Finance (e.g., Banking, Investment Or Credit)

Finance (e.g., Banking, Investment Or Credit) patent applications listed are from June 2005 to current and include Date, Patent Application Number, Patent Title, Patent Abstract summary and are linked to the corresponding patent application page.

11/23/06 - 20060265306 - Methods and systems for providing interest rate simulation displays
In one aspect, the invention comprises a computer system comprising means for displaying on a computer screen a chart illustrating level and volatility of a projected accounting performance based on a plurality of possible future interest rates, wherein the chart comprises a 50th percentile line, a 95th percentile line, and ...

11/23/06 - 20060265305 - System and method for automatic repositioning of market information in a graphical user interface
A method for automatically positioning information related to a commodity on a graphical user interface. Market information is displayed on the graphical user interface. The market information may be presented as a number of indicators, corresponding to particular items of interest, that are associated with a static scale. The scale ...

11/23/06 - 20060265304 - System and method for group positioning of market information in a graphical user interface
A method for repositioning information related to a plurality of commodities on a graphical user interface is provided. The method includes receiving market information relating to a first commodity and a second commodity. The market information includes a number of items of interest, each of which may be associated with ...

11/23/06 - 20060265303 - Trading tools for electronic trading
Tools for trading and monitoring a commodity on an electronic exchange using a graphical user interface and a user input device. The tools will aid the trader in determining the status, trends in the market, and the trader's position in the market. ...

11/23/06 - 20060265302 - Data management for use in capital market indexes
A method of for construction a database to support calculation of capital market indexes. The method includes treatment of all securities in the financial markets and utilizes criteria for selecting subsets of types of securities and weighting the market value of said securities to provide said selected and weighted securities ...

11/23/06 - 20060265301 - Systems and methods for implementing the structuring, pricing, quotation, and trading of spot synthetics (spots), spread instruments (sprints), sprints based on spots, ratio derivatives (rads), rads based on spots, and options based on these instruments
An exchange-traded financial instrument having a price that tracks an underlying benchmark, the underlying benchmark being a security or commodity that is itself traded. A contract for the financial instrument between a buyer and seller is not contingent upon the delivery of the underlying benchmark. A net carrying charge (credit ...

11/23/06 - 20060265300 - Financial contracts and market indicators based on such financial contracts
Products and methods for providing investors with one or more financial contracts, based on average drawdown, average drawup, and/or average range are provided. Some embodiments of the present invention allow investors to insure their underlying assets from unexpected market movements such as a market crash, market rally, and/or range event ...

11/23/06 - 20060265299 - Financial contracts and market indicators based on such financial contracts
Products and methods for providing investors with one or more financial contracts, such as crash options, rally options, and range options, are provided. Some embodiments of the present invention allow investors to insure their underlying assets from unexpected market movements such as a market crash, market rally, and/or range event. ...

11/23/06 - 20060265298 - Method and system of searching for lost property by using credit card
The invention discloses a method and system of searching for lost property by using credit card used in a credit card service system for searching for a lost suitcase, passport, old person or child with an attached card. The attached card is recorded with at least part of a credit ...

11/23/06 - 20060265297 - Systems and methods for determining optimal utilization levels in a fixed capacity system
A method. The method includes includes determining a hardware efficiency factor for an asset having a fixed capacity and a predictable capacity consumption rate, and determining a touch efficiency factor for the asset. The touch efficiency factor represents a measurement of the frequency of touch of the asset, and touch ...

11/23/06 - 20060265296 - System and method for activity based margining
A system and method for factoring in a trader's trading activity into the margin requirements is disclosed. In the securities arena, day traders are assessed different margins than non-day-traders, however, the specific profile of the trader is analyzed (that is, the same rule applies to all day traders). ...

11/16/06 - 20060259390 - Multiple account preset parameter method, apparatus and systems for financial transactions and accounts
Methods, apparatus and systems are provided that enables at least one debit for a financial transaction and account management features using at least two financial accounts from which such debits and/or credits can be made from said at least two financial accounts using preset financial account parameters including, but not ...

11/16/06 - 20060259389 - Performance based compensation sporting leagues
A method, using computer means, for investing in players of a sporting league. The method includes a sports team of the sporting league employing a plurality of players and issuing a plurality of shares of stock for each of the players. The method also includes a plurality of individuals each ...

11/16/06 - 20060259388 - Merchant account activation system
A merchant account activation system that includes an Internet server that works in conjunction with a master account file operating on a mainframe computer and an expert computer system that is used to configure point-of-sale terminals. Many of the steps of the activation procedure arc performed by a merchant activation ...

11/16/06 - 20060259387 - Merchant account activation system
A merchant account activation system that includes an Internet server that works in conjunction with a master account file operating on a mainframe computer and an expert computer system that is used to configure point-of-sale terminals. Many of the steps of the activation procedure arc performed by a merchant activation ...

11/16/06 - 20060259386 - Building digital assets for use with software applications
The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for building digital assets for use with software applications. When a digital asset is received, the digital can be classified based on digital asset type and/or a specified platform type where the digital asset is to be utilized. Digital ...

11/16/06 - 20060259385 - Novel enhanced electronic hedge fund compliance tool
A series of secured modules enables fund managers and their delegates to interact and support potential clients and customers with the user friendly support of the instant novel enhanced electronic hedge fund tool. Once enabled with appropriate security measure taken, the Internet links potential investors to Hedge funds at an ...

11/16/06 - 20060259384 - System and method for automatic repositioning of market information in a graphical user interface
A method for automatically positioning information related to a commodity on a graphical user interface. Market information is displayed on the graphical user interface. The market information may be presented as a number of indicators, corresponding to particular items of interest, that are associated with a static scale. The scale ...

11/16/06 - 20060259383 - Trading tools for electronic trading
Tools for trading and monitoring a commodity on an electronic exchange using a graphical user interface and a user input device. The tools will aid the trader in determining the status, trends in the market, and the trader's position in the market. ...

11/16/06 - 20060259382 - Trading tools for electronic trading
Tools for trading and monitoring a commodity on an electronic exchange using a graphical user interface and a user input device. The tools will aid the trader in determining the status, trends in the market, and the trader's position in the market. ...

11/16/06 - 20060259381 - Method and system of pricing financial instruments
Some demonstrative embodiments of the invention include a method and/or system of pricing a financial instrument. The method may include receiving trade information of a plurality of traded financial instruments, the trade information including trade information related to a plurality of market prices corresponding to the,plurality of traded financial instruments; ...

11/16/06 - 20060259380 - System and method for linking gemstones and insurance
A supportable value product such as diamonds is guaranteed for an extended period of time so that an owner can return the product at any point over the guarantee period for a complete refund of the amount paid for the product. The products are covered by an insurance policy by ...

11/16/06 - 20060259379 - Investment vehicle, system and method
Investment vehicles, systems and methods provide for the investment of funds in an investment opportunity selected based on criteria to reduce risk and increase or maximize return. In one embodiment, the risk is reduced by selecting an investment opportunity for investment after the initial public offering (IPO) of the investment ...

11/16/06 - 20060259378 - Global risk demand index
Methods for generating risk demand indices are provided. In various embodiments, the methods may include selecting a plurality of sub-index modules, wherein generation of each sub-index module involves comparing at least one financial index representative of at least one risky asset to at least one other financial index representative of ...

11/09/06 - 20060253364 - Systems and methods for improving investment performance
Methods for a data processor implemented system monitor for enabling persons to turn over the allocation their investment assets, and/or receive assistance concerning how to receive disbursements from investments, in a manner that is free from or ameliorates the traditional conflicts of interest in previous systems. The methods are adapted ...

