Abstract: A store ranking device calculates, for each of stores, a store score of the store based on purchase information and a producer score, ranks the stores based on the calculated store scores, and outputs ranking information indicating the ranks of the stores, the purchase information including information indicating at least one producer who provides the store with a product and information indicating a quantity of the product provided by the at least one producer, and the producer score being determined for each of the at least one producer and indicating sensitivity of the at least one producer to sustainability of a society.

Abstract: Methods and systems are described that detail the rapid validation of scientific products and scientist consumer information derived from multiple science/research based sources, such as peer-reviewed scientific publications and online resources, for example, as well as any other available tasked forum or venue. The refined information will facilitate unique product evaluation opportunities via an accessible website/forum, trade shows, etc., and provide previously unknowable sales leads, market intelligence, and targeted advertising opportunities for product manufacturers.

Abstract: A system and method for rating of each of plural products comprising identifying plurality of attributes associated with a category of product, applying a scalar structure for each attribute to provide scalar value of each attribute for each of the plural products, determining an incremental competitive index for each attribute of each product based on the scalar value of each attribute and a number of products having the scalar value, and rating each product based on the determined competitive index.

Abstract: An information providing device includes a first object specifying unit that, by referring to a comparison history database that stores comparison information and a reservation record database that stores reservation information, specifies an object of trading included in the comparison information and not included in the order information corresponding to the comparison information as a first object of trading, a second object extraction unit that, by referring to the above databases, extracts a second object of trading compared with the first object of trading and ordered from a user, a recommendation information generation unit that generates recommendation information based on trading object information of the second object of trading read from a facility database that stores trading object information, and a transmitting unit that presents the recommendation information to an offerer of the first object of trading.

Abstract: An assessment system for assessment of Open Source Software (OSS) products including a computation module configured to receive a rating, for product criterions of each OSS product from an assessor, based on product parameters of each of the OSS products. The product criterions are associated with one or more product categories. The computation module is further configured to compute a product weighted score for each product criterion based at least on the rating and then generates a product scorecard for each OSS product. Upon generation of the product scorecards, an assessing module is configured to identify an optimum OSS product amongst the OSS products based on the assessment of the product scorecard and a benchmark scorecard of an OSS product.

Abstract: A feedback system including a controller configured to: register a system account for each of a plurality of users, wherein the feedback system account includes a unique identification code for each of the plurality of users; provide a graphic user interface through which a first user: generates a request for feedback; selects one or more groups to which to communicate the request for feedback, where in the selection of the groups includes associating one or more unique identification codes with each of the groups; receives feedback from at least a second user associated with a unique identification code associated with one of the groups, wherein, upon receipt of the feedback from the second user, the first user is automatically authorized to reply to the second user; and accesses feedback analytics related to the feedback received in response to the request for feedback.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention may reduce the amount of time a consumer spends coordinating a move. A system is provided which may guide the consumer through the process of planning the move, including developing an inventory of items to be transported. Based on the consumer's plan, quotes for the move may be provided from multiple movers, and each quote may be an exact price that a mover will charge, rather than merely an estimate. To enable movers to provide exact quotes, some embodiments of the invention implement a standard pricing methodology. The system may allow movers to define pricing information in accordance with the methodology, and this information may be used to calculate a quote for a move when a consumer requests one.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for rating a product is disclosed. The method comprises accessing ratings data associated for a plurality of versions of a product; causing display of an indicator, on a timeline, for each version in the plurality of versions; causing display of ratings, on the timeline, for a version of the product; receiving a request to view ratings for a version of the product different from the indicated version; and updating the timeline with ratings for the different version of the product.

Abstract: Systems and associated processes for guiding users to provide more useful reviews are described. These systems and processes can provide guided reviews in certain embodiments by presenting questions to a user in the form of an interview. The questions can be relevant to the item being reviewed, and as such, may be specifically and dynamically selected based on the particular item under consideration. Many other criteria may be used to select the types of questions presented to users, examples of which will be described below. Presenting review questions to users can have the effect of reducing or eliminating the “blank page” effect of having to write a review from scratch, with no guidance. Accordingly, review questions can potentially elicit more thorough and useful feedback than existing review systems in some embodiments.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure may provide an integrated multimedia booth. The integrated multimedia booth may be operative to receive credentials from a user, enable the user to make an online endorsement of an operator of the multimedia booth prior to operating a camera of the multimedia booth, and operate the camera of the multimedia booth once the online endorsement has been made.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to apparatus, systems, and methods for analyzing characteristics of entities of interest. In particular, the present disclosure provides a mechanism for analyzing information about entities of interest and for rating or scoring the entities of interest based on the analyzed information. The rating or the score of an entity of interest can sometimes be referred to as a placerank value of an entity of interest.

