Including Timing (i.e., Limited Awarding Or Usage Time Constraint) Patents (Class 705/14.35)
  • Patent number: 11979654
    Abstract: A portable information device includes: an image sensor; a position information acquisition portion that outputs position information; an orientation sensor; and a display that displays an image of an object output from the image sensor and displays relevant information on the object, the relevant information on the object being obtained based on at least measurement data from the position information acquisition portion and the orientation sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hideya Inoue, Toru Iwaoka, Michiko Noborisaka, Masayuki Hatori, Tomohide Hamada
  • Patent number: 11900408
    Abstract: A promotion processing system may include a user device associated with a given user, and a promotion processing server configured to generate promotional content. The promotional content may include a link to a given image corresponding to a digital promotion. The promotion processing server may also communicate the promotional content to the user device. The user device may communicate a request to the promotion processing server for the given image based upon the link, and communicate a user identifier associated with the given user to the promotion processing server. The promotion processing server may select the given image based upon the link and the user identifier, communicate the given image to the user device for viewing with the promotional content, and save the corresponding digital promotion to a digital wallet associated with the given user based upon the image being displayed at the user device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: INMAR CLEARING, INC.
    Inventors: Jeffrey T. Sandgren, Bobbi Iacovelli, Richard Polhemus, Meggan Salmon
  • Patent number: 11887093
    Abstract: Multiple different non-financial loyalty currencies held by different issuers are used by a consumer as financial tender for a transaction with a merchant. Each issuer pays to a primary issuer the financial currency value of the non-financial loyalty currencies being held in return for a corresponding reduction of the balance of non-financial loyalty currency. For each reduced balance, the primary issuer adds an equivalent primary loyalty currency to a primary loyalty account for the consumer. The primary issuer pays the merchant for the transaction in financial currency and makes an equivalent reduction in the balance of the primary loyalty currency. The financial value of each loyalty currency may be dependent upon its use in a transaction with a competitor of a merchant supplying loyalty currency to the consumer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Visa International Service Association
    Inventors: Diane C. Salmon, Meara Day, Leigh Amaro
  • Patent number: 11776066
    Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatuses for implementing user customizable policies for revenue recognition are described. In some embodiments, a method comprises: tracking, by a network commerce system, a plurality of transactions; determining one or more revenue recognition rules of a plurality of revenue recognition rules that applies to each transaction of the plurality of transactions based on results of matching performed between conditions of each of the plurality of revenue recognition rules and one or more characteristics of said each transaction, the conditions of each rule including an effective time period during which individual transactions are subject to the rule; and automatically performing revenue recognition for each transaction according to one of the one or more revenue recognition rules determined to apply to said each transaction using based on results of matching conditions of one revenue recognition rule and the one or more characteristics of said each transaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: STRIPE, INC.
    Inventors: Tanin Na Nakorn, Ji Huang, Atikh Bana, Xu Rui
  • Patent number: 11763333
    Abstract: The principles and embodiments of the present invention relate to a system for facilitating an interaction between a person (group or sponsor) and a merchant. In some embodiments, a system is provided in which the person electronically institutes a promise to spend a specific amount of money on purchases with the particular merchant in a specific time period and the merchant electronically institutes a savings offer on transactions made using a credit or debit card in exchange for the customer setting aside the predetermined amount of money. The system can comprise an account management system, user interface, first communication system, merchant interface system, second communication system and payment processor that may be dispersed elements or nodes interconnected by communication lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: GROUP ONE THOUSAND ONE, LLC
    Inventor: Jeffrey S. Lange
  • Patent number: 11715049
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an information processing device includes a hardware processor configured to acquire operation cost information indicative of a relationship between a state of an operator and a period of time required for the operator to perform an operation from a storage that stores the operation cost information, acquire state information indicative of a state of a target operator, and calculate a period of time required for the target operator to perform a target operation based on the operation cost information and the state information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Tsukasa Ike, Sawa Fuke, Kazunori Imoto, Kanako Nakayama, Yasunobu Yamauchi, Tomohiro Nakai, Yasuyuki Tsunoi
  • Patent number: 11676165
