to produce updated results, and reporting the results of the cost planning run. | 2009-12-31 |
20090327005 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PREPARATION OF AN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY FILING IN ACCORDANCE WITH JURISDICTION- AND/OR AGENT-SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS - A facility has been developed whereby an applicant (or his representative) may file corresponding applications in multiple jurisdictions using multiple associates while automating the preparation of filings in accordance with jurisdiction- and/or associate-specific requirements and/or procedures. An intellectual property filing portal or hub is employed, which in some realizations is hosted on public, packet switched data network and communicates with both applicants (or representatives) and associates. The intellectual property filing portal facilitates selection, by applicants (or representatives) of particular jurisdictions and associates based at least in part on fee quotations in accordance with particulars of an intellectual property filing and in accordance with fee structures of the particular jurisdictions and foreign associates. In addition, the intellectual property filing portal facilitates registration of associate- and jurisdiction-specific form documents and fee schedules for at least partially automated preparation of formal documents. | 2009-12-31 |
20090327006 | SYSTEM, METHOD AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR AUTHENTICATION, FRAUD PREVENTION, COMPLIANCE MONITORING, AND JOB REPORTING PROGRAMS AND SOLUTIONS FOR SERVICE PROVIDERS - A system and method of using a computer to prevent fraud and abuse and to promote reporting transparency, according to various exemplary embodiments, can include receiving data of an entity and individuals; accessing data about the entity and individuals in one or more remote computers to prevent fraud and abuse from being committed by the entity or the individuals; determining whether the data of the entity and individuals satisfies a plurality of criteria and issuing a certification identification number if the data of the entity and individuals satisfies the plurality of criteria; determining whether the data of the entity and individuals is in compliance with at least one government regulation; and defining a plurality of customized criteria and determining whether the data of the entity and individuals satisfies the plurality of customized criteria. | 2009-12-31 |
20090327007 | INFORMATION PROCESSING SYSTEM, VALIDATION METHOD, INFORMATION PROCESSING DEVICE, AND PROGRAM - An information processing system includes: a terminal device including a purchase information generating unit generating purchase information for relating a user who purchased a product to the purchased product, the purchase information identified by a predetermined identifier, a verification means generating unit generating verification means verifying correctness of the identifier, and a communication unit sending a purchase verification including the verification means and the identifier verified by the verification means to a terminal of the user; and an information processing device including a communication unit receiving word-of-mouth information entered by a user and a purchase verification when the word-of-mouth information involves it, a validation unit validating correctness of the identifier contained in the received purchase verification using the verification means, and a data holding unit holding purchaser word-of-mouth information having the identifier with correctness verified by the validation unit and non-purchaser word-of-mouth information as the word-of-mouth information other than the purchaser word-of-mouth information. | 2009-12-31 |
20090327008 | Transaction Velocity Counting For Fraud Detection - Methods and systems for detecting fraud based on velocity counts are disclosed. | 2009-12-31 |
20090327009 | Managing Consistent Interfaces for Supply Chain Management Business Objects Across Heterogeneous Systems - A business object model, which reflects data that is used during a given business transaction, is utilized to generate interfaces. This business object model facilitates commercial transactions by providing consistent interfaces that are suitable for use across industries, across businesses, and across different departments within a business during a business transaction. In some operations, software creates, updates, or otherwise processes information related to a freight request, a house shipment, a shipment request, a supplier freight invoice request, and/or a transportation booking request business object. | 2009-12-31 |
20090327010 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR FACILITATING FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS OVER A NETWORK - A system for facilitating financial transactions over a network includes a first user device, a second user device and a payment processing device. The first user device is adapted to allow a first user to send an invitation to a second user, via a network, to accept a promise to pay (IOU). The second user device is adapted to allow the second user to generate a response to the invitation via the network. The payment processing device is adapted to receive the invitation and the response and to schedule a payment if the response is an affirmative response. | 2009-12-31 |
20090327011 | VEHICLE DISPATCHING METHOD AND SYSTEM - A system and method for dispatching a plurality of vehicles operating in a work area among a plurality of destination locations and a plurality of source locations includes implementing linear programming that takes in an optimization function and constraints to generate an optimum schedule for optimum production, utilizing a reinforcement learning algorithm that takes in the schedule as input and cycles through possible environmental states that could occur within the schedule by choosing one possible action for each possible environmental state and by observing the reward obtained by taking the action at each possible environmental state, developing a policy for each possible environmental state, and providing instructions to follow an action associated with the policy. | 2009-12-31 |
20090327012 | COOLING RESOURCE CAPACITY ALLOCATION USING LAGRANGE MULTIPLIERS - In a method of determining cooling resource capacity allocations for resource units in a shared environment for optimized operations, cost parameters associated with operating the resource units in at least one of delivering and receiving cooling resources are identified, one or more constraints associated with operating the resource units are identified, in which at least one of the one or more constraints comprises meeting at least a total cooling demand of components in the shared environment, a cost function that correlates the plurality of identified cost parameters is developed, a minimized cost function is solved for through application of a Lagrange multiplier subject to the identified one or more constraints, and cooling resource capacity allocations for the resource units that result in optimized operations in the shared environment based upon the minimized cost function solution are determined. | 2009-12-31 |
