Abstract: Disclosed is a system and method for modifying a tire inventory database in a tire inventory server using a computer, a table, or a mobile communication device, comprising: obtaining an image of tread pattern on a selected tire using an imaging device; measuring tread depth on the selected tire to obtain a tread depth reading; and transmitting the image of tread pattern and the tread depth reading to the tire inventory server.

Abstract: A computerized system collects used vehicle data regarding vehicles available for sale from numerous sources (e.g., as from a vehicle auction system), and modifies and supplements such vehicle data for presentation to the consuming public in a searchable manner such that a single entity (e.g., a specific dealer) can offer all of the vehicles for sale to consumers while accounting for the various costs that will be incurred by the selling entity to successfully complete the sales transaction.

Abstract: Method, arrangement and system for enabling comparison of product items. The method comprises retrieving measurements of a first product item, selected by a user to be a reference product item; and further retrieving measurements of a second product item, which is to be evaluated. The measurements of the first product item are compared with the measurements of the second product item; and an indication of the correspondence of the measurements of the first product item and the measurements of the second product item is provided to a user of a terminal, thus enabling evaluation of the size of said second product item in relation to the size of the first product item.

Abstract: Computer-implemented systems and methods for the sale of consumer services. Predictions are made based on the behaviors, preferences, assets, identifying characteristics, and other attributes associated with customers and merchants. In one implementation, a prediction is made as to whether a customer is likely to request a service and whether a merchant is likely to be selected by the customer to provide the service. In another implementation, the calendars of a merchant and customer are automatically updated to account for the customer's late arrival to an appointment at the merchants location. In yet another implementation, a customer purchases an appointment for a service from another customer that has the appointment scheduled with a merchant providing the service.

Abstract: Consumers face a problem matching brand and size of one product to a different brand and size of a related product because not all brands measure sizes in the same way. As such, internet commerce companies recommend shoe sizes to users based upon a user-specified size or a user-specified pair of the shoes and size in a brand that the user suggests. Data in a peer-to-peer marketplace is mined to determine corresponding shoe sizes across various brands.

Abstract: Systems for storing data for access by an application program providing specialty product information to consumers.

Abstract: An accessory-specific user experience can be invoked at a mobile host device attached to an accessory device. The mobile device can receive accessory device information from the accessory and transmit the accessory device information to an online marketplace. The mobile device can receive information indicating accessory-specific goods or services available from the online marketplace and display the received information as part of the invoked user experience. The accessory device information can comprise accessory usage categories as well as additional information about the accessory. A marketplace can select accessory-specific goods or services based on the received accessory device information based on matching between accessory attribute values associated with the goods and services and accessory attributes values contained in the received accessory device information.

Abstract: This invention relates to systems and methods for manufacturers, distributors, and vendors (“suppliers”) that participate in a system and method of distributing products over a network from suppliers to consumers to invite each other to share links on each other's product pages. A supplier may partner with selected suppliers so that only the products of those selected suppliers are included in the cross-traffic ads and offers on its website or product page.

Abstract: An information apparatus acquires a size of a specified item for sale specified according to a request of a request user from a purchase history storage means storing the purchase history of an item for sale to be worn. The size of the specified item for sale was purchased by other user who purchased the specified item for sale. The information apparatus acquires body size information related to a body size of the request user and body size information related to a body size of the other user. The information apparatus specifies an evaluation by the other user for the acquired size. The information apparatus estimates a size of the specified item for sale that fits the request user on the basis of a size relationship between the body size information of the request user and the body size information of the other user, the size of the specified item for sale purchased by the other user, and the evaluation for the size. The information apparatus outputs the estimated size.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method, apparatus, and computer-readable media for mapping product records according to attributes in a standard schema, the standard schema mapping product records from a plurality of content providers according to a product hierarchy from each respective content provider, the method including: receiving product data from a plurality of feeds including feeds from one or more content providers; identifying a plurality of product records received from each of the plurality of feeds; identifying a taxonomy of products received in each of the plurality of feeds; and storing product records and corresponding product attributes in a standard schema in a data set for each feed according to the taxonomy identified for each respective feed.

