Abstract: An approach is provided for logically connecting customer endpoint devices to transaction services. The customer endpoint devices perform a customer purchase transaction and require access to transaction services to process payments and benefits that may be available for certain items. The customer endpoint devices use a transaction connection mediator to isolate communications with the transaction services.

Abstract: Determining a characteristic group is disclosed, including: retrieving stored mapping relationship data for first objects and second objects, wherein the mapping relationship data describes connections between the first objects and the second objects; determining a candidate group including at least some of the first objects and at least some of the second objects based at least in part on the mapping relationship data, wherein any first object included in the candidate group is associated with another first object included in the candidate group via one or more other first object(s) or second object(s) included in the candidate group; determining a first characteristic value associated with the candidate group based at least in part on a number of first objects that are included in the candidate group; and determining whether the candidate group comprises a characteristic group based at least in part on the first characteristic value.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer-readable medium for automatically determining appropriate delivery information for one or more items of an order or potential order is described. A variety of types of information can be considered when determining what delivery information is appropriate for one or more items, such as a type of the items, the particular items, relationships of the items to other items, information about the purchaser, and/or information about the recipient. In addition, the automatic determination of an appropriate address for an item being ordered or potentially ordered by a user can be made in a variety of ways, such as based on inferences from past behavior when ordering items, on inferences from information about the item and from available delivery information for the user, and/or on previous explicit indications from the user.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for providing targeted marketing to goods and services provides and consumer resource management services to consumers. An example system and method for targeted marketing comprises collecting transaction data from point-of-sale (POS) terminals and using a consumer identifier in the transaction data to access stored information about the consumer. This information may be used to target offers and advertisement to the consumer. In an example system for consumer resource management, a consumer may configure a consumer account on the enterprise infrastructure via a web-site. The consumer may use the consumer account to purchase and configure gift cards that may be used for purchasing goods and services. A universal transaction identifier may be associated with the consumer account and used to purchase goods and services from more than one selected goods and services providers.

Abstract: A licensing envelope provides use of an application or device on a metered basis. The licensing envelope can be used with or without a connection to a computer network. In one embodiment, an application is provided with a dynamically linked library for the licensing envelope. The dynamically linked library verifies that access is enabled and calls a local licensing server when the application is opened. The local licensing server connects to and transfers data to a remote licensing server on a periodic basis. The remote licensing server can provide authorization codes for additional use of the application, bill the user, and forward payment to the application vendor.

Abstract: The current invention provides a mobile payment method and a number of variations that enable a consumer to pay for a purchase from a merchant. Preferably the consumer may use a mobile device such as a smart phone to complete the transaction. With the current invention, the merchant may be capable of conducting the transaction using only an ordinary point of sale (OPOS) terminal, allowing the merchant and consumer to conduct business in a more convenient manner. The variations of the core method also significantly facilitate possible payment from the consumer to the merchant, enhancing the efficiency of the transactions.

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: The present disclosure extends to maintaining an item inventory status at an inventory cache management system. The inventory cache may be refreshed regularly by a threshold-based triggering mechanism. In embodiments, as item inventory breaches certain thresholds, the inventory cache may be refreshed with increased frequency to mitigate overselling or underselling scenarios and reduce overall network traffic for items having relatively high inventory levels.

Abstract: A method, system, and medium are provided for pooling network devices and updating service plans in a wireless network. The system includes at least one base station and network devices that are part of a wireless network. The base station is configured to group network devices based on a location identifier of each network device. The base station may pool network resources of network devices in each group. The base station, in turn, updates the service plans for customers having addresses that correspond to the location identifiers to reflect the grouped network devices and the pooled resources.

Abstract: A system for calculating and preparing state and local sales and use tax returns suitable for filing with state and local municipal taxing authorities is disclosed. The system in accordance with the present invention provides a total solution for sales and use taxes and is configured to not only determine and prepare state and use tax returns but also calculates and prepares returns of all local taxing authorities where the taxpayer conducts business. Thus, the system in accordance with the present invention is able to provide a total solution for determining and preparing state and local sales and use tax returns. The system is also able to easily and effortlessly prepare local municipal sales and use tax returns that are cumbersome.

