Abstract: A user provides retailer-specific consents for access and use to private/sensitive information of the user. The private/sensitive information is centrally stored in a privacy vault. Retail services (retailer) that the user subscribes to are provided a user-specific and consent-specific token representing the user and consents to usage of specific private/sensitive information of the user. When the retailer has a need for user-specific private/sensitive information, the retailer presents the user-specific and consent-specific token to the privacy vault. Assuming, the retailer was given access to the requested private/sensitive information defined in the token, the privacy results returns the requested information to the retailer; otherwise, an unauthorized message is returned from the privacy vault to the retailer. The user defines the consents to each retailer and a record of the consents is maintained in the privacy vault.

Abstract: An unrecognized item code is identified during a transaction at a transaction terminal. When the unrecognized code is determined to be associated with a typographical error, alternative corrected item codes are supplied to the transaction terminal to replace the unrecognized code. When the unrecognized code is determined to be missing from a product catalogue, an ordered list of most likely corrected item codes for the unrecognized code is provided to the transaction terminal for selection of one of the corrected item codes by an operator.

Abstract: An ultra-thin Self-Service Terminals (SSTs) is provided. The ultra-thin SST lacks an Operating System (OS). When the ultra-thin SST is powered on, firmware of the ultra-thin SST connects to a virtualized environment over a first network connection and a Virtual Machine (VM) instance having the OS is loaded within the virtualized environment. The OS of the VM instance obtains middleware services from a second network connection to a middleware environment. The middleware services provided authentication, management, and audit services for the VM instance based on the ultra-thin SST.

Abstract: Real-time video is captured of a pickup area for orders at a store. The images are analyzed and tracked for unique orders being placed in the pickup area and orders being removed from the pickup area. A customer-operated device is operated by a customer to identify the store where the customer placed an order in a remote location from the pickup area. Images of the orders that are present within the pickup area and order identifying information for the orders are provided to the customer via the customer-operated device.

Abstract: A system for detecting mounting of a card skimmer at an automated teller machine receives detection data from sensors. The system converts the detection data from the time domain to the frequency domain using a wavelet transform to generate a wavelet matrix of coefficients. The system includes a convolutional neural network model to identify features in the wavelet matrix. The system generates a rain alert signal based on the identified features. The system includes a long short-term memory recurrent neural network model to determine a sequence of (i) an idle state, (ii) a hand approach state, and (iii) a card skimmer mounting state based on the detection data. The system generates a tamper alert signal based on the sequence determination.

Abstract: Data is automatically collected; the data relevant to user attributes. That data is provided as factors for passive authenticating the user for access to a device and/or a resource. In an embodiment, the data is used to establish a profile or a pattern for the user.

Abstract: Various embodiments herein each include at least one of systems, methods, devices, and software voice-device aided operation, such as operation of a store, elements therein, and providing customer assistance, among other voice device capabilities. One embodiment, in the form of a method, includes receiving voice input at a Point-Of-Sale (POS) location, the voice-input including a command utterance. This method may then transmit the voice input via a network to a network service for processing and then receive at least one response to the transmitted voice command upon which a data processing action may be performed, such as providing a voice output based on a received text, manipulating a computing device or an output device thereof, and the like.

Abstract: A first host device housing is provided with a host device and first peripherals. The host device includes a motherboard and an upper core Input/Output (I/O) control board connected to the motherboard within the host device housing. A non-host device housing includes second peripherals and a lower core I/O control board. The host device housing is removably attachable to the non-host device housing to form a modular terminal. The second peripherals are interfaced to the host device through a cable that connects the lower core I/O control board to the upper core I/O control board. Combinations of the host device housing and a selected non-host device housing form different configurations of a modular terminal. Features available to a given configuration of the modular terminal are driven by the first peripherals and the second peripherals.

Abstract: A card reader's motorized transport is controlled by firmware of the reader so as to control a distance that any card can be pulled into the reader during a transaction on a host device. The distance is sufficient enough to allow an embedded chip on the card to be read by a chip read interface but is insufficient to be read by a magnetic read interface. Furthermore, the entire length of the card is prevented from completely passing over the magnetic read interface during the transaction such that any skimmer placed within the reader is physically unable to read the magnetic card information from the magnetic strip of the card. In an embodiment, the firmware is configured to permit only chips from the cards to be read for transactions or configured to turn off chip only reading by permitting both chip reads and magnetic strip reads for each transaction.

Abstract: A principal successfully authenticates for a communication session with a target device. One or more Domain Specific Language (DSL) statements/records assigned to the principal are provided to the target device. The target device translates the DSL statements/records into code, which is executed on the target device to custom set security roles of the principal on the target device during the session. In an embodiment, the one or more DSL statements/records are provided to the target device as an optimized JavaScript® Object Notation (JSON) Web Token (JWT); a payload of the optimized JWT comprising the one or more DSL statements/records as a compressed and enhanced JSON object.