    Abstract: A point saving system for pension payment according to one embodiment of the present disclosure comprises: a customer terminal in which an application for customers is installed configured to make a payment by using an account that is pre-registered in the application for customers; an affiliated store terminal in which an application for affiliated stores is installed, configured to receive customer information on customers from the customer terminal, and transmit an amount of payment, together with the received customer information, to a main server; and the main server of a company configured to receive the customer information and the amount of payment from the affiliated store terminal, save points, for each customer, that correspond to a certain percentage of the received amount of payment on the basis of the received customer information, set levels of the customers on the basis of the saved points for each, determine customers to receive a pension on the basis of the set levels and the customer inform
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Inventors: Youngkyu Cho, Gilsook Jang
  • Patent number: 11588853
    Abstract: A provider of a first network-based service provides a list of user data for users of the first network-based service to a provider of a second network-based service. The users associated with the list of user data access results of the one or more identity monitoring services from the first network-based service, the second network-based service, a third-party identity monitoring service, or any suitable combination thereof. Additional services are offered to one or more users associated with the list of user data. A user accepting the offer pays a fee to the offering provider for the additional service. Based on the user being associated with the list of user data provided by the provider of the first network-based service and the user paying the fee for the additional service, a portion of the fee is transferred to the provider of the first network-based service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: IDENTITY THEFT GUARD SOLUTIONS, INC.
    Inventor: Brian Cleaver
  • Patent number: 11551251
    Abstract: A method for determining customer lifetime value for a cohort of customers using an incentive system to provide for geographically limited rewards earned for transactions includes tracking payment card transactions between enrolled payment cardholders and enrolled merchants, creating a database of rewards eligible transactions, instructing a virtual payment card issuer to apply the rewards amount for each rewards eligible transaction to an account, receiving transaction authorization requests from the virtual payment card issuer corresponding to enrolled cardholders requesting to spend rewards within their corresponding account, if the transaction is occurring within a prescribed geographic area in which rewards can be spent, transmitting an authorization for the virtual card issuer to complete the transaction using the rewards, an enrolled payment cardholder attribute database, and applying a matching algorithm to the attribute database resulting in prediction based on similarity between one or more attribut
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Inventor: Rodney Yates
  • Patent number: 11544734
    Abstract: Provided is a smart shopping method using a user terminal. Use information of various benefit means available to a user may be previously checked, set, and stored, and when making a payment, a transaction serial number may be presented to an affiliated store terminal, thereby enabling all benefit means to be easily applied. Also, since a payment serial number is presented along with a transaction serial number, a mobile payment to which a benefit means is applied may be performed by presenting only a user terminal, thereby enabling a user of the user terminal to shop quickly and conveniently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: HAREXINFOTECH INC.
    Inventors: Kyung Yang Park, Hoon Joon Jung
  • Patent number: 11532012
    Abstract: Methods described herein include prefetching information for a future visitor to a webpage or other resource. Prefetching the information can allow a provider to customize the webpage or resource with reduced latency. The methods can include notifying an experience provider associated with an advertisement prior to the user requesting the webpage or other resource. The notification can provide identification information corresponding to the client device or user. The notification also indicates that the client device or a user is about to be directed to the webpage or other resource. The notification can allow for retrieval of profile information associated with the identification information prior to the direction of the client device to the webpage or other resource.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: Adobe Inc.
    Inventor: Reza Jalili
  • Patent number: 11498452
    Abstract: A vehicle charging system includes a vehicle propelled by an electric machine powered by a chargeable energy storage system. The charging system also includes a controller programmed to predict at least one upcoming plug-in event based on historical charging data, and define a plug-in routine based on a plurality of upcoming plug-in events. The controller is also programmed to set a charging schedule to coincide with the plug-in routine such that a target state of charge (SOC) is achieved at a conclusion of each of the plurality of upcoming plug-in events. Each target SOC corresponding to a plug-in event is based on minimizing a charging energy cost of the plug-in routine and an expected energy depletion ahead of a next subsequent plug-in event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Ryan O'Gorman, Farshad Harirchi, Devang Bhalchandra Dave, Eric Tyler Denlinger, James Matthew Marcicki
  • Patent number: 11501326
    Abstract: A store low-stock item reporting and promotion system may include a remote device to be carried by a shopper when shopping within a store and may be configured to acquire an image associated with an item. The system may include a server configured to obtain the image from the remote device, identify the item based upon the image, and determine a low-stock condition for the item based upon the image. Upon determining the low-stock condition, the server may generate a low-stock notification and communicate the low-stock notification to another device, and generate a digital promotion and communicate the digital promotion to the remote device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: INMAR CLEARING, INC.
