Abstract: A method and apparatus for identifying decision points in Business Objects and classifying business rules that are applicable to the decision points. Business Objects are created which are decorated with business rules, either manually or programmatically. Control Points are used to represent the named decision points or triggers within the behavior of the Business Objects. The Control Points are visually exposed to business analysts to allow the examination of the business rules attached to the various Control Points. The business analysts are permitted to manually attach or detach business rules associated with the Control Points. A system can programmatically decide which rules to attach to a Control Point based on execution context.

Abstract: A computer-based system for determining a set of opening prices for a number of series of options traded on an options exchange and for allocating public order imbalances at the opening of trading. Market makers input a current position, a desired target position and market maker orders for options series from market maker terminals. An order entry system receives public orders for options series. A controller determines a set of implied volatilities (prices) for each options series that will maximize a weighted volume of trades across all option series at the opening. Contra orders that can be matched at the opening price are then executed. If there is a residual imbalance of non-executed public orders, the residual imbalance of non-executed public orders is assigned to individual ones of the plurality of market makers so as to minimize a cumulative measure of deviation between the desired target position and the current position of each market maker.

Abstract: A method for providing point-of-sale (POS) payment using interactive television (ITV) or the world wide web (WWW) by directly debiting a customer's bank account through electronic transfer of funds or by billing a customer's credit card account. The customer places an order for products or services on his ITV station, or through the WWW from his personal computer, and can make POS payment either by authorizing direct debit from his bank account or by authorizing a charge to his credit card account. The customer's debit and credit account information is collected by swiping the customer's debit or credit card through a magnetic stripe reader at the customer's location at the moment of sale.

Abstract: A directory of group physicians for a health care provider service is disclosed in which the directory is tailored to a particular customer of the provider service. Relational databases of physician information, customer information, geographic mapping information, and images and/or advertising information are used to select those physicians, health care providers and health care businesses that are local to a specific customer and are to be printed in a directory for that customer. The selection of physicians from the database may include physicians having specialties that had been used by the customer, or physicians having specialties that correspond to the health care needs of a customer, e.g., customers having young children tend to use pediatricians. In addition, a mapping software program generates a local map for the customer that plots the addresses of the physician to be listed in the directory.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for making a payment using an account manager or kiosk, the process guaranteeing the payment of the supplier and the anonymity of the customer. A customer (U) withdraws from his bank (B) a sum in the form of "blind" electronic coins or cash, deposits the latter in one or more anonymous accounts in a kiosk (K) and finally uses said account or accounts for paying suppliers of goods or services (SA). The invention has application to streamline and voice telepayment.

Abstract: An ATM operation supporting system for managing the number of bills in a plurality of ATMs. The system includes a mobile cart, a counting section, and a control section. The mobile cart has a handling mechanism capable of installing a bill cassette into each ATM and removing the bill cassette from each ATM. The mobile travels to each ATM and installs and removes the bill cassette using the handling mechanism, thereby performing bill replenishment/collection operation for each ATM. The counting section counts the number of bills stored in the bill cassette which is directly or indirectly loaded onto the mobile cart by a clerk in charge. The control section controls the bill replenishment/collection operation performed by the mobile cart such that the numbers of bills in the ATMs are balanced. The ATM operation supporting system can manage the number of bills in an ATM, thereby realizing efficient utilization of cash as well as easing the operational burden on a clerk in charge.

Abstract: A system and method for providing a discount for a credit-based transaction. The system includes a discount credit network wherein a participant holding a transaction card account issued by a card issuer is assigned a membership number that is associated with the participant's transaction card account. The preferred discount credit system also includes a discount authorization processor that is operatively connected to the discount credit network having a database containing the membership numbers and their associated transaction card accounts and processing means for correlating the membership numbers to such associated transaction card accounts. The preferred discount authorization processor is operatively connected to receive discount authorization requests from authorized merchants, correlate such requests to an associated transaction card account and transaction card issuer, and issue a transaction request to that particular transaction card issuer.

Abstract: This electronic catalog searching system first, calculates attribute relevance (e.g., strongly-relevant, weakly-relevant, and irrelevant) for each node in a hierarchy (e.g., abstraction hierarchy, decompositional hierarchy) based on assignment constraints made at the nodes representing real-world concrete entities and then combines attribute relevance with a forward-checking parametric search to implement a hierarchical exploration scheme that can be enabled over a multitude of hierarchies residing on a base of concrete entities.

Abstract: A system is disclosed for presenting financial card (e.g., credit card, debit card) offers to potential customers. Financial card applicant selection criteria and financial card term data are provided by participating financial institutions. An applicant interested in applying for a new financial card accesses the system via the Internet/World Wide Web. The applicant provides personal and financial data that are then analyzed in conjunction with data from outside sources (such as credit bureaus) to determine a financial risk rating for the applicant. The rating is used to locate financial card offers appropriate for the applicant. The applicant then peruses the offers and chooses one that meets his or her personal selection criteria. The applicant's data is then forwarded for processing to the participating financial institution that made the selected offer.

Abstract: A description is given of an electronic auction machine, which reacts to changing sales conditions with appropriately adjusted machine prices. For existing automatic vending machines restocking is based upon very vague experience figures and in particular customary fluctuations in sales are not taken into consideration. With the proposed machine, using a computer current market data are recorded (31) and using these data the current market situation is automatically assessed (32,34). A corresponding updated machine price (33,35) is then displayed.

