Data processing: financial, business practice, management, or cost/price determination inventions 01/06

20060020476 - Franking system and method: A billing system for determining package transportation charges. The billing system includes a reader to read a package identifier associated with said package and the reader generates a package identifier signal and transmits the same to a microprocessor. The billing system also includes a package sizer having a plurality of...

20060020478 - Genuine maker information memory reserved product input facilities & methodology: A set of genuine maker information memory reserved product input facilities & methodology includes a product on the production line that is capable of reserving genuine maker information memories; an identification device being adapted to the product; a collector collecting the data stored in the identification device and then transmitting...

20060020486 - Machine and method to assist user in selecting clothing: A device to convey information to a user regarding clothing. The device receives data that specifies a clothing mode to use for processing an image, accesses a knowledge base to provide data to configure the computer program product for the clothing mode, the data including data specific to the clothing...

20060020481 - Method and system of managing a business center: The present invention provides a method and system for managing, presenting and booking office space, conference rooms and other resources of a business center. Business center personnel may use the business center portal to manage the business center including managing the available business center facilities, generating reports, and generating work...

20060020480 - Method for offering deeds to famous locations: A method for generating income for a famous landmark first divides the famous landmark into a plurality of parcels. A novelty deed is created for each of the parcels. The novelty deeds are then sold for a predetermined amount of money....

20060020488 - Methods and systems for providing and managing novelty deeds or fractional interests in property: Methods and systems for managing novelty deeds are disclosed. One aspect of the invention is directed toward a method for generating income for a famous property that includes dividing the property into multiple interests, creating a novelty deed for each of the interests, and selling the novelty deeds to consumers....

20060020482 - Methods and systems for selling apparel: Methods, systems, and articles of manufacture consistent with the present invention provide a garment that complements one or more figure characteristics. A garment is selected from a collection containing a number of garments each of which is categorized as being within one or more garment types. Information regarding a person's...

20060020479 - Methods, systems, and computer program products for joint account registers: A first account profile is on a first mobile communications device and a second account profile is on a second mobile communications device. User input of transactional information is accepted on the first mobile communications device. The first account profile on the first mobile communications device is modified based on...

20060020487 - Parking fee system and method: A comprehensive, integrated system for management of fee for parking businesses, including payment collection and processing for these business, as well as other businesses to which such a system may be applicable....

20060020489 - System and method for automated package pick-up and delivery: A system and method for automated package delivery and pick-up include at least one package portal located in a delivery and pick-up station to receive and dispense packages from the station. A station controller is coupled to an information input system and the package receiving and dispensing portal mechanism, and...

20060020485 - System and method for service parts planning: Embodiments of the invention are generally directed to a system and method for service parts planning in a network having one or more service parts. For at least a subset of the one or more service parts, a calculation is performed to determine a location within the network at which...

20060020484 - System for informing entrants of the result of an event by electronic message: The invention relates to the inclusion on the Optically Mark Read (OMR) entry form for an event (contest, competition, game of chance, lottery, wager) of a panel to allow the entrant to record their telephone number so that the entrant may be informed of the outcome of the event by...

20060020483 - System for providing a specific recipe satisfying a specific customer preference and related method: A system for providing a specific recipe, its related method, and a personal storage medium for recording specific customer preference data. The system includes a reading device and a displaying device. The reading device is used for reading customer preference data. The displaying device is used for displaying the customer...

20060020477 - Vehicle sales and service data integration system and method: A computer-implemented method for integrating data output from a relationship between a customer and a service or product provider. The method includes receiving one or more customer vehicle attributes from two or more computer systems selected from the group consisting of: a service appointment system, a dealer management system, a...

20060020491 - Batch processing method for patient management: A method for managing data from remotely located patients features batch processing. Patient files are batched in groups to increase workflow efficiency of a caregiver clinic. Scheduling of remote data transmission; accessing, reviewing and evaluating the data; and billing are carried out using a batch processing approach....

20060020490 - Database and model for monitoring and predicting outcomes with vascular access devices: A method is provided for monitoring and predicting usage and health outcomes with respect to the utilization of vascular access devices....

20060020492 - Ontology based medical system for automatically generating healthcare billing codes from a patient encounter: A healthcare related system is disclosed in which non-standard input data is corrected in a syntax processing block with reference to one or more healthcare lexicons, and a resulting corrected data file is thereafter used by an ontology processing block to reference an ontology and generate a standardized output including...

20060020493 - Ontology based method for automatically generating healthcare billing codes from a patient encounter: A healthcare related method corrects on non-standard input data in a syntax processing block with reference to one or more healthcare lexicons, and a resulting corrected data file is thereafter used by an ontology processing block to reference an ontology and generate a standardized output including one or more healthcare...

20060020494 - System and method for managing the administering of medications: In a first aspect, the invention comprises a monitoring device, the monitoring device used by a caregiver or patient, the device storing and displaying information related to a patient's medication regimen. Using the monitoring device, a single caregiver can monitor and confirm the correct medication to be given, and also...

20060020495 - Healthcare claims processing mechanism for a transaction system: A structured healthcare claims processing mechanism for use with funded accounts (e.g., healthcare reimbursement arrangements, healthcare savings accounts and flexible spending accounts) is disclosed, including a claims processing mechanism, a registration mechanism, a claim submission mechanism, a payment mechanism and an insurance submission mechanism....

20060020497 - Information management and synchronous communications system: An information management and synchronous communications system and method facilitates database equilibrium and synchronization with wired, wireless and Web-based systems, user-friendly and efficient generation of computerized menus and reservations with handwritten/voice modifications for restaurants and other applications that utilize equipment with nonstandard graphical formats, display sizes and/or applications for use...

20060020496 - Process for scheduling charter transportation: In an online system a passenger enters a trip, seeking an individual seat on a charter aircraft. Available charter operators and aircraft are selected from a database using scheduling and pricing algorithms to match the passenger's request to existing flights and newly created flights. The charter operator is alerted to...

20060020499 - Asset visibility management system with event correlator: An asset visibility management system that includes an asset transaction system interface, an asset data acquisition and communication device interface, and an event correlator. The asset transaction system interface provides communication between one of a plurality of asset transaction systems and a common communication format. The asset data acquisition and...

20060020498 - Asset visibility management system with rule engine: An asset visibility management system that includes a visibility application interface, an asset data acquisition and communication device interface, and a rules engine. The visibility application interface provides communications between one of a plurality of visibility applications and a common communication format. The asset acquisition and communication device interface provides...

20060020500 - Method and apparatus for a creative guidance system: A system, methods and apparatus for use in creating a dynamic plan for achieving a desired outcome is provided. Methods for identifying and describing the desired outcome by an individual or group are provided, methods for evaluating the current set of circumstances of the group or individual are provided, and...

20060020501 - Benefit plans: A computerized system for dynamically generating an on-line questionnaire for collecting operational parameters of an employee benefit plan includes a component development module for developing application components with multiple attributes, a subset of which collectively effect the functionality of other components, a business rule parser for translating business rules into...

20060020502 - Method and system for greenhouse gas emissions performance assessment and allocation: The present invention provides a system and method for determining equivalency factors for use in comparative performance analysis of industrial facilities by determining a target variable and a plurality of characteristics of the target variable. Each of the plurality of characteristics is ranked according to value. Based on ranking value,...

20060020504 - System and method for bill of materials grading: A system and method for evaluating a product Bill Of Materials (BOM) against a set of measurable criteria. A Bill Of Materials (BOM) is a hierarchical representation of the product in terms of its constituent parts. The parts can be components or sub-assemblies or commercially available parts. Each “Node” in...

20060020503 - Systems and methods for tracking employee job performance: Systems and methods for tracking employee job performance include receiving performance-related data from an employee. The performance-related data may include a schedule from the employee, a number of a demand activity performed by the employee, and a type of the demand activity performed by the employee. Systems and methods for...

20060020505 - Tracking recordation system for packages: The systems and methods described herein relate generally to the electronic recordation of the transfer of a package from a shipper to a responsible postal carrier. In one embodiment, a method of recording the acceptance of a package from a package shipper shipped via a post service includes the steps...

20060020506 - Adjusting or determining ad count and/or ad branding using factors that affect end user ad quality perception, such as document performance: Documents or document sets may be scored to reflect a value of an action, such as a selection for example, when an ad is served with the document (or a document belonging to a document set). A number of ads to be served with a document, and/or a type or...

20060020512 - Manufacturer promotion automation system and methods: The inventive subject matter relates to systems and methods for monitoring retail sales and automatically correlating sold products with manufacturer sponsored or approved promotions presented for redemption by customers....

20060020507 - Method and apparatus for managing multi-entity customer relations: Disclosed are a method and apparatus for managing customer relations programs amongst a plurality of entities. A first customer relations program is managed according to a customer identifier and a first entity identifier. A second customer relations program is managed according to the customer identifier and a second entity identifier....

20060020514 - Method and system for aggregating multiple prescription claims: A system for reducing prescription costs includes a claims processing subsystem that receives and process prescription claims from pharmacies and/or employers and/or other parties or entities, who unify their prescription claims. The prescriptions claims are for drugs made by multiple manufacturers. The received claims are aggregated and sorted by manufacturer....

20060020510 - Method for improved targeting of online advertisements: A computerized method for targeting advertisements toward certain groups of on-line users utilizes an advertising server to deliver the advertisements to on-line users. The advertising server passes information about the specific advertisement shown to the user and the placement of the advertisement on a content publisher's web site to the...

20060020508 - Proxy-based profile management to deliver personalized services: A third-party profile service based on a proxy server model is described, where a user's profile service resides at a URL, in contrast to a profile service that requires federation identity. A profile service is provided that augments location-based services offered by service providers targeting mobile users via, for example,...

20060020509 - System and method for evaluating and managing the productivity of employees: According to one embodiment of the invention, a computerized method for evaluating and managing employees includes storing historical production data and historical quality data for a plurality of tasks, determining benchmark production data and benchmark quality data for a first task based on at least some of the historical production...

20060020513 - System and method for providing information: A poster with an RF IC tag is adhered to a poster adhering unit. ID information of the poster is read from the RF IC tag with an RF IC tag reader and sent to a control device. By using this tag ID information, the control device acquires detailed information...

20060020511 - System for electronic barter, trading and redeeming points accumulated in frequent use reward programs: A system and method for operating a reward points accumulation and redemption program wherein a user earns reward points from a plurality of reward points issuing entities, each of the reward points issuing entities tracking the user's earned reward points in a user reward point account stored on a rewards...

20060020515 - Method and system of managing inventory and equipment in a business center: The present invention provides a method and system for managing, presenting and booking office space, conference rooms and services of a business center. Visitors to a business center portal may view business center services, check the availability of business center services, and book the services that meet their needs. Business...

20060020521 - Automated sales support method & device: A system and method for notifying salespersons of customer communications including a target item is provided. Individual customers are mapped to one or more salespersons. Target items of interest to a salesperson are defined and a salesperson is associated with a customer. For each salesperson, on-line communication channels are monitored...

20060020517 - Programmable ticketing system: A smart-card based system and methods to control access to a plurality of attractions within a geographical area. The system may include one or more reward terminals that are located at attractions and are configured to read smart cards presented to them and, assuming the card is valid for that...

20060020519 - System and method for automatically updating business information reports: The invention includes methods, systems, and computer-readable media that provide an automatically updated business information report to a customer by performing steps including updating daily a database of business information with newly available business information that is more current than that present in the database, generating a business information report...

20060020516 - System and method for generating a search result list: The present invention relates to a system and method for generating a search result list in response to a search request through a communication network. A method for generating a search list according to the present invention comprises the steps of selling keywords associated with predetermined search list order display...

20060020518 - Systems and methods for accessing real estate information: The present invention provides systems and methods for allowing access and retrieval of selected real estate information by a plurality of users, wherein one or more wired or wireless devices are provided in communication with a server database containing real estate information. A software application resides on the server and...

20060020520 - Systems and methods for processing electronic documents in a computer network: Systems and methods are provided for processing an electronic document by one or more computer network components having network addresses in a computer network. Within the electronic document, a plurality of approval items are identified that require status manipulation operations within the electronic document. These approval objects may be grouped...

20060020523 - Method and system for organizing and disseminating information on products featured in entertainment productions: A method, program product and system for organizing and disseminating information on products featured in entertainment productions. The invention includes a database for storing a catalogue of product information on products featured in entertainment productions. A server is programmed to perform the steps of: authorizing access to the user, accepting...

20060020522 - Method of conducting interactive real estate property viewing: A method for showing real property for sale to a prospective buyer uses a camera to provide a real-time continuous visual feed sent to a prospective buyer and an audio feed between a real estate agent and prospective buyer. The camera is located on the real property and moves in...

20060020524 - System and method for enabling jewelry certification at local jeweler sites: A system and method for managing retail sales of jewelry items and providing customers with warranties concerning their purchased jewelry items is disclosed. In at least some embodiments, the system includes means for recording information relating to the retail sales of jewelry items by a primary company to customers. The...

20060020525 - System and method for providing access to network services: A system and method for provisioning services accessible via a broadband network. The system receives a user selection of one or more services that have been deemed to be available to the user via the network as well as user registration information. The user registration information may include billing information...

20060020528 - Asset visibility management system: An asset visibility management system for monitoring and managing assets across different domains. The system includes a plurality of proxies such as an originating proxy, a recipient proxy, and other facility proxies that are associated with transport facilities, transfer facilities and storage facilities. The proxies have a transaction component and...

20060020529 - Asset visibility management system with binding or unbinding assets: A method in an asset visibility management system the includes the steps of associating an asset with a plurality of information elements and associating an asset carrier with a plurality of information elements. The information elements associated with the asset include an asset identification and a binding link. The information...