11/09/06 - 20060253363 - Method and system for creating and operating an investable hedge fund index fund
A preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a method of creating and managing an index fund based on an index of funds of hedge funds, comprising steps of (a) identifying potential funds for an index of funds of hedge funds; (b) identifying which of the potential funds meet specific ...

11/09/06 - 20060253362 - Computer-based control of a flow of funds
Funds are used on the basis of carefully made forecasts and continue to be used unchanged for a respective prescribed period of time which is shortened only if a prescribed opportunity for realizing a profit arises. ...

11/09/06 - 20060253361 - Method for providing total return swaps using a dealer hedging facility
The present invention provides a method for providing a total return swap using a dealer hedging facility, the method comprising entering into the total return swap with an approved dealer participant, purchasing an underlying swap reference asset to hedge market risk, funding the purchase of the underlying swap reference asset ...

11/09/06 - 20060253360 - Methods and systems for replicating an index with liquid instruments
In at least one aspect, the invention comprises a method for replicating a first index, comprising: constructing a basket of derivative financial instruments selected to replicate said index; wherein said basket of derivative financial instruments is constructed using key rate duration matching based on a plurality of instruments, and wherein ...

11/09/06 - 20060253359 - Method and system for creating and trading corporate debt security derivative investment instruments
A method of creating and trading corporate debt security derivative investment instruments on an exchange, as well as a trading facility for trading such derivatives, is disclosed. Corporate debt security derivative investment instruments are created by identifying a credit rating service that includes a plurality of risk categories. Unique monetary ...

11/09/06 - 20060253358 - System and method for identifying and managing customers in a financial institution
A system and method for managing a customer in a banking institution. The system includes a customer kiosk with biometric device for identifying the customer. The system places the customer in a virtual queue to see a service provider. ...

11/09/06 - 20060253357 - Method and computer-readable medium for jointly managing digital assets and non-digital assets
A method and computer-readable medium are provided for jointly managing digital assets and non-digital assets. According to the method, a database is maintained that includes one or more digital assets and records corresponding to one or more non-digital assets. A request may be received to perform an action on an ...

11/09/06 - 20060253356 - Methods and devices for displaying and communicating complex financial information
Methods, systems, displays, apparatus, and processes for displaying and communicating complex information relating to investment portfolios and funds are described. Disclosed are methods, displays apparatus and processes for displaying and communicating overview data and relationships including juxtaposing projected IRR against current IRR for funds of a private equity portfolio. Additionally, ...

11/09/06 - 20060253355 - System and method for creating and trading a digital derivative investment instrument
The present invention relates to an investment instrument which allows investors to take risk positions relative to the occurrence or non-occurrence of a contingent binary event. The contingent binary event will have one of two possible outcomes. In a digital futures contract, a long investor agrees to pay a short ...

11/09/06 - 20060253354 - System and method for creating and trading packaged collar options on an exchange
A method of creating and trading packaged standard option collars on an exchange is provided, as well as a trading facility for trading such packaged standard option collars. Collars are created by identifying an underlying asset, a first leg of a collar is determined by determining the desired strike price ...

11/09/06 - 20060253353 - Method and system for crossing orders
The invention provides methods and systems for crossing securities orders. A first order to buy or sell a particular security is received, the first order including at least information reflecting quantity of the first order. A second order to buy or sell the security is received, the second order including ...

11/09/06 - 20060253352 - Method and system for investing through purchase of faux stones
A method and system for providing an investment opportunity whereby investors are provided a positive return on their investment, while, at the same time, receiving the benefit of an imitation stone that satisfies their required criteria in a precious stone includes identifying a prospective purchaser of a precious stone and, ...

11/09/06 - 20060253351 - Methods and systems for the management of insurance claims and property
This invention relates to the management of insurance claims, the processing steps broadly including the steps of obtaining information on a claim, including items of property relating to said claim, such information forming a claim datafile; selecting items of property being claimed by consulting a property register configured and arranged ...

11/02/06 - 20060247996 - Portfolio selection for (healthcare) technology investment
An investment vehicle is formed according to novel selection methods which organize investment according to investor definitions of technology application. For example, healthcare companies can be organized according to their involvement with particular diagnostic or therapeutic modalities. The investment vehicle can then be used to back a structured note for ...

11/02/06 - 20060247995 - System and method for musical sonification of data
A musical sonification system and method sonifies data, such as real-time financial market data, to produce an audio signal output including a musical rendering of the data. A sonification engine converts the data into sound parameters based on configuration data and a sonification and mapping scheme. A sound generator generates ...

11/02/06 - 20060247994 - Method and system for operating a financial instrument
A company issues an instrument including a claim upon its assets whose priority in the event of bankruptcy or liquidation varies as a result of one or more specified qualifying events which may be experienced by the company. The claim takes the form of a security which in its initial ...

11/02/06 - 20060247993 - System and method for quantitative peer travel and expense benchmarking analysis
A system, computer product and method are provided for providing business travel and expense benchmarking analysis. A first data storage receives and stores travel data for peer entities. A second data storage receives and stores expense transaction data for the plurality of peer entities. A data storage server aggregates the ...

11/02/06 - 20060247992 - Anti-financial crimes business network
A computerized system is established through a network to help business organizations conduct and manage their businesses with anti-financial crimes provisions according to the government regulations and laws, e.g., the Bank Secrecy and the USA PATRIOT Act, and to enable financial institutions to monitor and manage these business organizations with ...

11/02/06 - 20060247991 - System, method, and computer program product for searching credit agencies using partial identification numbers
A system, method, and computer program product are used to obtain a credit report. The system comprises at least one input device, a credit agency system, and a credit requesting system. The input device receives a partial identification number (e.g., social security number (SSN)) and additional information from an individual. ...

11/02/06 - 20060247990 - Optimization of decisions regarding multiple assets in the presence of various underlying uncertainties
A client-server based system for building and executing flows (i.e., interconnected systems of algorithms). The client allows a user to build a flow specification and send the flow specification to the server. The server assembles the flow from the flow spec and executes the flow. A decision flow builder allows ...

11/02/06 - 20060247989 - System and method for providing investment information
The present invention includes a computer system for providing investment information. The computer system includes a server connected to a global network for collecting and disseminating information. The system collects information from third party sources, such as stock prices, financial performance, and news reports. The system also receives information from ...

11/02/06 - 20060247988 - Methods and apparatus for providing mission assurance
Methods and apparatus are provided for assuring content of a product. The method comprises identifying key elements that at least partially specify the content of the product creating assessment criteria for each of the key elements, and defining maturity levels for each of the assessment criteria. The method further comprises ...

10/26/06 - 20060242052 - Variable product reinsurance
A Variable Product reinsurance structure including: (i) a reinsurance Agreement between a Variable Product issuer (Ceding Company), and a separate account or Cell of a reinsurer, qualifying for (re)insurance accounting under FAS 133; and (ii) a plurality of derivative instruments qualifying for mark-to-market accounting under FAS 133, designed to hedge ...

10/26/06 - 20060242051 - Method and apparatus for development and use of a credit score based on spend capacity
Share of Wallet (“SOW”) is a modeling approach that utilizes various data sources to provide outputs that describe a consumers spending capability, tradeline history including balance transfers, and balance information. These outputs can be appended to data profiles of customers and prospects and can be utilized to support decisions involving ...

