Abstract: A system for purchasing and delivering a specific gift, in which, at the time of the purchase, the buyer, instead of being provided with the gift, is provided with a gift proxy or special package which includes a gift token which includes an authentication device. The gift proxy also includes a picture of the specific gift. The buyer delivers the gift proxy to the recipient. At a future time and place, not necessarily pre-determined, the recipient provides the gift proxy to the seller, the seller authenticates the gift proxy, and the recipient receives the gift from the seller. A centralized and networked order management system monitors the gift tokens. The system can be online and/or store oriented, and can be used to transact in goods and/or services other than gifts.

Abstract: A method and system displaying and managing images of consumer products with cloud computing. One or more consumer products are selected. An N-layer digital image is created that includes an M-layer hierarchy of vector images and/or visual overlays stored in one or more cloud storage objects in progressive resolution format and allows progressive resolution display without loss of image quality on the selected plural consumer products that appear in the N-layer digital image. Selected consumer products are placed in a graphical shopping cart/bag that provides progressive resolution display directly from the graphical shopping cart/bag and allows new or different consumer products to be selected directly from the graphical shopping cart/bag.

Abstract: A system and method for inferring service providers are provided. In example embodiments, member data of members of a social networking service is accessed. From the member data, it is inferred that a particular member among the members of the social networking service is a freelancer member. A service request that the freelancer member is capable of fulfilling is identified based on a service request skill associated with the service request and a freelancer skill of the freelancer member. An option for the freelancer member to fulfill the service request is presented on a user interface of a user device of the freelancer member.

Abstract: A method for improving the delivery of items based on the likelihood of shoplifting, theft history, security threat level, and identifying information is presented. The information is stored an online order system that receives data, reads data, and performs computations from a data storage system. The online order system assigns a level of security to the items in order to implement delivery of the items at a specific conveyor belt within a store that is equipped with a pre-delivery alert system that cooperates with the online order system. The pre-delivery alert system produces a specific alert based on the contents of the customer's order.

Abstract: A search device includes a suggestion word presentation unit that presents a suggestion word based on the presentation priority by acquiring a suggestion word according to an input search string and a presentation priority from a suggestion word database, the suggestion word database storing the suggestion word and the presentation priority of the suggestion word associated to be searched by the input search string, a time information management unit that calculates time difference between a time when a search is performed and a time when a predetermined purchase operation or purchase preliminary operation is performed on a product which is related to the search and a priority management unit that updates the presentation priority stored in the suggestion word database to raise a presentation priority, which is associated with a suggestion word used for a search, higher as the time difference is smaller.

Abstract: A computer architecture stores favorite information showing a relationship between sellers and buyers who mark the sellers as favorite in a buy/sell web site, and similarity information regarding similarity between items/service sold and items/service bought. If the architecture receives action information showing a predetermined action from a first buyer to a first seller, it extracts second sellers that are marked as favorite by second buyers who mark the first seller as favorite, calculates a similarity and extracts at least one third seller who is marked as favorite by the second buyer having a similarity between the second seller and the first seller at a predetermined value or having a similarity between the first buyer and the second buyer at the predetermined value or more. Third seller recommendation information is transmitted to the first buyer.

Abstract: A system comprising a computer-readable storage medium storing at least one program, and a computer-implemented method for providing digital avatars. A first request message is received for requesting a digital representation of a first target user combined with a target product for an online marketplace application on a first client device. The first request message is associated with a first user identifier indicative and a product identifier. Based on the first user identifier, a first user record is selected from a first database. The first user record includes measurement data. Based on the product identifier, a product record is selected from a second database. Based at least on the measurement data of the first user record and the selected product record, model data of the target product is determined and provided to the first client device.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a method can comprise categorizing, in a database, one or more purchasing categories based at least in part on one or more queries. In some embodiments the one or more purchasing categories can comprise one or more products. The method can further comprise computing a set of browse categories of the one or more purchasing categories, loading the set of browse categories of the one or more purchasing categories into non-transitory memory, and receiving a query. In some embodiments, the method can further comprise determining one or more results for the query, the one or more results comprising a portion of the one or more products, analyzing intention of the query, and selecting a display configuration of the one or more results based at least in part on the intention. Other embodiments of related methods and systems are also provided.

Abstract: A customer who visits an online marketplace to view information regarding an item formed from fabric may request and receive instructions for producing a sample of the fabric that mimics the sensations of touch and feel of the fabric. The sample may be produced using an automated fabricator, such as a 3D printer, associated with a client device from which the customer made the request. The instructions may include or describe a digital model of the fabric, customized for the automated fabricator. In particular, the sample may be formed from various plastics or other materials that are accessible to the automated fabricator, and need not be formed from the actual materials that are included in the fabric.

Abstract: An electronic invoicing system provides a web-based portal with respective views for a suppliers submitting electronic invoices and a user of an enterprise submitting and/or reviewing electronic invoices. The portal displays a user interface on a screen that enables a supplier or user to retrieve or create information related to an electronic invoice, purchase order or requisition number using a text fields and icons. An administrator is able to enter information to be provided to the suppliers via a home screen of the web-based portal, and the system includes software tools enabling the information to be published on the home screen of the portal without web-based programming.