    Inventor: Robert W. Bolinger
  • Patent number: 11429997
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed toward a system that allows a promotion and marketing system to provide promotions to users of the promotion and marketing system for establishments that are currently not affiliated with the promotion and marketing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: GROUPON, INC.
    Inventors: Anthony Joseph, Jonathan Li On Wing, Zhi Guo
  • Patent number: 11392864
    Abstract: An information processing system includes: a movable object that operates as a movable shop after business hours of a predetermined shop; and a control unit that executes acquiring product information, the product information being information relevant to a plurality of foodstuffs loaded in the movable object, each of the plurality of foodstuffs being a product of the predetermined shop and being discounted due to an expiration date, and controlling a route of the movable object based on the product information. The control unit controls the route of the movable object, based on a ratio of kinds of the plurality of foodstuffs loaded in the movable object, as the product information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Zekai Qiu, Akie Sakiyama, Yusuke Takeuchi, Jun Hioki, Shinji Sassa, Hiromitsu Fujii, Keita Teruuchi
  • Patent number: 11367097
    Abstract: Methods, systems and device for verifying a transaction in a loyalty or advertising system are described. One such method includes: receiving, at least one processor, transaction data associated with a transaction between a customer and a merchant; determining, at the at least one processor, from the transaction data whether the customer and the merchant are associated with the loyalty or advertising system; and upon determining from the transaction data whether the transaction corresponds to a reward or advertisement, triggering the redemption of the reward or advertisement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Inventors: Terrance Patrick Tietzen, Matthew Arnold Macpherson Bates, Ronald Rog
  • Patent number: 11341554
    Abstract: An online concierge system receives orders from users that include items from one or more warehouses. The online concierge system identifies the orders to shoppers, who select one or more orders to fulfill. The online concierge system uses models to estimate orders likely to be received at different times and shoppers likely to be available to fulfill orders at different times. Responsive to greater than a threshold difference between estimated orders and estimated shoppers during a time interval, the online concierge system selects one or more incentives for shoppers to select orders during the time interval to entice shoppers to select orders during the time interval. An interface displayed to the shoppers by the online concierge system may present a map of warehouses and their estimated number of orders and allow shoppers to identify incentives offered for fulfilling orders at different warehouses during the time interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: Maplebear Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholas William Sturm, Bryan Daniel Bor, Konrad Gustav Miziolek, Ajay Pankaj Sampat, Darren Bartholomew Johnson
  • Patent number: 11334919
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for enabling access to digital content based on geographic locations visited by mobile device users. One method includes receiving a promotion associated with premium digital content, access information, and one or more locations in which the premium digital content is accessible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick McDevitt, Joseph Hughes, Jon Szymanski
  • Patent number: 11270329
    Abstract: The invention relates to electronic offers in a mobile banking application. An embodiment of the present invention is directed to a system that provides relevant offers for customized deals to a customer responsive to a current customer transaction, current location and/or other profile information. The relevant offer may be available for a limited time. The customer's response (e.g., save, redeem, skip, ignore, etc.) may then be used for more relevant offers in the future.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
    Inventors: Roopal Jain, Boda Sarath Rao, Pethaperumal Narayanasamy, Andrew Deinert, Getnet Bayou, Sutanu Chaudhuri, Ilayanambi Sarangapani, Sheela Colluray, Amit Sharma, Lauren Kuhne
  • Patent number: 11250440
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and storage media for payment collection are disclosed. An example method comprises: obtaining, at a code scanner, payment account information comprised in a payment code of a purchasing user by scanning the payment code; sending, at the code scanner, the payment account information to a processor; determining, at the processor, a payment amount due, to construct a payment request comprising the payment amount due, the payment account information, and the device identifier; sending, at the processor, the payment request to a communication module; and sending, at the communication module, the payment request to the target server for the target server to, according to the payment request, deduct the payment amount due from a payment account of the purchasing user corresponding to the payment account information, and add the payment amount due to the payment receiving account corresponding to the device identifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: ADVANCED NEW TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Liansheng Zhao, An Li, Lei Jiao
  • Patent number: 11250471
    Abstract: A system and method allows a user to define books of pictures and customizable text, and HTML code is generated from such definition to allow the books to be displayed on a browser. Based on the user's book definitions or viewers activities, the individual's interests, moods and/or emotions may be identified and ads may be identified and displayed to such person that correspond to such interests, moods or emotions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: Groupon, Inc.