20060020532 - Combined loan and investment system and method: A combined loan and investment program comprises a computer processor and program code configured to be executed by the computer processor to process financial loan and investment data by calculating from the data interest and principal loan payments on a loan principal at a given rate and term, calculating investment...

20060020533 - Computer-implemented program for budgeting and saving: A web-based system for budgeting and saving by a client using a team approach. In an example embodiment, the system is configured for client homebuyers to collaborate with third parties such as financial counselors and real estate agents. The clients select third parties to their teams, and a team connect...

20060020526 - Investment portfolio analysis system: An investment portfolio management system enables computation of hedging strategies (each including one or more hedging transactions) and presentation of the strategies to the investor. Each hedging strategy takes into consideration tax impact information that is sparticularized to the individual investor. Investor portfolio data identifying assets owned by an investor...

20060020531 - Risk return presentation method: A system and computer-implemented method for graphical display of risk and return information of an investment mix or an investment portfolio based upon investment asset classes from which the investor selects a mix and assigns desired weights for each asset class in the mix. The investor's risk tolerance is dynamically...

20060020527 - Scalable asset visibility management system: An asset visibility management system that comprises a common sytem backbone, an asset transaction system interface, and an asset data acquisition and communication device interface. The asset transaction system interface provides communications between the common system backbone and one of a plurality of asset transaction systems. The asset data acquisition...

20060020530 - Systems for providing financial services: The present invention provides an intranet system for a financial service corporation. The present invention also provides a browser interface for financial services. The interface comprise a toolbar; a task menu wherein each task is associated with a number of financial applications; an object menu associated with each task which...

20060020534 - Global stock trading with uniform monetization: A product and method of electronically trading stocks globally on their respective exchanges using a common currency, preferably U.S. currency....

20060020535 - Insurance for dollar equivalent stock certificates: Insuring a product and method of electronically trading stocks globally on their respective exchanges using a common currency, preferably U.S. currency....

20060020537 - Internet business transactions approach model system: The present invention relates to an internet business transactions approach model system, which uses an internet electrical business platform to proceed the following steps. Generate the member chain group, being able to recommend son members by existed members, and generate the member chain group by above linkage of members and...

20060020536 - System and method for managing trading orders received from market makers: According to one embodiment, a method of managing trading is provided. A first offer for a particular instrument in a particular market is received from a first market maker at a first offer price. A first bid for the same particular instrument in the same particular market is received from...

20060020538 - Tabs based drag and drop graphical trading interface: The interface comprises one or more grids, each grid typically associated with a specific security. GUI objects or icons representing orders of a specific quantity may be dragged and dropped onto the grid to place, change, or cancel orders. The Grids are contained within tab pages, which are further contained...

20060020539 - Insurance program method and system for student loans: Methods and systems are provided for the student loan marketplace that enable third party insurers to participate in the market as forbearance or default bridges. Particularly, insurance is offered to student loan recipients, which cover specified circumstances of non-repayment to the lender. With such insurance coverage, defaults on loans can...

20060020540 - Method and apparatus for performing electronic transactions: The invention discloses a method for performing electronic transactions over a communications network. The communications network includes a user operable terminal (12), a remote electronic transaction processing system (16) and a product and/or service delivery means (14). The method includes the steps of requesting a desired product and/or service on...

20060020543 - Method and system for expediting payment delivery: A method and system of the present invention are directed to expediting payments for scheduled delivery (e.g., next day delivery) to various payees or recipients. A computer implemented method and system for expediting payments may include receiving recipient data and payment data from a customer at a remote location; wherein...

20060020542 - Method and system for processing financial transactions: A method and system for processing financial transactions by receiving a payment transaction as an Issuing Payment Processor, converting the payment into one or more derivative transactions based on a defined rules set, and then sending, as a Merchant Payment Processor, the resulting derivative transaction or transactions to another Issuing...

20060020545 - Payroll system: The present invention provides a payroll system in which calculations are performed by a remote service, but where the client maintains access to, and control over, payroll and employee records. In one embodiment, a client component receives a user request for a payroll calculation and populates data transmission schemas with...

20060020541 - System and method for automated title searching and reporting, reporting of document recordation, and billing: A method and system for automated title searching and reporting, having one or more generally geographically located computers each having software and one or more databases; an interface for receiving instructions from one or more clients setting forth desired title information for one or more pieces of property such that...

20060020544 - System and method for tracking emissions: A system for estimating emissions based on bills paid through a bill paying service. The system includes a bill payment processor configured to receive a bill for an external entity and arrange for a payment based on the bill, an emission estimation engine configured to generate an emissions estimate based...

20060020546 - Computerized system for producing fraud-inhibiting checks and method thereof: A method and computerized system for producing fraud-inhibiting checks. The system includes a server computer, a processor with the server computer, an area of main memory for executing program code under the direction of the processor, a storage device, a bus connecting the processor and the storage device, at least...

20060020547 - Hybrid networks: A user through a mobile or fixed terminal (5) informs an agent (33) hosted by an operator server (13) of subjects in respect of which content is requested. The agent (33) searches the internet for relevant content, and determines from a set of user preferences, relating to cost and timing...

20060020548 - Interactive media viewer system with interactive email and purchase follow up capabilities and special security features: Described is a system and method whereby a person(s) viewing or experiencing a multimedia program displayed on a device such as a computer screen or television screen can interact with the program in viewing environments including but not limited to: Internet type connections, telecommunication (telephone, ISDN, ADSL), VSAT satellite, and...

20060020549 - Security module and personalization method for such a security module: This invention relates to a security module comprising a microprocessor, a program memory containing at least one operating program and unique identification means of said module. This security module is characterized in that the identification means are constituted by a set of unique and artificial computer codes, compatible with their...

20060020550 - System and method for secure data distribution and retrieval using encrypted media: A system and method for secure distribution and retrieval of valuable content on a standard-format, non-volatile digital storage media using encryption where authorization to access the content is managed through an enabling hardware device interacting with a centralized authentication and billing system linked by a secure communications path. The playing...

20060020551 - Systems and methods for distributing, obtaining and using digital media files: Systems and methods for distributing, obtaining and using digital media files are disclosed. An exemplary method for distributing media files may include receiving a digital media file from a media file server. A plurality of digital media files are stored on the file server. In addition, a plurality of other...

20060020552 - Copy-restriction system for digitally recorded, computer disk-based music recordings: A software routine, method of use of such software routine, and associated business method for the distribution of piracy-resistant audio recordings via digital recording media....

20060020554 - License proxy: A license proxy process receives an indication that an application is licensed and, after receiving the indication, periodically transmits a heartbeat to a license server....

20060020553 - License proxy process to facilitate license sharing between a plurality of applications: In one embodiment, a license proxy process transmits to a license server a request for a license that is to be shared by a plurality of applications. After the license proxy process receives the license from the license server, it stores license information corresponding to the license in a memory...

20060020555 - Monitoring a license proxy: Methods and systems for monitoring a license proxy are disclosed. In one embodiment, the system comprises an application, a license proxy process, communicatively coupled to the application, to periodically transmit a heartbeat to a license server, and a monitoring agent to monitor the license proxy process, and upon detecting a...

20060020556 - System and method for distributing electronic content utilizing electronic license keys: A system and method for distributing electronic content from a content creator to an end-user operating an end-user device. The end-user purchases a number of license tokens, which are electronically distributed to the end-user device from a distributor. The license tokens are utilized to access protected software in the end-user...

20060020557 - Systems and methods for distributing, obtaining and using digital media files: Systems and methods for distributing, obtaining and using digital media files are disclosed. An exemplary method for distributing media files may include receiving a digital media file from a media file server. A plurality of digital media files are stored on the file server. In addition, a plurality of other...

20060020558 - Method and system for proffering multiple biometrics for use with a smartcard: The present invention discloses a system and methods for biometric security using multiple biometrics in a smartcard-reader system. The biometric security system also includes a biometric sensor that detects biometric samples and a device for verifying biometric samples. In one embodiment, the biometric security system includes a smartcard configured with...

20060020559 - System for authentication and identification for computerized and networked systems: The invention consists of a uniquely punched or printed key, often in the form of a card, that is used to identify and authenticate a user during online transactions. The computer randomly generates an array of characters, such as numbers, letters or symbols, which is displayed to the user, e.g.,...

20060020560 - Content distribution using network coding: A content distribution mechanism that relies on cooperative desktop PCs to distribute content is disclosed. The mechanism distributes content in a robust manner by allowing at least one intermediate network node (i.e., between a source and client) to generate and send packets that contain a linear combination of the portions...

20060020561 - System for generating a user interface and service cost display for mobile document processing services: The present invention is directed to a method and system for accessing data services by users which shows the user the cost of such services based on the options, properties, or services selected. A user accesses a multifunctional peripheral device in a non-office environment, such an airport lounge or hotel...

20060015354 - Controlling service provided by a packet switched network based on bids from consumer equipment: Service that is provided by a packet switched network is controlled based on bids from a plurality of consumer equipment. Bids are requested from the consumer equipment. The bids are compared, and service by the packet switched network is controlled based the comparison. Access to the packet switched network may...

20060015351 - Creating expiring copies in a check-out/check-in system: A check-in/check-out system (100) and method creates limited-duration copies of protected content material (101). The system is configured to allow up-to-N contemporaneous copies (102) of the protected content material. A log (110) maintains a record of the copies currently outstanding, and their expiration times, after which time a conforming rendering...

20060015356 - Developing a supplier-management process at a supplier: A method, apparatus, system, and signal-bearing medium that, in an embodiment, repeatedly send different criteria to a customer's supplier, where the different criteria move the supplier from a baseline supplier-management process toward an ideal supplier-management process. A customer sends a baseline template to a supplier, receives a report from the...

20060015350 - Electronic money processing device: A settlement method with electronic money in an electronic money system, achieving an economic effect by mentally promoting consumption of the electronic money is provided. When electronic settlement is made using electronic money, the balance of electronic money is reduced at a predetermined rate according to the difference between the...

20060015360 - Insurance product associated with risk management on the application of crop inputs: An insurance product comprises a crop risk insurance policy component that insures against risk of loss for at least drought. An endorsement assembly is associated with the crop risk insurance policy component. The endorsement assembly comprises a grower compliance requirement, a right of payment, and ancillary terms and conditions. The...

20060015357 - Method and apparatus for spatiotemporal valuation of real estate: A method and apparatus for valuing every property in a predetermined geographic region at regular intervals and storing those valuations for ready access later in a layered data stratum, using customary sources of property valuation data to create a new layers of the data stratum and using the data stored...

20060015361 - Method and system for customer contact reporting: A method and system for customer contact reporting. In embodiments, a document may be generated at a first computer system that has contact report fields. Appointment data may be extracted from a groupware application's data set, and data may be entered within the contact report fields in the document based...

20060015366 - Method and system for transacting with network traffic: A system and method for using targeted network traffic as payment-in-kind in exchange for rights to anything that may be connected to a network, such as network-connected computer hardware and copyrighted software or content on such hardware, is disclosed. The method may be adapted for use with almost any product...

20060015359 - Methods and systems for providing combination gift card and greeting card: Systems and methods for providing a combination gift element and greeting element may comprise receiving a request to create a greeting element, the greeting element comprising at least one of an electronic greeting element and a physical greeting element. Furthermore, the systems and methods may include receiving a request to...

20060015365 - Retail system and method: There is provided a retail shopping system and method. The retail shopping system is preferably a grocery retailing system or supermarket. The system comprises a franchiser and at least two distinct-class retail merchant operator franchisees that are retail merchant operators of any combination of perishable goods, retail merchant operators of...

20060015362 - Spatial data analyzing apparatus, spatial data analyzing method and spatial data analyzing program: This apparatus, method, and program, from a plurality of records each record including position information showing a position in a two or more-dimensional space and a plurality of attribute information pieces, finds a condition of attribute information under which records are congested in the space, including: selecting records having same...

20060015355 - System and method for managing advertising campaign data: A method and system for managing ad campaign data. According to one embodiment, an application receives a request to store data associated with an ad campaign, and responsive to the request, stores one or more output files and context information associated with the data, the context information assembled according to...

20060015352 - System and method for provisioning audiovisual works: A method for provisioning audiovisual works to a client includes maintaining categorization information specifying, for each of multiple audiovisual works, one or more of multiple categories. One or more of the categories are associated with each of multiple delivery slots in response to input from a client. For each of...

20060015364 - System and methods for acquiring an interest in real property: Methods and systems for implementing investment options on a real property. An owner of the real property may sell a Call option that gives the owner a consideration in exchange for an option to purchase the property at a strike price at some point in the future, wherein the strike...

20060015363 - Systems and methods for processing invoices based on a minimum invoice amount: Systems and methods are defined for processing an invoice indicating an amount due in which the processing of the invoice, which typically includes printing the invoice, is dependent in part on the amount due. Specifically, certain procedures may be invoked when the amount due is less than a threshold level,...

20060015353 - Techniques for providing connections to services in a network environment: Methods and apparatus for facilitating consumption of services via a services network are described. Access is provided to a services directory which identifies a plurality of services and at least one connector for facilitating consumption of each of the services via the network. Each connector is operable to mediate communication...

20060015358 - Third party authentication of an electronic transaction: A first identity credential (for example, a username and password), in conjunction with a second identity credential (for example, a token identifier and a token-generated password) verified by an authentication provider, permits access to a protected resource (for example, a bank account) maintained by a service provider (for example, a...

20060015349 - Transformer manufacturing optimized planning across the manufacturing plants using artificial intelligence: Accordingly, a system and method for selecting an optimal manufacturing location at which to execute an order are disclosed. Input is received including the order and manufacturing capability information for the available locations. The input may also include management information. An optimization mode is selected based on the manufacturing capability...

