Abstract: A retail transactions station capable of identifying a customer, retrieving transaction account information associated with the customer, and charging the customer's purchases to the transaction account is operative to receive new transaction account information from the customer at the retail transactions station, verify the transaction account, and associate the new transaction account with the customer for pending and future purchases. In one embodiment, with the retail transactions station identifies the customer via an RFID interrogator at the retail transactions station and a corresponding RFID transponder in the customer's possession. New transaction account information is obtained via a magnetic stripe card reader at the retail transactions station. In another embodiment, the retail transactions station comprises a fuel dispenser.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed herein to predict an insurance benefit, such as a discount, associated with telematics data. The system includes a processor configured to determine demographic information associated with a driver of a vehicle. A first average number of safety events associated with a first safety event type may be displayed along with a second average number of safety events associated with a second safety event type, wherein the averages are based at least in part on the demographic information. A first predicted number of safety events associated with the first safety event type may be received from the driver along with a second predicted number of safety events associated with the second safety event type. A predicted discount may be automatically calculated and output.

Abstract: A preference management framework allows for the management of vendor-based vendor declarations and of vendor declarations for customer's purposes, preference determination based on preference agreements, the provision of statements regarding the preference eligibility of goods based on preference determinations, and the printing of several preference related documents according to the relevant agreements. The framework is flexible enough for users to easily develop their own preference schemes for new preference agreements. Users may first define (or modify) their responsible areas for preference management by assigning (or removing) administrative units of a business to themselves. Then the users may begin the preference processing by choosing one of their assigned administrative units and any preference agreements relevant to that administrative unit may be automatically determined for possible following steps in preference processes which can now be started.

Abstract: Techniques are described for facilitating sharing of executable software images between users in a configurable manner. In at least some situations, the executable software images are virtual machine images, and while executing may access and use remote network-accessible services (e.g., Web services). In addition, some or all shared executable software images may be made available in a fee-based manner by creator users, such that execution of such a fee-based software image by a software image execution service on behalf of a user other than the creator user is performed in exchange for fees from the other user as specified by the creator user. The creator user may further receive at least some of the specified fees paid by the other user, such as at least some of a difference between the specified fees and fees charged by the software image execution service for the execution.

Abstract: A computer-implemented financial management system provides the trading of securities via a network using virtual currency. A server computer receives buy and sell orders for derivative financial instruments from a plurality of client computers. The server computer attempts to match the buy and sell orders and then generates a market price through the use of a virtual specialist program executed by the server computer. The virtual specialist program responds to an imbalance in the matching of the buy and sell orders. The virtual currency accumulated by HSX account holders as a result of successful trading may be converted to another currency, credited toward the cost of merchandise provided through a vendor's web site, etc.

Abstract: A system and method for facilitating debit card transactions is disclosed. According to one embodiment, a method for facilitating debit card transactions may comprise the steps of: issuing, by a first financial institution, a debit card to a cardholder, the debit card being associated with a financial account held at or administered by a second financial institution that is different from the first financial institution; receiving a transaction request for a card transaction initiated by the cardholder, the transaction request indicating a mode for processing the transaction request as specified by the cardholder; routing the transaction request, based at least in part on the specified processing mode; processing the transaction request against the financial account to approve or reject the transaction request; and debiting an amount of an approved transaction request from the financial account, the debiting occurring either immediately upon or subsequent to the approval.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed whereby credit and debit card transactions are processed at a merchant point-of-sale terminal in a manner that provides customers the opportunity to receive one or more charge enhancement offers which are presented to the customer on a record of charge.

Abstract: Systems and methods for processing textual messages which are integrated with one or more digital attachments is described. These systems and methods are useful in the electronic filing and processing of, for example, image data, and of textual data associated with the image data. One particular application of these systems and methods would be for the electronic filing and processing of dental x-rays with patient claim forms.

Abstract: A system for processing traditional open-end mutual fund purchase and redemption orders at a server at designated Exchange(s) for receiving order messages from at least one of a plurality of Brokers and Member Firms, the server having at least one processor and memory for storing routines operable to process individual or aggregated order messages, preferably based on a prioritized set of business rules, and/or match the purchase and redemption orders, reformat the orders, and transmit the reformatted orders to at least one of a plurality of Fund/Securities Clearing Agents, Funds/Transfer Agents and Depositaries for confirmation, and clearing and settlement of issuance and redemption orders for mutual fund shares, as well as payment of mutual fund dividends.

Abstract: A computer-implemented financial management system provides the trading of securities via a network using virtual currency. A server computer receives buy and sell orders for derivative financial instruments from a plurality of client computers. The server computer attempts to match the buy and sell orders and then generates a market price through the use of a virtual specialist program executed by the server computer. The virtual specialist program responds to an imbalance in the matching of the buy and sell orders. The virtual currency accumulated by HSX account holders as a result of successful trading may be converted to another currency, credited toward the cost of merchandise provided through a vendor's web site, etc.

Abstract: One or more first groups of one or more first content items are identified. A first score is determined for each of the one or more first groups. A second group of one or more second content items is identified. At least one of the one or more second groups correspond to at least one of the one or more first groups. A second score is determined for each of the one or more second groups. A third score is determined for the first groups and the corresponding second group based on the first scores and second scores. An adjustment is made to a ranking of the one or more first content items based on the third scores.