Abstract: Described embodiments provide systems and methods for verifying customer reviews. Certain embodiments evaluate the authenticity of a proof-of-purchase provided by a customer. Other embodiments may provide an electronic service that verifies the authenticity of a proof-of-purchase provided by a customer to document a transaction between the customer and a merchant.

Abstract: Appraisal information associated with one or more topics are collected and provided via a graphically displayed interface. The interface is configured to graphically display descriptive appraisal information (language-based descriptors) and quantitative appraisal information (number-based descriptors) associated with a topic in a two-dimensional field as a semi-ordered perceptual map of choices. Such a choice map represents qualitative assessments of a particular topic in a way that facilitates immediate understanding of the feedback from a large number of end-users.

Abstract: Information about a first characteristic of one or more entities related to a first entity is obtained. Then one or more characteristic values are calculated for the first characteristic of the one or more entities related to the first entity. Then a first rating is assigned to the first entity based on the one or more characteristic values for the first characteristic of the one or more entities related to the first entity.

Abstract: Wireless data access is provided for customers using a preexisting merchant data connection. An access point is used to communicate wirelessly with customer-owned or merchant-provided computing devices. The preexisting data communication link includes merchant-generated traffic, such as credit card authorization transactions or corporate electronic mail. A router is configured to combine customer-generated wireless traffic with the merchant-generated traffic and to transport the combined data over the preexisting data communication link. Further features, such as protocol conversion, are also provided.

Abstract: Techniques for advertising are provided. A mobile device is synchronized with a media feed playing on a separate device and metadata for products and services related to the media feed are presented on the mobile device. A user makes comments on selective products and services and actions are performed on the mobile device to assist the user in one or more of: acquiring additional information for the selected products and services, scheduling a time to try out the selected products and services, and purchasing and/or picking up the selected products and services.

Abstract: A system, method and device generate a score for a marketed offering. In one embodiment, the system has a data storage device storing data associated with a contributor-derived factor, a supplemental factor and at least one mathematical formula.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and apparatus for assessing Emotional Motivators of a user and providing a Media Indicator of how compatible a particular subject is to a particular represented via an alphanumeric value associated with each subject evaluated. A Total Personal Values profile may be generated for each user and referenced in generating the alphanumeric value associated with a subject.

Abstract: Methods, systems and machine readable programs on non-transient media for rating of products (such as pre-production digital products) are provided. A pre-production copy of a rhythmic audio composition (e.g. musical product) can be offered for sale online. The musical product can be rated based on a number of the sold pre-production recordings or streams, as well as other factors and purchasers may be rewarded for their music evaluation skills.

Abstract: A device receives offer information associated with one or more products or services, receives customer information, and matches the offer information with the customer information based on one or more of system defined rules or user defined rules. The device also generates matched offer and customer information based on the match, and conveys the matched offer and customer information to one or more customers.

Abstract: A system to measure and monitor product and service effectiveness is disclosed. The system may include a plurality of assessment statements ratings that include a before system rating and an after system rating and present an assessment quiz result back to a user in real time while allowing the user to take the assessment quiz as often as desired. The system may also include a method for measuring and monitoring product and service effectiveness that includes the steps of accessing a provider's website, accessing a plurality of assessment statements on a database run by a data analysis non-transitory storage media and accessing a results dashboard with a plurality of compiled user results.

Abstract: A method for determining a crime deterrent factor of a security system or security equipment includes determining a value for a traceability factor, a robustness factor, an analytics factor, a prosecutions factor and a publicity factor based on attributes of a particular security system or security equipment, wherein the value for each of the factors is determined by comparing the attributes of the particular security system or security equipment against a scale of predetermined attributes each of which have been assigned a value; (i) factoring the traceability value by the robustness value; (ii) factoring the analytics value by the prosecution value; (iii) combining the values obtained by steps (i) and (ii) by either addition or multiplication; and (iv) multiplying the value of step (iii) by the publicity value.

