text:
|Publication number
|Publication type
|Application number
|Publication date
|Jun 26, 2007
|Filing date
|Jun 27, 2002
|Priority date
|Jun 27, 2002
|Fee status
|Also published as
|Publication number
|James A. Billmaier
|Original Assignee
|Digeo, Inc.
|Export Citation
|BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan
|Patent Citations (38), Non-Patent Citations (7), Referenced by (96), Classifications (36), Legal Events (8)
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet
1. Field of the Invention
This disclosure relates generally to presentation of information on a display device, and in particular but not exclusively, relates to presentation of an interactive television "ticker" for shopping.
2. Description of the Related Art
An important business element in the production and distribution of television programming is revenue received from manufacturers and service providers who pay to advertise their products. The ubiquitous television commercial is the manifestation of this enterprise. The survival of a television program is heavily dependent on the advertising revenue that can be realized from the television program. Advertisers in turn rely on the ability of the television program to draw viewers who then become potential purchasers of the advertised products.
Television and interactive technologies are beginning to converge. In a typical scenario, a television commercial can be provided with a "trigger" that renders an icon on television display screen, signaling to the viewers that there is a potential e-commerce opportunity. Once this icon is seen, the viewer can press a "BUY" button or other button on a remote control to initiate an e-commerce transaction.
Viewers can then obtain information about goods and services that are advertised in the commercial by, for example, connecting to the Internet (via the BUY button and a set top box) while viewing the commercial and ordering the advertised products. A user interface for this e-commerce transaction can comprise a hypertext markup language (HTML) web page or pop-up window that is rendered on the display screen as an overlay over the current television program or in full screen. Picture-in-picture (PIP) features are also available, where the e-commerce window is displayed concurrently with the television program image (or vice versa).
Unfortunately, not all commercials or other television programming are accompanied by e-commerce or informational opportunities. The content provider, merchant, advertiser, or broadcaster, for instance, may have chosen not to provide (or did not have the capability to provide) an interactive e-commerce experience along with the particular piece of television programming. Because of this, there is typically no icon that is rendered on the television display screen to indicate availability of an e-commerce opportunity under such circumstances. Thus, when the viewer presses the BUY button on the remote control, the set top box will generally ignore the resulting signal or command that is sent from the remote control and will not render anything on the display screen. Viewer frustration is likely to result as the viewer continues to press the BUY button and wonder why nothing is being displayed to allow him to make a purchase.
This situation is wasteful of a potential revenue opportunity, since the viewer has indicated an interest in making a purchase by pressing the BUY button. Moreover, the potential revenue opportunity is lost whether the viewer did deliberately press the BUY button in response to an advertisement in a commercial or whether it was pressed accidentally (such as by sitting on the remote control, intending to press a different button, exploring the buttons of the remote control, kids playing with the remote control, etc.). Either way, the signal from the remote control is ignored and no commerce opportunity is provided to the viewer.
This is an unfortunate situation given that some studies have shown that viewers are generally annoyed by or unresponsive to commercials, banner advertisements, advertisement pop-up windows, etc. Advertisers and other parties thus have to make the most out of fleeting opportunities when they have (or can potentially obtain) viewers' attention and interests in purchasing an advertised product. The ultimate success of advertising is dramatically reduced when, as described above, no response is provided to the viewer when the viewer presses the BUY button on the remote control.
Non-limiting and non-exhaustive embodiments of the present invention are described with reference to the following figures, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the various views unless otherwise specified.
Embodiments of techniques to invoke a shopping ticker, such as when a viewer presses a BUY button while watching television, are described herein. In the following description, numerous specific details are given to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the invention. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that the invention can be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, etc. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the invention.
Reference throughout this specification to "one embodiment" or "an embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, the appearances of the phrases "in one embodiment" or "in an embodiment" in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.
As an overview, one embodiment of the invention provides an interactive shopping ticker. The shopping ticker can be invoked when the viewer presses a BUY button (or other button) on a remote control while a television program is being shown on a television set. The television program, which can be a commercial, may not necessarily have an interactive commerce opportunity associated with it when the BUY button is pressed. However, instead of ignoring a signal sent from the remote control when the BUY button is pressed, software in a set top box (or other client terminal) responds to the signal by invoking the shopping ticker.
The shopping ticker can include advertisements, links to e-commerce opportunities (including merchant web sites), product information, or other information that may be potentially useful to help initiate a transaction with the viewer. Therefore, a commerce opportunity is created in a situation where there would not have been such an opportunity associated with the current television program and where the viewer's remote control action would otherwise have been ignored.
According to various embodiments, the advertisements and other shopping information presented in the ticker can be context-sensitive in that they relate to the subject matter of the television program currently being shown. Thus, while the television program itself does not provide an interactive commerce opportunity, its subject matter can be used to select context-related information for the shopping ticker, thereby presenting the viewer with information that is directly responsive to his interests that originally motivated him to press the BUY button. In other situations, where the viewer did not intentionally press the BUY button (e.g., the BUY button was pressed accidentally), the shopping ticker at least provides context-sensitive information that may motivate the viewer to conduct a transaction. One technique to provide context-sensitive information in the shopping ticker is through the use of triggers, for instance.
Moreover, the term "ticker" as used herein is intended to generally describe a presentation of information on a display screen, such as a display screen for a television, and is not intended to be limited solely to implementations where the information is presented in a manner to exactly mimic a stock market ticker. In one embodiment, the ticker can comprise text and graphics that are scrolled or otherwise presented in a region of the display screen, along with a television image (such as an image from a live broadcast or from a recorded program). Various embodiments will be described herein in the context of "scrolling" the ticker information. It is to be appreciated that the term "scrolling" is merely illustrative of a technique to present dynamic ticker information, and that this term, in some embodiments, can encompass implementations where the ticker information is presented via screen segments of information, text segments, one-line-at-a-time, one-sentence-at-a-time, one-word-at-a-time, and the like, rather than the traditional format of one-character-at-a-time typically associated with stock market tickers. Moreover, the term "scrolling" is used generically herein for simplicity to refer not only to vertical movement from bottom to top, but also movement from right to left (often referred to as "crawl") or movement in other directions.
The plurality of content sources 104 is coupled to the Internet 102. For example, a content source 104 may comprise a web site portal such as Go2Net.com™, or a news web site such as CNN.com™, or other types of sources. Each content source 104 may have various data feeds 112, servers 114, and sources 116/118 coupled to it.
For example, news or stock quote feeds 112 (including data for tickers) may be fed into the content source 104. Servers 114 may provide advertisements for insertion into multimedia content delivered by the content source 104 in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. Sources 116 and 118 may provide images 116, streaming video 118, and other content to the content source 104. Various other feeds, servers, and sources may also be coupled to the content source 104 of
The Internet 102 comprises a network of networks and is well known in the art. Communications over the Internet 102 can be accomplished using standard protocols such as transmission control protocol/internet protocol (TCP/IP), hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP), file transfer protocol (FTP), or other protocols. Web sites, such as merchant web sites, can be included within or otherwise be in communication with the Internet 102. The Internet 102 is coupled to the plurality of distribution centers 106, and each distribution center 106 is in turn coupled to a plurality of client terminals 108, which may comprise a set top box, a PC, an interactive television set, or another type of communication device or display device.