10/26/06 - 20060242050 - Method and apparatus for targeting best customers based on spend capacity
Share of Wallet (“SOW”) is a modeling approach that utilizes various data sources to provide outputs that describe a consumers spending capability, tradeline history including balance transfers, and balance information. These outputs can be appended to data profiles of customers and prospects and can be utilized to support decisions involving ...

10/26/06 - 20060242049 - Credit score and scorecard development
Share of Wallet (“SOW”) is a modeling approach that utilizes various data sources to provide outputs that describe a consumers spending capability, tradeline history including balance transfers, and balance information. These outputs can be appended to data profiles of customers and prospects and can be utilized to support decisions involving ...

10/26/06 - 20060242048 - Method and apparatus for determining credit characteristics of a consumer
Share of Wallet (“SOW”) is a modeling approach that utilizes various data sources to provide outputs that describe a consumers spending capability, tradeline history including balance transfers, and balance information. These outputs can be appended to data profiles of customers and prospects and can be utilized to support decisions involving ...

10/26/06 - 20060242047 - Method and apparatus for rating asset-backed securities
Share of Wallet (“SOW”) is a modeling approach that utilizes various data sources to provide outputs that describe a consumer's spending capability, tradeline history including balance transfers, and balance information. These outputs can be appended to data profiles of customers and prospects and can be utilized to support decisions involving ...

10/26/06 - 20060242046 - Method and apparatus for consumer interaction based on spend capacity
Share of Wallet (“SoW”) is a modeling approach that utilizes various data sources to provide outputs that describe a consumer's spending capability, tradeline history including balance transfers, and balance information. These outputs can be appended to data profiles of customers and prospects and can be utilized to support decisions involving ...

10/26/06 - 20060242045 - Tax attenuation and financing
A method for tax attenuation in accordance with the present invention matches an income stream from an investment to a cost of debt to hold the cost of the tax in abeyance. An amount is invested to gain returns. An amount is borrowed at a cost to pay the tax ...

10/26/06 - 20060242044 - Checkless funds disbursement systems and methods
A method of providing checkless disbursement of cash due as a funding from a financial transaction includes receiving at an input terminal on a networked system a request for checkless disbursement of cash due as a funding from a financial transaction, the request including information identifying a customer requesting the ...

10/26/06 - 20060242043 - Method for predicting option performance
A method for predicting an option's performance includes calculating three components of the set of components including decay profit and loss, implied volatility profit and loss, directional profit and loss and total option profit and loss. Once the three components are calculate, simple addition and subtraction is used to derive ...

10/26/06 - 20060242042 - Calculating tax amount where multiple tax types may apply
A computer program product for calculating a tax amount where multiple types of taxes may apply to a transaction is tangibly embodied in an information carrier and includes first data structures comprising tax formulas. Each of the tax formulas is associated with one of several tax types. The computer program ...

10/26/06 - 20060242041 - Method and financing system for funding a personal account
A method of funding a personal savings account is accomplished by a donor selecting a personal account to be funded, the donor using a financial instrument which generates an embedded fee or an awards or loyalty program, and directing a portion of the embedded fee or awards program into the ...

10/26/06 - 20060242040 - Method and system for conducting sentiment analysis for securities research
A computer system performs financial analysis on one or more financial entities, which may be corporations, securities, etc., based on the sentiment expressed about the one or more financial entities within raw textual data stored in one or more electronic data sources containing information or text related to one or ...

10/26/06 - 20060242039 - Method and apparatus for estimating the spend capacity of consumers
Time series consumer spending data, point-in-time balance information, internal customer financial data and consumer panel information provides input to a model for consumer spend behavior on plastic instruments or other financial accounts, from which approximations of spending ability may be reliably identified and utilized to promote additional consumer spending. ...

10/26/06 - 20060242038 - Method for charging costs of enjoying contents transmitted over a telecommunications network, preferably by the internet network, and related system
The invention concerns a method for charging costs of enjoying contents transmitted over a telecommunications network, preferably the Internet network, wherein chargeable contents, in the shape of one or more digital documents or files, are transmitted from at least one server (3) of a Contents Provider (or CP), which a ...

10/26/06 - 20060242037 - Marketing support device and marketing support method
An apparatus and a method for assisting the marketing in which a service provider acts as proxy to send messages to healthcare people, as customers, who have met preset conditions, out of the totality of customers, and in which the healthcare people, who have received the messages, approve an MR ...

10/19/06 - 20060235784 - Method for attributing and allocating revenue related to embedded software
A method for attributing revenue for embedded software. The method includes the first step of determining the presence of more than one type of embedded software on a given client site. Then, the process assigns priority based on the length of time each type has resided on the client system ...

10/19/06 - 20060235783 - Predicting risk and return for a portfolio of entertainment projects
A portfolio of entertainment project such that the risk and return available to investors is attractive compared to other investments. Risk and return for a portfolio of entertainment projects is predicted based on historical performance of past “similar” projects. In one implementation, characteristics that are predictive of a project's revenue ...

10/19/06 - 20060235782 - Computer-implemented method for evaluating an investment
A computer-implemented method and tool for evaluating an investment includes functionality that generates and stores data representing values/dates of a plurality of inflows and outflows over the investment period. Such data is used to derive first values that represent expected benefits over corresponding intervals of the investment period. A first ...

10/19/06 - 20060235781 - Systems, methods, and software for analyzing corporate earnings data
A financial information system provides enhanced data and/or indicators regarding reported corporate earnings. ...

10/19/06 - 20060235780 - Methodology of utilizing fibonacci numbers to analyze and predict trends in financial markets
One embodiment of the invention can be a methodology for analyzing financial markets using harmonic patterns which use Fibonacci derived formulae to verify historical market values for selected peak(s) and trough(s) of cyclical financial market to predict the future market value of a new trough or peak that will terminate ...

10/19/06 - 20060235779 - Method and apparatus for product management
A method for product portfolio analysis includes selecting a set of solution points along a curve of order benefit as a function of the number of products in a product portfolio and performing a heuristic between an adjacent pair of solution points that approximates the curve between the adjacent pair ...

10/19/06 - 20060235778 - Performance indicator selection
Performance indicators selected for an organization. In some exemplary implementations, a system for selecting performance indicators that are relevant for an organization's business strategies includes a questionnaire tool to present questions to a Graphical User Interface (GUI) user. The system also includes a performance indicator wizard to receive responses for ...

10/19/06 - 20060235777 - Method and system for specialized financial management
System and method for augmenting standard financial services products (e.g., bank accounts) for specialized needs such as for children. This involves augmenting existing types of financial services accounts and adding new types of accounts not now offered by financial institutions such as banks. For instance in the present system, a ...

10/12/06 - 20060229966 - Method and apparatus for providing and processing installment plans at a terminal
A central controller receives from a POS terminal a purchase price and a financial account identifier. The financial account identifier specifies a financial account, such as a credit card account. The central controller, in turn, generates one or more installment plan identifiers defining installment plans for payment of the purchase ...

10/12/06 - 20060229965 - Method and apparatus for providing and processing installment plans at a terminal
A central controller receives from a POS terminal a purchase price and a financial account identifier. The financial account identifier specifies a financial account, such as a credit card account. The central controller, in turn, generates one or more installment plan identifiers defining installment plans for payment of the purchase ...

10/12/06 - 20060229964 - Personal pension system and business method
A system and method of managing monetary contributions for a deferred savings objective such as, for exemplary purposes only, funding college, wedding or marriage, retirement, or any other large expense expected to occur years in the future, wherein a consumer makes contributions into the deferred savings system, wherein the process ...

