Abstract: Processing an electronic order involves receiving from a mobile customer device first order data for an order that contains less than a minimum set of data required by a merchant to completely process the order. Additional information required by the merchant to completely process the order is retrieved. Second order data is generated based upon the first order data and the additional information. The second order data contains at least the minimum set of data required by the merchant to completely process the order. The second order data is provided to a merchant for processing.

Abstract: A method and system for making and optimizing offer selections targeted to particular recipients or groups improves selection quality by combining and aggregating quantitative and qualitative data to capture recipient needs and provider expectations and intentions. Offer descriptions are first received. Distribution variables for application to offer descriptions and recipients are then selected. Distributions are then assigned to offer descriptions, and distributions appropriate to the recipient are determined and assigned to the recipient. Distributions can incorporate demographic, psychographic and behavioral variables. Offer description distributions and recipient distributions are combined for each offer description, resulting in a ranking for each offer description. Offer descriptions are automatically selected based on the rankings, using, for example, simple ordering or roulette wheel selection. Offer descriptions are instantiated as offers, and finally offers are output to the recipient.

Abstract: An automated network merchandising system provides a platform for delivering relevant retail offers to interested consumers online. A backend content pipeline analyzes and processes delivered catalog content into a merchandisable universe of products (MUP). On a user-facing end, corner stores—ad units appearing on pages of publishers' web sites—display offers from the MUP. Publishers deploy store scripts to their web pages. The script runs in the user's browser, causing display of an interactive ad unit featuring product offers. An adaptive targeting engine produces targeted product offers based on the ad's display context, including at least user data, page analysis and geographic location. A targeting console allows marketers to specify campaigns targeted to particular corner store ad contexts. Campaigns are defined by combinations of product categories, merchants, price ranges and key words. A store builder allows publishers to specify campaigns to be displayed to web site visitors.

Abstract: A method of network merchandising incorporates contextual and personalized advertising with human input to deliver relevant retail offers to interested online consumers efficiently and intelligently. Catalog content from retailers is downloaded, semantically analyzed and merged. The merged content is filtered using machine- and human-generated specifications to produce a merchandisable universe of products (MUP). Marketers and publishers create and modify corner store ad units and specify product offers from the MUP to display in those units. Publishers deploy the ad units on their web pages. Compensation of publishers by retailers can use a pay-for-performance model. Users visit the publisher's pages, viewing the product offers in the rendered ad unit.

Abstract: Various aspects of the invention provide for the creation, modification, transfer, manipulation, requesting and destruction of information objects in a computer network. Although some aspects of the invention are based on publish-subscribe techniques, many modifications and additional features are provided.

Abstract: Processing an electronic order involves receiving from a mobile customer device first order data for an order that contains less than a minimum set of data required by a merchant to completely process the order. Additional information required by the merchant to completely process the order is retrieved. Second order data is generated based upon the first order data and the additional information. The second order data contains at least the minimum set of data required by the merchant to completely process the order. The second order data is provided to a merchant for processing.

Abstract: Processing an electronic order involves receiving from a mobile customer device first order data for an order that contains less than a minimum set of data required by a merchant to completely process the order. Additional information required by the merchant to completely process the order is retrieved. Second order data is generated based upon the first order data and the additional information. The second order data contains at least the minimum set of data required by the merchant to completely process the order. The second order data is provided to a merchant for processing.

Abstract: Augmenting processing of information objects transferred among processors within a network. Processing is performed by a process, or processor, (called a “robot”) at any point in the network where an information object is transferred, or where the object resides. By allowing processing at source, destination and at “interim” points between the source and destination, the ability to add functionality, services, control and management of objects and object transfers is greatly enhanced. The robots, can reside at any point in the system. A robot can be local to an end-user's computer, can reside on a content source server, or can be on another computer, processor, storage location or device on the network. Any type of processing can be performed by the robots. For example, access rights can be maintained so that certain attributes and values of information objects are restricted on a per user, per machine, chronological or other basis.

Abstract: A computer user interface for handling information objects. The interface allows a user to make a request for information in the form of a one-time query or a persistent query. With the one-time query, the user defines one or more conditions in terms of attributes and values. The appropriate classes of objects are checked and any matching objects are identified as satisfying the query. A persistent query allows such a condition to be active at all times so that when one or more objects are created that satisfy the condition, those objects are identified as meeting the condition. Other features of the user interface allow the user to define objects and publish objects. Objects can be created or edited based on a class whose attributes are inherited. A predefined selection of menu options makes creating, editing and publishing objects simple and efficient. Access controls and settings are provided to control rights to created objects.

Abstract: Various aspects of the invention provide for the creation, modification, transfer, manipulation, requesting and destruction of information objects in a computer network. Although some aspects of the invention are based on publish-subscribe techniques, many modifications and additional features are provided.

Abstract: Various aspects of the invention provide for the creation, modification, transfer, manipulation, requesting and destruction of information objects in a computer network. Although some aspects of the invention are based on publish-subscribe techniques, many modifications and additional features are provided.

Abstract: An extensible user interface in a system for handling information objects. The extensible interface allows a user to be presented with default interfaces, or viewers, for performing the basic functions of a “data browser” application of the invention. A primary feature of the data browser user interface is to allow requests for information in the form of a one-time query, or a persistent query, on data objects. With the one-time query, the user defines one or more conditions in terms of attributes and values. The appropriate classes of objects are checked and any matching objects are identified as satisfying the query. A persistent query allows such a condition to be active at all times so that when one or more objects are created that satisfy the condition, those objects are identified as meeting the condition. Other features of the user interface allow the user to define objects and publish objects. Objects can be created or edited based on a class whose attributes are inherited.