Abstract: A smart card (40) is distributed to a cardholder in a non-operative form, with a digital token. The token is sent, via a near field communication interface, to a wireless communication device (10) and forwarded to a verification entity (30) via a wireless communication interface. The communication device (10) receives content for the smart card and sends the content to the smart card (40) to render it into an operative form. A transaction on a cardholder's account is authorized by a process which comprises sending a notification of the transaction to a wireless communication device and notifying the user of the transaction via a user interface of the device. A user can approve the transaction by bringing the smart card within range of the communication device and sending a card identifier via a near field communication interface.

Abstract: Methods for personalized sound management are provided. A module comprising hardware and software is provided to manufacturers to build a device. A process is architected for remote enabling of a device with personalized sound management applications. Consumers select applications for managing their sound environment through purchased and subscription hardware and applications via a web environment. All products developed by manufacturers are tested and certified running the personalized sound management applications. Manufacturers and consumers may both be covered under liability insurance. Users may remotely purchase, update hardware, and add and download subscription based applications through the web environment.

Abstract: A money transfer system with imaging. The system includes a first money transfer terminal and an imaging device. The imaging device is configured to acquire a first set of imaging information of a user. The system also includes a host computer system, configured to receive at least a portion of the first set of financial transaction information and at least a portion of the first set of imaging information. The system also includes a previous transaction database, an external database, and a decision maker terminal. The system also includes a second money transfer terminal and a second imaging device. The second imaging device is configured to acquire a second set of imaging information of the second user.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided that may be used to determine a probability of whether a visitor to a web document is likely to click on a web advertisement. An exemplary method may include detecting one or more features in a web document. One or more expert statistical models to which the web document belongs may be determined and associated weightings may be determined based, at least in part, on the one or more features detected. A click-through-rate probability for a web advertisement to be placed on the web document may be estimated based on the one or more expert statistical models.

Abstract: A method, program product and system, the comprising: one or more computers, configured for accessing databases comprising: aggregated deposit account information for a plurality of FDIC-insured interest-bearing aggregated deposit accounts held in depository institutions participating in program, and client account information; obtaining via an internet interface transfer data; allocating first amount to and/or from one depository institution, comprising: selecting sub-set of aggregated deposit accounts to deposit or to withdraw funds, while avoiding withdrawing funds for a respective sub-period one or more of other aggregated deposit accounts based on criteria; allocating funds to an aggregated deposit account held in one or more other depository institutions; allocating second fund amount from client accounts among the aggregated deposit accounts to substantially match the first amount; generating data for instructions to transfer funds to or from the sub-set of depository institutions.

Abstract: A system and method is provided to allow traders to submit midprice orders to trade at a price within a spread of a market, preferably at the midpoint of a spread market, while maintaining anonymity of the midprice order. A midprice order is anonymous because other traders do not know whether the submitted midprice orders are orders to buy or orders to sell. A midprice order may remain active until it is traded with a contra midprice order or until a parameter associated with the order is breached, thereby resulting in cancellation of the midprice order.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and a system for initiating and/or conducting a transaction that is associated with at least two corresponding declarations of intent, in particular a payment transaction, between at least two transaction parties via a processing unit (3), in which payment transaction at least one of the transaction parties uses a land line telephone or mobile telephone (1, 2) or a mobile communications device for transmitting data. The method is characterized by the transmission of data to the processing unit by at least two transaction parties within a limited time frame, and by the fact that the initiation of the data transmission of these transaction parties is effected actively by the transaction parties and not by the processing unit (3), while the data transmitted during initiation contain features that enable correlating the declarations of intent with one another.

Abstract: A system incorporating method and associated apparatus for establishing virtual banking in a merchant venue or syndication of merchants for one or more consumers in a manner that increases the deposit-based assets of a related traditional banking institution by loading transactions of fractional currency amounts, preferably reflecting the acquisition of physical fractional currency, and more preferably coinage, and thereupon enabling inter-merchant (or syndicate) commercial transactions, including purchases and sales, in a manner that does not deplete deposit-based assets. Commercial transactions are at the direction of consumer(s) each with their own portable device linked to a merchant-hosted virtual account that maintains transaction details, histories and balances, and transmits data reflecting the same to the portable device(s) where it is recorded and displayed, upon demand.

Abstract: A system, method, and computer-readable medium are provided for managing a portfolio using financial instrument rankings. A processor determines portfolio weights for financial instruments based on a ranking associated with each instrument, a cutoff rank, and a risk multiplier.

Abstract: A computer implemented method of making an investment value decision through modeling an investment's expected cash flows, each expected cash flow represented on the display device of a computer as a graphical three-dimensional joint-probability volume encapsulating uncertainties of both time and magnitude, making it unnecessary to consider investment risk before choosing discount rates, allowing a user to discount all cash flows using only the “risk-free” rate to produce a net present value probability distribution rather than single-number estimate, and displaying the resulting net present value probability distribution as a graphical two-dimensional net present value probability area on the display device of a computer, wherein one dimension represents magnitude and the other dimension represents probability.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process and system for matching buyers and sellers of either goods or services, or goods and services for a project. The invention enables a buyer to specify a project in terms of physical, functional, temporal, financial, and transactional parameters that can be automatically converted, by the present invention, into at least one request for either goods or services, or goods and services to perform work related to the project. The requests are suitably provided to at least one seller. Upon receiving a request, the seller may submit a response to the request, as desired. The invention provides a forum for the negotiation of any agreements and the formation of contracts to provide the requested, or alternative goods or services, or goods and services, as well as reconciliation of purchase orders, actual field costs, and invoices.

