Patents Examined by Clifford Madamba
  • Patent number: 8452688
    Abstract: A method and system for dynamic demand aggregation at one or more grouped sites wherein each grouped site includes one or more devices. Within each group, each device is in communication with one of more local controllers which, in turn, are in communication with an aggregator and the demand response repository. The local controller controls and coordinates the operation of the devices based on instructions received from the aggregator. The aggregator dynamically receives information from the demand response repository which is continuously updated with information from the signal handler and the local controllers at the grouped sites.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Industry, Inc.
    Inventors: Dan Sharplin, Colin Bester
  • Patent number: 8452707
    Abstract: A credit card and credit card payment system includes a zero-LOC card account having an associated zero-LOC card with a unique identification number and a zero line of credit. The issuer of the zero-LOC card assumes no credit risk. This zero-LOC card account is independent of a funding card account, such that the zero-LOC card is funded, at some point before use, by at least one funds transfer from the funding card account to provide a positive credit balance in the zero-LOC card account. At the point of use, zero-LOC card functions just like a regular credit card except for the fact that a debit/payment transaction on the zero-LOC card is authorized using the available credit balance on the zero-LOC card account instead of the available line-of-credit as in the case of a regular credit card.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Inventor: Bansi Lal Sharma
  • Patent number: 8438047
    Abstract: A system for providing a claims processing environment for facilitating claim adjudication includes a processor for generating an electronic interface configured to enable a user to edit claim data requiring one or more edits and for receiving the one or more edits, and a data storage component for storing the claim data and the received one or more edits, where the processor provides a scripting process based on the required one or more edits for facilitating user entry of the required one or more edits, said scripting process associated with the electronic interface. A method for facilitating claim adjudication includes identifying one or more claim edits required in a set of claim data for the claim data to adjudicate, providing a scripting process based on the required one or more claim edits, said scripting process facilitating entry of the required one or more claim edits, and receiving and validating the received claim edits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Inventors: Mary Jo Curtin, John P. Reinke, Charles Bettes
  • Patent number: 8433654
    Abstract: A method and a system for performing an online payment related activity using a browser application. The browser application interfaces a bill pay website with one or more biller websites to which the online payment needs to be made. When a user logs-in to the bill pay website, the browser application is activated. The user then selects a biller from a list of billers pre-stored at the bill pay website. The browser application automatically navigates the user to a biller website of the selected biller, while concurrently maintaining a communication link to the bill pay website. The browser application then enters payment information on the one or more payment related web pages displayed at the biller website. After the online payment related activity is completed, and the user is navigated back to the bill pay website without the need for a user input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Billeo, Inc
    Inventors: Murali B. Subbarao, Shankar A. Chittoor, Allwyn B. Lobo, Sunil Regulagadda
  • Patent number: 8429071
    Abstract: Providing for a mobile communication device (MCD) credit account and credit transactions by way of such an MCD is described herein. As an example, a credit account sponsored by a financial or commercial entity can be associated with a unique ID of an MCD. The MCD can interface with another electronic device and initiate credit transactions, such as commercial purchases, credit transfers, currency conversions, and the like, via the interface. Further, rules provided by the sponsoring entity can guide such transactions, enforcing credit limits, for instance. A management component can then synchronize transactions conducted by the device with a server of a financial institution over a remote communication interface, such as the Internet or a cellular/mobile communication network. Accordingly, a mobile device can replace a traditional credit card in transacting credit business.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Wells Fargo, N.A.
    Inventors: Martin Davis, Michael Thomas Duke
  • Patent number: 8429076
    Abstract: A system and method for funding a collective account such as a charitable account includes issuing a plurality of financial instruments, linking the financial instruments to the collective account, aggregating individual financial instrument usage, calculating a bonus or other reward based on the aggregate financial instrument usage and funding or distributing the reward to the collective account. According to the invention, members of a civic, charitable, political or other entity may generate collective rewards or other benefits which may be attributed to the designated organization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.