Abstract: A system for customizing content and presentation of content for computer users is disclosed. The system monitors and records a user's navigational choices to determine the user's needs and preferences for subsequent computer displays. Displays are customized in accordance with the user's needs and preferences. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, an electronic marketing and shopping system accessible via the WWW is described. The shopping environment--including the opportunities presented to the shopper (content) and the appearance of the displays (presentation of content)--is customized according to the shopper's preferences. The functions of data collection and display customization are performed automatically by the electronic shopping system. To customize the environment, various attributes of Web pages or other displays provided by participating merchants are modified as they are accessed by shoppers using the system.

Abstract: An interactive computer assisted method reviews, and analyzes, a patient who needs one or more medications using a computer and a user associated therewith. The method includes the steps of pre-selecting patients to obtain a preliminary set of patients eligible for the interactive computer assisted method responsive to first predetermined criteria, and filtering the preliminary set of patients to identify and form a secondary set of patients from the preliminary set of patients having a greater likelihood of benefiting from the interactive computer assisted method responsive to second predetermined criteria. The method also includes the steps of enrolling a patient from the secondary set of patients, and communicating with the patient to obtain information to assist the user in determining whether therapy and/or medication issues are relevant.

Abstract: A first individual enters an offer to sell a security on a first data processing system. This offer is sent to a server over a communication network which is available to the public. From the server, the offer is transmitted to additional data processing systems which are connected to the publicly-available communication network. The first user's offer is eventually sent to a second data processing system, where a second individual enters an acceptance to the first user's offer to sell a security. This second user's acceptance is then transmitted back to the server over the publicly-available communication network. Upon the arrival of the acceptance, an account belonging to the second user is debited for the amount of the security just purchased, and the second user obtains title to the securities.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for the analysis and standardization of bills of resources to be used during the performance of a given procedure. Bills of resources to be analyzed are converted to models for manipulation. The models are manipulated according to a mathematical algorithm which highlights their relative similarities and dissimilarities. The manipulated models are then expressed in a manner in which the highlighted similarities and dissimilarities are perceptible. Based upon this expression the utilization, consumption, or other characteristic of the bills of resources or the resource listed therein may be analyzed. In one embodiment of the invention, the expression of the manipulated models is utilized to identify groups of similar bills of resources and a standard bill of resources for each group of similar bills of resources is calculated. This standard bill of resources is then substituted for the different bills resources in each defined group.

Abstract: A schedule management apparatus includes a term data input section for inputting a term data by designating a start day and an end day, a schedule input section for inputting a schedule corresponding to the term data inputted by the term data input section, a memory for storing the term data and the schedule in correspondence, a day designation section for designating a specific day, a retrieval section for retrieving, from the memory, a term data which includes the specific day designated by the day designation section, a schedule display section for displaying at least the start day and the end day of the term data retrieved by the retrieval section.

Abstract: An improved securities analysis system includes a data conversion device for converting both technical and fundamental data about a security into a unified format for analysis by an analysis process engine. The analysis process engine processes the disparate data in accordance with a set of rules and the results are forwarded to a display for viewing or used in further analysis.

Abstract: The computer-based method of selling consumer products and consumer services includes, in one embodiment, the utiltization of a computer system, which maintains the electronic bid, auction and sales records, and a plurality of customer computers interconnected with the computer system via a telecommunications link. The computer system electronically establishes a virtual showroom accessible by the customer's computers which displays consumer goods and services and information regarding the commonly available selling price for each product and service. For example, the system displays the manufacturer's suggested retail price or MSRP, a minimum opening bid price, information regarding the make, model and manufacturer or distributor of the offered product or service, and bid cycle data revealing the open, close and acceptance dates for the bids. The computer-based method electronically posts all bids made by bidders on the products and services during the bid period.

Abstract: An apparatus stores stock for retrieval at a later date. The apparatus maintains an inventory of the stock contained within and produces an invoice as stock is removed. A telecommunication apparatus is provided for allowing the apparatus to re-order stock items from remote sources as stock is removed. The stock monitoring is performed in real time and may allow restricted access to some of the stock.

Abstract: A computerized transaction execution with a workflow management systems (WFMS) executes a process model consisting of a network of potentially distributed activities including transactional work items. A computerized methodology defines, controls and processes a collection of a transactional work items ensuring the atomicity of the collection of transactional work items. The collection of transactional work items owns a separate commit scope not influenced by a commit scope potentially implemented within said transactional work items. The WFMS is enabled to infer details of the process model of collections of transactional work items which can be processed in the sense of global transactions with a common commit scope. Transactional work items with a common commit scope are combined into atomic spheres. The collection of transactional work items constitute a common atomic sphere in an alternative embodiment.

Abstract: A method and system for distributing and redeeming electronic promotions to a consumer through the Internet is provided. An account which is associated with a unique key is maintained for each consumer account. Access is permitted to the consumer account upon presentation of the unique key over the Internet. The consumer is presented discount or other promotional choices of items available in at least one store associated with the key, or a collection of such stores, over the Internet and the selections of the discount or promotional choices made by the consumer over the Internet are recorded. Upon purchase of items at the associated store by the consumer, such data are received, and the selections and purchases are reconciled to record a credit in the customer account. Unlike paper or electronic coupons, no consumer action other than the selection of promotions desired is required for item purchase.