Abstract: This invention provides system and methods for managing accounts of clients at customer financial entities so that deposits of up to $100,000 or greater are insured, so that interest income earned on a portion of all of the account balances may be flexibly allocated according to customer instructions, and so that withdrawals are not limited. These objects are satisfied by holding client funds at interest-earning money market deposit accounts at one or more banks or savings institutions. More particularly, this invention provides methods for receiving client transaction information, determining a net transfer of funds into or out of each client account from transaction information, causing transfer of funds from the insured, interest-bearing deposit accounts to match the net transfer of funds into or out of each client account, and allocating interest earned by the deposit accounts to clients according to customer instructions.

Abstract: A method, program product and system, the method comprising: accessing one or more databases comprising: aggregated deposit account information for a plurality of government-backed insured and interest-bearing aggregated deposit accounts held in a plurality of depository institutions, obtaining transfer data; allocating one or more first amounts. The allocating comprising: selecting a sub-set of one or more aggregated deposit accounts held in one or more of the depository institutions to which to deposit/transfer or to withdraw/transfer funds, while avoiding withdrawing funds for a respective sub-period of time from each of one or more of other aggregated deposit accounts based at least in part on one or more criteria; and allocating a first amount(s) of funds to the aggregated deposit accounts based at least in part on the transfer data and the sub-set selected to receive a deposit/transfer of funds or from which to withdraw/transfer funds.

Abstract: An indication of an object included in a frame of a video content item is received. A tag is associated with the object, the tag including a reference to a media content item. An additional frame that includes the object is identified in the video content item. The tag is associated with the additional frame in the video content item.

Abstract: A method and system for creating a stock index for a group of investment management companies is disclosed. The method may include obtaining first trade information for each security representative of the group of investment management companies during a first time period, aggregating the first trade information for a predetermined time period, storing the aggregated first trade information, calculating from the aggregated first trade information an index for the group of investment management companies, determining a standardized measure of the index based on the aggregated first trade information obtained in the first time period, and periodically recalculating the index based on second trade information for each security representative of the group of investment management companies during a second time period.

Abstract: In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a system is provided that allows a point of sale device to capture the signature of a check writer at the time a check is presented for ACH processing. In accordance with another embodiment, a test can be made to compare optically read information from the face of a check against a negative database or a risk management database to reduce the risk of bad checks being processed by a merchant.

Abstract: The present disclosure includes devices, methods, and systems for determining the strategic value of a life insurance strategy at a future point in time. One device embodiment can include a processor, a memory coupled to the processor, and program instructions stored in the memory and executable by the processor to perform a statistical sampling method to determine a strategic value of a life insurance strategy at a number of particular future points in time using a death benefit value of a life insurance policy, a cash surrender value of the policy, a mortality probability for an insured subject of the policy, and a projected investment return on a reinvestment of the death benefit value, at each of the number of particular future points in time.

Abstract: A method of financing a purchase or a lease a depreciating asset that includes determining a credit worthiness indication associated with a purchaser or lessee and establishing a finance contract for the lease or the purchase of the depreciating asset. A dealer is a guarantor of the finance contract. The method further includes issuing an insurance policy for a benefit of the dealer based on a liability associated with being the guarantor. The liability is based on at least the credit-worthiness indication and a value of the depreciating asset. The method also includes paying a payment associated with the finance contract. A portion of the payment based on a cost of the purchase or the lease of the depreciating asset and a cost associated with the insurance policy.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and a system for initiating and/or conducting a transaction that is associated with at least two corresponding declarations of intent, in particular a payment transaction, between at least two transaction parties via a processing unit (3), in which payment transaction at least one of the transaction parties uses a land line telephone or mobile telephone (1, 2) or a mobile communications device for transmitting data. The method is characterized by the transmission of data to the processing unit by at least two transaction parties within a limited time frame, and by the fact that the initiation of the data transmission of these transaction parties is effected actively by the transaction parties and not by the processing unit (3), while the data transmitted during initiation contain features that enable correlating the declarations of intent with one another.

Abstract: Best bid and best offer rate data from deals concluded on an anonymous trading system in a fungible instrument such as a foreign currency pair are processed to derive indicative rates. A minimum indicative rates spread between bid and offer prices is defined. The indicative rate bid and offer prices are set to the received best bid and offer prices and alternately an amount is added to the indicative offer rates and subtracted from the indicative bid rates until the spread between the indicative bid and offer rates is greater than or equal to the predefined minimum indicative rates spread and greater than the spread between the best bid and offer prices.