Abstract: An invention is disclosed for an information system, method, or process that, among its enabling features, collects, organizes, and disseminates review information from customers with proof of involvement or engagement, such as sales receipts. Such a system, method, or process also provides a more inclusive, reliable, or otherwise effective way of gathering reviews for product, service, and seller and communicating them with consumers.

Abstract: Provided are products for animal use including humans having a certificate verifying at least one of efficacy or safety and methods of providing such certificates.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for authenticating online customer service reviews using unique customer identifiers such as payment data and location data. A customer authentication process is performed before or after a customer who obtains a service from a particular employee of a service provider is asked to complete a review of the employee to verify that the customer completing the review is the customer that received the service from the employee. A payment-based authentication process will check the payment information to determine if the customer's payment information matches their customer review profile, while a location-based authentication process will determine whether the user's mobile device is in the location where the service was performed. Once the authentication process verifies that the customer creating the review, the resulting online customer service review can be identified as an authentic customer review of the service provider, employee and the service.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for obtaining and utilizing online customer service reviews for an individual employee of a service provider such as a business. When a customer receives service from a service provider or business with at least one employee that provided the service, the customer is asked to create an online review for the individual employee which provided the service as opposed to the company in general. The individual employee and service provider in the review are identified and matched with the correct service provider and employee, after which the review is transmitted to the service provider and employee. The reviews may be aggregated into individual profiles for each employee, which can be displayed on the business website or an employee profile website to advertise the employee's customer service. The employee profiles can also be used to award and incentivize each employee to provide better customer service.

Abstract: A system and a method are disclosed including computer software interface, such as a webpage, which allows a user to enter one or more merchant identification information and displays automatically computed merchant score(s) to the user indicating a level of influence and/or quality of the entered merchant(s) as perceived by its customers or other businesses. The displayed merchant score may be computed based on multiple predefined parameters collected from various data sources including social networks like Facebook, Google+, Tweeter®, Linkedin®, and the like, as well as from other sources such as internet blogs, newsletters, industry web portals and discussion forums, commercial databases, chamber of commerce, other ratings, coupons, published articles, reviews, and the like.

Abstract: A method of predicting a quality of a professional based on quality measures of the professional is provided. The method includes collecting recommendations associated with the professional and determining an independent variable for the professional based on the recommendations received for the professional. Here, the independent variable reflects the quality of the professional. The method also includes comparing the independent variable with quality measures associated with the professional and generating a model based on the comparison between the independent variable and the quality measures. The model associates each of the quality measures with the quality of the professional. Particularly, the model assigns a weight to each of the quality measures based on the probativeness of the quality measure in relation to the quality of the professional. Thus, the quality measure of the professional may be used to determine the overall quality of the professional.

Abstract: A method and system whereby an Individual can communicate with an organization, business, service provider, healthcare provider or other enterprise (“Enterprise”) wherein the Enterprise can in turn manage, track, respond to, and automate responses to the communication of the Individual. This bi-directional communication can be conducted using a mobile device such as a smart phone or tablet or through a computer connected to the Internet. The Enterprise has a dashboard-like software application to manage, track, measure, and respond to the Individual that has initiated the communication. The Individual may choose to communicate anonymously with the communication stream moving through a third-party server which can serve as an anonymous proxy for the Individual.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a method comprises receiving, from a digital device by a virtual network server, a wireless network identifier, the wireless network identifier associated with a wireless network, retrieving a network record associated with the wireless network identifier from a plurality of network records, identifying one or more notification messages based on the retrieved network record, the one or more notification messages being associated with one or more customer experience interfaces displayable to a user upon engagement with the respective one or more notification message, and delivering the one or more notification messages and the one or more customer experience interfaces to the digital device thereby enabling a user to view and engage at least one of the one or more notification messages to access at least one of the one or more customer experience interfaces.

Abstract: One embodiment provides a system for recommending products. The system may include a search engine to retrieve, from a collection of product reviews, product review results using at least two input product names. The system may also include a template builder to build comparative sentence templates to define relationships between at least two product names, in which each comparative sentence template has a weight as a function of the defined relationship, and the search engine extracts one or more snippets matching at least one of the comparative sentence templates within each product review result. The system may further include a review ranking device to rank the product review search results based on the one or more extracted snippets, in which each snippet has a same weight as its matched comparative sentence template.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides for search optimization of searches for establishments. Social network communications posted at one or more social media networking sites are monitored by a social network server from which one or more indicators of popularity of the establishment can be determined by the social network server. A popularity score of the monitored establishment or establishments may be generated from the determined indicators of popularity. In response to a search query, the popularity score of the monitored establishments may be returned by the social network server as a search result to a user via an electronic communication device.

