Abstract: A method and a system dynamically generates an advertisement based on one or more tokens distilled from information about a web session that requested a web page. For example, a token is distilled from information about a web session. Data is retrieved from a commerce database based on the token. The retrieved data is assembled into an advertisement, which is then supplied for rendering with the web page.

Abstract: A return coupon holder is described for holding a return coupon issued in a store in conjunction with a customer's merchandise return transaction. The return coupon holder is preferably sized large enough to discourage the customer from stowing the coupon away, such as in a handbag. Additionally, holders may be of different types that visually or electronically convey information about a category associated with the customer's return transaction. Thus, salespersons may accordingly provide appropriate customer service to the customer. The holder categories may indicate an approximate dollar value of the return transaction, a type of merchandise returned, a return payment method, an assessment of the profitability of the customer, an assessment of the risk of fraud associated with the return transaction, and the like. A computer decision system may select holder type. Some embodiments of the coupon holder are fitted with a device that allow tracing of the customer's movements while still in the store.

Abstract: Systems and methods of using a mobile communication device to locate a product or a vender within a shopping facility. The method comprises receiving, via an input associated with the mobile communication device, a request to locate the product or the vender within the shopping facility, transmitting the request to a remote computer system, and receiving at the mobile communication device from the remote computer system an indication of whether the product or vender is located within the shopping facility, and, if the product or the vender is located within the shopping facility, an indication of the location of the product or the vender within the shopping facility. The remote computer system is configured to determine whether the product or the vender is located within the shopping facility and determine a location of the product or the vender within the shopping facility.

Abstract: A user of a communications network is provided with limited access rights to one or more restricted access communications network sites that are partnered with a base entity, which can have an associated base communications network site, if the user utilizes communications network access capabilities associated with the base entity to access the partner sites.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for content presentation. In one aspect, a method includes receiving a request for an ad to be presented to a user; for a collection of ads, identifying one or more candidate ads including using image keywords derived from images associated with the user to identify the one or more candidate ads; selecting an ad responsive to the ad request from the candidate ads; and sending the selected ad for presentation to the user.

Abstract: Provided is a method for assessing effectiveness of a geographic location of interest. The method includes receiving a geographic location of interest, receiving access information including a location corresponding to a geographic location of a visitor at or near a time of the visitor accessing content associated with the geographic location of interest, determining, by a computer, an effectiveness of the geographic location of interest based at least in part on the proximity of the geographic location of the visitor to the geographic location of interest, and storing the effectiveness determined.

Abstract: A system and method for determining an advertisement plan includes determining the in-market results of an advertisement prior to publication and optimizing the distribution of media weight among the advertisements of the advertisement plan. The in-market results are determined based on the sales effectiveness and the effective delivery of the advertisement. The distribution of media weight is optimized based on the sales effectiveness of the advertisements of the advertisement plan and an effective delivery per media weight ratio. The in-market results and the optimization of the distribution of media weight may be transmitted to a client machine over a network.

Abstract: A centralized information center is disclosed. The centralized information center includes a plurality of source information inputs. The centralized information center disclosed also includes a central processor configured to receive information from the source information inputs and a memory coupled to the processor. A program runs on the central processor. The program organizes information, prioritizes information and generates information flows. Selective information flows are provided to a central office for a transportation system and to a transportation vehicle. The plurality of source information inputs includes vehicle-related information, operations-related information, and external service provider information.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for using an agent computer system to obtain information from multiple service-provider computer systems. The method comprises, in response to receiving search criteria at the agent computer system from a client computer system, determining one or more service-provider computer systems with which to communicate to obtain information satisfying the search criteria, determining, for each of said one or more service-provider computer systems, a communication protocol to use to communicate with the service-provider computer system to obtain information satisfying the search criteria, transmitting from the agent computer system to each of said one or more service-provider computer systems, using the communication protocol determined to be used with each service-provider computer system, a request to obtain information satisfying the search criteria, and receiving at the agent computer system from each of said one or more service-provider computer systems a response to the request.

Abstract: This specification describes technologies relating to content presentation. In general, one aspect of the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in methods that include the actions of receiving data from a plurality of users within a geographic region associated with a location; analyzing the received data to derive a category for the location; annotating the location with the category; and using the category to boost candidate content items for delivery to users in the location in response to future content item requests.