Abstract: A social transit review platform allows a user to create and share a transit review from a first subject to a second subject; the first and second subject being any product, service, venue, etc. The user first creates a personal user account, through which the transit review can be created. Upon creating the transit review, the user can also provide a first subject review or a second subject review for the first subject and second subject, respectively. Comparative review data is then provided by the user to describe the transition from the first subject to the second subject. The first subject review, second subject review, and comparative review data are then organized into the transit review and displayed to other users. A quick transit review can also be generated, to display a number of positive transit reviews and a number of negative transit reviews for a collection of transit reviews.

Abstract: A recommender system may be used to predict a user behavior that a user will give in relation to an item. In an embodiment such predictions are used to enable items to be recommended to users. For example, products may be recommended to customers, potential friends may be recommended to users of a social networking tool, organizations may be recommended to automated users or other items may be recommended to users. In an embodiment a memory stores a data structure specifying a bi-linear collaborative filtering model of user behaviors. In the embodiment an automated inference process may be applied to the data structure in order to predict a user behavior given information about a user and information about an item. For example, the user information comprises user features as well as a unique user identifier.

Abstract: Some embodiments of this disclosure relate to techniques for determining trustworthiness scores for entities in an online environment. Often, the techniques gather behavioral information regarding entities from a number of different online sources, and then process this information to generate the trustworthiness scores. In some embodiments, a portion of one entity's score can be scaled with regards to a corresponding portion of another entity's score. In still other embodiments, an entity can be provided with a trustworthiness score that has different category components.

Abstract: A method for compiling experience ratings for service providers includes receiving a rating of a communication service provided by the service provider from a user of the communication service. The rating has a geographic location and a time associated therewith. The geographic map is updated with the rating that was received from the user.

Abstract: Implementations and techniques for measuring and improving the quality of a user experience are generally disclosed.

Abstract: For a system having a network-enabled device in communication with a computing network, a method of rating a product includes receiving a product identifier of a product from the network-enabled device, determining a product price, determining a brand entity, and defining a geographic perimeter of interest. One or more brand entity economic values attributed to the product are determined, such as a revenue received amount, a wages paid amount, a taxes paid amount, and/or a charitable contribution amount. Economic impact values are determined for the product and relate the product price to the brand entity economic value for the perimeter of interest. The method determines and outputs an economic impact rating to a user of the network-enabled device based the one or more economic impact values.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention may provide a personalized fit prediction to a particular consumer about a particular product. Personalization of the fit prediction may be accomplished by processing various types of data, including data about consumers, products, and previous purchases by consumers. For example, this data may be used to generate a model (e.g., set of rules), which can then be applied to predict whether and/or how well a particular product will suit a particular consumer.

Abstract: An evaluation information identifying device includes an extracting unit that, when, as a result of determining the presence or absence of a correlation between a supplier of an evaluation target and an evaluator having made a positive evaluation on the evaluation target, it is determined that there is a correlation, extracts evaluation information posted by the evaluator on the evaluation target provided by the supplier as specific evaluation information, and an outputting unit that performs specified processing based on the extracted specific evaluation information. It is thereby determined whether the possibility that the evaluator is an interested party to the supplier is high or low, and the evaluation information by an interested party to the evaluation target or the like is identified. It is thereby possible to provide useful evaluation information.

Abstract: A system causes an image of a product and a ratings dashboard to be presented on a client computing device. Interaction with the ratings dashboard causes a quick review summary for the product to be presented. The quick review summary for the product provides a top line visual summary of review information provided by product reviewers which information includes a visualization of at least a number of product reviewers that have given the product each of a plurality of overall product reviewer ratings and a visualization of an average overall product reviewer rating of at least one characteristic of the product. Interaction with the quick review summary for the product may be used to cause a presentation of a more detailed summary of the product reviewer information for the product or information related to all product reviewer reviews for the product which information is further capable of being at least one of sorted and filtered.

