Abstract: A system and method for constructing an ID code for a loyalty program from non-restricted information from a payment card or other ID card having restricted information.

Abstract: An apparatus and method present to a consumer information during consumer idle periods. A signal indicating the start of idle time is used to present to the consumer various offers. The interactions are planned based on previously acquired consumer data, the current transaction, the venue of the transaction, the time of day and the date of the transaction, and the estimated time available. The method of the invention collects information about the customer utilizing a point-of-sale terminal. Information concerning the customer's transactions are accumulated and analyzed and the resulting information is used to improve the efficiency of the customer's next interaction with the system. The efficiency increase results from a fitting of a set of possible dialogues, into the idle time, so as to select a set of dialogues and their order that will provide the highest value.

Abstract: A system and method for constructing an ID code for a loyalty program from non-restricted information from a payment card or other ID card having restricted information.

Abstract: Apparatus, and a corresponding method, present to a customer various forms of information (product, brand . . . ) during periods where the customer is idle. A signal indicating the start or impending start of idle time is used to present to the customer various offers in a series of interactions between a computer interface and the customer. The interactions are planned based on previously acquired information about the customer, the current transaction, the venue of the transaction, the time of day and the date of the transaction, and the history of prior customer activities. The method of the invention enables a system of computers to collect information about the characteristics of a customer in a retail, banking or service establishment utilizing a point-of-sale terminal, which has input and output devices that the customer can use to communicate with the system of computers for identification purposes and to select from various options presented to the customer.

Abstract: Apparatus, and a corresponding method, configured into a system, and using the prior history of a venue, similar venue, user or similar user, to present activities to said user operating in a time constrained manner, such that activities that must complete are unlikely to be present to the user and that activities that can be terminated with minimal impact on the user are likely to be presented when the time constraint is reached. The system is composed of: user terminals in various venues; an activity database with must-complete and terminate-able activities who's probable duration can be estimated; a mechanism to estimate the time available to present activities to the user; an activity selection means that chooses the activity type based on the likelihood that the activity will complete within the remaining time available for activities; and activity termination mechanisms for each type of activity.

Abstract: A system for scheduling activities at a user terminal, normally associated with a point-of-service station, such that the activity selected is based on the prior history of activities presented to the user and their effect on the expected value of the candidate activities.

Abstract: A system for scheduling activities at a user terminal associated with a point-of-service station, such that the users idle time is exceeded when the value of the idle time is likely to exceed the cost of overrunning the primary transaction associated with the point-of-service station. When the cost of overrun is expected to be greater than the value of the activity the activity is not presented to the user. This determination is made by using value criteria, the expected value of the activity, and the expected overrun of the activity. Additionally, the value criteria may be modified by the interarrival time of users at the point-of-service station or the utilization of the point-of-service station.

Abstract: Apparatus, and a corresponding method, present to a users various activities to the user, when the user is using a terminal in a manner that uses prior history of the actions of the user to prepare dialogs for the user that are more efficient. That is, take fewer actions or less time on the part of the user to complete the activities.

Abstract: Apparatus, and a corresponding method, present to a consumer various forms of information (information, ads, offers to sell . . . ) during periods where the consumer is idle, where the forms of information are based on the consumer's prior purchases. The system being comprised of one or more user terminals that present activities to the user, and one or more servers that collect, store and disseminate the information used in this process. A first server monitors the purchases of the user and transmits these to a second server, which consolidates the data into the user database. The second server correlates the user database containing the prior purchases and an activity database, to provide the correlation between the products and the activities, and disperses the correlation data to the appropriate first servers. The activities are then selected by the first server based on a correlation to prior purchases of the user, when the user subsequently uses one of the terminals.