    Inventors: Val Agostino, Axel Albin-Lax, Sinclair Hamilton Hitchings, Travis Neilson
  • Patent number: 11232163
    Abstract: An e-commerce search ranking system is provided and generally includes a server (e.g., application server), a database, and a customer computing device. The server can obtain user search query listings associated with a search term of users' search sessions to determine user engagement of the items. The server also determines that the items, and any items appearing before the items in each user search query listing, were examined. The server can then aggregate the information in the database. The server can also determine additional search terms related to the search term of the users' search session, and obtain user search query listings for the additional search terms. The server can determine user engagement for items appearing in those user search query listings, and can aggregate that information in the database as well. The aggregated information can be used to determine a final item ranking for a search request inquiry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC
    Inventors: Zhenrui Wang, Onur Gungor, Sreenivasa Prasad Sista
  • Patent number: 11227251
    Abstract: Described are systems and methods for tracking performance by monitoring and evaluating performance metrics on a repetitive basis to assign performance scores and incentivizing high performance by assigning awards to high performers. Multiple users may compete with one another for performance rankings and wager all or portions of award amount on their performance for future performance cycles to potentially increase future awards.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: The DGC Group
    Inventors: Devin Gonier, Morgan Hartley, Dennis Gonier
  • Patent number: 11223693
    Abstract: A system, method, and computer program product are provided for aggregating channel agnostic data. In use, channel agnostic data is received, at a messaging bus, from a plurality of telecommunication system sources, wherein the plurality of telecommunication system sources is channel agnostic. Next, using a micro service, the channel agnostic data is aggregated from the plurality of telecommunication system sources and the aggregated channel agnostic data is presented, on demand, based on at least one of authority, needs, and preferences. Further, at least one action is associated with the aggregated channel agnostic data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: AMDOCS DEVELOPMENT LIMITED
    Inventors: Deborah A. Sohrweide, Alan Palmer Stephens, Sanjay Gupta, Andrew Harper, Alma D. Lopez, Ksheerasagar Akella, Manish Rustagi, Amresh Vaidya
  • Patent number: 11212412
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes a screen information request receiver, an application identification information specifying unit, a screen information transmitter. The screen information request receiver receives, from a device, a screen information request used to request screen information for providing an application. The screen information includes at least dealer information representing a dealer that sells the device. The application identification information specifying unit specifies application identification information corresponding to the dealer information included in the screen information request based on application correspondence relation information representing a correspondence relation between the dealer information and the application identification information identifying an application available to the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Xiaofeng Han
  • Patent number: 11210694
    Abstract: Systems and methods of tracking and rewarding users of any of a variety of content hosting systems, such as search engines. In one embodiment, a method of rewarding a user of a search engine includes receiving secure identification information identifying a user, retrieving user account information using the secure identification information, receiving a search query associated with the user account information, crediting the user account with a reward that is directly related to providing the search query, and returning search results in response to the received search query.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Inventor: Mazen A. Skaf
  • Patent number: 11138624
    Abstract: A method for identifying and distributing offers includes: storing account profiles, each profile including data related to a transaction account including an account identifier and a plurality of transaction data entries, each including transaction data; receiving an offer request from a consumer entity, the request including a specific account identifier and geographic location; identifying a specific account profile that includes the specific account identifier; identifying offer parameters, the parameters being based on the geographic location and the transaction data included in the identified specific account profile; transmitting the offer parameters to a merchant entity; receiving offer data for a plurality of offers from the merchant entity based on the offer parameters; identifying a specific offer based on the offer data for the specific offer and the transaction data included in the specific account profile; and transmitting the offer data for the identified specific offer to the consumer entity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: MASTERCARD INTERNATIONAL INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Kaitlin Triano, Sruba De, Joseph M. Zeltzer
  • Patent number: 11138681
    Abstract: A method for classifying a prospective traveler based on statistical inference is described herein. The method comprises receiving an input associated with the prospective traveler. Encoded representation of preferences and goals may be extracted from the input and levels and may be assigned to the preferences and goals. Based on the levels assigned to the preferences and goals, the prospective traveler may be classified according to one or more traveler profiles. Based on the classification, one or more consumer choices may be offered to the prospective traveler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: Amgine Technologies (US), Inc.
