Abstract: Enabling dynamic routing or mapping information, or combinations thereof, based on one or more user specified tasks may include determining one or more locations where one or more user specified tasks can be accomplished and dynamically determining at least one of routing and mapping information from current location of a user to said one or more locations.

Abstract: A system, apparatus, and method for reducing fraud in electronic payment transactions. The apparatus includes a processor that executes instructions to implement a process to identify consumer or merchant devices that have been used in fraudulent transactions and prevent the authorization of future transactions that are initiated using those devices. By collecting device data as part of authorization messages and processing that data, devices that are used in fraudulent transactions with different merchants or involving different accounts may be identified and prevented from being the source of future transactions. This prevents future losses and reinforces the integrity of the transaction system.

Abstract: Enabling dynamic routing or mapping information, or combinations thereof, based on one or more user specified tasks may include determining one or more locations where one or more user specified tasks can be accomplished and dynamically determining at least one of routing and mapping information from current location of a user to said one or more locations.

Abstract: A vehicle control method includes iteratively modifying a level of braking of the vehicle until it is determined that the vehicle has substantially lost traction with respect to the road surface, then determining the coefficient of friction between the road surface and the tire based on the level of braking at the time the vehicle substantially lost fraction. In one embodiment, previous ABS or other vehicle control events are used as a basis for estimating an initial level of braking to be applied during the friction measurement procedure. Such a deterministic maneuver can also function as a collision warning to the driver of the vehicle.

Abstract: A manufacturing control system comprises a vision system for viewing operations within a manufacturing area and for producing vision data representing the viewed operations. A systems control analyzes the vision data, and controls at least two control functions related to the manufacturing operations based on the analyzed vision data.

Abstract: Systems and method for managing a construction payment process. When instructions are executed by a processor, an application server determines a date on which a draw is to occur for a construction project and generates a notification. The notification includes an indication of the date on which the draw will occur and an invitation to initiate a request for payment to be included in the draw. The application server then determines a plurality of participants associated with the construction project to be included in the draw and transmits the notification to the determined plurality of participants. The application server initiates the draw on the determined date and at least one participant of the determined plurality of participants receives a payment in the draw.

Abstract: Systems and method for managing a construction payment process. An input is received from a first participant and one of a plurality of stored notification workflows is accessed from a memory based on the information received from the first participant. Each stored notification workflow defines a sequence of automatic electronic notifications that are transmitted from the application server to one or more participants in the construction project in response to one or more predetermined events. Based on the accessed notification workflow, a second participant is identified and a first notification is automatically transmitted to the second participant. A response to the first notification is received from the second participant through an electronic form. The content of the response is automatically processed and a second notification is transmitted to a third participant based on the accessed notification workflow.

Abstract: An approach is provided for virtual credit card services. A request for a limited use transactional account number representing a virtual credit card is generated at a mobile device. The limited use transactional account number is received in response to the request. A point of sale interface is configured with the limited use transactional account number for presentation at a point of sale terminal.

Abstract: Systems and methods to integrate point of sale processing, online order processing, and supply chain and store management over the Internet. In one aspect, a central server provides point of sale, online order processing, and supply chain and store management functions via browser based interfaces. The system enables users to enter orders from remote locations for order fulfillment at brick and mortar retail locations, where the POS terminals configured based on the browser based interfaces can be changed into a self service mode to allow customers to place orders for themselves at the retail locations.

Abstract: A method and system for determining on-line influence in social media is disclosed. A recursive site influence modeling module computes a site influence from aggregated viral properties of content hosted by the site and further integrates, in the formulation of the site influence model, the influence of commentors, commenting on the hosted content, and the influence of individuals cited in the content. The influence of the commentors and individuals is calculated by aggregating viral properties of related content and as well by taking into account the influence of outlets owned by the commentors and the individuals.

Abstract: A storage medium on which geographic data of a geographic region are stored together as map units, a corresponding method for generating a map from the geographic data, and a corresponding navigation device. In order to reduce the amount of data to be processed, the map units are structured hierarchically, map units of an nth order respectively corresponding to one geographic partial region, n being a natural number, and map units of an (n+1)th order respectively corresponding to one geographic subregion of one of the partial regions.