Abstract: A received search query is used to create a search result where the search result is a listing of items identified in a data repository of item information where the item information includes data indicative of parametric values for each of a plurality of items. Data indicative of parametric values within the item information of the listing of items is used to order the search result for display whereby at least one subset of items within the listing of items determined to have similar parametric values will be displayed as a group having positions within the listing of items that are proximate relative to each other. Data indicative of parametric values within the item information of the at least one subset of items is also used to discern differences in one or more parametric values between items in the at least one subset of items which discerned differences in the one or more parametric values between items in the at least one subset of items within the listing of items are caused to be highlighted.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a capacity exchange whereby capacity from different content delivery networks (CDNs) can be bought, sold, and traded. The capacity exchange is part of an “Open CDN” platform. The Open CDN platform federates the independent operation of CDNs and other operators of and service providers to distributed platforms participating in the Open CDN platform so that each participant can (1) dynamically scale its capacity without incurring additional infrastructure costs, (2) expand its service into previously untapped geographic regions without physically establishing points of presence (POPs) at those geographic regions, and (3) reduce sunk costs associated with unused capacity of already deployed infrastructure by selling that unused capacity to other participants that are in need of additional capacity.

Abstract: Systems and methods for on demand local commerce are described. One example embodiment includes a device gathering location information and product interest associated with clients and client devices. The system may use location information in determining that the first plurality of client devices are within a first geographic area during a first time period, and may further use the interest information in calculating an interest level for a first product. A threshold may be identified and used in determining that the interest level for the first product exceeds the threshold. When the calculated interest level exceeds the threshold, a local commerce action is initiated. In various embodiments, the local commerce action may be a live on demand auction at a particular location, an offer associated with a geofenced area, a sales location recommendation to a merchant, or any other such local commerce action.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are provided for use in tracking product consumption. Some embodiments provide a product purchasing apparatus comprising: a transceiver; a control circuit; and a memory coupled to the control circuit and storing computer instructions that when executed by the control circuit cause the control circuit to: receive multiple product data from a restockable customer product storage unit located at a customer residence; evaluate each of the multiple product data relative to one or more thresholds within a continuously updated customer profile; identify one or more products to be replenished as a function of the continuously updated customer profile; automatically cause a purchase, on behalf of the customer, of at least a first product to replenish at least one of the one or more products to be replenished; and obtain payment from a source associated with the customer.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate to systems and methods for creating, distributing and playing illumination data files. The illumination data files, created using luminaire development systems are uploaded to a luminaire management system, where they are further processed and packaged for sale or license within a luminaire marketplace. Consumers and enterprises using luminaires may establish accounts with the luminaire management system and marketplace to access illumination data files for playback on individual or multiple luminaires. Consumers and enterprises may also create play lists and uniquely configure the luminaires to display various lighting effects based on user preferences, environmental factors or energy efficient settings.

Abstract: A system and method for enabling global and remote flash sale or daily deal commerce through unsecured electronic channels are provided. The system provides an innovative and new standard that not only enhances consumer convenience but also solves a large shortcoming by providing customers an alternative to online electronic purchasing for these types of offers. The system and method allows customers to receive and instantly purchase special offers in an entirely off-line fashion.

Abstract: A system and method are provided to control access of a plurality of remote terminals to one or more service(s). A first server receives requests to access the services(s) from the plurality of terminals. In response the first server provides a terminal program to the terminals to control further communication between the terminals and first server. This enables substantial data to be stored on a user's terminal rather than on the first server, thereby reducing the data load on the first server. Each terminal runs at a pace set by its interaction with the server and thus operates asynchronously from the other terminals and the first server. A second server, operable after the first, provides the services. The terminal program initiates communication between the terminals and the first server, which selectively redirects the terminals to connect to the second server for accessing the service(s).

Abstract: A system and method for identifying a customer's location within a facility or place of business, such as, but not limited to a casino. The system and method provides notification company representatives upon arrival of the customer at the given location. Additionally, the method and system allows for navigational services to be provided to customers, and real-time location determination, location tracking and confirmation to customers of location and rewards program status. The disclosed method and system can work through a system of wireless radio, sound and/or light-based beacons communicating with the customer's smartphone, computer system, or other electronic device.

Abstract: A system includes one or more memory devices storing instructions, and one or more processors configured to execute the instructions to perform steps of a method. The system may provide a virtual wardrobe management system. The system may store wardrobe data associated with a plurality of garments. The system may then receive input data indicative of a garment selection. The system may identify the garment based on the input data received. The system may then generate a garment recommendation based on the selected garment and the stored wardrobe data and provide an indication of the recommendation to a computing device.

Abstract: Technologies are generally provided to integrate hardware accelerators in datacenters. In some examples, a datacenter customer may provide a hardware accelerator configuration to be implemented at a datacenter. The hardware accelerator configuration may include, for example, one or more customer accelerator blocks and one or more accelerator blocks. The datacenter may retrieve the accelerator block(s), integrate the accelerator block(s) with the customer accelerator block(s) to form the hardware accelerator, and then implement the hardware accelerator. In other examples, the datacenter may charge the customer for use of the accelerator block(s), but refrain from providing the accelerator block(s) to the customer.