10/12/06 - 20060229963 - Portfolio performance tracking
Portfolio performance tracking and reporting includes integration of performance tracking information for previously-sold securities with performance tracking information for securities that are still held in the portfolio. Performance tracking for securities that are still held is performed by comparing the security's current value with the purchase price (basis). Performance tracking ...

10/12/06 - 20060229962 - Evaluation of securities
A method for evaluating securities comprises the steps of estimating a P/E ratio for a security that will yield a predetermined rate of return on an investment in said security, inputting an actual historical P/E ratio for the security, determining a merit rating for the security as a function of ...

10/12/06 - 20060229961 - Risk evaluation method and system using ach data
A method and system of managing risk associated with a financial transaction. In one embodiment, the method comprises receiving data associated with a plurality of past transactions. The received data includes Automated Clearing House (ACH) data and other payment-related data. The method further comprises storing the received data in a ...

10/12/06 - 20060229960 - System and method for creating recurrent yield monetary asset based financial instrument derivatives
The system and method for creating recurrent yield monetary asset based financial instrument derivatives operates with existing telecommunications networks, including voice, data, and internet protocol to provide financial instrument derivatives that are based on recurrent yield monetary assets. A rollup entity communicates with present resources that own or hold recurrent ...

10/12/06 - 20060229959 - Customized automation of financial asset trading
The present invention pertains to a system and method by which a financial assets trader (e.g., bank/broker/foreign currency manager) who normally executes trades in the financial assets marketplace may be able to process orders with minimal human interference in a truly automated, yet customizable way, thereby avoiding that which would ...

10/12/06 - 20060229958 - System, method, and computer program product for reconciling financial data from multiple sources
A system, method, and computer program product are provided that receive financial data from different sources, parse the financial data using a rules engine such that it can be combined, add first and second data keys such that the data entries can be reconciled, reconcile the combined data, and output ...

10/12/06 - 20060229957 - System and method for evaluating potential suppliers
A method on a central information processing system evaluates financial health of suppliers of a business entity by checking a central repository to determine whether a current financial health report exists for a supplier and if not, determines whether criteria have been satisfied to require the supplier to purchase the ...

10/12/06 - 20060229956 - Supplier financial health management process
A central information processing system and method evaluate financial health of a supplier of at least one of goods and services for a business entity, by determining that a supplier spend rate exceeds a predetermined level, determining a risk factor for the supplier based upon a financial health report and ...

10/12/06 - 20060229955 - Debt reduction method and device thereof
In a method which is performed using a communication network and uses a derivative to reduce a money debt such as a housing loan debt, a loan debt, a nation/public/corporate bond debt, a lease debt, or a payment obligation including insurance benefits, a derivative corresponding to a period of the ...

10/05/06 - 20060224488 - Method for calculating portfolio scaled irr
Process and system for simultaneously evaluating performance attribution for each of multiple aggregates in a private portfolio through use of a multiply neutrally-weighted portfolio created with one or more neutrally-weighted portfolio dummies. ...

10/05/06 - 20060224487 - Apparatuses, methods, and systems to design, develop, and implement book income indices
The disclosure details the implementation of apparatuses, methods, and systems of developing and constructing book income indices. The disclosure teaches methodologies for the performance measurement of a portfolio accounted for on an historical cost-based method. Book income indices measure the performance of a base-line asset class (the “market”). Unlike total ...

10/05/06 - 20060224486 - Method and system for generating a valuation metric based on growth data factors
The present invention relates to a system, method and apparatus for evaluating a variety of financial information, determining a valuation metric, and distributing the valuation metric to system users. The valuation metric distribution may be configured by an administrator for automatic distribution of the valuation metric to system users. Alternately, ...

10/05/06 - 20060224485 - Method and system for creating an equity exchange fund for public and private entities
A method and system for creating an equity exchange fund for public and private entities are provided. The method includes the steps of receiving an application to participate in the fund from at least one investor, the investor having a position in at least one commercial entity; evaluating the entity ...

10/05/06 - 20060224484 - System and method of economic taxation
A method of taxation comprising the following steps: changing consumption tax rates at short intervals of time; applying the consumption tax rate in effect to every taxable transaction that occurs during that short interval of time; setting progressive income tax rates to be in effect for a long interval of ...

10/05/06 - 20060224483 - System and method for an exchange of financial instruments
Provided is a method and system for an online marketplace for the buying, selling and Servicing of financial instruments, such as accounts receivable, where the online marketplace receives and analyzes Account data from a Reporting Agency Database, such as a Consumer Reporting Agency Database. The online marketplace may include a ...

10/05/06 - 20060224482 - Systems and methods for managing an asset inventory
A method of managing an asset inventory is provided. The method includes obtaining data related to assets of the asset inventory and analyzing the obtained data to estimate a total number of assets required by the asset inventory over a time period. The method also includes determining a first cost ...

10/05/06 - 20060224481 - Method for determining the current value of a future development
A method for determining the current value of a future development is disclosed. The method includes receiving a set of data corresponding to a plurality of variables associated with the future development and converting the set of data to a financial gain distributed over an estimated production period. The method ...

10/05/06 - 20060224480 - Systems and methods for loan management with variable security arrangements
A data processing system, program product, and method is provided for managing at least one credit-granting account of a participant. The system comprises in one embodiment an electronic database including information describing collateral assets of the participant used for securing the credit-granting account, and a computer system comprising one or ...

10/05/06 - 20060224479 - Technology portfolio health assessment system and method
A system and method for producing infrastructure health assessments enabling enterprises to monitor the health of individual technology portfolios and plan accordingly is disclosed. The tool uses two primary assessments to determine: 1) an infrastructure score based the general health of asset components; and 2) adaptability score based on asset ...

09/28/06 - 20060218068 - Method and system for financial advising
A method of providing financial advice to a client that provides sufficient confidence that their goals will be achieved or exceeded but that avoids excessive sacrifice to the client's current or future lifestyle and avoids investment risk that is not needed to provide sufficient confidence of the goals a client ...

09/28/06 - 20060218067 - System and method for helping consumers understand and interpret credit scores
A system and method is provided that provides tools to consumers to help consumers understand their credit scores and how to take action to improve their credit scores. A system and method for each of and for a combination of a score estimating tool, a best action simulation tool, an ...

09/28/06 - 20060218066 - Method of appraising and insuring intellectual property
Methods are disclosed for using computers, computer programs, algorithms and computer networks and communications hardware and protocols to appraise the value of assets as well as protecting asset owners from the risk that other entities will value those assets differently. The methods disclosed include: Supplementing traditional valuation methods with other ...

09/28/06 - 20060218065 - Bundling of a utility payment with sale of a property
A method of bundling a purchase by a first party of a utility commodity provided over time by a second party with a property sold by a third party comprising: a) estimating a total cost for an amount of the utility commodity for a predetermined amount of time; b) obtaining ...

09/28/06 - 20060218064 - Walkaway crediting
According to the invention, a method for processing credit for a contactless smart card is disclosed. In one step, the contactless smart card is uniquely recognized at a first location. The contactless smart card is capable of recording the credit or debit that affects a stored value associated with the ...

09/28/06 - 20060218063 - Money transfer wall unit
An embodiment of the present invention discloses a financial transaction wall unit workstation. The financial transaction wall unit workstation may be configured to attach to a vertical support and may comprise at least one display face, a transaction interface for communicating between the financial transaction wall unit workstation and a ...

09/28/06 - 20060218062 - Method and apparatus for product selection
A method for determining a total benefit derived from a subset of products in a product portfolio includes identifying a set of customer orders having a set of ordered products from the product portfolio and an order benefit and selecting the subset of products from the product portfolio. The method ...