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: Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for measuring how well interactive components of a service facility that are accessible to users through a communication network perform in serving users, the interactive components being a proper subset of all of the interactive components of the service facility, and using the results of the measuring to evaluate the performance of the service facility with respect to a target performance.

Abstract: A user is prompted to provide a review at a point of sale. Review data is received from the user. The review data is transmitted to a reputation platform configured to evaluate the received review data. If the review data indicates a positive review, a review request action is commenced. If the review data indicates a negative review, a remedial action is commenced.

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 system and method is provided for managing and publishing feedback using a merchant-independent and user-centric approach. The system comprises means for registering a user. The system also provides means for collecting, from the registered user, information verifiably indicating, to an appreciable extent, that the user has used a product identified by the collected information. The system further provides means for matching the product to an officially identified product stored in a product database. The system additionally provides means for enabling the user to provide only a single instance of feedback on the matched product. The system further provides means for enabling the user to view the feedback provided by the user on the matched product as well as the feedback provided by other registered users on the matched product.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods, devices, and systems for allowing a novice user to create, manage, and distribute maps, map-based games, and simulations in any environment, with map tiles from any map provider. Users are allowed to make and manage such maps with a universal map-authoring application, thereby increasing its desirability among other novice users.

Abstract: A system and method for electronically evaluating and selecting schools based on user inputs is provided. The system may include a server for receiving and processing information and preferences of a student provided by a user and databases for storing such information. The system may also receive and process information from alumni and other sources to create a profile for a school. An algorithm provided by the system may be used to provide the user a report and custom ranking of schools based on the student information and preferences, and school profiles.

Abstract: To improve reliability of feedback information on service, provided is an information processing apparatus including a communication unit, a storage, and a controller. The communication unit is capable of receiving first use information indicating that a first user has used a first service-providing facility and first feedback information on service of the first service-providing facility, the first feedback information being input in a user terminal and associated with the first use information. The storage is capable of storing the received first use information and first feedback information in association with each other. The controller is capable of executing predetermined information processing for indicating that the stored first feedback information has high reliability.

Abstract: Methods of rating and ranking foods based on various dimensions of where food and food business has originated from are provided. In some embodiments, the methods can comprise scalable and strategic ways to increase the visibility of local food products in grocery stores or food service providers (such as restaurants). In some embodiments, this can be done through on-shelf, on-menu, or on-product labelling, a rating system for how local a food product is, a conventional URL (uniform resource locator) link and/or a quick-response link (a URL that a smart phone can scan) that can allow customers to pursue further information about a product from a point of sale or distribution. The link can lead to a website or other page destination (ie. such as through an app), that can provide a database of participating local food producers/processors who retail in grocery stores or supply restaurants and other food distributors.

Abstract: The present invention is embodied in adaptive rating methods and systems. The adaptive rating method includes receiving a first rating for a first product from a user, receiving a second rating for a second product from the user, identifying a conflict with a processor by comparing the first rating and the second rating, soliciting feedback from the user to remedy the conflict, and adjusting at least one of the first or second ratings with the processor responsive to feedback from the user. The steps of the method may be embodied in computer executable instructions stored on a non-transient machine readable medium that cause a processor to perform the method when executed by the processor. The system includes a processor configured to perform the steps of the method.

Abstract: A method for providing information relating to revenue of an enterprise is disclosed. The method embodiment includes receiving, by a server computer, a request from a user for information relating to an enterprise's revenue, and identifying a plurality of business contacts of the user. The business contacts are affiliated with a company with which the enterprise is conducting business to produce revenue. An impact score is determined for each of the business contacts based on impact factors relating to at least an attribute of the business contact, an attribute of a company affiliated with the business contact, and to the business contact's role in completed and pending business transactions between the company and the enterprise. At least one business contact is selected based on its impact score, and a response including information identifying the selected business contact(s) is transmitted by the server to the user.

