Abstract: A distributed inventory system is made up of multiple regions, each of which includes a document-based database and an inventory management system. The document-based database maintains documents regarding inventory counts for different items of inventory. The inventory management system updates the inventory counts in the documents in its database in response to client requests (e.g., due to an item being ordered or returned by a customer) and in response to replication data received from other regions indicating changes to the inventory counts in the documents maintained in document-based databases in those other regions. Each region is assigned a particular inventory count for an item and can, in response to the inventory count in a region getting too low, rebalance the inventory count distribution by transferring inventory count from one region to another.

Abstract: A computer-implemented system and method that includes receiving, by a messaging hub, a code and a transaction amount from a recipient and determining, by the messaging hub, based at least partially on the code, an account number for a credit card held by a user. The system and method may include receiving, by the messaging hub, funds equaling the transaction amount from the credit card and depositing the funds in an account held by the messaging hub, the funds being received via a four-party credit card transaction in which the messaging hub operates as a merchant and sending the funds from the account held by the messaging hub to an account held by the recipient.

Abstract: A method for purchasing a product at a brick-and-mortar retail establishment is provided. The method includes, but is not limited to, inputting identification information into a local device for a product sold by the brick-and-mortar retail establishment, transmitting the identification information to an order creation application, and upon receiving the identification information, selecting a dispense type for the product. The dispense type is selected from a group of dispense types including: “carry” for personally carrying the product out of the brick-and-mortar retail establishment, “load” for having the product loaded into the user's vehicle, “pickup” for having the product provided to the user at a predetermined location whereby the user will go to get that product, and “delivery” for delivering the product to the user at a predetermined location.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for dynamic modification of interruptibility settings of network-accessible resources are disclosed. A system includes a resource manager and a plurality of resource instances, each of which has an interruptibility setting. In response to an instance acquisition request, the resource manager allocates an instance with a first interruptibility setting, allowing the resource manager to revoke the client's access to the instance without a notification. In response to an approval of an interruptibility upgrade request, the resource manager modifies the interruptibility setting to a second setting that allows the client to retain access to the instance for at least a specified time. Respective billing amounts for the client's use of the instance are determined for each of the interruptibility settings used.

Abstract: A workstation captures images of illuminated symbols with a solid-state imager. In an embodiment, the workstation includes a removable camera module in the workstation away from the imager. The camera module captures a secondary image through a window. The captured image of the illuminated symbol and the captured secondary image are independently processed.

Abstract: A centralized hub system for improving automatic waste transport and collection using a self-driving robot, which allows for self-driving and efficient collection of waste in densely populated areas, such as apartment complexes and residential neighborhoods, and areas with a floating population by using robots with built-in artificial intelligence software and hardware and self-driving waste collection and driving functions and an integrated management server for monitoring these robots, and which helps to put information together in this process and use it as base data for the efficient operation of future waste policies and the corresponding systems. The centralized hub system for improving automatic waste transport and collection using a self-driving robot comprises self-driving inlet robots, an integrated management server, and a self-driving vehicle robot.

Abstract: Data about clients, items included in an item inventory, executable code for recommendation processes, and executable code for feature selection process(es), are stored. The recommendation processes are used to identify items in the item inventory that are recommended for specific clients, and the feature selection process(es) is/are used to select features that are displayed to entities tasked with selecting items from the item inventory for clients. Selection feedback and client feedback are received. One or more feature selection process(es) is/are modified based on the selection feedback and/or the client feedback, to thereby change which, where or/or how certain portion of the data about clients is displayed to the entities tasked with selecting items from the item inventory for the clients, and/or change which, where and/or how certain portion of the data about items is displayed to the entities tasked with selecting items from the item inventory for the clients.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are provided for use in monitoring product placement within a shopping facility. Some embodiments provide an apparatus configured to determine product placement conditions within a shopping facility, comprising: a transceiver configured to wirelessly receive communications; a product monitoring control circuit coupled with the transceiver; a memory coupled with the control circuit and storing computer instructions that when executed by the control circuit cause the control circuit to: obtain a composite three-dimensional (3D) scan mapping corresponding to at least a select area of the shopping facility and based on a series of 3D scan data; evaluate the 3D scan mapping to identify multiple product depth distances; and identify, from the evaluation of the 3D scan mapping, when one or more of the multiple product depth distances is greater than a predefined depth distance threshold from the reference offset distance of the product support structure.

Abstract: Systems and method are provided for managing inventory by determining product prices based on product characteristics. One method includes, based on a condition of the product and an age of the product, determining a new price of a returned product and modifying the database to assign the new price to the product identifier. Based on a determination that the product is not a returned product from a customer: calculating an inventory rate associated with the product; based on the calculated inventory rate, determining a new price of the product; and modifying the database to assign, to the product identifier, the inventory rate and the new price.

Abstract: Systems and methods for verifying users in connection with transactions using biometric payment card devices are disclosed. One exemplary biometric payment card device generally includes a card body, a fingerprint sensor, a modem, and a processor coupled to the modem and the fingerprint sensor, where each of the fingerprint sensor, the modem, and the processor are disposed on the card body. The processor of the payment card device is configured to capture, via the fingerprint sensor, a fingerprint of a user associated with the payment account, compare the captured fingerprint to a reference fingerprint stored in memory in communication with the processor, and then compile and transmit, by the modem, an authentication result to an issuer of the payment account and/or a payment network associated with the payment account in response to the user being authenticated, or not, based on the comparison of the captured fingerprint and the reference fingerprint.