Abstract: A system that facilitates publishing and consuming information that is of time sensitivity, for example, price information. Methods are employed to achieve completeness and freshness in information for a given domain. A preferred embodiment is a shopping site that is capable of comparing prices, purchasing bundled products and dealing with coupons.

Abstract: An exemplary method includes a product marketing system receiving, from an access device, a product search request and image data representative of an image associated with a product, searching, in response to the product search request, a repository of product image data to identify at least one match to the image associated with the product, generating, based on the at least one match, search results data comprising product information for at least one product, and transmitting the search results data to the access device. Corresponding systems and methods are also described.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method and apparatus for providing navigation of a database includes a plurality of records having attributes, the method including transmitting a webpage configured to display a plurality of hierarchies of selectable filters corresponding for plural manufacturer's products, wherein each hierarchy corresponds to the respective manufacturer's product taxonomy, receiving at least one attribute value based on a filter selection, transmitting a query to an index for unique identifiers corresponding to that satisfy the at least one attribute value, receiving the unique identifiers, transmitting a query to a product data set for records in the data set corresponding to the unique identifier, receiving, with a computing device, the one or more records, and transmitting said one or more records.

Abstract: A method for simulating the entire superset of potential valid keyword regular expression requests constructed during an Internet browser search and converting the result sets into Environmental summary report to enable efficient and accurate searching without requiring Browser Engine supercomputer cluster searching capabilities.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a system, apparatus and method for facilitating the selection, purchasing and ordering glass products. The apparatus includes a processor which is controlled by software to facilitate a selection process which integrates the comparison of glass products and their properties, as well as, including particular properties of particular components of a glass product. The apparatus can work with a user input device and is programmed to display graphics associated with selections and potential selections for glass products. The system and method providing selection menus for display on a display device and an animation graphic associated with a selection presented to the user. The system, apparatus, and method integrates the glass product selection information, and makes selections for the user, based on the user's previous choices and specified target performances to present to the user potential glass products.

Abstract: Illustrative embodiments may generally be directed to, among other things, a platform for providing information to one or more consumers to facilitate the purchase of one or more vehicles. In one embodiment, the platform may provide information associated with one or more OEMs and their vehicle product lines. In another embodiment, the platform may facilitate selecting, building, modifying, comparing, and/or purchasing one or more vehicles. In yet another embodiment, the platform may determine inventory data corresponding to actual available inventory at one or more dealerships.

Abstract: Illustrative embodiments may generally be directed to, among other things, a platform for providing information to one or more consumers to facilitate the purchase of one or more vehicles. In one embodiment, the platform may provide information associated with one or more OEMs and their vehicle product lines. In another embodiment, the platform may facilitate selecting, building, modifying, comparing, and/or purchasing one or more vehicles. In yet another embodiment, the platform may determine inventory data corresponding to actual available inventory at one or more dealerships.

Abstract: In an example embodiment, a method is provided using a computing device that has a sensor for custom golf club fitting. Here, a hand dimension is detected using the sensor of the computing device. The hand dimension correlates to a grip size of a golf club. A query is composed with a parameter based on the detected hand dimension. The query is then communicated to an online platform that facilitates sales of golf clubs. In response to the query, an inventory of a number of the golf clubs having the grip size is received from the online platform. The inventory is then provided for display on the computing device.

Abstract: A system and method of providing fuel pricing quotes for air travel trip having at least two trip legs. Via the system, a user is able to quickly and automatically retrieve fuel pricing quotes, thereby bypassing the time-consuming process of drawing up a flight plan and figuring out where and when to refuel in light of such variables as aircraft endurance, fuel economy, safety, and the numerous options in refueling locations.

