Patents Examined by Brandy A Zukanovich
  • Patent number: 11157977
    Abstract: A product modeling system and method are provided. On one embodiment, the product modeling system is used to model a piece of apparel, such as a shirt, with a design wherein the model with the design is used to display the piece of apparel with the design to a consumer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: ZAZZLE INC.
    Inventors: Young Harvill, Minh Thai, Robert Irven Beaver, III
  • Patent number: 11017429
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable mediums, consistent with principles of some embodiments of the present invention provide for applying a user interface to an electronic device including storing information relating to a user of an electronic device, wherein the stored information includes user information data and user history data, storing a template user interface, modifying the user interface based on the stored user information and the user history data, and applying the modified user interface to the electronic device, wherein the user interface enables a user to instruct the electronic device to perform operations within a shopping establishment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: Mercatus Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: R. Sylvain Perrier, Russell Harper, Robin Harrison, Michael Fedorov, Jiang Zhao, Denys Montuzenko, Robert Segal, Harold Springer, Jeremy List, Lucy List
  • Patent number: 11010800
    Abstract: Methods and systems for designing and producing a three-dimensional object selection of a base three-dimensional object from a customer device. A base three-dimensional model corresponding to the object is displayed on the customer device, and one or more custom modifications are received. A modified three-dimensional model corresponding to the modified object is prepared and displayed. Once confirmation to produce the modified object is received, data corresponding to the modified three-dimensional model is transmitted to a manufacturing device for production of the object, using the data to do so, such that the object corresponds directly to the modified three-dimensional model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Inventor: Bryan C. Norman
  • Patent number: 10902509
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for collecting information for physical products by providing virtual products to customers. Virtual products (digital representations of physical products) may be provided to customers that provide item information including but not limited to evidence of ownership of corresponding physical products, for example photographs or sales receipts. The customers may use the virtual products in various applications in which the customers may establish a virtual presence. The information provided by the customers may be collected, analyzed, and applied in one or more areas of real-world production and marketing, for example in obtaining competitive pricing information. Digital lockers may be provided for the customers to which the virtual products are stored; the applications may access the virtual products for a customer from a respective digital locker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Schleif Pesce, Ethan Zane Evans, Michael Anthony Frazzini, Michael Martin George
  • Patent number: 10896459
    Abstract: Some aspects of the present disclosure relate to generating and training a neural network by separating historical item interaction data into both inputs and outputs. This may be done, for example, based on date. For example, a neural network machine learning technique may be used to generate a prediction model using a set of inputs that includes both a number of items purchased by a number of users before a certain date as well as some or all attributes of those items, and a set of outputs that includes the items purchased after that date. The items purchased before that date and the associated attributes can be subjected to a time-decay function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Rejith George Joseph, Oleg Rybakov
  • Patent number: 10891676
    Abstract: An improved user interface in which related items are grouped intuitively, and ultimately results in the number of navigational steps performed by the user to identify desired related items being reduced, is described herein. For example, instead of having a user interface display a single view that includes all related items, a recommendation system groups the related items based on their respective attribute values and produces data that results in a user interface that displays the related items in these groups. The recommendation system generates labels for these groups such that a user can clearly identify what types of related items are included therein. Thus, a user would not have to browse through a single list of related items ordered in an unfamiliar manner. Rather, a user can browse through smaller subsets of related items, and only in those groups that correspond with attribute values of interest to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrey Kan, Christos Faloutsos, Xin Luna Dong
  • Patent number: 10872373
    Abstract: A virtual salesperson system and method for tablet computers such as Apple's iPad can be used by the customer (as opposed to most applications which are for the dealer, or on a central kiosk) to provide the customer a tour of a showroom and each vehicle, highlighting key features and other content at the discretion of the OEM, such as videos tours conducted by their spokesperson. In at least one embodiment, the customer can also search inventory, potentially at this dealer and other ‘friendly’ dealerships with whom this dealer has a trading relationship. Other sales tools such as build and price, payment estimation, etc are available as well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: Versata Development Group, Inc.