09/28/06 - 20060218061 - Integrated financial services platform
An integrated financial services platform that allows for the definition of applications, rules and data necessary to fulfill financial services to be created one time and either loaded into workstation devices that fulfill the financial services or, loaded into a server that fulfills the financial services from requesting devices. The ...

09/21/06 - 20060212380 - Methods for issuing, distributing, managing and redeeming investment instruments providing normalized annuity options
A method of issuing and managing investment instruments called “Pension Shares” which preferably take the form of securities that represents a claim against and is secured by an investment fund. A Pension Share entitles its holder to receive, at a specified maturity date, either a lump sum payment amount or, ...

09/21/06 - 20060212379 - Controlling a computer-aided process
System and method of making and using, products produced by the method, articles, and necessary intermediates of the foregoing as regards controlling a computer system in computing directed to constant dollar instruments. ...

09/21/06 - 20060212378 - Account administration plans and systems
A computer system according to particular embodiments of the invention is adapted for: (A) receiving one or more claims for reimbursement from an account holder of a health savings account; (B) after receiving the one or more claims, allowing a plan service provider to: (1) review each particular one of ...

09/21/06 - 20060212377 - Method and system for analyzing and reporting equity compensation
Computer systems and methods for reporting and analyzing grants equity-based compensation (e.g., employee stock option grants). The systems and methods store information regarding grants down to each individual grant level. The system and methods are capable of producing reports “as of” particular dates (i.e., transaction dates, creation dates, and accounting ...

09/21/06 - 20060212376 - Systems and methods for real-time, dynamic multi-dimensional constraint analysis of portfolios of financial instruments
An automated method of managing or constructing a portfolio comprising at least one financial instrument defining portfolio attributes, the method using a system comprising a processor, a display and an input device. The method comprises defining at least one objective representing a desired state for the portfolio attributes and defining ...

09/21/06 - 20060212375 - Method for venture project financing
A method for raising funds for investment in a venture project is provided. An investment agent sets up an agreement with an entrepreneur of for raising funds, up to a threshold amount, to finance the project within a first time limit and for a given return on investment. The investment ...

09/21/06 - 20060212374 - Shari'ah (islamic) compliant financial services card
A financial services card formulated in accordance with the principles of the present invention comprises a payment or transactional card equivalent in many practical respects to a conventional credit card, however, which operates in compliance with Shari'ah financial guidelines and Islamic law and therefore is conducive for use by Islamic ...

09/21/06 - 20060212373 - Method of providing financial accounting compliance
The present invention discloses a method of establishing an internal control framework that ensures accurate financial reporting as required by the Sarbanes-Oxlet Act of 2002. The method provided utilizes the established business processes to identify risks, determine the necessary controls to be implemented to mitigate these risks in order to ...

09/21/06 - 20060212372 - System and method for processing units of value
The invention relates to a system and method for processing value units, such as bank notes, coins or checks. A system and method for processing deposits of value units are provided by which bank notes of the deposit are checked successively in two bank note processing machines, and the data ...

09/14/06 - 20060206403 - System for anonymously purchasing goods and services over the internet
A system for anonymously purchasing goods and services over the Internet comprising customer, issuer, merchant and financial institution computers all linked to a communications system, a money code, and a plurality of software. A money amount is received from a customer and a money code is assigned an associated money ...

09/14/06 - 20060206402 - System and method for a rebate reward
A computerized method and system for implementing such method, the method comprising establishing a card payment instrument account for an approved customer and an investment account for the benefit of the approved customer. A rebate is calculated periodically based on credit card usage and the rebate is applied to fund ...

09/14/06 - 20060206401 - Annuity having interest rate coupled to a referenced interest rate
An annuity provides a guaranteed rate of return for a guarantee period while at the same time providing upward adjustments to the interest rate if there is a corresponding increase in a specified referenced rate, which may be a United States Treasury rate or an interest rate that is used ...

09/14/06 - 20060206400 - Method and system for unified management of plurality of assets using computer network
A method and system for collectively displaying in real-time on the Internet the status of personal assets and transactions. The system comprises a plurality of asset databases corresponding to a plurality of financial institutions; storing portfolio information related to total assets in the above-mentioned plurality of financial institutions; a unified ...

09/14/06 - 20060206399 - Method and device for generation of a customer-specific financing offer for a technical system
For a simple generation of a customer-specific data set, particularly for generation of a financing offer for the leasing of medical apparatuses, basic data are stored in a central database and centrally updated. The current basic data are transferred to a portable and decentralized computer dependent on need, and for ...

09/14/06 - 20060206398 - Managing risks within variable annuity contractors
A method for mitigating risks associated with a reinsured annuity contract includes reinsuring variable annuity contracts having guaranteed minimum death benefits, calculating risk statistics based on one or more characteristics of the plurality of guaranteed minimum death benefit variable annuity contracts, determining a set of market indices that model the ...

09/07/06 - 20060200398 - Accounting integrity verification method and apparatus
Verification unit for financial accounting comprising: a first input for receiving a financial account in electronic format, a second input for obtaining parameters used for preparing said financial account, a processing unit for independently carrying out accounting based on the data in the financial account and the obtained parameters, a ...

09/07/06 - 20060200397 - Method for maintaining and providing health savings accounts (hsas)
A business method for maintaining a Health Savings Account (HSA) (100) by providing availability and more convenient access to HSA funds where an HSA is funded through either employee (101), employer contributions (103), or through an individual line of credit from a qualified financial institution (105). Funds may later be ...

09/07/06 - 20060200396 - Systems and methods for notifying a consumer of changes made to a credit report
A system and method for monitoring unauthorized changes to a database and providing a notification to a user according to preferences set by the user. The user can select one or more data entries within a database to be monitored. When these data entries are changed, a notification is sent ...

09/07/06 - 20060200395 - Stock portfolio selection device, stock portfolio selection method and medium storing stock portfolio selection program
Provided is a device for automatically selecting a more preferable stock portfolio based on the results upon performing a comprehensive valuation of companies using a corporate valuation index containing an intellectual asset related index. Upon selecting the stock portfolio, a plurality of corporate valuation index related data containing an intellectual ...

09/07/06 - 20060200394 - Method for monitoring securities and market conditions
A method is disclosed for performing an action associated with a security in a market that has a plurality of conditions. The method includes the steps of identifying the security. Once the security is identified, an action is selected which will be taken at a certain time. A portion of ...

09/07/06 - 20060200393 - Money market trading platform
A money market trading platform provides institutional investors with comprehensive on-line analysis, account management, and on-line money market trading capabilities. An institutional investor's computer is connected via a communication network to a bank or broker's computer. The bank or broker's computer is connected via a communication network to a money ...

08/31/06 - 20060195381 - Electronic apparatus, charging system and method, charge processing device, storage medium, and prepaid card
An apparatus of the invention comprises an operation inputting element for designating one of a plurality of functions; a function executing element for executing the function designated by the operating inputting element; a measuring element for measuring the time during which each of the functions has been executed by the ...

08/31/06 - 20060195380 - Systemic investment data analysis
A system and method for outputting hypothetical investment defining data (411) are provided by the present invention. The system comprises a plurality of networked terminals (101 to 104), each of which is configured with at least processing means (208), memory means (209), networking means (211, 212) and visual display means ...

