22nd week of 2011 patent applcation highlights part 48 |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20110131043 | VOICE RECOGNITION SYSTEM, VOICE RECOGNITION METHOD, AND PROGRAM FOR VOICE RECOGNITION - The present invention enables the recognition process at high speed even when a lot of garbage is included in the grammar. The first voice recognition processing unit generates a recognition hypothesis graph which indicates a structure of hypothesis that is derived according to a first grammar together with a score associated with respective connections of a recognition unit by executing a voice recognition process based on the first grammar to a voice feature amount of input voice, and the second voice recognition processing unit outputs the recognition result from a total score of a hypothesis which is derived according to a second grammar after executing a voice recognition process according to the second grammar that is specified to accept a section other than keywords in input voice as the garbage section to a voice feature amount of input voice, and the second voice recognition processing unit acquires the structure and the score of the garbage section from the recognition hypothesis graph. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131044 | TARGET VOICE EXTRACTION METHOD, APPARATUS AND PROGRAM PRODUCT - An apparatus, program product and method is provided for separating a target voice from a plurality of other voices having different directions of arrival. The method comprises the steps of disposing a first and a second voice input device at a predetermined distance from one another and upon receipt of voice signals at said devices calculating discrete Fourier transforms for the signals and calculating a CSP (cross-power spectrum phase) coefficient by superpositioning multiple frequency-bin components based on correlation of the two spectra signals received and then calculating a weighted CSP coefficient from said two discrete Fourier-transformed speech signals. A target voice is separated when received by said devices from other voice signals in a spectrum by using the calculated weighted CSP coefficient. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131045 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR RESPONDING TO NATURAL LANGUAGE SPEECH UTTERANCE - Systems and methods are provided for receiving speech and non-speech communications of natural language questions and/or commands, transcribing the speech and non-speech communications to textual messages, and executing the questions and/or commands. The invention applies context, prior information, domain knowledge, and user specific profile data to achieve a natural environment for one or more users presenting questions or commands across multiple domains. The systems and methods creates, stores and uses extensive personal profile information for each user, thereby improving the reliability of determining the context of the speech and non-speech communications and presenting the expected results for a particular question or command. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131046 | FEATURES FOR UTILIZATION IN SPEECH RECOGNITION - A computer-implemented speech recognition system described herein includes a receiver component that receives a plurality of detected units of an audio signal, wherein the audio signal comprises a speech utterance of an individual. A selector component selects a subset of the plurality of detected units that correspond to a particular time-span. A generator component generates at least one feature with respect to the particular time-span, wherein the at least one feature is one of an existence feature, an expectation feature, or an edit distance feature. Additionally, a statistical speech recognition model outputs at least one word that corresponds to the particular time-span based at least in part upon the at least one feature generated by the feature generator component. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131047 | Steganography in Digital Signal Encoders - In a method for embedding steganographic information into the signal information of a signal encoder, a solution is to be created, which enables steganographic information being embedded into the signal information of a signal encoder such that a reduction of the voice quality is largely avoided. This is achieved by means of providing data information, particularly voice information, selecting steganographic information from a quantity of steganographic information, generating a code word from a code book provided by means of the signal encoder on the basis of the code elements forming the code book such that with the use of the code word generated within the scope of a transmission standard associated with the code book the data information is encoded into signal information containing the code word and/or making reference to the code word; and by the code word generated having an additional feature that can be calculated on the basis of the code elements forming the code word, wherein the additional feature represents the steganographic information. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131048 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AUTOMATICALLY GENERATING A DIALOG MANAGER - Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for automatically generating a dialog manager for use in a spoken dialog system. A system practicing the method receives a set of user interactions having features, identifies an initial policy, evaluates all of the features in a linear evaluation step of the algorithm to identify a set of most important features, performs a cubic policy improvement step on the identified set of most important features, repeats the previous two steps one or more times, and generates a dialog manager for use in a spoken dialog system based on the resulting policy and/or set of most important features. Evaluating all of the features can include estimating a weight for each feature which indicates how much each feature contributes to at least one of the identified policies. The system can ignore features not in the set of most important features. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131049 | Method and Apparatus for Providing a Framework for Efficient Scanning and Session Establishment - A method of providing a framework for efficient scanning and session establishment may include receiving vocabulary independent property information indicative of a property request and corresponding setting information of an application associated with a device capable of communication with a network communication environment, determining capabilities of the network communication environment relative to the received property information, and enabling generation of a selected scan function having selected scan parameters based at least in part on the determined capabilities and the property information. A corresponding apparatus and computer program product are also provided. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131050 | Harbor Berth Information System - A method and apparatus for identifying berths for ships. Information about a ship requesting a berth from a plurality of berths in a location is obtained. Current environmental information for the location is obtained. A number of berths for the ship from the plurality of berths is identified using the information about the ship and the current environmental information for the location. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131051 | Centralized Management of Mobile Assets - Push Based Management of Corporate Assets - An embodiment of the invention provides a method for the centralized management of mobile assets. A central repository of assets is built, wherein the central repository includes a private asset section and a public asset section. The private asset section is only accessible to subscribers of the private asset section. A processor automatically pushes at least one base asset from the central repository onto a mobile device of the subscriber. The base assets are selected by an administrator of the central repository of assets, an employer of the subscriber, and/or an employee of subscriber's company. The base assets are selected based on attributes of the subscriber, the mobile device of the subscriber, and/or popularity of assets. In response to a search query for a requested asset by a user, the processor pushes the requested asset from the central repository onto the mobile device of the user. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131052 | Method for Passively Determining Changes in Residency - A system and method for determining residency based upon the comparison of existing data in various datasets. Information relating to a new utility account in a first jurisdiction is inputted. The inputted information is compared with stored account information from a second jurisdiction. If the inputted information matches the stored account information, the inputted information is compared to information relating to vehicle registrations in the second jurisdiction. If a matching vehicle registration is found in the second jurisdiction, the matching vehicle registration in the second jurisdiction is compared with vehicle registrations in the first jurisdiction. If no matching vehicle registration is found in the first jurisdiction, identifying a vehicle corresponding to the matching vehicle registration information in the second jurisdiction as an unregistered vehicle in the first jurisdiction. The steps may be repeated for third, fourth or many jurisdictions. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131053 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR EXERCISING PEREMPTORY CHALLENGES DURING JURY SELECTION - A system and method is provided for determining whether an attorney should exercise a peremptory challenge to excuse a prospective juror based on, for example: (1) the location of the juror in the selection order; (2) the rank or score assigned to each potential peremptory challenge; (3) the jurors identified as potential challenges for cause; (4) the probability of dismissal assigned to each potential challenge for cause; (5) the number of jurors needed to serve on the jury; (6) the number of peremptory challenges allowed by the court; (7) the number of jurors in the panel; and (8) the jurors who have already been selected, dismissed for cause, or peremptorily challenged. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131054 | Facility Disease or Infection Control Method, System and Apparatus - A method for providing disease or infection control at a facility including providing a user input device for access by a user as the user enters the facility, inputting at least one item of information into a system by the user via the user input device, and utilizing the at least one item of information to assist in determining whether the user should be attended to at the facility to at least reduce the chance of an infection being introduced into the facility, transmitted to others at the facility or having the user exposed to an infection or disease at the facility. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131055 | PATIENT-BASED IMMUNIZATION TRACKING - Techniques for patient management of immunizations, including performing steps of recording patient information including a date of birth; recording information for immunization doses received by the patient, including the date each dose was received; obtaining an immunization schedule from a remote computer system; generating a plurality of recommended immunization doses based on the recorded immunization doses received by the patient and the date of birth of the patient, each recommended immunization dose having a recommended time period for administration of the dose; recording a selected date of administration for a recommended immunization dose; displaying a list of the recommended immunization doses, along with their respective date of administration or recommended time period for administration. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131056 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MANAGEMENT OF PHARMACY WORKFLOW - A system and method for optimized management of pharmacy workflow, specifically, workflow associated with fulfillment of prescription orders for medications and health-related products in a pharmacy environment. A computer-controlled system coordinates and controls pharmacy workflow to sequence prescriptions for fulfillment in a most efficient path thereby minimizing a cost function associated with fulfillment of the prescription order. The system coordinates and controls prescription order fulfillment from automated and non-automated storage locations and can be easily adapted to the specific layout and level of automation desired by the operator. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131057 | TRANSFERABLE PATIENT CARE EQUIPMENT SUPPORT - A patient care equipment support includes power and data connectors configured to be coupled to power and data connectors of patient care equipment when the patient care equipment is coupled to the equipment support to provide a power coupling and a data coupling between the patient care equipment and the equipment support. The equipment support is transferable between a first device, such as a hospital bed, and a second device, such as an overhead support arm. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131058 | THERAPY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PERITONEAL DIALYSIS - A method for organizing care for a patient undergoing a peritoneal dialysis therapy under a system including at least one display device, at least one memory device, at least one processor and at least one peritoneal dialysis instrument for performing the peritoneal dialysis therapy, the method comprising: organizing information for presentation in a plurality of screens using the at least one display device, the at least one memory device, and the at least one processor, wherein each screen presents information pertinent to a particular aspect of the peritoneal dialysis therapy; and displaying in the plurality of screens information about the patient's prescription for the peritoneal dialysis therapy, information about medication the patient is taking in connection with the peritoneal dialysis therapy, and information about the patient's compliance with the peritoneal dialysis therapy. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131059 | PHARMACY BENEFITS MANAGEMENT METHOD AND APPARATUS - A pharmacy benefits management system and method. A processor server has claim information relating to pharmacy benefits claims, and information relating to a claims processing formularly stored therein. A provider server has pharmacy benefits plan structure information stored therein. A management server has price information relating drugs in various classes and a processing module for correlating the claim information with the benefits plan structure information and the formularly information to identify drugs dispensed to patients, expenses associated with the drugs in accordance with the pharmacy benefits plan structure information, alternative drugs in the same class as the drugs and expenses associated with the alternative drugs. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131060 | Automated System, Method and Apparatus for Providing Patient Information and Reminders Related to a Patient's Recovery Plan - The method and system is provided where patients and their designated family and friend supporters are provided with daily, interactive, recovery support for up to 90 days following their hospital discharge. By using internet, mobile, and traditional fixed-line communications, the present invention in conjunction with supporting staff will automatically follow-up with patients on a daily basis in order to identify potential problems as they emerge while simultaneously providing a personalized recovery plan that includes daily recovery guides, medication reminders, and condition specific education, all designed to improve a patient's adherence to their doctor's prescribed treatment. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131061 | Hospital Patient Chart and Database - An enhanced Livescribe® pen is disclosed and incorporated into a patient record database system. A physician writes patient records on Livescribe® dot paper and the patient records are converted into digital data and transmitted wirelessly to a remote server. The enhanced Livescribe® pen includes an RFID tag reader that reads a patient RFID tag every time a new record in written. The patient ID is transmitted together with the converted written patient records to the remote server. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131062 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR MANAGING DISTRIBUTED DIGITAL MEDICAL DATA - A network for mediating the peer-to-peer transfer of digital patient medical data includes a plurality of distributed agents each associated with a health care provider and connected to a central system. Periodically the agents collect local information relating to patient medical files and/or data streams, for example diagnostic images and associated reports, and process that information into metadata files acting as pointers to the original files. The metadata files are transmitted to the central system where they are parsed and the attributes are stored on the central system in patient records with records from the same patient grouped together whenever possible. Registered users can search the central system, even in the absence of a unique identifier, to identify patient records pointing to the remote patient medical files. Upon finding a patient medical file, the invention provides a streamlined process for communicating access authorization from the patient to the hospital or facility storing the medical files. Once patient authorization is received, secure processes are provided for transferring the data in its entirety to or for viewing by the user in a peer-to-peer fashion. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131063 | METHOD OF GENERATING FINANCING - A method of generating financing comprising selecting a group of private investors and pairing them with an investment grade irrevocable guarantor program. The method includes obtaining a government agreement to cover the irrevocable guarantee in exchange for purchasing a benefit settlement wrap to offset the irrevocable guarantee, if needed. Providing a business with investment funds from said investment grade irrevocable guarantor program and paying investors a profit from sale of said benefit settlement wrap if said business succeeds. Covering said irrevocable guarantee from the same of said benefit wrap if said business fails. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131064 | INSURANCE COMPANY TERMINAL, CONTROLLING COMPANY TERMINAL, INSURANCE MANAGEMENT METHOD AND INSURANCE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM - There is provided an insurance company terminal which includes a communication unit that performs communication with a sales company terminal, a storage unit that stores an amount of insurance money settled when a user dies, a user information update unit that acquires a price of an article or service purchased by the user as a purchase price from the sales company terminal via the communication unit and causes the storage unit to store the purchase price, and a settlement processing unit that subtracts the purchase price from the amount of the insurance money stored by the storage unit. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131065 | METHOD, SOFTWARE PROGRAM, AND SYSTEM FOR STRUCTURING RISK IN A FINANCIAL TRANSACTION - A computer-implemented method, system, apparatus, and media is directed to minimizing a risk associated with an anticipated value of an investment. An insurer establishes a capital structure within a computer memory of a computer system, the capital structure designed to minimize risk and structured with regulatory capital and a cash stream that is pledged to fund a default associated with the investment. Establishing the capital structure can include allocating regulatory capital based on a coverage factor multiplied by an average annual depression scenario default percentage for the investment and determining a portion of the capital structure for a pledged insuring investment that produces at least a portion of the cash stream. A determination of whether the established capital structure is sufficient to obtain a minimal target credit rating for the insurer is generated. The desired target rating is electronically provided based on the determination. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131066 | METHOD, SOFTWARE PROGRAM, AND SYSTEM FOR STRUCTURING RISK IN A FINANCIAL TRANSACTION - The invention relates to a computer-implemented method, system and non-transitory medium for managing debt instrument. Insuring for a default of a debt is managed by establishing an insuring debt related to an insured debt of a debtor based on an insured debt amount of the insured debt. The debts can be bonds issued by a municipality. A first loss class and a second loss class can be allocated in an insuring trust. A first class holder can be entitled to a payment from the insuring debt based on a debt owed to the first class holder from an established insuring fund of the insuring trust. The insuring fund is used to insure for a default of the insured debt. If the insured debt is not in default, the payment is diverted to the first class holder. Otherwise, the payment is intercepted, and an insuring payment from the insuring fund is paid to a holder of the insured debt to cure the default. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131067 | METHOD, SOFTWARE PROGRAM, AND SYSTEM FOR STRUCTURING RISK IN A FINANCIAL TRANSACTION - A computer-implemented method, system, apparatus, and non-transitory media is directed to providing a graphical user interface for insuring a default of debts specified in financial instruments. A computer system establishes a capital structure which includes an insuring debt related to an insured debt of a debtor based on an insured debt amount representing at least a proportion of the insured debt. A first loss class and a second loss class is allocated for an insuring trust. The capital structure is simulated, including a payment payable from the insuring debt to a first class holder in the first class, wherein the first class holder is entitled to the payment based on a debt to the first class holder of an insuring fund of the insuring trust. An user interface provides a simulation of the capital structure including an insuring scenario based on various alterable inputs. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131068 | IN KIND PARTICIPATING PREFERRED SECURITY - The present invention is generally directed to systems and methods for creating a new hybrid financial instrument, which addresses key concerns of investors and meets the financing requirements of investee companies. An embodiment of the present invention describes a new type of security called an “in-kind participating preferred security” (IPPS). The IPPS contract entitles the holder to a contingent in-kind dividend, payable periodically in the commodity produced by the issuer or in cash, which ever is of greater value. At expiration, the IPPS is redeemed by the company at its in-kind par value upon origination or in cash, which ever is greater. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131069 | SYSTEM FOR MANAGING A STABLE VALUE PROTECTED INVESTMENT PLAN - Method and system to track, reconcile and administer the values of life insurance policies in separate accounts, including Stable Value Protected funds. Accordingly, targeted returns are translated into unit values on a daily basis for each fund. Additionally the system tracks restrictions (e.g., timing, amount of withdrawal and amount of reallocations) on a premium-by-premium basis, and tracks the book value, market value, duration and targeted return on a client-by-client basis. The system calculates and tracks the payments and credits applicable to a withdrawal or reallocation request, in addition to the liquidation schedules for each fund based on the payment amounts and credits of specific funds. Additionally, daily unit values are calculated given a periodic targeted return (i.e., a quarterly targeted return). | 2011-06-02 |
20110131070 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR A DEFERRED VARIABLE ANNUITY WITH FLEXIBLE BENEFIT PAYMENTS - A computer implemented data processing system and method processes data associated with a deferred variable annuity contract during the accumulation phase for a relevant life. The annuity contract has a payment base value, a contract value, and available benefit payments. The system stores data indicative of a payout period having a duration greater than a year and a maximum total withdrawal percent for the payout period. The product of the maximum total withdrawal percent and the payment base value is a maximum benefit payment amount that may be withdrawn during the payout period without reducing the payment base value. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131071 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR INCREASING CAPACITY IN AN INSURANCE SYSTEM - The invention relates, in various aspects to systems, methods, and computer readable media suited for implementing a commonly administered, quota share-based multi-insurer primary insurance system. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131072 | METHOD FOR HEALTH PLAN MANAGEMENT - A method for managing health plans includes the use of theoretically derived mathematical models. The methods may be used in the analysis of health insurance products. The method may also assist in the selection of a particular health plan's benefit and contribution strategy. The analysis may further be used in the selection of a health plan's funding arrangement. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131073 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MANAGING SPECIAL AND PARATRANSIT TRIPS - A computer based method for managing special needs transportation, including receiving, using a processor for at least one specially programmed computer, data from a plurality of agencies having at least one vehicle available for providing transportation for clients with special needs. The data includes manifests for the at least one vehicle. The method uses the processor to: receive a request for transportation for a client; generate a visual representation of how the request affects the scheduling and capacity for agency vehicles; enable access by the agencies to the data, the request, and the visual representations; receive an offer from a respective computer system for an agency from the plurality of agencies to provide a vehicle to provide the transportation requested in the request; modify the data to incorporate changes to the data for the agency due to providing the vehicle; and transmit information regarding the request to the vehicle. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131074 | MAINTENANCE CONTROL SYSTEM - A maintenance control system monitors maintenance requirements in a plurality of vehicles to enable a processor to determine a maintenance requirement of a first asset and to select a maintenance action for a second asset based on the maintenance requirement of the first asset. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131075 | EFFECTIVE SECURITY SCHEDULER - The present invention provides a system and process for creating an effective work schedule for a security checkpoint. The process includes the step of analyzing passenger flow to determine the coverage needed to sustain required service levels, generally through simulating the checkpoint to determine required staffing levels. Another step to optimize workforce levels and schedules is to create workforce schedules that are based on optimized person-hours and key variables. The schedule staffs as needed to achieve the required staffing levels and may consider numerous other factors, including acceptable ranges for shift lengths; a maximum number of start times; and a percentage of part-time or seasonal employees. In a particular embodiment, the schedule is formed by using linear programming to solve for a tour assignment matrix (defining a schedule) from a demand matrix representing the needed number of workers and a co efficient matrix representing the availability of workers. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131076 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR RISK MINING - A computer implemented method for mining risks includes providing a set of risk-indicating patterns on a computing device; querying a corpus using the computing device to identify a set of potential risks by using a risk-identification-algorithm based, at least in part, on the set of risk-indicating patterns associated with the corpus; comparing the set of potential risks with the risk-indicating patterns to obtain a set of prerequisite risks; generating a signal representative of the set of prerequisite risks; and storing the signal representative of the set of prerequisite risks in an electronic memory. A computing device or system for mining risks includes an electronic memory; and a risk-identification-algorithm based, at least in part, on the set of risk-indicating patterns associated with a corpus stored in the electronic memory. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131077 | Context-Aware Recommendation Module Using Multiple Models - A hybrid recommendation module leverages multiple sources of information to generate robust and personalized recommendations. The recommendation module provides an initial set of items by considering context information. The context information pertains to at least one environmental factor that has a bearing on the relevancy of recommended items (such as location, time, etc.). The recommendation module then produces a ranked set of items, selected from among the initial set of items, based on a user's past preference, using two or more recommendation models. The recommendation module can be applied in various environments, such as an environment which accommodates the use of mobile devices. The recommendation module can also be applied to various types of recommended items, such as establishment (e.g., store) items, product items, coupon items, etc. As to the last-mentioned type of items, the recommendation module can recommend coupon items using at least two modes of operation. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131078 | SYSTEM AND METHOD TO MODEL AND FORECAST TECHNOLOGY ADOPTION - A method is implemented in a computer infrastructure having computer executable code tangibly embodied on a computer readable storage medium having programming instructions. The programming instructions are operable to at least one of receive and assess current technology adoption trends. Additionally, the programming instructions are operable to provide a technology adoption forecast. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131079 | System and Method for Modeling by Customer Segments - The present invention relates to a system and method for the system and method for modeling demand by consumer segments. In some embodiments a segment data organizer may receive transaction data. Transaction data may include transaction logs (T logs) from point of sales records from a retailer. These transaction logs, for the most part, include identification information for each transaction. The segment data organizer may also receive customer identification data which includes groupings of customers by consumer segments. The identification information within the transaction logs may be cross referenced by the customer identification data in order to generate groupings of transactions belonging to consumers in each segment. The organizer may then also aggregate the transaction logs by location, time series and product. The aggregated data may be supplied to an econometric engine capable of generating elasticity coefficients for each set of aggregate data. These coefficients may be stored or utilized to generate optimized pricing, lifts, and demand models. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131080 | Performance-Aware Enterprise Components - Techniques for generating and executing a performance-aware enterprise component (PAEC) are provided. The techniques include creating a performance-aware enterprise component definition, wherein an enterprise component is a component with defined behavior and data models that represent an enterprise capability and provide a service to a client through a defined interface, and wherein the definition comprises an extensible markup language file comprising process component lifecycle information, one or more data items to be used in the component lifecycle, and one or more performance metrics, and executing the performance-aware enterprise component, wherein executing the performance-aware enterprise component comprises reading the performance-aware enterprise component definition and one or more relationships with the one or more data items, and operating the component lifecycle, wherein operating the component lifecycle comprises using the one or more performance metrics within the component lifecycle to enable one or more localized changes to be made within the enterprise component. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131081 | METHODS, APPARATUS, AND SYSTEMS FOR PROVIDING AN ENHANCED POSITIVE RESPONSE IN UNDERGROUND FACILITY LOCATE AND MARKING OPERATIONS - A positive response notification to provide information regarding locate and/or marking operations for underground facilities may include time-stamp information to provide proof of a time at which the locate and/or marking operation was completed by a locate technician, and/or place-stamp information to provide proof of a presence of the locate technician at or near a work site. An electronic manifest image and/or a virtual white line image similarly may be included in a positive response notification. In one example, such images may be bundled together based on respective descriptor files (or descriptor metadata) that associates the corresponding images with a locate request ticket for the operation. In another example, a positive response notification may include environmental information regarding one or more environmental conditions present at or near the work site during the locate and/or marking operation. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131082 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TRACKING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE - A computer system including a single, fully-integrated software program that allows an employer to assess employee performance for various jobs. The system includes a user interface having graphical inputs that allow a user to rate the quantitative and qualitative skills specific to a job. The system also allows the weighting of the quantitative and qualitative criteria based on job type and graphing such data against the market rate of such employee to determine the value of the employee to the organization. The system is available over a network and allows a user to compare the performance of one or multiple employees over a single period of time or over a longer period of time to track trends in employee performance. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131083 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PARKING LOT MANAGEMENT - Systems and methods for associating a parking lot parking entry event and a parking lot electric vehicle charging event allow a single payment to be calculated for parking and electric vehicle charging. An admittance identification associated with a parking lot entry event is read using an electric vehicle charging control device of a parking lot. A parking lot charging event is stored with the admittance identification on a storage device of the parking lot using the electric vehicle charging control device. The parking lot entry event and the parking lot charging event associated with the admittance identification are read from the storage device using a payment device of the parking lot. A single payment for parking and electric vehicle charging for the admittance identification is then calculated from the parking lot entry event and the parking lot charging event using the payment device. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131084 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ELECTRONIC PRODUCT INFORMATION AND BUSINESS TRANSACTIONS - A shopping aid for electronically supplying product information is provided. In one aspect of the invention, product, sales, status, availability and/or other related product information may be transmitted locally from a computer system associated with a merchant or from the Internet to a portable electronic device of the consumer. The customer may consult the mobile device as a shopping aid to receive current and accurate information about a product, product status and availability or other information such as compatible products and/or services, promotional or other items of interest useful in making purchasing decisions. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131085 | Method, System and Computer Program Product for Advertising Supported Matchmaking Services - A method, system and computer program product for advertising supported matchmaking services includes logging onto a matchmaking service website for accessing a basic set of matchmaking functionalities. Completing at least one specified action on the first matchmaking service website generally assists the matchmaking service website in increasing revenue. Receiving incentive points, associated with the completing of the at least one specified action, encourages a generally consistent and generally productive use of the matchmaking service website. A list of premium matchmaking functionalities enhances a use of the matchmaking service website, wherein use of each of the premium matchmaking functionalities requires a predetermined number of the incentive points. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131086 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR ADJUSTING ACCOUNT TERMS BASED ON PURCHASE TRANSACTION INFORMATION - Systems and methods are disclosed for providing a financial account. The disclosed systems and methods may include providing a financial account offer to a customer. The disclosed systems and methods may also include receiving en acceptance of the offer, providing the financial account, setting an account variable equal to a first account value, and monitoring the financial account. The monitoring may further comprise resetting the account variable equal to a second account value when a number of purchase transactions corresponding to a currently monitored time period are less than a threshold value. Furthermore, the account variable may be reset equal to a third account value when the number of purchase transactions corresponding to the currently monitored time period are greater than or equal to the threshold value and a number of purchase transactions corresponding to the previous time period were less than the threshold value. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131087 | Techniques for generating a product path with custom advertisements - Techniques for generating a product path with custom advertisements are provided. A kiosk interacts with a consumer to acquire a product or service search within a facility. The kiosk generates a path to the product or service starting from the kiosk and ending at a location with the facility where the product or service can be found. Additionally, custom advertisements are interspersed throughout the path for other goods and services available at the facility. The kiosk then delivers the path with the custom advertisements to the customer for locating the product or service. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131088 | SHOPPING SUPPORTING APPARATUS AND METHOD - According to one embodiment, a purchase file stores, by commodity, as information concerning purchase-desired commodities specified by a specifying unit, at least the numbers of purchase-planned items and purchase-planned amounts of the commodities. A privilege granting unit grants a privilege to the purchase of the purchase-desired commodities when a total of a total number of purchased items of the purchase-desired commodities obtained from a purchase-results storing unit, which stores information concerning commodities already purchased by a customer, and the numbers of purchase-planned items of the same commodities stored in the purchase file or a total of a total amount of purchased items of the purchase-desired commodities obtained from the purchase-results storing unit and purchase-planned amounts of the same commodities stored in the purchase file is equal to or larger than a threshold. A privilege display unit displays information concerning the privilege granted by the privilege granting unit. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131089 | DETERMINATION AND PRESENTATION OF PACKAGE PRICING OFFERS IN RESPONSE TO CUSTOMER INTEREST IN A PRODUCT - A system and method for determination and presentation of package offers. A package offer is an offer for sale by a retailer of a package of products at a package price. A retailer may offer products for sale in an on-line retail environment or in a physical retail environment. A determination is made that a primary product is of interest to a customer. This determination may involve detecting and interpreting input signals transmitted from a customer device. In response to detecting that the primary product is of interest to the customer, a package is determined that may comprise the primary product and at least one secondary product. A package may be determined by accessing a database to locate a pre-determined package or to select the secondary products ad hoc. A package price is determined that is less than the sum of the corresponding retail prices of the primary product and secondary products in the package. A package price may be based on a profit margin of the primary product and/or a profit margin of at least one of the secondary products. A package offer for the sale of the package at the package price is then presented to the customer. The customer may indicate an acceptance of the package offer and authorize a financial account to be charged for the amount of the package price. The package products may be shipped to the customer or may be picked up at a retail establishment. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131090 | System and Method for Managing Promotional Savings Using a Communications Platform - A system and method for processing promotional savings using existing communications platforms. A plurality of promotional codes are assigned and stored in a promotions database. These promotional codes are positioned by marketers on products, packaging, or the like, along with instructions informing consumers to transmit the promotional code to a predefined destination address, such as a phone number, a short code text number, or an email address. After a message containing the promotional code is received from the consumer, the received code is parsed from the message, validated, and a promotional savings value associated with the code is identified. That amount is communicated to an operator of at least one account associated the consumer, and applied as a savings to the operator's billing statement. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131091 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FUNDRAISING - According to some embodiments, a method and an apparatus are provided to display a webpage comprising a fundraising interface and a selection of interactive games and educational programs, receive an indication of an interaction of a user with at least one of the interactive games and educational programs, and provide rewards associated with the user's interaction with the at least one of the interactive games and educational programs. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131092 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ADVERTISEMENT OF MAP USING VIRTUAL POI (POINT OF INTEREST) - An advertisement method and a system of a map using a virtual POI are disclosed. An advertisement system of a map using a virtual POI according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a map database including map data; a membership database including advertisement display configuration information; a virtual POI database where stored are information about virtual advertisement POI and advertisement location which is the location of the virtual advertisement POI; and a virtual world generation module, generating an image map based on the map data and searching the image map for a virtual advertisement POI associated with a location which can be displayed on the image map and corresponding to the advertisement display configuration information; and displaying the virtual advertisement POI on the advertisement location of the image map. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131093 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR OPTIMIZING SELECTION OF ONLINE ADVERTISEMENTS - An advanced system and method for optimizing selection of online advertisements is provided. Decision trees with expressions to evaluate feature values for advertisements may be received, and a decision tree similarity matrix of decision tree similarity values between pairs of decision trees may be generated that represent the number of common features between two decision trees. The edges of the decision tree similarity matrix may be sorted in non-increasing order by edge value, and the decision trees of each edge retrieved from the sorted order may be placed in an optimized sequence order for evaluation. In response to a request to serve advertisements, advertisements may be scored by evaluating the decision trees of advertisements in the optimized sequence order. The advertisements may then be ranked in descending order by score, and advertisement with the highest scores may be sent for display. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131094 | Adding and Displaying an Advertisement Content in an Electronic Book Method and Apparatus Thereof - This invention discloses a method to add and display an advertisement content in an electronic book. The method comprises the following steps. First, a content of a book and a content of an advertisement is provided. Next, the content of the book and the content of the advertisement are digitalized to form an electronic book. Then, an order to advertise the content of the advertisement is set. Finally, a displaying condition is set for displaying the content of the advertisement when the electronic book is read in an electronic paper display. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131095 | Social network-driven cooperative characterization with non-social network sites - A system for cooperative characterization between a social network and computer systems outside the social network but operable within the social network system. Members of the social network are identified by a personal characteristic identifier readable by the outside computer systems. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131096 | TARGETED ENROLLMENT - Embodiments of the invention relate to apparatuses and methods for providing targeted product offers to customers. For example, in one embodiment, a first entity sends a targeted offer to certain customers. The first entity uses a second entity to perform a service related to the offer, such as an enrollment service. The first entity sends a candidate file to the second entity, where the candidate file includes a list of customers that qualify for the offer. The first entity authenticates the customer and, when the customer expresses interest in the targeted offer, the first entity forwards the customer to the second entity along with customer identifying information so that the second entity can perform the related service. The second entity then verifies whether the transferred customer qualifies for the offer by comparing the customer information to the candidate file. If verified, the second entity can perform the service related to the offer for the customer. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131097 | System and Method for Granting Promotional Rewards to Both Customers and Non-Customers - Systems and methods of attracting and retaining customers of a Banking institution through an incentive program is disclosed, comprising: operating a promotional program, comprising the dispensing of a indicia redeemable for a prize, and wherein the dispensing of the indicia is accomplished through the use of an automated teller machine (ATM); and operating a rewards program, wherein upon a customer completing a triggering behavior, a specified reward is granted to the customer. Systems and methods of operating a promotional program for customers of a Banking institution is also disclosed, wherein the method comprises dispensing a indicia redeemable for a prize, and wherein the dispensing of the indicia is accomplished through the use of an automated checking machine (ATM). | 2011-06-02 |
20110131098 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR FACILITATING AFFILIATE MARKETING RELATIONSHIPS - Embodiments of the present invention relate to a system and method for facilitating an affiliate marketing relationship. According certain to embodiments of the present invention, an affiliate marketing optimization system enters into an affiliate marketing relationship with a plurality of merchants. In addition, the affiliate marketing optimization system establishes relationships with publishers thereby acting as in intermediary between the publishers and the plurality of merchants. As a result, a publisher may better monetize web traffic by utilizing the affiliate marketing relationships in place between the affiliate marketing optimization system and the plurality of merchants. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131099 | Method and Apparatus for Maximizing Publisher Revenue - A computer implemented method for maximizing publisher revenue for online advertising is provided. The computer implemented method includes determining a ratio of guaranteed ad impressions to expected remaining ad impressions. If the ratio is less than a threshold, the method includes, identifying a minimum bid value, the minimum bid value based on the ratio; comparing the minimum bid value to a received bid value for an ad impression; allocating the ad impression to an owner of the received bid when the received bid value is greater than or equal to the minimum bid value; and displaying an ad of the owner of the received bid. If the ratio is greater than the threshold, the method includes, allocating the ad impression to an owner of the guaranteed ad impressions. In one embodiment, the method operations are stored on a computer readable storage medium. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131100 | Outside-in social network communication and promotion - A system for spreading promotional content into a social network environment from outside the social network is provided. A computer server system monitors information associated with the promotional content and the communication steps associated with the outside-in communication and further inside communications or spread of the promotional content. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131101 | DISPLAY AND SEARCH INTERFACE FOR PRODUCT DATABASE - A computer-implemented method for enabling a user to search for and display information stored in a searchable database of product records, including providing a user interface to the database for enabling data contained in the database to be displayed on the user's computer and for enabling user input to be received, enabling a search of the database to be performed in response to user input, and providing results of the database search to the user, including enabling the user's computer to display a list of attribute values of a product record in the database, wherein the list of attribute values corresponds to a list of distinct attributes of a current product record contained in a selected set of product records, enabling the display next to an attribute value a set of selectable sub-elements, wherein each selectable sub-element corresponds to a predetermined rank and corresponds to a predetermined subset of possible attribute values for an attribute. The sub-element whose corresponding rank matches a corresponding rank of the attribute value is displayed as highlighted. The method further enables, when a sub-element is selected by a user, the current set of product records to be constrained to a subset of the current set of product records wherein each product record in the subset has an attribute value within the set of possible attribute values associated with the selected sub-element. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131102 | SECURE MOBILE PAYMENT PROCESSING - A system for processing payment data includes a payer terminal, a recipient terminal, and a payment server. The payer terminal is adapted to return, to the recipient terminal, encrypted payment request data upon reception of the recipient information transmitted from the recipient terminal, wherein the payment request data comprises payer information, recipient information and a payment amount. The recipient terminal is adapted to forward the encrypted payment request data and the payment amount to the payment server. The payment server is adapted to verify the encrypted payment request data and the payment amount, to perform a payment according to a verification result, and to return encrypted payment result data to the recipient terminal. The recipient terminal is further adapted to return the encrypted payment result data to the payer terminal. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131103 | System and Method for Linked Account Having Sweep Feature - A linked account instrument is used to access funds in an existing demand deposit account held at a financial institution. Merchant or other transactions are first processed against a demand deposit account via an electronic authorization network. If the demand deposit account does not have sufficient funds, the transactions may be processed as a credit charge against an designated credit account. The demand deposit account may subsequently be swept at predetermined times in search of funds to defray the overdraft. If adequate funds are present, they will be withdrawn from the demand deposit account, and the credit account will be cleared. Otherwise, the instrument holder's daily purchasing abilities may be temporarily suspended until the credit account is settled. The processing of overdraft amounts may be on a FIFO, smallest-first or other basis. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131104 | Mobile Commerce Authentication And Authorization Systems - Mobile commerce authentication and authorization systems enable currently existing point-of-sale devices that are neither structurally nor systemically altered to conduct financial transactions with a customer using an access terminal across a wireless communications system. The point-of-sale devices receive an input from a payment instrument replacement, which identifies the transaction to the point-of-sale device as a transaction including an access terminal. Authentication of the user of the access terminal is achieved at least by application of position and/or location determinable features of the access terminal, the position and/or location of a point-of-sale device of a vendor or merchant where the customer seeks to purchase goods or services, and the payment sum entered on the point-of-sale device. A payment matching server may assist in processing the location data and the payment sum amount across communications network. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131105 | Degree of Fraud Calculating Device, Control Method for a Degree of Fraud Calculating Device, and Store Surveillance System - A degree of fraud calculating device, a control method for a degree of fraud calculating device, and a store surveillance system can detect fraudulent activity with a high degree of accuracy. A fraud pattern storage unit | 2011-06-02 |