20090327013 | Method and Apparatus for Facilitation Introductions in an Employment System - An employment system provides personal introductions between system users in one embodiment. In one embodiment, the employment system provides qualified employment seekers with enhanced assistance applying for jobs, wherein the enhanced assistance includes sending a personal introduction about the employment seeker to an employee seeker (i.e., on behalf of an employment seeker). The personal introduction may include at least a portion of a human generated message about the employment seeker. In another embodiment, the employment system provides a personal introduction about an employee seeker to an employment seeker (i.e., on behalf of an employee seeker). For example, the personal introduction may include information about the employee seeker such as company showcases that highlight the benefits of working for the employee seeker. | 2009-12-31 |
20090327014 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MANAGING MAINTENANCE OF BUILDING FACILITIES - The present invention relates to a system for managing operational facilities that is of the type which utilizes predefined events to carry out managing operations for the facilities. The system includes one or more servers adapted to receive events from a client and forward the events to a clearinghouse via a communication link. The system further includes one or more clients, each of which has a unique login identity, adapted to selectively send events to the server via the communication link. Also included is a clearinghouse connected to each of the server and each of the client via the communication link for selectively storing data from each server and each client in a database, and being adapted to selectively authorize predetermined events by each client according to the login identity of each such client, to selectively schedule predetermined events in response to data stored in the database and to monitor the status of all events stored in the database. | 2009-12-31 |
20090327015 | PLANNING FOR VALUE - A target setting, forecasting, and budgeting method and tools are provided in which targets are selected at a high level of management through a process of strategic planning to select targets based on a combination of value expected to be added and manageability of the candidate targets, including computer simulations of increased cash flow expected to be generated by the target strategies. The strategically planned targets are then flowed down to the various levels of management, budgets are constructed around those target strategies, and the budgets are then consolidated and flowed upward. By defining organizational targets and then aligning those targets with strategic goals from the beginning, the number and scope of iterations of budget adjustments can be reduced. | 2009-12-31 |
20090327016 | WORK OPTIMIZATION BASED UPON LIFECYCLE TRACKING DATA - Tracking and management data for a survey distribution and response lifecycle is disclosed. The system generates and links tracking data for both the distribution and the response, generates indicators that include the tracking data, and encodes the indicators so that the indicators are detectable as the indicators traverse various events and locations throughout the lifecycle. A detailed audit trail of each event in the distribution and response lifecycle is constructed using data matching methods and various statistics regarding the lifecycle, such that the response habits of customers are formulated enabling an operation to more efficiently forecast, plan and conduct operations. | 2009-12-31 |
20090327017 | Teacher assignment based on teacher preference attributes - A system for scheduling a teacher for teaching one or more students during one or more learning sessions comprises an online learning system having one or more nodes that creates one or more online learning sessions. A scheduling node schedules one or more teachers for teaching one or more online learning sessions. A database stores one or more teacher schedules for one or more learning sessions. The same or another database stores one or more teacher preference attributes. A processing node selects a teacher to teach a student during a learning session based on the one ore more teacher preference attributes and the one or more teacher schedules. The scheduling node schedules the teacher for the learning session prior to the learning session. | 2009-12-31 |
20090327018 | AUTOMATED SYSTEM FOR AIDING IN FORECLOSURE SALES - An automated foreclosure sale system [ | 2009-12-31 |
20090327019 | MEETING SCHEDULING SYSTEM - A method, programmed medium and system are provided in which a user has an option to prioritize meetings and individuals who have access to the user's calendar. The disclosed exemplary embodiments provide for prioritizing meetings and allowing a certain set of favorite people see the availability based on priority. Users are enabled to designate specific individuals and corresponding priority levels for the designated individuals who have access to the user's calendar. A high priority user is enabled to schedule a meeting on other users' calendars based on the priority level of the scheduling user. The system automatically determines the priority level of the scheduling user and displays calendars of other invited users by displaying only other scheduled meetings which have a higher priority level thereby enabling automatic priority level scheduling for all users of the calendar system. | 2009-12-31 |
20090327020 | Intelligent task Deactivation In Project Scheduling Application - A project management application is provided in which an active or not active task state for each task may be displayed in a user interface. The active or not active task state would indicate whether the task is inactive or active. If the state of a task is active, the project management application may treat the active task as a normal task in the project plan. If the state of a task is inactive, the project management application may treat the inactive task as having no effect and may ignore the inactive task for scheduling purposes in the project plan. The project management application may maintain and display information of the inactive tasks in the project plan. The project management application may display the inactive tasks in a different style from the active tasks in the user interface. | 2009-12-31 |
20090327021 | System and method for managing legal obligations for data - Systems and methods for managing legal obligations for data are provided. In exemplary embodiments, an information portal is established which provides a visual interface of legal obligations and workflow required to be administered by IT personnel. At least one legal obligation may be determined. Based on the legal obligation, workflow for performing the legal obligations is generated for IT personnel. The workflow may comprise instructions to personnel responsible for data management of one or more affected systems containing the data. The instructions are then provided via the information portal. | 2009-12-31 |
20090327022 | Solicitation Management-Computerized Method to automate Solicitations Processing and Tracking. - A method and apparatus for automating the solicitation process for solicitors and organizations. The web based system would facilitate the tracking and management of solicitation information including donation requests, statuses and donor information to help automate the process. Organizations can provide their solicitors and committee members tools to allow them to manage the solicitation process without consuming organization resources in facilitating the solicitation process. | 2009-12-31 |
20090327023 | SYSTEM FOR MANAGEMENT AND CONTROL OF AN ENTERPRISE - A system for management of an enterprise, including a quality system module provided for storing quality parameters derived from at least one quality system certification standard, and an interface operable by a user for retrieving data based on at least one of the quality parameters in response to a request from the user. Another system includes an operating procedure module storing detailed procedures for carrying out at least one task, and an interface operable by a user for retrieving data related to the detailed procedures. | 2009-12-31 |