    Inventors: Shelley F. Sanders, Theodore Bowers
  • Patent number: 8423459
    Abstract: A user installs a Peer-to-Peer Payment Application (“PPA”) on their mobile device. The PPA transmits the location of the user device to a server located in a Peer-to-Peer Payment System (“PPS”). The PPS may search for other devices within a certain proximity to the user that may be active. The PPS may search the social network content of the user to determine if any of the proximate devices users are likely counter-parties. If more than one likely counter-party is identified, the PPS may rank the counter-parties according to a preconfigured set of factors that define the strength of the connection to the user. These factors may include their status in the user's social networks, frequency of contact, prior transactions, or other factors that further establish a relationship. The PPS may transmit the ranked list of likely counter-parties to the PPA for display to the user on the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Travis Harrison Kroll Green, Narelle Cozens, Avery Pennarun, Peter Schmitt, Michael DePasquale, Boris Mizhen
  • Patent number: 8412616
    Abstract: Systems and methods for providing trading using an eVWAP price in an illiquid market are provided. In an illiquid market there may be little or no actual trades. During a trading period, the eVWAP price is therefore determined from not only trades, but also unmatched bids and offers. The eVWAP price is determined when new information becomes available or at a specified time interval. The final eVWAP price is determined when the sampling period ends. Once the final eVWAP price is determined, the value of the final eVWAP price is published for use as a price to settle a contract.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: BGC Partners, Inc.
    Inventors: Philipp T. Jokisch, Michael Sweeting
  • Patent number: 8407126
    Abstract: Methods and systems for calculating values for indexes based on breakout currencies are provided. A prospective breakout index may be formed before an entity breaks out of a monetary union. Other aspects relate to calculating an initial index value on a breakout date. An initial exchange rate of the breakout currency may be combined with a breakout value and/or a base value. In one embodiment, the breakout value is the reciprocal of the initial exchange rate. Therefore, in accordance with certain embodiments, the initial index value of the breakout index may be equal to the base value. Further aspects relate to calculating a second index value. A second exchange rate of the breakout currency may be utilized with the fixed base value and the breakout value to calculate the second index value of the breakout index. Further aspects relate to creating a prospective currency unit for a monetary union.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Chicago Mercantile Exhange, Inc.
    Inventors: Steve Youngren, Lori Aldinger, Richard Co, Derek Sammann, John Labuszewski
  • Patent number: 8401949
    Abstract: The invention enables a system user to create a scenario that includes an analysis resolution, portfolio component data and analysis environment data. Once the scenarios are established, the system user can conduct processing/modeling/analysis in order to optimize the portfolio allocation data—effectively maximizing the return on the component investments, while minimizing the risk exposure for the portfolio. In achieving the optimization, the system can process stored user or system defined scenarios based on a series of modeling/analysis system modules. Further, it is possible for a system user to model, analyze and compare multiple scenarios historically or prospectively. The system may provide wealth outcome analysis which allows a user to determine likely long term outcomes of a particular investment plan, while accounting for the tax consequences of the chosen plan. In an implementation, the system is configured to store the modeling/analysis results and generate a scenario report.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Goldman, Sachs & Co.
    Inventors: Mairtin Brady, Milda Darguzaite, Nilam Kapadia, Donough Kilmurray, Per Mikkelsen, Antonio Monteiro, Michael Smith
  • Patent number: 8396791
    Abstract: A financial terms alert generation system comprises an information retrieval module, a financial terms comparison module, and an alert transmission module. The information retrieval module is configured to retrieve financing information, customer information, and product information from one or more sources accessible on a network. The financial terms comparison module is configured to compare a customer's current financial arrangement to a potential new financial arrangement to determine whether the customer is able to enter into a new financial arrangement on terms favorable to the customer. The alert transmission module is configured to transmit an alert to a dealer in cases in which the financial terms comparison module determines that a customer is able to enter into a new financial arrangement on terms favorable to the customer. Such alerts identify the customer and the favorable financial terms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Autoalert, Inc.
