Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a private label promotion card as a bank product, being issued and managed by the bank and using an open payment network for purchase authorization and payments. A bank computer processes activation information for a promotion card and receives finds into an account at the bank on behalf of a retailer for payment for the promotion card, perhaps at a discount to a customer value of the promotion card. The bank computer authorizes purchase requests to use one or more activated promotion cards as payment for a consumer purchase from the retailer via an open payment network and transfers funds to the open payment network to satisfy the authorized consumer purchase. Upon expiration, the bank computer sweeps the account of the remaining value for expired promotion cards to thereby establish a credit for the bank.

Abstract: A targeted advertisement placement system allows an advertiser to place an ad in front of an audience based on specific interests of the users in that audience, and based on the advertiser's own specific interests in users who should view the ad. The ad placement system collects information about a population of users and a population of advertisers to create profiles that can include both explicit and implicit criteria defining the user's/advertiser's interest. The explicit criteria can be explicitly provided to the ad placement system, can be extracted from documents provided by the user and/or the advertiser, etc. The implicit criteria include information learned by the system about the interests of both advertisers and users based on preferences implicitly expressed when providing feedback on search results. Using these criteria collected from advertisers and users to build profiles, the system can compare the profiles for matches to determine the best audience before which to place an advertisement.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for determining the volatility of weather derivative option contracts. Volatility levels are initially determined with conventional methods. Unreliable volatility levels are then replaced with futures contracts volatility levels. If the futures contracts volatility levels are not available or appear unreliable, meteorological volatility levels are utilized. The data may be reduced to a three dimensional surface and used when determining margin account requirements.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a method of approximating prices in a private property market. First, REIT return data is compiled from each REIT of a plurality of REITs at a predetermined frequency. Then, the REIT return data is processed according to exposures to each of a plurality of target characteristics to obtain coefficients reflecting each REIT's weight in an index. Then, an index is generated according to the REITs, the obtained coefficients, and the weights. Finally, a second index is derived from the generated index that approximates prices in the private property market.

Abstract: Systems and methods for facilitating financial transactions over a network include a merchant device, a client device and a payment processing device. The merchant device is adapted to allow a merchant to provide items for purchase via the network. The client device is adapted to allow a user to access the merchant device via the network and view the items for purchase. The client device is adapted to provide a payment mechanism to the user. The user generates a purchase request for an item by selecting the one item, dragging the item to the payment mechanism, and dropping the item over the payment mechanism. The payment processing device is adapted to receive the purchase request from the client device via the network and authorize the user to purchase the item from the merchant based on information passed with the purchase request.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method that is useful in connection with providing discount factors for an exchange-traded mark-to-market derivative product that has a variable tick rate, such as an interest rate swap product. In some embodiments, the method includes providing a series of consecutive settlement values, which collectively represent a settlement value curve for the derivative product. The curve is evaluated by determining, for each consecutive pair of settlement values, whether the difference between the first settlement value in the pair and the second settlement value in the pair exceeds a threshold. The threshold represents the value at which a discount factor derived from said pair of settlement values, in conjunction with other parameters, would be negative. In other embodiments the disclosed invention encompasses an apparatus and a computer-readable medium.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a system can include a centralized storage module, for example a database, that stores data relating to petroleum, natural gas and other related products taken from several different sources and entities. The entity storing and maintaining this data can be an entity independent from the operators, producers and/or other working interests. This system can use automated techniques to reconcile distributions to all entities associated with a well due to the removal of a mineral, for example, petroleum, natural gas and/or other related products, from that well, on a periodic basis. These automated techniques include, for example, reconciling all agreements associated with the well, reconciling the amount of mineral removed at the well, reconciling the spot market price associated with the well at the time of removal, automating approval by the removing entity, automating payment and the like.

Abstract: A computer implemented method for maintaining a leveraged or reverse exchange traded product is provided which includes electronically monitoring, with a computer, a change in value of a product sold on an exchange, ECN, or ATS; and calculating, with a computer, a leverage ratio, wherein the leverage ratio is dg(r)/dr=c(1+r)c?1, and wherein r is a current cumulative return of the product during a current trading day, and c is a constant, and wherein the leverage ratio is equal to the number of underlying shares required to provide the target return with respect to one share of the product.

Abstract: In some embodiments, systems and methods are disclosed for generating filters to determine whether a consumer is likely to have a scoreable credit record based on non-credit data, and to determine a potential risk level associated with an unscoreable credit record based on non-credit data. Existing scoreable and unscoreable records are compared to determine factors correlated with having an unscoreable record, and a multi-level filter is developed. Unscoreable records having at least one entry are compared to determine whether they are “good” or “bad” risks, factors correlated with either condition are determined, and a filter is developed. The filters can be applied to records comprising demographic data to determine consumers that are likely to have unscoreable records but represent good risks.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed that provide for automated financial resource allocation and accountability among various groups of budgeted accounts, which are overlaid on at least one actual account. The method provides for the user to establish the accounts to be budgeted. The user then establishes a preset spending allocation amount for each account. Each time the user makes a spending allocation for that particular account, the account reflects the amount spent and notifies the user of the remaining amount allocated for that account during a given period. Thus, the user has a more accurate accounting of an established budget with respect to the established accounts, the resources allocated to each account, and the funds actually spent from each account.