20060015370 - Flow management analysis system and method for healthcare related business: The present invention provides a method of analyzing a business flow process within an healthcare organization comprising. One or more working units are mapped within the organization. A relationship between the one or more working units is mapped. Data is collected from the one or more working units. A flow...

20060015369 - Healthcare provider recommendation system: An online database of patient-to-patient healthcare provider recommendations is provided. This database may provide a resource for choosing a physician, and a community of support for those facing medical challenges. Patients who have had a positive experience with a physician can register this physician online, and subsequent patients can search...

20060015368 - Portable method and device for personal medical record compilation and retrieval: A medical information device includes a portable USB memory drive adapted for detachable connection with a USB port of a computer. A current medical profile Portable Document Format (PDF) file is stored on the portable USB memory drive unencrypted and without password protection. The current medical profile PDF file contains...

20060015367 - System for data analysis: A method and apparatus for analysing data allowing accurate, up to date analysis of the performance of hospitals or hospital trusts as the data is entered into the system. The method and apparatus is optimised for analysing data in such a way as to produce graphical representations allowing easy recognition...

20060015371 - Health tracking system: Techniques are disclosed for capturing first information (such as a digital photograph) descriptive of a health-related item (such as a meal or fitness device), and transmitting the first information to a server which queues the first information for subsequent association with second information (such as nutritional content information) descriptive of...

20060015372 - System and method of coordinating medical screening and treatment data: A system and method for screening for a medical condition within a network of care in which patents being treated for a secondary medical condition are screened for risk profiles indicative of a risk of having a primary medical condition, and conveying that information to appropriate healthcare providers and authorized...

20060015374 - Risk management on the application of crop inputs: A system and method for managing a crop insurance program facilitates determining an input management plan for application of a crop input to a field within a defined geographic area. A first yield per land unit is measured. The first yield per land unit pertains to a particular crop associated...

20060015373 - System and method for automated establishment of experience ratings and/or risk reserves: System and method for automated experience rating and/or loss reserving for events, a certain event Pi,f of an initial year i including development values Pikf with development year k. For i, k applicable is i=1, . . . , K and k=1, . . . , K, K being the...

20060015376 - Method and system for employee reservation of meeting rooms: Embodiments of the present invention relate to a system for reserving a resource from a commonly available set of resources. A request from an employee to reserve a room in an office building at a date and time may be received at a first computer system. A reservation record that...

20060015375 - Method and system of managing services in a business center: The present invention provides a method and system for managing, presenting and booking office space, conference rooms and services of a business center. Visitors to a business center portal may view business center services, check the availability of business center services, and book the services that meet their needs. Business...

20060015382 - Ad-hoc coordination actions in business processes: Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for ad hoc coordination actions in business processes. A computer-implemented method for implementing an ad-hoc coordination action framework, extending on a business process framework, includes enabling ad-hoc coordination actions as generic callable services in a work context, implementing the ad-hoc actions as templates...

20060015381 - Business lifecycle management system: In accordance with the embodiments described herein, a method and system for development and implementation of business and process strategies is disclosed. The disclosed business and process strategies system and method is an integrative approach that includes the integration of strategic frameworks with corresponding value drivers, with business lifecycle methods,...

20060015383 - Generic contextual floor plans: Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for generic contextual floor plans. A computer-implemented method for providing a user interface for running business processes, wherein process data are handled in data objects by one or more service-oriented business applications, including enabling a generalized information architecture for presenting modeled-business situations, including...

20060015377 - Method and system for detecting business behavioral patterns related to a business entity: A method and system for detecting business behavioral patterns related to a business entity is provided. The method comprises determining a model for business behavioral patterns in which the likelihood of a particular business behavioral pattern is associated with the occurrence of a qualitative event and a quantitative metric. The...

20060015380 - Method for business lifecycle management: In accordance with the embodiments described herein, a method and system for development and implementation of business and process strategies is disclosed. The disclosed business and process strategies method is an integrative approach that includes the integration of strategic frameworks with corresponding value drivers, with business lifecycle methods, including industry...

20060015379 - Method for tracking components in a utility meter: A method of assembling a utility meter having a plurality of components on a subassembly is disclosed herein. The method comprises associating an identification code, such as a barcode, with the subassembly and then entering the barcode associated with the subassembly into a first memory. Next, a lot identification code...

20060015378 - Publishing, browsing, rating and purchasing of groups of media items: Improved techniques to create, browse, rate and/or purchase media asset groups are disclosed. Media assets groups can be created by various users and published to a digital assets manager. Thereafter, the media assets groups can be finalized and made available for on-line purchase. Once the media asset groups are made...

20060015387 - Activity browser: Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for an activity browser. A computer system includes a user interface linked to a processor arranged to perform instructions in accordance with a business application stored in a memory, the business application including context code portions representing at least one context, the context...

20060015386 - Avoiding conflicting requests for resources or meetings: Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for avoiding scheduling conflicts in resource reservations and meeting reservations. A method includes receiving personal and/or resource data in a meeting appointment form presented by a system, retrieving current schedules for the received personal and/or resource data residing in back end systems, and...

20060015384 - Business management and procedures involving intelligent middleman: A system of infrastructure and communications networks that will enable employees (“intelligent middlemen”) located in offshore areas to facilitate the exchange of economic assets and information among themselves. Such assets include: cultural, technical and legal rights and remedies, software engineering and various other business skills, from buyer to seller. There...

20060015385 - System for managing business processes by means of a computer system: A system is described for managing business processes by means of a computer system. These processes have a number of consecutive process phases, wherein one or more of these processes can be started and accessed through a plurality of input channels. A process management module can be started upon receipt...

20060015389 - Method and apparatus for real time monitoring of business services: An API framework module is created that enables monitoring of business services and updating the monitoring of business services. The API framework module is used to create a monitoring utility to monitor business services and produce graphic representations of that monitoring. The API framework module is transferred to a business...

20060015388 - Method and apparatus for supporting individualized selection rules for resource allocation: The present invention relates to the matching of resources to work entries. In particular, the present invention allows work items to be assigned to a particular resource based on the characteristics of the work item and on the qualifications and preferences of the resource. Furthermore, the present invention does not...

20060015391 - Automated voter registration campaign management: An automated voter registration campaign management system and method includes collecting information and determining of one or more parameters of registrations per hour, phone number percentages for new registrants, volunteer recruitment percentage, contact rate and verification rate. Next the determined parameters is compared against predetermined targets; and a variance report...

20060015390 - System and method for identifying and approaching browsers most likely to transact business based upon real-time data mining: The present invention is directed to a system and functionality that removes the guess work out of trying to determine which browsers on a web site are more likely to end up with a good disposition. One approach introduced by the present invention is to first make sure the sales...

20060015393 - Human resource assessment: Methods, devices, and systems are provided for human resource assessment. A resource planning device includes a processor, a memory, and a user interface coupled to one another. The device includes program instructions storable in the memory and executable by the processor to present, in a selectable configuration, organization specific human...

20060015392 - Method and apparatus for ranking users according to evaluating providers of information: A method and system for evaluating providers of information. The method comprises of the steps of allotting endorsement value points to such providers, allowing providers to transfer some or all of their endorsement value points to one or more other providers to enable that other provider or providers to increase...

20060015395 - Automated parking system with interactive voice response: An automated parking system including a data server module, an internet-based sign up module, an automated parking module, an enforcement module, and a payment module. The data server module includes a member information database that stores selected member information; a client information database for storing selected client information; a location...

20060015398 - Intruder, theft and vandalism deterrent management system for controlling a parking area: A parking area control and management system employs a card reader, which reads identification information from a card commonly carried by a person, such as a driver's license or credit card or other identity card carried by a user that is issued by an entity other than a parking area...

20060015394 - Licensed driver detection for high occupancy toll lane qualification: A method for collecting tolls on a high occupancy toll lane includes detecting a number of driver's licenses inserted into a card reader located in a vehicle and transmitting the number of driver's licenses to a roadside transceiver for a determination of a toll amount for the vehicle based on...

20060015396 - System and method for optimizing the utilization of a cargo space and for maximizing the revenue from a cargo transport: The present invention relates to a process for the automatic maximization and/or optimization of the load, the chargeable weight, the revenue, the capacities and/or the cargo space of a cargo transport, particularly of an air-cargo transport, consisting of cargo of differing volume weight d, calculated as volume per weight, wherein...

20060015397 - Web-based parking and traffic management system and method: The present invention is directed to a web-based system and method for managing traffic and congestion associated with large events while decreasing operating costs and increasing event revenues. A user accesses a webpage to purchase a parking pass for a predetermined event via a user interface. Once the parking lot...

20060015403 - Business systems with price guarantee and display: A method for guaranteeing a consumer a best price on an item purchased from a vendor in a consummated final first transaction, the method including, in certain aspects, including determining a refund due to insure that a consumer receives the benefit of a later better price, and displaying the refund...

20060015399 - Content distribution revenue sharing methods and devices therefore: A method for distributing content (120) from a subscriber terminal (110) in a wireless communication system and sharing revenue between the subscriber and the service provider (130) by generating, at the subscriber terminal, a content available notification message (125). The content available notification message is associated with the content to...

20060015401 - Efficiently spaced and used advertising in network-served multimedia documents: A two-stage sponsored link mechanism is embedded in a Web page such that the amount of available information to the user is exponentially related to the space devoted to the sponsored links. In the first stage, a server provides categories and topics, in the form of searchable keywords, for inclusion...

20060015406 - Hybrid network based advertising system and method: The invention relates to a system and method for presenting advertisements to a user. A user network processing device transmits at least one user request for an advertisement and presents advertisements served in response to the user request for an advertisement to the user. A content provider server having a...

20060015400 - Processing data for an advertising program conducted in association with a telecommunications network: Embodiments include a method for processing advertising data in a telecommunications service provider. The method may include receiving at least one customer communication in a network of the telecommunications service provider, which includes data obtained from at least one advertisement included within an advertisement medium; forwarding the customer communication to...

20060015404 - Service provider system and method for marketing programs: To assist in patent searching a description includes a consumer purchasing behavior profiling system having aspects including consumer profiles formed and updated based on a variety of data. Advertisers access to send targeted advertising messages to the consumers. Aspects include advertising information together with incentive level and mix being correlated...

20060015405 - Software agent for facilitating electronic commerce transactions through display of targeted promotions or coupons: A software agent for locally tracking a user's network interaction, such as web browsing, and providing targeted promotions with optional coupons to the user. The monitoring involves use of a downloaded file of network addresses and words potentially tailored to each individual user. The software agent locally compares network addresses...

20060015402 - Using multiple pins for redemption through multiple distribution channels: In one exemplary embodiment, a system and method for enabling a customer to redeem a plurality of identifiers for at least one product associated therewith are provided. A database having stored therein the plurality of identifiers associated with the at least one product is established. The plurality of identifiers are...

20060015407 - Server and connection interface for establishing and controlling an ip communication: The invention concerns a server connected to an Internet-type communication network, for distributing to a personal computer-type piece of computer equipment an interface that allows a user to use at least one control element to activate and deactivate a computer connection with the server and to establish an IP-type communication,...

20060015408 - System and method employing radio frequency identification in merchandising management: A method for obtaining information about the location of an object or individual bearing an RFID tag. Able to monitor movements of the object or person bearing the tag, a merchandising service provider is able to determine the effectiveness of displays and promotions, evaluate plan-o-gram compliance, verify the location of...

20060015411 - Bounceback detection in online product configuration: The present invention provides techniques for effecting improved guidance to the user of a configuration system by detecting and eliminating bounceback behavior that unnecessarily eliminates otherwise valid domain members from the selection provided to the user. Generally, domain members that would have been eliminated (e.g., grayed out) solely because of...

20060015413 - Computerized quotation system and method: A computerized system for forming a computer based communications network of network members inclusive of network buyers and or network vendors for processing requests for quotation for goods and services through at least one central processing unit including operating system software for controlling the central processing unit, storage means containing...

20060015409 - Delivery system, delivery apparatus and advertisement effect compilation method: A broadcast system (10) includes a broadcast station (20) which broadcasts a program and a broadcast receiving apparatus (31a) which receives the program, wherein the broadcast receiving apparatus (31a) includes a microphone (32d) for marking a specific portion of the received program or an object that appears in the program,...

20060015410 - Information registering method, information managing apparatus and advertisement displaying system: A terminal notifies a server of a processing method of contents, the server notifies the terminal of an E-mail address associated with the processing method notified to the server, the terminal transmits the contents to the E-mail address in the server that the terminal is notified, the server receives the...

20060015412 - Information-presenting apparatus, information-presenting method, information-processing apparatus, information-processing method and program-storing medium: Disclosed is an information-presenting apparatus includes a first holding means for holding a first information transmission destination and a second information transmission destination; a second holding means for holding a criterion for selecting either the first information transmission destination or the second information transmission destination; a selection means for selecting...

20060015414 - Container inventory management systems, methods and tools: An inventory management system configured for use in association with at least one container containing an amount of inventory material at a monitored location is provided. The system includes at least one measurement instrument operatively associated with the container, the measurement instrument being configured to generate at least one data...

20060015415 - Optimizing inventory in accordance with a constrained network: In one embodiment, optimizing inventory includes accessing service level band sets. Each service level band set is associated with a policy group, and includes service level bands. Each service level band of a service level band set has a service level priority with respect to any other service level bands...

20060015416 - System, method and computer program product for utilizing market demand information for generating revenue: A system, method and computer program product are disclosed for risk management in a supply chain management framework. A supply chain manager is appointed for at least one buying supply chain participant. The supply chain manager is given authority to negotiate supply agreements for at least one good on behalf...