20110131106 | USING SOCIAL NETWORK AND TRANSACTION INFORMATION - Among other things, a user, who is engaged in a commercial activity on a commercial online site, is exposed to computer-stored information that (a) is associated with another user of the online site, (b) would otherwise be private to the other user, (c) relates to the commercial activity of the user, and (d) is controlled by the site. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131107 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MERGING MOBILE GIFT CARDS - A method and system for merging mobile gift cards is described. One embodiment transmits to a mobile device associated with a user a list of a plurality of mobile gift cards associated with a particular merchant that belong to the user, receives from the user via the mobile device a selection of a particular mobile gift card, receives from the user via the mobile device a selection of one or more other mobile gift cards associated with the particular merchant to be merged with the particular mobile gift card, and moves to the particular mobile gift card the remaining monetary balance of each of the other mobile gift cards selected by the user. In some embodiments, the merging operation is automated in the mobile-commerce platform. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131108 | Internet Loyalty and Rewards System - A rewards system for use in a networked environment in which information is transmitted to a central rewards server via a segregated flow of information from the member computer and an affiliate server. The affiliate sends details of a member's transaction via a structured network request. The generated network request includes affiliate information, action information, a time stamp, and a hash code. Member information is supplied directly from the member to the central rewards server. In this way, the reward server, not the affiliate, has access to information about the member. Members may browse the affiliates and accumulate points in the system for actions taken at any of the affiliates. The central reward server allows members to redeem points accumulated from various affiliate servers in an aggregate manner. Members redeem points for goods, gift certificates, or access to third-party content directly from the reward server. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131109 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR RESERVING FUTURE PURCHASES OF GOODS AND SERVICES - A method and system for reserving future purchases of goods or services or events including plural electronic options with associated option fees for the goods or services or events. The plural electronic options include electronic option terms established by one or more suppliers who can supply the goods or services or events. The purchase of the electronic option is accepted according to electronic option terms established by the desired supplier. The option terms may vary greatly among the individual suppliers and no two suppliers may use the same option terms. Final pricing and final features of the goods or services or final pricing of events is determined using electronic counters for accepted purchases of electronic options that have decremented down to a desired pre-determined value. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131110 | Transparent Commodity Trading Networks and Methods of Facilitating Transactions Among Buyers and Sellers of Products and Services - A transparent commodity trading network facilitates transactions among parties. A plurality of mobile communications devices are each configured to broadcast product/service needs and/or product/service offerings of a party associated with the respective mobile communications device. Each mobile communications device is configured to receive product/service needs and/or product/service offerings broadcast by other mobile communications devices when respective mobile communications devices pass within a predetermined distance of each other. Each mobile communications device is configured to identify when a product/service need or product/service offering broadcast by another mobile communications device matches a corresponding product/service offering or broadcast product/service need broadcast by the respective mobile communications device. A transaction service that is accessible by each mobile communications device is configured to allow two parties that have a matching broadcast product/service need and offering to identify and communicate with each other. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131111 | METHOD, SYSTEM AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR FACILITATING AN AUCTION BEHAVIOR AND AUTOMATIC BIDDING IN AN AUCTION - One or more proxy bidders is associated with a rule which determines a time to place a bid. The proxy bidder places a bid at the determined time, instead of immediately after the bidder's prior bid is exceeded. Such rules may be selected for all proxy bidders to encourage a desired auction behavior. By controlling the placement of bids based on rules associated with the desired auction behavior, bids may be placed in a manner that seems natural and competitive to bidders in the auction when, in fact, they are placed in accordance with the selected rules. The desired auction behavior may be selected statically for an auction or dynamically during the auction. Historical auction data maybe analyzed to characterize the behavior of an auction, such as the average period of time between bids and the average increment between bids. Rules may be generated to correspond to a behavior so as to provide the same average time and increment between bids. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131112 | METHOD OF PROVIDING CUSTOMIZED INFORMATION OF COMMODITY FOR ON-LINE SHOPPING MALL USERS - Disclosed is a method of providing customized product information. The method includes maintaining a basic index database for recording basic index data associated with a plurality of users for each product model, extracting the basic index data of the user corresponding to a predetermined classification standard from the basic index database, generating point information associated with each product model by calculating the extracted basic index data, and displaying each product model on a predetermined webpage according to the generated point information. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131113 | SCHEDULED REPETITIVE SEARCH - A host computing device conducts scheduled repetitive searches for a resource to be purchased and delivery according to a specified delivery schedule. A customer provides the host with a description of the resource and provides a specified delivery schedule. The host computing device conducts automated scheduled repetitive searches for the resource, selects a vendor offering the resource based on a criterion (e.g., lowest price), and conducts the respective purchases such that the resources are delivered in accordance with the specified delivery schedule. Here, the resource may be purchased from a first vendor in a first purchase and a second, different vendor in a subsequent second purchase for the resource. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131114 | METHODS FOR MANAGING CONTRACT PROCUREMENT - Computer implemented methods of facilitating contract procurement and contract management through an online contract procurement and management website. An example of a computer implemented method includes assigning a personalized contracting entity member user web page to each of a plurality of contracting entity member users associated with a contracting entity, and assigning a personalized contractor member user home web page to each of a plurality of contractor member users associated with a plurality of potential contractors. The personalized contracting entity member user web pages can provide centralized access to perform contract procurement functions for each of the virtual contract rooms associated with the respective contracting entity member users. The personalized contractor member user web pages can provide consolidated contract room access and consolidated contract room task and communication review for each of the virtual contract rooms associated with the respective contractor member users. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131115 | INFORMATION PROCESSING DEVICE - A purchase type determining unit | 2011-06-02 |
20110131116 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CREATING FINANCIAL ASSETS - A system for creating and maintaining financial assets which accentuate different types of sub-loan level risk associated with a plurality of home mortgage loans and which are configured to operate as hedges against risks that oppose the different types of sub-loan level risk is provided. A decomposition tool is configured to decompose each of the plurality of home mortgage loans into a plurality of sub-loan level cash flows. A repackaging tool is configured to repackage the plurality of sub-loan level cash flows to form the financial assets. Repackaging includes selecting a sub-combination of the plurality of sub-loan level cash flows, packaging the sub-combination of sub-loan level cash flows to create one of the financial assets, and repeating the selecting and packaging steps to create additional financial assets. A graphical user interface is configured to display information relating to the sub-loan level cash flows and financial assets on a display. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131117 | METHOD AND ADMINISTRATION SYSTEM FOR MONITORING OF DISPOSAL PROCESSES FOR MONEY - A method and an administration system (CCMS) are proposed for monitoring of disposal processes for funds (GM) which are accepted by at least one money acceptance system (CP) and which are removed from the monetary cycle, wherein inventory data (B | 2011-06-02 |