    Inventor: John W. Kamm
  • Patent number: 10853865
    Abstract: An active locations (AL) computing device is described herein. The AL computing device is programmed to receive, from a user computing device, a selection of a geographical region. The AL computing device may retrieve transaction data from a payment processing network, environmental data representing environmental conditions at the selected geographical region, merchant data representing characteristics of one or more merchants located within the selected geographical region, social media data including events occurring within the selected geographical region, and historical data. The AL computing device is further programmed to determine activity levels for the selected geographical region based on one or more of the transaction data, environmental data, merchant data, social media data, and historical data. The AL computing device may convert the determined activity levels into an interactive heat map, apply a filter to the heat map, and transmit the heat map to the user computing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: MASTERCARD INTERNATIONAL INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Keith J. Yeldham
  • Patent number: 10839435
    Abstract: A method for receiving a payment includes receiving information for a transaction with a merchant over the network, wherein the transaction includes an incomplete online transaction associated with a user account. A location of a user device that is associated with the user account is then retrieved, and a payment location is determined that is within a predetermined distance of the location of the user device. The payment location is then sent over the network to the user device. The user of the user device may then go to the payment location to provide payment information offline to a payment location device (e.g., by presenting a payment card to the payment location device provider, providing cash, etc.). That payment information is then received over the network from the payment location device and, in response, the online transaction is completed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: PayPal, Inc.
    Inventor: Frank Anthony Nuzzi
  • Patent number: 10839441
    Abstract: Systems and methods to seed a search are described. The system identifies a seed listing included in listings that describe items being offered for sale on a network-based marketplace. The system identifies a seed filter context based on the seed listing and probabilities. The probabilities describe occurrences of attribute-value pairs in a plurality of listings that respectively describe items that were previously transacted on the network-based marketplace. The system extracts values from the seed listing based on the seed filter context. The system initializes the seed filter context based on the values and generates search results based on the seed filter context. The search results include a second plurality of listings that are identified from the first plurality of listings. Finally, the system communicates interface information to a client machine including the seed filter context and at least one listing from the second plurality of listings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: EBAY INC.
    Inventors: Tolga Konik, Rajyashree Mukherjee
  • Patent number: 10796362
    Abstract: A system, methods, and apparatus for performing used automobile transactions are disclosed. In an example embodiment, automobile market data representative of current automobile market characteristics is stored. The automobile market data may include pricing and consumer interest information received from consumers, dealers, and manufacturers. A consumer seller or manufacturer off-lease seller may provide a request for a response regarding a specific used automobile with a specific a vehicle identification number. Automobile market data may be provided to a used automobile buyer based on the request. Bids to purchase the specific used automobile may be requested from used automobile buyers based on the request. Buyer bids may be provided to the consumer seller or manufacturer off-lease seller with prices and a delivery options. The consumer seller or manufacturer off-lease seller may select a bid to sell the specific used automobile based on the bid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: SIDEKICK TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventors: Michael J. Seergy, Benjamin N. S. Brown
  • Patent number: 10789630
    Abstract: There are provided systems and methods for a predictive engine for online distribution of sensitive transaction processing information. A first user may utilize a communication device to perform transaction processing, which may cause generation of a transaction history, such as a receipt, that documents the transaction. The first user may utilize a service that may post or distribute the transaction history for other users to view, including a second user. In order to preserve the first user's privacy, the service provider may perform predictive analysis of whether the transaction history should be distributed, for example, by hiding the transaction history from the second user if the first user owes the second user money. In further embodiments, the transaction history may be distributed to the second user that would not normally receive the transaction history if it would be of interest to the second user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: PAYPAL, INC.
    Inventors: Cheng Tian, Akshay Sanjeevaiah Krishnaiah, Jiri Medlen
  • Patent number: 10783566
    Abstract: Provided is a system for determining a status of at least one merchant during or after an emergency event including at least one processor to retrieve historical transaction data for at least one merchant associated with a merchant category code (MCC), determine a first transaction count for the at least one merchant based on the historical transaction data for the at least one merchant, retrieve current transaction data for the at least one merchant, determine a second transaction count for the at least one merchant based on the current transaction data for the at least one merchant, classify the at least one merchant based at least partially on a comparison between the first transaction count and the second transaction count, and display a classification of the at least one merchant based on classifying the at least one merchant. A method and computer program product are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: Visa International Service Association
    Inventors: Mahesh Joshi, Ankur Raina, Teresa Ho, Todd Winners
  • Patent number: 10762547
    Abstract: An information providing device includes a specifying unit that specifies a second trading object related to a second trading object page to be compared with a first trading object related to a first trading object page to be displayed on a user terminal, a comparison unit that extracts first trading object information corresponding to the first trading object and second trading object information corresponding to the second trading object from a page information database that stores trading object information corresponding to trading objects, and compares the first and second trading object information, and a page transmitting unit that presents comparison information indicating a result of comparison to a user. The second trading object page is a webpage displayed on the user terminal prior to the first trading object page.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: Rakuten, Inc.