20060015417 - Method and system for purchase order data entry: A method of entering purchase order data includes receiving first data associated with an item. The first data comprises data entered by a user using a graphical user interface associated with a computerized purchasing system for at least one of products and services. The method also includes transferring the first...

20060015418 - Enhanced trade compliance system: audit processing, payment balancing process and amendment processing: Methods and systems for auditing invoice and payment records are disclosed. A computer system may receive a plurality of invoices and payment records, compare one of the invoices to a matching one of the payment records to identify a discrepancy between the invoice and the payment record, calculate an error...

20060015419 - Method for determining sales tax in automated purchasing systems: A method for determining sales tax in an automated purchasing system includes the steps of populating data entries in a master transaction record for one or more commodity items. Exemplary populated data entries include material group, cost center code and delivery address. Data corresponding to cost centers are mapped to...

20060015420 - Method and apparatus for covering costs of law firm out-of-pocket expenses: A method and system is disclosed including storing data regarding a plurality of law firm clients in a database, designating at least some of those clients to be billed for interest incurred financing out-of-pocket expenses, with the law firm financing an out-of-pocket expense using law firm capital or a loan...

20060015427 - Future check financing method: A Future Check Financing Method is disclosed. The method enables purchasers and others to present future-dated checks (or other payment vehicles) at the point of sale for purchases. The potential recipient of the future-dated payment vehicles and/or a check guarantee entity is able to make a lending decision based solely...

20060015428 - Future check financing method: A Future Check Financing Method is disclosed. The method enables purchasers and others to present future-dated checks (or other payment vehicles) at the point of sale for purchases. The potential recipient of the future-dated payment vehicles and/or a check guarantee entity is able to make a lending decision based solely...

20060015423 - Integrated method loan and financial planning system and method: An integrated mortgage loan and financial planning system for use by an integrated network of service providers within a predetermined community utilizing a shared, automatically-generated mortgage loan and financial planning application with a client's information for evaluation and approval by members of a network of service providers providing integrated mortgage...

20060015424 - Management method, system and product for enterprise environmental programs: To provide for management of enterprise environmental programs, the invention is a method, system, and computer program product that performs functions for emissions cataloging, assessing, analyzing, comparing, strategic planning, reporting and viewing. The invention further provides an integrated, modular mechanism with dynamic data promulgation for making strategic performance assessments and...

20060015430 - Method for creating indices of forecasts of performance regarding financial markets: Described herein is a method for creating indices of forecasts of performance regarding financial markets, in which a number (p) of performances for each element of a number (m) of markets and/or financial tools are considered as unknown variables; the method comprising the following steps: definition of an objective function...

20060015432 - Method for distributing financial data: The present invention is aimed to provide a system for providing, to a terminal device of an investor, data indicating delay of distribution of financial data, which data is used for the investor to make decisions on investment transactions in a simple and reliable way. To achieve the above aim,...

20060015422 - Method for financing a loan: A method for financing a product or service that includes determining a first loan amount and calculating a first periodic payment and a first term based on the first loan amount. The method further includes determining a supplemental allowance for a borrower and calculating a revised loan amount by summing...

20060015429 - Methods and apparatus for investment portfolio selection, allocation, and management to generate sustainable withdrawals: Methods and apparatus are provided for determining a minimum distribution rate and an investment allocation among individual investments of different types, including income generating investments that may be counter-balanced by principal protection investments, according to predefined ratios, determining a distribution amount based upon a performance level of individual investments and...

20060015433 - Non-capitalization weighted fundamental indexing system, method and computer program product: A passive investment system based on indices created from various metrics is disclosed. The indexes may be built with metrics other than market capitalization weighting, price weighting or equal weighting. These metrics may include, but are not limited to book value, sales, revenue, earnings, earnings per share, income, income growth...

20060015426 - Risk shifting method for investments in wind power generation: A method for shifting risk in a wind power generation project from an investor to a guarantor. The method includes determining a premium amount to be paid by the investor to the guarantor, determining a total return floor amount, obtaining structural supports including a wind variability swap, manufacturer's warranty and/or...

20060015431 - System and method for flexible path handling: A method for a computer system includes receiving a mapping schema between a plurality of asset-types within an asset-type hierarchy and a plurality of paths within an on-disk storage structure, receiving an asset-type definition list from a user, wherein the asset-type definition list comprises an asset-type from the plurality of...

20060015425 - System and method for providing customizable investment tools: Computer-implemented methods and systems to help investors determine the fair value and ratings of assets (such as equity or debt instruments, etc.), and thereby make better informed investment decisions, through: automatically consolidating selected asset historical performance, forecasting and rating information; automatically computing asset valuations based on default and/or customized valuation...

20060015421 - Systems and methods for objective financing of assets: Systems, methods, and computer program products consistent with the principles of the present invention provide an infrastructure for asset owners to obtain financing arrangements from a multitude of liability providers in near real time and objectively....

20060015434 - Systems and methods for providing a trading interface with advanced features: Systems and methods for a trading interface with advanced features are provided. Using these systems and methods, a user may create orders, manipulate orders, cancel orders, configure alternative keyboard settings, and/or obtain additional information on transactions. When a user clicks on a bid and/or offer, a dialog box may pop-up,...

20060015440 - Dynamic liquidity management system: The present invention provides systems and methods liquidity providers can use to manage and reduce their overall market exposure when multiple offers to deal are received substantially simultaneously. The invention automatically processes offers to deal according to provider-specified parameters, including a customer trading limit, a global trading limit and an...

20060015449 - Method for conducting a computerized auction: The invention provides a method for conducting a computerized auction of property according to a tiered restriction process. The sale or transfer of the proper can be restricted as to the community a potential buyer must be a member of an specific attributes of the buyer. The buyer is only...

20060015439 - Shareable quote streams: Method and apparatus for providing price quote streams to a multiplicity of customers in an online asset trading system. The invention allows providers to establish, maintain and revise only one shareable price quote stream (or, alternatively, just a relative few number of shareable price quote streams) for each currency pair...

20060015435 - System and method for an automated sales system with remote negotiation and post-sale verification: The present invention provides a system and method to process items for sale or bid, to transmit electronic negotiations between prospective buyer and seller, and to verify the condition of the item before delivery to the buyer. The invention facilitates autonomous and remote negotiation between sellers and prospective buyers while...

20060015448 - System and method for determining and applying parity in a hybrid auction market: A plurality of limit orders are received at the same price and the limit orders are aggregated as a single aggregate. A plurality of broker interests are received at the same price. Equal parity is assigned to the single aggregate and each of the plurality of broker interests....

20060015436 - 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...

20060015443 - System and method for managing an imbalance in a hybrid auction market: A large market order to buy is received causing an imbalance. A portion of the market order is executed at a best offer price. A quote is changed from fast to slow, and a remaining unexecuted size of the market order is calculated. The unexecuted size of the market order...

20060015441 - System and method for managing and trading auction limit orders in a hybrid auction market: A buy order is received with a limit price that is above a published best offer, and represented in the auction market. If the buy order is not immediately executed, it is quoted at a minimum variation better than a published best bid, and the price of the quoted buy...

20060015447 - System and method for order sweep in a hybrid auction market: A first price and first size of a published offer to sell shares of a security are determined, and a second price and second size of orders to sell shares of the security are determined. A third price and third size of orders to sell shares of the security are...

20060015445 - System and method for presenting broker and specialist interest in a hybrid auction market: Broker or specialist interest to buy or sell a security at a first price and a first size is received, and it is determined whether the first price equals a published best bid or offer price. If the first price equals the published bid or offer price, first size is...

20060015442 - System and method for publishing liquidity replenishment prices in a hybrid auction market: A sweep liquidity offer price is determined, and a momentum liquidity offer price is determined. If the sweep liquidity offer price is less than the momentum liquidity offer price, the sweep liquidity offer price is published. If the sweep momentum liquidity offer price is greater than the momentum liquidity offer...

20060015446 - System and method for setting and using a momentum liquidity replenishment price in a hybrid auction market: The lowest trade price for a security within a predetermined period of time is determined, and a momentum liquidity replenishment price is determined by adding the greater of a predetermined price or a predetermined percentage of the last trade price to the lowest trade price for the security for the...

20060015444 - System and method for setting and using a sweep liquidity replenishment price in an hybrid auction market: The price of a best bid is determined, and a proposed bid sweep liquidity replenishment price is determined by subtracting five cents from the price of the best bid. The proposed bid sweep liquidity replenishment price is incrementally decreased by 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4 cents until the proposed...

20060015438 - System for linking initiators and beneficiaries, and method suited therefor: A system for linking initiators and beneficiaries, and a method suited therefor, are provided in which a linking unit is provided, which provides an agreement concluded between the initiator and the beneficiary, whereby the agreement is concluded earmarked for a certain product. A first mediation unit for an interested party...

20060015437 - Systems and methods for performing international money exchanges: Disclosed are systems and methods for effecting international online financial transactions between individuals or between individuals and entities such as banks, merchants and other companies. In one embodiment, requests for international currency exchanges are processed in batch form. A currency accumulator may be used to keep track of currency exchange...

20060015454 - Distributor-based transaction processing arrangement and approach: Transaction management for distributor-based transactions is facilitated. According to an example embodiment of the present invention, a transaction management approach involves the processing of transactions on behalf of clients using rules associated with a distributor sponsoring the clients into the transaction. The processing involves the implementation of rules, profiles and/or...

20060015450 - Financial services network and associated processes: Disclosed herein are a financial services network and associated processes for providing interactive transmissions between network participants. The financial services network includes a private and secure transport network that allows for any number of financial services to be conducted between participants and other entities associated with the network. Each participant...

20060015455 - Order-resource fulfillment and management system and approach: Historical data is used to manage and authorize payment for merchant offerings for transactions among a plurality of transaction parties. According to an example embodiment of the present invention, invoiced item quantities are processed using historical fulfilled and billed quantities of each item. If invoiced item quantities involved items that...

20060015451 - Property transaction: Methods, devices, and systems are provided for property transactions. One device embodiment includes a processor, a memory coupled to the processor, and user interface coupled to the memory and processor. The device includes program instructions storable in memory and executable by the processor to coordinate a buyer electronic indicator and...

20060015456 - System and method for facilitating bilateral and multilateral decision-making: Techniques for facilitating evaluation, in connection with the procurement or delivery of products or services, in a context of at least one of (i) a financial transaction and (ii) operation of an enterprise, such context involving a member of a first class of parties in a first role and a...

20060015452 - Systems and methods for implementing account-to-account international money exchanges: Disclosed are systems and methods for effecting international online financial transactions between individuals or between individuals and entities such as banks, merchants and other companies. In one embodiment, users are able to access one or more fund exchange servers to establish online accounts, which may then be used to transfer...

20060015453 - Systems and methods for implementing person-to-person international money exchanges: Disclosed are systems and methods for effecting international online financial transactions between individuals or between individuals and entities such as banks, merchants and other companies. In one embodiment, users are able to access one or more fund exchange servers to establish online accounts, which may then be used to transfer...

20060015459 - Data processing methods, systems and computer programs for providing a payment: Data processing systems and methods are disclosed for providing a payment using a Web service. In one implementation, a first computer is used for entry of data values into respective data entry fields of an electronic data entry form. Further, an identifier of the Web service, such as the uniform...

20060015457 - Method and system for product distribution and billing: A process of, and system for, product distribution and billing. The process comprises: a) distributor delivery of product(s) to customers; b) provider receiving through a website a notification from the distributor that the distributor has delivered product; c) provider issuing credit to the distributor as compensation for both the delivered...

20060015458 - System and method for verifying payment: A method, apparatus and system for verifying a charge payment transaction subsequent to executing the charge payment transaction in a retail location. The method includes moving a charge payment device into the retail location and presenting the charge payment device at a merchant point of sale located at the retail...

20060015460 - System for dynamically encrypting information for secure internet commerce and providing embedded fulfillment software: A data distribution system is provided which supplies customers with an executable for requested secured data files to provide the customer with fulfillment software, obviating the need for the customer to download fulfillment software prior to requesting secure data. The data distribution system is characterized by server technology which can...

20060015462 - Method and apparatus for the distribution of digitised information on demand: In a method and apparatus for the electronic distribution of digitised information on demand, remote and/or local mass data stores are used to store digitised information for use in the generation of products such as software media. Available products and related information can be searched, browsed and requested at a...

20060015461 - Multimedia data transacting system and method: A multimedia data transacting method, and an apparatus and system to perform the method, the method including extracting scrambled multimedia data from a broadcast signal received from a broadcasting station server, requesting and receiving a descramble key to descramble multimedia data, contained in the broadcast signal, that a user selects...

20060015463 - Performing automatically authorized programmatic transactions: Techniques are described for facilitating interactions between computing systems, such as by performing transactions between parties that are automatically authorized via a third-party transaction authorization system. In some situations, the transactions are programmatic transactions involving the use of fee-based Web services by executing application programs, with the transaction authorization system...

20060015464 - Program encoding and counterfeit tracking system and method: Unique encoding of each of a substantial number of distribution video copies of a program such as a motion picture is produced by altering the images slightly at several pre-selected locations in the program in a uniquely coded pattern. Suspected counterfeits can be compared with an unaltered master video to...

20060015465 - Apparatus, method and program for license information ascertainment: A license information ascertainment device ascertains whether software to be executed conforms to an appropriate license contract. The license information ascertainment device includes a verification circuit for determining coincidence with verification information included in the software so as to verify the legitimacy of execution of the software. The license information...