Abstract: An endorsement application can allow a user to endorse a product on a social network website when the product is purchased at a physical merchant point of sale terminal. Users of social network websites have been given the opportunity to endorse products that they have located or purchased online, but purchasers of products in person have not had that opportunity. The endorsement application can operate on a user's mobile device and can recognize a product purchased through near field or other communication using the mobile device. The application can isolate the product identification and product marketing data supplied by the point of sale terminal or other source and offer the user the opportunity to endorse the product on a social network website. If the user endorses the product, the application sends the endorsement to the user's account on the social network website for display to the user's community.

Abstract: Methods and systems for content aggregation and distribution are described. Video content may be received from a plurality of sources. The video content may be associated with metadata identifying items included within the video content. A video player may be provided which enables video content to be displayed on a user terminal, and a control may be provided enabling the user to quickly navigate to specific portions of the video content. A viewer of the video content may, in turn, author and provide additional video content. The video player may be embeddable.

Abstract: Detecting, for a content item, associated preference events is disclosed. For the content item, a plurality of preference events from a plurality of users is received. The received preference events are accumulated. Associated events are detected. The effect of the events is reduced when assigning a status to the item.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for location centric user profiling and services. In one aspect, a method includes accessing historical location data specifying physical locations at which user devices were detected; accessing network data for each of the users of the user devices, the network data for each user indicative of subjective preferences of the user; for each of the users, determining physical locations specified by the location data, determining entities from the physical locations and visited by the user, determining for each entity a satisfaction measure that is indicative of a satisfaction of the user with the entity, and generating a user profile for the user specifying topics that are of interest to the user, the entities having been determined to have been visited by the user, and the satisfaction measures of the entities.

Abstract: The objective of this invention is to create real-time and time-shifted wireless messaging system that handles devices pairing and notifications between two or multi-line parties (e.g., waiters and customers). The invention facilitates prompt and wireless communication channels between customers and restaurant staff, increases customer satisfaction and improves customer request fulfillment (i.e., responsiveness). The invention also promotes a professional social network and a recruitment system for hospitality servers where they may review their ratings and promote their services. This social medium will also help food servicing stores and hospitality companies o locate highly qualified servers, assess Quality of Service (QOS) and benchmark with other services directly through system analytics and user interactions and feedback.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a system for enhancing reliability in computation of ratings provided by a user over a social network. The system comprises of a processor and a memory coupled to the processor. The memory further comprises a rater score database, a satisfaction database, a social network registration database, a user profile database, and a plurality of instruction executable by the processor. Said instructions in the memory are enabled to accept a message from at least one user wherein said message comprises a satisfaction score associated with at least one service provider and to retrieve a rater score associated with said at least one user from said rater score database. Further, the memory includes instructions in order to compute a new satisfaction score based on said rater score and said satisfaction score and update said satisfaction database to include said new satisfaction score.

Abstract: Apparatus and a method are disclosed for the assignment of a maturity rating on a piece of literature, namely a book, which requires no extra time or energy from those involved in the process, performed by an original process of assigning a numerical value to portions of a book's literature, which is carried out either by a software apparatus or method involving human involvement, with ratings being obtained under license and recorded in a central database, and displaying that book's category of maturity level to the public during the process of offering a book for consumption in one form or another, in an expression of an already created piece of literature pertaining to only English and not any spin-off language contained within. The rating process uses an established curriculum. Ratings are solely used for advantages to all of those involved.

Abstract: A system and method for providing financial account messages to customers while accessing web sites is disclosed. Methods, systems and articles of manufacture consistent with the present invention enable a financial account issuer to provide an application to customer's computer system over a network. The application may be configured to provide various messages associated with the customer's financial account provided by the financial account issuer while the customer browses web sites. The financial account messages may be configured to provide interactive and dynamically changing account status information based on attempted purchases of goods and/or services by the customer at merchants' web sites. The application may also be configured to provide rating information associated with web sites accessed by the customer.

