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|19th week of 2009 patent applcation highlights part 56
|Patent application number
|AUDIO-BOOK PLAYBACK METHOD AND APPARATUS - An audio-book playback method includes buffering text data that is to be played back by speech, converting the buffered text data to speech data, performing speech-playback by using the speech data, and buffering next text data for continuous playback. The provided audio-book playback method and an apparatus enable a user to enjoy reading a book while also listening to content of the book being voiced by a multimedia playback device. Moreover, double buffering technology is employed to provide seamless text and speech-playback services.
|SYSTEM AND METHOD OF TRAINING A DYSARTHRIC SPEAKER - The invention describes a computer-based system that asks (
|Method of Encoding and Decoding an Audio Signal - An apparatus for encoding and decoding an audio signal and method thereof are disclosed, by which compatibility with a player of a general mono or stereo audio signal can be provided in coding an audio signal and by which spatial information for a multi-channel audio signal can be stored or transmitted without a presence of an auxiliary data area. The present invention includes extracting side information embedded in non-recognizable component of audio signal components and decoding the audio signal using the extracted side information.
|STEREO ENCODING DEVICE, AND STEREO SIGNAL PREDICTING METHOD - A prediction performance between the individual channels of a stereo signal is improved to improve the sound quality of a decoded signal. An LPF (
|Recording Medium Storing Car Seat Fabric Simulation Program, Car Seat Fabric Simulation Method, Car Seat Fabric Simulation Device, Car Seat Fabric Manufacturing Method, and Car Seat Fabric Trading Method - A car seat fabric is simulated with a feeling of reality. A fabric texture information input acceptance portion (
|Unit-Based Refuse Collection System - A method and system for unit-based refuse collection is described. The method includes providing a resident or user with visually identifiable, and in some cases standard-sized bags to contain the refuse to be collected, and providing the resident with a container for holding filled bags while awaiting collection, the container having at least one substantially transparent portion for observing the filled bags therein. While collecting the refuse, an operator visually determines compliance with the collection system by observing the filled visually identifiable bags through the substantially transparent portion or portions of the container, to ensure usage of the proper bags, which may be sold at a price including the cost of collection. The resident is then billed in accordance with the amount of refuse that is generated, reflected by the number of visually identifiable bags that are used.
|Systems and Methods for Enabling Customer Service - A method for enabling customer service includes providing a first portion of a flow chart including a flow chart component corresponding to a first task and a flow chart component corresponding to a second task. The flow chart may correspond to a customer service process comprising several tasks. A list of steps corresponding to the first task depicted in the flow chart is also provided. User input indicating completion of the first task is then received. Responsive to receiving the user input, a second portion of the flow chart is provided including a flow chart component corresponding to the second task and a flow chart component corresponding to a third task. The second portion of the flow chart includes at least one flow chart component that is not part of the first portion of the flow chart.
|Customizing A Target Using An Endpoint - In one embodiment, customizing a target using an endpoint includes receiving customization parameters through a wireless link, where a customization parameter designating a setting for a feature of a target. The customization parameters are stored at the endpoint. A customization request comprising the customization parameters is generated. The customization request is sent to a customizer of the target to customize the target.
|METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CREDIT REPORT REMINDER SERVICE - Methods and systems are described for a credit report reminding service. A reminder service receives credit report reminder requests and credit report retrieval history from one or more consumers, such that one or more servers, software applications and databases are used to store and generate one or more consumer credit report retrieval schedules. The reminder service transmits credit report reminders to consumers based on the credit report retrieval schedules, and receives acknowledgements from the consumers when they have retrieved free credit reports.
|SUPPLYING PRE-SORT DISCOUNT RATE DATA TO POSTAGE METER - A method includes receiving, in a postage meter, input from a user to select a rate option in the postage meter for mail that is to be pre-sorted at a remote location. If the selected pre-sort rate option has been programmed into the postage meter, the postage meter is set to print postage indicia in accordance with the selected pre-sort rate option. If the selected pre-sort rate option has not been programmed into the postage meter, the postage meter displays, to the user, information to indicate to the user how to arrange for the selected pre-sort rate option to be programmed into the postage meter.
|METHOD FOR PROVIDING TISSUE PRODUCTS HAVING COORDINATED DECOR FEATURES - A method of customizing a tissue product, having the steps of: selecting a plurality of different architectural décor or home décor styles; categorizing the architectural décor or home décor styles into style groups; selecting a plurality of style groups; selecting at least one design that is representative of each style group; applying the selected designs to one or more tissue products, so that the tissue products represent the style group.
|SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CREATING AND MANAGING A PERSONALIZED WEB INTERFACE FOR MONITORING LOCATION INFORMATION ON INDIVIDUALS AND OBJECTS USING TRACKING DEVICES - A personalized format webpage is generated to monitor location information. A management dashboard module is disclosed to provide a user access to location information of a tracking device associated with an object or an individual. An account services module provides menu options to the user. A wizard menu enables the user to enter billing information, identification settings of the tracking device, and coverage zones. Alert messages associated with the tracking device are generated in accordance with selected coverage zones and provided to the user.
|AUTOMATICALLY DETERMINING AND APPLYING OVERAGE FOR A CUSTOMER PRINT JOB - A print shop management system for automatically handling overage for customer print or copy jobs is described. An overage refers to extra copies of a customer job produced for internal use at the print shop. The print shop management system allows the operator to create overage formulas, each formula specifying a set of criteria and an overage value for customer jobs meeting the criteria. The system then automatically applies the overage formulas to each customer job to print the requested number of copies and the extra copies. The system can also keep track of actual resource usage for each job
|Peer-to-peer service providing system and method for preventing contents from being illegally distributed - A peer-to-peer (P2P) service providing system and method for preventing contents from being illegally distributed are disclosed. An electronic tag is assigned to digital contents after generating the contents. Information regarding the electronic tag is provided in response to a content request. A determination is made as to whether a fee to share corresponding contents has been paid using the electronic tag information, and the corresponding contents are provided. Illegal content distribution through the Internet (particularly, a P2P system) can be prevented.
|Retail Item - Offset Pairing for Neutral Environmental Impact - Systems and methods for pairing negative and positive environmental impacts are disclosed. The system and methods include pairing negative environmental impacts from retail item production and manufacturing with positive environmental impacts from projects, resulting in retail items that are neutral with respect to environmental effects. The systems and methods offset negative environmental impact for retail items by determining a positive environmental impact associated with a project and calculating micro-units based on the amount of negative impact from each retail item. A unique identifier is assigned to each micro-unit and the micro-unit-retail unit pairing is stored. The system can be implemented via a computer system.
|System for communication of health care data - An apparatus for communicating health care data from a sender to a receiver is provided. The apparatus has a first computer system, a second computer system, and a rules engine. The first computer system has health care data stored therein. The second computer system is in operable communication with, and is configured to extract the health care data from, the first computer system. The rules engine normalizes the extracted health care data to a predefined format.
|SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ENHANCED CLINICAL WORKFLOW - A method for clinical workflow is presented. The method includes selecting a predefined template, where the predefined template includes one or more parameters associated with a patient. Further, the method includes determining a list of matching devices, where the matching devices are configured to provide the one or more parameters associated with the patient. The method also includes aiding the collection of available matching devices, where the available matching devices include matching devices from the list of matching devices that are not associated with any patient. Systems and computer-readable medium that afford functionality of the type defined by this method is also contemplated in conjunction with the present technique.
|Analytical Tool for Managing the Treatment of Chronic Illnesses - A system and method for creating an individual treatment plan which includes a user interface configured to receive user input and communicate with a Relational Remedy Database Server containing information about chronic illnesses and remedies. The Method and System described herein further utilizes a Treatment Plan Software Component, a Patient Data Update Software Component and an Optimization Software Component which performs a multiple regression analysis to determine an optimal combination of remedies based on user responses to create an Updated Treatment Plan.
|METHOD TO VIEW SCHEDULE INTERDEPENDENCIES AND PROVIDE PROACTIVE CLINICAL PROCESS DECISION SUPPORT IN DAY VIEW FORM - A system and method for use in managing and preparing for scheduled procedures that are characterized as being interdependent and variable. The disclosed method enables schedule risk management and provides a look-ahead capability along with process diagnostics to isolate specific assets and tasks that can be managed to reduce schedule risk. The method facilitates review of upcoming tasks by the process stakeholders for education as to where the schedule risks reside and in an emulation mode for review and improved scheduling going forward. Clinical workflow is integrated such that process stakeholders and assets are directed in such a way as to keep on, reduce delay risk or recover the schedule.