20090327024 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR QUALITY ASSESSMENT OF A FIELD SERVICE OPERATION - Methods, apparatus and systems for computer-aided determination of quality assessment for locate and marking operations. In one example, a quality assessment decision is solely under the discretion of a human reviewer, albeit facilitated in some respects by computer-aided display of information, and electronic record keeping and communication functions associated with the quality assessment result(s). In another example, information related to a locate and marking operation is electronically analyzed such that a quality assessment is not based solely on human discretion, but rather based at least in part on some predetermined criteria and/or metrics that facilitate an automated determination of quality assessment. | 2009-12-31 |
20090327025 | FUEL OFFERING AND PURCHASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM - The present disclosure is directed towards apparatuses, systems and methods to facilitate the pricing, sales and delivery of a commodity fuel to a Customer. In one embodiment, the disclosure teaches a Fuel Offer Generator that facilitates the purchase and management of fuel offerings. The Fuel Offer Generator allows Customers interested in securing fuel to obtain an offer for fuel at lock-in prices for various tenors. Fuel Customers can buy these fuel offers such that they may later exercise the fuel offers so their fuel costs are locked-in at desired levels (e.g., they may be set to strike prices). The Fuel Offer Generator also can establish a Premium Price that will be part of the fuel offer. The Fuel Offer Generator may generate hedges to counteract fuel related risks stemming from fuel offer purchases. Ultimately, a customer that purchases a fuel offering can exercise their fuel offering order at a specified price and redeem any difference between the market price for their purchased fuel and the price specified in their fuel offering order. The Fuel Offer Generator employs a redemption condition based on a retail fuel pump price metric to establish the pricing of fuel offerings. | 2009-12-31 |
20090327026 | Method for Providing Custom Profile Analysis in a Demographic Information System - A method of providing demographic visitor information to a participating web site including registering a user with an information gathering system, wherein the information gathering system solicits personal information from the user and wherein the information gathering system maintains a profile for the registered user; detecting a visit of the registered user to a participating web site, wherein the participating web site is operated independently from the information gathering system; and providing a demographic information report to the participating web site, wherein the demographic information report is related to at least one registered user who has visited the participating web site. | 2009-12-31 |
20090327027 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR TRANSFORMING LOGISTIC VARIABLES INTO NUMERICAL VALUES FOR USE IN DEMAND CHAIN FORECASTING - An improved method for forecasting and modeling product demand. The forecasting methodology employs a multivariable regression model to model the causal relationship between product demand and the attributes of past promotional activities. This improved forecasting methodology enhances the applicability of regression models when dealing with logistic variables. It provides a novel technique to transform such variables into numerical values, resulting in more accurate and more efficient regression models. Furthermore, the reduction in the number of variables improves the stability and predictive power of the regression models. | 2009-12-31 |
20090327028 | Systems and Methods for Utilizing Assist Data to Optimize Digital Ads - Systems and methods for utilizing assist data to optimize digital ads are disclosed. In one implementation, a forecast for a performance of a digital ad is generated. The forecasted assist data is converted into conversion data associated with the digital ad. A media plan for the digital ad is generated based at least in part on the converted conversion data, and the digital ad is served based on the generated media plan. | 2009-12-31 |
20090327029 | Systems and Methods for Utilizing Normalized Impressions To Optimize Digital Ads - Systems and methods for utilizing normalized impressions to optimize digital ads are disclosed. In one implementation, a forecast for a performance of a digital ad is generated. An optimal placement associated with a webpage is identified with respect to at least a first factor. A discount factor for a first placement associated with the webpage is computed with respect to the optimal placement and a forecasted number of impressions associated with the digital ad is normalized based at least in part on the discount factor associated with the first placement. A media plan for the digital ad is generated based at least in part on the normalized impressions associated with the digital ad and the digital ad is served based on the generated media plan. | 2009-12-31 |
20090327030 | Systems and Methods for Creating an Index to Measure a Performance of Digital Ads as Defined by an Advertiser - Systems and methods for utilizing a performance index measuring a performance of an object as defined by an advertiser are disclosed. Generally, an ad campaign optimizer receives one or more values associated with events that result from marketing activities associated with one or more objects. The ad campaign optimizer calculates a performance index associated with an object of the one or more objects, wherein the performance index measures a performance of the object based on the received one or more values. The ad campaign optimizer then optimizes a digital ad based on the calculated performance index. | 2009-12-31 |
20090327031 | RENT-TO-OWN MEDIA - The described implementations relate to rent-to-own media. One technique provides digital rights restricted media to a consumer on a rent-to-own basis. The technique also removes the digital rights restrictions from the media upon completion of the rent-to-own basis. | 2009-12-31 |
20090327032 | QUALITY BASED PRICING AND RANKING FOR ONLINE ADS - A “Quality-Based Ad Pricer” prices ads as a function of how users respond to a particular page and/or domain to which they are sent by an online advertisement. User experience is improved by ensuring that advertisements that are more relevant to a user are priced less than an ads which are less relevant to the user. In particular, a quality factor for each ad is determined as a property of the advertiser's site based on measured user behaviors with respect to that site. This quality factor is then used in ranking, selecting, and pricing ads in an automated online auction. Further, while ad aggregators are not excluded from the ad market by the pricing rules of the Quality-Based Ad Pricer, these rules ensure that there is a “level playing field” such that ads of merchants are not excluded by the ads of ad aggregators. | 2009-12-31 |