08/31/06 - 20060195379 - Attention economy for attention to messages, tasks and resources
A centrally tracked artificial currency is provided within the context of an enterprise. This currency serves as a unit of account, medium of exchange, and store of value in a corporate “attention economy.” Users (typically coworkers) in the enterprise are allotted a base number of currency units, which they can ...

08/31/06 - 20060195378 - Hybrid charge account for virtual world credit
A method and system provides for the use of credit arrangements in simulated environments. A user can participate in credit transactions involving purchases of virtual products, virtual services, and virtual items of value. Feedback is provided to the user regarding results of the credit transactions. In some embodiments multiple users ...

08/31/06 - 20060195377 - Financial ventures based on virtual credit
A method and system provides for the use of credit arrangements in simulated environments. A user can participate in credit transactions involving purchases of virtual products, virtual services, and virtual items of value. Feedback is provided to the user regarding results of the credit transactions. In some embodiments multiple users ...

08/31/06 - 20060195376 - Compensation techniques for virtual credit transactions
A method and system provides for the use of credit arrangements in simulated environments. A user can participate in credit transactions involving purchases of virtual products, virtual services, and virtual items of value. Feedback is provided to the user regarding results of the credit transactions. In some embodiments multiple users ...

08/31/06 - 20060195375 - System and method of evaluating credit instruments
Systems and methods for analyzing and evaluating credit instruments are disclosed. The systems and methods generate a residual value, including the market's view of loss given default for the credit instrument, based on market pricing information for the credit instrument. The residual value, referred to as iLGD, is indicative of ...

08/31/06 - 20060195374 - Wealth replacement rider
A method for determining a death benefit with respect to a charitable gift annuity contract, the method determining the death benefit funded on an after-tax basis of the charitable gift annuity. The method comprises determining if a wealth replacement rider has been selected; and if the wealth replacement rider has ...

08/31/06 - 20060195373 - Enterprise portfolio analysis using finite state markov decision process
This invention introduces a method, system and computer readable media that enables a computer system or computer networked system to perform enterprise portfolio transition optimization. The invention considers several key factors that are traditionally treated informally. The invention provides a sequential decision model for enterprise portfolio transition management of computer ...

08/24/06 - 20060190380 - Electronic transaction processing server with automated transaction evaluation
An electronic transaction processing server receives and evaluates invoice transaction files. The server comprises a network circuit for communicating over a frame switched network with each of a plurality of participating systems. The participating systems comprising at least one customer workstation and at least one vendor workstation. A session management ...

08/24/06 - 20060190379 - Price grabber
Systems and methods for automatic price monitoring of an online marketplace. The online marketplace is a virtual store (e.g., web-based) for buyers and sellers to exchange goods or products. A system includes a price monitoring module coupled to a market server, and buyer and seller devices. The price monitoring module ...

08/24/06 - 20060190378 - Process for verifiably communicating risk characteristics of an investment portfolio
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, there is disclosed a process for verifiably communicating risk characteristics of an investment portfolio to an investor without disclosing the exact composition of the portfolio comprising: A procedure for the investment manager to describe acceptable characteristics of an investment portfolio within ...

08/24/06 - 20060190377 - Method and apparatus for pricing and administering a credit transaction
Systems and methods are provided to administer and price credit transactions ...

08/24/06 - 20060190376 - Charged-off accounts receivable lease program
Certain embodiments of the present invention provide Credit Grantors with an alternative to warehousing or the selling of aged accounts receivables. Certain embodiments of the present invention provide Creditors immediate cash for their accounts receivables placed on lease, shifts the cost, liabilities and collection efforts to a third party and ...

08/24/06 - 20060190375 - Systemic investment data analysis
A system for outputting investment defining data (411) is provided, which comprises a plurality of networked terminals (101 to 104), each of which is configured with processing means (208), memory means (209), networking means (211, 212) and visual display means (202), said memory means (209) storing at least one data ...

08/24/06 - 20060190374 - Electronic bill pay and bill presentment account number treatment system and method
A technique is provided that transforms account number data received from the consumer into one or more forms based on use by specific processes. Further provided is a technique for establishing payees using these account numbers such that remittances can be routed via the most cost effective means, e.g. which ...

08/24/06 - 20060190373 - Computer-system control related to standard application in islamic compliant financing
A computer-aided system of illustrating, the system including: specifying, to a computer system, a private constant-dollar instrument, including defining a respective claim division on cash flow and an asset; entering data including actual cash flow datum and actual asset datum; calculating, with the computer system, respective values for each of ...

08/24/06 - 20060190372 - Method and system for computing path dependent probabilities of attaining financial goals
A method and system for computing the probability of attaining one or multiple financial goals is disclosed. Each goal is analyzed and reduced to a series of cash flows. A threshold criterion of success is established. A plurality of paths are generated. Each path is checked on the basis of ...

08/24/06 - 20060190371 - Method and system for portfolio optimization from ordering information
A method of optimizing a portfolio includes selecting an investment universe with a finite number of assets, forming a belief matrix based on one or more homogeneous inequality relationships among the expected returns of assets in the universe, selecting those asset returns that are consistent with the belief matrix to ...

08/24/06 - 20060190370 - System and method for evaluating and managing participatory real estate investments and transactions
An automated System and method for evaluating real estate Candidate Transactions for participatory funding by Investment Criteria based Managed Investment Funds; and, then managing the funded Candidate Transactions from purchase and/or construction to completion and/or sale. Complex, secured, real estate based participatory funding transactions, are evaluated, funded and transacted from ...

08/24/06 - 20060190369 - Predicting risk and return for a portfolio of entertainment projects
A portfolio of entertainment projects is selected such that the risk and return available to investors is attractive compared to other investments. Risk and return for a portfolio of entertainment projects is predicted based on the historical performance of past “similar” projects. In one implementation, characteristics that are predictive of ...

08/24/06 - 20060190368 - System and method for determining the financial impact of an event
The present invention provides a computer-based system, method and computer program product for inventorying assets and quickly determining the financial costs of an event impacting the location where such assets are located. A user is able to enter impact location identifiers and one or more asset impact variables using a ...

08/17/06 - 20060184442 - Premium financing method and product using life insurance policies and method for administering same
A premium financing method and a loan product using life insurance policy as all or a portion of the collateral for a loan or credit line. The proceeds of the loan or draws against the credit line are used to ensure payment of at least one scheduled premium of the ...

08/17/06 - 20060184441 - Check clearing systems
A system and process for more efficiently clearing checks by transmitting MICR line data together with a URL link to facilitate check clearing via electronic debits by an ACH. The URL link can be used at the option of the paying bank (or other entity) to access images of the ...

08/17/06 - 20060184440 - Risk-based pricing for rental property
A risk-based pricing system for computing rental pricing based on the background information on an individual applicant and property-specific information is provided. Rental pricing, such as rent payments and deposits, is computed by determining a risk score corresponding to the applicant. The risk score may be based on a credit ...

08/17/06 - 20060184439 - Asset backed commercial paper program
In general, in one aspect, the invention includes an asset backed securities structure. The structure includes a first and second liquidity and/or credit provider and an entity structured to acquire interest in financial assets from sellers (and to issue to a plurality of investors notes backed by the financial assets). ...

08/17/06 - 20060184438 - Fund management system and method
A dynamic and flexible method, system and apparatus for managing index mutual funds and index exchange traded funds (ETFs) through using and measuring Relative Strengths and Alphas of the underlying index components to periodically reweight the underlying index components. These reweightings are used in the daily rebalancing of the respective ...