Abstract: A method and system for a business to manage negative feedback reviews submitted on a public review webpage by a customer. The method includes registering with a review management service, assigning a unique identifier and a profile page to the business, encouraging a customer to submit a review of the business using the unique identifier, and providing, to the business, information from the review management service which enables the business to counter or manage negative reviews. Thereby, a business can be notified when a negative feedback review is submitted by a customer prior to the negative feedback review being submitted to a public review webpage. The method also includes enabling businesses to receive notification of feedback for individual employees to take appropriate corrective action. Further, the business can provide customers with rewards as an incentive or encouragement to complete reviews with the goal of obtaining positive reviews from satisfied customers.

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: A system and method includes obtaining reviews from an electronic commerce site, generating statistics via a specifically programmed machine regarding the reviews by reviewers, identifying reviewers via the machine having statistics indicative of a compensated reviewer, generating scores via the machine for the reviewers indicative of a probability that each reviewer is a compensated reviewer. The method may further or alternatively include monitoring user interactions via a specifically programmed machine with electronic commerce generated content with respect to reviews of products, and providing a reviewer score via the machine responsive to such user interactions, wherein the score is representative of the probability that a reviewer generating the score is compensated with respect to providing reviews.

Abstract: A system and method that obtains and publishes user generated video product reviews by generating a user account and receiving a user generated video review associated with the user account, where the user generated video review comprises audio and video data featuring a reviewed product. A product tag associated with the reviewed product is received. A product description is associated to the reviewed product based on the product tag. The user generated video review is approved if a set of criteria are met. An incentive is distributed to the user account associated with the user generated video review. The user generated video review is stored to a database comprising a plurality of user generated video reviews. The user generated video review is published.

Abstract: An evaluation system includes an evaluation device and a server. The evaluation device includes a detection unit configured to detect a specific action, an ID (identification data) obtaining unit configured to obtain an ID of an evaluation object according to a detection result of the detection unit, a first storage unit configured to store the ID obtained by the ID obtaining unit, and a communication unit configured to transmit the ID to a server and receive evaluation data of the evaluation object from the server. The server includes a second storage unit configured to store the evaluation data of the evaluation object in association with the ID of the evaluation object, a counting unit configured to update the evaluation data of the evaluation object when receiving the ID associated with the evaluation object, and a providing unit configured to transmit the evaluation data to the evaluation device.

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: An approach is provided for identifying and utilizing user experience differential information to improve a user's experience for a given application. The analytics platform determines one or more user experience ratings associated with at least one application, at least one subcomponent of the at least one application, at least one application category, or a combination thereof with respect to one or more device types. The analytics platform processes and/or facilitates a processing of the one or more user experience ratings to determine user experience differential information between the one or more device types.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments relate to a process control system for the automated control of the process-engineering installations with a device management system, wherein the process control system includes at least one central facility and also a plurality of field devices. The device management system includes at least one function for integrating a field device into the process control system. For the purpose of transmitting experiences of the users to the system provider, at least one component of the process control system includes a user interface for rating the integration solution, capturing the rating, and transmitting the rating from the user to a system provider for evaluation.

Abstract: A platform facilitates buyers, sellers, and third parties in obtaining information related to each other's transaction histories, such as a supplier's shipment history, the types of materials typically shipped, a supplier's customers, a supplier's expertise, what materials and how much a buyer purchases, buyer and shipper reliability, similarity between buyers, similarity between suppliers, and the like. The platform aggregates data from a variety of sources, including, without limitation, customs data associated with actual import/export transactions, non-public shipper records, and facilitates the generation of reports as to the quality of buyers and suppliers, the reports relating to a variety of parameters that are associated with buyer and supplier quality.

Abstract: A sale of a product or service may trigger a third party, such as a payment provider, to arrange for the collection of individual post-sale market data from the consumer. Alternatively, such post-sale market data may be directly provided by smart devices and the like. Dependent upon the type of product or service involved, a schedule for continuously submitting post-sale market data for the product or service may be provided and the consumer may be encouraged to submit post-sale market data in accordance therewith through a variety of incentives. The received, individual, post-sale market data may be aggregated by one or more sources to determine aggregate post-sale market data for the product or service. The submitted individual data and/or the determined aggregate post-sale market data may then be provided to consumers in order to assist them in making purchasing decisions.

Abstract: Feedback corresponding to a plurality of portions of an electronic book is collected. The feedback is analyzed to determine rating information corresponding to the plurality of portions. The rating information and a current reading position associated with a client device are used to determine information to be presented at the client device. In some instances, the feedback includes one or more implicit indicators.