|ENTERPRISE-WIDE HOSPITAL BED MANAGEMENTDASHBOARD SYSTEM - An integrated health care delivery network with enabling software and network technology to maximize bed resources, manage varying census levels, and avoid patient diversions through real-time monitoring, automation and communication, is disclosed. Preferably, the present invention is embodied in a bed management/census control dashboard (BMD) system that interfaces with and complements existing Admission/Discharge/Transfer (ADT) systems. The BMD system is an easy-to-use business intelligence application that is designed to allow administrators, clinicians and managers to easily access, analyze and display real-time patient and bed availability information from ancillary information systems, databases and spreadsheets. It enables users to see trends and relationships in hospital (bed) management data directly from their desktop personal computers.
|System for Providing an Overview of Patient Medical Condition - A system provides an overview of patient medical condition by automatically converting a financial diagnosis description of a medical condition, into clinical terminology and associating a clinical diagnosis with a patient in a record that persists the association across multiple patient visits for a lifetime type medical condition. A system provides an overview of patient medical condition identifying both long term and short term medical conditions. The system includes a designation processor for designating an identified patient medical condition as being long term in response to user command. At least one repository stores information associating a designated long term patient medical condition with a patient and with a plurality of encounter identifiers identifying corresponding interactions of the patient with a healthcare provider organization and medical conditions associated with the encounters. A user interface initiates generation of data representing a composite display image window including data identifying a designated long term patient medical condition together with encounters and medical conditions associated with the encounters providing a user an overview of long term and short term medical conditions of a patient.
|SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING PRESCRIPTION COMPLIANCE FEEDBACK - A comprehensive medication management system is disclosed. The comprehensive medication management system offers a number of compliance related services that may be offered to patients in to improve medication therapy compliance. The system identifies compliance barriers facing individual patents and recommends services designed to overcome those barriers. The system further provides feedback to patients to document their progress. The system proactively identifies patients who may benefit from compliance services and blocks their transactions until the services are explained. The point of sale block may be expanded to other classes of patients so that the transactions of other classes of patients blocked and other messages delivered or some other customized interactions carried out. The medication management system may serve as a central repository of information about a patient's medication treatment program and the medication management system may provide quick and easy access to a patient's entire medication history to facilitate consultations between a pharmacist and the patient. The medication management system may generate lists of tasks for pharmacists to perform in order to deliver the compliance related services to individual patients.
|Method and apparatus for interpreting data - A system, method, and computer program for analyzing clinical data relating to a patient is provided. The system includes a computing device having a memory, a plurality of tables configured to be stored to be processed by the computing device, a plurality of modules configured to be executed by the computing device and further configured to interact with the plurality of tables. The modules are configured to process data obtained from a pool of data, wherein the pool of data includes raw clinical data relating to the patient and derived data based on internal processing. The plurality of tables is configured to store the results of execution by the modules. The results may undergo post-processing and then be outputted either to a user or to another electronic system.
|METHOD FOR CREATING INDIVIDUAL HEALTH RECORDS FROM STANDARD EXPLANATION OF BENEFITS - A personal health record is maintained by receiving a document having information thereon corresponding to the purchase of healthcare. The document is transmitted to a server by generating an identification code associated with a personal health record stored at the server and affixing it to the transmitted document. The transmitted document is stored as part of the personal health record. Relevant data is extracted from the document and used to populate the personal health record for updating.
|Dynamic System and Method for Automated Checking and Transmitting of Damage Reports and Damage Claims - The present invention relates to a dynamic system and a corresponding method for automated checking and transmitting of damage reports and damage claims in multi-level damage coverage systems. The dynamic system comprises decentralized, cellular capturing units with assigned areas for capturing damage records, a central unit being bidirectionally connected via a network to the capturing units. The central unit comprises a filter module for selecting first and second damage records based on assigned threshold values, an analysis module for detecting and eliminating first damage records wrongly captured by means of the capturing units, and a regulator module for dynamic adjustment of the threshold values assigned to the respective areas based on the filtered first damage records. Finally, the filtered first damage records, without wrongly captured first damage records, are transmitted to the processing device and are released for multi-level damage coverage, by means of the central unit.
|METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR POLICY UNDERWRITING AND RISK MANAGEMENT OVER A NETWORK - A system and method for collecting insurance information, providing premium quotations, and automating policy issuance and claim processing. An embodiment utilizes automated, task-based work flow process that enables all parties to work efficiently to issue policies and handle policies.
|Auction system and system of forming investment trust and financial products and funds including viatical and life settlement - An auction system between a seller and a bidder via a communication network, for calculating a proper price of a viatical and life settlement policy based on the amount of insurance carried by an insured, the estimated remaining life of the insured, an insurance premium due to be paid by the insured, a commission fee of an investment trust institution and the annual interest of the policy, for preventing the policy from being set at an illegally low price and allowing the insured to sell the policy at an optimized market price while maintaining a fair trade. Whether or not already-distributed key information is used for login, charges can be withdrawn from a trade account available for online settlement, and it is possible to confirm whether a seller or bidder has carried out an illegal action, so that troubles such as unpaid fees can be greatly reduced.
|METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REAL TIME GENERATION OF CHARTER FLIGHTS - A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer program product for managing charter flights. Current status is monitored for a plurality of aircraft including any aircraft currently in-flight. In response to receiving a request from a requester for service from a departure location to an arrival location, a set of flights from the departure location to the arrival location is identified using the current status of the plurality of aircraft to form a set of potential flight choices. A cost analysis is performed on the set of potential flight choices to form a set cost results. A portion of the set of potential flight choices is selected based on the set of cost results to form a set of planned flights. The set of planned flights is presented to the requester.
|Method and Apparatus for Playing Audible Advertisements on a Communication Device - The illustrative embodiments described herein provide a computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer program product for playing audible advertisements on a communication device. In response to receiving a request from a caller to initiate a call, an audible advertisement from a set of audible advertisements is selected using criteria matching a user profile associated with the caller. The audible advertisement is played on the communication device to the caller prior to initiating a connection to a callee.
|System and method for efficient product assessment - A method, system, and computer program product for determining and increasing the accuracy of costing including determining possible components of a product; allocating each component at least one costing wherein the costing depends on the current product definition process which may vary over time and wherein different methods for the costing may be applied; assigning an accuracy value for each costing method that is applied; for each component, multiplying its assigned accuracy value with the component's proportion to the total cost of the product, and summing up the weighted accuracies of the costings of the components resulting in an overall accuracy of the costing of the product.
|System and method for managing and presenting information of wedding service providers - One embodiment of a system and method of presenting information of wedding service providers to wedding planners may include investigating wedding service providers of a selected service category. At least three of the wedding service providers may be determined to qualify as meeting a product quality threshold for the selected wedding service category. Information of three of the wedding service providers for the selected wedding service category may be displayed from which a wedding planner may select in planning a wedding.
|METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MEASURING TECHNOLOGY MATURITY - A method for measuring technical maturity index (TMI) for oilfield operations of an oilfield, the oilfield having a subterranean formation with geological structures and reservoirs therein. The method includes sending an assessment including a listing of a number of capabilities to at least one user associated with a first oilfield operation, where each of the number of capabilities is associated with a technology for the oilfield operations, and receiving a first number of responses in response to the assessment for the first oilfield operation, where each of the first number of responses specifies one of the number of capabilities and a level of adoption corresponding to the one of the number of capabilities. The method further includes obtaining a TMI for the first oilfield operation using the first number of responses and presenting the TMI for the first oilfield operation.
|Process-controlled enterprise resource planning system (PERP) - The present invention discloses a process-controlled enterprise resource planning system (herein referred to as a PERP) that features an operational interface allows an operator to operate a required process in at least one start process interface or a start enterprise resource management interface. If the operator selects the start process interface, a process processing unit controls successive operational actions required the operator to operate the operational interface according to an event control process or the process-step control information corresponding to the start process interface. If the operator selects the enterprise resource management interface, an enterprise resource management processing unit controls management and process of the enterprise resource database according to the process-step control information corresponding to the start enterprise resource management interface. Thereupon, operational mistakes can be prevented and time-consumption for training the operator can be reduced.
|MONITORING AND MANAGING REGULATORY COMPLIANCE AMONG ORGANIZATIONS - A dynamic system and method for efficiently measuring organizational compliance with multiple, overlapping, selected sources of compliance requirements by making associations of individual source controls and survey questions with a limited set of discrete compliance objectives, and by enabling creation of compliance surveys and analysis of survey answer sets based on user-selected criteria that may include selection of a specific source or sources; one or more discrete compliance objectives, and/or a choice of questions from a master question pool. Custom surveys with weighted questions and dynamic reporting enables responses to compliance audits to be analyzed against a pre-determined benchmark result, against responder's own prior results, or against other responders.
|Restroom convenience center - A restroom monitoring system for monitoring attributes of fixtures within a restroom using sensors. Additional attributes are determined from the monitored attributes. Consumable usage levels are estimated based on predetermined consumption levels associated with usage states of the fixtures. The restroom monitoring system provides an indication of the need for replenishment of consumables based on the monitored attributes of the fixtures. In addition, restroom monitoring system may provide additional information regarding the restroom attributes to a service provider, a manager or a user.