Abstract: Computer-implemented methods, system and computer program products for determining questions or potential questions to present to a user of a tax preparation application based at least in part upon analysis of pre-determined semantic dependencies of interview questions. Questions that are determined to be independent or free of semantic dependency can be selected as questions to be presented to the user or questions that are the subject of non-binding suggestions generated by a rule module and provided to an interface controller, which processes the non-binding suggestions.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides an exemplary system, method, and computer program product. The exemplary system includes at least one non-transitory memory storing user account information, wherein the information comprises a digital receipt associated with a user purchase and one or more conditions for delivering the digital receipt. The system further includes one or more hardware processors coupled to the at least one memory and operable to read instructions from the at least one memory to perform the steps of: receiving a payment request from a user; receiving at least one condition from the user for delivering a digital receipt associated with the payment request to at least one recipient; determining whether the at least one condition is satisfied; and delivering the digital receipt to the at least one recipient.

Abstract: A system and method for distributing reminder information in an electronic network includes an information service that is configured to provide information distribution services through said information distribution network. User devices are provided for device users to communicate with the information service for receiving the information distribution services. A transport structure communicates with network entities in the information distribution network for collecting appropriate types of metadata. A transport server then performs a metadata analysis procedure upon the various types of metadata to responsively generate the reminder information.

Abstract: Techniques for restaurant transaction processing are provided. A handheld device of a waiter is used to automatically associate a check with a table at a restaurant and to recall and modify that check. In an embodiment, two waiters use one or more handheld devices to automatically transfer a customer's check to one another.

Abstract: Various embodiments of a system and method for authoritative item identification based on facility operations are described. Embodiments may include an authoritative item identification component configured to, for each particular item of multiple items in inventory of a materials handling facility, determine multiple identifiers for the particular item, where one or more of the multiple identifiers are electronically obtained from a unit of the particular item during operations of the materials handling facility. The authoritative item identification component may, for each of the multiple identifiers, determine a quantity of instances in which that identifier was electronically obtained from a given unit of the particular item. The authoritative item identification component may, based on a statistical analysis of the quantities, determine one of the multiple identifiers as being an authoritative identifier for the particular item.

Abstract: An adaptable and extensible interface is described for connecting one or more point of sale (POS) applications to one or more at a wide variety of retail application is described. The interface may be embodied as a programmable state machine employing XML tiles to customize its operation reusable retail applications may be utilized as part of the interface approach.

Abstract: A method of transferring money from a sender to a recipient using a third party money transfer service a point of sale device receiving transaction details for a requested money transfer; determining whether the requested transaction is an allowable transaction; and either aborting the transaction; attempting to identify the sender as an existing customer using the transaction details; using the sender's transaction history and the transaction details to determine whether to allow the requested transaction to proceed. If the requested transaction is allowed to proceed, the method includes creating a money transfer record for the requested transaction; associating a money transfer control number to the money transfer record; and using the transaction details to determine whether to monitor the requested transaction.

Abstract: Described is a technology that enables a customer, who uses a payment card in a transaction and further provides an identifier in the same transaction, to use the identifier as a payment mechanism in all future transactions. In some embodiments, the technology involves communication between a customer's user device, a payment service system (PSS), and one or more merchant POS systems. A merchant POS system collects information in a transaction conducted between the merchant POS system and the customer, including, among others, the customer's contact information (e.g., telephone number), and forwards this information to the PSS. The PSS stores the information as an identifier, where the identifier is stored in association with the card used in the transaction. In a second transaction, the PSS sends a verification request to the user device based on the identifier (e.g., a text message), and processes the transaction only upon confirmation from the customer.

Abstract: A construction project document system and method for managing a construction project including storing a signed lien waiver document, executed by a payee in a construction project, to a computer-readable memory. A payment to the payee from a payor in the construction project is facilitated after the lien waiver document has been executed. The payor is provided electronic access to the signed lien waiver document.

Abstract: Systems and methods for managing a construction payment process wherein a higher degree of functionality is provided to primary users and only a limited subset of functionality is provided to sub-tier contractors. One construction of the system is configured to receive an electronically signed document and a request for payment from the sub-tier contractor. The request for payment is presented to a first primary user who is a contractual parent of the sub-tier contractor. When approval of the request for payment is received, a payment is initiated from a project payor to the sub-tier contractor. In some embodiments, the project payor is a contractual grandparent of the sub-tier contractor and a contractual parent of the first primary user.