    Inventors: L. James Valverde, Jr., Harold Roy Miller, Jonathan David Miller
  • Patent number: 11075961
    Abstract: A message processing method, apparatus, and system, which include: receiving a sharing request for a source message and sent by a terminal, the source message carrying a password and an enterprise account identifier, the sharing request including a sharing user account identifier; returning at least one account identifier to the terminal, and receiving a determined target account identifier with which the source message is shared and that is selected by the terminal; setting an electronic resource property for the source message according to a preset rule to generate a target message, sending the target message to a target user corresponding to the target account identifier; and transferring, according to the electronic resource property, an electronic resource corresponding to an associated account of the enterprise account identifier to an associated account of the sharing user account identifier if receiving a drawing request sent by the terminal and that carries the password.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: TENCENT TECHNOLOGY (SHENZHEN) COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Zhaotian Wang, Jinlong Shen, Yutao Li, Zhenquan Wu, Yu Miao Zhang
  • Patent number: 11068930
    Abstract: In a promotion offering system, a promotion offering may be presented to a consumer on more than one occasion. The previous presentation of the promotion to the consumer may affect a subsequent presentation of the same promotion to the same consumer. The present invention provides an apparatus and method for analyzing the effect a previous presentation of a promotion may have on a consumer when the promotion is presented to the consumer at a subsequent time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: GROUPON, INC.
    Inventors: Michalis Potamias, Amit Aggarwal, Xiaolei Li, David Thacker, Kevin Chang
  • Patent number: 11055315
    Abstract: A method of implementing sub-table replication starts with the processor detecting an update to an entitlements table. The processor performs filtering of a data table based on the update to the entitlements table. The data table including an entitlements column. The processor detects an update to the entitlements column and performs incremental replication of the data table by causing a version-based replication to be executed. Other embodiments are also described herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: Snowflake Inc.
    Inventors: Pui Kei Johnston Chu, Shreyas Narendra Desai, German Alberto Gil Echeverri, Prasanna Krishnan, Nithin Mahesh, Subramanian Muralidhar, Eric Robinson, Sahaj Saini
  • Patent number: 11055700
    Abstract: Aspects described herein may allow for method of detecting when a payment card is in a retail establishment by establishing communication between the payment card and a real-time position tracking system; determining whether one of a plurality of accounts linked to the payment card has been used in one or more prior purchasing transactions in the retail establishment; detecting, movement of the payment card with respect to the individual carrying the payment card while the payment card is in a carrying device carried by the individual; and providing, by the payment card, haptic feedback and visible feedback to the individual carrying the payment card.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: Capital One Services, LLC
    Inventors: Jeremy Goodsitt, Austin Walters, Galen Rafferty
  • Patent number: 11004052
    Abstract: Multiple different non-financial loyalty currencies held by different issuers are used by a consumer as financial tender for a transaction with a merchant. Each issuer pays to a primary issuer the financial currency value of the non-financial loyalty currencies being held in return for a corresponding reduction of the balance of non-financial loyalty currency. For each reduced balance, the primary issuer adds an equivalent primary loyalty currency to a primary loyalty account for the consumer. The primary issuer pays the merchant for the transaction in financial currency and makes an equivalent reduction in the balance of the primary loyalty currency. The financial value of each loyalty currency may be dependent upon its use in a transaction with a competitor of a merchant supplying loyalty currency to the consumer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: Visa International Service Association
    Inventors: Diane C. Salmon, Leigh Amaro, Meara Day
  • Patent number: 11004095
    Abstract: One embodiment provides a method, including: obtaining, from an application used by users to converse with other users, a conversation corresponding to a user, wherein the conversation includes an indication of an intent to purchase a plurality of retail services; identifying at least one micro-service corresponding to each of the plurality of retail services, wherein the micro-service allows purchase from the corresponding retail service; sequencing the micro-services, thereby sequencing purchases from the plurality of retail services through the micro-services, wherein the sequencing comprises (i) determining a sequence of purchases and (ii) identifying, for each of the determined sequences, a financial benefit to the user; and providing a recommendation comprising a purchasing sequence to the user, wherein the recommendation comprises the sequence of purchases that result in the maximum financial benefit to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Vijay Ekambaram, Padmanabha Venkatagiri Seshadri, Vijay Kumar Anantapur Bache, Bidhu Ranjan Sahoo