|BRAND NOTIFICATION SYSTEMS AND METHODS - Tools and techniques for identifying brand misuse and/or for distributing information about such misuse. Certain of the tools and techniques can be used to determine that a set of online content (e.g., a web site, web page, or portion thereof) is untrustworthy (for example, because that set of online content misuses a brand) and generate a brand notification feed indicating the untrustworthiness of the set of online content. This brand notification feed might be distributed to a security vendor, who can incorporate information from the brand notification feed into the information it provides to clients.
|METHOD, SYSTEM AND PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR OPTIMAL PROJECT SELECTION AND TRADEOFFS - A method, system and program product for determining an optimal expected business value. The method includes inputting, into a tool, one or more projects, estimating business value, establishing impacts for resource and/or capacity demands and constraints, project dependencies, business value and risks, identifying projects to tradeoff when new projects arise and when change requests for projects emerge and determining, using the tool, an optimal project portfolio using results of the identifying step that can be utilized under any resource and capacity demands and constraints, project dependencies, business value, and risks established and based on identification of any tradeoff projects, wherein the optimal project portfolio provides an optimal expected business value for the business. The method further includes identifying, deselecting and trading off suboptimal projects in the optimal candidate project portfolio to tradeoff either when a new candidate project is inputted or when a change request arrives.
|ROLLING STOCK SCHEDULING APPARATUS AND METHOD - A rolling-stock-scheduling apparatus includes a creation unit creating a graph from an initial day to a target day, the graph including nodes representing initial-day sites, target-day sites, and first operations, the first operations being defined by a departure time, a departure site, an arrival time, and an arrival site, the graph including arcs each of which indicates nodes' connectability, a setting unit setting paths that connect second operations on each day from the initial day to the target day, an exchange unit exchanging, if there is a first car which does not exist at the target-day site on the target day, each arc so that all the cars exist at target-day sites on the target day, and an output unit outputting, if second paths on which all the cars exist at the target-day sites are found, third operations corresponding to each of the second paths as a car-operation.
|METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MANAGING TRANSACTIONS - A method and system for managing transactions. At least one resource manager (RM) for managing changes to respective system resources of a data processing system is provided. A resource manager coordinator (RMC) for coordinating commit-backout activities of the at least one resource manager is provided. The resource manager coordinator (RMC) is hosted by the data processing system. The data processing system receives a business service request from a remote computer system to perform a task. The task includes compliant processes complying with a commit/backout protocol and non-compliant processes not complying with a commit/backout protocol. The compliant processes are running on the data processing system and the non-compliant processes are running on a counterpart processing system that is coupled to the data processing system by a labile link.
|SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR TECHNICAL SUPPORT BASED ON A FLOCK STRUCTURE - An embodiment relates generally to a method of providing technical support. The method includes providing for a plurality of technical groups. Each technical group specializes in a technical area and is comprised of a plurality of senior and junior members. The method also includes receiving a technical issue and routing the technical issue to a selected technical group based on the technical area of the technical issue. The method further includes generating a solution to the technical issue from the selected technical group.
|SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ENHANCING PRODUCTIVITY - A method and computer program product include defining, by a user, a time template including a plurality of predefined time intervals for scheduling meetings. The time template is applied across a collaborative system.
|Integrated Access to Occupational Healthcare Information - Aspects of the present invention provide systems and methods relating to aggregated access to healthcare information. One aspect of the invention relates to providing a single point of access to multiple stakeholders with respect to a medical case that may include information from multiple healthcare providers.
|System and Method for End-Users to Customize Customer Service Business Solutions Offered as a Service Over a Network - A system and method for end-users to customize customer service business solutions offered as a service over a network. The invention allows end-users to select and customize over a network a customer service business solution from a number of such business solutions offered by the vendor. It allows users to customize the selected business solution to their own business environment without the need for them to change any of the underlying programming code of the business solution. The system of the present invention is used for a variety of customer business solutions.
|Online Advertisement Selection - Online advertisement selection techniques are described. In an implementation, data is obtained which describes interaction of one or more clients with television content. At least one online advertisement is selected to be output in conjunction with online content based on the interaction with the television content described in the obtained data.
|METHOD OF DESIGNING, MANUFACTURING AND STANDARDIZING CUSTOM-BUILT CHECK STANDS OF DIFFERENT SIZES AND CONFIGURATIONS - A new method for designing and manufacturing custom-built check stands is provided which involves producing a large database of drawings of modules and component kits for producing check stands. Drawings are selected from this database for producing check stands in response to an order for a custom-built check stand. The drawings can be subsequently modified to eliminate unneeded features or to add needed features on repeat orders of the check stands in order to produce a standardized check stand for these repeat orders.
|TOOLS AND METHODS FOR BRAND STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT - A tool is provided for use in connection with development of a brand essence. The tool includes a plurality of subsets of descriptor cards. Each subset of descriptor cards has a first set of indicia relating to an associated human sense on a first side of each descriptor card and a second set of indicia relating to the associated human sense on a second side of each descriptor card. The subsets of descriptor cards are based on a plurality of theme categories common to each subset. The first set of indicia on each descriptor card includes a theme category, at least one example associated with the theme category and relating to the associated human sense, at least one descriptor associated with each example, and at least one image associated with the example. The second set of indicia on each descriptor card includes the example on the first side of the descriptor card and the image on the first side of the descriptor card.
|Determining a demographic characteristic based on computational user-health testing of a user interaction with advertiser-specified content - Methods, apparatuses, computer program products, devices and systems are described that carry out specifying at least one of a plurality of user-health test functions responsive to an interaction between a user and at least one advertiser-specified attribute; and transmitting at least one demographic characteristic of the user based on at least one output of the at least one of a plurality of user-health test functions.
|Client relationship manager - A method for managing a client relationship with a financial institution includes collecting information about a client, compiling the information to generate a validation summary, automatically setting expectations regarding account usage and activity of the client based on the information, creating a client profile with a risk determination for the client based on the expectations, routing the client profile with the risk determination for validation, and reviewing the validated client account at a date subsequent to a validation date of the client profile.
|SYSTEMS AND METHODS OF PROVIDING MARKET ANALYTICS FOR A BRAND - Methods for providing marketing analytics are presented. Information about a brand is extracted from web documents using a search program. The search program learns about how a brand is referenced from the context of one or more web documents having quality, quantity, or entity brand characteristics. After learning about the brand, the program extracts information from additional web documents especially those having the quality, quantity, and entity characteristics. As the program analyzes the documents, it stores the extracted information in a database to build a statically significant data set.
|SYSTEMS AND METHOD OF DERIVING A SENTIMENT RELATING TO A BRAND - Methods for deriving a brand sentiment are presented. Phrases and ratings associated with the brand are stored in a database. The phrases are analyzed and compared to each other and to the ratings to derive a statistical significance of a phrase usage relative to other phrases. A sentiment score is derive from the statistical significance.
|METHOD AND DEVICE FOR TRACING AND LOCATING WEB SERVICES CHANGES DURING UPDATING PROCESS - A method and device for tracing and locating web service changes during client web service application updating process. The method and device of the present invention could be implemented in a client application development platform of the web service, or in a server of the web service provider, or in a third party independent of the web service user and provider. The present invention locally customizes release notes or online API update guides for each user. A change history of a target web service concerned by user could be locally traced and locally stored, thus users can easily use said change history to update its codes locally.
|System and Method for Transferring Funds to Recipients of Electronic Messages - Funds are transferred via electronic messaging systems and methods, including a mobile electronic device (MED). Exemplary applications include: delivering a targeted advertisement to a MED based on location or proximity, charging receipt charges for telephone calls, using a MED to pay for goods at a retail outlet, and security techniques for preventing unauthorized financial transactions from a MED.
|METHOD, SYSTEM AND COMPONENTS FOR OBTAINING, EVALUATING AND/OR UTILIZING SELLER, BUYER AND TRANSACTION DATA - Methodologies, systems, components and software are provided that perform web analytics to measure visitor to consumer conversion continuously throughout surfing, through conversion and past completion of a purchase on-line. In accordance with at least one embodiment, such methodologies, systems, components and software may be utilized to determine efficacy of a plurality of parameters relating to one or more Transaction Related Offerings (TROs). In accordance with at least one embodiment of the invention, such methodologies, systems, components and software may be utilized to configure one or more Consumer Behavior Decision Models (CBDMs) and/or generate consumer behavior data.
|METHOD, SYSTEM AND COMPONENTS FOR OBTAINING, EVALUATING AND/OR UTILIZING SELLER, BUYER AND TRANSACTION DATA - Methodologies, systems, components and software are provided that perform web analytics to measure visitor to consumer conversion continuously throughout surfing, through conversion and past completion of a purchase on-line. In accordance with at least one embodiment, such methodologies, systems, components and software may be utilized to determine efficacy of a plurality of parameters relating to one or more Transaction Related Offerings (TROs). In accordance with at least one embodiment of the invention, such methodologies, systems, components and software may be utilized to configure one or more Consumer Behavior Decision Models (CBDMS) and/or generate consumer behavior data.
