Abstract: Methods, systems and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for receiving a query log, the query log including data relating to information input to an application marketplace and one or more applications available through the application marketplace, generating a map based on the data of the query log, for at least one of the one or more applications, identifying one or more applications of interest based on the map, generating an index, the index associating the at least one of the one or more applications to the one or more applications of interest, storing the index in computer-readable memory, receiving a user selection of a particular application of the one or more applications, retrieving the one or more applications of interest based on the particular application using the generated index, and providing the one or more applications of interest for display.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided wherein an indication of a plurality of product categories is received, each product category being associated with a plurality of products. For example, the indication of the plurality of product categories may be received from a buyer. Buyer offer information, including an indication of an offer amount associated with the plurality of product categories, is also received. A subset of the plurality of products is selected for each of the product categories, and an indication of the selected products is provided. The buyer's offer may then be evaluated. If the buyer's offer is accepted, the selected products may be provided to the buyer in exchange for payment of the offer amount.

Abstract: A system for electronic commerce (10) having personal agents (12 and 13) that represent consumers and providers in a virtual marketplace (28). Consumer personal agents conceal the identity of the consumer and are capable of creating decision agents (14) that shop for products and assist consumers in comparing and ranking products. Provider personal agents are capable of creating demand agents (16) that quantify demand and target specific consumers without learning the identity of the consumers. Based on data generated by the activities of the decision agents and on preference data maintained by consumer personal agents, provider personal agents can quantify current, historical, and future demand, simulate demand, and target specific consumers for advertising and other messages. Provider personal agents can cooperate with consumer personal agents to collect data about reasons for sales and lost sales and to offer consideration payments to consumers.

Abstract: A method and system for facilitating the transfer of intellectual property are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method of facilitating the transfer of intellectual property includes obtaining at a computer system of a first entity information concerning intellectual property in which an interest is available for transfer (the “available intellectual property”) from a second entity. The method further includes transferring the interest in the available intellectual property by concluding an agreement between the first and second entities. The agreement is representative of an acceptance of an offer concerning the transferring of the interest in the available intellectual property and consideration for the transferring of the interest. At least a portion of the interest in the available intellectual property that is transferred to the first entity is intended to be transferred from the first entity to a third entity.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for issuing tickets for events are disclosed. In an embodiment, a method includes providing a ticket purchaser with both an electronic ticket and a duplicate replica ticket. The replica ticket provides the user a piece of memorabilia, without presenting the issue of having multiple tickets capable of being used for entry. In an additional embodiment, the replica ticket can also be used to gain access to the event.

Abstract: Information about desired songs is collected on a portable memory device in communication with a radio tuner. The radio tuner may receive signals from a terrestrial or satellite digital radio transmission, or from an analog radio transmission. These transmissions may include text data about the current song being played. Upon activation by a user, song data is stored on the memory device. The memory device is then connected to a computer system, which uses software to extract the song data and uniquely identify the song. The identified songs are stored on the computer system, and can be used to allow the user easy access to the identified song through prior art techniques. If no textual data is stored about a song, the song is identified by identifying the radio station that played the song and the time at which the user activated the mechanism.

Abstract: Comparative decision systems and methods are disclosed for gathering and mining data representative of purchase decisions. One disclosed comparative decision system detects when a user is comparing items and provides the user with the ability to create a research note storing comparative information for the alternative items. The system displays information about items according to a variety of factors. The user can customize the factors and enter information for each alternative item according to the various factors. Some information may be pre-populated by the system. The research note may be made visible to other users, and may be suggested to another user based on the note's expected helpfulness and relevance to that user. One disclosed method for mining data stored within research notes identifies which factors are given higher relative priorities by users considering a purchase. Another mining method analyzes the effects of price changes on item popularity.

Abstract: The invention is systems and methods for transferring items with restricted transferability. Initially, the systems and methods wait for a first consumer to make a request to transfer an item after having purchased the item from a provider. The systems and methods then send a request to transfer the item to the provider. This request may indicate inducements to the provider to authorize the transfer. If the transfer is authorized, the systems and methods then present information regarding the item to other consumers. This information may be presented as part of a bidding interface or as part of an advertising interface. Once the second consumer submits a winning bid for the item when the information is presented in a bidding interface, or an acceptable offer when the information is presented in an advertising interface, the transfer of the item can then be completed with or without the assistance of an intermediary.

Abstract: A system, a method, a server, a computer processing platform, and non-transitory computer-readable medium for enabling the identifying of products and services on-line based on a user budget. A financial budget is generated based on personal financial information provided by a user. Search criteria are generated based on the budget and product/service criteria provided by the user. A search engine is accessed to initiate an on-line search using the generated search criteria. Returned search results are processed to generate purchase recommendations for the user based on the budget and the product/service criteria. The purchase recommendations are sent to the user where the user may make a purchase request based on the recommendations. The purchase of a product or service may be facilitated in response to the purchase request and the budget may be updated based on the purchase.

Abstract: A facility for analyzing text capture operation traffic is described. The system receives indications of operations for capturing text from rendered documents performed by a plurality of users. The system performs collective analysis on the received indications, and outputs a result produced by the analysis.

