Abstract: A system and method for providing product research help to a consumer doing internet shopping. A consumer helper application for internet commerce has been designed to integrate the techniques that are currently used by many internet consumers into a single application program. For example, the consumer helper application allows a user to take notes, store web site links, store web site annotations, obtain collaborative input, and perform other tasks commonly used by web site consumers. The consumer helper application stores all of the information gathered in a single place. Information provided by other consumers may be shared using the consumer helper application. The consumer helper application will suggest specific items for a consumer to purchase based up on the information gathered by the consumer into the consumer helper application.

Abstract: A method and system for assisting a user having a role and a qualification. In accordance with this method, a software tool is provided that is adapted to limit a user to a functional limitation predefined by a first role and a data access limitation predefined by a qualification. The method comprises the steps of receiving a request for assistance from said user, accessing said software tool with a customer care role having a view functionality only limitation, and simulating said first role and said qualification while operating in said customer care role, to assist said user. In the preferred embodiment, the simulation functionalities that the customer care role has, enable that customer care role to simulate update and create functionalities. Also, preferably, the customer care role may use the user's identification to obtain access to the software tool.

Abstract: A system of tracking, identifying, and encoding an electronic transaction. The system includes a portal soliciting electronic transactions, an encoder in communication with the portal, a processor in communication with the encoder and a processing network, and a report module in communication with the processor. The encoder accepts electronic transaction data from the portal, forms a code based on the electronic transaction data, and appends the code to the electronic transaction data to provide encoded electronic transaction data. The processing network authorizes the encoded electronic transaction data to provide authorized encoded electronic transaction data, and the processor receives the authorized encoded electronic transaction data. The report module forms a report based on authorized encoded electronic transaction data.

Abstract: Techniques for generating an alert based on absence of a given person in a transaction are provided. The techniques include monitoring, via video, a transaction, wherein the transaction includes presence of a given person in the transaction, relating the video of the transaction to a corresponding portion of a transaction log (TLOG), using the video and corresponding portion of the TLOG to detect if the given person in the transaction is present, and generating an alert if the given person is not present at the transaction.

Abstract: A system and method for recording and tracking charitable donations over a period of one or more years, and for determining the tax consequence associated with such donations based upon taxing authority guidelines applicable to the time period in which such donations were made. Additionally, a method implemented by software for tracking charitable donations over a period of years whereby a user is prompted to select a donation and a year in which the donation was made for a memory. The software retrieves a tax deduction valuation associated with that donation and stores the donation and value in the memory in association with each other. Another aspect is directed to a system for determining the tax deduction value of charitable donations whereby a partner server electronically captures sales data of items and sends the sales data to a system server that stores such data in memory.

Abstract: A collector facility for an electronic market is described. The collector facility includes an interface for coupling order delivery systems to the order collector facility and a quote manager that manages multiple quotes/orders received from the interface at multiple price levels. The facility also includes a montage manager to display quotes received from the quote order manager in an aggregate montage or a current quote montage consistent with parameters specified in the multiple quotes.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of sourcing orders for groups of products. The method includes arranging a plurality of products into several distinct groups of products based on a variety of factors, such as product demand and product configuration. In some forms, the method includes calculating more of the relevant costs that are associated with shipping groups of products from a plurality of sources. The method may also include assigning orders to sources based on the capacity of the sources to fill orders for groups of products. The method may also be used to ensure that one or more sources ship a minimum number of products per time period (e.g., a month, a year). In some forms, the method includes determining a storage capacity range for a plurality of containers and assigning orders for groups of products onto the containers based on the storage capacity of the containers.

Abstract: Novel features to be used in a proxy card payment system include a real-time request to override a declined transaction or to select a different financial account and the insertion of user identification information into the transaction approval message sent to the merchant. A payment request is forwarded to the payment system, which maintains the proxy card account and determines whether the transaction violates a user-defined rule. If the transaction is declined by the issuer that maintains the financial account, or the payment system for violation of a user-defined rule, the payment system sends a real-time message to the user. The user is prompted to override the rule causing the transaction to be declined or to select a new account to process the transaction. Once the payment system receives authorization for the transaction, it inserts the user identification information in an approval message before transmitting the approval to the merchant.

Abstract: A method for determining a steering angle offset (LWO) in a vehicle having a steering unit and a steering angle sensor. A first frequency distribution (HV1) of the steering angle (LW) is determined over a number of steering angles according to at least one dynamic vehicle parameter (Q, G, V), and the average value (MW1) of the steering angle (LW) is determined from the first frequency distribution (HV1). The next step tests whether the steering angle (LW) in the first frequency distribution (HV1) is distributed symmetrically around the average value (MW1) and, when there is symmetry of the first frequency distribution (HV1) around the average value (MW1), the first frequency distribution (HV1) is carried over into a second frequency distribution (HV2). When the overall number of steering angles (LW1) in the second frequency distribution (HV2) exceeds a prespecified threshold value (S), the steering angle offset (LWO) is determined from the average value (MW2) of the second frequency distribution (HV2).