|ONLINE FORECASTING SYSTEM AND METHOD - System and method for real-time on-line interactive forecasting of an element, the method comprising: receiving a user input for a forecast element; and capturing at least one forecast of an element or event, storing that at least one forecast of an element or event, and sending collective contributed forecast information back to the user who originally sent the input in response to the receipt of the user input for optional display. The method may optionally also include either or both of providing a minimal input forecast interface, and/or pre-queuing a list of elements for fast forecasting; receiving a user input for a forecast element. Computer program product for execution on a single computer or plurality of computers to implement the inventive method and system.
|Methods for advertising in electronic media - Embodiments of the invention seek to overcome one or more of the disadvantages described above by leveraging electronic advertisements that were developed for use in one distribution channel in another distribution channel. In addition, embodiments of the invention better integrate an electronic advertisements into electronic content. Embodiments of the invention also provide alternative methods for valuing electronic advertisements that may be better suited to present and emerging distribution channels.
|Method and Apparatus for Distributing Targeted Audible Advertisements as Ringtones - The illustrative embodiments described herein provide a method, apparatus, and computer program product for distributing targeted audible advertisements as ringtones. A user profile associated with a user is identified. An audible advertisement is selected from a plurality of audible advertisements using criteria matching the user profile. A currently selected ringtone is substituted with the audible advertisement on a communication device associated with the user.
|Custom personalized online advertising - Custom personalized advertisements contain variables which identify types of personal information. When an advertisement loads on a user's display, the content provider identifies the user and provides the personal information identified by the variables for this particular user. The variables in the advertisement are then replaced with the personal information before the advertisement is displayed. The substitution of information for variables can occur at the content provider's servers or the information can be transmitted to a remote advertisement server where it is inserted into the advertisement before sending the custom personalized advertisement to the user's browser. If the information is sent to the advertising server it can be cached so that in the future only the user ID needs to be sent to the server to create a personalized advertisement for this particular user. In the case of caching, the information can be kept up to date by including a last modified date and time in the database of user information.
|VIDEO ADVERTISEMENTS - A query including one or more keywords is received. An advertisement associated with the one or more keywords is identified, and display data for displaying the advertisement is generated and a determination is made as to whether the advertisement is associated with a video. Video selection data is generated for displaying the video proximate to the advertisement if the advertisement is determined to be associated with the video, and the display data and the video selection data are provided.
|Social Advertisements and Other Informational Messages on a Social Networking Website, and Advertising Model for Same - A social networking website logs information about actions taken by members of the website. For a particular member of the website, the website generates socially relevant ads for the member based on the actions logged for other members on the website to whom the member is connected (i.e., the member's online friends). The advertiser associated with the social ad may compensate the social networking website for publishing the ad on the website. When presenting a member with a social ad, the website may optimize advertising revenue by selecting an ad from the received ads that will maximize the expected value of the social ad. The expected value may be computed according to a function that includes the member's affinity for the ad content and the bid amount. The technique is also applied for providing socially relevant information off the social networking website.
|System and method for providing an incentive based on the hardware used to place an order - A system for providing an incentive based on the hardware used to place an order, including: an interface element for at least one specially programmed general-purpose computer; and an offer element, in a processor for the general-purpose computer for: generating an offer to place an order with a business entity, the offer based upon a category for a hardware device or an identification of a hardware device; identifying, using the interface element, a hardware device included in the category or having the identification; and transmitting, using the interface element, the offer for display on the hardware device included in the category or having the identification. In one embodiment, the offer element is for generating an offer using at least one of a set of rules and a artificial intelligence program stored in a memory unit for the general-purpose computer.
|VARIOUS METHODS AND APPARATUSES FOR AN ENGINE THAT PAIRS ADVERTISEMENTS WITH VIDEO FILES - A system to pair advertisements with media files is described. A request is processed to find one or more relevant advertisements and determine when to display each relevant advertisement at a temporally contextual point within a video file when the video file is played on a web page. The video file's key concepts and timing information are retrieved from a database. A request is generated for advertisements that contextually match the content in the key conceptual points found in the content of the video file. The timing information is retrieved regarding when the key conceptual points, relevant to returned advertisements that contextually match, chronologically appear in the video file. Contextual relevant advertisements are supplied with temporal information on when the placement of advertisements is most contextually relevant to the content being played in the video file.
|PORTABLE CONSUMER DEVICE INCLUDING DATA BEARING MEDIUM INCLUDING RISK BASED BENEFITS - A system and method for distributing coupons to consumers at the point-of-sale, where the benefit offered in the coupon can be determined according to a risk analysis. The coupon can then be applied to a transaction taking place at the point-of-sale or stored for future use.
|NETWORKS, METHODS, AND SYSTEMS FOR ENCOURAGING TIMELY FULFILLMENT OF PERIODIC OBLIGATIONS - The present invention includes networks, methods, and systems for encouraging the timely payment of bills and, more specifically, to networks, methods and systems by which rewards are granted to promote the timely payment of bills.
|Advertising Futures Marketplace Methods and Systems - Methods and systems provide information products relating to past, present and future advertising transactions (i.e., contracts to place advertisements in various media) to enable a marketplace in advertising products. Information regarding a plurality of advertising transactions are gathered. Data is analyzed to determine its attributes. Some attribute values are transformed and the attribute values are stored in a database. Attributes are organized or indexed according to a taxonomy of attributes to provide indexes to advertising transaction records. Indexes and benchmarks for various selected types of advertising transactions can be generated by selecting certain records from the database and aggregating the data or otherwise synthesizing information products, such as benchmarks and market entities for the selected types of advertising transactions. Information products may be published and syndicated as market indexes and benchmarks.
|System and Method For Advertisement Targeting of Conversations in Social Media - Conversations in an online content universe are monitored. A conversation index is generated in social media. An individual conversation is defined by user-selectable input terms. Publishers that influence a conversation are identified. The system generates an influence ranking of site's that influence a particular conversation. The system permits ads to be placed on sites based on the sites influence on the conversation. The system can be updated to permit ads to be targeted based on current influence rankings. The influence ranking is used to perform online advertising targeting and placement. Additional marketing filters, such as demographics, historical performance, and return on investment, may be used to adjust an initial influence ranking based. The ad placement may also be expanded to include related conversations, inlinking sites, and/or outlinking sites.
|COUPON GENERATION AND REDEMPTION SYSTEM - A coupon generation and redemption system presenting a consumer with at least one product on which at least one promotion is available. The consumer selects at least one of the at least one product for which the consumer desires to receive at least one coupon. The at least one coupon is generated. The consumer purchases the at least one product referenced in the at least one coupon. The consumer redeems the at least one coupon.
|TAPE SEALANT - A formulated transparent acrylic emulsion is packaged and marketed as tape sealant that gives superior sharp paint boundaries when used in conjunction with masking tape, including modem types that of masking tapes that claim to prevent seepage. Methods of formulating and using the tape sealant, as well as marketing approaches, are included.
|Methods and systems for interchange adjustment - A computer-implemented method and system for interchange adjustment as it relates to private label accounts involves enabling a private label card account with a partner by a card issuer through a card association network with a special program fee that is greater or less than a pre-determined interchange fee established by the card association; issuing a private label card by the card issuer to a cardholder and establishing an associated private label card account for the cardholder; and receiving data for a transaction by a processing system of the card association. The card association processing system calculates and collects the established interchange fee on behalf of the card issuer and sends the transaction data to the card issuer, which calculates a difference between the interchange fee and the special program fee and sends an adjustment back seamlessly through the card association network for credit or debit to an account of the partner.
|Outdoor and out of home advertising method and system - Disclosed is an outdoor and out of home advertising (OOHA) method and system having at least one kiosk client coupled to a secured central server via a VPN, internet, radio communication, satellite communication, Bluetooth communication, or any communication, said at least one kiosk client and secured central server further coupled to the networking. The kiosk client connected to secure central server dynamically pushes specific advertisement based upon user profile, location of the kiosk client, creates user profile preferences, and uploads proactive applications for secured communication.
|Dynamic Content Configuration for Microbrowsers by State, Resource Allocation and User Preferences - A microbrowser such as web-enabled wireless telephones and personal digital assistants allows a user to configure types of objects to be blocked from download including object memory consumption, display area, download time, and restrictions on animated images and executable scripts. Microbrowser state conditions such as battery level and network connection mode are considered when providing said limitations such that more restrictions may be placed during low battery periods to maximize battery life. For example, during low battery conditions or analog connection mode, a user may configure an enhanced microbrowser not to download advertisements, run scripts or animated objects in order to maximize remaining battery life. In another example, a user may configure an enhanced microbrowser to block the download of objects containing audio, or which will occupy more than a certain percentage of the available display area.