Abstract: The customer is given the option to access customer service through the Internet. A web site provides several convenient alternatives for scheduling a voice session with a customer service agent instead of waiting on the phone. Users are encouraged to search a Selection-Oriented-Knowledge-Base (SOKB) that helps the user's thinking process by displaying a sequence of intuitively recognizable multimedia menu selections that eventually lead to what the user has in mind and provide appropriate answers. The SOKB is based upon a Selection-On-Vertex network that provides the infrastructure to expand the level of knowledge of the SOKB by automatically capturing knowledge gained through experience. Customer service agents are seamlessly integrated into the SOKB by a NEED HELP request button that the user can click if difficulties are encountered during the search. A Help Requests Predictor enables customer service agents to respond within seconds to NEED HELP requests initiated by users.

Abstract: A method of transporting commodities in a supply chain management system including a supply chain. The method includes providing a database and a network in communication with the database, which is accessible by at least one member of the supply chain via the network. The method also includes providing a container and supporting one or more commodities using the container, assigning at least one sensor to the commodities, sensing a condition of the commodities and generating a signal indicative of the commodity condition, identifying information related to the commodities, acquiring data related to identifying the commodity information, distributing the signal and the acquired data over the network, storing the signal and the acquired data in the database, monitoring the commodities via the network, and managing at least one of storage and transport of the commodities through the supply chain based on the signal and the acquired data.

Abstract: Systems and methods for conducting financial transactions using non-standard magstripe payment cards are provided. One such system includes a magnetic stripe card storing information including a serial number on a magnetic medium of the magnetic stripe card, where the stored information does not include a Primary Account Number, a card reader configured to extract information from the magnetic medium, the extracted information including the stored serial number and a magnetic fingerprint including an intrinsic magnetic characteristic of the magnetic medium, and a computer coupled to the card reader and to a server, where the computer and the server are configured to execute a requested financial transaction using the extracted information.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a device and system for capturing transaction data sent between a point of sale terminal and a peripheral device. The transaction data capture device includes an input for receiving transaction data sent from the point of sale terminal to a peripheral device during the course of a transaction with a customer and an output for transmitting the transaction data to the peripheral device. The transaction data capture device further includes a processor programmed to detect and save the transaction data received at the input and associate the transaction data with customer identity information identifying the customer. The transaction data capture device also includes a memory for storing the associated transaction data and customer identity and a network interface for routing the transaction data and associated identity information from memory over a data communications network.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing user-centric device-based data communications cost monitoring and controls. In an embodiment, the method operates by sending a registration request associated with a subscriber session, determining current data usage associated with the subscriber, and sending data usage thresholds. The method further comprises sending quotas associated with the subscriber session after collecting data usage information associated with the subscriber session. The method receives a notification at the subscriber's mobile device when a pre-determined quota is exceeded during the subscriber session to control data usage. The system communicates with a usage policy server and a usage policy application. The usage policy application allows a subscriber to alter terms and service tiers of a subscription.

Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods for an image translation device providing navigational data feedback to a communication device are described herein. The image translation device may operate in a navigational feedback mode to transmit navigational data to the communication device or an active image translation mode to generate position data to facilitate an image translation operation. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.

Abstract: A system is employed to operate a vehicle impounding facility for a municipality. A selection is received of a marked vehicle in a marked grid for titling, and an application for title for the selected vehicle is effectuated in the name of the municipality. A notation is received of a selected vehicle in a pending grid as being titled when the application for title for the selected vehicle has been approved and received. A scheduling is received of a titled vehicle in a select auction date grid for an upcoming auction. An assignment is received of a minimum bid value to a scheduled vehicle in a minimum bid guide grid in connection with the auction. Entry is received in a final auction grid of a purchase price for which a valued vehicle has been auctioned and a purchaser.

Abstract: A navigation device includes: a route calculation module operable to calculate a route from a start location to a destination location; a rendering module configured to use digital map data to generate images of the route for display to a user; and a route preview module operable to provide the user with a preview of the calculated route. In at least one embodiment, the route preview module is operable to divide the calculated route into junction segments and road segments, and is configured to control the rendering module to display images representative of locations within the road segments at a higher display speed than images representative of locations within the junction segments.

Abstract: Various embodiments are presented which comprise an electronic catalog of products, wherein the catalog comprises a taxonomy of product categories and products within the categories, wherein various users input filter parameters and these are monitored, whereupon the information about which filter parameters have been selected is used to change which values of attributes relevant to the products are displayed for the user when they are making their selections.