In alternative or in addition to the Internet 102 being used to distribute multimedia content (including ticker data and advertisements) from the content sources 104 to distribution centers 106, communications channels or networks 120 (which can include satellite delivery sources/networks) apart from the Internet 102 may couple one or more content sources 104 to one or more distribution centers 106. One example of such an alternate path for communications is illustrated by a first dashed line 120 in
Caches 110 may be provided at (or otherwise coupled to) the distribution centers 106. Such caches 110 may be used to increase the performance in the delivery of multimedia content (including ticker data and advertisements) to the client terminals 108. For example, larger files for video and other high bandwidth content may be stored in such caches 110, which may be closer-in-time to the client terminals 108 than to the content sources 104. In addition, reliability and guaranteed bandwidth may be provided because the Internet 102 is not in-between such caches 110 and the client terminals 108. In one embodiment, the caches 110 or other storage media in the system 100 can store ticker information and advertisements, rather than or in addition to having such information buffered, cached, or otherwise stored at the client side.
In an embodiment, servers may be present in the distribution centers 106, with such servers including or being coupled to the caches 110 or other storage media. Alternatively or in addition, these servers may be located remotely from but still communicatively coupled to the distribution centers 106, via the Internet 102 or other communications channels or networks. Examples of such servers that can be used in connection with providing ticker information to client terminals 108 are shown in
In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, different or multiple portals may be used to access the information provided through the interactive video casting systems of
Such portals may be provided in several possible ways. In one embodiment, the client terminal (e.g., the end user's display device or audio device) can be suitably configured with an adapter that includes hardware and software. The adapter converts the television signals, the Internet or web page content, or other information provided from the interactive video casting system into a digitized format or other format that is compatible with the operational features of the particular client terminal 108.
In another embodiment, a cable service provider can deliver signals having different formats to the various client terminals 108, with the client terminals not necessarily having special adapters. Therefore, as an example, the cable service provider or other party can generate/deliver information (e.g., television programming, web page content, ticker information, and the like) having a format that is compatible for end users that receive the information via a television set. The cable service provider or other party can also generate/deliver the same information (e.g., simultaneously with the television portal on the same communication link, separately on a different communication link, on-demand independent of the television portal, and the like) using a format that is compatible with end users that receive the information via PCs, PDAs, cellular telephones, and the like. Thus, the term "interactive video casting system" is used to describe generally a system that can deliver video information and other information over any network and any network-compatible device by broadcasting, multicasting, or unicasting. An "interactive television system" is one type of or one means of access to an "interactive video casting system."
The raw ticker data is provided to a feed server 202. In an embodiment, the feed server 202 operates as a content aggregator that pulls or otherwise receives the raw ticker data from the data feeds 200. The feed server 202 also performs data manipulation on the received ticker data to manipulate the data into a database format so that the data can be indexed and stored. A feed engine 204, which can be embodied in software or other machine-readable instructions stored on one or more machine-readable media according to an embodiment, can reside and run in the feed server 202 to perform at least some of this data manipulation.
The feed server 202 is coupled to provide the manipulated ticker data to a production server 206. The production server 206 includes or is otherwise coupled to a database 208. The feed engine 204 calls on the database 208, and instructs the database 208 where to place the various ticker data. For example, the database 208 can include a plurality of database code objects 210 that cooperate with ticker tables 212 (such as a sports table 214, a weather table 216, and so forth) to index or store ticker data. The feed engine 204 calls the database 208 and identifies the database code objects and ticker tables where the ticker data is to be stored.
The various components of the database 208, such as the ticker tables 212, can also be configured in a manner that optimizes the organization and distribution of the ticker data. For example, ticker data unique to various geographic regions can be segregated from or otherwise identifiable from each other, so that ticker data that is relevant to only particular client terminals 108 need not be broadcast to all client terminals. For instance, California weather information can be segregated from Oregon weather information in the database 208 in a manner that client terminals 108 of California users do not receive Oregon weather information, unless specifically requested. This feature improves transmission efficiency and transmission time, since the bandwidth of communication paths to certain client terminals 108 are not clogged by non-relevant ticker data.
In an embodiment, the production server 206 can also perform data manipulation, such as before the data is stored in the database 208, while it is stored in the database 208, or after the data is retrieved from the database 208 for transmission to client terminals 108. For instance, the production server 206 can perform data manipulation to place the ticker data into a format that is "consumable" or otherwise compatible with operating software of the client terminals 108. For instance, the production server 206 can place the ticker data into formats such as hypertext markup language (HTML), extensible markup language (XML), or other suitable formats.
The production server 206 is coupled to provide ticker data from the database 208 to one or more distribution servers 218, which may be located in or otherwise communicatively coupled to a distribution center 106 (such as a head-end). The distribution server 218 operates to provide the ticker data to the client terminals 108 via several possible communication paths or channels, as will be described with reference to
It is to be appreciated that the components shown in
To briefly describe an embodiment, the client terminal 108 receives ticker data and advertisement data from the distribution server 218 or other sources, and then performs the appropriate processing of the data to allow the data to be displayed in a ticker on a display screen of a television set. The client terminal 108 can be passive in that it receives the ticker data (as well as updates) and when the data is sent by the distribution server 218, independently of whether the client terminal 108 requested the ticker data (e.g., the distribution server 218 "pushes" the data to client terminals 108). Alternatively or in addition, the client terminal 108 can poll or otherwise explicitly request the data from the distribution server 218, including polling the distribution server 218 for updated data (e.g., the client terminal 108 "pulls" the data from the distribution server 218). In some embodiments, both push and pull mechanisms may be involved.
Once it receives the ticker data from the distribution server 218, the data can be buffered or cached (if appropriate), and processed for presentation on the display screen of the television set. In an embodiment, ticker software in the client terminal 108 can work in conjunction with a ticker template or other ticker user interface to display the ticker (and its ticker items) in the appropriate scrolling layout, format, locations, time intervals, topics, content, and so forth. In one embodiment where the ticker data is obtained from the Internet 102, this ticker software can comprise browser-based software or other software capable to cooperate with a web browser. According to various embodiments, the ticker can be generated and made interactive through Flash, C++, Java, HTML, or other suitable code or software.
The client terminal 108 comprises a first tuner 300 to tune to a Moving Pictures Experts Group (MPEG) stream 302 or other video source. The stream 302 may include video, live transmission, and/or application code, including corresponding text and graphic resources. In an embodiment where tickers are provided in an integrated manner along with the video signal, the ticker can be received by way of the stream 302. One skilled in the art will recognize that there will be a plurality of streams 302, depending on the number of channels and programs that the cable service provider makes available to the client terminal 108.