|MODIFICATION OF ADVERTISEMENT CAMPAIGN ELEMENTS BASED ON HEURISTICS AND REAL TIME FEEDBACK - Enabling the selection, modification, and subsequent generation of online advertisements for either a one time use or as part of an advertising campaign. The performance of an advertisement is iteratively reviewed based on heuristics, statistics, metrics, real-time feedback, and the like, either singly or in some combination. Iterative monitoring of performance information for related, but different, online advertisements is analyzed and employed to recommend and/or automatically generate changes to an online advertisement, or advertising campaign. An editing facility is also provided to enable a user to modify a plurality of elements in an online advertisement, and at least some of these editable/modifiable elements are monitored for performance information. The editing facility can enable editing of different file formats for online advertisements, including, Flash, SVG, and Gnash.
|Food on demand channel and interactive website commercial - A system and method for providing an online mechanism for ordering goods via computer terminal or television system which further provides a series of menus that may be accessed through a system of menus or even through such convention as an interactive commercial. The system and method further allow the user to choose form genre of goods or a listing of providers which can be goods specific or general to the field of endeavor.
|POINT OF SALE TRANSACTION PROCESSING - A disclosed transaction processing method includes transmitting a request to a credit aggregator in response to a message from a point of sale device to a wireless communication device of a user. Responsive to receiving credit account information from the credit aggregator, a user interface indicative of at least some of the credit account information including account identification information for a plurality of user credit accounts is displayed. Responsive to detecting a user selecting one of the plurality of credit accounts, credit account information is transmitted to the point of sale device. The request may include information identifying the user. The message from the point of sale device may indicate a price associated with the transaction. The credit account information may include available credit information, current balance information, closing date information, payment date information, annual percentage rate information, and so forth.
|Identity verification for secure e-commerce transactions - A method and apparatus are provided for providing authentication of an e-commerce server to a user engaging in e-commerce transactions. When the user begins an e-commerce session, the e-commerce server requests an authentication token from an authentication proxy with which it has registered. If the authentication proxy recognizes the e-commerce server, the authentication proxy generates an authentication token in the form of a simple image, and sends the authentication token to the e-commerce server over a trusted path. The e-commerce server sends the authentication token to the user. The authentication proxy also sends a copy of the authentication token to the user over a second trusted path to a second device or application accessible by the user. The user can then see that the authentication token presented by the e-commerce server matches the authentication token presented by the authentication proxy. Since the user has received the two authentication proxies over separate channels, one of which is typically secure, the user can be assured that the e-commerce server has been authenticated by the authentication proxy, and that the e-commerce server is therefore legitimate.
|Method and System For Service Provider Access - Consumer access to service and/or goods providers is provided while avoiding expending consumer and service provider resources and time to place and order with a live service and/or goods provider representative. The present invention uses ubiquitous devices and networks, such as mobile communications devices and networks, that are fast, convenient and consumer-friendly. Furthermore, consumers can obtain information related to a commercial entity based on a geographic location of the user or on an image of the commercial entity captured by a mobile communication device of the user.
|Apparatus and method for conducting secure financial transactions - A system and method are disclosed for conducting secure electronic transactions using dual-authentications. A secure server stores security information for a plurality of users and authorizes transactions being conducted by these users. A user computer system having a trusted platform module is used for storing security information relating to at least one user account. Protected environments are created to facilitate secure connections based on at least the security information stored in the trusted platform module. Transactions between the user/electronic merchants and between the user/secure server are conducted within protected environments. When a user conducts an electronic transaction with an electronic merchant, the transaction is authenticated by the secure server before can be completed.
|SYSTEM OF COLLABORATIVE COMPUTING RESOURCES FOR FULFILLMENT OF DIGITAL IMAGE PROCESSING - System of collaborative computing resources for fulfillment of digital image processing is disclosed. Embodiments of the present disclosure include a system comprising a network of computing resources collaborating in a secured peer-to-peer configuration to fulfill a request for processing of a digital image. The system can include, a plurality of computing devices interconnected via network capabilities of each of the plurality of computing devices and a virtual user represented by a provisioner component that defines a user's preferences in the processing of the digital image. Each of the plurality of computing devices can have a corresponding functionality stack that defines a particular set of behaviors and features associated with a particular computing device of the plurality of computing devices. In one embodiment, the digital image is routed through the network among a set of the plurality of computing devices based on the user's preferences defined in the provisioner component for workflow distribution in fulfilling the request.
|Apparatus and Method for Ordering - The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for ordering an article from a plurality of articles. The apparatus or the method merely has a manageable set of identifiers. These identifiers are added to a given audio/video signal which advertises a particular article and is broadcast. If a person receiving the audio/video signal wishes to purchase the relevant article, this article can be identified by the identifier. Preferably, this identifier is a colored marker. Since the cardinality of the set of identifiers is kept relatively manageable, a plurality of articles is provided with the same identifier, that is to say the same color marker. The apparatus or the method is able to distinguish between articles with the same identifier by comparing the time at which the article was advertised with the time at which the order was received.
|AUCTION METHODS, AUCTION SYSTEMS AND SERVERS - Auction methods, auction systems and servers which can satisfy requirements other than the price for a client are provided. An auction client selects a desired one from time slide schemes from a terminal, and enters a due date in an associated entry field. For example, a due date advance scheme is a scheme in which a person who offers the soonest possible trading date from a due date is determined as a successful bidder. Also, specific details (paying-in, delivery and so on) on the trading date for a payment or delivery of an article, requested to a partner, are specified. These bid condition data are transmitted to the server through a network, and the server collects participants in a bid on a home page. The server receives trading dates offered from terminals of participants, and determines a participant who offers the trading date that most satisfies the trade due date condition offered by the client as a successful bidder.
|MANAGEMENT OF EXCHANGE OF VIRTUAL GOODS FOR ONLINE GAMES - A method for validating and transferring a virtual good of an online game can be provided. The method can include reading a list of attributes of the virtual good provided by a seller of the virtual good and sending a message to a trusted server, wherein the message includes the list of attributes of the virtual good. The method can further include receiving a message from the trusted server confirming the existence of the virtual good, confirming the seller owns the virtual good and confirming the list of attributes. The method can further include receiving a payment confirmation from a payment authority, wherein payment was provided by a buyer of the virtual good. The method can further include sending a message to a trusted server instructing transfer of possession of the virtual good from the seller to the buyer.
|INFORMATION DISSEMINATION SYSTEM AND METHOD - A method and computer program product for allowing one or more clients to define a real estate listing for each of a plurality of available properties, thus defining a plurality of available real estate listings. Each of the plurality of available real estate listings includes one or more data items. A user is allowed to define one or more real estate preferences. At least one compatible real estate listing is identified for the user based upon the one or more real estate preferences. The at least one compatible real estate listing is chosen from the plurality of available real estate listings. Review is effectuated, on a handheld electronic device of the user, of at least a portion of the one or more data items of the at least one compatible real estate listing.
|Virtual Pooled Account for Mobile Banking - A virtual pooled account is used in operating a system having multiple financial partners. In a specific implementation, the system is a mobile banking system. Instead of maintaining separate general ledgers for each financial institution, the system will keep one general virtual pooled account. This will reduce the settlement and operational costs of the system. The owner of the virtual pooled account will receive the float on the virtual pooled account, and this float will be distributed to the multiple financial partners according to a formula.
|RECORD RETENTION AND POST-ISSUANCE COMPLIANCE SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MUNICIPAL BONDS - Systems and methods to facilitate record retention and compliance requirements mandated by law, rules or regulations, company policy, or other guidance for maintaining records using electronic storage systems is herein described. The systems and methods may facilitate tracking and documenting of relevant municipal bond activities (e.g., use of proceeds of the bond, use of bond financed facilities, etc.) by bond issue; determining when compliance-related calculations need to be made over the life of the bond; making the necessary calculations in a timely manner; collecting, organizing and maintaining information to support the calculations; storing documents to support the information and calculations; determining if the calculated results indicate that the use of proceeds are in compliance; making filings; and generating alerts and/or notices and/or taking other actions relating to compliance requirements.
|SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR REGISTERING AND CERTIFYING ACTIVITY AND/OR COMMUNICATION BETWEEN TERMINALS - The invention relates to a system and method for registering and certifying activity and/or communication between terminals, of the type in which a registry and certification service provider registers the telematic content exchanged between a user and a service provider during a transaction using a registry and certification server and issues an electronic certification upon completion of the service. According to the invention, the registry and certification server is connected to an official time server in order to obtain reliable time stamps and to a client capture module which is installed in the user terminal in order to register periodic captures of the interface of the user terminal and data relating to the connections established thereby and to include same in the electronic certification document together with the reliable time stamps. The electronic certification document is authenticated using an electronic signature provided by the registry and certification service provider.