Abstract: A method of charity funding, using prepaid cards. A winner of a charity lottery is provided with a prepaid card having, as an initial balance, the lottery winnings. As part of the card activation process, the winner is asked whether they would like to donate all or part of their winnings back to the charity. Systems and methods for providing same.

Abstract: A computerized system (10) and method for obtaining the best fill for an order using automated suborders is disclosed. The system (10) includes a client system (14) that proves a user interface (150) for inputting an order and a single click operation for initiating the order. The system (10) also includes a server system (12) that is in communication with the client system (14) and a plurality of trade execution locations (30). When the server system (12) receives the order from the client system (14), the server system (12) parses the order into a plurality of suborders. The server system (12) then sends each of the suborders to one of the market participants which are selected and sorted based upon having the best available price for a particular suborder. As such, if all of the suborders are filled, the best price is obtained for the order.

Abstract: Price setting for a security occurs by automatically engaging in a price discovery procedure before responding to a request for a current buy or sell price of the security to provide an automatically discovered price that is better than a book price. The book price is the best price in an order book including orders to buy or sell specified quantities of the security at respective prices, the lowest sell order price of the booked orders being the book sell price, the highest buy order price of the booked orders being the book buy order price. The price discovery procedure includes providing the book buy or sell price to at least one entity registered to participate in the price discovery procedure. The entity automatically provides an improved price relative to the book price based on a predetermined strategy that is determined independently of the strategies for other entities.

Abstract: Price setting for a security occurs by automatically engaging in a price discovery procedure before responding to a request for a current buy or sell price of the security to provide an automatically discovered price that is better than a book price. The book price is the best price in an order book including orders to buy or sell specified quantities of the security at respective prices, the lowest sell order price of the booked orders being the book sell price, the highest buy order price of the booked orders being the book buy order price. The price discovery procedure includes providing the book buy or sell price to at least one entity registered to participate in the price discovery procedure. The entity automatically provides an improved price relative to the book price based on a predetermined strategy that is determined independently of the strategies for other entities.

Abstract: A method and system for administering the hedging of an employee deferred compensation plan, e.g., which employs hedging of NQDC plan liabilities using total return swaps and/or put and call options and/or forwards, for tax purposes. A plan coordinator coordinates a transfer of information between an employer/plan sponsor, a plan administrator that communicates with the employees/plan participants, and a balance sheet provider. The plan coordinator receives and reconciles data and then calculates and modifies relevant information for tax purposes and use in reports that are provided to the plan sponsor and balance sheet provider. Calculations and modifications for tax purposes allow the plan sponsor to reap tax benefits from the NQDC plan swap hedge. The reports include an upcoming transactions report, which indicates new compensation deferrals, reallocations of previously deferred compensation among specified indices, and withdrawals.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for managing variable rate debt in the form of at least one credit issued by a borrower, comprising: budgeting for interest owed on the variable rate debt by the borrower during a time period when an interest rate on the variable rate debt is below a first predetermined low interest rate level; applying at least a portion of any existing current budgetary excess by the borrower to reduce future interest rate risk by performing at least one of i) the early retirement of principal associated with the variable rate debt and ii) the funding of a sinking fund; and applying at least a portion of any accumulated budgetary excess by the borrower during a time period when the interest rate is above a first predetermined high interest rate level to reduce an amount of debt service. A corresponding software program and system are also disclosed.

Abstract: The present embodiments include methods, systems, and computer program products that provide tools for use in any type of electronic trading environment. In one aspect, leaning manager includes software that can be implemented on any type of computer device for tracking and/or coordinating the buying and selling of available market quantities by multiple automated or semi-automated trading tools. For instance, if more than one automated or semi-automated trading tool is leaning on the same tradeable object then the leaning manager may track and/or coordinate such action. The trading tools can use the tracked information and/or the allocated quantities and their prices to enhance their trading strategies.

Abstract: Systems and methods for presenting billing information are provided. A notice may be transmitted via a network by a bill presentment service provider system comprising one or more computers. The notice may be transmitted in accordance with an e-mail protocol, and the notice may indicate availability of billing information via a bill present service provider system. Subsequent to transmitting the notice, a request for the billing information may be received by the bill presentment service provider system via the second protocol. The request may be received responsive to a selection of the hyper-link. Responsive to receiving the request, at least a portion of the billing information may be transmitted by the bill presentment service provider system via the network.

Abstract: A computer system for a manufacturer or service provider to communicate goods or services which are available for bidding by bidders that provides collected bids in a bid database, the bids each having an associated seal status indication field queries the bid database for unsealed bids which match parameters of a Broker Profile Matrix associated with a trader console, the trader console comprising an intermediary third party user console communicably disposed between a bidder user console and broker user console, operates to buy products or services from the broker user console and to resell the bought products and services to the bidder user console; responsive to finding matching unsealed bids, delivers the matching unsealed bids to the trader console wherein delivery of delivery of sealed bids to the trader console is prevented; and displays on the trader console the delivered matching unsealed bids to a trader console user.