Abstract: Purchase card data used in a financial transaction is captured during the transaction by obtaining an image of a purchase card associated with an individual via an image acquisition component of a mobile device. The purchase card is identified and a second image is created comprising substantially only a visual representation of the purchase card. Account information is identified that is associated with the purchase card in the second image and an application form on the mobile device is automatically populated with the identified account information thus facilitating the entry of additional account information into the application form. The information is stored on the mobile device for use in subsequent purchases.

Abstract: Techniques for confirming purchases of products from a retail establishment using a mobile device allow for loss prevention personnel at a retail establishment to confirm that users exiting the retail establishment in possession of physical products have legitimately purchased those products via their mobile devices while within the retail establishment. When a purchase facilitating server, in communication with a user's mobile device, transacts the user's purchase of one or more products within the retail establishment, the purchase facilitating server may generate a purchase confirmation as a receipt of the transaction. The receipt may include a purchase confirmation code and/or one or more visual indicators of an estimated likelihood of theft associated with the corresponding transaction. The receipt may be transmitted to a loss prevention device at the retail establishment, for use by loss prevention personnel in matching against the user's physical cart before the user exits the retail establishment.

Abstract: Techniques for purchasing products from a retail establishment using a mobile device allow a user to transact a purchase of physical products within a retail establishment site, without need for significant interaction with personnel of the retail establishment to transact the purchase. The user may install a software application on the mobile device to communicate with a purchase facilitating server. An image acquisition component of the mobile device may be used to obtain an image of indicia, such as a bar code, on a product to be purchased within the retail establishment. Image recognition may be performed on the indicia to identify the product to be purchased, the user may submit payment information via the mobile device, and the purchase facilitating server may transact the user's purchase of the product. The purchase facilitating server may transmit a purchase confirmation to the mobile device as a receipt of the user's purchase.

Abstract: Techniques for suggesting products for purchase from a retail establishment using a mobile device allow a user to receive, on the user's mobile device, product suggestions and offers that are relevant to one or more products that the user has already scanned for purchase in the retail establishment, that are relevant to the user's shopping history, and/or that are relevant to the user's current location within the retail establishment as measured via the mobile device. While the mobile device is used to scan products into an electronic shopping cart, the server may analyze the current contents of the cart to generate a suggestion or offer for a product which the user may be likely to decide to purchase. If the user accepts the product suggestion, the purchase facilitating server may transact the user's purchase of the suggested product via the mobile device while the user is within the retail establishment.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for cleaning a vessel are disclosed. The vessel may include a coker for the extraction of crude oil, for example. The apparatus may include an elongated flexible conduit insertable through an elongated rigid conduit into the vessel, for conducting pressurized liquid into the vessel to clean the vessel. The apparatus preferably includes a sealing device for sealing a gap between the flexible conduit and the rigid conduit to prevent fluid from travelling through the gap.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for allowing a user to manually set a clock in a multi-format television receiver capable of receiving a plurality of television signals. The method comprises the steps of selecting a television signal from one of a plurality of television signals and then detecting temporal information in the television signal. Upon detecting such temporal information, the temporal information is extracted and used to set at least one clock to count time. Once the clock is set based upon the temporal information, the temporal information prevails over any manually set time, and the user is precluded from manually setting the clock. The television receiver continues to update the clock based upon the latest periodic temporal information periodically sent with the television signal. The user is permitted to manually set the time on a clock only in an instance where the updated temporal information has not been detected past a specified period of time.

Abstract: An apparatus and a concomitant method for promoting hygienic practices is disclosed. The apparatus is a monitoring unit for monitoring the completion of a desired action, e.g., handwashing, by a user. Upon completion of the desired action, the monitoring unit transmits a satisfactory signal to the user.

Abstract: An insert member for use in an athletic shoe. The insert member is made of a material which includes a plurality of rows of alternating peaks and valleys.