|AUTOMATED TRANSACTION CALCULATIONS WITH SCRIPTED RULE SETS - A rule-based payment system is described that divides a payment among multiple parties by invoking one or more deduction rules. The rule-based payment system typically operates as part of a software application that provides many functions relevant to a real estate or other commission-based practice. Rules can be added to the system at any time without modifying the software. Rules are scripts that the software application can invoke to carry out deductions specific to a particular environment. If the software application manufacturer wants to provide the software to multiple markets in many different environments, the software manufacturer can provide a different set of rules for each environment without modifying the software application itself. Thus, the rule-based payment system allows software to be shared among many markets while still having the flexibility of custom-built software.
|SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR FACILITATING A SECURED FINANCIAL TRANSACTION USING AN ALTERNATE SHIPPING ADDRESS - The disclosed system enables merchants to ship products to a predefined address that may or may not be an account holder's billing address. The account holder may define one or more alias identifiers that correspond to a predefined shipping address. The predefined shipping address is stored with a corresponding alias identifier. A merchant order form includes a field to accept an alias identifier, such that when the order form is submitted to the merchant and the merchant prepares a purchase authorization request, the alias identifier is included in the request. The credit account issuer receives the payment authorization request and extracts the alias identifier, which is used to locate a matching stored alias identifier. A shipping address corresponding to the stored alias identifier is retrieved and returned to the merchant with an authorization message.
|Trade Strategy Monitor Tool - Described are methods and systems, including computer program products, for trade strategy monitoring. A plurality of trade strategies are installed in the single window of a strategy monitor and the trade strategies are activated to execute automatically and independently of one another. The plurality of trade strategies can include a first trade strategy with a value of a parameter that is different from the value of a parameter of a second trade strategy.
|METHOD AND A SYSTEM FOR CONCLUDING AN ELECTRONIC COMMERCIAL TRANSACTION BASED ON A CONDITIONAL OFFER - There is provided a method for concluding an electronic commercial transaction based on a conditional offer, the method comprising receiving a conditional offer associated with a trading product, said conditional offer being originated from a first trading party; receiving a conditional offer acceptance in response to the conditional offer, where the offer acceptance is conditioned on the satisfaction of at least one condition, the conditional offer acceptance being originated from a second trading party; determining if the at least one condition is satisfied; and concluding or declining the electronic commercial transaction between the first trading party and the second trading party as a function of the determining. There is further provided a system for concluding an electronic commercial transaction based on a conditional offer.
|METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING AGGREGATION OF TRADING ON MULTIPLE ALTERNATIVE TRADING SYSTEMS - A method for performing financial trading amongst a plurality of alternative trading systems using a common financial computer platform. The method including the steps of receiving at the common financial computer platform a buy-order for a prescribed number shares at a prescribed price. Electronic communication is then established between the common financial computer platform and each of the plurality of alternative trading systems. At least a portion of the buy-order is then submitted from the common financial computer platform to each of the plurality of alternative trading systems. The common financial common platform then monitors each of the plurality of alternative trading systems to determine if at least a portion of the buy-order was executed by one of the plurality of alternative trading systems. And if yes, then that indicated execution for one of the plurality of alternative trading systems is automatically accepted and automatically canceled are the remaining buy orders that were submitted to the other alternative trading system which were not yet executed.
|Method for Domain Trading - A method for domain portfolio trading involving the assessment of risk level based on various tangible criteria and applying this determination to the assignment of a value. Once the aggregated level of risk and actual value number are determined, a real-time, online domain portfolio trading mechanism allows those involved to track, move, implement and otherwise conduct business in an instantaneous environment.
|Loan determination method and apparatus - The method of determining the best mortgage loan interest rate, that includes the steps, selecting a group of bid participating banks, and/or mortgage lenders willing to participate in a generally simultaneous, or by a deadline, bid competition, causing the group to submit generally simultaneous, or by deadline, available and quoted loan rate bids to compete, allowing members of the group to revise said quoted rates after review of other member quoted rates, and selecting one of said submitted bids as a winning low rate loan bid.
|Methods and systems for providing a beta commodity index - In at least one aspect, the invention comprises a computer-implemented method comprising: electronically receiving data regarding prices of exchange-traded futures contracts on physical commodities; selecting, based on said received data, one or more of said futures contracts to be referenced by a commodity index; identifying, on a periodic basis, one or more deferred futures contracts into which said selected one or more futures contracts will roll; and providing one or more derivative products linked to said commodity index. In at least one aspect, the invention comprises a commodity index that references exchange-traded futures contracts on physical commodities, wherein one or more deferred futures contracts into which the futures contracts will roll are identified on a periodic basis, and wherein said one or more deferred futures contracts are identified based on an effective spot price. In at least one aspect, the invention comprises a derivative product linked to a commodity index.
|System and Method for Facilitating Trading of Multiple Tradeable Objects in an Electronic Trading Environment - A system and method are provided for trading multiple tradeable objects. One example method includes displaying at least one combined quantity indicator representing a combined quantity associated with at least two tradeable objects, detecting an input associated with an order for a predetermined order quantity in relation to one of the combined quantity indicators, and allocating the order quantity between the at least two tradeable objects using at least one quantity allocation rule. In one example embodiment, a plurality of quantity allocation rules can be user-configurable, and different rules can be defined and applied in relation to different order types.
|SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ADMINISTERING MULTIPLE LINES OF CREDIT - Ways are provided to allow a credit card issuing financial institution and the card member to customize a credit card account by defining an unlimited number of special-purpose lines of credit, while maintaining the overall risk at or below the overall line of credit. The individual specialized lines of credit share the overall line of credit, where the total amount of credit actually extended to the card member based on one or more of the specialized lines of credit is limited by the overall line of credit. To provide flexibility in allocating credit toward a plurality of different expenses, the sum of all of the individual lines of credit is preferably greater than the overall line of credit. Therefore, numerous special-purpose lines of credit are created for promotional, budgetary, fraud prevention, or other purposes, without negatively affecting the consumer's credit profile and/or credit score.
|Method and system for equalizing debt balance and fixed asset value in reverse mortgages - A method and system for debt-to-asset-value balancing of a reverse mortgage benefiting both the lender and the borrower. Options and mechanisms are provided for equalizing borrower debt balance with appraised fixed assets of the reverse mortgage.
|ELECTRONIC SYSTEM FOR SELECTING THE BEST CARD FROM A COLLECTION OF CONSUMER CREDIT, DEBIT, AND DISCOUNT CARDS - A method, system and computer program product for enabling completion of purchase transactions by retrieving purchase card information from an electronic database of consumer cards and applying the appropriate card to the transaction. The database, managed by a central card authority, stores client account information for cards such as debit, credit, phone, and discount cards, which are accessible via a unique, secure login/access credential, such as a username and password combination. During registration with the central card authority, a client classifies key/important factors to consider when performing purchases. The central card authority is accessed by the client during purchases from a retail facility and/or other purchasing environment. The central card authority automatically selects the best card to utilize during a purchase, after weighing the important purchasing factors related to the credit, debit, phone, and discount cards registered with the central card authority.
|SECURE AND EFFICIENT PAYMENT PROCESSING SYSTEM - A method is provided for carrying out commercial transactions. The method includes the steps of: establishing a transaction processing system on an electronic communications network; establishing an account within the transaction processing system for a corresponding account holder; obtaining from the account holder a session description of acceptable future commercial transactions related to the account; administering commercial transactions carried out via the transaction processing system; and, verifying that administered commercial transactions related to the account meet one or more of the session description.
|METHODS FOR ROUTING A COMMERCIAL TO A DESTINATION DEVICE ON A LOCAL AREA NETWORK (LAN) AND RELATED ELECTRONIC DEVICES AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCTS - An electronic device is operated by receiving a commercial from a service provider. The commercial is processed to identify a destination device on a Local Area Network (LAN) to which the commercial is to be sent. The commercial is then sent to the destination device.
|POINT OF SALE PAYMENT SYSTEM FOR MULTIPLE RECIPIENTS USING A DIGITAL PAYMENT SERVICE - A system for point of sale payment processing for multiple recipients allowing division of funds to be distributed from a sum received from a buyer to multiple accounts simultaneously without a delay or manual action required from the administered member of the receiving benefactors.


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Archive for the 'Admissions Advice' Category
6 Ways to Ensure Your Essay Grabs Your Admissions Officer's Attention
While the rest of your college application tells admissions officers about your academic accomplishments, your essay tells more about you as a writer, and more importantly, as a student and person. It's a great way to tell admissions professionals what your test scores and list of extracurriculars can't convey. Here are six ways to ensure your essay is as attention grabbing as possible:.
1. Write About What Matters to You
When the broadness of a personal statement seems overwhelming, the best direction to follow is writing about what personally matters to you. Brainstorm a list of activities you enjoy, significant life moments, or experiences that made you grow. What's important to your identity? Do you like to cook, are you into a certain band, have you thought of an interesting solution to a household problem? Reach for as creative of an angle as you can, but don't worry too much if your topic seems more traditional. What matters most is writing about something you're passionate about, regardless of the topic, because this will come off as more authentic; you'll be able to express your commitment to the topic, and your essay will sustain much more momentum throughout.