The first tuner 300 is coupled to a decoder 306 that decodes the video, application, and/or audio into a format that is compatible with a television set coupled to the client terminal 108. The client terminal 108 may include a second tuner 310. The second tuner 310 can work in conjunction with a cable modem 312 to obtain ticker data 314 from the Internet 102, such as via a Data Over Cable Service Interface Specifications (DOCSIS) connection with the distribution server 218. In addition to the ticker data 314, advertisements and Internet content can also be received by the client terminal 108 by way of the DOCSIS connection through the second tuner 310 and the cable modem 312. In one embodiment, the second tuner 310 can be used to obtain such advertisement data from a server (such as that used by a merchant or advertiser), remote database, Internet location or web site, or other source depicted in
In addition, the client terminal 108 includes or is coupled to an input interface 315, through which other sources 316 of ticker data (including shopping data) can be provided to the client terminal 108. An example of the input interface 315 comprises an out-of-band tuner that can be used to tune to ticker data or advertisements that are provided via an out-of-band channel. In an embodiment, the out-of-band channel(s) can comprise one or more low-bandwidth frequencies carried on the same coaxial cable used to provide the MPEG streams and the Internet content. The out-of-band channel(s) tuned to by the input interface 315 to receive ticker data or advertisements can be used alternatively or in addition to the DOCSIS channel tuned to by the second tuner 310 in such an embodiment. In one embodiment, user transactions or other responses in response to information displayed in a shopping ticker may be communicated to and from the client terminal 108 via the input interface 315.
Further alternatively or in addition, the input interface 315 can comprise another television broadcast tuner (such as the first tuner 300) to tune to one or more channels that may be carrying ticker data or advertisements. For example, ticker data (including updates) and advertisements may be broadcast in one or more channel frequencies specifically dedicated for transmission of such data to client terminals 108. Thus, as an illustration, the first tuner 300 can tune to a channel showing a television program, while the input interface 315 is tuned to receive data (in the form of packets, for example) from a ticker channel or shopping channel to allow a ticker having shopping information therein to be simultaneously shown on the same television screen as the television program.
Yet another example of the input interface 315 is an interface to receive outputs of recording devices such as a PVR or a digital video recorder (DVR) that may have ticker data (including shopping information), which may be received via download. Alternatively or in addition, the input interface 315 can comprise a communication interface, such as an Ethernet connection, a digital subscriber line modem, a wireless communication interface, and so forth, which can provide a link to the server 218 to receive ticker data and advertisements, for instance.
An embodiment of the client terminal 108 may include a processor 320 to control operation of the various components shown in
An audio and video output subsection 308 of the client terminal 108 receives decoded video and/or other applications (including ticker templates and the ticker data presented therein), and provides the decoded information to a television set. A wireless interface 318 operates to receive commands from a user input device (such as a wireless remote control). Such commands can include user commands to invoke a ticker, such as when the viewer presses a BUY button, as well as other commands related to interaction with the invoked ticker, in an embodiment. The wireless interface 318 provides these commands to the processor 320 so that the processor 320 can cooperate with the ticker software to perform the corresponding operation.
In an embodiment of the invention, the storage medium 322 can also store user data 324 related to operation of the ticker. For instance, the user data 324 can include user settings for the ticker (such as location, font size, topics or other subject matter displayed, and others). In any of these storage locations, multiple sets of user data 324 may be stored, such as in implementations where multiple users in a household log into a same client terminal 108.
The storage medium 322 can include cache(s), buffer(s), or other types of storage locations where ticker data, advertisements and shopping data, or other information may be stored. For example, received sports scores can be stored in the storage medium and retrieved during the appropriate times during the course of the scrolling of the ticker. The ticker data stored in the storage medium 322 can be replaced as updates are received from the distribution server 218. In one embodiment, less time-dependent ticker information (e.g., information that need not necessarily be updated several times per day), including graphics for weather displays, game schedules, some types of advertisements or other shopping information, and the like, can be downloaded to the storage medium 322 during non-peak television viewing periods (such as late at night), and then retrieved from the storage medium 322 when that piece of information is appropriate for presentation in the ticker.
In other examples of interactivity, the television program 404 may comprise a commercial for an advertised product, accompanied by an on-screen BUY button or other indicator to indicate availability of a purchase opportunity. In response to the on-screen BUY button, the viewer can press a BUY button 430 on the remote control 410 to initiate an on-line transaction for the advertised product.
The wireless remote control 410 is in communication with the client terminal 108 (via the wireless interface 318) to perform conventional television-viewing operations and also to invoke and interact with a ticker, as will be described later below for an embodiment. The remote control 410 includes an alphanumeric keypad 412 that the viewer can use to select television channels or to interact with a ticker. Buttons 418 can comprise buttons that are similar to play, rewind, fast forward, pause, etc. buttons usable for recording devices or for ticker operations. Arrow keys 416 may be used for navigation within a ticker or within other applications (such as an electronic program guide), while an OK button 419 may be used to confirm viewer selections.
In an embodiment, the remote control 410 can include a ticker button 414, which if pressed when the user intentionally wishes to view a ticker, causes a command to be sent to the client terminal 108 to instruct the ticker software to render the ticker on the display screen 402. If the ticker button 414 is pressed again, the ticker is taken off the display screen 402. Alternatively or in addition, a TV button 422 can be pressed to dismiss the ticker.
As previously described above, one embodiment of the invention renders a shopping ticker having advertising information or other shopping-related information therein when the viewer presses (intentionally or unintentionally) the BUY button 430, whenever an interactive commerce opportunity is not explicitly provided for the television program 404 (such as a non-interactive commercial). For instance, the viewer might press the BUY button 430 intentionally while watching a non-interactive commercial (as the television program 404), mistakenly thinking that he can initiate an interactive purchase of the advertised product. Instead of ignoring the viewer's button press, however, an embodiment of the invention determines that a signal or user command from the remote control 410 cannot result in interaction with the television program 404 and therefore renders a shopping ticker. In another example, the viewer might press the BUY button 430 when an interactive television program (for which only non-commerce supplemental information is available via the INFO button, such as player statistics for the basketball game of
It is to be appreciated that these are only a few of the possible television viewing scenarios by which the viewer may (intentionally or unintentionally) press the BUY button 430 to invoke the shopping ticker. Some other scenarios include instances where the viewer may have pressed the BUY button 430 accidentally by having "sat" on the remote control 410, when children may have been playing with the remote control 410, and so forth. Moreover in some embodiments, the remote control 410 need not necessarily have a dedicated or explicit BUY button 430 as depicted in
In the example of the ticker 506, the ticker 506 is scrolling from right to left (as symbolically depicted by an arrow 508). It is to be appreciated that in other embodiments, the ticker 506 may be scrolling in different directions and may also be positioned differently on the display screen 402. For the sake of illustration, the ticker 506 is shown as being set in a cycle where it is presenting NBA™ basketball advertisements (e.g., "Buy Sonics Jersey." is a moving ticker text item or advertisement 509 that is being displayed in a scroll region for a "Shopping" category 520 and an NBA™ subcategory 505). There may be any suitable number of categories 517 and subcategories 507 through which the user can navigate. In this particular example, the ticker 506 is a "shopping ticker" in that the currently selected category is the Shopping category 520—other formats of shopping tickers are possible. A navigation control 524, such as a stationary center focus box or movable selection rectangle, can be used to make navigation selections, such as to view advertisements for other subcategories or other products.
