Abstract: Fuel hedging is used by large corporations to reduce exposure to fuel price volatility. But individual consumers are not afforded the same opportunities. In an embodiment, a payment card is provided that stores units of purchased products, and allows a user to purchase future units of the product before redeeming the products (such as oil). In an embodiment, a user can purchase the payment card with purchased units at a kiosk at a gas station. A backend processor receives the purchase request and buys select derivatives on the market to match the purchase request. Upon authenticating the user, the backend processor sends an authorization message back to the kiosk that dispenses the payment card.

Abstract: The SECURE ANONYMOUS TRANSACTION APPARATUSES, METHODS AND SYSTEMS (“SAT”) transform hardware-verified user authentication requests via SAT components into secure transaction notifications. In one implementation, the SAT obtains a secure anonymous transaction user authentication request. The SAT verifies the authenticity of a user, using the secure anonymous transaction user authentication request. The SAT obtains an authenticated purchase order, in response to which it generates a one-time anonymous card account. Using the one-time card account, the SAT generates an anonymized purchase order for a merchant, and provides the anonymized purchase order. On obtaining a purchase notification for the anonymized purchase order, the SAT provides a real-time notification for a user of the purchase notification.

Abstract: A system for tracking a product from origin to destination is disclosed. The system includes a probe that comprises two plates, a power source and a processor. The power source is controlled by the processor to produce an oscillating output at the plates. Using the oscillating voltage, the probe interrogates a device through capacitive coupling. The device includes a control unit, a memory unit, and first and second materials physically associated with the device for communication using capacitive coupling. Information associated with the device is transferred from the device to the probe through capacitive coupling between the first and second materials and the first and second plates, respectively.

Abstract: A method to operate at least one electronic lock box facility that includes detection of information about at least one lock box unit of a lock box facility of at least one lock box facility in which a shipment associated with a party is to be deposited, by a computing unit, based on a reservation for this lock box facility associated with a party, whereby the reservation information contains lock box type related information that comprises the number of dynamically reserved lock box units of a lock box type, the section of a lock box unit of at least one lock box unit based on the determined, provided information; acquisition of an identifier associated with the shipment to be deposited in the lock box facility by means of detection; and linking of the acquired identifier of the shipment with the selected lock box unit.

Abstract: Provided is a method and apparatus for recognizing a disposal type of an item based on attribute information of the item, and updating information regarding stock based on processing information for the item, which is involved when the item is processed according to the disposal type.

Abstract: Provided is a method of recognizing an item as a removal target based on expiration date-related information of the item, acquiring information regarding an actual quantity of the removal target and a remaining quantity among the actual quantity, and updating information regarding stock based on the acquired information, and an electronic apparatus therefor.

Abstract: A device may receive receipt information associated with items in an order. The receipt information may include item identifiers and price descriptors associated with the items in the order. The device may receive product information associated with the items in the order. The product information may include product identifiers based on images of the items in the order and object descriptors. The device may map a first item identifier for a first item in the order and a first product identifier for determining that the first item corresponds to a first price descriptor and a first object descriptor. The device may map a second item identifier for a second item in the order and a second product identifier for determining that the second item corresponds to a second price descriptor and a second object descriptor. The device may assign the first and second items to respective first and second sub-receipts.

Abstract: A product management and sales system for managing product preparation and sales. The system includes a kitchen display and input device displaying a plurality of perishable food items to be produced and receiving a production indication signal indicating production of at least one of the plurality of perishable food items. The system further includes a digital menu board displaying the plurality of perishable food items available for sale, a sales counter terminal for completing a sale of at least one of the plurality of perishable food items and outputting a sold indication signal; and a controller receiving the sold indication signal. The controller compares the sold indication signal to a predetermined inventory level for the at least one perishable food item and outputs an item-to-be-produced signal to the kitchen display and input.

Abstract: This disclosure describes techniques for removing noise from a signal to generate a modified signal, with the modified signal preserving any transitions of interest (e.g., sharp-edge discontinuities) present within the initial signal. In one example, the signal comprises a time-series signal with the time series representing a sequence of weight measurements from a scale device. In some examples, the scale device includes a platform that supports one or more physical items that may be selectively removed or added to. Here, the signal may include a sequence of step functions corresponding to changes in weight on the scale device (based on the removal or addition of items on the platform), plus corrupting noise from vibration. The techniques described herein may remove the corrupting noise, while preserving the sharp edges representing sudden changes in weight.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide a system and method that utilize transit data to determine where a transit traveler's order is placed in an order queue at a vendor. A transit traveler may execute an application, associated with an ordering system, on a mobile device. Utilizing the application, the transit traveler may select one or more menu items from a selected vendor. The ordering system may then utilize the transit data, associated with a transit vehicle the transit traveler is traveling on or intends to board, to determine the anticipated time of arrival of the transit traveler at the selected vendor. The vendor device then executes order placement software, provided by the ordering system, to place the transit traveler's order in a particular position within an order queue utilizing the anticipated time of arrival and a fulfillment time.