  • Patent number: 10984448
    Abstract: An online system receives a discount offer from a merchant and displays the offer to a user before the offer's start time. The online system also defines one or more triggering conditions and sends a notification to remind the user about the discount offer when a triggering condition is satisfied. One of the triggering conditions can be based on whether the user has accessed a web page provided by the merchant. The merchant system provides a web page that sends an indication to the online system when the user accesses the web page. After receiving the indication, the online system sends a notification about the discount offer to the user. Sending the notification in this manner has the effect of reminding the user of the discount offer after the user has already expressed an interest in the merchant and its products by viewing the merchant web page.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: Facebook, Inc.
    Inventors: Dan Barak, John Stephen Ketchpaw
  • Patent number: 10963934
    Abstract: A computer-implemented system and method are disclosed for facilitating dynamically-priced offer data between a restaurant and a consumer, the data reflecting dynamically-priced offers which are contingent upon the consumer first honoring in full their contractual promises to the restaurant before the restaurant is bound to honor its ‘side’ of the deal. In an embodiment, the method and system enables a consumer to specify, in advance, a minimum amount of money the consumer contractually binds themselves to spend at a restaurant as well as the specific hour of the day of a specific day of the week of a specific week of the year the consumer promises to arrive at the restaurant or expects delivery of an order from a restaurant, in return for more of the goods or services the restaurant contractually, but contingently binds themselves to provide the consumer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Inventor: Jeffrey Pylant
  • Patent number: 10839428
    Abstract: A method, system and computer program product for facilitating customers to upgrade their hardware or software. An electronic problem ticketing system of a software/hardware vendor receives a request from a customer to open a problem ticket to service a designated version/model of the software/hardware product. The ticketing system acquires the number of users utilizing the software/hardware product requested to be serviced for various versions/models of the software/hardware product. A graphical diagram is generated depicting the number of users utilizing the software/hardware product requested to be serviced for various versions/models of the software/hardware product. A hyperlink to a social media website that contains information of the benefits of using a latest version or model of the software or hardware product is inserted in the graphical diagram, where after displaying such information, an instruction is received from the user to upgrade the software or hardware product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Deborah H. Bandera, Sara C. Brumfield, Paula Springstead
  • Patent number: 10740402
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for displaying a strategy, pertaining to a business opportunity, during a conversation with a user. Initially, a question is received from a user. Upon receiving, a set of keywords from the question is extracted based on natural language processing techniques. Subsequently, an answer to the question is displayed along with metadata associated to the answer. The metadata is displayed based on a demographic profile of the user. Further, the user is nudged with a set of predefined questions based on the demographic profile and the set of keywords. Furthermore, a set of responses received against the set of predefined questions is analyzed to identify a business opportunity. The set of responses is analyzed based on the set of keywords and the demographic profile. In addition, a strategy pertaining to the business opportunity is displayed based on the question, the set of responses, and the demographic profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: DIWO, LLC
    Inventors: Satyendra Pal Rana, Chandra Puttanna Keerthy, Krishna Prakash Kallakuri
  • Patent number: 10713680
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein may be directed to the intelligent distribution, redemption, and tracking of coupons. Modernized couponing processes described herein may provide meaningful synergy between three different parties, namely the shopper, the retailer, and the product supplier. For example, while shopping at a retailer, a shopper may use their device to scan a barcode of a product that they wish to purchase. Based on the scanned barcode, relevant coupon offers associated are identified and presented to the shopper on the user device. The shopper may then select one or more coupon offers to be redeemed at the point of sale.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: CLIPCART CORP.