The ticker data, such as advertisements, displayed in the ticker 506 may be presented from feeds provided from the components shown in
Direct correlation between the shopping information scrolled by the ticker 506 and the content of the television program 404 can be performed via use of Advanced Television Enhancement Forum (ATVEF) triggers or other triggering mechanisms (such as those available from Wink) according to various embodiments. For instance, identification (ID) information or other information can be placed in the vertical blanking interval (VBI) of signal the television program 404 in a manner that identifies the teams in the game, the type of sport, the location of the game, time of the game, and so forth. Such ID information can be extracted and processed, based on techniques familiar to those skilled in the art having the benefit of this disclosure, to identify and select context-sensitive advertisements or other shopping information to present in the ticker 506. In the example of
When the advertisement 509 scrolls into a center focus box 528, the viewer can then press the INFO button or the OK button 419 on the remote control 410 so as to view additional details of the advertisement for purposes of beginning a purchase transaction. In one embodiment, responding to the advertisement 509 in this manner results in access of additional information via a hyperlink or other link (which may include channel tuning), including display of the additional information in a pop-up window or PIP window. The advertisement 509 can be presented within the scroll region of the ticker 506 (or in other areas on the display screen 402) in bold, in a different color (which may indicate a hyperlink or other link), accompanied with an icon, underlined, or via some other technique to alert the viewer that he can interact with the advertisement 509 to perform a purchase.
Alternatively or in addition, the ticker 506 may present such additional information within its scroll region itself in a manner that the viewer can perform a purchase through the ticker interface. For instance a prompt 512 can advise the viewer to select a jersey size and a corresponding selection 514 of sizes S, M, L, and XL. According to one embodiment of the invention, the viewer may then perform the resulting purchase transaction within the ticker 506 itself by waiting for the prompt 512 and the selections 514 to scroll into the center focus box 528, and pressing the OK button 419 at the appropriate times. Other suitable techniques for entering viewer responses may be used, such pressing a number assigned to a selection item or by navigating to a selection via a movable selection rectangle.
In other embodiments, transaction windows (such as HTML web pages or pop-up windows) can be rendered on the display screen 402, through which the viewer can make selections and perform other purchase actions. In yet other embodiments, the ticker 506 can scroll telephone numbers, addresses, web site URLs, or other such information that the viewer can use to contact a merchant to purchase the advertised products independently of performing the transaction through the ticker 506.
After the viewer has responded to all of the items scrolled by the ticker 506 that require a response, the viewer-entered information is sent to the merchant. The ticker 506 can then continue to scroll additional advertisements, in the event that the viewer wishes to make additional purchases or continue perusing advertised products. Accordingly, as shown and described above, providing the capability to present advertisements within the ticker 506 and the capability to conduct the resulting transaction within the ticker 506 results in little or no interruption of the television program 404, since the ticker only occupies a minority portion of the display screen 402. By minimizing viewer annoyance while watching television, the chances that the viewer will attain and maintain an interest in an advertised product increases.
While the advertisement 606 is within the center focus box 528, the viewer can press the OK button 419 or the INFO button to conduct a transaction. Once the Outdoors advertisements finish scrolling, the ticker 506 may scroll related news clips from the same shopping subcategory (e.g., a "Fishing season opens" headline 608) or scroll advertisements from another shopping subcategory, such as a Kitchen subcategory 604.
The ticker API 704 interfaces with a plurality of applications 708. These applications can include a sports application, news application, weather application, or other applications associated with categories that the ticker 406 can present to the viewer. A feed manager (FM) 706 (or other software controller) operates to determine when new or updated ticker information is present and needs to be provided to the ticker API 704. It is appreciated that some embodiments need not necessarily implement an API to integrate ticker functionality. In such embodiments, at least some of the ticker functionality can be coded into an operating system without use of an API.
To generally describe operation of the ticker 506 in an example embodiment, the ticker API 704 logs and knows what the ticker 506 is displaying, and also knows how often the displayed information needs to be refreshed (based on business rules or other requirements present in functions defined in the ticker UI 702). In an embodiment, there may be rules in the ticker UI level that define when at least some of the advertisements are to be presented. If it is time for an update, the ticker API 704 (acting as a container of data) calls a load function that will cause the feed manager 706 to loop through the applications 708 to search for new data, and if there is new data, the feed manager 706 will pass the new data from the application(s) 708 to the ticker API 704 so that the ticker API 704 can pass the new data to the ticker UI 702.
In another embodiment, the ticker API 704 manages the information that the ticker UI 702 will display, but it does not have knowledge of what the ticker UI 702 displays and when it is displayed. The ticker UI 702 invokes the lower level components via method calls to retrieve business objects. This means that the invocations of these lower levels are done potentially many times for each accessor/factory method to get a particular business object (assuming that there may be more than one business object needed to gather all data), including objects associated with advertisements. There are at least two routes that the ticker UI 702 can take in an embodiment.
First, the ticker UI 702 invokes the feed manager 706. This is done in situations when the business object contains some data that needs to be refreshed periodically during the session. The feed manager 706 receives several arguments that tell it which method in the ticker API 704 will return the business object, how frequently the feed manager 706 should poll this business logic, and the name of the ticker UI variable (a collection such as an array) that holds the properties of the business object for the ticker UI 702 components to use and display. The feed manager 706 calls the ticker API 704 immediately, and then at the intervals specified by the ticker UI 702. Second, the ticker UI 702 invokes the ticker API 704 directly. This bypasses the feed manager 706 and is done for data that only needs to be instantiated once during the session.
In one embodiment for the ticker 506 where the feed manager 706 (not the ticker API 704) knows when it is time for an update, the process can be as follows. The ticker UI 702 calls the ticker API 704 to start a feed. The ticker API 704 calls the feed manager 706, and the feed manager 706 constructs a callback object. The feed manager 706 returns an empty object array to the ticker API 704, which in turn returns the empty object array to the ticker UI 702.
The feed manager 706 calls an appropriate application 708 for a business object, and the business object(s) is returned to the feed manager 706 in an array, a copy of which is saved by the feed manager 706 as a business object array. The feed manager 706 returns the object array to the ticker UI 702 can calls a HandleLoad function, for instance.