Abstract: Systems and methods for promoting user generation of content are disclosed. More particularly, embodiments of systems and methods to facilitate the generation of content by users are disclosed. Specifically, in one embodiment, in order to drive generation of desired content, the generation of content by a user may be linked to an opportunity to generate additional content (where the two types of content may be the same or different). In particular, in certain embodiments when a user has generated a first type of content the opportunity to generate a second type of content may be presented to that user.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method of selecting a place from a set of candidate places. The method includes presenting, for display to a user, multiple images, each image being associated with a part of the set of candidate places. The method also includes receiving an indication of a selection of one of the images, reducing the set of candidate places based on the selected image, and repeating the presenting, receiving, and reducing steps.

Abstract: Methods and systems for providing a lifestyle companion system are provided. The lifestyle companion system can provide a platform to conduct a user interview. Based on the user interview responses, the system can suggest activities, references, and/or plug-in modules. During performance of activities, the system can provide audio and/or visual cues related to the activities and collect data indicative of the user's performance. Based on the collected data, the system can dynamically adapt the user's goals and/or activities the user is performing or will perform. In some embodiments of the present invention, the lifestyle companion system of the present invention can be applied to fitness, nutrition, and/or medical modules. The system also can be used to facilitate synchronous group activities.

Abstract: A method for sharing business intelligence information includes creating a plurality of data visualization cards from business intelligence data in response to create requests from a plurality of user accounts. Each data visualization card is associated with the user account that requested its creation. Data visualization cards are also associated with user accounts that did not request their creation in response to collect requests from those user accounts. A social network is created amongst the user accounts using the data visualization cards such that user accounts associated with data visualization cards created from common business intelligence data are linked. A first data visualization card that was created in response to a create request from a first user account may then be provided to a second user account in response to determining that the first user account and the second user account are linked in the social network.

Abstract: Methods for determining a predictive rating are disclosed. In an embodiment, an active user is compared to a set of clusters. One or more of the clusters are determined to be most similar to the active user. From the one or more clusters, K users are determined to be most similar to the active user. Prior ratings for an item by the K users may be used to predict a rating for the item for the active user.

Abstract: In a process for creating media content, media submissions are requested and electronically received from end users and stored in a computer database. The submissions are searched for material to be included in the media content, and cross-checked against the other submissions for originality and timeliness. After the material is selected from one or more submissions, the content is developed and released to an audience for review. The end users whose submission material was included in the released content are rewarded. In one embodiment, third parties are permitted to access and search the submissions on an open exchange. The third parties can bid for rights in submissions on the open exchange. After receiving these bids, they are forwarded to the particular submission's end user for acceptance or rejection. Appropriate billing and payment processes are used to bill and pay the parties involved.

Abstract: A method of ranking a plurality of products includes obtaining a numerical user score for each of the plurality of products, calculating an opinion score for each of the plurality of products for which a written comparison sentiment applies, determining a final score by combining the numerical user rating and the opinion score for each of the plurality of products, and ranking the plurality of products based on the final score. The opinion score is derived from one or more written comparison sentiments containing a first product name and a second product name. In another aspect, a computer readable medium has instructions stored thereon which, when executed, cause a computer to perform a method of ranking a plurality of products including at least a first product and a second product.

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: In order to prevent an increase in posting of inappropriate reviews not helpful to users, a review posting control device (1) includes a restriction setting unit that selects a reviewer having received a specified level or higher of negative evaluations in evaluation information on a posted review, and sets restrictions on posting by the reviewer in accordance with the level of negative evaluations. Posting by the reviewer of the review having received negative evaluations is thereby restricted.

Abstract: Ranking institutions by creating sub-rankings of desirable outcomes, identifying all members of a social network service who have listed a predetermined indicator in their profile, grouping the members by institution, for each sub-ranking, ordering institutions by the proportion of members achieving the outcome of the sub-ranking, and displaying of the ordered institutions by sub-ranking in an interactive display that enables users to select sub-rankings and view institution ranking within sub-rankings In one embodiment the institutions may be undergraduate schools and the predetermined indicator may be a bachelor degree.

Abstract: A method of providing financial advice that includes presenting financial related questions to a user, recording answers to the presented questions and preparing and displaying an advice report by simultaneously displaying one of the recorded answers and a benchmark that represents a predetermined level of practice corresponding to the one of the recorded answers, wherein advice on how to achieve a desired level of practice is rendered by such simultaneous displaying. Providing advice to the user based on the advice report so that the user achieves the desired level of practice.