20090327033 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR FORECASTING INVENTORY LEVELS IN A PRODUCTION ENVIRONMENT - A method of maintaining an inventory of a consumable in a production environment may include identifying a demand distribution for a consumable in a production environment, identifying a lead time period for replenishing the consumable and selecting, from a plurality of candidate parameters, a control parameter that is a function of total inventory management cost so that the selected control parameter corresponds to a lowest determined total inventory management cost. The method may also include using a forecasting model to automatically forecast a total future demand value for the consumable based on the demand distribution, the lead time period and a standard error of forecasting adjusted by the selected control parameter, determining whether additional inventory is needed based on at least the total forecasted future demand value and an inventory position and, if additional inventory is needed, generating an order for the consumable. | 2009-12-31 |
20090327034 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR ELECTRONIC COMMERCE - The present subject matter provides methods of electronic commerce comprising generating an online catalog of items, collecting consumer interest data for online catalog items using consumer initiated selections of the item from a dedicated web site, aggregating the consumer interest data in a database, determining a demand forecast for the item the consumer interest data, electronically receiving supplier bids to supply the demand forecast, electronically receiving contingent buyer commitments in response to an accepted supplier bid; and closing commerce in the item. Additional examples include monitoring a supplier's return inventory using an inventory management system to develop electronic commerce. | 2009-12-31 |
20090327035 | MEDIA CONTENT SERVICE FOR RENTING JUKEBOXES AND PLAYLISTS ADAPTED FOR PERSONAL MEDIA PLAYERS - An online media content service is adapted for use with a personal media player to provide targeted content to the player on a rental basis and is architected to enable users to access music using new models.. The targeted media content includes content that has special context or meaning to a user of the service by virtue, for example, of either being organized into a collection that appeals to the user, or by being related to the user through the user's social graph. In the first case, the targeted media content may illustratively include a set of media that has been selected to fulfill a theme or genre, and is made available to a user as a package to access and play for a limited period of time for a rental fee. In the second case, the targeted media content may illustratively include a collection of songs that are drawn from playlists of people that the service knows to be friends of the user and provided on a subscription basis. | 2009-12-31 |
20090327036 | DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEMS USING MULTI-SCALE CUSTOMER AND TRANSACTION CLUSTERING AND VISUALIZATION - Systems, methods and consumer-readable media for using multi-scale customer and transaction clustering and visualization according to the invention have been provided. Systems and methods according to the invention may use program code to obtain customer transaction data and categorize obtained customer transaction data. The systems and methods may also analyze the categorized customer transaction data in order to identify patterns among the data. The systems and methods may also use the identified patterns to isolate a selected number of behavioral factors and group customers into population segments based on the behavioral factors. | 2009-12-31 |
20090327037 | System and Methods for Pricing Markdown with Model Refresh and Reoptimization - A system and method for tuning markdown plans is provided. Such a system and method may include configuring initial rule set. Initial Demand models are generated. A first optimization for inventory pricing may be received from the price optimization system. The first optimization uses the initial demand models and cost data. A markdown plan is generated by applying the initial rule set to the first optimization. The plan is implemented. Updated data may be received which mandates a re-optimization of the plan. Demand models are refreshed using the updated data. Initial rule set is updated by cross referencing plan history with the initial rule set and subtracting rule events that have previously occurred. A second optimization is received which uses the refreshed demand models and cost data. Then, the markdown plan is re-optimized by applying the updated rule set to the second optimization. The re-optimized markdown plan is reported, approved and implemented. | 2009-12-31 |
20090327038 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR ELECTRONIC COMMERCE - The present subject matter provides methods of electronic commerce comprising generating an online catalog of items, collecting consumer interest data for online catalog items using consumer initiated selections of the item from a dedicated web site, aggregating the consumer interest data in a database, determining a demand forecast for the item the consumer interest data, electronically receiving supplier bids to supply the demand forecast, electronically receiving contingent buyer commitments in response to an accepted supplier bid; and closing commerce in the item. Additional examples include monitoring a supplier's return inventory using an inventory management system to develop electronic commerce. | 2009-12-31 |
20090327039 | Network based procurement and sourcing method - A method for enhancing the procurement processes and sourcing strategy options of an organization, including registering purchase item data, supply item data, demand market data, and supply market data, and generating one or more suggested procurement and sourcing strategies using a power and leverage positioning methodology. The method provides a recommended level of analysis with respect to the criticality of the purchase items to generate suggested procurement and sourcing strategies. A method for developing the competence of the staff of an organization in the management of a procurement process, having a plurality of steps for the selection of procurement and sourcing strategies pre-contractually and for managing supplier performance post-contractually is also disclosed. | 2009-12-31 |
20090327040 | Systems and methods for identifying business opportunities - Systems and methods are disclosed for identifying a business opportunity in a target market. In one embodiment, a business may implement a method to define a target market based on one or more business characteristics. The method may include receiving a first set of company data for companies associated with the target market and building an industry profile associated with the target market based on the first set of company data. The method may also include generating a second set of company data based on the industry profile, the second set of company data reflecting the business opportunity in the target market. The method may further include summarizing the first set and the second set of company data based on the business characteristics associated with the target market, and presenting the business opportunity in the target market based on the one or more business characteristics. | 2009-12-31 |
20090327041 | Facilitating compensation arrangements between data providers and data consumers - Systems and methods for data brokering, and more specifically, data brokering regarding a data provider's search-related activities are described. In particular implementations, various aspects of facilitating a compensation arrangement between a data provider and a data consumer regarding one or more data-provider-related search activities, are described. | 2009-12-31 |
20090327042 | Facilitating compensation arrangements having privacy preservation aspects - Systems and methods for data brokering, and more specifically, data brokering regarding a data provider's search-related activities are described. In particular implementations, various aspects of maintaining an anonymity of at least one of the data provider or the data consumer with respect to another of the data provider or the data consumer, are described. | 2009-12-31 |