Abstract: A method for authenticating access to remote devices. The method includes receiving authentication data for authenticating a user for using a pointing device at an input of a Point-of-Sale (PoS) device for initiating of a transaction. The method includes receiving a user input that includes an authenticating input, the user input provided via the pointing device at an input device of the POS device, the authenticating input for authenticating the user for the transaction. The method includes accessing encoded data that is embedded in the user input, and determining a correlation between the authentication data and the encoded data. The method includes determining, based on the correlation and the authenticating input, authentication for initiating the transaction by the user at the POS device.

Abstract: In an example embodiment, a method may generate an item layout map for a shelving unit, where the shelving unit stores item types associated with a product category. The method may determine product attributes associated with the product category and divider configurations of the shelving unit, where a divider configuration divides the shelving unit into one or more candidate regions. The method may generate an ontology entry associated with a product attribute and the divider configuration based on the item layout map and the divider configuration of the shelving unit, the ontology entry indicating a regional entropy values of a product attribute for the candidate regions generated by the divider configuration. In some instances, the method may generate a guidance instruction related to the product attribute of the product category based on the ontology entry and provide the guidance instruction to a user.

Abstract: A method is for displaying budget information from a different financial databases respectively stored in computer systems. Each different financial database is associated with a respective organizational entity. The method includes using a memory and a processor cooperating with the memory to communicate with the computer systems, and import and store the different financial databases into the memory. The method includes using the processor to process the different numerical data and textual identifiers from the different financial databases, and provide a GUI to a user. The method includes using the processor to use shared codes and fields from each of the different financial databases to generate the numerical data and textual identifiers in the other different financial databases and associated to the numerical data and textual identifiers in the current menu, and update the different numerical data and textual identifiers for the user-selected items from the different financial databases.

Abstract: A method includes receiving, at a first network element of a network, a message to initiate a session of a communication service at a user device. The user device is associated with a plurality of billing accounts. The message includes a particular identifier of multiple identifiers associated with the user device. Each billing account of the plurality of billing accounts is associated with a respective identifier of the multiple identifiers. The method includes initiating the session via the first network element. The method also includes sending, from the first network element to a usage data processing system, a charge data record. The charge data record includes the particular identifier. The usage data processing system aggregates charge data records for the session from multiple network elements used during the session to enable the session to be billed to a particular billing account of the billing accounts corresponding to the particular identifier.

Abstract: Computer-implemented methods, non-transitory, computer-readable media, and computer-implemented systems for self-service checkout counter checkout. One computer-implemented method includes: obtaining, by using a camera, an image of at least one product placed on a checkout counter; performing image segmentation on the image to obtain at least one image region; identifying a product code included in a code region in an image region of the at least one image region; determining, based on the product code, a product category of a product associated with the product code; and determining a price of the product based on the product category.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems and methods for monitoring inventory transfer in real-time, comprising a memory storing instructions and a processor configured to execute the instructions to receive a tote identifier associated with a tote configured to store one or more products and receive a container identifier associated with a container configured to store the tote. The processor is configured to receive, from a user device in the first fulfillment center, a code associated with a vehicle for transferring the container from a first to a second fulfillment center, receive, from a user device in the second fulfillment center, the code associated with the vehicle, receive, from the user device in the second fulfillment center, at least one of the container identifier or the tote identifier, and validate the transfer of the first product, based on the code and at least one of the container identifier or the tote identifier.

Abstract: A dynamic personalizable automated finance management system that provides a financial management platform that enables users to easily generate a plurality of customized rules or conditions associated with one or more accounts thereby creating account plans that intelligently and passively execute the transfer of funds among accounts. The rules with a plan are able to define if, how much, when and where to transfer money to and from the accounts based on user entered criteria or triggers upon which the rules/conditions are based.

Abstract: In one example in accordance with the present disclosure, a method for a navigation menu of a web technology includes collecting navigation data related to how multiple past users navigate the web technology. The method includes creating, based on the navigation data, a ranked list of navigation chains. The method includes, for a current user, causing display, in the navigation menu, of a high-ranked navigation chain selected from the ranked list.

Abstract: This disclosure pertains to systems and methods for managing supply chains. In one embodiment, the systems and methods disclosed herein comprise an automated system for maintaining an inventory of products. In one embodiment, the systems and methods disclosed herein optimize time and financial costs required for transporting mass via freight services.

Abstract: One or more devices, systems and/or methods for generating waste profiles are provided. For example, a graphical user interface may be controlled to display a waste profile interface. A request to generate a waste profile associated with waste may be received via the waste profile interface. The request may comprise waste parameters of the waste. One or more waste information databases may be analyzed to identify data records associated with the waste parameters. The waste profile may be generated based upon the waste parameters and the data records. An electronic waste transfer request, comprising the waste profile, associated with the waste, may be transmitted over a network connection to a second device associated with a waste facility. An acceptance message indicating that the waste facility accepts the waste or a rejection message indicating that the waste facility rejects the waste may be received from the second device.