Abstract: Systems, methods and computer-readable media facilitate consumer reviews of employees that are on duty at the time a receipt is printed. A code is printed on a receipt provided to the consumer where the code includes data representing the employees that are working when the receipt is printed. A review site receives the data encoded on the receipt. The review site retrieves descriptive data (name, picture, position etc.) for the on-duty employees identified by the code on the receipt. The review site presents the descriptive data along with a review user interface.

Abstract: A method, system and program product for providing distribution of customer feedback pertaining to an aspect of a retail environment. The method includes creating either a text, an audio or visual tag for inputting into a tool, feedback from customers using a plurality of devices, the tag including either a product-related or a location-related tag that can be used to extrapolate on the feedback. The method further includes identifying respective locations of customers, collecting in real-time the feedback inputted by the customers and providing a user, a customer that has provided feedback or not, access to the feedback collected based on either an inquiry submitted to the tool by the user or based on a current location of the user identified by the tool. The method further includes retrieving in real-time a subset of the feedback collected based on either the inquiry submitted or the current location of the user.

Abstract: A system and method that obtains and publishes user generated video product reviews by generating a user account and receiving a user generated video review associated with the user account, where the user generated video review comprises audio and video data featuring a reviewed product. A product tag associated with the reviewed product is received. A product description is associated to the reviewed product based on the product tag. The user generated video review is approved if a set of criteria are met. An incentive is distributed to the user account associated with the user generated video review. The user generated video review is stored to a database comprising a plurality of user generated video reviews. The user generated video review is published.

Abstract: A tool for evaluating support services may correlate those services with an array of factors that define a business environment and then identify the business services that are most directly correlated to those factors. In exemplary embodiments, a tool may prompt a user for input concerning business issues and objectives; correlate those issues and objectives to a plurality of available software support services such as maintenance, optimization, architecture planning, implementation, administration and systems integration services; select the services that most directly address the particular needs and objectives identified by the user; and calculate a return on investment (ROI) associated with satisfaction of identified business objectives through implementation of the selected support services.

Abstract: An evaluation system includes a device including a processor and a memory storing a program and a first external apparatus. The program is configured to cause the processor to function as an action detecting unit that detects a predefined action, an identification information obtaining unit that obtains identification information of an evaluation target when the predefined action is detected by the action detecting unit, an identification information storing unit that stores the obtained identification information in a storage, and a transmitting unit that transmits the identification information stored in the storage to the first external apparatus. The first external apparatus includes an evaluation information calculating unit that calculates and updates evaluation information of the evaluation target associated with the identification information received from the device.

Abstract: A system and method for managing content are provided herein. The method includes accepting a content entry related to a product. The method also includes receiving a content rating for the content entry from a user. Additionally, the method includes calculating a combined rating for the content entry based at least in part on the content rating. Furthermore, the method includes determining a persistent status of the content entry based on the combined rating.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a system and method for generating and displaying review scores. The method includes obtaining product information of a consumer electronics product. The product information includes at least one metric. Further, the method includes utilizing the at least one metric to generate a consumer review score of the consumer electronics product.

Abstract: An energy management network is provided, comprising: at least one thermostat controller operable to control HVAC equipment on a premise, the at least one thermostat controller being installed by a installer; an environmental web service, operable to communicate with the at least one thermostat controller across a network and provide a registered user with remote portal access and control to the at least one thermostat controller; and wherein the environmental web service is operable to query the registered user through one of the remote portal access and the thermostat controller to rate the installation experience provided by the associated installer of their at least one thermostat controller, and receive installation experience data from the registered user.

Abstract: Techniques are provided which collect user generated online review information related to a product, and detecting at least information related to an assessment or opinion related to the product included within user generated online communication information. The information related to an assessment or opinion related to the product may be extracted. It may be determined whether the online review information and the information related to an assessment or opinion include fraudulent information. The fraudulent information from the online review information and the information related to an assessment or opinion may be filtered out to generate genuine online review information and genuine information related to an assessment or opinion. The genuine online review information and the genuine information related to an assessment or opinion may each be assigned respective weights, and integrated to create a review summary for the product.

Abstract: A technique is disclosed for ranking venues and for providing a user with one or more of the ranked venues. To do so, a data processing system trains a model during a first, training sequence, by using a training dataset of past check-ins that were made by users visiting venues. The trained model, representing a learned hypothesis, represents venues that are ranked according to their relevance to users who are also represented by the model. During a second, run-time sequence, the system receives real-time geolocation data that represents users and generates a set of candidate venues for a user by determining venues that are nearby the geolocation of the user. The system then ranks the generated candidate venues by applying the learned hypothesis. One or more of the ranked venues can be provided to a user's wireless terminal, for example, where they can be presented as venue recommendations.