20060015466 - Method and apparatus for controlling and metering usage of software products with an optimized license use: A method and a corresponding apparatus for controlling and metering usage of software products on a computer are proposed. In a license manager software product, when several licenses are available for the same product a method for determining the best license is proposed in order to maximize the exploitation of...

20060015467 - Internet services quoting system and method: A method and system assists a consumer in selecting and purchasing internet services through a computer based communication system. The method and system provides an internet user real-time pricing and service quotes for internet services through the use of XML documents sent via HTTP Post....

20060015468 - Dynamic allocation of postal security devices: A system for dynamically allocating one or more postal security devices (PSD's), includes an indicia pool utilizing PSD's for generating indicia, a download pool for refreshing PSD funds, and a means for allocating the one or more PSD's among the indicia pool and download pool according to indicia generating requirements...

20060015469 - Integrated shipping lable and customs form: The systems and methods described herein relate generally to the integration of a shipping label with a customs form to provide a single label having postage, addressing, customs and other information for international shipping. In one embodiment, a method for generating an international shipping a package comprises the steps of...

20060010000 - Arrangement for installing a communication unit in an apparatus: An arrangement for installing a communication unit in an apparatus having a security housing, such as a mail processing apparatus, including a cavity bay located at a non-secure region of the apparatus that is accessible by a cover that is non-destructibly detachable from the security housing. The bay receives a...

20060010005 - Building construction management system: There is a system of managing building construction including a set of modules including a land module, a money module, a product module, a worker module, a buyer module, and an integration module configured to integrate information and services from the set of modules. There is a method of managing...

20060009999 - Contract term updates: A contract term updating system monitors of the expiration of contract terms stored in a contract database. A processing device receives the contract terms nearing expiration and generates an update form that includes the contract terms to be updated. The processing device may convert the form into a format to...

20060010006 - Database system and method for industrial automation services: A host system generates and manages databases incorporating data gathered from a plurality of client automation systems, such as CNC machine tools. The data may include real-time data, and is captured from the client systems under supervision of software downloaded over a network from the host system to the client...

20060009987 - Distributed scheduling: The invention concerns the scheduling of activities that involve a plurality of distributed resources, such as scheduling meetings that involve a plurality of attendees or scheduling processor activity, where the processors are arranged to control devices and/or other processors. In each of these examples, the resources communicate with one another...

20060010001 - Manufacturing productivity scoreboard: A system for displaying manufacturing productivity information, including a controller connected to a display device, a momentary actuator and a display. The controller records a plurality of cycle times between sequential actuations of the actuator and stores the cycle times in a library. The controller maintains a count of actuations...

20060009991 - Method and apparatus for using meta-rules to support dynamic rule-based business systems: Meta-Rules are a special set of business rules whose purpose is to enable business rules selection and subsequent rule invocation by a business rules manager. Contained within a Meta-Rule are business policy and other information that enables the selection of a business rule used by a business application. Meta-rules allow...

20060009993 - Method and structure for evaluation of long-term lease contracts under demand uncertainty: A method (and structure) of calculating an optimal mix of inputs for a problem having a plurality of possible scenarios, includes providing data for parameters for each of the scenarios, wherein the data includes a probability of each of the possible scenarios. A mix of parameters is determined for the...

20060009992 - Method and system for assessing a community's preparedness, deterrence, and response capability for handling crisis situations: A method and/or system is provided for assessing a community's preparedness, deterrence, and response capability for handling crisis situations. Numerical values representing answers to a series of questions pertaining to a crisis situation preparation domain and a crisis implementation domain are provided. A combined score of the domains is determined...

20060010004 - Method for providing customized products: In a first aspect a method for producing a customized product is disclosed. The method includes providing a high internal phase emulsion, providing at least one other component of a customized product, generating a customized product formula based at least in part on consumer data and mixing the emulsion with...

20060009998 - Method for site selection for retail and restaurant chains: A method of selecting a site for one or more retail units uses a database of information on existing units in a chain, including store sales or profits, site characteristics available from various databases, and information on marketing expenditure in the relevant market. Sales of potential new units are forecast...

20060010002 - Method for storage and administration of data and arrangement for implementation of the method: In a method for storage and administration of data, with storage division into a first storage region and into a second storage region, storage of result data in the first storage region occurs until exceeding a threshold, followed by copying and compression of first data from at least the lower...

20060009997 - Method for transforming subjective data to quantitative information for use in a decision making process: A trade study for developing products for a decision making authority, and guidelines in tailoring the trade study to meet the needs of a program. The trade study transforms a subjective decision making process into an objective decision making process. Within the trade study, standard terms and definitions are used,...

20060009988 - Method, apparatus, data structure and system for determining lot sizes consistent with an entity's strategic objectives: A method, apparatus, data structure and system are disclosed for developing order and/or lot sizes for an entity that are consistent with and supportive of an entity's strategic objective. The disclosed process uses the chosen units of measure of the strategic objective to evaluate the total impact each job has...

20060009990 - Method, apparatus, data structure and system for evaluating the impact of proposed actions on an entity's strategic objectives: A system and method for tangibly evaluating the impact that proposed daily or long term actions would have on an entity's strategic objectives, or other business goals, prior to implementing those proposed actions is provided by forecasting the probable results of those proposed actions and comparing them to the forecasted...

20060009989 - Method, apparatus, data structure and system for scheduling work consistent with an entity's strategic objectives: A method, apparatus, data structure and system for scheduling work consistent with and supportive of the strategic objectives of an entity is disclosed herein. In its preferred embodiment, the strategic objectives are defined and the primary strategic objective is chosen along with a measure for the primary strategic objective. Next,...

20060009996 - Phased rollout of version upgrades in web-based business information systems: A method, system, computer program product, and related business methods for phased rollout of an upgraded version of a web-based business information system are described. URLs associated with client requests remain the same even where the target subscriber accounts have been upgraded. Client requests for both upgraded and non-upgraded accounts...

20060009995 - Resilient flow control systems and methods: Systems and methods are disclosed for providing resilient flow control in the context of the Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS) and in other contexts. In one embodiment, a method is provided for managing access to a network resource such as a forward access channel. Upon receiving a request from an...

20060009994 - System and method for reputation rating: A system and method for reputation rating is disclosed. The method discloses: collecting a set of reputation ratings on a target entity from a set of reputation rating entities; attributing a weight to each of the reputation ratings based on a set of filtering criteria; and combining the weighted reputation...

20060010003 - User-capability-tailored transfer of digitally encoded content: In various embodiments of the present invention, the characteristics and parameters of a purchaser's computer are ascertained and alternative methods for packaging, transmitting, and instantiating digitally encoded content are considered in order to select a transfer method with low or minimal overhead. In certain embodiments of the present invention, the...

20060010008 - Card record sytem: A system for storing record information associated with an identifier for an entity, so that the entity can request that the record information be relayed to or from a terminal communicating with the system by presenting a device acting as the identifier for the entity....

20060010011 - Dynamic medical data acquisition: A medical data acquisition processing platform and method of operation for use in capturing medical data relating to one or more medical events. The processing platform including a processing system having a plurality of defined interface elements for acquiring medical data. Each of the defined interface elements provides one of...

20060010013 - Image database system: It is an object of the present invention to provide an image database system capable of easily correlating medical image data with the object part of the medical opinion data interpreted at the time of preparing the medical opinion data and accurately evaluating the diagnosis. A viewer includes: position specification...

20060010009 - Medication card and system: A globally-accessible computerized system for data management of medications for a plurality of patients. The system allows for medication specific data of the patient to be stored and modified such as the name of the medication, an image of the medication, the form of the medication, the route of administration,...

20060010010 - Method for recommending an acne treatment/prevention program: The invention relates to an acne profile of an individual comprising an acne quality of life score which is determined by obtaining and analyzing acne quality of life information. The profile may also optionally contain an acne severity score which is determined by obtaining and analyzing acne severity information and/or...

20060010012 - Portable medical information device: The present invention provides a system and method of providing personal and medical information in a portable manner. The present invention also allows the user to easily update and modify the information contained in the device. Briefly, a storage element, preferably having a standard computer interface, most preferably a USB...

20060010007 - Process for using smart card technology in patient prescriptions, medical/dental/dme services processing and healthcare management: An integrated process for using smart card technology in patient prescriptions, medical/dental services processing, billing and paying, healthcare management and provision of emergency medical/dental information based on a single, comprehensive, unified system, integrating and interconnecting medical/dental health providers, pharmaceutical providers and manufacturers, insurance companies and other healthcare payers, the Centers...

20060010014 - Remote health monitoring and maintenance system: A system and method is described that enables a health care provider to monitor and manage a health condition of a patient. The system includes a health care provider apparatus operated by a health care provider and a remotely programmable patient apparatus that is operated by a patient. The health...

20060010015 - Healthcare organization central record and record identifier management system: A system (100) for providing multiple facility healthcare corporations the ability to assign and maintain shared medical record numbers (43) across multiple entities. The system establishes a parent/child relationship among the entities to share medical record number ranges, formats, and data. A patient record identifier database (102) contains patient records...

20060010016 - System and method for reconciling an insurance payment with an insurance claim: Disclosed herein is a method for reconciling an insurance payment to an entity, such as a pharmacy, with an insurance claim made by the entity. Some embodiments of the method comprise providing a claim value belonging to a set of claim values, providing a claim identification value associated with the...

20060010021 - Apparatus for environmental impact estimation and method and program stored in a computer readable medium for executing the same: An apparatus comprising a storage device which stores information concerning first objects to be reused and second objects to be recycled, and a modeling device which performs life cycle modeling. The life cycle modeling includes reading information concerning the first objects and the second objects that configure a product from...

20060010018 - Method and device for optimizing processes: The invention relates to a process-optimizing device, particularly a manufacturing execution system device. Such a process-optimizing MES device is mounted between an enterprise production planning system, especially an enterprise resource planning device, and a control system, particularly a process instrumentation and control device. The inventive MES device comprises at least...

20060010019 - Method and system for providing customer service for a household appliance: In a customer service system and method, a customer of a household appliance has a personal service representative who is a main contact for the customer. The customer has access to at least part of a customer master data file that contains information related to the customer and to the...

20060010017 - Method and system for simulating order processing processes, corresponding computer program product, and corresponding computer-readable storage medium: The invention relates to a method for simulating order processing processes used for producing a complex product, particularly a motor vehicle, and a simulation system, a corresponding computer program product, and a corresponding computer-readable storage medium. The inventive method comprises the following steps: a) requirement figures for at least one...

20060010020 - Non-stale incremental planning: Exemplary methods and systems of the invention include a value chain management program that uses the most current, up-to-date data to re-plan a value chain. The value chain management program of the invention is an event-driven solution that updates the data in the value chain whenever a change in state...

20060010022 - Method for allocating advertising resources: A method of allocating advertising resources uses a database that includes a number of business unit characteristics, one being an average allocation of advertising costs over time. A regression coefficient is produced based on the characteristics, wherein a non-linear specification is used for the average allocation of advertising cost characteristic....

20060010024 - System construction guide system: To provide a system capable of executing a project of constructing a basic system accurately at a lower cost and in a shorter period. There are provided a system construction guide server in which work plan information for constructing a predetermined system is registered, and an operator terminal operated by...

20060010023 - System, method and computer program product for managing meeting planning operations: Systems, methods and computer program products are provided for planning meetings or conferences. The present invention establishes methods and procedures to define, organize, share, maintain and report essential information especially financial information associated with an individual meeting or a collection of meetings especially the collection of all of a particular...

20060010025 - E-mail notification support for workflows: An embodiment of the present invention provides a collaboration system and method that includes automatic notifications for tasks as they become active in a workflow. When a first task of the workflow is completed, the computer system receives a notification from a first operator indicating that the first task is...

20060010027 - Method, system and program product for measuring customer preferences and needs with traffic pattern analysis: A method, system and program product for determining movement data of a customer or customers in a store to analyze customer decisions and optimize product presentation and customer service in response to the analysis. The movement of customers through a store may be correlated with various environmental and economic factors...

20060010029 - System & method for online advertising: A system and method for determining and identifying clusters/kernels of linkings in communities of online users. The analysis is based at least in part on an entropy analysis, such as by dividing a population into cyber neighborhoods, which can be geographic based and/or logically related....

20060010031 - System and method for computer resource marketing: A computer resource marketing system using LPAR (logical partitioning) technology that divides a computer resource into a plurality of logical partitions, including a lending server with a logical partition control unit 3 that designates at least one logical partition as a lendable partition, a client system that can borrow a...

20060010030 - System and method for modeling shopping behavior: A system and method are provided for modeling shopper behavior in a store. The system may include an analysis program executable on a computing device, configured to receive product position data and shopper path data gathered from a plurality of stores, each having a different shape represented in a corresponding...

20060010032 - System, method and computer program product for evaluating an asset management business using experiential data, and applications thereof: A method, system and computer program product for evaluating and quantifying the risk, performance and potential of an asset management business are disclosed. Experiential data generated by the business' processes is extracted and used as source data in evaluating the business. Experiential data includes both qualitative and quantitative information compiled...

20060010026 - Transaction polymorphism: A system and method to provide an interface to access transaction management services. The interface is declared and the transaction management services are bound to the interface. The transaction management services provide services for managing related transactions executing on remote nodes in an enterprise system. The transaction management services are...

20060010028 - Video shopper tracking system and method: A system and method are provided for video tracking of shopper movements and behavior in a shopping environment. The method typically includes displaying on a computer screen of a computing device a video recording of a shopper captured by a video camera in a shopping environment. The method may further...

20060010036 - Customer-friendly website: Exemplary embodiments are customer-friendly websites and methods of using websites which contain advertisements by suppliers and distributors of customized promotional products, both of which are members of a limited constituency. The websites of some embodiments are for use by customers of the distributors, who typically are retailers. Advertisements of the...