Abstract: A method, system and communication arrangement for container handling equipment (CHEs) is described, the CHEs configured to operate within an area comprising a plurality of container spots arranged in rows and columns. A first CHE receives a message from a terminal operating system, the message including a plurality of jobs to be performed by the first CHE within said area, the plurality of jobs comprising instructions to move a container and identifying a container spot of the plurality of container spots. The first CHE receives, from a second CHE within the determined area, a request message to share a job of the plurality of jobs. The first CHE transmits a message to the second CHE responsive to the request message to share a job. Communication with the second CHE may be autonomous from messages received from the terminal operating system and/or manual triggering.

Abstract: Systems and methods for verifying and monitoring employees are provided. Employees call-in to the system at scheduled times. If an employee misses a scheduled call-in, an alert can be generated. An employer notification process can generate the alert, notifying a supervisor of the employee's missed call. The alert can include the employee's name, the location of the employee, and the time he/she was supposed to call. Such systems and methods can be used to verify that a worker is at the proper location at the proper time and awake and alert during the entire time period that he/she is supposed to be working.

Abstract: A dynamic receipt generating (DRG) computing device for dynamically generating customized transaction records is provided. The DRG computing device includes at least one processor in communication with at least one memory device. The DRG computing device is configured to receive user preference data including dynamic receipt preference data, and a payment account identifier associated with a user. The DRG computing device is also configured to store the user preference data in memory and to receive real-time transaction data associated with a purchase made by the user using a payment account associated with the payment account, the real-time transaction data being in a first format. The DRG computing device is further configured to retrieve the user preference data from the memory based on the payment account identifier.

Abstract: System for logistic monitoring, control and preservation of inventory stocks of goods while they are transported by air, sea, land and/or kept in depository sites, through the processing of staggering coded commands, received remotely through wireless telemetry actions, the system comprising: an inventory stock control and monitoring system, provided with status measurement sensor, electromechanical and pneumatic device, pneumatic sliding actuator device, sliding actuator engaging device, engage-release electronic control device a rechargeable battery pack unit, an electronic central unit based upon an electronic processing microcontroller with memory, and GPRS telecommunication device together with a transmit receive satellite modem; a Bluetooth wireless application software within an external unit; an electronic staggering deciphering device, based upon a Bluetooth receiver, connected to the electronic central unit.

Abstract: A system and method configured for conducting a transaction between two parties using a mobile device, or a plurality of mobile devices. In various embodiments, a system for conducting a transaction can comprise an accessory device having an accessory device module and a hardware component, where the accessory device can have various accessory device capabilities. The system can further comprise a mobile device SDK incorporated into the client application and in communication with the accessory device, where the mobile device SDK includes an accessory conversion module in communication with the accessory device module and where the mobile device SDK provides data to the client application. The client application can request accessory device information and receive accessory device capabilities, and the transaction data for the transaction can be provided in a defined structure between the accessory device and the client application via the mobile device SDK.

Abstract: Systems and methods for distributing transaction files among accounts corresponding to a physical card. The method includes receiving a transaction file from a transaction processing entity. The transaction file is associated with a physical card. The method also includes identifying at least one purse segment in the transaction file. Each purse segment corresponds to a transaction associated with the physical card. The method further includes, for each of the at least one purse segments, identifying a purse ID corresponding to at least one account associated with the physical card and extracting transaction data from the transaction file corresponding to the purse ID. The method also includes, for each of the at least one purse segments, storing the transaction data corresponding to the purse ID into a distribution file and transmitting the distribution file to an account processing system.

Abstract: A restaurant service system includes a restaurant server adapted to communicate with diner communication devices and restaurant communication devices. The restaurant server builds a food taxonomy including dishes, dish attributes and dish ingredients. The dishes are mapped from menu items. The server also trains dish classifiers and applies the dish classifiers to map menu items to dishes. Dish attributes are derived from search logs and dish ingredients are extracted from menu item descriptions. The server determines the search intent of a diner based on her search terms. Food search is conducted based on the taxonomy and the search intent with consideration of restaurant similarity and dish popularity. The server also provides dish recommendations based on taste similarity between diners.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for updating stored cardholder account data is provided. The method is implemented using an account updating server in communication with a memory. The method includes receiving, from an issuer computer system, cardholder account update information associated with a plurality of cardholder accounts, identifying a merchant associated with at least one of the plurality of cardholder accounts based, at least in part, on the cardholder account update information, generating a merchant update file for the identified merchant including the cardholder account update information for the at least one of the plurality of cardholder accounts, and transmitting the merchant update file.

Abstract: Embodiments can provide a computer implemented method for simulating transaction data using a reinforcement learning model, the method including: generating an artificial customer profile by combining randomly selected information from a set of real customer profile data; providing standard customer transaction data representing a group of real customers having similar transaction characteristics as a goal; conducting, by the intelligent agent, an action including a plurality of simulated transactions; comparing, by the environment, the action with the goal; providing, by the environment, a feedback associated with the action based on a degree of similarity relative to the goal; adjusting, by the policy engine, a policy based on the feedback; the step of conducting an action to the step of adjusting a policy are repeated until the degree of similarity is higher than a first predefined threshold; and combing the artificial customer profile with the action to form simulated customer data.

Abstract: Provided are methods, including computer-implemented methods, devices, and computer-program products applying systems and methods for facility matching and localization. According to some embodiments of the invention, the location of a pallet at a facility within a supply chain may be determined from location data received from a beacon on the pallet. In some embodiments, the position of the pallet within the facility may also be determined. Thus, the status of pallets may be monitored as they move through the supply chain.