20090327043 | Method And System Of Ranking A Document - A method and system of ranking a document includes submitting an importance rank for the document by a first plurality of users for assigning a document importance rank to the document. A second plurality of users votes on the document for determining a popularity rank of the document where the popularity rank indicates a popularity of the document and the popularity rank at least, in part, determines a popularity index for the document. N number of users of the first plurality of users that submitted the N highest importance ranks receives incentives when the document has the popularity rank greater than the popularity index. | 2009-12-31 |
20090327044 | Method and apparatus for providing data statistics - Providing data statistics includes receiving property information of selected products input by users, searching and locating a Standard Property Union (SPU) corresponding to the property information in a database, the SPU comprising a set of one or more products sharing a set of one or more properties, generating behavior data, including by summarizing a cumulative number of behavioral instances associated with each product in the set of products included in the SPU, and outputting the behavior data. | 2009-12-31 |
20090327045 | GENERATING RETAIL SALES REPORT - A computer-implemented automated method of generating a report of sales growth estimate from point of sale transaction settlement database includes selecting a subset of the point of sale transaction data that represents sales transactions for accounts in the transaction settlement database that are active during two consecutive reporting periods from the point of sale transaction settlement database. The selected subset of the point of sale transaction data is then analyzed based on a sorting category resulting in an estimate of sales growth rate over the reporting period. | 2009-12-31 |
20090327046 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR INTERACTING WITH A USER OVER A NETWORK - One embodiment of the invention provides a method for interacting with a user over a network. The method includes receiving a request from a user machine for a content page at a publisher web-site. The user machine is provided with an interstitial page including one or more fields for collecting information about the user and two or more user response options for selection by the user, including at least a positive response and a negative response. The selected user response to the interstitial page is received and recorded, along with any information collected about the user. The recorded information may be used in a future determination of an interstitial page to provide to the user machine. | 2009-12-31 |
20090327047 | System and Method For A Complete And Convenient Shopping Experience Using Product Print Catalogs Or Print Advertisements - A method and system whereby a consumer creates a shopping list using a portable barcode scanner to scan barcodes from a printed catalog and a printed advertisement. The entered barcodes are downloaded to an smart base-station from the barcode scanner. The base-station retrieves related information from a barcode database via the Internet. The database can belong to a merchant, or it can be a generic shopping service. | 2009-12-31 |
20090327048 | Forecasting Discovery Costs Based on Complex and Incomplete Facts - The discovery cost forecasting system uses incomplete information to generate forecasts of discovery expenses. Models are generated with different levels of granularity depending upon the available facts and user preferences. An expert provides real-time information to improve the accuracy of the predictions. A scenario analysis is generated that evaluates how changes to the parameters of the matter could affect the forecasted cost. An estimate is generated of the degree of advancement of the matter in its lifecycle as part of the cost forecast. The cost associated with each data source and custodian is tracked and reported. A configurable and extensible cost equation is defined. A dashboard user interface is generated to monitor the entire portfolio to extract easy to understand facts, trends, and early warning signs related to discovery cost management. | 2009-12-31 |
20090327049 | FORECASTING DISCOVERY COSTS BASED ON COMPLEX AND INCOMPLETE FACTS - The discovery cost forecasting system uses incomplete information to generate forecasts of discovery expenses. Models are generated with different levels of granularity depending upon the available facts and user preferences. An expert provides real-time information to improve the accuracy of the predictions. A scenario analysis is generated that evaluates how changes to the parameters of the matter could affect the forecasted cost. An estimate is generated of the degree of advancement of the matter in its lifecycle as part of the cost forecast. The cost associated with each data source and custodian is tracked and reported. A configurable and extensible cost equation is defined. A dashboard user interface is generated to monitor the entire portfolio to extract easy to understand facts, trends, and early warning signs related to discovery cost management. | 2009-12-31 |
20090327050 | System and Method for Ranking the Quality of Internet Traffic Directed From One Web Site to Another - A system and method of determining a quality ranking of user traffic directed from at least one traffic producer Web site to a traffic consumer Web site. A reference for the traffic consumer is established on a Web site of the traffic producer. The reference includes a link from the traffic producer to a traffic quality intermediary and a unique identifier to identify the traffic consumer. The traffic quality intermediary receives user traffic data associated with the user traffic directed from the traffic producer and determines a quality ranking of the user traffic based upon the user traffic data. | 2009-12-31 |
20090327051 | Online employee assessment and management performance system and method - The present invention is a novel online enterprise management system. The system facilitates communication and teamwork within an organization using real-time techniques. The system allows employees to easily assess themselves and their organization, and provide ideas for improving business. The results are compiled into one or more databases and available for personal, managerial or team review. Thus, managers can more readily understand their employees' strengths and needs, and thereby, provide an optimal work environment. Also, employees can share perspectives, and make unique contributions to the business or across organizations. In addition, the system may be used by managers to input their ideas to upper-level management, executives, and so forth. Also, the present invention provides data indicating the difference, or “gap,” between employees' desired state and actual state. Therefore, managers are able to motivate their employees by reducing this gap, improving productivity and overall performance. | 2009-12-31 |