Abstract: A cloud hosting environment configuration interface is provided. Cloud-based services defined in the hosting environment are configured through cloud-based resources using the interface. Previously defined services and their resources can be recalled by reference within the interface and properties and settings for those resources custom modified as needed for a new hosted service. Cloud resources can be added and removed via the interface. In an embodiment, the interface is a Command Line Interface (CLI).

Abstract: A set of values and a condition are provided. The values are sorted and placed in zones based on the condition and first rules. The values are grouped into combinations within select ones of the zones based on second rules while other zones are excluded. Sizes of the combinations are modified and the values are regrouped into new combinations and re-evaluated in view of the second rules. A final combination of the values is identified using third rules. The final combination representing an optimal grouping of the values based on the condition.

Abstract: Techniques for automated mobile transaction processing are provided. A consumer traverses to a web portal or other type of enterprise terminal device of an enterprise and proceeds to shop. During checkout, the portal contacts a transaction service and is delivered back an identifying barcode or Quick Response (QR) code. The consumer uses a mobile device to scan the code and send it to the transaction service. Previously registered payment details of the consumer are located and payment is received from the consumer. The portal is notified that payment is completed by the transaction service.

Abstract: A culture is defined that spans multiple retailers. Transaction data from the multiple retailers are processed to map barcoded item codes to a culture item vector space. Any non-barcoded item for a given retailer associated with the culture is linked to a most similar barcoded item of that retailer based on a retailer-specific item vector space. The distances between the mapped barcoded item codes of the culture item vector space are processed to cluster the barcoded item codes into classifications within the culture vector space. Each retailers non-barcoded items are associated to the classifications of the culture item vector space based on their linkages to the retailers' specific barcoded items, which are already mapped within the culture item vector space. Each item code of a given retailer's item catalogue is linked to its corresponding classification.

Abstract: A transaction is detected on a transaction terminal. A first code is presented on a display of the transaction terminal that is encoded with an identifier and a passcode for a wireless connection between the transaction terminal and a mobile device operated by a customer. The mobile device processes the code to wirelessly connect to the transaction terminal using the identifier and the passcode. A second code is presented on a display of the transaction terminal. The second code when captured by the mobile device causes a transaction interface to be remoted from the transaction terminal to the mobile device over the wireless connection. The transaction continues with interactions provided on the mobile device and processed on the transaction terminal without any customer touching of the display of the transaction terminal and without any customer touching of any keys or keypad of the transaction terminal.

Abstract: Item recognition of a given item is trained on a single item from different views. The item recognition is then trained on images of the given item partially occluded by a second item having same, similar, or different shapes and features to that of the given item. General features of the item are noted and used to detect the given item when the given item is presented with multiple different items having multiple different occluded views.

Abstract: The various embodiments herein each include at least one of systems, methods, and software for presence aware terminals. Some such embodiments enable a user carrying a mobile device, such as a smartphone, tablet, smartwatch, or a handheld computing device having a radio device (e.g., BLUETOOTH® or Near-Field Communication (NFC)) to be automatically recognized at a terminal. One such embodiment is in the form of a method that executes on a terminal. This method includes transmitting a first signal encoded with data identifying a device-type and receiving a second signal encoded with data including an account identifier. The method may then present a user interface to facilitate user interaction with an account of the account identifier.

Abstract: Resource metrics are obtained for resources from distributed resources associated with operations of an enterprise. Metric types from the distributed resources defined in the metrics are grouped and aggregated into aggregated metric types within a data model. Each aggregated metric type data value of the data model is weighed. The weighted aggregated data values are used to calculate an overall service health value of the enterprise. A current instance of the data model is processed to render one or more single views within an interface to a user of the enterprise. Each single view includes the overall service health value along with a custom-level of detail for each aggregated metric type and the corresponding aggregated metric data values.

Abstract: A system and method of providing two-way communication between an isolated POS system and a website are described. The POS system operates as an air gap system. In response to detecting a trigger event the two-way communication is initiated for installation, diagnostic and repair services. POS information for transmission to the website through the internet is generated using a QR code that includes the website address and a data payload that depends on the desired service. The QR code is read by a smart phone and transmitted to the website. The website responds by sending response data dependent on the QR code and desired service. The response data is communicated to the POS system via another QR code for further operations by the POS system based thereon.

Abstract: Images capture locations of items on store shelves or on store display areas. An item inventory is automatically maintained from the images. Re-stocking rules for each item type are processed and a specific item type is automatically ordered from a vendor when dictated by a corresponding rule. A delivery of the specific items ordered is tracked within the store from the images for re-stocking the specific items within the store during the delivery by a vendor representative. The specific item delivery and restocking are verified, and an automatic acceptance of the specific items is sent to the vendor associated with the delivery when verified. In an embodiment, store personnel (admin, manager, owner) are automatically notified with a successful restocking. In an embodiment, payment is automatically made to the supplier when store personnel confirms the delivery.