Abstract: A system and method for searching and matching products based on color using a universal color system comprises a plurality of processor based client devices, each client device uniquely associated with a user, a database engine comprising a plurality of products reverse mapped and organized in accordance with the hexadecimal color codes of the universal color system, and a processor based server. The server receives a color-based search query comprising user's color selection from a client device associated with a user over a communications network. The user's color selection comprises at least one hexadecimal color code of the universal color system. A color engine of the server searches the database engine for products having the hexadecimal color codes with a predetermined range of the hexadecimal color code of the user's color selection, and transmits the search result to the client device associated with the user over the communications network.

Abstract: A product catalog includes information regarding products for sale online by various merchants. An analysis software module can identify brand names in the product catalog that relate to the same brand. The analysis module can compute parameters of pairs of product offers having matching product identifiers. The analysis module can group the product offer pairs into brand pair groups based on the brand names for the products subject to the product offers. The analysis module can compute parameters of each brand pair group based on product offer pairs in the brand pair group and attributes of product offers in the product catalog. The analysis module can use the computed parameters to determine whether the brand names of each brand pair are related. The analysis module can use the identified related brand names and additional attributes of product offers to identify product offers related to the same product.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for representing fitting of clothing for a plurality of users. At least one database is accessed that includes at least personal size information representing measurements respectively associated with at least one person. Clothing information is received that represents at least one of the plurality of articles of clothing. The received clothing information is processed to associate the clothing information with at least some of the personal size information associated with one of the plurality of persons. Thereafter, a value is determined, as a function of the processed clothing information, that represents the fit of the one of the articles of clothing with at least one person. Information associated with the information is displayed.

Abstract: Systems and methods for the aggregation, analysis, and display of data for used vehicles are disclosed. Historical transaction data for used vehicles may be obtained and processed to determine pricing data, where this determined pricing data may be associated with a particular configuration of a vehicle. The user can then be presented with an interface pertinent to the vehicle configuration utilizing the aggregated data set or the associated determined data where the user can make a variety of determinations. This interface may, for example, be configured to present the historical transaction data visually, with the pricing data such as a trade-in price, a list price, an expected sale price or range of sale prices, market low sale price, market average sale price, market high sale price, etc. presented relative to the historical transaction data.

Abstract: A system and method for providing product research help to a consumer doing internet shopping. A consumer helper application for internet commerce has been designed to integrate the techniques that are currently used by many internet consumers into a single application program. For example, the consumer helper application allows a user to take notes, store web site links, store web site annotations, obtain collaborative input, and perform other tasks commonly used by web site consumers. The consumer helper application stores all of the information gathered in a single place. Information provided by other consumers may be shared using the consumer helper application. The consumer helper application will suggest specific items for a consumer to purchase based up on the information gathered by the consumer into the consumer helper application.

Abstract: The invention relates to a sales and marketing method formed for providing equals of the products used in up-to-date programs broadcasted on TV, to consumers in a short time. The invention particularly relates to a sales and marketing method for publishing clothing, accessory, and furniture etc. products broadcasted on TV and seen by the viewers, on the internet site for a certain period by means of contacting the contracted sponsor companies and thus supplying these products to customers.

Abstract: Provided are a system and method of providing a recommended article corresponding to a user's criteria. The system includes a recommender information storing unit that stores information of recommenders recommending articles; a recommended article registering unit where the articles recommended by the recommenders are registered; a recommendation criteria storing unit that receives recommendation criteria from users wanting to receive recommended articles, the recommendation criteria including recommender selection criteria for recommenders from whom the users want to receive the recommended articles; a recommended article extracting unit that extracts articles recommended by the recommender corresponding to the recommender selection criteria, as the recommended articles, according to criteria registered in the recommendation criteria storing unit; and a recommended article providing unit that provides the extracted recommended articles to the users.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method guides a user in designing a product defined by data. The method involves examining (420) items of the data to detect whether each item conforms to rules (106) or violates the rules; performing (431 . . . ) at least one action in response to a detection of a rule violation; displaying (450) the data to the user in a manner emphasizing at least one particular data item that caused the rule violation; receiving (460) any new data input from the user; and repeating the examining, action performing, and displaying steps using the new data. The displaying step may involve displaying data defining a current state of the product in a tabular (spreadsheet) format, including displaying data detected to have caused the rule violation in a first manner that is visibly distinct from displaying other data that is not detected to have caused the rule violation.