At a particular interval, the feed manager 706 calls an application 708 for new information. The business objects are returned to the feed manager 706 by the application 708 in an array, and the feed manager 706 checks that array with the saved array for different information. If the content has changed, then the feed manager 706 returns an object array to the ticker UI 702 and calls a HandleLoad function. The ticker UI 702 calls the ticker API 704 to stop a feed. The ticker API 704 calls the feed manager 706 to stop the feed, and the feed manager 706 stops the feed.
To obtain new ticker data, in an embodiment, the application(s) 708 calls a Java server page (JSP) 710 at a web server (which may be located at the distribution server 218). Java objects at the web server will then communicate with the database 208 to obtain the appropriate ticker information. The Java objects will then construct XML code from the ticker information obtained from the database 208, and send the XML code to the corresponding application 708. The application 708 then converts the XML code to local data objects, in one embodiment, and returns the object(s) to the ticker API 704. The ticker API 704 subsequently sends the object(s) to the ticker UI 702 for display in the ticker 506.
In an embodiment, the ticker API 704 formats the data to be provided to the ticker UI 702, including advertisement data, in a manner that the viewer can interact with the advertisement at the ticker UI 702 level. For instance, the ticker API 704 can format the ticker data to provide such data with hypertext links or with other links to additional product information or to a merchant website. This formatting may include defining objects or functions that link to such advertising information.
As an example illustrated in
In an embodiment, the advertisement application 712 can comprise a software module or program that can retrieve the requested advertisement information from an advertisement source 714, and then provide the requested information to the ticker API 704 or otherwise cause an advertisement to be displayed on the display screen 402. One example of the advertisement application 712 is a browser, such as a web browser. In a browser-based or other implementation, the advertisement application 712 can include an HTML-to-text conversion component or other suitable conversion component that can convert an advertisement from an original format (such as HTML, audio, video, etc.) to a text or other data format suitable for presentation within the ticker 506.
In other examples, the advertisement application 712 can comprise other types of software, familiar to those skilled in the art having the benefit of this disclosure, that can retrieve advertisements from the advertisement source(s) 714, including servers, web sites, local storage (such as the storage medium 322 having advertisements downloaded therein, which may be based on a viewer profile in some instances), carousel broadcast advertisement channel, or other sources depicted in
The advertisement application 712 can provide the retrieved information to the ticker API 708 so that the information can be formatted for display within the ticker 406, such as depicted in
In one embodiment, the various data exchanged between the ticker API 704, the application(s) 708, and the advertisement application 712 (such as textual advertisement information to be displayed within the ticker 506) can comprise objects, or arguments that are passed in calls. The feed manager 706 can operate in one embodiment to control the communication of data between the ticker API 704 and the advertisement application 712, including interacting with the advertisement application 712 to determine if there are updated advertisements that are available. It is to be appreciated that the feed manager 706 need not be involved in operations related to providing advertisements (and related transaction data) in some embodiments (and is therefore symbolically depicted by a broken line 716 in
Beginning at a block 802, a television program signal is received by the client terminal 108, resulting in the display of the television program 404 on the display screen 402. As described above, the television program signal may be non-interactive or may have interactivity that does not include interactive purchase opportunities. Ticker data may also be received at the block 802, including ticker data that may be downloaded or cached for later presentation, or ticker data that is presented in a ticker shown along with the television program 404 (e.g., a news ticker, sports ticker, or other ticker different from a shopping ticker that may be normally invoked with the ticker button 414).
At a block 804, software (in cooperation with suitable hardware) in the client terminal 108 monitors whether the BUY button 430 has been pressed. In one embodiment, such software can comprise the ticker UI 702, such that if a signal or user command corresponding to a press of the BUY button 430 is received from the remote control 410, the ticker UI 702 causes the shopping ticker 506 to be rendered according to the conditions to be described below. In other embodiments, the software to monitor for the press of the BUY button 430 and to determine if conditions are appropriate for invoking the shopping ticker 506 can comprise other software in the client terminal 430 that can instruct the ticker UI 702 or other ticker software to invoke the ticker 506.
If the BUY button 430 has not been pressed at the block 804, then the client terminal 108 continues to receive and present the television program signal at the block 802. If, however, the BUY button 430 has been pressed, then the software determines at a block 806 whether a commerce opportunity is originally available with the television program 404. This determination may be done, for instance, by processing the television program signal to determine if the received user command (e.g., the pressing of the BUY button 430) is applicable to interactive purchase triggers, merchant URLs, or other interactive purchase information that has been sent with the television program signal. If such a commerce opportunity is originally available (e.g., the television program 404 is presented along with an interactive purchase trigger), then the method 800 proceeds to a block 808 to conduct a resulting transaction with the viewer. The transaction conducted with the viewer at the block 808 can use techniques, user interfaces, or other processes and technology familiar to those skilled in the art having the benefit of this disclosure.
If an original commerce opportunity is determined to be unavailable at the block 806 (such as if the received user command is inapplicable to interactivity with the received television program signal or is unable to result in interaction with the television program, including situations where the received television program or its signal is completely non-interactive), then the method 800 proceeds to a block 810 to invoke the shopping ticker 506 in response to the press of the BUY button 430. Invocation of the shopping ticker 506 at the block 810 can comprise, at least initially, having the ticker UI 702 render the scroll regions, graphics, and other layout and format of the template for the shopping ticker 506. The operations at the block 810 can also include having the ticker API 704 work in conjunction with the feed manager 706 and/or the advertisement application 712 to initially obtain (or get ready to obtain) at least some of the shopping information to place into the template of the shopping ticker 506.
For embodiments where the shopping information to be presented in the shopping ticker 506 is context-sensitive with the subject matter of the television program 404, trigger processing software determines whether context and/or content triggers are available with the television program 404 at a block 812. Such triggers can include triggers that identify, for instance, the teams playing in a game, a sponsor or merchant associated with a television commercial, time of year, names of individuals in the program, and so forth. These triggers are extracted, identified, or otherwise processed at a block 814, and used to select and present context-sensitive shopping information in the shopping ticker 506. Such selection can include, for example in one embodiment, passing the trigger information to the advertisement application 712 and having the advertisement application 712 select the appropriate advertisement(s) from the advertisement source 714 based on the trigger information. The selected advertisements are then passed by the advertisement application 712 to the ticker API 704 or directly to the ticker UI 702 for presentation within the shopping ticker 506.
For embodiments where the information in the shopping ticker 506 is not context-sensitive (or where context triggers are determined to be unavailable at the block 812), shopping information of a more general nature is presented in the ticker 506 at a block 816. Thereafter, viewer responses to the presented shopping information are processed at a block 818, such as requests for additional details, menu selections, and other actions associated with the purchase experience.
The above description of illustrated embodiments of the invention, including what is described in the Abstract, is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. While specific embodiments of, and examples for, the invention are described herein for illustrative purposes, various equivalent modifications are possible within the scope of the invention and can be made without deviating from the spirit and scope of the invention.