Abstract: A method to provide information about media products available through a media distribution platform enables users of the media distribution platform to communicate information about media products via social network messages. Upon selection of an option by a user to communicate information about a media product via a social network message, the media distribution platform generates a pre-filled social network message that includes an identifier of the media product. In addition to allowing information about media products to be communicated via the social network, the media product identifier also enables the media distribution platform to retrieve information about a media product's popularity as indicated by the number of social network messages that include the identifier. This information can be utilized to enhance and personalize user media product recommendations through the media distribution platform.

Abstract: Data records containing user feedback regarding at least one offering are received. From among candidate attributes in the received data records, a subset of attributes that relate to user sentiment regarding the at least one offering is selected, where the selecting is according to selection criteria including frequency of occurrence of the candidate attributes, relative amounts of negative and positive feedback associated with the candidate attributes, and time density of feedback associated with the candidate attributes. A visualization of at least one sentiment characteristic of the selected subset of attributes that relate to user sentiment is presented for display.

Abstract: A product recommender system where product ratings from a plurality of users are represented as plurality of vectors is disclosed. The ratings vectors are represented by a mean vector and a covariance matrix. The mean vector and the covariance matrix are estimated from a data-set of known product ratings. Product ratings are predicted using the mean vector and the covariance matrix.

Abstract: A method and system for providing personalized reviews to a user. The method includes identifying multiple reviews, provided by multiple reviewers, on an entity; generating multiple profiles corresponding to the multiple reviewers; classifying the reviewers into one or more groups, each of the one or more groups includes a corresponding list of similar reviewers; mapping the user to a group, of the one or more groups, corresponding to the entity; and displaying one or more reviews, provided by the list of similar reviewers, along with comments associated with the one or more reviews. The system includes an electronic device, a communication interface, a memory and a processor to identify multiple reviews, to generate multiple profiles, to classify the reviewers into one or more groups, to map the user to a group and to display one or more reviews along with comments associated with the one or more reviews.

Abstract: A computer enabled system operating over a network such as the internet, employing software adapted to register both users and recipients of user reviews. The system endeavors to maintain the accuracy of product and service provider ratings by employing a relational database of users and review recipients stored in relational databases in electronic memory. Users input evaluations of providers which may be reviewed by providers and accepted and published or contested. Mitigation services between users and providers are provided to allow restitution to render evaluations acceptable to providers. Electronic identifiers associated with users may be employed to prevent multiple evaluations by supposed different users and prevent skewing ratings of providers.

Abstract: A method and system for a review company providing prompt verified customer-generated reviews for service businesses. A review company provides review-production assistance to the service business' customers and a publicly accessible web site for posting verified customer-generated reviews. The customer produces a customer-generated review, optionally including supplying the customer's email address. If the customer does not supply a valid email address, that customer's review is forwarded to the reviewed service business and is not verified. If the customer does supply a valid email address, the review company sends a verification email to that email address requesting a verification response. If no response is received by the review company within a predetermined time, customer's review not posted. If a verification response is received by the review company within a predetermined time, that customer's review is forwarded to the reviewed service business and is posted.

Abstract: The present invention provides a peer-to-peer (P2P) network for providing real time media recommendations. The P2P network includes a central server interconnecting a number of peer devices. In operation, a proxy function of the central server receives media recommendations from one or more peer devices that are active and online as media presentations identified by the media recommendations are played by the peer devices. The one or more peer devices are included in a group of peer devices associated with a first peer device. The proxy function provides the media recommendations to the first peer device. An augmentation function of the central server monitors a recommendation level of the first peer device. If the recommendation level falls below a minimum recommendation level, the augmentation function augments the media recommendations provided to the first peer device to increase the recommendation level to or above the minimum recommendation level.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to a method and an apparatus for providing reviews and feedback for professional service providers (PSP). More particularly, the invention encompasses a method and an apparatus for providing reviews and feedback on customers or organizations by a professional service provider who has worked with the customer or the organization. The present invention is also directed to one or more data bases that are accessible to professional service providers either prior to or during or after performing a work assignment for a specific customer or organization. The present invention also encompasses a rating system and/or reviews by a professional service provider either prior to or during or after performing a work assignment for a specific customer, on not only for the job but also on the client or customer. Ads for generating income could also be displayed or transmitted during any communication.