Abstract: A system and method for aggregating demand is provided. At least one seller may sponsor a deal room to aggregate selling goods/services from a plurality of buyers. The demand aggregation system can include a dashboard for allowing the at least one seller to set up DealRooms, price curves, offers, products, customers, and/or customer groups, for example. The dashboard can include a plurality of wizards for configuring such information. The demand aggregation system can also include seller displays for notifying buyers of changes in prices relative to ship dates and times of order. The demand aggregation system can also include a predictive modeling and reporting function. An algorithm is employed to utilize product information to post a probability chart on a product price point.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system for transacting the sale of second-hand items by, in part, using a matching engine for presenting a product to a user in accordance with at least one user attribute and at least one product attribute related to the at least one product, providing a transaction manager for accepting funds from the user in exchange for the at least one product, which funds may be stored in a trust account. User attributes may also be associated with a size gauge where at least one image of the user and the size gauge may be presented to the matching engine. The system may also present a product based on social media interaction between the user and the seller of the product.

Abstract: A system for the acquisition of local goods and services is presented. The system is an Internet website that advertises and promotes local commerce. The website includes functionalities and features that allow local organizations, such as businesses, charities, and non-profit organizations to manage their web presence. The organizations can issue coupons, display information, and communicate directly with other organizations. The system can be offered as software as a service and can act as a portal to the local business community that is hosted by a hosting organization.

Abstract: Provided herein are collections of matched biological reagents selected from a larger collection of biological reagents, wherein the collection of matched biological reagents relate to a biological element. Also provided are methods for selling an isolated biomolecule or biological research reagent in a collection of matched biological reagents, and methods for selecting an isolated biomolecule or biological research reagent from a collection of biological reagents.

Abstract: A method and system for presenting travel information in a way that facilitates identifying travel plans that satisfy objectives is provided. A travel information system collects travel information for the travel items on various observation dates including the current date and presents the travel information to a user in a way that facilitates travel planning and travel shopping. The travel information system stores the travel information in an observation store. To provide travel information that satisfies a search criterion, the travel information system retrieves the travel information that satisfies the search criterion either from flight information of the observation store or from current flight information provided in real time from a source of travel information. The flight information system provides the travel information in various formats to facilitate travel planning.

Abstract: An ecommerce cost optimization system includes: a display including information identifying an item; a quantity selection tool; a delivery location selection tool; an optimized offer presentation tool that provides at least one optimized option through the display component, wherein the at least one optimized option is optimized based on the selected quantity and the selected delivery location; and an order placement tool to place an order from amongst the options provided by the optimized offer presentation tool. A method of providing optimized offer for non-stock item transactions through an ecommerce application includes receiving a user selection including a selected quantity of the item and a selected delivery location and determining an optimized offer based on analysis of the possible combinations of a production schedule and a delivery schedule for the selected quantity and delivery location.

Abstract: A system, a method, a server, a computer processing platform, and non-transitory computer-readable medium for enabling the identifying of products and services on-line based on a user budget. A financial budget is generated based on personal financial information provided by a user. Search criteria are generated based on the budget and product/service criteria provided by the user. A search engine is accessed to initiate an on-line search using the generated search criteria. Returned search results are processed to generate purchase recommendations for the user based on the budget and the product/service criteria. The purchase recommendations are sent to the user where the user may make a purchase request based on the recommendations. The purchase of a product or service may be facilitated in response to the purchase request and the budget may be updated based on the purchase.

Abstract: An online lockable device ordering system and method for lockable devices such as padlocks including a key matching module configured for user entry of at least one key identifier configured to unlock certain lockable devices. The key matching module matches the key identifier with a range of stored key identifiers stored in a storage device. Images of lockable devices corresponding to the matched range are displayed on a user display screen, and the user can select a lockable device from the displayed images. The selected lockable device is customized to open with the user's existing key.