    Inventor: Jeffrey S. Cotton
  • Patent number: 8392241
    Abstract: A review for an advertisement is received, the advertisement to be provided to recipients over a distribution network with content provided by content publishers. An aggregated approval score for the advertisement is generated based on the received review and other reviews for the advertisement. The aggregated approval score is provide to a content publisher. An indication to accept or reject the advertisement for presentation with content provided to recipients by the content publisher is received from the content publisher. The indication is received after providing the aggregated approval score to the content publisher.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Greg Coladonato, Juliana Jaeger, Karen Padham Taylor
  • Patent number: 8392246
    Abstract: A review for a content publisher is received, the content publisher publishing content to which advertisements are targeted over a distribution network. An aggregated approval score for the content publisher is generated based on the received review and other reviews for the content publisher. The aggregated approval score is provide to an advertiser. An indication to accept or reject the targeting of the advertisements to the publisher content is received, the indication being received after providing the aggregated approval score to the advertiser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Greg Coladonato, Juliana Jaeger, Karen Padham Taylor, Elad Gil
  • Patent number: 8374953
    Abstract: A system and method of providing a collateralized loan utilizing a clearing counterparty is disclosed. The method includes receiving an order at a match engine module, the order related to a futures contract based on an options box spread as the deliverable asset such that the futures contract represents a collateralized loan and such that the order includes an interest rate associated with the collateralized loan, analyzing, at the match engine, the order to determine a strike interval, scanning an order book module in communication with the match engine module, such that the scan is based on the determined strike interval, and automatically defining a first pair of options at a first strike price and a second pair of options at a second strike price, such that the determined strike interval defines the first and second strike prices, such that the first and second pair of options cooperate to define the option box spread.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Chicago Mercantile Exchange, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Co, Tuen Tuen Wang, Xing Su, John Labuszewski
  • Patent number: 8364569
    Abstract: A system includes a computer and an attached database. The database stores inflation, unemployment, budget deficit, and gross domestic product (GDP) data for a variety of time periods for at least one country. The computer determines standard deviations, over a first time period, of an unemployment rate, a ratio of budget deficit to GDP, a GDP rate, and absolute value of an inflation rate. The computer also determines weights for each of the unemployment rate, the ratio of budget deficit to GDP, the GDP rate, and the absolute value of the inflation rate according to the ratio of the average of the standard deviations to the unemployment rate, the ratio of budget deficit to GDP, the GDP rate, and the absolute value of the inflation rate. The computer determines an economic health score for at least a second time period, the second time period being shorter than the first time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Inventor: John R. Lee, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8364506
    Abstract: Risk characteristic information is received concerning a property that is to be insured by an insurance company. The risk characteristic indicates sensitivities of the property to commodity prices. Commodity futures information is also received. The commodity futures information indicates futures contract prices for at least one commodity. An insurance pricing model is stored. The insurance pricing model operates to base pricing of insurance policies at least in part on the commodity futures information. A premium quotation for insuring the property is generated based at least in part on the insurance pricing model and the commodity futures information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Hartford Fire Insurance Company
    Inventor: Nicholas Ryan Munger
  • Patent number: 8364585
    Abstract: A system and method to receive a financial transaction and transfer funds associated with the financial transaction into an account associated with an originator of the financial transaction to settle the financial transaction on the same day that the financial transaction is originated. The financial transaction may be one of a plurality of financial transactions and the financial transaction is identified as being eligible for same-day settlement using routing or transit numbers associated with an entity that receives the financial transaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Capital One Financial Corporation
    Inventors: David Scott Edmonds, Stephen Ray Winston
  • Patent number: 8355930
    Abstract: A system and method for processing insurance claims using a set of adjudication rules. The method and system comprises receiving a claim for processing, such that the received claim having claim content including a claim date. Also provided is a database configured for accessing the set of adjudication rules appropriate to the received claim, the set of adjudication rules structured in containers including a primary rule container and secondary rule containers, each of the secondary rule containers being coupled to the primary rule container by a respective container reference, each of the secondary rule containers containing one or more adjudication rules adapted for processing the claim content of the received claim, each of the one or more adjudication rules being coupled to their respective secondary container by a respective rule reference, the set of adjudication rules defining a rule hierarchy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: Emergis Inc.
    Inventors: Rob Tholl, Raymond Leung, Clayton Russell
  • Patent number: 8352361
    Abstract: The disclosed subject matter includes a method of distributing a payment of funds made payable to two or more payees. In some embodiments, the method includes the following: receiving a payment of funds made payable to two or more payees; inviting each of the two or more payees to electronically select a preferred method of funds delivery; authenticating each of the two or more payees' identity; electronically receiving the preferred method of funds delivery selected by each of the two or more payees; and delivering funds from the payment of funds to one or more of the two or more payees according to the preferred methods of funds delivery received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Higher One, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark T. Volchek, Miles H. Lasater, Stephen P. Fitzgerald, Sean P. Glass, Dean W. Hatton, Earnest C. Jones, Casey M. McGuane
  • Patent number: 8352358
    Abstract: A method for assigning a value to a debt is disclosed. The method includes entering, into a digital computer, bankruptcy data associated with a bankruptcy proceeding after a debtor has filed for bankruptcy. The bankruptcy data may include priority claim data associated with priority claims, non-precedence claim data associated with non-precedence claims, and bankruptcy plan data. After the bankruptcy data are obtained, the digital computer determines a present value associated with at least one non-precedence claim in the non-precedence claims.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Inventors: Melyssa Barrett, E. Christopher Lundquist