08/17/06 - 20060184437 - Settlement engine for settling transactions and a method for settling transactions
Summarising, the present invention aims to provide a more efficient settlement engine requiring less computation effort and processing time. This is accomplished by establishing a total priority list of all transactions. The received transaction data to be settled are step-wisely transferred to an intermediate table storing the transaction data of ...

08/17/06 - 20060184436 - Method and system for providing a marketplace to professionals
A system for providing contact between a buyer and a seller, the system including a first zone in the form of a chat room, the first zone being displayed at the station of the seller and the buyer; a second zone in the form of a data acquisition zone for ...

08/17/06 - 20060184435 - Debt collecting and financing method
The invention proposes an improvement for a method for collecting a debt. The method includes entering in a data processing system data at least including data concerning the debtor and the debt, permitting debt access to at least two parties to at least a part of the data entered in ...

08/17/06 - 20060184434 - Warranty claim preparation system
This warranty claim preparation system for use with a computer relies on a comprehensive computer database and a versatile program to streamline warranty claim preparation, processing and tracking. The computer accessible database lists all vehicles on which warranty claims could be prepared for a user, all vehicle systems for each ...

08/10/06 - 20060178976 - Real estate business method and system integrating multi-level network marketing, franchise management and web tools
A real estate business method and system providing an opportunity for members of the general public to receive training in and assist in negotiating and transacting contracts for the sale of real estate. The business method and system include a business affiliation of various organizations including two publicly traded corporations ...

08/10/06 - 20060178975 - Attribute enhancement in virtual world environments
A method and system provides arrangements creating a relationship between a real-world entity and a virtual world environment. A virtual world patron can participate in various virtual world activities including transactions to acquire virtual products, virtual services, and/or virtual items of value. Feedback may be provided and records kept regarding ...

08/10/06 - 20060178974 - Agency payment system
An agency payment system for transactions covered by a virtual market control entity between participants. The system determines all payments required to be made by each virtual market control entity participant on a given day. It nets all of each of the participant's required payments to be made with the ...

08/10/06 - 20060178973 - System and method for managing business performance
A preferred embodiment of the invention includes a method and system to achieve improved profitability, liquidity and operational stability of a used vehicle operation. In broad overview, one embodiment of the invention includes four main aspects including the establishment of departmental objectives as a predetermined metric, the integration of the ...

08/10/06 - 20060178972 - Resolution of virtual world revocable transfers
A method and system provides transactions and arrangements in virtual world environments. A user can participate in transactions to acquire virtual property and related virtual rights. In some implementations, real-world and virtual parties can be involved in a possible future transfer or related transfer revocation or related transfer modification involving ...

08/10/06 - 20060178971 - Personal credit management and monitoring system and method
This document discloses fully-integrated consumer credit management and identity theft detection, protection and resolution systems, methods, and computer program products. These solutions enable consumers to manage the entire lifecycle of their credit profile and personal identity through a simple integrated application that combines credit management, credit monitoring, identity theft detection, ...

08/10/06 - 20060178970 - Virtual world reversion rights
A method and system provides transactions and arrangements in virtual world environments. A user can participate in transactions to acquire virtual property and related virtual rights. In some implementations, real-world and virtual parties can be involved in possible transfers and/or transfer revocations involving various types of virtual objects and virtual ...

08/10/06 - 20060178969 - Methods for giving a gift and systems thereof
A method for gift giving includes offering a selection of at least one of a plurality of primary gifts within a set and a selection of one or more secondary gifts. The monetary value of each of the primary gifts and each of the secondary gifts is not specified. Each ...

08/10/06 - 20060178968 - Virtual world interconnection technique
A method and system provides arrangements creating a relationship between a real-world entity and a virtual world environment. A virtual world patron can participate in various virtual world activities and transactions. Feedback may be provided and records kept regarding the virtual world activities and transactions. The virtual world patron may ...

08/10/06 - 20060178967 - Disposition of proprietary virtual rights
A method and system provides transactions and arrangements in virtual world environments. A user can participate in transactions to acquire virtual property and related virtual rights. In some implementations, real-world and virtual parties can be involved in possible transfers of various types of virtual property and virtual property rights. ...

08/10/06 - 20060178966 - Virtual world property disposition after virtual world occurence
A method and system provides transactions and arrangements in virtual world environments. A user can participate in transactions to acquire virtual property and related virtual rights. In some implementations, real-world and virtual parties can be involved in possible transfers of various types of virtual property and virtual property rights. ...

08/10/06 - 20060178965 - Tracking a participant loss in a virtual world
Embodiments include an apparatus, device, system, computer-program product, and method. In an embodiment, a system includes a virtual world in which a participant may participate. The system also includes a covered-loss detection module operable to identify an occurrence of a defined loss in the virtual world suffered by the participant. ...

08/10/06 - 20060178964 - Reporting a non-mitigated loss in a virtual world
Embodiments include an apparatus, device, system, computer-program product, and method. In an embodiment, system includes a monitoring module operable to identify an occurrence of a loss in a virtual world experienced by a participant and not covered in an existing risk mitigation arrangement between the participant and a protection entity ...

08/10/06 - 20060178963 - Enterprise value evaluation device and enterprise value evaluation program
There are provided an enterprise value evaluation device and an enterprise value evaluation program capable of judging validity of an enterprise value such as the rank of stock price of an enterprise to be researched according to the management-finance information and patent information of the enterprise. The enterprise value evaluation ...

08/03/06 - 20060173767 - System and method for managing and evaluating network commodities purchasing
Managing and evaluating commodities pricing, in one embodiment, includes retrieving and summing one or more price data sets exchanged between a buyer and seller agent in a specified time period. Additionally, metric data indicative of market prices for commodities indicated by the retrieved price data sets are summed. The summed ...

08/03/06 - 20060173766 - Electronic apparatus, charging system and method, charge processing device, storage medium, and prepaid card
An apparatus of the invention comprises an operation inputting element for designating one of a plurality of functions; a function executing element for executing the function designated by the operating inputting element; a measuring element for measuring the time during which each of the functions has been executed by the ...

08/03/06 - 20060173765 - System and method for determining an evolving combination of network components to maximize the net present value of a provider's cash flow
A method and computer program product are presented for selecting and arranging an appropriate combination of network components, or elements, in a communications network. The selection of network components is done in a manner that maximizes the net present value of cash flow resulting from the provision of communications services ...

08/03/06 - 20060173764 - System and method for trading based on tournament-style events
A system for trading a plurality of derivative financial instruments comprises a processor operable to receive a first order to buy a derivative financial instrument that represents a contestant in a contest. The processor is further operable to receive a second order to sell the derivative financial instrument. The processor ...

08/03/06 - 20060173763 - Methods and systems for providing tax efficient hedge fund returns
In one aspect, the invention comprises a method comprising: (1) selling a note to an investor for a specified amount; and (2) using proceeds from selling the note to purchase (a) one or more zero coupon municipal bonds, and (b) an option on at least one of the group comprising: ...

08/03/06 - 20060173762 - System and method for an automated project office and automatic risk assessment and reporting
In the automation of project risk identification, various qualitative and quantitative measures are combined to report a project's risk level, areas, and mitigation in an automatic and objective manner. The software package includes a risk assessment and report framework and a risk engine, a portfolio analysis, a project plan validator, ...

08/03/06 - 20060173761 - System and method for market research based on financial exchange
A system for trading a plurality of derivative financial instruments comprises a processor operable to receive a first order to buy a derivative financial instrument representing at least one product. The processor is further operable to receive a second order to sell the derivative financial instrument. The processor is further ...