Abstract: A website for bringing together for communications purposes creators of publishable art, publishers of publishable art, and consumers of publishable art using the internet. The website may have a page for the creating artists including a forum for discussion by general consumers, a newsletter, direct emailing, and a link to social networks. Publishers may have a page for publicizing their sponsored creators, selling publishable art, and other purposes. General consumers may review and discuss with other consumers, displayed or advertised publishable art, post reviews, ratings, and recommendations, sell used publishable art, purchase hard version or electronic publishable art, and post and watch videos. Art in electronic form carries enabling authorization issued by the website. Resale of art previously purchased from the website revokes authorization from the original purchaser.

Abstract: A system for allocating resources which are anticipated to be available in an on-demand computing at some time in the future, wherein a producer trending agent (PTA) lists resources according to a trend prediction of resource availability in the past, a consumer trending agent (CTA) places bids for listed resources according to previous resource usage trends, and an arbitration system (REAS) matches the bids with the listings to determine if a match exists. If so, a binding contract for consumption of the matched listed resources is established. The PTA also produce tier-based dynamic incentive (TDI) schema which divides potential bidders into tiers, and offers additional resource incentives according to the tiers. Both PTA and CTA dynamically update their available/usage trends, listings and bids, over time.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes accessing first information identifying a sensor-data set that includes sensor-data from multiple sensor-data streams from multiple sensors over a period of time, with the sensor data from the sensor-data streams having been combined with each other based on a relationship of the sensor data to a sensor subject; accessing second information identifying one or more offers to purchase the sensor-data set; and matching one of the offers with the sensor-data set to facilitate a purchase of the sensor-data set based at least on the one of the offers matched to the sensor-data set.

Abstract: An online computer system is configured to receive requests from seekers for products or services and to provide the seekers and products a place to complete work once connected. The computer system searches through personal contacts of the seekers for trusted providers of the product or service request based on their proximity to the seekers. The computer system is configured to search through contacts within referral networks of the personal contacts for level-1 and level-2 providers of the product or service request. The level-2 providers might be more reliable because they are referred through the personal contacts of the seekers. The providers and referral contacts of the referrals can be rated and then provider candidates ranked according to the associated provider and referral ratings.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for displaying search results while generating a media campaign from information about available units stored in a central database, including a set of media formats for the available units and associated ancillary information. Selective criteria is entered at a remote computer coupled to the central computer database via a network and web server for a search of the information stored in the database, and a search is generated based upon the selective criteria. Results of the search are displayed at the remote computer, the results constituting matching media format information and associated ancillary information the results displayed according to the associated ancillary information, which preferably constitutes time periods for which the corresponding formats are available. The search results are preferably displayed in a timeline, preferably organized in daily or weekly views.

Abstract: Apparatus, systems, and methods may operate to offer items for sale, wherein at least some of the items for sale have been matched to item categories and/or item attributes. The categories and attributes may be derived from token weights determined in accordance with a ratio of a total number of the items for sale and the number of items for sale that are associated with a common token. Additional activities may include locating some of the items for sale associated with the common token by executing a navigation application. Additional apparatus, methods, and systems are disclosed.

Abstract: A system and method of selling and distributing custom-fit shoes by a footwear manufacturer or seller. Each footwear includes a shoe shell with a foot bed cover, an arch support member, and an upper foot bed cover. Pad pockets are formed on the inside surfaces of the shoe's medial and lateral sides and on the tongue. Distributed with each shoe shell is a fit adjustment kit with a plurality of arch support pads, medial pads, lateral pads, forefoot pads, and tongue pads. The kit includes several sizes of arch support pads, medial pads, lateral pads, and tongue pads thereby enabling the user to interchange them and adjust the fit for optimal comfort. The fit of each shoe shell in a pair of footwear can be adjusted independently. The method of selling shoes includes a creation of a website where a plurality of different styles and sizes of shoes with fit adjustment kits are offered for sale.

Abstract: The present invention in one aspect is directed to a system and method for capturing a digital image, and preferably a collection of digital images, of a customer in a defined location, such as a museum, a garden, a zoo, a religious institution, a theme park, or any such site known in the art. The system and method provide a customer with a customized pictorial souvenir of a visit to the site. The souvenir can include other elements, such as “stock” images, alone or having had an image of the customer digitally inserted thereinto, and informational material. Embodiments are also provided that employ devices such as “smart,” interactive devices and read only or read/write devices.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating a media campaign from information about available units stored in a central database, including a set of first characteristic data and associated behavior information and a set of media formats for the available units and associated behavior information. Selective criteria is entered based on the first characteristic data at a remote computer coupled to the central computer database via a network and web server for a search of the information stored in the database, and a search is generated based upon the selective criteria, the search identifying the certain behavior information corresponding to the first characteristic data and media format information associated with that certain behavior information. Results of the search are displayed at the remote computer, the results constituting matching media format information and associated information. The user then selects among the media formats from the search results to constitute the media campaign.

Abstract: According to one aspect, embodiments of the invention provide a method for administering a virtual gift card, the method comprising acts of receiving a request from a server of a retailer, providing, in response to the request, an interface to a terminal operated by a purchaser, the interface comprising fields for receiving a value and a recipient for the virtual gift card, receiving from the terminal, in response to input from the purchaser, the value and the recipient for the virtual gift card, generating a code for the virtual gift card, and sending a message to the recipient of the virtual gift card, the message including the code for the virtual gift card.