Abstract: The present invention provides a method and system for depicting an online map of a route along with any incidents on the route. To create the map, a consumer first provides the origination and destination addresses of the route, then a proposed route is provided for their approval. The consumer may modify the proposed route or accept it. Next, the route is analyzed to determine if any incidents have occurred upon it. This analysis comprises preparing the route by creating regions of interest around segments composing the route, examining if any traffic incidents fall within one or more of the regions of interest, and determining for those incidents if the incident is closer than a threshold value to any segment on the route. The final route along with any incidents on the route is then depicted for the consumer.

Abstract: A method and system are provided for performing database queries with geographic inputs that are converted to a direct marketing area prior to performing the query. Direct marketing areas define geographic locations as discrete areas of interest that may be more useful than city limits or a specific geographic location (e.g., latitude/longitude). Direct marketing areas are more useful geographic designations for purposes of advertising and marketing. A geographic input, such as a city and state, or a latitude and longitude are converted to a direct marketing area. The direct marketing area is then substituted for the entered geographic parameter (e.g., city and state or latitude and longitude), and the requested database query is performed.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a method and system for managing a session of SMS messages between a service provider and a mobile device. An SMS message sent by a service provider includes a session key, such as a cookie, and the addresses for the mobile device and the service provider. An SMS gateway replaces the service provider's address in the SMS message with another address assigned to the gateway and stores the session key in a database. The modified SMS message is forwarded to the mobile device. When the mobile device replies to the modified SMS message and a timestamp has not expired, the SMS gateway replaces the other address provided by the gateway with the service provider's address and adds the session key to the modified SMS reply. The modified SMS reply and the Cookie is then forwarded to the service provider for processing.

Abstract: Disclosed is a multi-purpose transaction card system comprising an issuer, one or more cards, one or more terminals, and optionally one or more acquires, communicating using a variety of cryptographic confidentiality and authentication methods. Cards authenticate messages using public key based cryptographic without themselves performing the extensive computations usually associated with such cryptography. Integrity of complex transaction sequences and plural card storage updates are maintained even under intentionally generated interruptions and/or modifications of data transmitted between card and terminal. Cards do not reveal any information to the terminal which is not directly necessary for the transaction or any information to which the terminal should not have access, though externally measurable aspects of its behavior. Transaction types supported include those suitable for off-line credit cards, in which the “open to buy” is maintained on the card.

Abstract: Described is a system and method that integrates a user's browsing experience with the placement of telephone calls, and to generating a revenue stream for third party service providers that direct the calls to selected telephone carriers. An autodialer runs on a computing device and routes user's calls to selected carrier's networks based on optional embodiments for carrier selection. The telephone carrier can be pre-selected by an autodialer or be user selected from an ordered list. Predetermined selections may be based on the carrier bidding the least cost, or optionally, the carrier bidding the highest reward. The rank ordering of telephone carriers can be based on a figure of merit. The telephone carriers can be rank ordered based on the carrier most often selected by the users; or optionally based on the highest reward offered to the third party service provider by the carrier.

Abstract: A server routes one's incoming messages to his/her communication devices according to his/her routing preferences, and modifies the messages as needed. For example, the server can route an incoming page to one's email account and, if necessary, modify the page so that it is compatible with the email client. Thus, the server enables a number of diverse features such as: selection of routing topology (direct or indirect), translation of network restrictions, conditioning a synchronous communication for reception by an asynchronous device, message encryption, and callback or “buddy list” services.

Abstract: A system method for facilitating presentation of subject categorizations for use in an on-line search query engine is described. A synonym list is built including a set of synonym entries. Each synonym entry includes a synonym name and a heading code. The synonym list is arranged in order of synonym name. A search query is accepted from a user on the on-line search query engine. The search query is normalized into a standardized word form with at least one word in the standardized word form matching one of the synonym names in the synonym list. Each of the synonym entries in the synonym list having at least one synonym name matching the at least one word in the standardized word form is retrieved. A heading list including a set of heading entries is accessed. Each heading entry includes a heading name and a heading code. The heading list is arranged in order of heading code.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for automatically filling in electronic forms online with a user's personal data. A location identifier, such as a URL, of a form originating server and a form location on the server that corresponds to an online form is transmitted to a form filling server. A user identifier, such as one contained in a cookie, is also transmitted to the form filling server. The location identifier of the form originating server and the location of the form on the form filling server is decoded or parsed on the form filling server. This allows the form filling server to open a connection between the form filling server and the form originating server. The form originating server is then requested to provide the form filling server with the online form so that the form filling server has a similar view of the online form as the user does.

Abstract: Apparatus, methods, and computer program products are disclosed for constructing and transmitting an executable software module on a personal information server to a remote computer. The software module is constructed such that once received by a browser displaying a form, it is executed and user data is automatically inserted into an electronic form. The software module contains field names from a downloaded form and matching data items which are inserted into the form on the remote user computer. A method for constructing a shippable software module on a personal information server suitable for execution on a remote computer for inserting data strings into an electronic form is described. A form mapping containing a set of associations between fields in the electronic form (“non-standard fields”) and pre-named fields (“standard fields”) on the personal information server is retrieved. Each mapping is associated with a registered electronic form.

Abstract: A system and method for receiving, distributing, and exchanging electronic discount coupons over a computer network such as the Internet. The system comprises a plurality of client computers, a coupon server, an honoring server and an issuing server. In one embodiment, the coupon server receives a plurality of electronic coupons for storage in a database. The coupon server transmits data indicative of a description of at least one electronic coupon to at least one client computer, and then receives a signal indicative of a selection of at least one electronic coupon. In response to the request, the coupon server performs an exchange of electronic coupons, wherein the exchange includes the receipt of data representing a new electronic coupon from one client computer in trade for a transmission of data representing the selected electronic coupon.