Abstract: A networked system for managing commercial interactions is providing. In some embodiments, the system includes: a bundle-passing interface between a plurality of networked users including distribution logic including a distribution control input responsive to machine-readable information in the bundles; and a statistics collection engine including a control input responsive to machine-readable information in the bundles.

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to systems and methods for managing and monitoring a plurality of emergency power supply systems (EPSS's) at a facility via an emergency power management system (EPMS). The EPMS generally comprises EPSS equipment, a management computer system for managing, monitoring, and testing the operational characteristics of the EPSS equipment, and a plurality of interface modules for providing unified communication capabilities between the management computer system and the EPSS equipment. Additional aspects relate to methods for easily and efficiently creating and installing an EPMS at a facility. Further aspects are directed to providing predictive analyses related to the EPSS equipment. Also, aspects of the present disclosure relate to normalizing EPSS equipment information across varying vendors, makes, and models of equipment so as to provide a unified view of all equipment across a given facility.

Abstract: A method and system for automating the management of an inventory of consumer items at a consumer location uses a programmed device that accepts input data and executes control logic for automating inventory management. At least one shopping list is received, a shopping list trend is established, and a smart list is generated with the control logic, in accordance with the shopping list trend, such that the smart list predictive of a next shopping list.

Abstract: A method, system and computer program product for generating variable price billing whereby a customer may balance its data traffic in response to such billing. A subsystem in an edge gateway may extract the packet header from a copy of a received packet of data associated with a session between a customer and a server and generate a key based on the extracted packet header. The key may be used to index into a table that may store pointers to particular statistics records associated with particular sessions. Once the subsystem identifies the statistics record associated with the current session, the subsystem may execute a per packet statistics update for the statistics record associated with the session. A per packet statistics update may include one or more of the following: time stamping arrival of the packet, updating packet count, updating byte count, determining transfer rate, determining distance packet traveled.

Abstract: The present invention is integrated tax return preparation systems and methods that provide a taxpayer with options related to review and signing of a tax return by a tax professional. The integrated systems and methods are computer-based and web-based online tax return preparation systems and tax software used by taxpayers to prepare their own electronic tax returns. Communications with a tax professional and various forms of automated electronic communications are supported so that taxpayers that prepare their own tax returns using a self-preparation tax product may have them reviewed and signed by a tax professional. Signature and review service options that are available from a retail tax preparation service and typically available to only customers of the tax preparation service are also provided to taxpayers who prepare their own tax returns using an online tax preparation system or tax software.

Abstract: A method for generating a swath pattern avoiding point rows for a work vehicle to be driven in a region of a field, which region can be described as having a first side boundary and an opposite second side boundary extending divergently between a first and an opposite second end boundary, the method generating a swath pattern including side by side swaths having centerlines that diverge uniformly between the end boundaries, the method also generating a plurality of swath patterns including options for disabling one or more individual rows of an implement for selection by an operator.

Abstract: Accounting data is classified to facilitate transaction processing and management. According to an example embodiment, data based rules are implemented for classifying transaction-related data into accounting categories. Accounting information is processed as a function of the data based rules and accordingly automatically classified. This processing involves, for example, the identification of particular data based rules to apply to the accounting information, applying the rules and processing the information accordingly.

Abstract: This invention relates to a navigation device (200) comprising: an input interface (220, 240) configured to enable a user to select a destination; a processor (210); and a display (240) controllable by the processor; characterized in that the navigation device (200) further comprises: a store (230) for building data, said building data being representative of the shape of buildings at each of a plurality of destinations, and a destination view generation module (490) for generating, from building data stored in said store (230) for said user selected destination, a three-dimensional representation of a building at said user selected destination, said processor (210) being responsive to said destination view generation module (490) to control said display (240) to display said three-dimensional representation to said user.

Abstract: A system and method for recording and tracking charitable donations over a period of one or more years, and for determining the tax consequence associated with such donations based upon taxing authority guidelines applicable to the time period in which such donations were made. Additionally, a method implemented by software for tracking charitable donations over a period of years whereby a user is prompted to select a donation and a year in which the donation was made for a memory. The software retrieves a tax deduction valuation associated with that donation and stores the donation and value in the memory in association with each other. Another aspect is directed to a system for determining the tax deduction value of charitable donations whereby a partner server electronically captures sales data of items and sends the sales data to a system server that stores such data in memory.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for servicing a customer of a builder by a third-party website provider. The method includes the steps of providing a first website by the third-party website provider for use by the customer in viewing and selecting product options for product offerings provided by the builder, receiving from the customer through the first website views and selections of an option of the options provided by the builder and collecting a fee or commission based upon the received selection made by the customer.

Abstract: A facility for automatically initiating product replenishment is described. The facility receives an indication of an order by a consumer for a first item having a first date, such as the date on which the first item was placed or fulfilled. The facility then determines a target date for replenishment based upon the identity of the first item. On the target date, the facility provides to the consumer an indication that the first item should be replenished. The indication includes a control useable by the customer to request replenishment of the first item. When this control is operated by the consumer, the facility receives an indication that the control is used by the consumer to request replenishment of the first item. In response to receiving indication the facility orders a second item to replenish the first item.