As an example, a satellite television (TV) delivery system may be implemented alternatively or in addition to a cable distribution system. A satellite TV delivery system may comprise a direct broadcast satellite (DBS) system. A DBS system may comprise a small 18-inch satellite dish (which is an antenna for receiving a satellite broadcast signal); a digital integrated receiver/decoder (IRD), which separates each channel, and decompresses and translates the digital signal so a television can show it; and a remote control. Programming for a DBS system may be distributed, for example, by multiple high-power satellites in geosynchronous orbit, each with multiple transponders. Compression (e.g., MPEG) is used to increase the amount of programming that can be transmitted in the available bandwidth.
A digital broadcast center (e.g., analogous to the head-end 106) may be used to gather programming content, ensure its digital quality, and transmit the signal up to the satellites. Programming may come to the broadcast center from content providers (TBS™, HBO™, CNN™, ESPN™, etc.) via satellite, fiber optic cable, and/or special digital tape. Satellite-delivered programming is typically immediately digitized, encrypted and uplinked to the orbiting satellites. The satellites retransmit the signal back down to every earth-station—or, in other words, every compatible DBS system receiver dish at customers' homes and businesses.
Some programs may be recorded on digital videotape in the broadcast center to be broadcast later. Before any recorded programs are viewed by customers, technicians may use post-production equipment to view and analyze each tape to ensure audio and video quality. Tapes may then be loaded into a robotic tape handling system, and playback may be triggered by a computerized signal sent from a broadcast automation system. Back-up videotape playback equipment may ensure uninterrupted transmission when appropriate.
These and other modifications can be made to the invention in light of the above detailed description. The terms used in the following claims should not be construed to limit the invention to the specific embodiments disclosed in the specification and the claims. Rather, the scope of the invention is to be determined entirely by the following claims, which are to be construed in accordance with established doctrines of claim interpretation.
All of the above U.S. patents, U.S. patent application publications, U.S. patent applications, foreign patents, foreign patent applications and non-patent publications referred to in this specification and/or listed in the Application Data Sheet, are incorporated herein by reference, in their entirety.
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|Cooperative Classification
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|Oct 8, 2002
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text:
Haley Gwinn has been appointed loan servicing manager at home mortgage lender Greater Nevada Mortgage to oversee all of the company's daily mortgage servicing functions.
Previously, Gwinn worked at parent company Greater Nevada Credit Union's educational branch in Carson City and held several roles at the credit union and in mortgage services. Most recently, she served as Greater Nevada Mortgage's servicing report analyst.
Gwinn is the former chair of the Carson City Chamber of Commerce Young Business Professionals and a past board member of the California/Nevada Youth Involvement Network.

subset: commoncrawl


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It's quite ironic that I'm writing this post while on holiday in the Lake District. It's our first family holiday of the year and I must admit, it crept up on me. The weather so far has been great and we've enjoyed visits to Keswick, Buttermere and Aira Force. We love taking photographs to capture our adventures and on the first night we watched the sun go down over Ashness Jetty. +
Put Your Feet Up


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"I use little kids books in sermons. Kids books aren't always just for little kids," says Carla Gilbert, and that sums up everything unique about Carla Gilbert. She is a chaplain at the Saint Joseph Berea hospital where she uses her love of people, unflinching kindness and friendly humor to lessen the pains of sick and injured patients.
Attending University of Colorado Boulder as a medical researcher, Carla became interested in church involvement. She spent more than 10 years as a pastor and teacher at United Church of Christ in Idaho where she continued her progressive beliefs by preforming multiple gay-marriage ceremonies before moving to Utah for eight years. Carla fell in love with Berea when she and her husband, Kevin Burk, came to visit her son, Kent Gilbert, pastor of Union Church.
"We fell in love and bought a home on the vacation," Carla says.
Carla believes everyone is equal and the word of the Lord is all about being caring and respectful of each other, no matter what someone believes.
"Everybody is worth everything," she says. "They are all God's children."
Carla is a bell ringer and an active member at Union Church. A sign outside the church reads, "Welcomes all. No Kidding. No exceptions." That is how Carla uses lives her life – open and accepting of all with a welcoming smile. She has her own presence and humor that is relaxed, fun and confident. She supported the proposed ordinance 18-14, ". . . which revisions and addition prohibits decimation based on sexual ordination or gender Identification . . ."
She regularly goes to city hall meetings to make her presence known and keep the topic on the minds of city officials.
"I make a difference that's important, but I'm not the only one who can," Carla says. "That keeps me humble."
Mary Fischer, 75, of Carson City, Nevada, (left) reunites with her University of Colorado-Boulder roommate, Carla Gilbert, 76, of Berea. Mary and Carla have been friends since 1955. "I haven't seen her in at least five years," Gilbert said.
Carla Gilbert checks bible passages as she writes a sermon for the upcoming funeral of a friend's mother.
Carla Gilbert (left) says a prayer of healing and thankfulness for Dana Sparks, 54, of McKee. Gilbert is the chaplain at Saint Joseph Berea Hospital. "I make a difference and that's important," Gilbert says, "but I'm not the only one who can; that keeps me humble."
Carla Gilbert offers a bite of ice cream to her husband, Kevin Burke, at Union Church. They have been married for over 17 years.
Carla Gilbert right reaches for the hand of another bible study goer as they prepare for closing prayer at Union Church.
Carla Gilbert kisses her husband, Kelvin Burke, 60, before leaving the house. "We pray together at every meal and most every night," Gilbert said.


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Sadie H Gancorz
- 100 years old
- Date of birth: December 25th, 1914
- Place of birth:
West Warren
- Date of passing: May 13th, 2015
- Place of passing:
This memorial website was created in the memory of our loved one, Sadie Gancorz, 100, born on December 25th, 1914 and passed away on May 13th, 2015. We will remember her forever.
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- 30 years old
- Date of birth: Jul 24, 1985
- Date of passing: Aug 4, 2015
|Let the memory of Nancy be with us forever
"Happy 31st birthday. Party hard"
"I love you my big sister! I will never forget you nor the blessings that came our way together. I love you so much and I ask that you continue to watch over us as your family for we think about you always!!!
Hugs and kisses to the angels for you my dear sister!
Love your sister Rio!!"
"Miss you so much only knew you a short time but I love you"
"I miss you so much sissy! I miss my best friend the main person I talked to! I love you so much and wish you were still here more and more every day!"
"I thought I saw you last week... riding in the passenger side of a pickup truck. I smiled so big until I realized it wasn't you. Then I smiled even bigger remembering how you use to dance. You always danced... always. I will always remember you and think about you every time I go dancing. I miss you terribly and I wish I could have been a better friend than I was to you. You made a huge impression upon my life, dear girl. I love you..."
"Missed very much. Love u"
"Love you my sweet precious baby girl, miss you soo much"
"Miss you girlie!!!!"