Abstract: A distributed network transaction system and method includes a central exchange computer connected via the Internet (world wide web) to multiple remote computers associated with, for example, individual brokers. A central database is provided with the exchange computer and each remote computer can have a respective database for information that the individual brokers was to maintain separate from the system. E-commerce transactions are conducted by the system, which performs a number of transaction-related functions, such as pushing tickets up to the system for sale, purchasing tickets online, shipping, web site-related and bookkeeping. The system and methodology accommodate price event functions where non real-time tickets can be sold and the orders filled with tickets acquired on the system.

Abstract: The subject matter of this document can be embodied in, among other things, a computer-method that includes receiving a text message associated with a first telephone number, and establishing a communication session associated with the received text message. The communication session is established by modifying the received text message so that the received text message is associated with a second telephone number that is different from the first telephone number, and subsequent text messages associated with the second telephone number are included as part of the communication session. The method also includes transmitting the text message to a text messaging system, such that the text message appears to have originated from the second telephone number. Upon receiving a text message reply from a user in response to the transmitted text message, the text message reply is associated with the established communication session.

Abstract: A method forms a collaborative product taxonomy instantiation by starting with or defining a base taxonomy instantiation and collaborating between trading parties to negotiate a collaborative product taxonomy instantiation. The taxonomy instantiation comprises a set of characteristics and values of a desired product. The method assigns a set of characters to the collaborative product taxonomy instantiation. The method uses the set of alphanumeric characters in an electronic trade exchange between a buyer software application and a seller software application. The seller software application may determine whether it has a product that is equivalent to the collaborative product taxonomy instantiation.

Abstract: Methods and systems of loan syndication are provided. Upload details of an originated loan owned by a user may be stored in a database. The database is queried and results are presented to an investor so that the investor can determine if he wishes to purchase either at least a portion of a single loan or portion of a portfolio of loans. The database returns a list of loans or a portfolios of loans that satisfy the investor's search criteria, wherein the loan results that are returned are owned by an entity other than the investor. The investor is able to select a loan for purchase from the list in order for ownership of the selected loan to transfer from the owning entity an entity associated with the investor.

Abstract: A method for allowing a user to select a contractor is provided. The method includes providing a contractor database, the database allowing the contractor to input contractor information; displaying a list of tasks that the contractor offers to perform and a billable rate at which the contractor offers to perform each task on the list; allowing the user to input a list of desired tasks to be performed and available dates for the contractor to perform each desired task; generating a list of contractors available to perform the desired tasks within the available dates; and allowing the user to select a contractor from the list of contractors. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium for performing the method is also provided.

Abstract: Methods, systems, computer-readable media, and apparatuses are presented for using cross-domain communication to allow manufacturers and other sellers to use cloud/Internet-based products catalog services without sacrificing the search-engine optimization benefit of catalog pages hosted within the manufacturer's domain. The Same Origin Policy used by many browsers may disallow direct communication to the manufacturer's domain for corporate web site and other functions, on the one hand, and an external domain for an efficiently hosted products catalog, on the other. Some embodiments present the use of the JSONP protocol for cross-domain retrieval of a Catalog Widget that is configured to retrieve product catalog information directly from the external domain. In these embodiments, search-engine optimization is furthered by the efficient production of numerous catalog pages that originate from the external domain yet appear to users and search engine crawlers to be within the manufacturer's domain.

Abstract: System and method for shopping for products based on color of the product, time of product listing, and/or location of the seller of the product. Seller submits a representation of the product to be listed with an Internet-based shopping site that may include an image of the product. The site may determine one or more color of the product based on a submitted image by examining image pixels. The pixels examined may be chosen to accurately reflect the color of the product rather than the color of an image background or other image element. The color may include a set of the significant colors of the product or a single most significant or average color of the product. Shoppers may then search for products based on a color selected from a color search interface, a time selected from a time search interface, and/or a location selected from a location search interface.