20090327052 | INTERACTIVE ORGANIZATIONAL INSTRUCTION SYSTEM - A system for instructing a group of participants to function individually within an organization having a functional purpose. The system teaches four lifetime leadership lessons which include (1) adopting a set of universal attributes of a trusted colleague, (2) finding common ground as a community of trusted colleagues, (3) having conversations the participants need to have, the way they need to have them, and (4) making a correct, unifying “diagnosis” before starting “treatment” (also known as “seeing the whole elephant”). Beyond being taught these lessons, the participants are enabled to apply the lessons to solve any problem, in any part of the organization. Further, organizational change can be accelerated by these participants when they teach one or more of the four lessons to others in the organization. | 2009-12-31 |
20090327053 | METHOD, SYSTEM, SIGNAL AND PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR MEASURING EDUCATIONAL EFFICIENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS - An application for a method for measuring educational efficiency and effectiveness of a teacher and a group of students includes measuring amounts of effort expended and expense incurred during teaching activities and accumulating the amounts of effort and/or expense into an accumulated effort and/or accumulated expense. The knowledge level is measured before and after the educational activities. The educational efficiency is calculated as the product of the difference in examination scores and the educational goal as given either by the credit-hours ascribed to the course or the course hours in the learning environment divided by the accumulated effort. The educational effectiveness is calculated as a product of the difference in examination scores and the educational goal divided by the accumulated cost. | 2009-12-31 |
20090327054 | PERSONAL REPUTATION SYSTEM BASED ON SOCIAL NETWORKING - Embodiments of the claimed subject matter provide a personal reputation system based on user behavior and activity within one or more social networks, and the migration of reputation-based data therein. One embodiment is implemented as a system for developing the personal reputations of users of the system belonging to a shared social network. Each user is associated with a personal profile, which represents the user within the social network. Each personal profile includes a personal reputation index representing the reputation of the corresponding user of the system, one or more personal tags attached to the personal profile, and a list of other users with acknowledged affiliations with the corresponding user. | 2009-12-31 |
20090327055 | Dynamically Rearranging and Deploying Advertising Selection Logic - A method and system for deploying and customizing advertisement selection logic without requiring a shutdown and/or restart of system resources. A first arrangement of advertisement logic may include filters to be executed in a pipeline model. A second arrangement of advertisement selection logic may be determined based at least in part on information received. Alternatively, the second arrangement of advertisement selection logic may be automatic based at least in part on statistics or defined hints. The second arrangement of advertisement selection logic may be implemented using different filters or rearranged filters in an updated pipeline model. | 2009-12-31 |
20090327056 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ADVERTISING ON A NETWORK - A system for advertising to an end user in a computer network is provided. The system includes a server configured to transmit instructions to a client application to display an advertisement and a call-to-action for a reward in proximity to each other. The system is further configured to receive a response to the call-to-action for a reward from the user, and to transmit instructions to the client application to display an indication of a reward. A reward log database is provided in communication with the server. The reward log database is configured for logging the response to the call-to-action for a reward from the user. Methods for advertising and conveying a message, and a client application program product are also provided. | 2009-12-31 |
20090327057 | Revenue Sharing System that Incentivizes Content Providers and Registered Users and Includes Payment Processing - The computer-based method and system shares revenue with a content provider and registered users. A web page has supplied electronic content and ads with displays and hyperlinks to a corresponding advertiser designated web site. Associated sales referral fees are tracked based upon user click throughs. The content provider is incentivized because the system shares the associated sales referral fees with him based upon factors such as frequency of posting content, quality rankings by users, gross value referral fees, and page user-visitors. Registered user-visitors are incentivized by providing each with N quality ranking tokens and by sharing the referral fees with users who post tokens on content. The QA ranking formula accounts for the quantity of posted tokens, the sequential order of posting, the number of user-visitors, and the referral fee to the content provider. The fees are paid to debit card, credit card, or cell phone account payment processors. | 2009-12-31 |
20090327058 | METHOD FOR OBTAINING STATISTICAL SYSTEMS OF PROFILES OF SUITABILITY FOR THE ADVERTISING OF PRODUCTS OR SERVICES - Mainly on the Internet (though extendible to any other communications or advertising medium, present or future), which offers great advantages both to those at whom a product or service is offered, as consumers, and to suppliers of services or contents. | 2009-12-31 |
20090327059 | DIGITAL RIGHTS MANAGEMENT SUPPORT FOR METERING IN ADVERTISING SCENARIOS - DRM support for metering in advertising scenarios is provided by an arrangement in which metering requests are included along with usage policies in licenses that grant rights to a presentation that comprises multiple pieces of metered media content that are sourced from different providers. A DRM runtime environment on a computing device such as a PC or mobile device will report metering data to locations specified in the metering requests while also enforcing the policies. The metering requests passed in the license enable each piece of media content in the presentation to be individually metered and the metering data sent to different entities at different locations. The DRM runtime environment on the computing device can prevent third parties from requesting that metering data be sent to other locations. The policies may be configured to block or restrict playback of media content if metering data is not submitted. | 2009-12-31 |
20090327060 | CASH-OUT METHODS AND SYSTEMS YIELDING ENHANCED TIME-DEFERRED VALUE - A method of exchanging assets within a wagering establishment computer-based marketplace layer including the acts of accessing a wagering establishment marketplace layer using a peripheral device, offering a first asset for exchange in the wagering establishment marketplace layer to all participants in the wagering establishment marketplace layer. The method also includes the acts of receiving an offer to exchange a second asset for the first asset from an anonymous one of the participants in the wagering establishment marketplace layer, accepting the offer to exchange the second asset for the first asset from the anonymous one of the participants in the wagering establishment marketplace layer, and transferring the first asset in exchange for the second asset. | 2009-12-31 |
20090327061 | SYSTEM FOR MARKETING GOODS AND SERVICES UTILIZING COMPUTERIZED CENTRAL AND REMOTE FACILITIES - A system and means for transacting business utilizing remote and central locations. Each of the locations has an array of electronic communications equipment for communicating information about goods and services comprising audio, video, and data between the central location and a customer at the remote location. | 2009-12-31 |