Abstract: A coupon generation and redemption method that includes displaying on a video display associated with a computing device at least one product on which at least one promotion is available. An input device that is associated with the computing device is used to select at least one of the at least one product for which the consumer desires to receive at least one coupon. The at least one coupon is printed using the computing device. The at least one product referenced in the at least one coupon is purchased. The at least one coupon is redeemed.

Abstract: A method, within a computer hardware system, includes the following. A first functional marketing element associated with a second entity is inserted within a first website associated with a first entity. A second functional marketing element associated with the first entity is reciprocally inserted within a second website associated with the second entity based upon the first functional marketing element being inserted within the first website. A list of web assets is provided to the first entity in response to a search request, and a selected one of the web assets is inserted within the first website. The second functional marketing element, within the second website, includes a link to the first website, and the first functional marketing element, within the first website, includes a link to the second website.

Abstract: A glasses-free 3D advertising system and method wherein a number of wireless electronic digital 3D/2D video advertising players 10 are each located at a respective point-of-product display of consumer goods, detects the presence of an anonymous shopper proximate to the displayed consumer goods, and upon the shopper remaining at that location for a period of time, retrieves from memory and plays digital 3D or 2D video advertisements that contain information related specifically to the displayed consumer goods proximate to the advertising player, and records and reports statistical data relative to the advertisements played.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed that provide offers for goods or services based on the locations of potential customers and the geographic locations of the merchant. The offers may be limited in quantity and acceptance and redemption of the offers may be limited in time. A unique identifier may be associated with each accepted offer. A merchant may have at least some control over the creation and rendering of one or more offers for the merchant's goods and services.

Abstract: This specification describes technologies relating to content presentation. In general, methods include the actions of receiving, for each of a plurality of mobile applications, application data associated with a respective mobile application of the plurality of mobile applications, the application data including different user interaction data associated with the respective mobile application; clustering applications of the plurality of mobile applications according to a classification; logging user interactions with each application of a cluster of applications for a plurality of users; generating an initial score for a first application in the cluster according to the logged interactions; and calculating pricing for content items served to the first application based on the initial score and an average score for applications in the cluster.

Abstract: The present invention provides a space and all necessary procedures enabling visitors to create, distribute, aggregate, exchange, return, donate, verify, redeem, account and clear different kinds of incentives by commonly available means and tools, where the specific commodity (promotional programs) is exchanged for special consideration.

Abstract: In one aspect, a system includes a transaction handler to process transactions, a data warehouse to store data recording the transactions, and at least one processor coupled with the data warehouse and configured to identify a first set of customers who made first transactions correlated with an advertisement, identify a second set of customers not in the first set of customers, and determine a difference between a first pattern in a first set of transactions of the first set of customers and a second pattern in a second set of transactions of the second set of customers.

Abstract: A network centric system that enables participation by any number of entities including sponsors, issuers, merchants, portable devices, and acceptance point devices in one or more loyalty programs is provided. Any combination of entities may be specified for different loyalty programs.

Abstract: In one aspect, a computing apparatus is configured to facilitate the identification of a transaction resulting from an activity occurring in a substantially separate context or environment, such as an offline transaction in a “brick and mortar” retail store resulting from an online advertisement or an online search. The computing apparatus may match information about the activity and information about the transaction to correlate the online activity and the offline transaction. The matching process may involve the use of an offer for a discount, an incentive, a rebate, a reward, reward points, cash back, a gift, etc. The offer is to be provided in the advertisement associated with an online activity and redeemed in a payment transaction, processed via the transaction handler, to correlate the advertisement and the transaction.

Abstract: A system for marketing distribution over a computer data network includes at least one advertising client computer, at least one affiliate service provider computer coupled to the data network, a query client computer and a server computer which are coupled to the data network. The server computer maintains an advertiser account database and an advertiser keywords database which has a number of keyword entries and bids which are associated with advertising content pages of the advertising client computers. The server also includes a query processing subsection which is responsive to a search term entered on a query client computer provided to the server computer via one of the affiliate service provider computers. The query processing subsection returns search results to the query client which are ordered in accordance with the bid associated with the entries in the advertiser keyword database and have a link to the associated content pages.