2. Start With an Anecdote
Begin your essay with an interesting anecdote. This helps anchor your readers into a specific time and place so they feel more grounded in your writing and who you are – and as a plus, your essay will come off as more confident. Think about a moment when you learned something, had an important revelation, struggled with your identity, or succeeded – or even failed – at something. Set the scene with select details – enough so your readers can picture what's happening, but not too many as to take away from much-needed space later on in your essay. Say more with less!
3. Ensure Your Details are Concrete
Solid details are powerful. You've heard the popular adage: show, don't tell. In terms of your application essay, this is one of the most effective moves you can make. If you're passionate about helping others, describe exactly how this plays out in your life. Do you tutor a younger student or volunteer in the community garden? Concrete details demonstrate not only that you can write well, but that your essay is authentic.
4. Use Strong Verbs – But in Your Own Voice
Using powerful verbs is a great way to inject energy into your writing. A thesaurus can help you come up with more intriguing words to replace tired ones. Go through your writing to find words that repeat too many times in your essay or that seem dull or too general. However, don't get too carried away with words that are way out of the your normal orbit of use. This can come off as flowery at best, or inauthentic and forced at worst.
5. Stay Focused
Once you've come up with what matters to you and which anecdote to open with, remember to stay focused throughout your essay. You may have many things that matter to you. Don't be tempted to touch on all of them, though; in an essay, deep is far better than wide. Staying focused shows your commitment to the one activity or issue at hand, as well as a more complex level of insight. It's also clearer for the admissions officer to read. Of course, you may discuss different angles of the same idea or link some related topics.
6. Connect With Your Audience
Seriously consider your audience and the fact that these are admissions officers of schools you'd like to attend. Take a bit of time to research the school and what draws you to it specifically. Is it a certain department or opportunity that other schools do not offer? Take the time at the end of your essay to talk about this. Here, you can connect your interests and passions that you've already conveyed to the specific school. This is also a great place to express your enthusiasm for the school and what you wish to offer as a potential student there.
When you're first drafting your essay, let your ideas flow and try not to censor too much; this will help you collect lots of ideas that you can later select from and refine. Then, after a draft or two, ask a classmate, tutor, mentor, or relative you trust for feedback. Someone who knows you well can give you excellent feedback on the essay before sending it off.
Lisa Low is a contributing writer for Varsity Tutors, a live learning platform that connects students with personalized instruction to accelerate academic achievement.
Your Guide to College Acceptance Rates
Once you've found your dream school the question becomes: Will I get in? It's hard to predict accurately, but the college's acceptance rates can give you an idea of your chances.
Acceptance Rates Basics
Acceptance rates are important in your college search process, but what exactly are they?
Put simply, a school's acceptance rate is the percentage of applicants who are admitted. It's pretty easy to find out the number of people getting into the school you're interested – just check out their profile on Cappex.
What's a 'Good' Acceptance Rate?
There's not really such a thing as a good or bad acceptance rate. In general, schools with low acceptance rates (lower than 10 percent) like Harvard, Yale, and Princeton are more selective or have high standards or have tens of thousands of students applying for relatively few spots.
But that definitely doesn't mean schools with higher acceptance rates are bad schools! They may just have less strict admission requirements or have larger campuses that can accommodate more students in the freshman class. Look at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Ohio State University, or the University of Arizona – they're all great schools and they all have acceptance rates higher than 60 percent.
Which Ones Should I Apply To?
That's up to you! If you want to put some highly selective schools with low acceptance rates on your list, go for it!
However, to maximize your chances of getting into a school you love, it's recommended students put safety, reach, and match schools on their college lists. By adding schools with all types of acceptance rates, you're pretty much guaranteed to end up at a great college and have the best four years of your life!
Tips for Moving Past the College Waitlist
Have you been waitlisted? There's no need to panic! Being put on your dream school's waitlist is definitely better than an outright rejection – after all, you still have a shot at getting in.
But sitting around and worrying won't help you. Instead, take a few of these steps in an effort to move past the waitlist.
1. Write to the Admissions Committee
Write an updated letter to the admissions committee reminding them of your interest in the school. If the college is your first choice and you'd definitely attend if accepted, include that in your letter (but don't promise to attend if you aren't 100 percent set on the school and have others on your college list). In this letter, include how you see yourself truly fitting in on campus, perhaps by noting specific courses and activities that interest you or professors you'd like to work with.
Don't just repeat the information you included in your application essay. New information conveyed in a positive and optimistic fashion will get you further than a desperate letter or a copy of your original essay.
2. Send Updated Information
Along with your updated letter or email, prepare a packet of additional information to send to the admissions office. This can include more current grades, awards, honors, and new test scores. Discuss any accomplishments you've achieved at school and in your community since you initially applied, and again, don't forget that to be as effective as possible, the information should be new to the admissions officers. This way, they'll get a stronger sense of who you are and what you can achieve.
3. Submit a New Recommendation Letter
Consider sending an additional recommendation letter to shed new light on your academic growth this year. Ask a senior year teacher who you've come to know and who can speak to your current strengths (especially if the recommendation letters from your original application were from teachers you had junior year). If you've completed an important community service project or an internship you feel strongly about, you might ask a non-academic professional who can highlight these achievements.
4. Contact Your Alumni Interviewer
If you interviewed with an alumni during the application process, get in touch with him or her. Thank your interviewer for helping you and share the update on your application status. You can ask for advice on moving past the waitlist and mention how excited you would be to attend the school. Even if this person doesn't have something tangible for you to do, it is still an excellent way to show your interest to someone connected to the school. Who knows – he or she may have an excellent relationship with the admissions committee!
5. Visit Campus
If you're able, set aside time to visit the campus again. Consider sending an email to your admissions office, letting them know you'll be on campus. Do this politely and respectfully – the last thing you want to do is pester a busy admissions professional and hurt your chances of being accepted!
Throughout this process, remain upbeat and intentional but remember not to get overly aggressive. Keep in mind that schools are busy during the admissions season. If and when you're contacted with an acceptance letter, be prepared to act quickly, as schools often want to efficiently fill these slots. Good luck!
Lisa Low is a contributing writer for Varsity Tutors, a live learning platform that connects students with personalized instruction to accelerate academic achievement.
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subset: commoncrawl


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A new global survey by KPMG LLP, a U.S. consulting firm, finds automotive executives, representing OEMs and suppliers, are uncertain about a return to profitability in the automotive industry, at least until 2005. Some 30% of the 100 executives surveyed say they expect auto industry profitability levels of 2000 to return by 2005 at the earliest. This is drop in confidence from the prior yearãs study, which found 36% believed there would be better profits by 2003 and 24% thought ...
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Knoxville, Tenn. (WVLT) - 32-million Americans are illiterate. In the Knox County school system, less than half of the third graders can read at their grade level.
The Knox County Mayor, Tim Burchett along with the school system are trying to tackle the issue.
Mayor Burchett gave a three-million dollar grant to target Kindergarten through third grade.
Parents say they're also making sure their kids don't get left behind.
One parent we talked with, Keira Wyatt, had this to say, "I'm very concerned because I know in order to make it in this economy today - you've got to have an education. You've got to read and you've got to write."
The Knox County School System offers lots of interactive programs for kids who are struggling with reading.


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Parma have cooled reports that they could sign Angelo Palombo from Serie B side Sampdoria in January.
The two parties have been linked in recent weeks, but Tardini chief Tommaso Ghirardi insists he's unaware of any such interest.
"I like Palombo," Gialloblu President Ghirardi stated. "However, I do not know anything about this possible transfer.
"I have no idea whether Palombo will arrive here at Parma and I'm not convinced that Sampdoria will even let go of him."
Palombo stayed loyal to Genoa-based Sampdoria during the summer following their shock relegation from the top flight.
The Italian international has also been linked with possible New Year moves to giants Fiorentina and Napoli.
See the latest Serie A predictions and betting tips with Eurotips.co.uk


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A Very Special Prom
Organization: Latrobe Alliance Church
Description: The prom is a social gathering with dinner and dancing for adults with disabilities, either mental or physical. The ladies will be treated to their pick of a beautiful dress and accessories, then have their hair and makeup done.
The event is free, but space is limited and registration is required.
Location: Latrobe American Legion, Ligonier Street, Latrobe
Date & Time:
Registration is required
Contact information:
Phone: (724) 805-1845
This event listing was created by Adams Memorial Library Staff. If you are in charge of this event and notice any errors, please contact email@example.com


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A Matter of Honor (AMOH) Events in Traverse City
- This event has passed.
AMOH organized November 2013, is growing fast and is "the only organization in the U.S. dedicated to educating our citizens about the affects of PTSD in those who have served in our military." PTSD and the affects of it, including suicide, exist in epidemic proportions.