20090327062 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR OPTIMAL PRICING - The systems and methods disclosed relate to the buying and selling of products. More particularly, the systems and methods relate to providing all buyers with the cost savings benefit of economies of scale. Economy of scale benefits involve unit (product) cost reductions which result from increasing total unit output, or sales. Typically, as a seller sells more of a unit, the cost per unit will eventually decline. Such a system discourages initial buyers and rewards later buyers. The present systems and methods can provide economy of scale benefits to all buyers and sellers of products. | 2009-12-31 |
20090327063 | Online Services Offer Management - Online services offer modeling is provided. A system for managing online offers for products and services includes a components module, an offer module, a subscription module, a billing module and a change management module. The component module defines the properties of components that may be included in an offer. The offer module defines the features of the offer, including one or more components. The components may be a base component or an add-on component. The subscription module processes the provisioning of an offer. The market module specifies countries or regions in which offers are made available. The billing module processes billing and payment actions for an offer. The change management module processes alterations to a provisioned offer, inserting the properties of an add-on component into the properties of a base component. | 2009-12-31 |
20090327064 | METHOD FOR SELLING BUNDLE DISCOUNT PRODUCTS IN THE ELECTRONIC COMMERCE AND COMPUTER-READABLE RECORD MEDIUM WHICH IS RECORDING A PROGRAM OF EXECUTING THE METHOD - A method for selling bundle discount products in the electronic commerce and computer-readable record medium which is recording a program of executing the method are provided. For a plurality of bundle discount products registered by a seller or a shopping mall operator, a certain discount rate or discount price is applied and it is reflected on the final product selling price, so that a purchaser can buy a plurality of cheaper goods and a seller induces a buyer to buy large products. | 2009-12-31 |
20090327065 | Systems and Methods for Appending Content to Mobile Messages - The present invention relates to a system and method for including sponsorship or advertising content in mobile messages by appending a sponsored advertisement to a text or multimedia message sent from one mobile device to another. In one aspect, the content of the advertisement to be appended is selected based upon the content of the mobile message being sent, such as a particular keyword. Additionally, information on the message recipient can be used to select an appropriate message, including stored profile information on the message recipient and volatile information such as the recipient's current location or local time of day. The sponsorship content may be appended to the end of the message so it is easily visible to the recipient. | 2009-12-31 |
20090327066 | Facilitating compensation arrangements providing for data tracking components - Systems and methods for data brokering, and more specifically, data brokering regarding a data provider's search-related activities, are described. In particular implementations, various aspects of facilitating a compensation arrangement between a data provider and a data consumer regarding one or more data-provider-related search activities, including aspects of arranging for compensation to be received from the data consumer in exchange for at least one of installation of or access of a data tracking component related to at least one user interface associated with the data provider, are described. | 2009-12-31 |
20090327067 | Systems and Methods for Distributing Incentives to Consumers to Encourage Subsequent Action - Embodiments may relate to systems and methods for distributing incentives to encourage subsequent action. In one embodiment, a method to facilitate encouraging consumer behavior can be provided. The method may include electronically identifying a consumer to be a recipient of an incentive device by a marketing system, wherein the incentive device is associated with a marketing campaign defining at least one predefined activity to be performed by the consumer prior to activating the incentive device, and wherein the incentive device has inherent value that is available for redemption upon activation. The method may further include storing consumer data associating the consumer with the incentive device in the marketing system. In addition, the method may include distributing the incentive device to the consumer in an inactivated state, and electronically activating the incentive device only upon receipt of an indication that the consumer has satisfied the at least one predefined activity. | 2009-12-31 |
20090327068 | NEURO-PHYSIOLOGY AND NEURO-BEHAVIORAL BASED STIMULUS TARGETING SYSTEM - A system performs stimulus targeting using neuro-physiological and neuro-behavioral data. Subjects are exposed to stimulus material such as marketing and entertainment materials and data is collected using mechanisms such as Electroencephalography (EEG), Galvanic Skin Response (GSR), Electrocardiograms (EKG), Electrooculography (EOG), eye tracking, and facial emotion encoding. Neuro-physiological and neuro-behavioral data collected is analyzed to select targeted stimulus materials. The targeted stimulus materials are provided to particular subjects for a variety of purposes. | 2009-12-31 |
20090327069 | MULTIMEDIA MARKETING AND DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM - A central server having a computer readable storage media for storing multimedia material, such as motion pictures and television programming, in digital format is connected to a communications network such as the Internet. Exhibitors, such as theaters and television stations, can access the central server, preview available programming, verify the ownership of such material, review contract provisions for obtaining and paying for the desired programming, and download the programming along with marketing materials for the program or movie. The central server loads material onto the storage media as its received from producers and owners of such material. In addition, central server retains data retains data regarding requests for material, such as titles requested, who requested such, and where the requesters are located geographically. This information can be used to help producers market their material more economically. | 2009-12-31 |
20090327070 | System and Method for Monitoring Efficacy of Online Advertising - Systems and methods are provided for determining the efficacy of online advertising campaigns. In one approach, the method involves, in response to a user of a network device accessing a web page on which an advertisement is displayed, caching an impression in a first database, and receiving device data regarding the network device. The device data may comprise a combination of user-configurable and non-user-configurable machine parameters. A unique device identifier for the network device may be generated based on the machine parameters. The generated device identifier may be utilized to gain insight into which online ads users look at and which products and/or services they tend to buy. | 2009-12-31 |