    Inventors: Nancy Mason-Gugenheim, Jessica Ramirez-Gugenheim
  • Patent number: 10679249
    Abstract: A method of generating a targeted advertisement by identifying a target criteria from an entry of a search history associated with a user, identifying an intended recipient based on social information associated with the user and the target criteria, and associating at least one item with the intended recipient by analyzing the social information and the target criteria. Further, the method includes outputting as advertisement information the at least one item and at least one of a plurality of advertisement recipients. The advertisement information enables the generation of the targeted advertisement and the at least one item is utilized in the targeted advertisement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuk L. Chan, Christopher Cramer, Deepti M. Naphade, Jairo A. Pava
  • Patent number: 10672030
    Abstract: A method of generating a targeted advertisement by identifying a target criteria from an entry of a search history associated with a user, identifying an intended recipient based on social information associated with the user and the target criteria, and associating at least one item with the intended recipient by analyzing the social information and the target criteria. Further, the method includes outputting as advertisement information the at least one item and at least one of a plurality of advertisement recipients. The advertisement information enables the generation of the targeted advertisement and the at least one item is utilized in the targeted advertisement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuk L. Chan, Christopher Cramer, Deepti M. Naphade, Jairo A. Pava
  • Patent number: 10672019
    Abstract: A system, method, apparatus, and computer program product for providing for identifying mobile devices and transmitting electronic messages to the mobile devices. An exemplary method comprises receiving input defining a target demographic category of user profiles to which to direct an electronic message and a target location category that defines a tracked location pattern that, upon being satisfied, results in transmission of the electronic message, receiving GPS device locations from a communication device, identifying a user profile associated with the communications device, determining that the user profile is classified to the target demographic category, determining that the tracked location pattern is satisfied, and upon determining that the user profile is classified to the target demographic category of user profiles, and the tracked location pattern is satisfied, causing transmission of the electronic message indicative of the particular offer to the at least one mobile communication device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Groupon, Inc.
    Inventors: James F. Kramer, Paul C. Ning
  • Patent number: 10664900
    Abstract: An Indoor location mapping and wayfinding system for mapping waypoints on an interactive mapping system that can function both indoors and outdoors based on user selections and location. It can include a shopping system that allows users to pre-select items for purchase, maps the items on an indoor map of the store, and provides a route to the user for the collection of the selected items.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Inventors: Frank Daly Ward, Steven Faletto
  • Patent number: 10621605
    Abstract: The ELECTRONIC COUPON ISSUANCE AND REDEMPTION APPARATUSES, METHODS AND SYSTEMS (“ECIR”) transforms user coupon purchase and redemption request inputs via ECIR components into coupon issuance, transaction, and analytics outputs. In some embodiments, the ECIR may receive an inventory request from a coupon program manager, including at least a virtual coupon issue criteria. The ECIR may generate one or more account identifiers, and transmit the account identifiers to the coupon program manager. The ECIR may receive, from the coupon program manager, an issue request along with the purchase information, which may include one or more purchase identifiers corresponding to one or more buyers. The ECIR may determine when the received purchase information satisfies the virtual coupon issue criteria. when it satisfies the criteria, the ECIR may issue one or more virtual coupons having the one or more account identifiers, and transmit the issued virtual cards to the coupon program manager.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: VISA INTERNATIONAL SERVICE ASSOCIATION
    Inventors: Kathy Heitmueller, Douglas R. Franz, Chris James Truelson, Mary Theresa Taylor, Walter J. Granville
  • Patent number: 10600070