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Bridging the APAC communication gap between humans and machines
Customers today want fast answers to their questions and to have a seamless, informed conversation with companies, whatever their request might be. This is especially true in Asia Pacific, with research finding that APAC consumers are far ahead of those in other regions. For example, 91% of people in China and 84% of those in Singapore expect to be offered a range of channels, personalized to their needs. By contrast just 79% of those in the UK and 58% of Belgians demanded different channels. And the prize for delivering superior service is enormous – according to Frost & Sullivan 60% of APAC consumers are willing to pay more for excellent service, with over 40% happy to pay more than 20% more.
Yet at the same time consumers want the human touch for many of their conversations – they want to be understood and receive fast, personalized service. This is where technology can help, particularly the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and Natural Language Processing (NLP). NLP is the application of computational techniques to the analysis and synthesis of natural language and speech, providing programs with the ability to understand human language as it written or spoken. Essentially NLP bridges the gap between humans and machines, analyzing incoming requests and automatically providing relevant, informed answers, either directly or to a customer service agent to support the conversation they are having.
Given the importance of customer experience to the APAC market, an increasing number of companies are adopting NLP across the region, according to analyst research. This is being driven by better IT infrastructure and more demanding customers, who are spending increasing amounts of time on digital channels such as social media. The overall NLP market is expected to grow by over 20%, hitting nearly $1 billion in 2018, with APAC experiencing particular increases in adoption.
NLP can benefit organizations and their customers in four main ways:
1. Automated routing to reach the right person
Ensuring that incoming digital queries reach the best available person to respond to the consumer can be extremely difficult, given the growing volume of requests that most companies are receiving. By analyzing every digital interaction, whether it is social media, email or chat, NLP can automatically route it to the right person – wherever they are in the company. This not only saves time, but prevents requests being bounced between departments – something that consumers find particularly frustrating.
2. Supporting agents with the right knowledge
Consumers value the human support that agents provide, but expect them to have all their details, and all the information they need to answer their query at their fingertips. NLP augments the human skills of agents by automatically providing them with relevant answers from a self-learning knowledge base, either based on analysis of an incoming query or in response to a question typed by an agent when on the phone. By empowering agents with knowledge, NLP can bridge the gap between humans and technology.
3. Smart search to quickly serve up the right answers
For many basic queries, customers simply want to find an answer instantly. When does your store close? What is your returns policy? Increasingly they want information on their mobile devices when out and about, and don't want to search through your website on their smartphone to find their answer. Using NLP-based smart self-service systems online, either on your website or through channels such as Facebook, instantly connects consumers with the right information, enabling them to continue their journey without having to break off to call or email.
4. Ongoing analysis to plan for the future
Every organization wants to get closer to its customers in order to better understand their needs and therefore provide them with compelling products and services that drive loyalty and advocacy. However, relying solely on customer surveys and market research only provides a partial picture, ignoring those consumers that don't give direct feedback. Through NLP companies can overcome this by analyzing all of the conversations they have, across every channel, using the technology's power to pick out wider themes that can drive improved insight and business decisions. You can see what customers are asking for most, and change how you operate to ensure you provide exactly what they want.
AI and in particular Natural Language Processing is growing rapidly in APAC, helping organizations to have better, more meaningful conversations with their customers and driving a seamless experience that meets their needs, bridging the gap between humans and machines.


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Bright Age Agency Partners with The Good Seed To Aid Los Angeles Youth
It's estimated that there are about 4,000 homeless young men at any given time in the streets of Los Angeles. Most of these male youth come from poverty stricken families struggling to make ends meet. They are too old to qualify for social services aimed at children, and too young to have adequate means to support themselves. These factors can cause a lack of a sense of direction which can lead to hopelessness, drug use, crime and homelessness.
The Good Seed Shelter is a non-profit organization that provides social services and transitional housing to the underprivileged youth of northern and southern California. It's centermost in a program that was started by the Good Seed Church. The shelter provides a host of services to Transition Age Youth (TAY) from the ages of 18 to 25. These young men are provided with basic human needs like food, clothing and a warm bed in a secure, homelike environment.
The shelter is committed to alleviating the painful issues associated with poverty and homelessness by providing counseling aimed at addressing substance abuse, learning life management skills, job training and independent living. Many of these young men are in need of mental health and medical services, and The Good Seed assists them in obtaining these. The Good Seed has partnered with the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health in order to conduct intensive case management assessments to determine the individual needs of these underprivileged young men. This helps secure permanent housing, ongoing counseling and social services to further their stability and success after leaving the shelter. They are also given referrals to additional programs and resources they might need in the future.
Bright Age Digital Creative Agency is a well-established company that specializes in web design, graphic design and internet marketing techniques which include Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Facebook advertising and social media management. The Good Seed asked them to design and produce ads aimed at grabbing the attention of homeless youth to lead them to the shelter. They were kind and caring enough to offer their services for free. The result of this partnership is a creative, well-designed ad that will be posted in 1,200 buses across Los Angeles. Homeless young men will often ride the bus continually through the late night hours in desperate attempts to find warmth and shelter, so these ads couldn't be placed in a better location.
The professionals at Bright Age Digital Creative Agency are excited about this opportunity to help their community. These ads will help The Good Seed and Bright Age reach a large number of desperate young males and make a huge impact on the Los Angeles community. Bright Age has produced multiple versions of these ads in order to adapt to these young men's different demographics. The ads are written in Spanish as well as English to reach Los Angeles's large male Hispanic population.
This partnership between The Good Seed and Bright Age should stand as a shining example of what can be accomplished when organizations work together to better their communities.


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Alfred M. Albers
Author & Magician
Of Ghosts And Magic
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A retired U. S. Navy veteran, Al Albers is a Technical Writer/Editor for a defense contractor, and a retired professional magician. He has now added "a published novelist" to his list of accomplishments.
Al's four mystery novels,
Of Ghosts and Magic,
House of Tarot Cards
A Pocket Full of Voices,
The Last Goodbye,
feature protagonist John Michaels, a retired Master Magician living in Virginia Beach.
Al has created a down-to-earth character who voluntarily becomes a private investigator to help unravel a seemingly impossible mystery.
Michaels' unique understanding of how the mind can be easily fooled, coupled with his "outside the box" thought process, methodically proves that an unconventional clue - no matter how strange - is always worth pursuing.


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Choosing A Broker
How to Trust a Broker
Binary trading is risky and no company will be able to change that fact for you. Therefore, beware first and foremost of binary brokers who claim this investment is safe or loss-proof. When searching for a broker, the main considerations are the transparency, the professionalism and the accessibility. There are too many binary firms that are excellent at taking your money but do a poor job giving you proper service, advice and investment tips.
Brokers want you to become their customer, and that is a legitimate part of the business relationship you should be prepared to have with them. Yet reliable brokers will give you more than just promises of high yields.
Free Trading Courses
The main sign that a broker is serious about providing you with an opportunity to earn from binary options trading, is that it understands your need for educational tools. More so, the best brokers provide professional training and advice for free.