20060010034 - Method for rewarding purchasing activities and a system thereof: A method, computer readable medium with programmed instructions, and a system for rewarding one or more purchases in accordance with embodiments of the present invention includes providing an initial reward amount and providing at least one of a benchmark reward amount and a multiple sales reward amount. The initial reward...

20060010035 - Personal document creation: A computer-implemented method and system for providing targeted information to a recipient of a personal document by generating the document containing personal information from a first source and promotional information from a second source after selecting the personal document recipient for receiving the promotional information from the second source in...

20060010033 - Reward programme points exchange: An “exchange” intermediates transactions involving reward points between reward programme participants providers and reward programme providers. Such an exchange may, for example, transact buying, selling or transferring points from, to, or between reward programme participants. The exchange offers to buy reward points from reward programme participants at a discounted value,...

20060010037 - Method and system for auction or sales of deliverable prepared food via the internet: A method and system for auctioning or sales of deliverable prepared food via the Internet permit customers to purchase or bid on prepared food items. A food preparation and delivery portion of the system includes a delivery vehicle, which may have a mobile kitchen for the preparation of food items...

20060010038 - Custom food: A method of offering customizable food comprising providing a base item; providing an array of additives compatible for combining with the base item, wherein addition of at least one additive from said array of additives to said base item alters a characteristic of the base item; and allowing a user...

20060010039 - Inventory tracking mechanism for virtual wafer circuit probing subcontract: The present disclosure provides an inventory tracking method for use with semiconductor product. The method can be used to track wafer lots transferred from a front end such as a fabrication (fab) facility, to a back end such as a wafer circuit probe facility. The method includes tracking a lot...

20060010040 - System and method for collecting and transmitting medical data: A system and method for collecting and transmitting medical and health-related data over a network are disclosed. A measuring device measures a user's physiological attribute and produces a first signal related thereto, which an integration system coupled to the measuring device receives and converts into a second signal for transmitting...

20060010041 - Apparatus, system, and method for point of sale currency verification: The apparatus for point of sale currency verification includes a point of sale check printer having a printing device configured to print information on first and second opposing faces of a document, a scanning device configured to scan the first and second faces of the document, a verification module configured...

20060010043 - Method and apparatus for returning rentals: The invention relates to a method for returning a rental including receiving a communication about a rental from a client operated by a renter. The method further includes the steps of determining the source of the rental, or rental store, obtaining the rental, and delivering the rental to the source....

20060010046 - Methods and apparatuses for locating retail consumer products: Methods and apparatuses for providing the location of consumer products. A designation for a particular product or class of products is received from a consumer via a digital processing system. The consumer is automatically provided with the location of the product in relation to a specific location....

20060010042 - Purchasing and inquiring method through label capturing cellular devices: A method for capturing a standard label, such as bar code, RF, or similar, analyze and decipher it utilizing a mobile station device with label capturing means, such as a video camera or RF receiver; exchanging the captured label information and other user input preferences with one or more remote...

20060010045 - Semiconductor-device order-entry/placement management support system, and server used for the same: A semiconductor-device order-entry/placement management support system is installed in an affiliated company, and includes: an order-entry/placement management server for receiving an ordering information: process control servers which are installed in subcontract companies A-C, and transmits an invoice information that is prepared based on the manufacturing results in the entrusted manufacturing...

20060010044 - System and method for placing a product order via a communications network: A system and method for a manufacturer to attract a customer for a distributor, via a public access network, and perform product information and ordering transactions with the customer, where payment is made to the manufacturer by credit card or from another financial account maintained by or on behalf of...

20060010048 - Flexible assignment scheme for financial statement items in an automated accounting system: An automated accounting and reporting system supports flexible assignments of accounting objects to financial statements. At a reporting time, financial statement items may be generated from accounting objects by surveying the stored accounting objects and copying and aggregating key figures from the accounting object to the financial statement items. The...

20060010049 - Regulatory auditing methods and systems: Techniques for conducting a regulatory audit are described. A computerized audit-administrator is coupled to one or more terminals located at various sites via a network, such as the Internet. Accordingly, the audit-administrator can coordinate a regulatory audit having one or more questionnaires to one or more operators located at the...

20060010047 - Sarbanes-oxley anonymous reporting system: This invention relates to information escrow and anonymous reporting systems and methods, but more specifically, to an independent information storage and retrieval system that escrows information anonymously reported under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. The present invention aims to provide public companies with a system and method to comply with the Sarbanes-Oxley...

20060010050 - Income tax preparation kiosk: The Income Tax Preparation Kiosk will allow for a more intimate setting with clients of heavier workloads for any income tax preparer/accountant. Much of the RAL clients' income tax preparation is automated and depends on the efficiency of the preparer. This kiosk will minimize the time spent on returns that...

20060010051 - Method and system for time sheet reporting: A method and system for time sheet reporting is provided. A draft electronic time sheet report may be generated for an employee. A query may be generated to obtain information, from a data records associated with different software applications, about activities performed by the employee during a reporting period. An...

20060010053 - Asset allocation based system for individual investor portfolio selection: A system for allocation asset based portfolio investment and management provides model portfolios which are selected by correlation to investor's responses to a questionnaire concerning time frames and risk tolerance. Recommended model portfolios are presented to investors by asset allocation class percentages only, without identification of any specific securities of...

20060010062 - Automated banking machine system with multiple browsers: An automated banking machine (12) is operative to conduct transactions in response to mark up language documents and TCP/IP messages exchanged with a local computer system (14) through an intranet (16), as well as in response to messages exchanged with foreign servers (20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 96) in a...

20060010063 - Automated banking machine system with multiple browsers: An automated banking machine (12) is operative to conduct transactions in response to mark up language documents and TCP/IP messages exchanged with a local computer system (14) through an intranet (16), as well as in response to messages exchanged with foreign servers (20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 96) in a...

20060010055 - Business evaluation supporting method: A method and an apparatus for easily and efficiently setting an evaluation index suitable for an evaluation purpose when a business or a business portfolio is evaluated. In the method and apparatus, investment distribution is easily and visually confirmed during computation of the evaluation index when an object to be...

20060010060 - Financial advisory system: A financial advisory system is provided. According to one aspect of the present invention, return scenarios for optimized portfolio allocations are simulated interactively to facilitate financial product selection. Return scenarios for each asset class of a plurality of asset classes are generated based upon estimated future scenarios of one or...

20060010059 - Investment information providing system of which working display may be set by a user, and a method thereof: The present invention provides a system and a method wherein a user can set working window display in an investment information providing system according to his/her own preference or needs....

20060010058 - Multidimensional database currency conversion systems and methods: The subject invention pertains to generation of a support structure for currency conversion. More specifically, systems and methods are disclosed to generate a currency conversion infrastructure automatically. Users can be queried and specify currency conversion parameters and configuration in business terms without specific knowledge of technical implementation details. The systems...

20060010052 - Novel method and system for vehicle financing: A method for financing a vehicle; establishing a purchase price for a vehicle; establishing a collateral investment vehicle; setting forth a payment plan over a pre-set period of time such that a portion of the payment goes toward the payment of the vehicle and a portion goes to a collateral...

20060010054 - Purchase order and purchase order response interactive forms: The present invention provides a method and system for generating electronic purchase orders and purchase order responses. Purchase orders and purchase order responses may be automatically filled in using business data stored by the purchaser. The system may automatically generate one or more messages and attach the purchase order and/or...

20060010056 - System and method for high-yield returns in riskless-principal interest rate/yield arbitrage: A system, method and strategy of investment can be executed in any currency and amount and, when constructed, can be executed and closed in certain steps to result in a pre-defined, guaranteed and quantifiable level of profitability for an investment without risk that the principal investment amount will be lost...

20060010061 - System and method for incorporating mortality risk in an investment planning model: A retirement planning method for computing possible future values of a portfolio of an investor. In one embodiment, the method includes the steps of (a) receiving a plurality of user inputs comprising an initial value of the portfolio and a current age of the investor; (b) providing data indicating one...

20060010057 - Systems and methods for conducting an interactive financial simulation: A method for conducting an interactive financial simulation. The method is implemented at least in part by a computer and includes transmitting an initial financial projection for a fictitious company, transmitting a news story, generating a new share price for the fictitious company based on an index, generating a new...

20060010065 - Automated trading systems: In an electronic trading system, prime brokerage services may be provided by assigning one or more dependent or child deal codes to a deal code. Prime broker trades are conducted via the dependent deal codes but appear to the market as deals with the parent deal code using credit assigned...

20060010066 - Method and system for providing a graphical user interface for electronic trading: A method and system for providing a graphical user interface for electronic trading. Electronic trading information is obtained on an application on a target device from one or more electronic trading exchanges. The trading electronic information is processed electronic trading information is displayed on a multi-windowed graphical user interface (GUI)...

20060010064 - Method and system for real time margin calculation: Methods and systems for real time margin management are provided. A margin inquiry request from a user is processed in real time. Such a margin inquiry request may include a real time on-demand margin inquiry. In addition, a margin inquiry request may also correspond to a hypothetical margin inquiry....

20060010068 - Conducting monetary transactions with minimal coin transfer: When a monetary transaction is made between a merchant and a customer, some or all of the change owed to the customer will be transferred to a data storage card carried by the customer. Instead of receiving the change in the form of coins, the customer instead would insert his/her...

20060010067 - Real-time planning and execution with minimum perturbation: Methods and system are disclosed for planning and optimizing plans of a value chain in response to events and exceptions in the value chain with minimal perturbations to the existing plan. When an event or an exception occurs, potential solutions are constructed and evaluated. The potential solutions respect the business...

20060010069 - Transaction support method and system using same: Disclosed is a transaction support method and system of supporting a transaction by controlling opening/closing of a plurality of lockers in order to deliver and receive an article related to the transaction. The transaction support method includes preparing each of the plurality of lockers as a safe, determining whether or...

20060010070 - Transaction id system and process: A system and process for creating, maintaining, and using transaction identifiers, i.e. a transaction DNA, is provided. The DNA, along with other transactional information, is sent through a set of intermediary entities as found in a standard transaction processing system. The DNA is based on information that may include source...

20060010071 - Document processing system using full image scanning: A system for tracking currency bills comprises a currency scanning device. The scanning device includes a sensor that retrieves currency identification characteristic information of each bill processed. The currency identification characteristic information permits the unique identification of each bill processed. The system further comprises a customer identification means and means...

20060010072 - Method and system for identifying users and detecting fraud by use of the internet: A method and system for detecting and preventing Internet fraud in online transactions by utilizing and analyzing a number of parameters to uniquely identify a computer user and potential fraudulent transaction through predictive modeling. The method and system uses a delta of time between the clock of the computer used...

20060010073 - Methods and apparatuses for sequestering content: In one embodiment, the methods and apparatuses sequester content receiving content for use in an application; review the content; automatically sequester the content from the application based on the reviewing; and form a reason associated with the sequestering the content. In another embodiment, the methods and apparatuses receive content for...

20060010074 - Delivery and storage system for secured content library: A system for maintaining a secure content library includes a server, which manages requests for copyrighted content and encrypts the content using a key server, which generates unique keys and associates the keys with the copyrighted content to create a token. A gateway receives the token and interacts with the...

20060010075 - Technique for facilitating resale of digital content over a computer network: A technique is described for facilitating resale of digital content purchased via an electronic commerce transaction....

20060010076 - Metering accessing of content and the like in a content protection system or the like: Metered data is accumulated and is indexed within a metering database of a client according to a metering ID (MID) and a content-associated ID (KID). The client selects a particular MID and metered data in the metering database having the selected MID, and constructs a challenge based on the selected...

20060010077 - Methods and apparatus for unattended pickups and deliveries: A secure pickup and delivery container includes a lockable door, a control unit, an access element, and an anchoring element, according to an embodiment. The control unit includes a processing element and a memory that can be programmed either on-site or remotely with access privilege information such as identity (e.g....

20060010078 - Systems and methods for the automatic registration of devices: Systems and methods for providing registration at a remote site that may include, for example, a monitoring module that may communicate with a remote site. A registration protocol may be used by the monitoring module and the remote site in generating the messages communicated during the registration process. The monitoring...

20060010079 - Apparatus and method for proving the denial of a direct proof signature: In some embodiments, a method and apparatus for proving the denial of a direct proof signature are described. In one embodiment, a trusted hardware device convinces a verifier that the trusted hardware device possesses cryptographic information without revealing unique, device identification information of the trusted hardware device or the cryptographic...

20060010081 - Automated system for assisting the architectural process: There is disclosed an automated system for assisting the architectural process on an open-network. The system may include a data entry means for user-selected project features and at least one catalogue database from which the user-selected feature is identified. The system may further incorporate filtering means for providing a graphical...

20060010080 - Dispute resolution method and system: A method, computer program product, and server computer for allowing a user to select a qualified analyst from an information resource that defines one or more qualified analysts, thus defining a selected analyst. The user is bound by a user code of conduct. The selected analyst is bound by an...

20060010083 - Media validation system: A media validation system including a plurality of media storage devices which contain a quantity of content thereon, a user computer processor assembly structured to operatively access a select media storage device, a verification module, and a communicative link between the verification module and the user computer processor assembly. Each...

20060010082 - Product and pricing term updates: A product and pricing term updating system accessed a contract database storing contracts with product and pricing terms. A processing device retrieves the product and pricing terms nearing expiration and generates a procurement form that includes the product and pricing terms to be updated. The processing device may convert the...