    Abstract: The present invention provides a service providing device and a terminal, a wireless charging system including the service providing device and the terminal, a control method thereof, and a computer readable medium having a computer program. That is, according to the present invention, in any one of cases when a terminal is intended to be charged by a wireless charging device, when a terminal is recognized by a wireless charging device, and when a terminal is in the BLE range of a wireless charging device, a product is selected through a corresponding terminal on the basis of product information provided from a POS terminal or a service providing device, a function of ordering the selected product is performed, and a function of paying for the selected product is performed, such that the wireless charging system can be used in more fields and more conveniently used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: SK PLANET CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Joon Sok Im, Hyun Wook Kim, Yon Won Park, Hyung Min Jin, Seung Won Na, Seong Wook Kang
  • Patent number: 10586268
    Abstract: A method for processing a consumer referral includes: storing, a plurality of location data entries, each entry including data related to a geographic location including a location identifier and location data; storing a plurality of referral data entries, each entry including data related to a referral including a referral identifier and one or more specific location identifiers; receiving a referral request, the request including a specific referral identifier encoded in a machine-readable code displayed at a specific geographic location associated with the specific referral identifier; identifying a specific referral data entry where the included referral identifier corresponds to the specific referral identifier; identifying a specific location data entry where the included location identifier corresponds to one of the one or more specific location identifiers included in the identified specific referral data entry; and transmitting the location data included in the identified specific location data entry
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignee: MASTERCARD INTERNATIONAL INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Debashis Ghosh, Randall K. Shuken
  • Patent number: 10580037
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media are provided that allow orders to be made remotely by customers and classify a product or category of products based on a customer's purchasing history of that product and generate a message to the customer based on the classification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: WALMART APOLLO, LLC
    Inventors: Yannis Pavlidis, Mukesh Jain, Mindi Yuan, Wei Shen
  • Patent number: 10528966
    Abstract: Systems and methods to deliver dynamic context sensitive offers to incent user behavior are discussed. For example, a method to deliver a dynamic context sensitive offer can include operations for generating a dynamic offer, delivering the dynamic offer, receiving data associated with a user, updating a context input with data associated with the user, and adjusting the value of the dynamic offer. Generating the dynamic offer includes associating a rule for manipulating the value of the dynamic offer based on a context input. Updating the context input of the rule includes extracting context information from the data associated with the user. Adjusting the value of the dynamic offer can be based on reevaluation of the rule with the updated context input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: eBay Inc.
    Inventors: Arik Keller, Dane Howard, Michael Lenahan, Ben Mitchell
  • Patent number: 10515120
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for identifying an influencer from a pool of people based on past interactions with one or more items. A similarity score is calculated for each of a plurality of items. An affinity score is determined for each person in the pool of people for each of the plurality of items. A similar item affinity score is calculated for each person based on the similarity score for each item and the affinity score for that item. The influencer is identified based on the similar item affinity scores for each person in the pool of people. The influencer is granted a permission to perform a particular action related to the particular item based on being identified as the influencer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignee: IPAR, LLC
    Inventors: Joseph L. Spears, Jeffrey D. Brandstetter
  • Patent number: 10482488
    Abstract: Systems and methods for providing a loyalty and rewards system that implements a user incentive program using smart card technology are provided. A loyalty system allows a user to systematically search, identify, store, and redeem electronic coupons and rebates associated with products from a large number of providers and manufactures. The loyalty system also integrates the activities associated with the user incentive program (e.g., coupon collection, storage, and redemption, etc.), with existing payment methods (e.g., charging a credit card, etc.) using smart card technology. Thus, the loyalty system allows the user to obtain savings and otherwise participate in the user incentive program without adding time consuming and tedious processing that is normally associated with coupon and rebate programs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: TARGET BRANDS, INC.
    Inventors: Shannon L. Warner, Marc R. Black, Lisa Mellas, James L. Mazour, Rajkumar Viswanathan, Michael D. Salters, Glenda L. Berg, Ann Elizabeth Bailey, Michael T. Greeder