08/03/06 - 20060173760 - Computer-based management and reporting methods for tax-advantaged drilling investments
The present invention relates to a system and method for funding a drilling fund using the established benefits of tax deductions and/or losses associated with the drilling of oil and gas wells. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system having computer software which provides searching and documentation functions ...

08/03/06 - 20060173759 - System and method for two-pass regulatory compliance
An automated system and method for ensuring that information in the form of data files provided by highly regulated businesses, such as financial institutions, comply with the most currently applicable Federal, state and local laws and regulations. This may be accomplished by applying a set of computer-encoded compliance rules to ...

07/27/06 - 20060167782 - Credit instrument and system providing multiple services including access to credit services and access to a service provider club
An apparatus and methods for a card that allows a cardholder to set up auto-charge payment of dues and fees to a series of clubs, merchants or service providers. The card also may be used for other transactions that accept credit cards. The apparatus includes a database containing information of ...

07/27/06 - 20060167781 - Click based trading with intuitive grid display of market depth and price consolidation
A method and system for reducing the time it takes for a trader to place a trade when electronically trading on an exchange, thus increasing the likelihood that the trader will have orders filled at desirable prices and quantities. The “Mercury” display and trading method of the present invention ensure ...

07/27/06 - 20060167780 - College savings plan account registry and method
A registry of college savings plan accounts includes a central database. The database includes a plurality of registry accounts, and each of the registry accounts includes an account number of a college savings plan account and a name of a prospective student included in the college savings plan account. A ...

07/27/06 - 20060167779 - Rate of return stops and capital return transactions
A method and system for managing and selling investments via electronic means. An investor can establish sell order criteria based upon a preset desired rate of return. The broker thereby monitors the investment and automatically sells it on behalf of the investor once the prescribed sell order criteria are met. ...

07/27/06 - 20060167778 - Object-oriented financial modeling
Software technology is used to build and perform object-oriented financial modeling. A software framework creates highly reusable and layered business objects. Business objects organize financial information and save time through ease of use and a simple intuitive interface. ...

07/27/06 - 20060167777 - Method and apparatus for determining investment manager skill
A method of evaluating an investment manager's skill includes determining a time frame including a plurality of time periods of a predefined duration over which to calculate statistics, generating a return distribution for each time period, obtaining return data for a manager for each given time period, standardizing the manager's ...

07/27/06 - 20060167776 - Affordable for-sale housing program
A method and apparatus for providing and administering an affordable housing program. A property is located for which a developer has received tax credits in exchange for constructing affordable housing units on the property. By machine, information is stored into a database regarding the property. The tax credits held by ...

07/27/06 - 20060167775 - Method for providing funding of and access to an investment vehicle
A method for providing funding of and access to an investment vehicle, comprises the steps of establishing an investment vehicle, monetizing the investment vehicle by depositing funds therein by at least one predetermined investor, receiving a request for the funds by an employee of an employer, distributing the funds from ...

07/27/06 - 20060167774 - Method for maintaining a customer account
A system to maintain a customer account including an account balance where deposits are made by a depositor calling a telephone number to which the caller incurs a charge to be connected. Other embodiments are also described and claimed. ...

07/27/06 - 20060167773 - Settlement of auctions by determining quantity before price
The orders collected during an auction form an auction pool. The fill for orders in the auction pool is established without setting an auction settlement price (ASP) for the contracts in the auction pool. The ASPs for contracts in the qualified pool are then set based on the fill. Both ...

07/27/06 - 20060167772 - Electronic interpretation of financials
Disclosed are methods and systems for electronically analyzing primarily financial information of an entity. One method comprises: receiving primarily financial inputs related to an entity; and for at least one predetermined relationship: looking up which at least two variables are linked to the predetermined relationship, determining values of the at ...

07/20/06 - 20060161493 - System, method and computer readable medium containing instructions for evaluating and disseminating investor performance information
An investor's performance is evaluated by utilizing information pertaining to at least one transaction made by the investor, such as an individual or entity, involving at least one investment. This evaluation includes determining a performance score indicative of the investor's performance relative to other investors. The performance score is determined ...

07/20/06 - 20060161492 - System, method and computer readable medium containing instructions for evaluating and disseminating investor performance information
An investor's performance is evaluated by utilizing information pertaining to at least one transaction made by the investor, such as an individual or entity, involving at least one investment. This evaluation includes determining a performance score indicative of the investor's performance relative to other investors. The performance score is determined ...

07/20/06 - 20060161491 - Method and system for advertising on credit cards affiliated with sports leagues
A customer receives a finance card and uses the card to purchase goods and/or services. Based on data compiled from the customer's use of the card the customer is offered an exclusive finance card and offered exclusive products or exclusive services. ...

07/20/06 - 20060161490 - .inserting value into customer account at point of sale using a customer account identifier
A method of adding a value to a customer account is provided. A request to add a value to a customer account of a customer is received from a point of sale terminal. The request may comprise value identification data associated with the value and account identification data associated with ...

07/20/06 - 20060161489 - Method and apparatus for evaluating the concentration of an asset portfolio
Method and apparatus for determining a concentration coefficient for an asset portfolio. The concentration coefficient is determined according to the inverse of the sum of the squares of the weights of each holding in the portfolio, and expresses portfolio concentration as an equivalent number of equal-weighted holdings. In this manner, ...

07/20/06 - 20060161488 - Data confirming system and data confirming method
What is disclosed is a data confirming system comprising: an image reader for reading an image of a manuscript written in a financial sheet, a character reader for transforming said image to a text data corresponding to said image data, a data dividing section for dividing said image and said ...

07/20/06 - 20060161487 - Method for establishing lines of credit
A method of assigning a credit limits to individual credit applicants. The method utilizes an algorithm to determine the profitability of a credit account and applies the algorithm to a plurality of credit accounts using a chi squared method to group the accounts into segments. An optimization process is performed ...

07/20/06 - 20060161486 - Financial services credit program
In the present invention, consumers are issued a credit card that is secured by the consumer's vehicle. This new card will combine all the best features and benefits of a traditional credit card, along with the higher loan amounts of a traditional consumer loan and the ease of origination, funding, ...

07/20/06 - 20060161485 - Financial analysis tree software engine
A Software Engine that summarizes the financial state of a business in a single hierarchical tree data structure. The root node of the tree is the balance equation of accounting, its leaf nodes are the ledger accounts of the company, and its internal nodes represent all of the sums required ...

07/13/06 - 20060155631 - Point-of-sale investment systems
As a positive alternative to lottery gambling, this invention permits consumers to elect to make small investments through lottery terminals. The investments are preferably made in a stock market based investment such as an Equity Index Annuity. Consumers may make investments anonymously and then consolidate them later into an account ...

07/13/06 - 20060155630 - Assigning tangible assets to workplaces
A method for assigning tangible assets to workplaces includes receiving input data provided at an input interface, the input data including information about a situation that requires to update a structure of current assignments of specific tangible assets to specific workplaces, selecting, dependent upon the information of the received input ...

07/13/06 - 20060155629 - Investment structure
Embodiments of an investment structure that avoids the earnings and ownership dilution related to an acquisition of a target company by a subsidiary company while providing attractive capital treatment are provided herein. In one embodiment, a method for creating an investment structure includes the steps of receiving investment capital from ...

07/13/06 - 20060155628 - Financial activity based on tropical weather events
A financial activity network includes a central managing system connected to a plurality of participant terminals. Rules governing operation of the financial activity are stored for future reference. A participant provides investment information such as a map location for the predicted strike by the natural event and, optionally, one or ...

07/13/06 - 20060155627 -