Abstract: A user enters into a subscription to receive footwear having one or more specified performance characteristics. As the user finishes wearing one set of footwear, the user can obtain a replacement set of footwear that also will have one or more specified performance characteristics. The performance characteristics may be consistent for each set of footwear provided according to the subscription. Alternately, the footwear performance characteristics may vary over the life of the subscription. Thus, the footwear provider may periodically obtain biometric information describing the user's athletic activities or performance. The footwear provider then can tailor the performance characteristics of footwear provided under the subscription to match the user's athletic activities or performance.

Abstract: A system and method for aggregating demand is provided. At least one seller may sponsor a deal room to aggregate selling goods/services from a plurality of buyers. The demand aggregation system can include a dashboard for allowing the at least one seller to set up DealRooms, price curves, offers, products, customers, and/or customer groups, for example. The dashboard can include a plurality of wizards for configuring such information. The demand aggregation system can also include seller displays for notifying buyers of changes in prices relative to ship dates and times of order. The demand aggregation system can also include a predictive modeling and reporting function. An algorithm is employed to utilize product information to post a probability chart on a product price point.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for a dynamic information connection engine. User actions are detected on at least one client system. In response, a determination is made whether the user is searching for supported information. When the user is searching for supported information, information is extracted electronically from third party web sites, direct supplier connections, and intermediate databases. Potential information suppliers are automatically selected in response to the detected user search. Queries are formulated from the user search and transferred to each selected supplier over a network coupling. The queries include a request for information. Responses are received from the suppliers, and the responses are used to generate a result list for the user. The result list includes information and query status information. Further, an electronic link may be provided to a web site of each supplier from which the information was derived.

Abstract: An intelligent product catalog system provides for electronic creation, management and viewing of product information using a multimedia display system. A central database repository stores the product information and provides for an unlimited number of product attributes and dynamic reconfiguration of the product information. The central database repository comprises a meta data system, a scheme system and an object model system. A plurality of applications access the central database repository, the applications being automatically adaptive to the dynamic reconfiguration of the product information. A user interface provides display, sorting and filtering of the product information including the unlimited number of product attributes.

Abstract: An item record in an item database contains an item description generated by a seller of an item. A server machine is configured to access the item database, analyze the item description, and extract descriptive information by inferring an attribute and a corresponding attribute value from the item description. The attribute and its attribute value constitute an attribute-value pair. The server machine uses the attribute-value pair to map the item record to a product record stored in a product database. The mapping of the item record to the product record is based on comparing the attribute-value pair of the item record to a reference attribute-value pair in the product record to identify the product record. The mapping is performed upon detection of a match between the attribute-value pairs.

Abstract: Methods, systems and computer program products for targeted and customized marketing to customers and, specifically in some embodiments, customers having a previous relationship with the entity implementing the marketing tool. The embodiments of the invention herein disclosed provide for efficient identification of previous customers based on their current product, service or property and/or their previous, and in some instances, ongoing financial obligation related to the current product, service or property. A replacement product, service or property is identified and a financial transaction proposal, such as a sales or lease proposal, is generated for one or more of the identified previous customers based on customers meeting criteria associated with variable parameters of the proposed transaction.

Abstract: Some embodiments may relate to determining information about a subset of auctions that have one or more chosen characteristics. Some embodiments include capturing data from a plurality of completed auctions; storing the data from the plurality of completed auctions; transmitting information about the data for presentation through an interface of a remote device; receiving, a request to compute statistical data about at least a portion of the plurality of completed auctions; determining the statistical data about the at least the portion of the plurality of completed auctions from at least a portion of the data; and transmitting the statistical data to the remote device of the user through the communication link. Various methods and apparatus are described.

Abstract: Described herein are systems and methods for providing product information. By way of example, embodiments include computer implemented technologies for delivering information related to building and construction products. Embodiments of the invention have been particularly developed for providing users with access to information including, but not limited to, the likes of fire/acoustic rating information, environmental rating information, and warranty information. Whilst some embodiments will be described herein with particular reference to that application, it will be appreciated that the invention is not limited to such a field of use, and is applicable in broader contexts.