Abstract: A method for establishing and maintaining a virtual outlet (“VO”) relationship on the Internet between an entity that controls and manages a Web site constituting a VO and a merchant that controls and manages a different Web site. The VO presents a series of VO Web pages to customers that contain descriptive information about products from one or more merchants. Customers can link through the VO Web pages directly to a merchant Web page provided to the customer computer by the merchant computer for the purpose of obtaining more detailed information about the product and for ordering the product. When the customer has finished ordering a product, the customer computer returns to a VO Web page. To the customer, it appears that the entire ordering process is conducted entirely within the VO Web pages. The merchant then credits the VO for the sale of the product to the customer, charges the purchase to the customer, and sends the ordered product to the customer.

Abstract: A system and method for organizing search categories for use in an on-line search query engine based on a geographic description is described. The city list is compiled into entries in a database organized by an official name for each city in the city list. A virtual city list is compiled into entries in a database organized by an unofficial name for each virtual city in a virtual city list. A friendly name list is compiled into entries in a database organized by a pseudonym for each friendly name in a friendly name list. A search query engine includes a user interface receiving a location descriptor presenting the search categories organized by an actual location. The search query engine also includes a resolution module resolving the actual location from the location descriptor using at least one of the official name in the city list, the unofficial name in the virtual city list, and the friendly name in the friendly name list.

Abstract: Disclosed is a multi-purpose transaction card system comprising an issuer, one or more cards, one or more terminals, and optionally one or more acquires, communicating using a variety of cryptographic confidentiality and authentication methods. Cards authenticate messages using public key based cryptographic without themselves performing the extensive computations usually associated with such cryptography. Integrity of complex transaction sequences and plural card storage updates are maintained, even under intentionally generated interruptions and/or modifications of data transmitted between card and terminal. Cards do not reveal any information to the terminal which is not directly necessary for the transaction or any information to which the terminal should not have access, though externally measurable aspects of its behavior. Transaction types supported include those suitable for off-line credit cards, in which the “open to buy” is maintained on the card.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and system for depicting an online map of a route along with any incidents on the route. To create the online map of a route along with any incidents on the route, a consumer first provides the origination and destination addresses of the route. Once the consumer provides the origination and destination addresses of the route a proposed route is provided for their approval. The consumer may modify the proposed route or accept it as the final route they desire. Next, the route is analyzed to determine if any traffic incidents have occurred upon it based on retrieved incident information compared with the route. This analysis comprises preparing the route by creating regions of interest around the segments composing the route, examining if any traffic incidents fall within one or more of the regions of interest, and then determining for those incidents that do fall within a region of interest if the incident is closer than a threshold value to any segment on the route.

Abstract: A universal shopping cart is provided that obtains and orders products and services from different merchants located on the Internet. The consumer completes all of their shopping on the shopping site and is not directed to another merchant's site to complete an order. The universal shopping cart provides a monitoring service that allows the consumer to monitor a product for specified criteria. The order injection system places orders for products contained within the universal shopping cart from affiliated and non-affiliated merchants. Specific ordering details required from merchants external to the shopping site are hidden from the consumer. For external merchant sites that require a consumer account before allowing the product to be purchased, the shopping site creates a new consumer account without intervention from the consumer. Once the products are ordered, the consumer may keep track of the ordered products from the shopping site.

Abstract: A system and method for integrating calendaring and reservation processes are provided. A user obtains an appointment request. A personal information management application determines whether one or more reservations, including travel reservations, are needed as part of the appointment. Accordingly, the user can accept the appointment request and make the appropriate reservation as a single transaction.

Abstract: A method and system for facilitating the transfer of funds with a telephonic identifier are provided. A payor accesses a funding manager server utilizing a first identifier. The payor funds an account associated with the payor. Contemporaneously or subsequently, the payor designates an amount to transfer to a payee account associated with a second telephone number identifier. If the second telephone number corresponds to an active account in the funding system, the funding system transfers the funds to the payee account and notifies the payee via the telephone number. If the second telephone number does not correspond to an active account, the funding manager server obtains payee information utilizing a reverse look up and creates a payee account associated with the payee telephone number. The funding system transfers the designated funds to the payee account and notifies the payee how to retrieve the funds via the payee telephone number.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and system for depicting an online map of a route along with any incidents on the route. To create the online map of a route along with any incidents on the route, a consumer first provides the origination and destination addresses of the route. Once the consumer provides the origination and destination addresses of the route a proposed route is provided for their approval. The consumer may modify the proposed route or accept it as the final route they desire. Next, the route is analyzed to determine if any traffic incidents have occurred upon it based on retrieved incident information compared with the route. This analysis comprises preparing the route by creating regions of interest around the segments composing the route, examining if any traffic incidents fall within one or more of the regions of interest, and then determining for those incidents that do fall within a region of interest if the incident is closer than a threshold value to any segment on the route.

Abstract: A system and method for managing data within a database are provided. A client computer transmits an execution request to an information processing server. The information processing server obtains the request and identifies a database record index associated with the execution request. The processed execution request is transmitted to the client computing device without the database record index.

Abstract: A method and system are provided for performing database queries with geographic inputs that are converted to a direct marketing area prior to performing the query. Direct marketing areas define geographic locations as discrete areas of interest that may be more useful than city limits or a specific geographic location (e.g., latitude/longitude). Direct marketing areas are more useful geographic designations for purposes of advertising and marketing. A geographic input, such as a city and state, or a latitude and longitude are converted to a direct marketing area. The direct marketing area is then substituted for the entered geographic parameter (e.g., city and state or latitude and longitude), and the requested database query is performed.