20060010084 - Electronic postage marker: An electronic postage marker for printing data on a mail item, the electronic postage marker including: disposable ink jet print means for spraying droplets of ink through an opening in a housing body onto the mail item; displacement means for displacing the print means along the opening; position coding means...

20060010086 - Data append method for sent postal mail: Method to manage an electronic interface by radio-frequency identification (“RIFD”) transponder to retrieve supplemental data for U.S. Postal Service sent mailings under non-negotiable privacy and digital identity registration policy standards, pursuant to data registration templates and self-certification standards....

20060010085 - System and method for automated response piece: System and method for creating response pieces. The response piece system authenticates a user, generates a standardized address based on address code information received from the user, and generates a response piece mailpiece based on the standardized address and the information received from the user. In additional embodiments, including an...

20060010087 - Sharging method and charging system: A business practitioner who offers a maintenance service for a machine (15) quantifies the productivity of the machine (15) in a predetermined service period (S42). The business practitioner compares the quantified productivity with a predetermined productivity reference, and calculates the difference between them (S43). The business practitioner determines a charge...

20060010088 - System and method for marketing integrated circuits: A system and method for marketing and/or providing integrated circuits. Various aspects of the present invention may provide a computer system adapted to receive and process a request for information regarding an integrated circuit. A database may comprise information of a first set of the integrated circuits that meet performance...

20060004586 - Automated purchasing method with features for high volume purchasing: An automated purchasing method for buyers using a high volume database and a high volume software program that is compatible with SAP® business management software having an SAP material master database includes creating a new record upon having received a request for purchase of a new item, determining whether the...

20060004596 - Business process outsourcing: Systems and methods for determining an outsourcing readiness for business processes. The method can include defining process characteristics for the business processes, determining a readiness index for the business processes based on the process characteristics for the business processes, and ranking the at least one business processes according the readiness...

20060004592 - Changing room: A changing room having; an input device for receiving the identity of an item of goods; a data store for storing the characteristics of a plurality of items of goods; a display located in the changing room; and a controller for receiving input from the input device, retrieving data from...

20060004595 - Data integration method: A data integration method involves a unique method of collecting raw business data and processing it to produce highly useful and highly accurate information to enable business decisions. This process includes collecting global data, entity matching, applying an identification number, performing corporate linkage, and providing predictive indicators. These process steps...

20060004584 - Electronic interface configured for displaying & identifying mixed types of information: An improved interface and display method is disclosed for clearly delineating a characteristic of a data item through a visual indicator. In the case of stock quotes, price and volume information available online may be real-time, delayed, opening, closing or after-hours. To identify such time distinctions, different color/symbol visual indicators...

20060004599 - Information guidance service system, information guidance providing device, information guidance service method, and recording medium: An information guidance service system according to the present invention provides a user terminal with information on a facility in use. The information guidance service system includes the user terminal having a push-to-talk over cellular (PoC) function of performing a transceiver-mode communications; a PoC server which controls the transceiver-mode communications...

20060004593 - Method and system for gathering, transporting and marketing offshore oil and gas: A method has been provided for gathering, transporting, and marketing hydrocarbons from offshore fields. The method can include gathering different quality oils and then storing and/or segregating the oils according to such qualities. The oils can then be marketed, according to the qualities, to one or more locations via a...

20060004597 - Method and system for grouping events: A method and system for grouping events is provided in which a plurality of base groups (303) each define a set of event points. Combined groups (304) have a set of event points defined by the combination of the event points in combining groups. The combination may be by a...

20060004588 - Method and system for obtaining, maintaining and distributing data: A method and apparatus for storing and distributing protected information, while complying with regulations regarding privacy rights, are described. The system receives multiple configuration settings from individuals and from a security officer. Those configuration settings are used to determine access level attributes, which allow others to access the data. Furthermore,...

20060004589 - Method for mileage based proactive leasing in a telematics system: A method of operating a vehicle leasing program. The method includes receiving a mileage value from a vehicle at a call center determining whether the mileage value corresponds to a leasing event trigger and notifying a user of the vehicle of a leasing event responsive to the determination....

20060004602 - Method of enabling travel service transactions: A method of enabling a user to access travel services is provided. The method uses a printed form containing information relating to a travel service transaction. The form includes coded data indicative of an identity of the form and of at least one map reference on the form. The method...

20060004600 - Peer-to-peer affinity-group commerce method and system: A P2P (peer-to-peer) business and commerce-enhancing method including the steps of (a) identifying an active P2P network which is characterized with peers having a defined affinity interest in the exchange of at least category-A information, such as digital music song files, and (b) employing that at-least category-A information-exchange affinity interest...

20060004585 - Supplier advisory management system: A supplier advisory management system and associated method provide features and steps for a product manufacturer to enter advisories via a computer-based platform into an automated system. Advisories may include information identifying a given raw material provided from a supplier to a manufacturer as well as a defect reason associated...

20060004601 - System and method for supporting multiple question and answer fora in different web sites: A method and system, executed by a server, is disclosed for receiving questions from users regarding one or more topics and providing answers from a set of experts. Users can direct questions to one or more specific experts, who in turn can answer the questions, refer the questions to other...

20060004594 - System and method to determine the validity of an interaction on a network: The methods and systems of the invention utilize limited data to yield information about the validity of any given interaction with a website. Once validity information is available, an operator can determine whether or not to continue offering interactions to a given user. The determination could also relate to whether...

20060004587 - System for distribution of hot and cold water and metering of same: A system and a method is provided by distributing and monitoring hot and cold water supplied to individual building units in a multi-unit building or multi-unit building complexes, and billing and distributing revenues from the individual building units. The system and method comprise the use of a central water heating...

20060004598 - System for effecting customized pricing for goods or services: The system for implementing Customized Pricing includes, in a preferred embodiment, four modules operable within a server or workstation environment, including a CP Statistics Calibration module, a CP Pricer, a CP Strategy Tool, and a CP Performance Monitor. The CP Statistics Calibration module examines the historical pricing proposals and their...

20060004590 - Travel planning for social networks: A method and system is described for providing a traveler with the ability to query an electronic social network for travel related information. The traveler, and related individuals, enter future travel plans into the system. The traveler leverages this information by querying the system to determine which related individuals will...

20060004591 - Web-based electronic export-import compliance and licensing processing system: An ECLPS export/import license and request control program includes a module which allows the ultimate user to initiate the request in a controlled manner, with archiving of the original request....

20060004603 - Chronic disease management system: A health care management system and method for chronic disease management such as diabetes management, hypertension management and like chronic diseases. The system is utilized by both patients and clinicians to manage the patients' chronic diseases and for clinicians to better manage a population of patients....

20060004608 - Computer architecture and process of patient generation, evolution, and simulation for computer based testing system: A computer implemented simulation and evaluation method simulates interventions to a patient by a user, and evaluates the interventions responsive to predetermined criteria and the interventions. The method includes defining a test area to evaluate the user to at least one of predetermined criteria and a user profile, selecting genetic...

20060004604 - Method and system for providing a service to a person: A method and system for managing information related to providing health care services, which includes recording on a portable electronic device a time at which the service begins to be provided, retrieving from a person to which the service is provided a first identifier corresponding to the person, associating the...

20060004607 - Personalized health history system with accommodation for consumer health terminology: Personalization of access to health or benefit-related information on a computer network is provided based upon a health history of a user. In one implementation, personal health or benefit-related information about the user is obtaining from the user operating a client computer. The health or benefit-related information includes one or...

20060004605 - System and method for a comprehensive interactive graphical representation of a health care facility for managing patient care and health care facility resources: A system and method for a comprehensive interactive graphical representation of a health care facility for managing patient care and health care facility resources. The system comprises an integrated enterprise health care information system including at least one data repository for storing data and at least one graphical user interface...

20060004606 - Time management system for medical applications, particularly in a hospital setting: For rationalizing medical treatments in the hospital setting, particularly for improving the utilization rate of examination and therapy equipment and to avoid long waiting times, a time management system (1) is disclosed having at least one treatment station (2a-2c) coupled with an appointment-scheduling module (3) for storing appointments (T1, T2)...

20060004610 - Clinical data database system and method for a critical care and/or hospital environment: A system for capturing and maintaining a categorized flow of data in a clinical environment includes a distributed computer network, a plurality of data clusters dispersed over the network, a repository adapted to store data representative of the identity of patients, means for querying the repository to identify one of...

20060004611 - Remote health monitoring and maintenance system: A system and method is described that enables a health care provider to monitor and manage a health condition of a patient. The system includes a health care provider apparatus operated by a health care provider and a remotely programmable patient apparatus that is operated by a patient. The health...

20060004609 - System and method for developing and managing the healthcare plans of patients with one or more health conditions: The present invention is an automated disease management system designed to assist healthcare providers in the care management of patients with one or more health conditions. More particularly, this invention relates to a system and method for assisting healthcare providers in developing and monitoring the implementation of patient care plans....

20060004612 - Systems and methods for configuring and processing insurance information: Methods and systems are provided for attaching a note to an insurance policy or claim. In some embodiments, an icon next to a part of an insurance policy may indicate whether a note has been attached. In some embodiments, a note may be attached, or a note may be read,...

20060004613 - Planner for reducing travel costs for meetings: Systems and methods provide a meeting planner that provide information allowing a user to select a meeting location that provides the lowest travel related cost relative to the desired qualities for the meeting location. One aspect of the systems and methods is the use of multiple airfare types for determining...

20060004614 - Content management system: A method for monitoring technology information for vulnerabilities, the method comprising an automated workflow process for detecting a vulnerability, researching the vulnerability and documenting the vulnerability within vulnerability data....

20060004616 - Method and system for solution design and recording medium: A solution design method and system for designing solution specification and estimating a period and a price speedily on the basis of customer needs, the budget of solution, the target period of implementation of solution, etc. The customer budget or period is used as a constraint so that a gap...

20060004615 - System and method for filtering exceptions generated by forecasting and replenishment engine: A system and method for storing, filtering, selecting and manipulating business exceptions generated by forecasting and replenishment processes and systems. When an exception is generated, it will be associated with attributes corresponding to those business objects and business areas to which the exception relates. Exceptions may also be associated with...

20060004617 - System and method for network visualization and plan review: A computer-implemented system, a method thereof, and a computer-readable medium comprising a supply chain visualizer providing a plurality of graphical elements in a multi-dimensional supply chain network view and a plan display providing a plurality of graphical elements in a multi-dimensional tabular view, a multi-directional capability for traversing between the...

20060004619 - Collaboration session recording model: A decision tracking object model and interface which captures and stores administrative and substantive meeting information, along with their associated relationships, in an object model database is presented. Each object model includes information and relationships that are accessible via a publicly defined interface....

20060004618 - Explaining task scheduling for a project: Techniques for causing project management software to explain task scheduling for a project are provided. A technique for explaining task scheduling for a project analyzes every task of the project, stores an indication of an explanation relating to a primary consideration for determining a schedule for the task, and then...

20060004624 - Forecast and replenishment analytics: The present invention includes methods, system, and apparatus. A method of the present invention may include collecting and storing replenishment data, calculating a performance indicator using the collected and stored replenishment data, transmitting the calculated performance indicator to a first database, flagging the calculated performance indicator within the first database...

20060004625 - Method and system for determining market demand based on consumer contributions: The present invention provides a method and a system to determine a market need before any monies are spent to produce and commercialize an artist. A method and system for determining the market demand for an artist comprising: receiving user input to determine which artist to select from a pool...

20060004620 - Method and tool for estimating a ship date profile for a business: A method and tool for estimating a ship date profile for a business (e.g., a business that is not in operation), includes simulating a plurality of dynamic events to estimate the ship date profile for the business. The plurality of dynamic events may include, for example, at least one of...

20060004621 - Real-time selection of survey candidates: A method of evaluating a candidate for participation in a survey by obtaining, over an electronic network, information describing the candidate, categorizing the candidate, determining if adding the candidate would increase the population in a group beyond a specified threshold, and conditionally excluding the candidate. Otherwise, allowing the candidate to...

20060004623 - System and method for online professional services networks: Online professional services networks that create and provide access to professional service provider databases where the professionals are linked to others based on their referral relationships. The networks allow users, e.g., network members and other consumers (e.g. patients, clients) to search/identify, evaluate and select professionals based on their trusted relations...

20060004622 - System, method, software and data structure for independent prediction of attitudinal and message responsiveness, and preferences for communication media, channel, timing, frequency, and sequences of communications, using an integrated data repository: The present invention provides a system, method, software and data structure for independently predicting attitudinal and message responsiveness, using a plurality of attitudinal or other identification classifications and a plurality of message content or version classifications, for a selected population of a plurality of entities, such as individuals or households,...

20060004628 - Adjusting ad costs using document performance or document collection performance: Documents or document sets may be scored to reflect a value of an action, such as a selection for example, when an ad is served with the document (or a document belonging to a document set). A cost associated with the action with respect to an ad that was served...

20060004627 - Advertisements for devices with call functionality, such as mobile phones: The serving of one or more ads to a user device considers determined characteristics of a user device, such as whether or not the user device supports telephone calls. At least some ads may include call-on-select functionality. When such an ad is selected (e.g., via a button click), instead of...

20060004630 - Advertising through digital watermarks: Various aspects of displaying digital watermark advertisements with display content on a client device is presented. According to one embodiment, in response to a content request from a client device, a content provider obtains a digital advertisement from an ad provider. The content provider combines the digital advertisement with the...

20060004632 - Apparatus and method for distributing audiovisual content to a point of purchase location: An advertising method for presenting an advertisement at a point of purchase includes transmitting advertising information from a server to a mobile telephone network; receiving the advertising information at the mobile telephone network; transmitting the advertising information from the mobile telephone network via a mobile telephone transmission to a display...