UBinary is has an educational center on its site with an immense amount of information, trading videos, eCourses and more. When your binary broker gives these many opportunities to perfect your trading skills, obviously it is a strong indication that it is a reliable destination for your investments. If you are looking for e place where you can learn how to profit,sign up now:
Banc de Binary offer the best one-on-one training sessions and traders have praised this advantage, which has significantly increased their profits. With the highest payout in binary trading, at 95% per trade, and professional financial advisers ready to assist you in a personal and constant way, this is an excellent choice for new traders:
TradeRush, has created a multi level course for beginners. It also provides the more experienced traders with valuable daily market updates that can turn into excellent investment opportunities. Remember, none of these companies will lessen the risks involved in high-yield investments. Yet your success probabilities will increase with the knowledge they can provide. TradeRush also assist you by giving you a large real-cash bonus:
Professional Service
Another aspect you want to consider when choosing your binary broker is the level of professionalism, know-how and seriousness it shows. RedWood Options employs a team of young and serious financial experts who are eager to turn you into a skilled online trader. Their personnel really know their business and you can profit from that today.
It's not always that your account manager will have either the ability or disposition to help you make better trades, avoids unnecessary risk or take advantage of special opportunities. Here is where RedWood is a level above most others, with a team of managers with actual financial background and the capacity to guide investors.
Sometimes the hectic rhythm of binary trading makes traders forget that they are a Skype conversation away from receiving information about trends, market shifts and world economy news. A good broker provides traders the chance to consult about binary options strategies, trading systems or new signals software. RedWood Options excels at that.
Avoiding Binary Scams
The Cedar Finance scam rumor has probably a lot to do with traders feeling they have been fooled into investing in a seemingly simple, albeit very risk derivative. Don't be one of them. You can become an expert in binary trading by simply choosing brokers that are willing to invest in your training.
Another important factor is to begin your trading experience carefully. Have a strategy and stick to it, begin with small trades and work your way up, don't make hasty decisions. Remember this is a financial investment. Don't let brokers convince you to make large trades immediately. It's a good sign that the company you chose is a bit of a scam. Rather pace yourself on your way to consistent profit.


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How Do I Restore Jet Ski With Good and Right
How Do I Restore Jet Ski With Good and Right, Follow this way, you can make a complete recovery. Viewed from another perspective, however, took a well designed, well built, jet skis and restoring old may be the most effective way to get yourself into a jet ski good quality that you would not otherwise be able to afford. older models tend to have fewer bells and whistles but when you're sailing in the water with the wind in your hair, does it really matter? Regarding the best bang for the money, it is possible for the project economics to work out as much of the investment will be old fashion elbow grease. The similarity between a jet ski and old houses are astounding. This is evident by watching almost all the home improvement shows on television. Someone took a older home, restore and rebuild their homes and reap heaps of benefits and pride. Restoration of vintage model jet ski, or even a private boat models with a large number of hours, can produce a high resale value in some cases, but restored pride yourself jet ski is a guarantee.
Here are some basic concepts to guide anyone in the right direction regarding the restoration project their own jet ski. First, there is the question of legality. Make sure jet skis are equipped with a title of ownership or some form of valid registration. One can only imagine the horror of personal watercraft fully recovered are not legal to operate in the public waters.Of, the law varies greatly between countries so good locality in the department of motor vehicles or other appropriate government office. Now to the fun stuff … The hull must be healthy and do not require any kind of substantial reconstruction. A solid foundation is the best way to start any project. If you plan to invest your hard earned money, make sure it is a desirable model based on the likelihood you'll need to sell back at some point. Doing your financial homework, accurate estimates of overall costs is vital to any project. The next course make sure you have the funds allocated to complete the job, perhaps even a buffer even a good idea. Too many projects go unfinished due to lack of funding. A very liberal consideration should be given to the total returns of time as well. Most likely that it will take about twice as long to finish your project than anticipated. Being that personal watercraft are seasonal vehicles in many cases, the off-season will be the best job so there is no rush to an important portion of your job. Patience is the key from start to finish.
Another thought to consider is the partial sub-contractors. If any part of the engine or the hull where experts can achieve a better, or more durable results, rather than go for it. There is no shame in hiring out most of the returns if you feel you may not do the best job on your own. Some mechanics are not a strong electric and vice versa. It is important to know when help is needed. Painting or refinishing the hull with a custom paint scheme is a good example of something that may need to be handled by a professional.
However, this type of restoration project is not for everyone. But for those who have the desire, skills, time, and money, these projects can be beneficial and ultimately fun. Maybe the trick to success is to attack returns with an attitude like a business. Guaranteed you'll feel like a million dollars on a jet ski you put back in the water.


text: Mountaineer Posted: 2/15/2013 10:30am PST That's Florida for you. Welcome to the land of the newly wed and nearly dead...Florida ! Peter Posted: 2/15/2013 11:38am PST A state full of white trash gun toting criminals and alzheimer impaired seniors on the road Florida should be warning the driver's.Anybody would be warned to avoid this state and with so many better choices for vacation.Nice job Florida scaring away tourist!


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Agnieszka Radwanska reached her second straight final at the WTA San Diego Open on Saturday defeating ailing Andrea Petkovic 4-6, 6-0, 6-4.
Germany's second-seeded Petkovic was hampered by a stomach virus and had to sprint through the stands to leave the court at mid-game in the second set as her stomach played up.
She returned, made her apologies and dropped the second set 0-6.
"I had something bad for lunch," explained the German. "I tried eating a banana before the match but that made it worse. It was like a rock in my stomach that I had to get rid of."
She added that the decision to run off court as opposed to perhaps being ill on it was a careful deliberation: "I didn't want to be on (ESPN programme) SportsCenter for the next 25 years," she joked, a reference to a clip of Pete Sampras once throwing up at the US Open that has received repeated play on television.
"After, I felt much, much better but the problem was that I dropped intensity. I had trouble finding back my focus and my intensity after that.
"I felt fine throughout the whole match. Afterwards, I felt sick again, but throughout the match I felt totally fine after that little incident."
Interruption aside, Radwanska called the contest "a very tough match."
"Even if she was sick she was playing incredibly. It was great to finally win."
Petkovic rallied in the third set, stopping the rot after Radwanska won 10 straight games to take a 4-0 lead in the final set.
Petkovic earned a service break and narrowed the gap to 3-4 before Radwanska hit the accelerator and eventually served out the victory on her first match point after two hours, 10 minutes.
Poland's Radwanska was runner-up here last year to Svetlana Kuznetsova in her last appearance in a WTA final.
Radwanska, who has battled a sore right shoulder all week, will face either top-seeded Russian Vera Zvonareva or Serbia's Ana Ivanovic in Sunday's final.
Despite the defeat, Petkovic will move into the Top 10 in the world rankings for the first time on Monday, displacing Australian Samantha Stosur


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