    Inventor: Yoko Katagiri
  • Patent number: 10692127
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for determining or predicting user demographic information using user behaviors through a Bayesian inference. A computing system may determine demographic information (such as age or gender) of a user based on a Bayesian update and a purchase or other user action by the user. In some embodiments, the computing system may determine the household composition of a user account based on multiple purchases by the user account. The computing system may generate recommendations for the user or the user account based on the demographic information of the user or the household composition of the user account.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Pooja Ashok Kumar, Roopesh Ranjan, Neela Kamlakar Sawant
  • Patent number: 10679283
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for collecting information for physical products by providing virtual products to customers. Virtual products (digital representations of physical products) may be provided to customers that provide item information including but not limited to evidence of ownership of corresponding physical products, for example photographs or sales receipts. The customers may use the virtual products in various applications in which the customers may establish a virtual presence. The information provided by the customers may be collected, analyzed, and applied in one or more areas of real-world production and marketing, for example in obtaining competitive pricing information. Digital lockers may be provided for the customers to which the virtual products are stored; the applications may access the virtual products for a customer from a respective digital locker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Schleif Pesce, Ethan Zane Evans, Michael Anthony Frazzini, Michael Martin George
  • Patent number: 10672059
    Abstract: Methods and systems for facilitating the purchase of an item on a social networking website are described. Merchants can embed payments in buttons displayed on social networking websites to enable payments at the point of discovery, such as on Pinterest® or Facebook®. As the items associated with the buttons are shared further, the embedded payment capability follows the shared items. For example, a Pinterest® pin has the payment capability embedded within it so as the pin gets re-pinned in the Pinterest® platform, shared on blogs, shared on platforms like Facebook®, or surfaces on Google® Search, the payment capability is also available on those platforms. In some instances, open standards such as oEmbed or Open Graph are used to create the buttons with the payment capability and make creation of the buttons simpler for merchants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: PAYPAL, INC.
    Inventors: Shilpa Dhar, Teddy Vincent Toms
  • Patent number: 10664932
    Abstract: A method and system is disclosed that enables purchasers to purchase gas online for future delivery. The invention requires the purchaser prepay for online purchases or have been extended credit accepted by an oil company. The prepayments are credited to the purchaser's account. For each retail gas delivery, the oil company handles the online gas purchase transaction and reimburses the retail gas station owner for the online purchase. Specifically, the oil company reimburses the retail gas station owner for the taxes and profit on the gas delivered to the purchaser and also replaces the amount of gas delivered. In this way, the retail gas station owner is made whole for each delivery. Oil company also benefits with increased gas sales, increased profit and increased cash flow. Various embodiments of the invention are contemplated. The invention may require a purchaser to select a location of a retail gas station, a selected grade of gas or a combination of both.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Inventor: Michael A. Racusin
  • Patent number: 10650432
    Abstract: Some aspects of the present disclosure relate to generating and training a neural network by separating historical item interaction data into both inputs and outputs. This may be done, for example, based on date. For example, a neural network machine learning technique may be used to generate a prediction model using a set of inputs that includes both a number of items purchased by a number of users before a certain date as well as some or all attributes of those items, and a set of outputs that includes the items purchased after that date. The items purchased before that date and the associated attributes can be subjected to a time-decay function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Rejith George Joseph, Oleg Rybakov
  • Patent number: 10600112
    Abstract: A system for directing a shopper to an item of interest in a store comprises a floor surface at a store configured with indicators that communicate with each other to identify a path for guiding a store visitor from a current location to a location of an item of interest; a mobile device application executed by a mobile electronic device, the mobile device application generating a request for locating the item of interest; and a special-purpose processor that calculates the path from the current location of the store visitor to the location of the item of interest in response to the request received from the mobile device application. The indicators identify the path in response to the special-purpose processor calculating the path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: WALMART APOLLO, LLC
    Inventors: Subodh Kumar Pandey, Jimmie R. Clark, Christopher Soames Johnson