20060004629 - Deferred loyalty points redemption method: On-line redemption of loyalty points over time for requested items. A request for an item is received from a customer along with an identification of a layaway program for redeeming a least a portion of the customer's loyalty points with respect to a purchase request for the item. Based upon...

20060004631 - Method and system for generating real-time directions associated with product promotions: A method and system for generating customized incentives involving electronic distribution of coupons to remote personal computers based on proximity of the computer to a retail center are disclosed. A repository, such as an online service provider or a web site on the Internet, stores packages of incentive data for...

20060004633 - Multinode traffic architecture and network for the exchange of internet advertising traffic: A multinode traffic architecture and network for the exchange of internet advertising traffic includes independent Internet advertising exchanges that interact to exchange various forms of advertising by requesting ads and/or fulfilling, directly or indirectly, responses to ad requests. Each node contains subroutines and interface ports that can be set up...

20060004626 - Targeted marketing for subscriptions: A system and method for utilizing point of sale data to target individuals with invitations for magazine subscriptions. A consumer receives an invitation for a magazine subscription and can purchase a magazine subscription in a retail store. When the consumer purchases a subscription at a retail store, they receive a...

20060004634 - System and method for improving the satisfaction of customers of a high-volume restaurant: A bakery-cafe is arranged and operated in a manner that efficiently moves a customer within the bakery-cafe to, for example, improve customer satisfaction by minimizing customer wait times....

20060004635 - Protection of items within stores: Methods, systems, and computer programs are described for detecting items within stores that are not intended for sale, so as to prevent a sale or re-sale of those items. The items are marked with identifiers, such as smart tags. Each of the items may be registered as being sold, perhaps...

20060004636 - System and method of monitoring and controlling application files: A system and method for updating a system that controls files executed on a workstation. The workstation includes a workstation management module configured to detect the launch of an application. A workstation application server receives data associated with the application from the workstation. This data can include a hash value....

20060004638 - Assisted electronic product design: Electronic document design systems and methods for creating customized electronic product designs. A design representative creates customized product designs for a remote customer by combining text and images supplied by the customer over a global communication network with electronically stored layouts, images, color schemes, and other selected component elements. Tools...

20060004642 - Automated reply generation direct marketing system: A system for automatically preparing customized replies in response to communications from a plurality of clients. To facilitate automation and tracking, each original communication to the client (or each original response from the client) is tagged with a unique label, and replies to client responses are each correspondingly labeled. The...

20060004639 - Interstate sale control process: An interstate sale control process includes seller authentication, buyer registration or authentication, transaction order identification and authorization, transaction authentication with authoritative seal, and transaction reporting. In one aspect of the invention, the seal is a shipping label with indicia of regulatory compliance. In another aspect of the invention, the sale...

20060004637 - Method for selling maintenance and process support services for papermaking machines: A papermaking machine unit has a measurement system which provides performance data. The machine supplier sells maintenance and process support services at a price determined by the level of performance of the machine within a given time period. The supplier and the customer agree on a desired performance level, and...

20060004640 - Music identification system: The present invention relates to a music identification/purchasing system, specifically to a method for marking the time and the name of the radio station in portable device such as a key holder, watch, cellular phone, beeper or the like which will allow the user to learn via internet or regular...

20060004641 - Telephone and toll-free initiated messaging business method, system and method of conducting business: The present invention provides a method for the purchase of goods and/or services, a system therefore and method of conducting business thereby which comprise and/or employ the steps of a caller or would-be purchaser calling a service provider/vendor from a land line or mobile phone device, optionally by way of...

20060004643 - Method and system for gsm billing during wlan roaming: The invention relates to a method and system for recording and billing of services during roaming of a mobile IP node (20) in heterogeneous WLANs, in which first call detail records are transmitted from an access server (23/1001) to a billing module (1003) and second call detail records from the...

20060004644 - Systems and methods for issuing and maintaining a bond: According to some embodiments, a bond is issued to an investor in exchange for value. The bond may be, for example, a tax-free municipal bond associated with (i) a spread to a predetermined index, (ii) a nominal maturity date, (iii) an initial mandatory tender date prior to the nominal maturity...

20060004646 - Computer-assisted method and apparatus for absentee sellers to participate in auctions and other sales: A live auction or other sales transaction permits sellers to dynamically participate from remote locations. The remotely-located seller receives a simulcast of the auction in progress and is able to at any time indicate to the auctioneer an approval to sell an item on the block at the current high...

20060004649 - Method and system for a failure recovery framework for interfacing with network-based auctions: A method of failure recovery is provided that includes providing an automatic failure recovery transaction in an auction application interacting with a network-based auction service. The network-based auction service has a forward-only process that is adapted to prevent roll-back to a process state at a time of a failure. If...

20060004647 - Method and system for configurable options in enhanced network-based auctions: A system and method are provided for including a configurable order option in a listing on a network-based auction service. The system and method include specifying the configurable order using an auction application separate from the network-based auction service and communicating the configurable order option specified using the auction application...

20060004648 - Method and system for using templates for enhanced network-based auctions: A system and method are provided for generating a listing on a network-based auction service using a listing template. A listing template is generated using an auction application and a previously created listing and/or a set of user-provided listing information. The listing template is used to create a listing that...

20060004645 - Reversed auction: The invention relates to a system, a home page and a method in an open network for at least one of data- or telecommunication providing an electronic market place comprising a reversed auction application. Hereby a customer auctions out a product or a service to be purchased by the customer,...

20060004652 - Loan option algorithm adaptable to fully variable option loans and fixed option loans: A system and program or method embodiment in a computer readable medium for monitoring a loan option program wherein the borrower has one of several options for omitting without penalty one or more installment payments, either on a fixed schedule or on a variable schedule. The basic method comprises a...

20060004651 - Loan origination software system for processing mortgage loans over a distributed network: A loan origination and processing system is described. The system resides on a server computer that is coupled to a data store storing data related to a borrower. The server computer is further coupled to a brokerage network comprising a loan officer client, a loan processor client, and a broker...

20060004650 - Systems and associated methods for providing projected incentive based loans: An incentive based loan method and related system provides a loan to a purchaser in association with the purchase of goods or services. An amount of purchases to be made by a purchaser, such as a small business, is projected over a period of time. The purchases can be goods...

20060004653 - Apparatus, method and system for a designing and trading macroeconomic investment views: The disclosure details the implementation of an apparatus, method, and system for a macroeconomic equity investment design and trade system (the Wavefront system). The disclosure teaches a set of quantitative tools to help investors design trades around macro themes. Part of the approach is a linked set of models called...

20060004654 - Credit score simulation: Systems and methods are described that simulate a credit score. The system enables a user to modify a credit data element in order to determine its effect on a credit score. The user can modify the element directly or simulate an action that, if performed, would modify the element. Since...

20060004656 - Electronic money management method and system using mobile communication terminal: An electronic money management method and system using a mobile phone is provided, which can be applied to electronic transactions. Upon receiving a request regarding electric money such as issuance, recharging, transfer, or balance checking, together with a mobile phone number and a password, from a user, an ARS server,...

20060004655 - System and method for processing and for funding a transaction: Method for processing a transaction, the method comprising automatically requesting a transfer from a source account to a destination account via a communication link, receiving the transfer, adjusting destination account data associated with the destination account by increasing a balance of the destination account by an amount of the transfer,...

20060004659 - Method and apparatus for ordering goods, services and content over an internetwork using a virtual payment account: A virtual payment system for ordering and paying for goods, services and content over an internetwork is disclosed. The virtual payment system comprises a commerce gateway component (52) and a credit processing server component (53). The virtual payment system is a secure, closed system comprising registered sellers and buyers. A...

20060004657 - Method for establishing and administering a benefits program: A system and method for establishing and administering a benefits program for enrollees of a membership association of tenants including an indemnity plan backed by a licensed surety to guarantee association participants of rental properties against property damage and/or loss of rents due to actions of any tenant as an...

20060004658 - Method of processing credit payments at delivery: A method of processing signature-required payment using a handheld device with a wireless access capability is disclosed. When a consumer buys goods from a seller, the seller and consumer agree on the amount of payment and acceptable payment species. The delivery person of the shipper who delivers the goods on...

20060004660 - Personal teller system and method of remote interactive and personalized banking: Systems and methods for providing personalized services to remote customers using personal teller machines (PTM) from a centralized call center. The customer initiates the transaction providing identification at a PTM. The identification of the customer is verified and audio and/or video communication is established between the customer at the PTM...

20060004661 - Lower-power standby mode for consumer electronics: A conditional access device is provided. The conditional access device typically includes conditional access decryption, interface, timing and control logic. The conditional access decryption logic decrypts an incoming signal for use in a consumer electronics device in accordance with previously received entitlement management messages. The interface logic receives a control...

20060004662 - Method and system for a pki-based delegation process: A client generates a session key and a delegation ticket containing information for a requested delegation operation. The client generates a first copy of the session key and encrypts it using a public key of a proxy. The client generates a second copy of the session key and encrypts it...

20060004664 - Internet-based on-demand digital program delivery system and method: A system and method for providing on demand service to owners of video and/or audio program rights to offer digital versions of those programs to web site visitors. The system is an Application Service Provider (ASP) model, whereby the services are provided to the video and/or audio owners over the...

20060004663 - Method and apparatus for a private information system and service transactions that minimize theft of identity data: A method and apparatus (10) for a privacy system (12) that facilitates anonymous service transactions globally between a customer (20) and a service merchant (22) and that minimizes the theft of personally sensitive identity data. The privacy system (12) allows the customer (20) to receive service (60) from the merchant...

20060004665 - System for controlling the distribution and use of digital works: A method, system and software for securely rendering digital documents, including storing a digital document in a document platform; and storing a usage right associated with the digital document. The usage right specifies a manner of use indicating the manner in which the digital document can be rendered by the...

20060004666 - Image commercial transactions system and method, image transfer system and method, image distribution system and method, display device and method: An image commercial transactions system and method, an image transfer system and method, an image distribution system and method, and a display device and method are disclosed. A reception dealer accepts the transfer of an image recorded on a recording medium in a predetermined format with a handling condition intrinsic...

20060004669 - Apparatus for and method of establishing digital content right, and computer program product: An apparatus for generating copyright information for a secondarily processed content obtained by performing secondary processing on an original content, includes a secondary processed substance acquiring unit, a default license information generating unit, and a license information editing unit. The secondary processed substance acquiring unit acquires operation substances of the...

20060004668 - Method of distributing electronic license keys: A method of distributing to a plurality of computer appliances, an electronic license key that enables the appliance to access protected software. A selling party sends “license tokens” to a user. Each token enables the user to load a license key on one of the user's appliances. Tokens may be...

20060004667 - Systems and methods for collecting operating system license revenue using an emulated computing environment: Several embodiments of the present invention provide means for collecting license revenue for operating systems or applications software that resides in a virtualized computer system. Certain of these embodiments are specifically directed to providing a means for collecting license revenue for modern or legacy operating systems or applications in a...

20060004671 - Exception notification system and method: A system and method for distributing prepaid cash alternatives and resolving exceptions related to the sale of prepaid cash alternatives such as traveler's cheques or prepaid cards. Reports of sales may be reviewed to identify exceptions, and information explaining the exceptions may be made available electronically. Sellers may be notified...

20060004670 - System and method for providing payment services in electronic commerce: A system and method are disclosed for providing a plurality of payment services to facilitate electronic commerce. In one embodiment, services are provided within the context of a four-corner trust model comprising a buyer and a seller that engage in an on-line transaction. The buyer is a customer of a...

20060004672 - Prepaid billing apparatus and method for printing systems: A method of providing prepaid billing by receiving a request for a recharge token from a customer; accepting payment information and the number of additional prints requested from the customer; receiving from the customer a unique serial number for the printing system, a current copy count for the printing system,...

20060004673 - Memory rental service system in intelligent authentication unit: The present invention is to provide a memory rental service system in an intelligent authentication unit, the system allowing an application operating entity to set up or change any application freely and easily at a reduced cost of operating the application. In other words, the system is to separately lease...

20060004674 - System and method for maintaining customer privacy: A system and method for maintaining customer privacy where an identity of the customer must be divulged. The invention includes separating data associated with the institution into a first database of private data and a second database of public data; storing an encrypted copy of the private data and an...

20060004676 - Method and arrangement for compensating a postage machine user for printed and billed, but unusable franking imprints: In a method for compensation of the first postage value of an unusable printed franking imprint billed in a billing module of a franking arrangement, the occurrence of the unusable franking imprint is detected as a first error event, error information associated with the error event is stored, and information...

20060004675 - Offline processing systems and methods for a carrier management system: The present invention includes system and methods for the continued operation of a carrier management system having one or more user terminals that normally communicate with at least one data center over a network (online), when the one or more user terminals are unable to communicate with the data center...

20060004677 - System for portable franking services: A system for providing portable franking services includes one or more portable franking devices, a network, and a postage meter connected to the one or more portable franking devices through the network. The postage meter includes a communication port for detecting the portable franking device and for loading fund information...

20060004678 - Distributed system for issuing official stamps and/or titles comprising a plurality of smart cards: A distributed system (10) for issuing official stamps and/or titles (25), particularly stamps, comprising a central control unit or Service Centre (12), a plurality of local terminals (11) distributed throughout the land for materially issuing the official stamps and/or titles (25), and a plurality of smart cards (21) assigned to...

20060004679 - Distributed utility monitoring, such as for monitoring the quality or existence of a electrical, gas, or water utility: In a system for automatic meter reading of utility meters, a utility supply measuring system may include one or more collector units, wherein each one of the collector units accesses a supply of a utility, wherein the accessing occurs in addition to receiving meter reading data from a telemetry device,...