20110131118 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PAYMENT RETRIEVAL AND REVIEW COLLECTION - A method for conducting a review including the step of detecting a payment request from a vendor; generating a review based on the payment request; and, transmitting a reference to the review to a customer, wherein the reference provides a link to retrieve the review. A system for performing the method is also described. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131119 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR GENERATING AND TRACKING FIELD VALUES OF MORTGAGE FORMS - A system for generating field values of mortgage forms. The system includes a database, a calculation module, a monitoring module. The database contains jurisdictional tax and fee information used to calculate field values for the mortgage form. The calculation module is configured to calculate field values for the mortgage form and to generate a transaction log for mortgage and related transactions. The monitoring module communicates with the database and identifies when changes in the field values of tax and fee information occur in the transaction log, and report those changes to the affected lender. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131120 | AUTOMATED SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MANAGING A PROCESS FOR THE SHOPPING AND SELECTION OF HUMAN ENTITIES - This invention is a system and method for automatically managing a multi-step process in which human providers are selected for some purpose. Typical applications include the selection process associated with employment and dating services. The invention is directed to linking and coordinating the various steps of the selection process through automated sequencing, coordinating, tracking and status reporting processes. The interviewee answers questions that are printed, displayed, or spoken by an automated mechanism or questions are printed or displayed for use by a tester or interviewer. Answers can be written, spoken, or entered directly into a system by the interviewee. The invention provides a system and method for automatically scoring and ranking human providers with respect to selection criteria, making use of expert system concepts. Human shoppers are matched up and the usefulness of each match is scored on the basis of stated selection criteria of each human shopper. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131121 | Refinancing Program for an Underwater Loan - A refinancing program for an underwater loan is disclosed. In particular embodiments, a method for refinancing a loan includes determining an original loan value, wherein the original loan value is associated with an original loan secured by a property having a current property value that is less than the original loan value. The method also includes calculating, with a processor, a conforming loan value based, at least in part, on the current property value, wherein the conforming loan value is associated with a conforming loan and the conforming loan value is less than the current property value. The method also includes calculating a shared appreciation mortgage (SAM) loan value based on a numerical difference between the conforming loan value and the original loan value. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131122 | BEHAVIORAL BASELINE SCORING AND RISK SCORING - Embodiments of the present invention relate to systems, apparatus, methods and computer program products for integrated risk management. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention provides for determining one or more behavioral baseline scores, each score associated with one or more behaviors and based at least in part on financial institution data from multiple financial institutions. The behavioral baseline score defines a normal risk or baseline behavior for a customer, a customer segment or customer population. Further, the invention provides for monitoring at least the financial institution data to determine deviations from the behavioral baseline score(s) and generating and initiating communication of risk score alerts and/or behavioral baseline deviation alerts based on predetermined behavioral baseline deviations. Additional embodiments provide for determining a risk score based on risk patterns associated with financial institution data and, in some embodiments, non-financial institution data. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131123 | COMPREHENSIVE SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY MONITORING AND ALERT SYSTEM - Embodiments of the present invention relate to systems, apparatus, methods and computer program products for integrated risk management. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention provide for monitoring financial institution data from a plurality of financial institutions, including transactional data associated with multiple products and channels, to identify suspicious activity potentially associated with identity theft incidents and, in specific embodiments, communicate suspicious activity and/or identity theft alerts and/or reports in response to identifying the suspicious activities and/or confirming an identity theft incident associated with the suspicious activity. In further embodiments, the monitored financial institution may include one or more, and in some embodiments all of, account data, asset data, liability data, negative file data, customer data, device data, credit data, or biometric data. In addition, in certain embodiments, the monitored data may include non-financial institution data. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131124 | Report Generator For Allowing A Financial Entity To Monitor Securities Class Action Lawsuits And Potential Monetary Claims Resulting Therefrom - Reports are automatically created of securities class action lawsuits customized to show potential monetary claims resulting from the lawsuits for securities purchased or acquired by one or more financial entities. To produce the reports, a database of securities class action lawsuits is maintained. The lawsuit database includes a subset of securities class action lawsuits that are deemed to be noteworthy by the entity that administers the system. A comparison is made for each financial entity of transaction activity of the financial entity with records in the database subset of securities class action lawsuits to identify any securities purchased or acquired by the financial entity that are associated with a securities class action lawsuit in the lawsuit database and which may provide a potential monetary claim for the financial entity. A report is then created for each financial entity showing the noteworthy lawsuits. For the lawsuits that were identified as providing a potential monetary claim for the financial entity and which are deemed to be noteworthy, the report includes the potential monetary claim for the financial entity based on the transaction activity of the financial entity. A similar process occurs for creating a watchlist report of securities class action lawsuits of interest to financial entities customized to show potential monetary claims resulting from the lawsuits for securities purchased or acquired by one or more financial entities. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131125 | Correspondent Bank Registry - Methods and systems are provided for facilitating the transfer of information relating to risk management, such as, for example information directed towards compliance with the USA PATRIOT Act and certification of a foreign correspondent bank. Generally, the a foreign bank or other entity can provide a risk management clearinghouse with information relating to compliance with government requirements, or other information, and allow the risk management clearinghouse to convey to information in whole or in part to interested parties. Centralized distribution of certification related information can facilitate consistent and accurate compliance with government related requirements. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131126 | Trade Management System For Reducing Securities Positions - A computer implemented method and system is provided for reducing the number of securities positions of multiple counterparties. Securities positions are acquired from the counterparties. A price is obtained for each of the acquired securities positions from each of the counterparties. A consensus price is created for each of the acquired securities positions based on the obtained price of each of the acquired securities positions. The created consensus price for each of the acquired securities positions is displayed to the counterparties. The counterparties perform acceptance or rejection of the created consensus price of each of the acquired securities positions. The acquired securities positions are allocated at the created consensus price to one or more counterparties who accept the consensus price, using a sorting algorithm. The number of securities positions of the counterparties is reduced by trading the allocated securities positions to the associated counterparties. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131127 | Distribution Of Financial Instruments Among Counterparties - A computer implemented method and system is provided for distributing aggregated financial instruments among counterparties. The counterparties' financial instrument positions are acquired along with risk measures. The financial instrument positions are weighted using the risk measures to obtain risk weighted positions. An aggregate risk is computed by aggregating the risk weighted positions of the financial instruments. A position risk is computed by aggregating the risk weighted positions of the counterparties. A financial instrument with highest aggregate risk is allocated to a counterparty with highest position risk based on predefined rules. The position risks are recomputed by aggregating the risk weighted positions modified due to the allocation. An unallocated financial instrument with highest aggregate risk is allocated to a counterparty with highest change in position risk after the recomputation. Recomputation of the position risk and allocation of the unallocated financial instruments are performed until the financial instruments are completely allocated. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131128 | METHOD AND MEANS FOR CONTROLLING PAYMENT SETUP - An electronic system with which consumers and businesses can automatically and electronically facilitate competition for financial transaction services that they purchase, and/or participate in bigger markets more transparently than they can currently. The system features a payment card, which is arranged to clear transactions with at least two accounts, which at least two accounts are arranged to be hosted by different financial service providers. The system also features a payment card reader, which is arranged to clear transactions with at least two accounts, which at least two accounts are arranged to be hosted by different financial service providers. The transaction computer server of the system is arranged to capture a competitive record of available bids that could have been accepted to complete the transaction from at least one the electronic market. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131129 | Tradable Investment Unit - A tradable investment unit is an inseparable combination of a predetermined quantity of a tradable security together with a put option contract for the predetermined quantity of the tradable security. The combination will specify the minimum price and thereby the maximum potential loss of the tradable investment unit to purchasers. The profit potential will be unlimited as the price of the tradable security increases above the cost of the tradable investment unit. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131130 | INTEGRATED RISK ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT SYSTEM - Embodiments of the present invention relate to systems, apparatus, methods and computer program products for integrated risk assessment and management. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention provide for a risk database that collects and/or receives transaction data. In other embodiments of the present invention, the risk database collects and/or receives asset data and liability data associated with multiple financial institutions. The data is accessed to monitor customers' risk and one or more risk management actions are initiated based on the monitored customer risk. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131131 | RISK PATTERN DETERMINATION AND ASSOCIATED RISK PATTERN ALERTS - Embodiments of the present invention relate to systems, apparatus, methods and computer program products for integrated risk assessment and mitigation. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention provide for determining risk patterns and, in particular embodiments, emerging risk patterns associated with emerging risk, based on a combination of, or in some embodiments all, financial institution data from multiple financial institutions, data aggregator data, non-financial institution data, negative activity data and/or risk deviation data. As a result of the determination of risk patterns, risk pattern alerts may be communicated to designated recipients for the purpose of managing the risk. In additional embodiments, a health risk indicator is determined that indicates the current condition of risk for a customer, a company, an industry or industry segment. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131132 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MANAGING SUBSCRIBER ACCOUNT - A method and system for managing a subscriber account to a service includes one or more wallets for which predefined rules may be modified to define how an amount of funds is allocated between the wallets to be used for different types of services and products. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131133 | Multiple Account Advanced Payment Card and Method of Routing Card Transactions - A system of accessing through a financial processing network multiple accounts associated with a single financial card. Data is input to the financial network in addition to the transaction data and the account identification data that in read from the card. This addition data permits the proper account to be accessed. The data may be input at the point of sale as an account selection. In this instance, the selection may be used to route the transaction data through the financial processing network or may be used to read data regarding one of multiple accounts encoded on the card. The data may also be stored as conditional routing rules at transfer points in the financial processing network. In this instance, the transaction is routed to the proper account based on the stored rules. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131134 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR GENERATING A SOFTWARE LICENSE KNOWLEDGE BASE FOR VERIFYING SOFTWARE LICENSE COMPLIANCE IN CLOUD COMPUTING ENVIRONMENTS - A monitoring system can monitor computing processes in clouds. The monitoring system can verify software license compliance in the computing processes instantiated in the clouds. The monitoring system can generate and maintain a software license knowledge base. The software license knowledge base can include the software license requirements for various software programs. To generate the software license knowledge base, the monitoring system can communicate with various sources (software vendors, clouds, publicly available sources, etc.) to determine license requirements for the various software programs. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131135 | ONLINE WARRANTY HISTORY STORAGE ACCESS - A message confirming a transaction for the purchase of an item can include identifiers for the item and for a consumer as well as information pertaining to the transaction. The item identifier is used to locate an express warranty for the item. The consumer identifier (e.g.; a number of an account issued to the consumer) is used to locate the consumer's file in which the express warranty is stored along with at least a portion of the information pertaining to the transaction. Other data received in respective messages can be also be stored in the consumer's file. Thereafter, the consumer identifier can be use to retrieve all express warranties stored in the file for past respective purchased items. Information about each express warranty can be compared to the stored portion of the information pertaining to the transaction so as to retrieve only those express warranties that are valid (e.g.; unexpired). | 2011-06-02 |
20110131136 | Risk Management Customer Registry - Methods and systems are provided for managing Risk associated with a financial account initiated by an intermediary institution. Risk related information descriptive of a customer of the intermediary can be registered with a neutral entity and a certification can be generated that is associated with the customer and includes the registered information. An instruction can be received to convey the certification associated with the customer to a Primary Financial Institution after which the certification can be conveyed to the Primary Financial Institution. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131137 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PERFORMING COLLECTIVE VALIDATION OF CREDENTIAL INFORMATION - An embodiment of the invention comprises a method and apparatus for performing collective validation of credential information. The invention has applicability in industries that require sales agents or those related to the distribution of a certain product to be credentialed (e.g., licensed and/or appointed) when selling certain products (e.g., life insurance, etc . . . ). For example, in order to sell some financial instruments sales representatives must meet state and/or federal licensing requirements. Embodiments of the invention provide a way to ensure that sales representatives operate within any regulatory constraints put in place by government or any other organization. Companies may, for instance, utilize embodiments of the invention to ensure that sales representatives operate within a set of defined constraints. One aspect of the invention provides a method for validating sales agents' credentials while processing the sales transaction data to determine commission amounts. The system is configured to perform such transaction processing in an efficient manner that minimizes the amount of computational resources required to determine whether a sales agent has valid credential at the time of a particular sale and is therefore entitled to compensation (e.g., a commission) for the sale. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131138 | COLLECTIVE SUSPENSION/SETTLEMENT REPRESENTATION PROCESSING SERVER DEVICE AND PROGRAM - Provided is a collective suspension processing server device, collective suspension representation processing server device, settlement representation processing server device, method, and program, wherein there is no chance that the encryption key leaks. Also provided is the implementation of preventing the leakage of any piece of information under management. The collective suspension processing server device, collective suspension representation processing server device, settlement representation processing server device, method, and program does not hold the encryption key and the decryption key which are used to encrypt users' card information in a management database, but instead, dynamically generates the encryption key and the decryption key. Regarding the common key which is used in encryption, the common key is generated and encrypted for each authentication information table without destructing the rank order of strings of characters and numbers which constitute the authentication information, and encrypted strings of characters and numbers are searched using the common key generated and encrypted for each authentication information table. The decryption key which is used to decrypt the encrypted card information is unique to each user. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131139 | INTEGRATED EARNED VALUE MANAGEMENT WORKFLOW - The present invention relates to a method or system for automating consolidation of data for reporting purposes, decreasing manual user intervention, and automating the generation of earned value management documentation using a custom designed matrix that is role-based having four (4) fundamental workflow processes: post-award, work authorization, change request, and variance analysis reporting. One method may have the steps of consolidating control accounts between an integrated master schedule and an earned value management system, automatically generating work authorizations and corresponding workflow, integrating baseline change requests and follow-on work authorization, generating and organizing, in a hierarchical manner, variance analysis reports, and organizing, in a streamlined manner, finalized earned value management documentation. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131140 | Refurbishing and resale techniques for data storage cartridges - The method of determining the quality of tape cartridges by calculating a single quality score, and of disclosing this quality score to a buyer during the reselling of a cartridge. The quality score of the cartridge is the sum of a plurality of weighted statistical data that are indicative of the cartridge quality. The statistical data may include statistical data stored in the memory of the cartridge, edge quality data measured during the refurbishing process, and others. The quality score is stored in the cartridge memory. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131141 | Advertising request and rules-based content provision engine, system and method - The present invention includes an approval engine for pre-approving media content by which a user can interact with an ad generator and request at least one content item not owned by the user for inclusion in a creative. The approval engine also includes a content provision rules engine that includes a plurality of rules asserted by the owner of the requested content to govern the inclusion of the content in the creative, where ones of the plurality of rules includes a minimum price. The content provision rules engine further includes a content provision interface by which the owner of the requested content can interact with the content rules engine to assert the plurality of rules. The user then receives authorization to include the requested content upon meeting the requirements of each of the plurality of rules asserted by the owner prior to the content request made by the user. | 2011-06-02 |
20110131142 | Patent-Product Information Distribution Systems and Methods - Systems and methods for managing and distributing patent-product information are presented herein. The systems and method facilitate the exchange of patent-product information, by performing the steps of: a) receiving patent-product information from a plurality of users; b) storing the patent-product information in a patent-product database on a server, in accordance with an input hierarchy; c) receiving a demand query from a public user, based on an identification marker; d) searching the patent-product database and obtaining patent-product information responsive to the public user's demand query; and e) delivering the obtained patent-product information to the public user. | 2011-06-02 |