This organization's mission is to provide a forgotten but fundamental step in quelling any epidemic – education of the public. Everyone seems to want to do something, but haven't had access to the education and information necessary to contribute in a meaningful way….until now.
Feb. 11, 18, 6:30-8:30pm: Classes at NMC, Parsons/Stulen Bldg. Rm. 224. "Combat PTSD: The Facts and the Future." $35; Registration options: online www.nmc.edu/ees; by phone 231.995.1700; by mail NMC EES, 1701 E. Front St., Traverse City, MI 49686; or in person.
Feb. 13, 6pm: A social gathering at Sleder's.
Mar. 10, 6:30-8:30pm: Quarterly "Town Meeting," a 3-part presentation; interactive dialog and education, entertainment and art inspired by Veterans. An award is presented that honors someone in our community who has been "Caught! in the Act of Caring." This quarter it is held at the Bijou by the Bay.
Apr. 28: AMOH holds their conference at the Park Place Hotel. The target audience includes behavioral scientists in the region, and 6 CEU's are provided for this day long conference. The theme of the conference is "Alternative Care Modalities: Embracing the Wisdom of the Ages." Speakers are comprised of a wide range of alternative care providers and behavioral scientists. The keynote speaker from the Veterans Administration, Washington, DC, is programmed to provide an overview of the extensive paradigm shift which incorporates patient-centered care and cultural transformation. This exciting national presence is developing; we are expecting broad local, regional and national exposure for this inaugural AMOH conference.


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Louise Harrison's folks are destroying any chance she has of enjoying 11th grade...
Sixteen-year-old Louise Harrison is insecure about a lot of things: her hair, her fashion sense and her "big-boned" build. At least her social status is secure because her BFF (best friend forever), Sienna Marshall, is a certified member of the mega-watt crowd.
But all hell breaks loose when Louise's brother walks in on their father, Len, and her friend Sienna's mother, Sunny, in a flagrantly compromising position. Soon after, Len and Sunny move in together.
When Sunny decides to return home to her family, everyone lays blame for the entire fiasco on one guy, and Louise calls him dad. Louise instantly loses her BFF and is ostracized by the "it" girls at school. Just when it appears things couldn't get worse, Louise's mom announces she's pregnant-and the baby's father is Louise's math teacher!
Wry and melodramatic, smart and spirited, Louise is a typical girl who just wants to fit in. This fun and upbeat novel will captivate readers as they enter Louise's wildly topsy-turvy world.
About Robyn HardingSee more books from this Author
Eleventh grader Louise Harrison's comfortably self-centered existence turns chaotic when her younger brother discovers their father receiving fellatio from Louise's best friend Sienna's mother (a plot development that leads to the cringe-inducingly frequent use of the phrase "blow job").Apr 01 2009 | Read Full Review of My Parents are Sex Maniacs: A...


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The recent cyber-attack by ransomware virus 'Wannacry' that crippled the digital network of Europe has had nearly zero impact in India, the government said today.
Speaking at India TV conclave "Samvaad", Minister of Electronics and Information Technology Ravi Shankar Prasad, said, "We have been strengthening our cyber security and I can proudly say that the recent cyber-attack had nearly zero per cent impact in India."
Prasad said the government was working hard to promote Digital India throughout the country.
Meanwhile, India's cyber security unit CERT-In today said it has not received any formal report of cyber-attack on India's vital networks by 'WannaCry'.
India is on high alert, monitoring critical networks across sectors like banking, telecom, power and aviation to ensure that systems are protected against the attack that has claimed victims in more than 150 countries over the weekend.
"Everything seems to be normal, so far. No reports have come to Cert-In. We have been in touch with Microsoft and others...even they have not got any reports," Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In), director general, Sanjay Bahl was quoted a saying by PTI.
He added that the Cyber Swachhta Kendra -- government's portal on information about cyber security -- is being updated on regular basis since Saturday.
'WannaCry' has disrupted networks in over 150 countries, including Russia and the UK and is being termed as one of the most widespread cyber-attacks in the history.
Reports suggest that over two lakh systems globally could have been infected by the malicious software.
Security solutions providers have also accelerated efforts to develop tools to tide over the crisis.


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Who cares if this is true? Just try not to think about it too much and enjoy your time with your friends, it isn't that hard. Plus, this hot girl doesn't seem to mind too much.
Besides, if you live with your significant other, this is probably true for your guests as well.


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What are some specific examples of how Gertrude in William Shakespeare's Hamlet is easily manipulated (quick re-marriage) and weak (lust for Claudius)?
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Your question is interesting because it assumes that Gertrude is weak and easily manipulated. While that case can be made, there is another way to think about Gertrude.
It is true that Gertrude was once very in love with her husband, at least according to Hamlet. He says:
Must I remember? why, she would hang on him,
As if increase of appetite had grown
By what it fed on....
But he adds:
and yet, within a month--
Let me not think on't--Frailty, thy name is woman!--
A little month, or ere those shoes were old
With which she follow'd my poor father's body,
Like Niobe, all tears:--why she, even she--
O, God! a beast, that wants discourse of reason,
Would have mourn'd longer--married with my uncle,
My father's brother, but no more like my father
Than I to Hercules: within a month:
Ere yet the salt of most unrighteous tears
Had left the flushing in her galled eyes,
She married.
Hamlet is disgusted with Gertrude both because she married so quickly and because she married Claudius, an inferior man to her former husband, Hamlet's father. One way to see this hasty marriage is to assume Gertrude was weak enough to be manipulated by her former brother-in-law into marrying him. Another possibility, of course, is that the two of them were involved in some kind of relationship before King Hamlet died, which would explain her sudden willingness to marry Claudius.
Gertrude also seems weak and easily manipulated when Hamlet talks to her in her chamber after the play. He scolds her for choosing such a man:
A murderer and a villain;
A slave that is not twentieth part the tithe
Of your precedent lord; a vice of kings;
A cutpurse of the empire and the rule,
That from a shelf the precious diadem stole,
And put it in his pocket!
In the face of his anger, Gertrude admits that Hamlet is right and asks what she should do now. He tells her and asks her not to tell Claudius that he is feigning madness; but as soon as she sees Claudius, she immediately tells her new husband that Hamlet is
Mad as the sea and wind, when both contend
Which is the mightier....
Gertrude then kind of tattles on Hamlet and tells Claudius that Hamlet killed Polonius. This suggests that Gertrude just said what Hamlet wanted to hear, but as soon as he is gone she demonstrates more allegiance to her new husband than to her son of thirty years.
Another way to look at this scene, however, is that Gertrude really does understand what a horrible thing she has done and now wants to do what is right; her words to Claudius are still in keeping with her promise not to tell her husband that Hamlet is only "mad in craft." In essence, she continues Hamlet's charade by agreeing that Hamlet is crazy.
When Claudius vows to send Hamlet away, Gertrude does nothing to stop him; perhaps this is an act of weakness, but it might also be her way of protecting her son from Claudius after Hamlet kills Polonius.
In the first act, when we meet Gertrude and Claudius for the first time, Gertrude seems to take her cues from Claudius, agreeing with him that Hamlet should cease his excessive mourning; again Gertrude seems to be choosing Claudius over Hamlet. In the final act, however, Gertrude speaks her own mind when Claudius tells her not to drink and says, "I will, my lord; I pray you, pardon me."
Because we have virtually no antecedent action about Gertrude and Claudius, we must examine what we see and hear. The evidence is, at times, conflicting. Is she a weak woman or a co-conspirator with Claudius who sees the errors of her ways?


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SPSEF Pat R. Henry Memorial Scholarship Application
Deadline: April 02 2017 at 11:59 PM CDT (Midnight) - CLOSED
The Pat R. Henry Memorial Scholarship Fund provides financial support to a graduate of Springdale High School pursuing post-secondary education at the University of Arkansas or Hendrix College.
The Pat R. Henry Memorial Scholarship helps deserving students continue their education by providing financial assistance for tuition, books, and associated fees over one academic year.
The criteria for selection of the scholarship recipient is determined by the selection committee, and may include, but not limited to, academic performance, financial need, unusual circumstances, and volunteer, work, or extracurricular activities.
• Graduating seniors from Springdale High School, with a minimum 3.0 GPA and a minimum cumulative ACT score of 24, and
• Enrolling in the University of Arkansas or Hendrix College.
Age, race, sex, marital status or religious affiliation will have no bearing on eligibility for this scholarship.
Number of Awards1
Award Amount$1,000
Total Amount Awarded$1,000
The item(s) you are requesting to delete has data. If you do not want to permanently lose the data, we suggest you export all application/evaluation data before deleting. If you understand that deleting this portion of your form will result in the permanent loss of the associated data, please type "DELETE" in all capital letters in the space below.
By deleting this portion of the form, all existing applications and/or evaluations will have the same portion of the form deleted permanently.
By choosing to submit your application, you are locking your application and will be unable to make any future changes.
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