20090327071 | INFORMATION MAPPING APPROACHES - Methods, systems and applications for updating, enhancing, organizing, and utilizing geographic maps, for locating points of interest and places of businesses, or POI's. Embodiments provide a method for collecting geo-coordinate data on POIs by eliciting participation of the business owners or designated employees to identify the specific locations of POI's on a map; a map program which synchronizes to a centralized database where POI and other more frequently changing and time-dependent map information is downloaded to individual users; a map program, where in addition to the standard contact information, “qualitative” information and website links are included in an POI information box to aid in pre-qualifying a POI before selection and in booking a reservation; a method for locating markers on an Internet-based search engine map; and an improved contact management system that allows locations of contacts to be viewed on a map while minimizing address geocoding. | 2009-12-31 |
20090327072 | PRESENTATION OF SEQUENTIAL ADVERTISEMENTS - Advertisements are provided to a user. An initial advertisement is provided to a user, where the initial advertisement is a first advertisement of a series of related advertisements from a same advertiser. Subsequent advertisements of the series are provided to the user based on a demonstrated intent from the user to view the subsequent advertisements while the user is viewing advertisements of the series. A cost per completion amount is determined based on the progression of the user within the series of advertisements. | 2009-12-31 |
20090327073 | INTELLIGENT ADVERTISING DISPLAY - Computer-readable media, systems, and methods for intelligent advertisement display are provided. The intelligent advertisement display comprises a photography device configured to capture one or more images of one or more persons, and electronic display configured to display information to one or more users, a content module configured to store advertising data received from one or more advertisers, one or more location directories and one or more images of one or more persons taken by the photography device. The intelligent advertisement display further comprises a directory module configured to access and display the one or more location directories, receive user inputs and display advertising data from content module associated with the one or more user inputs. A photography module is configured to receive the one or more and associate the photographs with one or more advertisements from the content module. | 2009-12-31 |
20090327074 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ADVERTISING SPECTRUM IN A COMMUNICATION SYSTEM - The application discloses a method and apparatus for advertising a spectrum in a wireless communication system. The method includes obtaining an address of a broker device authorized to negotiate access to the spectrum, and sending an inquiry message to the broker device for negotiating access to at least a portion of the spectrum. The method then includes receiving an agreement message including an advertisement text from the broker device when the first user device agrees to negotiating terms associated with the broker device. The advertisement text includes information related to the portion of the spectrum and the broker device. The method further includes transmitting a packet including the advertisement text to at least one other user device such that the at least one other user device communicates with the broker device for allocation of the portion of the spectrum. | 2009-12-31 |
20090327075 | Optimizing Advertisement Campaign Servicing - Methods, system and computer readable media for distributing advertisements include minimizing storage costs for frequency capping, dividing a set of campaigns into slices and predetermining campaign-target matches. Frequency storage costs may be minimized by storing frequency data for those users or groups of users that have a high probability of exceeding a frequency limit. Additionally or alternatively, a set of campaigns may be divided into slices. Less than all of the slices may then be evaluated (i.e., instead of the entire set) against a user requesting an advertisement. Still further, all campaign-target matches may be evaluated prior to receiving advertisement requests. Re-evaluations may be performed when changes occur to the set of campaigns. The match data may be stored in bitset, hash map and bitmap storage structures. | 2009-12-31 |
20090327076 | AD TARGETING BASED ON USER BEHAVIOR - In accordance with embodiments of the present invention, systems and methods for providing customized advertising content are provided. When a user is browsing a webpage, client script code embedded in the webpage monitors the user's mouse and keyboard activity, for example, the time it takes the user to click on a link, the time between clicks, etc. This data may then be compiled and sent to an ad server, which responds in real time by placing advertisements suitable to the user at that moment. By comparing the user's activity data to known behavioral data, one can estimate or predict the identity of the user and the user's state of mind, and deliver the advertisements accordingly. As more data is collected, the ad server may act dynamically to present more advertisements. | 2009-12-31 |
20090327077 | ADVERTISING SERVICE METHOD PROVIDING SEPARATE ADVERTISEMENT OF MOVING PICTURE DURING THE GAME PLAY AND SYSTEM THEREOF - Provided are an advertising service providing method and advertising service providing system for providing a separate video advertisement once a video game is paused. The advertising service providing method includes pausing a game in a terminal if a predetermined first condition is satisfied while the video game is being played in the terminal; outputting an advertisement including video data once the video game is paused; and resuming the video game once the advertisement is completely output. According to the present invention, by pausing a game when the concentration of users is high and primarily outputting an advertisement that is separate from the game, the advertisement may be noticed and effectively advertised, and users may use the video game for free or at an inexpensive price as a result of employing this effective form of advertising since a game provider may a stably profit from advertisement fees paid by an advertiser. | 2009-12-31 |
20090327078 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DISPLAYING INFORMATION BASED ON USER ACTIONS - A system and method is provided whereby a user's interest is inferred from a user's interaction with a map. An ad is then displayed based on the inferred interest. | 2009-12-31 |
20090327079 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR A DELIVERY NETWORK ARCHITECTURE - A system and method of managing delivery of data files receives a user request for a data file and determines a user profile and permission level based upon the received user request. The system and method establishes a delivery file path for the requested data file based upon the user profile and permission level, prioritizes delivery of the requested file based upon the user profile and permission level, and delivers the requested file using the established file path and the prioritization determination. A requester may upgrade their user profile and permission level to gain performance resources to access requested files, and the system re-prioritizes deliveries based on the new levels. If sufficient resources are not available to service a user request, the request enters a delivery queue based upon the user profile and permission level. When resources are available, the system delivers the requested file. | 2009-12-31 |
20090327080 | COUNTER-TYPE MERCHANDISE REGISTRATION APPARATUS - One of the sales-promotion information items stored is selected and displayed on the dedicated second customer-use display unit provided on the upper surface of the counter. | 2009-12-31 |