Abstract: A method for performing financial trading amongst a plurality of alternative trading systems using a common financial computer platform. The method including the steps of receiving at the common financial computer platform a buy-order for a prescribed number shares at a prescribed price. Electronic communication is then established between the common financial computer platform and each of the plurality of alternative trading systems. At least a portion of the buy-order is then submitted from the common financial computer platform to each of the plurality of alternative trading systems. The common financial common platform then monitors each of the plurality of alternative trading systems to determine if at least a portion of the buy-order was executed by one of the plurality of alternative trading systems.

Abstract: A credit risk framework and systems and methods for using the same. The credit risk framework provides information regarding the eligibility of loans to be sold (delivered) to a purchaser, such as in the secondary mortgage market. The credit risk framework includes determining categories of potentially eligible loans. At least one risk segment is determined and an eligibility grid associated therewith. The eligibility grid is organized using two data elements as axes and forming boxes representing ranges of the two data elements. Each box is then further associated with additional information regarding any restrictions on loans that would fall in the box. Each risk segment may have its own level of delegated authority so as to tie risk to a delegation structure.

Abstract: A system and method are directed towards identifying advertisement keywords within a variety of content types, identifying similarity rankings of advertisements based on the keywords, and to the guiding of keyword purchases. In one embodiment, a search is performed based in part on defined selection criteria, and/or scheduling rules. Content that may include advertisements is processed to identify advertisement keywords. A similarity ranking of different advertisements based on keywords therein may be determined. The similarity rankings may be used, with keyword pricing data, to identify instances of keyword arbitrage, guide purchase of keywords, and to control traffic flow to and from advertisements to obtain a benefit from price differentials between what one keyword seller charges for a keyword and what a click buyer will, pay for traffic directed to advertisements with the same or related keyword.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a private label promotion card as a bank product, being issued and managed by the bank and using an open payment network for purchase authorization and payments. A bank computer processes activation information for a promotion card. The bank computer then authorizes purchase requests to use one or more activated promotion cards as payment for a consumer purchase from the retailer via an open payment network and transfers funds to the open payment network to satisfy the authorized consumer purchase. Next, the bank computer receives funds on behalf of the retailer for payment responsive to consumer purchases using the one or more promotion cards as payment and payment for a value remaining on the one or more promotion cards responsive to an expiration of the one or more promotion cards, perhaps at a discount to a customer value of the promotion card.

Abstract: An authorization system and computer program for provision and process of a personal identification number (PIN) via a short-message-service (SMS) text message to a mobile communication device. The authorization system and computer program receive a communication from the user indicating a one-time-authorization mode. The authorization system and computer program retrieve information from a point-of-sales location and process a unique identifier for the mobile communication device. A text message is sent to the identified mobile device. The message communicates a one-time-use PIN with required PIN return via the point-of-sales system. The confirmation is processed, which authorization only occurring after confirmation. The PIN response period is voided after a short time, further improving security of the transaction.

Abstract: A method, system, and apparatus are provided for integrating advertisements with a multimedia stream to create a resultant media stream. The depicted embodiments analyze a text-based data stream a multimedia stream to identify advertisement insertion points. Further, the depicted embodiments communicate with a rule-based database to acquire cue requirements and an advertising database to receive the advertisements. The cue requirements are used to incorporate the advertisements into with the multimedia stream to produce a resulting content stream. The resulting content stream may be provided to a user and/or computing device.

Abstract: The invention provides various systems and methods for implementing electronic transfers with government consulates. The method includes presenting an interface terminal to a customer, wherein the interface terminal is configured to receive input from the customer, and receiving, via the interface terminal, a selection of a country's consulate. The method further includes receiving, via the interface terminal, a consulate service type selection, and receiving, at an input device, documentation necessary to complete the selected service type. Furthermore, the method includes receiving, via the interface terminal, a payment for the selected service, and transmitting to the selected country's consulate the service type selection, the documents, and the payment to the selected consulate.

Abstract: Option contracts are traded by valuing an option that has at least one of a) strike price or b) expiration time unknown at the time the option is valued. The previously unknown values of the option are assigned at the time or after the time the trade is completed. An implied underlying price stream is generated from the option prices through the use of feed back between market participants and the marketplace. The resulting system is useful in trading option contracts of short time duration.

Abstract: A method for debt protection or cancellation may include providing an addendum for a debt protection or cancellation product for inclusion in a debt instrument. The method may also include serving the debt protection and cancellation product in response to a borrower purchasing the debt protection and cancellation product.

Abstract: A method and related system for determining the weighted average conversion (or click-through) probability (WACP) associated with an activity, such as an internet advertising bid activity. The method involves gathering information associated with prior actions relevant to future actions, such as bidding on internet advertisement placement, for example. The gathered information, such as clicks, impressions and conversions resulting from an advertisement placement, is used in an algorithm to calculate the WACP. The method may be carried out as part of a system including one or more computing devices and the execution of instructions embodied in computer-readable media. The algorithm may include the option of weighting the data used, such as by valuing recent data more than older data.